How much is gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin price

How much is gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin price?

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How much is gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin price? And is MSI GS65 Stealth thin good gaming laptop? MSI had a hit on its hands when it debuted the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin in 2018, and again with its larger-screen evolution, the GS75 Stealth, earlier this year. Now, thanks to Nvidia’s new GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, MSI’s hit a home run. The MSI GS65 Stealth ($1,699 as tested) is an appealingly priced gaming laptop that offers the premium build and feature set of a high-end machine with few sacrifices. Frame rates won’t reach the heights of the pricey Razer Blade 15, but our GS65 Stealth tester still delivers greater-than-60fps gaming in AAA titles. Plus, gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin portable enough to be your daily driver, and the battery lasts longer than most in this laptop class.

What are gaming MSI GS65 Stealth specs?

  • Backlit Keyboard : Yes
  • Screen Size: 15.6 inches
  • Touch Screen : No
  • Storage Type : SSD
  • Total Storage Capacity: 512 gigabytes
  • Solid State Drive Capacity : 512 gigabytes
  • System Memory (RAM) : 16 gigabytes
  • Graphics : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
  • Processor Speed (Base) : 2.2 gigahertz
  • Processor Model : Intel 8th Generation Core i7
  • Processor Model Number : i7-8750H
  • Operating System : Windows 10 Home
  • Battery Type : Lithium-polymer

General

  • Product Name : 15.6″ Gaming Laptop – Intel Core i7 – 16GB Memory – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 – 512GB Solid State Drive
  • Brand : MSI
  • Model Number : GS65 STEALTH THIN-037
  • Color “ Matte Black With Gold Diamond Cut
  • Color Category : Black

Feature

  • Keyboard Touch Screen : No
  • Backlit Keyboard : Yes
  • Cooling System : Air

Ports

  • Headphone Jack : Yes
  • Number of USB Ports (Total) : 3
  • Number of USB 3.0 Type A Ports: 3
  • Number of HDMI Outputs (Total) : 1
  • Number of DisplayPort Ver. 1.2 Outputs : 1
  • Number of Thunderbolt Ports (Total) : 1
  • Number of Thunderbolt 3 Ports : 1

Display

  • Screen Size : 15.6 inches
  • Screen Resolution : 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
  • Touch Screen : No
  • Display Type : Full HD Widescreen LED

Storage

  • Storage Type : SSD
  • Total Storage Capacity : 512 gigabytes
  • Solid State Drive Capacity : 512 gigabytes
  • Hard Drive Accelerator : None

Memory

  • System Memory (RAM) : 16 gigabytes
  • Type of Memory (RAM) : DDR4 SDRAM
  • System Memory RAM Speed : 2400 megahertz
  • System Memory RAM Expandable To : 32 gigabytes
  • Number Of Memory Slots : 2
  • Number of Memory Sticks Included : 2

Graphics

  • Graphics : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
  • Graphics Type : Discrete
  • GPU Brand : NVIDIA
  • Video Memory : 8000 megabytes
  • Video Memory Type : Dedicated

Processor

  • Processor Brand : Intel
  • Processor Speed (Base) : 2.2 gigahertz
  • Processor Model : Intel 8th Generation Core i7
  • Processor Model Number : i7-8750H

Connectivity

  • Internet Connectivity : Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth Enabled : Yes
  • Embedded Mobile Broadband : None
  • NFC Enabled : No

Network

  • Wireless Networking : Wireless-AC (867 Mbps)
  • Ethernet : 10/100/1000
  • Ethernet Card : 10/100/1000
  • Number Of Ethernet Ports : 1

Compatibility

  • Operating System : Windows 10 Home

Included

  • Built-In Webcam : Yes
  • Optical Drive Type : None
  • Additional Accessories Included : Power adapter

Power

  • Battery Cells : 4-cell
  • Battery Type : Lithium-polymer

Dimension

  • Product Height : 0.69 inches
  • Product Width : 14.1 inches
  • Product Depth : 9.8 inches
  • Product Weight : 4.14 pounds

Audio

  • Audio Technology : ESS SABRE HiFi audio DAC technology
  • Speaker Type : Stereo speakers

Certifications & Listings

  • ENERGY STAR Certified : Yes
  • EPEAT Qualified : No

Warranty

  • Manufacturer’s Warranty – Parts 1 year
  • Manufacturer’s Warranty – Labor 1 year

Other

  • UPC : 824142160404

Gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin laptop game changer for gamer

Adorned with gold accents and beautiful without being ostentatious, the gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin is the Bond girl of gaming laptops. The entirety of the laptop’s chassis is made from black, matte sandblasted aluminum alloy. Instead of the usual backlit red-and-white dragon sigil logo, MSI employs a little Midas touch, replacing it with a printed black-and-gold emblem. A thin, diamond-cut golden strip lines the top of the lid. The company also added some gold to the side vents for an elegant flash of color.

Since it’s designed for work and play, MSI equipped the Stealth with a flexible hinge that allows you to lay the display flat, just in case you need to do a quick collaboration. Pressing Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow will flip the screen orientation 180 degrees to provide a better view for the person sitting across from you.

The interior of the gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin laptop is stately, with more black aluminum. The power button and touchpad are lined in gold, with a glowing, gilded keyboard. While I’m a fan of the overall look, my favorite part of the interior is the top-mounted vent, with its delicate floral designs.

While the Strealth’s frame is definitely thin, it still has plenty of ports. On the right sits a USB 3.1 Type-A port, Thunderbolt 3, a Mini DisplayPort, HDMI and the power jack. You’ll find a pair of USB 3.1 Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a secure lock slot, a microphone jack and a S/PDIF jack for high-res audio.

So, just how slim is the gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin?

Extremely. At 14.1 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches, the 4.1-pound laptop is one of the slimmest gaming laptops on the market. The 5.5-pound Asus Zephyrus ROG M GM501 is a close second, with a 15.1 x 10.3 x 0.7~0.8-inch frame. The PowerSpec 1510 is on the heavier side of the equation at 6.5 pounds, 15.3 x 10.8 x 1.3 inches and the Alienware 15 R3 is the thickest and heaviest of the bunch at 7.4 pounds and 15.3 x 12 x 1 inches.

How much is gaming MSI GS65 Stealth Thin price and configurations

The gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin price starts at $1,799, which includes a Core i7-8750H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB M.2 SSD and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q GPU with 6GB of VRAM.

I felt like the belle of the ball reviewing the $1,999 model of the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin, which has a 3.9-GHz, six-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB M.2 SSD and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU with 8GB of RAM.

Want more storage? MSI has a $2,999 iteration that doubles the RAM and SSD capacity to 32GB and 1TB, respectively, in a Super RAID 4 configuration.

What is the Display size of gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin?

The Stealth’s 15.6-inch display only comes in 1920 x 1080 resolution. But while I wished for a QHD or 4K version, I appreciated the 144-Hertz refresh rate, which should help cut down on screen tears and latency. I also marveled over the incredibly vivid hues, like the pink and green neon holographic controls in the Tears of Steel short. Details were sharp enough that I could see the individual scales in a snakeskin jacket as well as the dirt and grime that settled into the cracks and crevices of the well-worn red garment.

I scoured the countryside in search of a rampaging griffin in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but took some time to stop and smell the hellebores. As I stopped to pick the potion ingredient, I noticed a large bloodstain in the clearing up ahead and several gore-soaked bones — a calling card of my prey.

So much vibrancy! The Stealth can reproduce 150 percent of the sRGB color gamut — an achievement that beats not only the 141 percent average, but also the Zephyrus (120 percent), the Alienware 15 (114 percent) and the 1510 (113 percent).

The gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin’s panel averaged 293 nits when we measured for brightness, topping the 288-nit premium gaming score. That’s brighter than the Zephyrus (286 nits), but nowhere near the 1510 (306 nits) nor Alienware 15 (374 nits).

Superior Audio in gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin laptop

Wow. These. Speakers. Kick. Ass. While I typically detest bottom-mounted speakers, the pair on the Stealth are actually very good. As I listened to Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel,” I was impressed by how loud the system actually was. It filled my bedroom with sharp percussion, clean synths, feisty guitar and Monae’s mewling, sex-kitten vocal.

The forest in Witcher 3 was quiet, save for the wind and the slight swoosh from the grass as I tracked the trail. A shrill call from a bird overhead broke the otherwise bucolic sounds of nature. A few seconds later, I heard a heavy beating of wings and an unearthly roar. The tambourines and violins of the familiar Witcher fight music swelled to life and punctated the meaty thud of silver sinking into flesh.

Nahimic and MSI continue to make beautiful music with the third iteration of the former’s audio software. The retooled software keeps it simple, getting rid of its myriad presets, going instead with Music, Movie, Communication and Gaming. Depending on the preset, you can adjust the bass, treble or voice. There’s even a Volume Stabilizer to keep your music from disturbing the people around you. The best part of the new software is the Surround Sound effect, which adds noticeable depth to anything you’re listening to, giving the illusion that you’re in a small concert hall.

Nahimic also adds static noise suppression and echo cancellation to the microphone settings. You also have Lateral Sound Cancellation, which means the mic will only record what’s directly in front of it. The company kept the Sound Tracker feature, which gives you a visual representation of in-game sound, showing you which direction the noise is coming from. The feature is currently compatible with 70 games, including Witcher 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider, World of Tanks and Wolfenstein: The New Order.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Normally, with a laptop this slim, the keyboard keys are somewhat shallow. Not so with the Stealth. Despite coming up short with what we like to see for key travel (1.4 millimeters instead of 1.5 to 2 mm), the island-style keys have a strong, 77-gram force actuation. As a result, the keys are surprisingly springy, and I hit my usual 70 words per minute on the 10fastfingers typing test.

While I appreciate the 24K magic MSI has going with the keyboard, I’m glad to see that the company is still working with SteelSeries to deliver 16.7 million colors in its SteelSeries Engine software. That way, I can create my own custom, jewel-toned color scheme, because what’s gold without a few gems? And since each key has its own individual lighting, you can get as granular as you want and pick colors and effects for each and every key.

In addition to making the keyboard look purty, SteelSeries Engine 3 software allows you to create macros. And once you’re done customizing and programming, you can also set what applications will launch with your new configuration.

Gaming, Graphics and VR

So slim and incredibly powerful. The Stealth is packing an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU with 8GB of VRAM. Sitting snugly between a regular GTX 1070 and 1080, the GPU is powerful enough to deliver good frame rates at the highest settings as well as support VR. However, thanks to its focus on power efficiency and consumption, the system runs more quietly and at a cooler temperature than regular systems.

The Stealth Thin packs an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU, which is powerful enough to deliver good frame rates at the highest settings.

My griffin battle in Witcher 3 was tense. I was constantly rolling out of the way to avoid an airborne beast’s razor-sharp talons. When it finally landed, I hit it with my Axii spell long enough to stun it and chop away at its breast. The Max-Q GPU never faltered, rendering the action at 54 frames per second on Ultra at 1080p.

When we ran the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark (very high, 1080p), the Stealth delivered 44 fps, which sailed past our 30-fps playability threshold. However, it missed the 57-fps premium gaming average and the 1510, Zephyrus and Alienware 15’s (GTX 1070) results of 56, 53 and 52 fps, respectively.

On the Hitman test, the Stealth obtained 79 fps, which is a frame short of the 80-fps category average, but enough to clobber the 1510’s 60 fps. The Zephyrus notched 87 fps, while the Alienware 15 achieved 98 fps.

During the Grand Theft Auto V test, the Stealth produced 61 fps, missing the 67-fps average. Still, it managed to sneak past the 1510, which scored 60 fps. The Alienware 15 hit 68 fps, while the Zephyrus delivered 70 fps.

The Stealth fared pretty well on the SteamVR test, scoring 9.5, placing it in the very high quadrant, which is a bit below the 10.5 average. The Zephyrus (10.9) posted a slightly higher score, while the 1510 and Alienware 15 maxed out at 11.

Performance of gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin

The Stealth Thin is one of the first gaming laptops to launch with Intel’s new 8th Gen Coffee Lake processor. One of the biggest improvements is that these new chips have six cores instead of four, which deliver more performance than the previous generation.

All that new power definitely showed as I watched an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy on Netflix while running Windows Defender with 25 tabs open in Google Chrome. The Stealth’s 3.9-GHz Intel Core i7-8750H processor with 16GB of RAM brushed off the task, showing no latency.

The laptop also performed well on our synthetic tests, scoring 17,184 on Geekbench 4, easily surpassing the 15,942 premium gaming average. The Zephyrus, which has its own Core i7-8750H CPU, notched an impressive 20,590, while the Alienware 15 (Core i7-7820HK CPU) hit 14,932, and the 1510 (Core i7-7700HQ) delivered 14,223.

During the Handbrake test, the Stealth took 12 minutes and 1 second to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. That’s faster than the 14:10 category average and the 1510’s 14:00. Still, it was no match for the Zephyrus, which finished in 9:43.

The Stealth’s 512GB M.2 SSD produced a transfer rate of 193.3 megabytes per second when duplicating a 4.97GB mixed-media file. The score is well below the 640.5-MBps premium gaming laptop average. The Alienware 15 (512GB PCIe SSD) got a result of 299.3 MBps, while the 1510 (256GB NVMe SSD) produced a rate of 391.5 MBps.

How long is Battery Life of gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin?

Usually, on a gaming laptop, you have to trade power for battery life. Not so with the Stealth. Thanks to that power-efficient GPU, the system lasted an extraordinary 5 hours and 40 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, shattering the 3:49 premium gaming laptop average. The Zephyrus tapped out after 2:47.

Heat

I went questing in Witcher 3 for 15 minutes. When I was done, I took the Stealth’s temperature in three strategic places. The touchpad measured 82 degrees Fahrenheit, while the center reached 101, which is warmer than our 95-degree comfort threshold. But the center of the laptop’s bottom was even hotter, at 122 degrees.

MSI retooled its last-gen fans for the Stealth with thinner fan blades and added five heat pipes instead of three. That meant when the fans turned on during my Witcher romp, they were relatively quiet. However, there was a noticeable, but low, whistle when the fans initially kicked in.

We measured those spots again once everything cooled down, but this time, after 15 minutes of running an HD video. The touchpad and middle of the keyboard measured 87 and 94 degrees, respectively, while the bottom hit a rather warm 102 degrees.

Gaming MSI GS65 Stealth thin – Webcam

Take note, Dell and Gigabyte. You can have a “barely there” bezel without placing the webcam in an unfortunate position. With the lens placed at the top of the bezel instead of below the screen, you don’t have to worry about giving people an up-close-and-personal shot up your nose when video conferencing.

Still, because this is a relatively expensive laptop, I wish MSI would have put in a webcam with a higher resolution than 720p. The test shots I took in my bedroom washed out most of the color, including my bright-orange shirt, which looked pale in comparison to the actual article. The image had little to no detail, thanks to the intense visual noise. It looked like I had a serious Instagram filter going instead of an actual pic.

Software and Warranty

MSI has a solid suite of gaming utilities to optimize your overall experience. Resembling a futuristic cockpit, the new Dragon Center is where you’ll check your notebook’s diagnostics via System Monitoring. It’s also where you can tweak power settings with System Tuner and adjust in-chat voice settings with Voice Boost. You can also access system apps including Battery Calibration and Burn Recovery. There’s even a button to free up some memory.

The laptop also features the System Control Manager (SCM), where you can toggle Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam and the Display on and off as well as adjust the volume and brightness. Speaking of the display, MSI True Color lets you adjust the color temperature so you can get the best viewing experience, depending on your environment.

Not enough utilities? Then check out Nvidia GeForce Experience, which offers Battery Calibration, Game Optimization and WhisperMode, which will help the system run even quieter. Players looking to livestream the action can take advantage of XSplit Gamecaster. MSI also includes Killer Control Center, which examines all open programs and assigns more bandwidth to data-intensive software instead of making all system processes share software equally.Advertisement

Unfortunately, as with all Windows laptops, the Stealth has a bit of bloatware, including Bubble Witch Saga 3, LinkedIn, Evernote, CyberLink PowerDirector 14, CyberLink PowerDirector 8, Music Maker Jam, Spotify, March of Empires and a 30-day free trial of Dolby Atmos for Headphones via Dolby Access.

The MSI GS65 Stealth Thin comes with a one-year limited warranty. Check to see how MSI fared in our Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Gaming Brands special reports.

What are the top 10 best gaming laptop for 2020

The best gaming laptops have evolved so much in such a short amount of time, and now they’re more powerful than ever before. Thanks to more powerful components like the Nvidia RTX graphics, the top-of-the-line gaming laptops can run the best PC games at the highest resolutions and frame rates. You won’t even need to build the best gaming PC to get powerful hardware and performance anymore, not when the best gaming laptops come in every shape and size.

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1. Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701

Power and beauty

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 – GeForce GTX 2080 Max-Q (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 24GB | Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) 144Hz panel with G-Sync

These days, the best gaming laptop manufacturers are scrambling to design the thinnest gaming laptop that also showcase raw power. At the moment, the one that might be leading the charge might just be the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX701. At just 0.7 inches thick, this beast of a laptop boasts an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can play any PC game under the sun on Ultra, and also take it with you wherever you go – excellent for travelers with a penchant for gaming. Plus, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle just about anyone.


2. MSI GS65 Stealth

Thin. Beautiful. Powerful.

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 – Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q) | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 144Hz panel | Storage: 256GB SSD – Super RAID 4 1TB SSD

Play some of the best PC games on the move and very discreetly with the MSI GS65 Stealth, which might just be the gaming laptop of your dreams. Coming in at just 0.69 inches thick and featuring impressive hardware like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a punch in its very svelte package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the smart aesthetic, you’ll be able to lug this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it the best gaming laptop to hit the streets.


3. Razer Blade

The sharpest Blade yet

CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H – Intel Core i7-9750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR6 VRAM) – Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) 144Hz – OLED 4K (3,840 x 2,160) Touch 60Hz | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD

For a few years now, the Razer Blade has consistently been named as one of the best gaming laptops on the market. And for good reason, as it packs some powerful components and boasts a beautiful display in its elegant chassis. That’s true for the 2019 model as well, which now rocks up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. That is, frankly, a ton of power for a laptop with this thin. If that’s not enough graphics power for you, you can use the Razer Core for future expansion. Make no mistake: it is pricey; but it might be worth it if style and power are equally important to you.


4. Lenovo Legion Y740

Style and muscle in one

CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6 VRAM) – RTX 2070 (Max-Q 8GB) | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) Nvidia G-Sync 144 Hz | Storage: 256GB SSD – 256GB SSD+1TB HDD

The Lenovo Legion Y740 packs a lot of muscle inside its stylish yet accessible chassis, combining a very high refresh rate, Nvidia Turing graphics and a powerful processor with a gloriously effective thermal cooling, a cable management system and a number of applications for customizations. It’s as close to a complete package as you can get, wrapped in a stunning chassis that you’d be proud to show off to friends and strangers. It still has the remnants of that gaming aesthetic, but it’s made elegant so that you could be gaming in public and no one would be the wiser. Despite its shortcomings – unfortunate keyboard and webcam placement, as well as its subpar battery life – it’s still one of the best gaming laptops to date.


5. MSI GT75 Titan

The big one

CPU: Up to 8th-generation Intel Core i9 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 2070 (8GB GDDR6) – Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080 with 8GB GDDR6 | RAM: Up to 32GB | Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1,920×1,080) – UHD (3,840×2,160) | Storage: 1TB, 1TB HDD

A small number of gaming laptops just don’t pull any punches, enabling you to run any game you can imagine on Ultra without breaking a sweat – and the MSI GT75 Titan is a terrific example. It’s a behemoth of desktop replacement, packed with 6-core Intel Coffee Lake processors, plenty of RAM and powerful Nvidia Pascal graphics. Aptly named, this is indeed a titan, and is neither portable nor cafe-friendly. However, if raw power is what you’re after, this is the best gaming laptop for you, as long as you’re prepared to shell out the money.


6. Asus ROG G703GI

The behemoth

CPU: Intel Core i7-i9 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM) | RAM: 64GB | Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080)144Hz | Storage: 3 x 512GB SSD (M.2, RAID 0), 2TB HDD

Yes, thin and light gaming laptops are trending right now. However, if you have no problem with a thick, heavy and monstrous laptop, as long as it can breeze through any game you throw at it, then the Asus ROG G703GI is the best gaming laptop for you. This gaming machine is massive – not to mention, one of the more expensive Asus laptops – but it does justify its gargantuan size and price with gaming performance that can give the best gaming PCs a run for their money. With its two power bricks, it’s not exactly an ideal travel companion. Leave this one at home where it belongs.


7. Asus ROG Strix GL502

It’s hard not to love a gaming laptop this good

CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 – 1070 | RAM: up to 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 IPS | Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD

It may not have the most original or inventive design, trading in the usual black and red aesthetic for one that makes it feel like Halloween all year round (no complaints here, but some might not find it particularly appealing). Yet, it’s still one of the best laptops when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we are able to crank the settings all the way up in Overwatch without ever dipping below 60fps. It doesn’t offer the longest battery life, but just have your charger on hand at all times. Plus, the screen, power and onboard sound system more than make up for it.


8. Acer Predator Helios 500

Big and powerful

CPU: Intel Core i7-i9 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700 | Graphics: AMD Vega 10 – Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, 144Hz panel | Storage: 256GB – 1 TB M.2 SSD

If you’re seeking a gaming powerhouse, but you don’t have the cash to shell out for one of those svelte gaming laptops, the Acer Predator Helios 500 is the obvious choice. It’s packed with up to an Intel Core i9 processor and full-fat Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, and therefore will be able to handle any game you throw at it. It’s not the most portable device in the world, and the speakers and trackpad are mediocre, but when it comes to gaming, you’ve still got an ace here.


9. Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX531GX

A 15-inch powerhouse

CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 (Max-Q) | RAM: Up to 24GB | Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS, 144Hz | Storage: 1TB SSD – 512GB/1TB SSD

Thin like an Ultrabook, yet powerful as any gaming machine should, and with an incredible cooling system to boot, the Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX is one of the best gaming laptops we’ve reviewed in 2019. It boasts an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 backed by Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and up to 24GB RAM, which means that this beast should take you a long way in gaming, whether you’re a casual gamer or a pro. We’re huge fans, though probably not of how much it costs. This pricey powerhouse is not for the shallow-pocketed, but with premium components come a premium price. Only invest if you’ve got the tenders.


10. Gigabyte Aero 15

Thin. Light. Powerful.

CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H – Intel Core i9-8950HK | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 (8GB GDDR6) – GeForce RTX 2080 (8GB GDDR6) | RAM: 8GB – 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LCD anti-glare 144Hz – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) 60Hz | Storage: 1TB – 2TB NVMe SSD

Fitting the svelte yet cheap bill, on the other hand, is the Gigabyte Aero 15, which – at 0.74 inches. Despite its thin chassis, it still delivers top-notch gaming performance. That’s mostly thanks to its Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and an Intel Core i9 CPU. It’s also ray tracing ready, making it even more future-proof. However, its thin form factor is a double-edged sword: the Core i9 gets way too hot and can throttle. Keep that in mind if you plan on doing any sustained creative work, like editing all your videos. And, maybe have a desk fan or cooler on hand.

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