MSI has unveiled a stable of gaming laptops employing Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 30-Series GPUs, following the chip maker’s CES 2021 announcement that its “Ampere”-based graphics processors will be arriving on laptops this month.
The RTX 30-Series graphics chips have been a hit on desktop PCs for their combination of top-end performance and value, so they arrive on laptops to great anticipation. MSI will be utilizing a range of these graphics chips in its Stealth, Raider, Leopard, and Thin gaming lines, as well as its creative-professional-focused MSI Creator line.
Though CES is entirely remote this year, we worked with MSI to bring you a video preview of three of these laptops. MSI had a GE76 Raider, a GP66 Leopard, and a Stealth 15M on hand to show off, so check out the video of our call below to see each system up close and learn more about their specs and features…
No time for the video? We have a rundown of the specs and models on offer below. Some of these have both a 15- and 17-inch version, but we’re focusing on the models MSI gave us a tour of in the video.
The GE76 Raider: All-Out Power
The GE76 Raider starts at $1,499, a firmly midrange price point, and models scale all the way up to $2,899 from there. All GE76 models are 17 inches, and at that size, it is a hefty laptop, measuring 1.08 by 15.6 by 10.6 inches (HWD) and 6.4 pounds. This is the big flagship, prioritizing power and performance. The GE66 Raider represents the 15-inch version of this laptop, and has its own, similar component options.
The GE76 base model starts off with a Core i7-10750H processor, an RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD. From there, the models ramp up through the RTX 30-Series hierarchy to the all-powerful RTX 3080 (the full-power, not Max-Q, version). The base model also features a 144Hz refresh rate display, while the rest upgrade to a 300Hz panel.
The GP66 Leopard: A Potent Do-It-All System
Moving on, the GP66 Leopard starts at $1,799, and the base configuration comes with a Core i7-10750H processor, an RTX 3070, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. This is the 15-inch version of the Leopard and yes, if you can spot the trend, the GP76 Leopard is the 17-inch version (though in this case, there is just one configuration of the larger machine).
As a 15-inch laptop, it measures 0.92 by 14.1 by 10.5 inches and weighs 5.25 pounds—lighter than its larger counterpart, but still pretty hefty by modern laptop standards. Display options include a 144Hz panel in the base model to a 240Hz screen on more expensive units, all full HD. This is a do-everything laptop, but it’s certainly closer to enthusiast-grade than a midrange system, even at its lowest configuration.
The Stealth 15M: Portability First
Finally, we come to the Stealth 15M. As the name implies, this one is much more focused on portability than the others. There is only a 15-inch version of this laptop, and it comes in at 0.63 by 14.1 by 9.8 inches and 3.75 pounds. That’s much closer to competing portable 15-inch gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 15 and Alienware m15 R3.
The base model starts at $1,399 and features a Core i7-11375H processor, part of the “Tiger Lake” Core H-series just announced during CES 2021. It also includes an RTX 3060 Max-Q GPU, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD.
Unlike the others, the thermally restrained GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q is the only GPU option for this thinner machine. There is also only one display option: a full HD IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. It comes in both white and gray, but these options are tied to the SKUs: The base model and the second-least-expensive model are white, while the two more expensive models are gray.
For more on their features, and a good look at their designs, watch the video discussion above. We look forward to reviewing these laptop lines once units become available.
