Look, there’s nothing wrong with monsters for big, bestial 17-inch games, but for my money, I like a gaming notebook that can balance performance and portability, and the MSI Stealth 15M has just taken this principle to a whole new level.
Featuring an all-aluminum construction measuring just 16 mm thick (0.62 inches) and weighing 3.7 pounds, the Stealth 15M is actually thinner and lighter than a Dell XPS 15 (0.71 inches and 4 pounds). But most importantly, despite its narrow dimensions, the Stealth 15M still has enough space and thermal capacity to support an Intel Core i7-11375H CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3060 Max-Q GPU as standard.
In fact, compared to the basic model of Recently updated Razer Blade 15 starting at $ 1,700, a basic $ 1,400 Stealth 15M from MSI has a newer 11th generation Intel CPU. ºand Blade relieis in a 10th generation chip. They have similar 144 Hz 15.6 inch LCD monitors, and the same 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD, but the MSI goes to $ 400 less. So not only It’s the Stealth 15M super thin, but is also turning into good business (unless you want the white version, which costs a little more).
The good things don’t stop there because, on the Stealth 15M, MSI included its Cooler Boost 5 thermal solution, which features six heat tubes and even thinner fans to help maximize heat transfer and keep the temperature under control within such a thin chassis.
G / O Media can receive a commission
On the performance side, MSI says it supports Nvidia’s Dynamic Boost 2.0 technology to help balance CPU and GPU loads and improve overall system efficiency, in addition to Nvidia Reflexwho tries analyze and optimize input latency between the system and peripherals such as the mouse and keyboard.
And when it comes to connectivity, along with support for Wi-Fi 6, the Stealth 15M also features a healthy selection of ports, including two USB 3.2 Type A ports, two USB-C ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 3 ), a full-size HDMI port and even an integrated microSD card reader. In addition, while the Stealth 15M has an old school barrel-style power connector, MSI says the system can also be recharged via USB-C in the blink of an eye, although if you’re doing something intense like playing a game, the laptop battery will still drain slowly due to the lower charging rates available via USB.
For 2021, MSI is even paying attention to the little things because on the Stealth 15M and other recently upgraded MSI laptops, MSI upgraded its webcams from 720p to full HD, which addresses a long-standing complaint made by many users. And as you would expect from an MSI laptop, the Stealth 15M comes with the standard range of bonus features like Nahimic Audio, MSI’s Dragon Control Center and a backlit RGB keyboard.
Due to the CES becoming virtual this year, I didn’t have the opportunity to check out the Stealth 15M personally, but among its specifications and features, I think MSI may have really hit the sweet spot between power and portability. That said, the only area where the Stealth 15M seems to fall short when compared to rival systems like the Razer Blade 15 is the lack of certain configuration options. That’s because, although you can increase the amount of RAM or storage and choose between black and white paintings, you can’t choose between another display options or GPUs, which means that the 144 Hz full HD display and the RTX 3060 GPU are locked in all configurations.
Fortunately, if you want a more robust gaming laptop MSI has many options, including new and upgraded laptops, such as GE77 Raider or GP Leopard systems, which are available on models 15 and 17 with graphics up to RTX 3070 or 3080.
The new Stealth 15m along with a bunch of other new MSI laptops like the GP Leopard and GE Raider are available for pre-order now with shipments expected to come out in the coming weeks.
If you want to see more new gadgets and devices from CES 2021, click here to read our full coverage.