MSI Thin 15 15.6" Thin153-1105-002 Black 2023

The MSI Thin 15 proves you don't need to spend a grand to get a real RTX 4050 gaming laptop, even if it's chunky and the battery life is abysmal. At this price, just buy it — and keep the charger handy.

What surprised us most is just how much punch the RTX 4050 delivers in a sub-$900 laptop. In our testing, it handles 1080p gaming at high settings without breaking a sweat, even in newer titles like Cyberpunk 2077 (with DLSS on, naturally). The i5-13420H isn't a barn-burner — it's about average for its class — but paired with the 4050, it rarely holds you back. The screen's 144Hz refresh rate makes gameplay buttery smooth, though the color accuracy is only okay for photo work. One disappointment: the 16GB of DDR4 RAM. It's functional, but you can feel the last-gen speed in memory-heavy workloads, and it's a bit behind what we'd expect from a modern gaming machine.

The most direct competitors are the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, but both cost significantly more. The G14 is smaller, lighter, and has a gorgeous OLED screen, making it better for portability and content creation — but you'll pay at least $1,500. The Legion Pro 5i gives you more GPU power and a brighter display, but it's bigger and heavier, and starts around $1,300. The MSI Thin 15 undercuts both in price while delivering comparable 1080p gaming performance. If you can stretch your budget, the G14 is a better all-rounder; if you're strictly gaming on a desk, this MSI is a steal.

For $899, this is one of the best value gaming laptops you can buy right now. The RTX 4050 alone makes it worth it, and the 1TB SSD and solid port selection sweeten the deal. It's not flashy, but it's honest.

The one thing to know: the MSI Thin 15 is a killer deal for an RTX 4050 gaming laptop at $899. But that "Thin" name? It's more aspirational than accurate. You're getting a fairly chunky 15.6-inch machine that weighs over four pounds — not exactly ultraportable. Still, the spec sheet is pretty stacked for the price: a 13th Gen Core i5, 16GB of RAM (albeit DDR4), a roomy 1TB SSD, and a 144Hz IPS display. It's not going to win any beauty contests, but if you want the most FPS per dollar, this is a serious contender.

If you're someone who carries a laptop all day and needs good battery life, skip the Thin 15 and look at an ultraportable like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 or even a MacBook Air. This machine is meant to be plugged in and gaming, not pulled out in a coffee shop for hours of productivity.

We recommend the MSI Thin 15 wholeheartedly to anyone on a strict gaming budget. It's not the thinnest or the most premium, but it nails where it counts: graphics power, screen smoothness, and price. For $899, it's tough to beat.