MSI Stealth 17 Studio 17.3" QHD 240Hz Gaming Laptop: 13th Gen Intel Core i9, RTX 4080, 32GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe SSD, Thunderbolt 4, USB-Type C, Cooler Boost Trinity+, Win11 Home: Core Black A13VH-053US

This laptop is a solid machine for gaming, image editing, and for having hundreds of tabs open like the monster I am. What got me to write this review, though, is that this laptop is built to last.I'll admit, I'm rough on my machines. I take my laptop into the woods on camping trips, throw that sucker into my backpack without thought for what else is in there, and chuck it into the backseat of my car without regard for where it lands. The MSI Stealth's metal body appealed to me, and it was doing great with my rough handling.Then I managed to set my (black) laptop down on the hood of my (black) car, and drive away. The laptop impacted the ground going almost 45 miles an hour, which as you may imagine, isn't great for laptops. I expected a total loss. The right screen hinge was snapped off. The screen and keyboard were warped. The back right corner of the computer was bent at a 45-degree angle.When I got home, I crossed my fingers, held my breath, and booted it up.The laptop booted just fine. There were no damaged pixels on the screen, the keyboard worked flawlessly, and because the fans aren't all linked together, only the one bent fan failed to run. I lost no data, was able to prep for my conference, and the only annoyance was that the screen didn't stand up well with only one hinge. Honestly, I was amazed.If you need a reliable laptop that can stand up to your active lifestyle, this is the machine for you. I already loved MSI - now they have a customer for life.

REASON FOR PURCHASE - I purchased this laptop because my Dell XPS 8100 desktop kept freezing/restarting several times a day. A fresh clean re-install of Windows 10 was not remedying the situation, and I had no desire to troubleshoot every component to see what was the underlying problem. Overall, this issue was seriously affecting my productivity, as well as sanity.POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES - I was mainly looking for a desktop replacement - not a laptop. I checked Dell, Amazon, BestBuy, as well as other 'PC build' websites such as 'ibuypower', but found prices too high overall. Basically, the price was the driving factor for me in purchasing this laptop. The final price was slightly under $1,300 w/ taxes, and I found that to be a fair price for performance ratio.MUST HAVES - Since this was my first PC replacement in nearly 10-years, I wanted to make sure I got a 11th Gen i7 Intel processor, as well as an RTX 3000 series graphics card. I was looking for a RTX 3060ti minimum, but I could not find a match within my budget.PREVIOUS HARDWARE - My Dell XPS 8100 was still using the 1st Gen i5 650 processor, with a PNY GTX 970 updated graphics card. I honestly would have gone another year or two before changing my PC, if these freezing problems were not there.FIRST IMPRESSIONS - Seems well built - I also liked the keyboard lighting. Chassis seems solid, and I liked all the available ports on the sides. The design was appealing, being perfectly rectangle with the lid closed - no protruding sections to put the shape out of balance.HOW IT IS USED - I use this laptop as a desktop replacement - I only open the screen lid to power it on. Otherwise, I use an external monitor and keyboard.HOW OFTEN USED - I keep this laptop on for at least 8-hours a day. It was purchased roughly a month ago, so it's been used rather frequently.GAMING (@ 1080p only) - It is a notable upgrade from my Dell. Previously in games like WoW or FFXIV, I was getting under 60 FPS frequently in crowded areas. Now, I get dizzy by how quickly the screen rotates in-game, forcing me to lower the mouse-sensitivity. In WoW, I am constantly at 100 FPS with the occasional dips to 90 FPS. I'm also currently playing Ubisoft's 'The Division', but the max I can get is 60 FPS with regular dips to 47 FPS @ medium settings. Not killer performance, but a huge upgrade nevertheless.FAN NOISE - For everyday non-gaming use (i.e., web browsing), it is a low hum you can only hear if you're within 20-inches to the laptop. When gaming, it can ramp up to a constant loud whirl.HEAT - Similarly to fan noise, heat is negligible for non-gaming use. For gaming, it can get warm over time, but I use this product: 'Zimilar Monitor Stand Riser', to keep it propped up for heat dissipation. It seems to work well in keeping this laptop cool.STORAGE - It only comes with one 512GB M.2 device, so storage for my gaming needs is very limited. I looked at YouTube videos to see if it can be upgraded, but it honestly looked like a PITA to do so. So, I have invested in external SSD solutions for space.WIFI – My router is roughly 25-feet away (through walls), but I get consistent download/upload speeds with the occasional dip. No major connection loss or issues otherwise.BLOATWARE - It comes with a lot of MSi propriety software, as well as Norton Security Suite. Also, a trial version of Microsoft Office 365. I spent a good amount of time sorting through, and uninstalling a lot of them.BATTERY - I've only tested it off the plug once. Even without gaming, it was eating through the battery pretty quickly. I surmise it'd only go about 3-hours before draining out. This laptop is definitely not recommended if longevity off the plug is a priority of yours.PROBLEMS – The only ‘issue’ I’ve come across is if I’ve gamed for a long period of time, or I’ve been moving large files around. The performance of the laptop may drop significantly. I remedy this by a simple reboot, which clears up the issue. Also to note, this laptop has not frozen on me once.CONCLUSION - When I purchased this laptop, I considered it an intermediary, until I gathered the necessary funds to invest in a desktop with a minimum of RTX 3070. However, it has proven to be a mini-powerhouse. I don't play above 1080p, and I can live with medium-settings if performance seems to dip. It performs excellently on non-gaming tasks, and I now have a mobile gaming platform if I want to take it to a friend's house. All-in-all, I am quite satisfied with my purchase, and may now wait until the RTX 4000 series come out before I consider a desktop.Overall, highly recommended for purchase.--------------------------------------------------UPDATE 08/28/2022CURRENT STATUS - Yes, it's still working fine. Performance has not dipped, and I only re-installed Windows 11 once because I replaced the 512GB M.2 with a 'Samsung 970 EVO 2TB' several months ago. Also, despite being on 8-hours a day or more, the keyboard LEDs are still functioning bright. That's more than 2,900-hours that this laptop has been on since its purchase.HARDWARE ISSUES - None. Screen, ports, fans, WiFi, Bluetooth, and trackpad are all still working fine - of course given the caveat that I still strictly use an external keyboard/mouse/monitor setup.NEW REVELATIONS - Only one. Gaming off the AC Adaptor is a fool's errand. Performance throttled severely after 10-minutes because the laptop was getting so hot, and the battery lasted no more than 35-minutes tops. This was while playing 'Aliens: Fireteam' on Steam.PRODUCT OVERVIEW - I am still happy with my purchase and see no need to change for several more years. Of course, if I find myself with a lot of disposable income, I can see myself getting a new gaming desktop. But beyond that scenario, I am perfectly content with its performance and durability.

Im writing this review because I purchased this laptop on 03/22/2022. Today is March 1, 2023. I am two weeks away from having owned this pc for a year. The pros- super fast everything- awesome graphics- doesnt hurt the pocket as much as other gaming laptops. The cons? Battery life SUCKS- it is basically on an IV- you can adjust the settings but even on the optimal or silent condiotions, this CPU and GPU are so powerful they drain the battery in 2 hours or less- even when your not doing anything serios. Just using excel or word- battery drain. The only other con that i have that I ant pepl to be aware of- about 2 weeks ago I started having fan noise- bearings failing. I am now trying to find OEM replacements. This things spins fans at over 6000RPMs. . . yes, that is correct- 6000RPMs. I can not find fans that are rated for that high of RPMs and I need them before my PC melts down- I have always used a cooling pad as support and kept the guts clean and treated this ting like a newborn baby in terms of gentleness. It is just a parts issue- not a user/operator error. I am a MEchatronics Engineering Student and a programmer as well as a controls system specialost so my computer is my every day tool and with that said- my purposes demand quality and power as much as reliability and I take very good care of my equipment. This PC has not let me down- besides the fact that the fan bearings are barking now. I also want to mention that this little PC will support up to 4 extended displays wit hno issues, run multiple intense programs and take it all with a beating- has never went over 70 degrees celcius and i rin this littlpe puppy overclocked to the max- hence the fan issue- however that is what this PC is meant/designed/built for. If anyone knows were i can find cooling fans PLEASE let me know. I really want to replace them with high performance fans and not just run of the mill aftermarket general condition types fans. Thanks!!!!!! I deinately wisay that I do not think you will be dissapointed in your purchasse of this PC. Ii have only "gamed" on it once or twice- EVE Online and it performed flawlessly. Unbelievable graphics- a 12 hour binge with not a single issue.