MSI Thin GF Series GF63 9SC 15.6" 60 Review

So you're looking for a gaming laptop that won't break the bank or your back. The MSI GF63 Thin is basically that idea in a box. It's got a GTX 1650 GPU and a 9th Gen Intel i5, wrapped up in a chassis that's surprisingly light at just over four pounds. This isn't the machine for maxing out Cyberpunk, but for someone who wants to play Fortnite, Apex Legends, or older AAA titles without spending a fortune, it's a solid starting point.

The thing that makes the GF63 interesting is its focus on being thin and light for a gaming laptop. At 1.86kg, it's genuinely portable. You can toss it in a backpack and not feel like you're carrying a brick. That's a big deal if you're a student or someone who needs to move around a lot. It's trading some raw power for that portability, which is a classic laptop compromise.

Who is this for? It's perfect for the casual gamer or someone just getting into PC gaming who needs a machine that can also handle schoolwork or everyday tasks. The 512GB SSD is a good start for a game library, and the 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum you'd want. Just know going in that you're getting a budget-friendly experience. The screen is a basic 60Hz IPS panel, and the battery life from that 51Wh cell isn't going to last a full day of classes.

Let's talk numbers. The GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU lands in the 66th percentile for graphics performance. In plain English, that means it's faster than about two-thirds of other laptop GPUs out there. For games like Valorant, CS2, or Rocket League, you'll easily hit high frame rates at 1080p. For more demanding titles, you'll need to dial settings down to Medium or Low to stay above 60 fps. It's a 2019 GPU, so it's showing its age, but it's still capable for the price.

The CPU is where you'll feel the biggest pinch. The Intel Core i5-9300H sits in the 14th percentile, which is frankly pretty low. It's a 4-core chip from 2019, and in 2024, it's going to struggle with modern, CPU-heavy games or any serious multitasking. Pair that with only 8GB of RAM (10th percentile), and you have a system that can bottleneck the GPU. You'll see stutters in open-world games or if you try to run Discord and a game at the same time. Upgrading the RAM to 16GB should be your first move if you buy this.

The GF63's value proposition is simple: it's cheap. At its current price point around $711, you're getting a dedicated gaming GPU in a thin body. That's hard to find elsewhere. Most laptops in this price range are stuck with integrated graphics that can't game at all.

But you have to be honest about what 'cheap' gets you. You're making serious compromises on the screen, the RAM, the CPU, and the battery. You're basically paying for the GTX 1650 and portability, and everything else is budget-tier. If your budget is absolutely locked at $700-$800 and gaming is a must, this is a contender. If you can stretch another $200-$300, you'll find much better balanced machines.

Looking at competitors, the trade-offs become clear. A Lenovo Legion in the same price bracket might have a better screen or more RAM, but it'll likely be thicker and heavier. The GF63 bets everything on being thin and affordable.

Compared to something like an ASUS Zenbook Duo, you're trading productivity features and a better screen for gaming power. The Zenbook has a dual-screen setup that's great for work but uses integrated graphics. It's a completely different machine for a different person. And you can't even compare this to the high-end monsters like the MSI Vector or Gigabyte AORUS listed—those are in another league of performance and price. The GF63 exists for people those laptops are completely out of reach for.

If you're a student or a casual gamer on a very tight budget who values portability above all else, the MSI GF63 Thin is a justifiable purchase. Plan to upgrade the RAM to 16GB immediately, and maybe connect it to a better external monitor for longer sessions. It'll get you in the door for 1080p gaming.

But if you're serious about gaming, plan to use this as your primary machine for several years, or need good battery life, you should keep looking. The weak CPU, low RAM, and poor screen are significant handicaps. Saving up a bit more for a laptop with a newer RTX 3050 or 4050, a better screen, and 16GB of RAM will provide a much better and longer-lasting experience.