MSI GS63VR Stealth Pro Review: A Sleek and Portable Gaming Laptop

A couple of months ago, I reviewed MSI's GT75VR, and while I respect the challenge of fitting desktop-level components, powerful speakers, and a mechanical keyboard into a laptop, massive 17-inch systems like that don't appeal to me. Weighing almost 10 pounds and measuring 2.3 inches thick, the GT75VR lacks the portability I expect from a gaming laptop. Starting at $2,700, it's also not cheap.

The GS63VR Stealth Pro, on the other hand, is a different story. It's slim, sleek, and features one of the most colorful RGB keyboards available, all starting at $1,500.

Design

At 3.96 pounds and 0.7 inches thick, the GS63 is only slightly larger than a 15-inch MacBook Pro, making it easy to fit into most backpacks or messenger bags. The most annoying aspect of traveling with the Stealth is finding space for its power brick, which weighs half as much as the laptop itself. However, compared to the 17-inch GT75VR, which practically requires a rolling carrying case, I'm grateful for a thin and light laptop that can still handle demanding games.

The Stealth Pro's lid flexes a bit, but durability wasn't a significant concern. I was more concerned about picking up scratches or fingerprints, which were constantly visible on the system's smooth brushed aluminum finish. The sides feature a variety of ports, including USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet. The system feels sturdy, and little touches like the row of indicator lights and icons add a quaint touch, even if they feel outdated in 2017. MSI even includes a handy layer of microfiber across the bottom, which helps keep the system in place during intense gaming sessions and protects your legs when using the laptop on your lap.

Keyboard and Trackpad

MSI's backlit keyboard is one of my favorite typing solutions on a notebook. Not only can the RGB lights be customized to your liking, but MSI has also managed to include both a numpad and full-size arrow keys, which are becoming increasingly rare these days. MSI has even moved the Windows key to the right of the Space bar to prevent accidental presses during gaming.

The keys have a decent amount of travel, though they lack the clickiness of the mechanical keyboard found on MSI's GT75VR.

The trackpad is spacious and responsive, supporting Windows 10 gestures. However, it's not as smooth or precise as the trackpads found on Apple's MacBooks.

Display

Our review unit came with MSI's optional 15-inch full HD 120Hz display, which is nice, but not necessary. It adds about $200 to the price of the system, and unless you're the type of person who turns all the settings down to the lowest possible level in pursuit of more FPS, you probably won't be able to take full advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate.

Performance

During benchmark testing, I found that the GS63's Max-Q Design 1070's performance is closer to that of a regular 1060 than a full 1070. On Rise of the Tomb Raider at 1920 x 1080 and high settings, the GS63 hit 80.7 fps, which is virtually identical to the 81.8 fps we got from the Razer Blade Pro with its Nvidia 1060 GPU. Otherwise, both systems featured nearly identical specs, including an Intel Core I7-7700HQ CPU and 16GB of RAM. On Civilization VI, the GS63VR hit 55.8 fps versus 54.7 for the Razer Blade Pro, which again, is essentially the same.

It's not surprising to see the Max-Q 1070 struggle to outperform a standard 1060, as Max-Q GPUs are designed with an emphasis on power and space efficiency rather than all-out performance. However, this means there's no real point in spending top dollar for a GS63VR with a Max-Q 1070 when you can opt for the model with a 1060, which offers virtually the same performance, for several hundred dollars less.

Battery Life

The GS63VR's battery life is mediocre, lasting just 3 hours and 48 minutes on our rundown test. This falls short of the eight to ten hours you'd get from a 13-inch ultraportable, but it's not much worse than the 4:10 posted by the Razer Blade Pro.

Conclusion

The MSI GS63VR Stealth Pro is a great choice for gamers who want a powerful and portable laptop. It's slim, sleek, and has a great keyboard. However, the battery life is mediocre, and the 120Hz display option is not necessary. Overall, the GS63VR is a solid choice for gamers who are looking for a high-performance laptop that they can take with them on the go.

README

The top-of-the-line Max-Q Nvidia 1070 GPU performs closer to a regular 1060.The best configuration is the $1680 model with an i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, 2TB HDD, and a Nvidia GTX 1060.Battery life is mediocre at slightly under four hours, but for a system this powerful, that's not too bad.The 120Hz display option is nice but not a necessity.MSI's RGB keyboard is colorful and comfortable to use.This laptop is a fingerprint magnet.

SPEC DUMP

Windows 10 HomeIntel Core i7-7700HQ CPU16GB of RAM256GB SSD1TB HDD15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 display1 x USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port3 x USB Type-A port1 x HDMI1 x DisplayPortSD card readerMic inHeadphone jackBluetooth 4.1 x 802.11ac3.96 pounds14.96 x 9.8 x 0.69 inches