The MSI Thin is the entry-level series of gaming laptops for light games, such as Minecraft, Fortnite and Call of Duty. The model I tested had an RTX 3050 video card, a 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor and 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM. I ran a number of games with this, but I also tested the laptop for video editing and multitasking in various programs. In this review you can read my findings.
Video card suitable for light games
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 video card makes this laptop suitable for graphically light games. For example, I opened Minecraft, played a few games of Halo Infinite (without winning unfortunately) and also tried a somewhat heavier title in Hogwarts Legacy. As expected, Minecraft and Halo Infinate ran without problems in 1,080p high with 60 to 100 frames. The MSI Thin had more trouble with Hogwarts Legacy, because it is a newer game. Due to the extra detailed graphics and lighting effects, I had to adjust the resolution to 1,080p medium. Playing modern games is possible, but I do recommend that you enable DLSS support. This boosts the frame rate through AI technology, which makes your gaming just a little bit smoother. For older, light titles, I find the RTX 3050 more than suitable. The RTX 4050 and RTX 4060 models run these games at a higher frame rate.
Powerful processor and RAM combination
The 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor and the 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM memory make this one of the more powerful entry-level models. For example, I edited some gameplay videos in Adobe Premiere Pro and the laptop processed my projects in no time. The RTX 3050 video card gave me extra graphic power for editing lighting effects. For extra precise editing, I recommend the RTX 4050 and 4060 models with an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor. The newer generation of video cards processes pixels and textures faster than the RTX 3050 variant.
Sleek gaming design with fast fans
The design has an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is the color in combination with the blue keyboard lighting. This matches nicely with each other and the WASD buttons are made transparent for an extra gaming effect. The disadvantage is the plastic housing. This quickly became warm with heavy use and did not feel very sturdy at the bottom of the screen. In addition, I found the laptop quite heavy for 15 inches, but that is logical due to the extra components in a gaming laptop. The biggest advantage I think is the shortcut for the fans. I turned on this boost while playing Hogwarts Legacy and the laptop remained well cooled.
