MSI Thin 15.6" Review
The MSI Thin laptop is a storage and multitasking monster with 64GB RAM and a 4TB SSD, but its older RTX 3050 holds it back from being a true gaming champion.
Overview
This MSI Thin is a weird one. It's got a massive 64GB of RAM and a huge 4TB SSD, which is awesome, but then it pairs that with a last-gen RTX 3050 and a pretty basic screen. The one thing to know? This is a productivity beast that can handle some light gaming on the side, but don't buy it expecting a top-tier gaming experience. It's built for multitasking and storage hoarders first.
Performance
The performance story is a real mixed bag. That RTX 3050 lands in the 68th percentile, which is fine for older games or eSports titles at medium settings, but it's the clear bottleneck here. The real surprise is how much RAM and storage you get for the price. 64GB of DDR4 and a 4TB SSD are in the 94th and 97th percentiles, respectively. That means you can have a hundred Chrome tabs open while editing photos and never slow down.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- An insane amount of RAM and storage for the money. 97th
- Incredibly portable for the specs, weighing under 4.1 lbs. 95th
- Great port selection with four USB-A ports. 93th
- Solid build quality for a thin-and-light gaming laptop. 73th
Cons
- The RTX 3050 is dated and holds back gaming performance. 3th
- The 1080p screen is a major weak spot, ranking in the bottom 16%. 25th
- The Intel 13420H CPU is only average, sitting in the 43rd percentile.
- Battery life is a complete unknown and likely not great.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core i5 13420H |
| Cores | 8 |
| Frequency | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | RTX 3050 |
| Type | discrete |
| VRAM | 4 GB |
| VRAM Type | GDDR6 |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 64 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR4 |
| Storage | 4 TB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 15.6" |
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
Connectivity
| USB Ports | 4 |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 |
Physical
| Weight | 1.9 kg / 4.1 lbs |
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
Value & Pricing
At $1629, the value is all about that RAM and storage. If you need to run virtual machines, edit huge video files, or just never want to worry about space, this is a compelling deal. If you're mainly a gamer, you can get much better GPU performance for the same cash.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to something like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, you're trading raw gaming power (its RTX 4080) for insane multitasking headroom. The Legion will run circles around this MSI in games but costs more and gives you less storage. Against an Apple MacBook Pro, you're getting way more ports and upgradeable storage for less money, but you lose out on battery life, screen quality, and the seamless Apple ecosystem. For a creator on a budget who needs space, this MSI makes a case. For a pure gamer, the Legion or even an ASUS ROG Zephyrus with a better GPU is the move.
Verdict
This is a niche recommendation. Buy the MSI Thin if your workflow demands tons of RAM and storage above all else, and you only do casual gaming. It's a fantastic mobile workstation for the price. For everyone else, especially gamers prioritizing frame rates or screen quality, look at competitors with better GPUs and displays. This laptop is great at what it's built for, but it's not built for everything.