SOLVING THE VALUE EQUATION
In addition to the 2.3GHz (4GHz boost) Ryzen 7 3750H
CPU and Radeon RX 5500M graphics, my Alpha 15 test
unit, model A3DD-004, featured 16GB of dual-channel
memory, a 512GB PCIe solid-state drive, Windows 10
Home, and a one-year warranty. Its 144Hz full HD
display with AMD FreeSync is unique to this
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refresh rate to a still-respectable 120Hz.
It’s possible to get a notebook with a faster 6GB GeForce
GTX 1660 Ti at this price, though the models I’ve seen
(such as the Lenovo Legion Y545) tend to skimp
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8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 60Hz screen without
Nvidia G-Sync. A per-key RGB backlit keyboard to match
the Alpha 15’s is usually left out, as well. Overall, this MSI
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LIKABLE LOOKS
The silver top half of the Alpha 15 is a refreshing
departure from the usual solid-black of MSI’s gaming
notebooks. Most of the build is plastic, including the lid,
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GL65 9SC uses aluminum for the palm rest. The back of
the Alpha 15’s lid is made of aluminum. I’m not a fan of
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and doesn’t look like it belongs.
The thin-bezel screen helps keep the MSI down to a trim
14.1 inches wide by 9.8 inches deep. The 1.1-inch-thick
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value-priced gaming laptop. The CPU and GPU in this
model can draw around 100 watts of power while you’re
gaming, so dissipating the resulting heat is easier with a
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5.1 pounds.
MSI Alpha 15
PROS Good-looking
design. AMD Radeon
RX 5500M GPU is
faster than Nvidia
GeForce GTX 1650 in
our tests. Per-key RGB
configurable keyboard
and AMD FreeSync
display.
CONS Middling CPU
performance.
Overactive, noisy
fans.
BOTTOM LINE MSI’s
all-AMD Alpha 15
gaming laptop
combines a Ryzen 7
processor and Radeon
RX 5500M graphics
for a tempting,
affordable alternative
in a market
dominated by Intel
and Nvidia. It brims
with high-end
features, though it
could use quieter
cooling fans.