MSI Modern 15 H C2RMTG-406US 15.6" Touchscreen Review

So here's the MSI Modern 15. It's a 15.6-inch touchscreen laptop that's trying to be a solid all-rounder for work and school. With 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, it's clearly aimed at someone who multitasks a lot, maybe a developer or a student running VMs or a ton of browser tabs. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processor is no slouch either, landing in the 76th percentile for CPU power.

But let's be real about who this is for. The scores tell the story: it's best for a developer or general use, scoring around 60/100. It's not a gaming machine at all, with a dismal 17.5/100 score there. This is for the person who needs a reliable, capable machine for coding, writing, and research, not for playing the latest games.

What makes it interesting is the combo of that high RAM and the touchscreen at this price point. You're getting workstation-level memory in a fairly portable, 1.9kg package. It's a practical choice, not a flashy one. The WiFi 6E and decent port selection, including HDMI, round out a very sensible spec sheet for getting stuff done.

Performance-wise, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is the star. That 76th percentile CPU ranking means it's genuinely fast for productivity. Compiling code, running data analysis, or juggling dozens of Chrome tabs won't be a problem. The 32GB of RAM is in the 70th percentile, which is overkill for most people but perfect if your workflow actually needs it. You'll never worry about memory.

The catch is everywhere else. The integrated Intel Graphics land right in the middle of the pack at the 50th percentile. That's fine for driving the display and very light photo editing, but that's it. The screen is a bigger letdown, sitting in the 29th percentile. A basic 1080p 60Hz IPS panel is just okay in 2024, especially on a 15.6-inch touchscreen where you might want sharper detail. It gets the job done, but it's not a pleasure to look at for long periods.

Priced around $972, the value proposition is a bit mixed. You're paying primarily for that 32GB RAM and the capable CPU. If you need that much memory, finding it pre-configured at under a thousand dollars is actually pretty good. Most laptops in this price range ship with 16GB.

But you're making clear trade-offs. That money isn't going toward a great screen, a premium build, or a dedicated GPU. Compared to something like a MacBook Air or a higher-end Windows ultrabook, you get more raw power for certain tasks but a less polished overall experience. It's a tool, not a luxury item.

This sits in a weird spot against its top competitors. The Apple MacBook Pro is in another league entirely on performance, screen, and build quality, but it costs more than twice as much. A more direct fight is with something like the ASUS Zenbook Duo. That machine might have less RAM, but it offers a revolutionary dual-screen design that's arguably more useful than a basic touchscreen for productivity.

Then you have the gaming laptops like the MSI Vector or Gigabyte AORUS. For similar money, they offer vastly better GPUs and screens for gaming and content creation, but they're heavier, have worse battery life, and often skimp on RAM. The MSI Modern 15 is the opposite: maxed-out RAM and a good CPU in a plain wrapper. Your choice boils down to whether you need that specific memory-heavy workflow or if you'd prefer a better screen or GPU for the same cash.

If you're a developer, data scientist, or power user who genuinely needs 32GB of RAM for virtual machines, containers, or massive datasets, this laptop makes a lot of sense. The CPU can handle it, and the price for that configuration is fair. It's a workhorse for specific, memory-intensive tasks.

For almost everyone else, especially students or general users, I'd look elsewhere. The poor screen and unknown battery life are big drawbacks for daily use. Consider a laptop with 16GB of RAM, a better display, and a proven battery instead. You'll likely be happier with the overall experience, even if you sacrifice some multitasking headroom.