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

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.

Not gonna lie, super impressed with this laptop. Was considering an HP Spectre or Galaxy Book Pro, but stumbled across this on here of all places. It had everything i was looking for & more than what I even realized.Presentation in box was nice. Like how it is packaged in a dust sleeve & even has a dust sleeve in-between screen & keyboard. Major plus mark for that alone.Upon booting first time & getting initially set up, enjoyed how nice the screen is. IPS is the way to go, ngl. Keyboard light & RGB options are a major upgrade for my use. Selection of apps & programs from the get go are too numerous to mention, but is nice to have plenty of options. After removing what didn't interest me, proceeded with updates, as you should with any device.This thing seems like Sonic... GOTTA GO FAST!Dragon Center App has tons of various tweaks & options for things like Keyboard RGB light, Power/ Battery, Performance, etc. Definite plus for that alone. Some people can't stand it, so I'll leave that up to particular preference.Yes, the fans can he EXTREMELY NOISY... BUT for my particular usage & wants in a laptop, quite a fair trade off. Only way they get THAT noisy, is if you select extreme performance/ cooler boost. A good pair of headphones would drown that noise.Another surprise, is that you can run android games either through The appropriate MSI app or even Bluestacks... was not aware of when I decided to purchase, but cool nonetheless. I would say remove the MSI App Player & just use true Bluestacks, if you want to mess with Amdroid emulationWith this, I plan on investing in Steam, finally. Not to mention, can't wait to see what this thing can handle, emulation-wise (Can't wait to try Stepmania on this). [Edit/ Update 9/7/21 -Stepmania runs just like arcade Dance Dance Revolution on MAX graphical program settings. Just a little side note, SOME games that have a max refresh rate of 60hz may have graphical issues... I'm specifically mentioning Sonic Adventure & Adcenture 2 for PC being OVERLY FAST. There are workarounds to get said games working perfectly.]Build seems solid. Got the Gray version & am not disappointed at all by my choice. It has a nice blue tinit to it.[Update 9/7/21- Dont expect to get a ton of battery use out of this thing. Setting battery saver settings via windows & dragon center to as max as possible & lowering screen brightness might get 6 to 8 hours of battery life, with just normal, no gaming computer use. Thankfully you can calibrate battery when needed to extend the service life of it.] [Another note: if you run demanding thinga in this, it will get hot to hold. My suggestion, buy a GOOD laptop stand with fan cooling. I would suggedt KLIM Ultimate RGB for if you are a gamer that plays less demaning games. Binding of Isaac, Emulation, etc. Said cooler would probably be good for some demanding games too, with Cooler Boost function turned on to help get some extra airflow]This may be The best "budget" gaming laptop out there atm. Got the 512 GB Model with 16 GB ram & the RTX 3060. Going to eventually go overkill with max ram & a 2 tb Samsung SSD. Can't wait to see what this thing can unleash then... but for now, happy camper!

After 3 years the laptop runs as expected, however a small part that is essential to the operation of the laptop starts to go bad. The power connector to the"The Laptop AC DC Power Jack Charging Port Connector Socket " ( the barrel plug ) looses its connection unless you move the plug around until it connects. Now you can get a replacement socket, but if you don't have solder " expertise ", you need to pay to get it done. Can't promise you it will work.