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Is MSI a Good Laptop Brand? | A Pros & Cons Review
MSI is one of the best laptop brands with a focus on gaming. They have a wide range of options for different types of gamers, from those who want the most powerful laptop available to those who are looking for something more affordable.
Whether you’ve heard of them before or not, I think you’ll be excited to learn more about their laptops! In this post, we will look at their pros and cons.
Key Takeaways
- MSI laptops range in price from around $500 to higher, depending on the hardware included in the model.
- They are known for their durability, using high-quality materials such as aluminum and magnesium alloys in construction, but some designs may be bulky.
- MSI offers a variety of models including gaming, business, and multimedia laptops. They also have a line of eco-friendly laptops that are made with recyclable materials and are easy on the environment.
- They have decent customer service, but it is only available during business hours, and wait times can be long.
- They are a decent option for business use, but not the best value-for-money option.
Below are the key advantages and disadvantages of MSI.
Pros
- Strong and reliable specs.
- A wide variety of laptops to choose from.
- Very competitive pricing.
- Perfect brand for gamers, programmers, and editors.
- Durable design.
- Special features can help you customize your experience.
- Exceptional screens and colors.
Cons
- Below average customer service that should be improved.
- Not the best brand if you need a laptop just for work. Other brands will do the same job for less money.
- Some laptops look bulky and take up a lot of space.
Pricing
MSI laptops start at around $500 and go up from there depending on which hardware parts are included in the model.
If you want something that will last longer than other models (and has a higher price tag), then MSI offers products that were made with durability in mind—they’re built with stronger materials so they won’t break easily if dropped or mishandled.
Such an example is the MSI Pulse which starts at about $950 on Amazon. Remember to check the graphics card that’s included in the laptop. You want to get an RTX 3050 or better.
Design & Durability
So, how are MSI laptops so durable? The company uses high-quality materials in the construction of the casing such as aluminum and magnesium alloys, which provide strength without adding too much weight to the device.
However, a few of their designs look a bit bulky which might not be very attractive to some users who might prefer a slim design.
They offer a variety of different models to choose from, including gaming laptops, business laptops, and multimedia laptops. The cheaper ones are made with more plastic in order to lower the cost of production.
MSI also has a line of eco-friendly laptops that are made with recyclable materials and are easy on the environment.
Performance & Gaming
MSI laptops are known for their high-performance GPUs and powerful processors, which is why they’re often used for gaming and programming. It’s going to be very hard for you to find an MSI laptop with below-average hardware.
However, they also make excellent laptops for everyday use which have long battery life. If you’re looking for a new laptop that’s going to give you the performance you need without breaking down on you, look no further than the MSI Raider GE66.
When it comes to compatibility, MSI laptops are great since the company develops other computer hardware such as motherboards, graphics cards, monitors, and more.
Similar to ASUS, making your own PC components can offer some sense of security to the customers. Especially, since this is MSI we are talking about and their other hardware is always top-notch.
Are MSI laptops good for business?
MSI laptops are decent for your business—they’re durable, portable, and powerful, with a wide range of features to suit your needs.
They have released 3 series of business laptops with the names “Prestige”, “Summit” and “Modern”. These come with a flipping touchscreen and a pen that you use for drawing. Think of them with the classic 2-in-1 design of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex Series.
Regardless, they’re not the best value-for-money option out there unless you want to spend way more than you need to on a laptop that will only be used at work.
My recommendation for affordable business laptops would definitely be HP.
Customer Service
MSI customer service is known for being decent, but there are some drawbacks to their service that you should be aware of.
The first drawback is that MSI’s customer support is only available during business hours.
This can be a problem if you’re trying to get help with a problem on a weekend or during the evening, especially if your computer was broken and you need it fixed immediately.
Another problem with MSI’s Hotline is, based on reports, that the wait time can be long. If you have a fairly simple issue with your computer and call MSI, they might not be able to fix it right away—or even at all!
They at least have live chat but it’s 24/5 for some reason. These guys are like “Well, it’s the weekend so we are shutting down. See you on Monday!”.
Special Features
MSI laptops come with a lot of special features, so it’s hard to pick just one. I’ve decided to list my 2 favorites:
1) MSI Dragon Center: Gives you a lot of control over your device. You can monitor CPU/GPU usage, adjust fan speeds, and set up custom profiles for different games or applications. This makes it easy to get the most out of your device no matter what you’re using it for.
2) MSI True Color software: It allows you to customize the colors on your screen so they’re exactly how you want them—or have them match your mood! If you’re feeling creative, you can even create your own color schemes and save them as presets for future use.
The Bottom Line
MSI makes laptops for every kind of gamer, whether you are looking for something portable and affordable, or for a high-end gaming rig.
All of their laptops come highly reviewed, but you should be prepared to spend a little more than you would like on some of their designs, especially when comparing MSI laptops side by side with other manufacturers.
