MSI Thin GF63 15.6" Review

The MSI Thin GF63 is a budget gaming laptop that tries to do a lot for under a grand. You get a 144Hz screen, a 12th-gen Intel chip, and an RTX 2050, all wrapped in MSI's familiar black chassis. It's clearly built for someone who wants to play modern games without spending a fortune, but you have to know where the corners were cut.

Gaming performance is decent for the price. The RTX 2050 and 24GB of RAM handle esports titles like Valorant or Fortnite on medium-high settings just fine, hitting that 144Hz target. The 1TB SSD is a nice touch for quick load times. But the Intel 12450H CPU is a weak point, landing in just the 37th percentile. It can bottleneck in more demanding AAA games, and the 4GB of VRAM on the GPU is tight for newer titles. It's a solid 1080p machine for lighter games, but don't expect max settings everywhere.

At around $909, the value is a mixed bag. You're getting a lot of spec sheet for the money, especially that 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD combo. For a strict budget gamer who plays lighter titles, it's a fair deal. But if you can stretch your budget a few hundred more, you'll find laptops with much better CPUs and GPUs that will last you longer. This feels like a 'good enough for now' purchase.

Compared to other budget options, it's a spec play. A Lenovo Legion with an RTX 4050 would crush it in gaming for a bit more cash. Against something like an ASUS Zenbook, you lose all portability and battery life but gain gaming power. The real competition is older models on sale. You might find a last-gen RTX 3050 laptop for a similar price, which would be a smarter buy for pure gaming performance. This MSI wins on raw RAM and storage size, but loses on core gaming horsepower.

Buy this if you're on a strict sub-$1,000 budget, play mostly esports or older games, and really value having 24GB of RAM for streaming or having a ton of Chrome tabs open. Don't buy it if you want to play the latest AAA titles smoothly, need something portable, or plan to keep the laptop for more than a couple of years. It's a starter pack for PC gaming.