SPECIFICATIONS
OS Windows 10
Processor Intel Core i7-1185G7Graphics
Intel Iris Xe
Graphics
RAM 16GB LPDDR4X-4267Storage 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSDDisplay 13.4-inch 1200p IPS touchscreenConnectivity1x USB 3.2 Gen 1
Type-A,
1x USB 3.2 Gen
2 Type-C, 2x
Thunderbolt 4,
1x 3.5 combo
audio jack
Battery 70WHrs 4-cell Li-ion
Size 11.8 x 8.75 x 0.6in
Weight 2.98lbsAT $1,200, this is the most
expensive product on this list.
It’s still decidedly mid-range
as laptops go, although you’ll
struggle to spend that much
money on a Chromebook. The
Summit E13 Flip Evo works
hard to justify its pricing, with
some dedication on MSI’s part
to make it feel like a premium
ultrabook with a hybrid tablet
design aimed at fast-movers.
MSI is better known
for its PC gaming rigs and
components in the US, but it
has cornered a decent share
of the laptop market in Asia
and every so often one of its
best products makes the
leap over. The Flip Evo is an
eye-catching product, with a
golden trim surrounding the
edges of its black, machine-
milled metal exterior. It’s thin
and compact, reminiscent of
pricier convertibles such as
the Asus Zenbook Flip 14 or
the HP Spectre x360.
Despite its diminutive
stature and mid-range
pricing, the Flip Evo has an
exceptional display, using
a 16:10 aspect ratio with a
1920x1200 resolution (which
MSI calls FHD+, although
that’s technically 2220x1080).
That ‘golden ratio’ means
there’s plenty of display
space for productivity
and web browsing, and
it’s a reasonably colorful
panel with good maximum
brightness. It’s a touchscreen
too, and while the bezel is far
from the thinnest we’ve seen,
it’s not too chunky. The 16:10
ratio and thick bottom edge
mean that the Flip Evo is a bit
cumbersome to hold in tablet
mode, but this won’t be a
concern for most users.
Aside from the gorgeous
display, one major selling
point of the Flip Evo over its
rivals here is the inclusion
of the MSI Pen, a sleek and
lightweight smart stylus that
snaps magnetically to the
edge of the laptop when not
in use. It’s ideal for sketching
or note-taking and though not
as sophisticated as devices
such as the Apple Pencil,
palm rejection is reliable and
sensitivity is good.
The trackpad is on the
small side, which might be an
issue for some users, but it
feels good to use with a soft
surface texture and firm click.
The keyboard is also decent;
more expensive laptops offer
better typing experiences, but
the keys have a reasonableMSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
amount of travel and don’t
feel too spongy. The keys are
backlit in a soft white that
wraps around the edges of
each keycap, giving the layout
a well-defined appearance.
The internals of this laptop
don’t fail to impress either.
We’ve got a powerful Intel
Core i7-1185G7 processor
with Iris Xe integrated
graphics, backed up by 16GB
of speedy memory. Although
it doesn’t quite match the
Ryzen 7 CPU in the Acer Swift
X for multi-core performance,
it dominates single-core
workloads and the Xe
graphics are good enough for
some light gaming on the Flip
Evo’s lovely screen. It doesn’t
get too hot either, thanks to
two powerful fans—although
during demanding operations
they do get a little bit noisy.
The drive is a speedy
M.2 SSD with 512GB of
storage, which should be
more than enough for the
average user. There’s also
an array of physical ports,
from standard USB-A to a
pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports,
which allow for display
daisy-chaining, high-speed
transfers, and fast-charging.
The Flip Evo also has ultra-low-latency WiFi 6E, the first
laptop of its kind to feature it.
Battery life is also good,
although it falls short of
MSI’s suggestion of 20-hour
productivity. Practical testing
saw the battery last for a little
over nine hours from a full
charge, which is sufficient
for a day’s work. Other
features include a familiar
720p webcam, a fingerprint
scanner, and speakers that
are good, if lacking in bass.
Ultimately, it’s a little
pricey given its performance
capabilities. But it’s difficult
to dislike the Summit E13 Flip
Evo. It’s a genuinely well-
designed hybrid laptop free
from the bloatware crammed
in by OEMs like HP, with a
designer aesthetic and good
all-round performance.9
VERDICT MSI Summit E13
Flip Evo A11MT
PEAK Fantastic
display; solid keyboard and
trackpad; MSI Pen is great;
gorgeous design.
VALLEY Somewhat expensive
given its performance; a bit
bulky for tablet use.
$1,200, msi.comAPR 2022MAXIMU MPC 33