If you want to upgrade your gaming rig to an RTX 4050 gaming laptop, then consider this MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US. It offers a lot of powerful hardware for its size. The 12th generation Intel Core i7 CPU and 6GB RTX 4050 GPU make it a great companion for gamers who need the power to game wherever they go.
Does it have other impressive features other than its CPU and GPU? Let’s find out more.
Design
The MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US features a modern design with a mix of aluminum and plastic chassis components. The sleek, slim frame is built to last, and the 15.6-inch screen with small bezels gives it a contemporary look.
There’s no doubt that you’re getting gaming performance when you see the MSI dragon logo featured prominently on the lid. The clean, simple design of this laptop makes it look more expensive than what you’ll pay, and its chassis feels surprisingly robust. The colors are also vibrant and vivid, regardless of the budget price tag.
If you were hoping for RGB backlighting on the keyboard, you might be disappointed with this laptop because it only has red backlighting. Personally, I like the non-RGB keyboard better because it’s easier on the eyes.
Regarding the dimensions and weight, this 14.13″x9.99″x0.85″ laptop has a weight of 4.10 lbs, making it easy to move around when needed without sacrificing performance.
Specs Sheet of the 12VE-066US model
| Name | MSI Thin GF63 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop: Intel Core i7-12650H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD, Type-C, Cooler Boost 5, Win11 Home: Black 12VE-066US |
| Display | 15.6″ Full-HD IPS screen with 144Hz refresh rate and 1920×1080 screen resolution
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| Processor | 12th Gen i7-12650H |
| Graphics Card | 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
| RAM (2x memory slots) | 16GB (dual-channel, Max 64GB) |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Other Features | 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-C) with DP v1.4, 1x Audio combo jack, Wi-Fi 6, RJ-45 Network port, Bluetooth v5.2, a 720p webcam, a backlit Keyboard with Numpad |
| Pros & Cons | VIEW |
Download the PDF file of the specification list here.
A Fine 144Hz Screen
The screen of the MSI 12VE-066US model is 15.6 inches and has a refresh rate of 144 Hz. This is a big plus if you need extra smooth frames. Higher refresh rates allow for faster exchanges of frames in your game, resulting in a much smoother and more responsive gaming experience. With 144 Hz, you can react quickly to even the slightest movement in-game, giving you a better chance at winning.
See the video below, playing at 144 Hz against 60 Hz, side by side.
At this point, I think the screen of this laptop alone is worth it if you are a competitive gamer who wants every edge you can get in your gameplay. If you look for a more-economical older 17-inch model with an older GPU, we recommend this one here.
The 16GB of Memory
The 16GB RAM of this 12th Gen i7-powered MSI GF63 Thin makes it a great choice for gamers. Whether you’re playing a single-player game or engaging in an online battle, you can expect smooth performance. The laptop has more-than-enough RAM to handle resource-heavy games without any hiccups. And if you want more power, you can easily upgrade the RAM to 64GB for even better gaming performance.
The laptop’s 16GB of RAM also makes it a great choice for multitasking. Without upgrading memory, you can open multiple applications and tabs without experiencing lag time. You can also stream videos or music in the background while working on other tasks. It definitely surpasses the 8GB RAM standard for gaming laptops, making it a great choice for those who need more power.
The SSD Storage
The MSI GF63 Thin with 12th gen i7 CPU is designed for gaming. Its 512GB SSD offers fast performance, providing gamers with a smooth and responsive experience. With the addition of the second SSD slot for a 2.5-inch SATA SSD, you can extend their storage capacity to access even more games on this laptop.
Furthermore, the SSD offers a great boost in terms of optimal functioning. The laptop’s loading time, copying files, and boot times are significantly reduced when compared to traditional HDDs. Thanks to the SSD, you can enjoy an uninterrupted gaming experience with no lag or stuttering during gameplay. All in all, this MSI laptop can provide you with lightning-fast performance that you can rely on.
i7-12650H and RTX RTX 4050
Now, let’s talk about how this laptop performs. The MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US is powered by the Intel Core i7-12650H, a high-performance i7 processor released last year. With 10 cores on a single chip and 16 threads, this CPU ensures you enjoy an intense gaming experience with amazing graphics quality. Plus, it has 24 MB of L3 cache and supports DDR5, maxing out at 4800 MHz. You can also benefit from PCIe 5.0 support to enhance your gaming with better SSDs and GPUs.
Also, one of the best things about your laptop is that it has a new dedicated GPU, the RTX 4050. It is one of the first gaming laptops that comes with an RTX 4050 GPU, a part of Nvidia’s RTX 4000 series based on the improved Ada Lovelace architecture. The GPU’s 7th generation CUDA cores and 3rd generation RT cores offer higher performance than that of the RTX 3060 laptop. Moreover, it also offers improved power efficiency and support for the latest technologies, such as DLSS 3 support and hardware-accelerated AV1 video encoding.
Mobile RTX 4050 can supposedly beat an RTX 3070 with just one-third the power use.
Arstechnica.com
With these technologies, your laptop can give you an immersive gaming experience at home or when you’re out and about.
Other Features
The MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US is not just great for gaming. It has several other features that make it ideal for whatever your computing needs may be. Let’s discuss them.
Built-in HD Webcam
The MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US laptop comes with an HD webcam. While a webcam may not seem innovative in today’s gaming world, believe me, there are more expensive gaming portable PCs that do not come with one, like this one for example.
In my book, having a webcam on your laptop can certainly make all the difference. You can communicate with your peers online without purchasing an external device. So your new laptop here allows you to capture crisp and clear images and videos even in low light situations with its 720p HD webcam. You can go live or join a video chat with confidence, whether in a competition or while streaming your gameplay.
Red Backlit keyboard
The 12VE-066US comes with a single-zone red backlit keyboard. It is a big advantage to have these illuminated keys on your laptop. It ensures that even in low light conditions, you’ll have maximum visibility while playing. With intuitively customizable lighting effects and brightness levels, you’ll have great control over your gaming environment.
The backlit keyboard also allows for an accurate and comfortable typing experience, no matter what time of day it is. Whether you’re playing on the go or in a dark room, it provides you with great gaming performance.
Nice Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6 is the latest in wireless gaming technology, and the 12th Gen i7-powered MSI Thin GF63 has it. The faster speed and better performance will help you when you play online games or download large files. It’s an improvement over standard Wi-Fi in terms of connectivity, reliability, range, and safety.
This functionality will give you an advantage in games because of its cutting-edge wireless features. The Wi-Fi 6 is more than capable of handling any and all of your gaming requirements.
The MSI’s Dragon Center
The MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US laptop comes with the MSI Dragon Center. It is a useful tool to monitor and manage your gaming experience. It allows you to easily track CPU usage, fan speed, heat output, and more. With a clean user interface and easy-to-understand menu, it’s simple to adjust settings on the fly to optimize your gaming experience.
MSI Dragon Center also allows you to customize features like audio settings, allowing you to dial in the perfect sound profile for each game. Whether you’re looking to maximize performance or just fine-tune your gaming experience, the MSI Dragon Center in your new laptop has you covered.
Connectivity
For the connectivity option, the MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US comes with an array of ports that allow you to easily connect all your gaming devices. You can use the three USB 3.2 ports to attach controllers, headsets, and other peripherals, or use a USB Type-C port with DisplayPort version 1.4 for monitors and other displays. The Headphone and Microphone Jack in One help you hear your teammates’ callouts or the enemy’s footsteps clearly.
You can also plug into the HDMI port for TV streaming or connect to the internet with Bluetooth version 5.2 or WiFi. Last but not least, you can use the 720p webcam to communicate with your gaming buddies. With all these ports, your new laptop is ready for any gaming adventure.
Battery Life
Speaking of the battery life, this is probably the only thing that is not so great with this MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US. But which gaming laptop has a superb battery life? Every gaming laptop, due to its power, has a shorter battery life than ultrabooks.
Even though it is not perfect, this laptop gives more than adequate battery life for a gaming laptop. Especially its RTX 4000 series GPU, helps it to last longer than other gaming laptop models. Even while gaming, you can expect the battery to last around 3 hours, allowing you to play your favorite games on the go.
However, if you want to get the most out of your battery life, the MSI Dragon Center program is here to help. This software allows you to customize and optimize your laptop’s power efficiency settings, allowing for a longer-lasting battery over time.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a gaming laptop that won’t break the bank, then you can’t go wrong with this i7-12650H MSI Thin GF63 variant. It boasts the new NVIDIA RTX 4050, 12th Gen i7 CPU, 16GB DDR4, and 144hz refresh rate, along with Windows 11 OS, all for only about 1k (when this review was published). You’d be hard-pressed to find this level of specs at such a competitive price. A great choice for anyone who values power and performance.
Additionally, these top-tier components and MSI’s reputation as a reputable brand in the gaming PC market make the MSI Thin GF63 12VE-066US one of the most desirable gaming laptops on the market today.
