MSI laptops are simply unbeatable in terms of gaming value, and the MSI Thin GF63 (12VE-066US) is a prime example, available for under $1,000, making smooth 1080p gaming more affordable than most other gaming laptops. It’s also sturdy and pleasant to use.
MSI Thin GF63 Specs:
- Screen resolution:1920 x 1080 pixels
- Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
- Number of USB 3.0 Ports: 3
- Brand: MSI
- Series: Thin GF63 12VE-066US
- Operating System: Windows 11 home
- Item Weight: 4.1 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 14.13 x 9.99 x 0.85 inches
- Processor Brand: 10-Core Intel Core i7-12650H
MSI Thin GF63 Review:
Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H and paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, this laptop delivers solid performance for both gamers and creators. The RTX 4050 packs 2,560 shaders and 6 GB GDDR6, and although entry-level, it brings notable performance and efficiency at this price point.
In benchmark tests it scores approximately 2384 single-core and 10,411 multi-core points, excellent for multitasking, creative work, and demanding productivity. Combined with the NVIDIA RTX 4050, this CPU yields very playable performance on modern titles at 1080p medium/high settings.
It may not run every game ultra smoothly, but dropping some settings will allow it to work just fine on most games at their native resolution on the 15.6-inch display. Also, when fans are going hard, it tends to stay quieter than most other gaming laptops.
Previously, the GF63 series used GPUs such as the GTX 1660 and 1650 but now they’ve moved over to the RTX series, which is a big leap forward in terms of performance and efficiency gains that these new Nvidia chips bring with them—especially for an affordable laptop like this one.
As we know, MSI has incredible gaming machines like the MSI Cyborg 15 and you can associate MSI with gaming laptops, they have also been making some really impressive machines for creators. You can easily work on many things at once and edit videos well because of its full HD display screen and NVIDIA graphics card.
This laptop has 16 GB of RAM that’s good for multitasking and light gaming and 512 GB of SSD storage, which is enough for most users. 512 GB SSD means you can roughly store 125 modern games (40 GB each),125,000 photos and 250,000 three-minute songs.
MSI has proved that it’s not just about gaming. They succeeded in business and creative tasks as well. For example, think photo and video editing along with 2D and 3D animation.
Now, let’s dive into why this might be the top pick for your gaming and creative needs!
Design and display:
The MSI GF63 Thin looks different from other gaming laptops and doesn’t offer as many options to customize its appearance. It mainly comes in black and red colors. But it doesn’t obviously look like a gaming laptop, so you could use it for work or school without people noticing.
The keyboard has red edges, which I like, but sometimes the letters can be hard to see. For instance, the letters O and D look similar. The keyboard layout is standard, without a separate number pad, but it has some extra keys on the right side. These keys can adjust screen brightness, keyboard brightness, and volume when used with the function key.
With its 15.6-inch screen, the laptop isn’t particularly small, but it would be ideal for people who need bigger screens to edit photos or videos while they’re on the go.
While the MSI GF63 boasts an excellent 4K display, if you don’t require such high resolution, you can opt for a full HD display instead. The 1080p IPS panel covers 62 % sRGB and peaks at 250 nits, bright enough indoors, but colors shift if you view it off-angle and it struggles in direct sunlight.
The GF63 Thin laptop measures 14.13 x 9.99 x 0.85 inches (358.9 x 253.7 x 21.6 mm, WDH) and weighs 4.1 pounds (1.86 kg). It’s smaller and lighter than some other laptops.
It has a 720p webcam, and its speakers and microphone are okay, though not amazing. This makes it good enough for video calls, which matches its ability to be used for both work and fun.
Finally, they’ve included quite a few ports, which is good. There are three USB-A ports and a USB-C port. This should be enough space to connect things, but you might need an extension set because you’ll likely want to use an external mouse and maybe a keyboard too.
Performance:
If you’re not spending a lot of money, you won’t get top-notch specs, and that’s a fact. But the MSI Thin GF63 has decent performance, with a 12th-generation i7 processor and the latest NVIDIA RTX 4050 graphics card.
It’s good for casual gaming and tasks like video editing or Photoshop because it comes with 16GB of RAM, which is better than previous models with only 8GB.
Speaking of gaming, it can handle games like Fortnite, Minecraft, PUBG, Apex Legends, Cyberpunk 2077, and GTA V, but not on the highest graphics settings. Expect 64 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at Medium—drop to Low for 90 fps or crank to High for 35 fps.
The fans might get louder and hotter, but the games still run smoothly. You can purchase a cooling pad to eliminate this problem. However, if you keep encountering it, I suggest playing games that are light enough for this laptop rather than ones that are too demanding because the latter may cause it to heat up quickly and may be problematic in the future. For casual gaming, though, it works just fine.
Battery life:
The MSI Thin GF63’s main drawback is its limited battery life, averaging around 5 hours and even less during gaming sessions due to its slim design and smaller battery.
Battery life and charging speed are only adequate. The 52.4 Whr battery is an improvement over older models but lasts only about 5 hours at 50% brightness, likely due to the slim design’s space constraints, despite the lower-end components.
It’s adequate but not exceptional. It provides 4-5 hours of battery life for web browsing, but gaming drains it in under 2 hours, even with power-saving settings enabled.
It also takes longer to charge fully compared to many other laptops. However, if you usually charge your laptop overnight, this might not be a problem. Like most gaming laptops, it’s really meant to be used while plugged in.
Should you buy an MSI GF63 thin laptop?
Here are the reasons why you should either buy it or choose a different model.
Reasons to buy MSI Thin GF63:
- You want a gaming laptop that’s not too expensive.
- You need a laptop that can be used for different things, like work or school.
- You don’t want a heavy laptop.
Reasons to avoid MSI Thin GF63:
- You need a laptop with a good battery life, especially for gaming.
- You want to play games in high resolution because this laptop only has a 1080p screen.
Bottom line:
The MSI GF63 Thin is a great option for gamers and power users on a budget. It costs less than $1000 for the base model, and its Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card are better than cheaper CPUs and integrated graphics.
However, it’s not the best for playing demanding games. It doesn’t score highly in gaming performance tests so you will need to lower the graphics settings for smooth play. This laptop works better with games like Fortnite and other eSports titles.
Moreover, it has only 16GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 512GB, which may not be sufficient for an extensive gaming experience or for handling very large datasets or editing high-definition graphics. But you can upgrade this later on if you want to.
Overall, if you care most about performance and don’t mind sacrificing other features, the GF63 Thin is a good deal. With some upgrades to the memory and storage, it can be the best laptop for all purposes.
