MSI is bringing contemporary designs and large efficiency to its Raider and Stealth Studio laptops | Engadget

At CES 2023, MSI is saying updates to just about each household of laptops it makes, however a few of the coolest modifications are arriving on the brand new Raider GE and Stealth Studio strains.

Starting with the 2023 Raider GE78, not solely are you getting sooner Thirteenth-gen Intel chips and as much as an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, you’re additionally getting new IPS shows with taller 16:10 side ratios. Thanks to refreshed parts, MSI says there are some critical jumps in efficiency, with positive aspects of up 45 p.c or extra for each basic computing and graphics in comparison with final yr’s programs.

On high of that, MSI additionally up to date the Raider’s chassis with a brand new matrix lightbar that’s brighter and extra colourful. And the most effective half is that if you need to conceal your energy degree, due to the smoky plastic in entrance, the lightbar nearly fully disappears if you flip off the LEDs. Thankfully, MSI hasn’t messed round an excessive amount of as you continue to get an enormous 99.9-watt hour battery (the largest energy pack which you could deliver on a aircraft), a bodily webcam shutter and a brand new IR sensor that works with Windows Hello.

There’s a wholesome collection of ports too, together with a full-size SD card reader, one Thunderbolt 4 jack, two USB 3.2 Type-C ports (one among which additionally helps USB-PD charging) and one USB 3.2 Type-A connector. As for the keyboard, you continue to get per-key RGB lighting made in collaboration with Steelseries and a devoted MUX change for shortly swapping between built-in and discrete graphics.

That mentioned, my favourite new programs may be the 2 additions to the Stealth household. After reviewing the previous Stealth 15 final yr, I felt like the entire line wanted a giant revamp, and that’s just about precisely what we’re getting with the Stealth 14 Studio and Stealth 16 Studio. MSI designed a model new chassis comprised of a magnesium-aluminum alloy, so it is each sturdy and lightweight. Then MSI completed it off with two candy new paint jobs: pure white and star blue.

On the within, along with a variety of Thirteenth-gen Intel CPU and NVIDIA 40-series graphics, MSI added new vapor chambers to maintain thermals in examine. Meanwhile, identical to the Raider, the brand new Stealth Studios additionally characteristic six-speaker audio, 16:10 shows and trackpads which might be 33 p.c bigger than earlier than. And regardless of their tremendous slim dimensions — the Stealth 14 studio is simply 9mm thick – MSI nonetheless discovered room to incorporate a microSD card slot, which is nice for shortly transferring images or movies out of your digicam.

As somebody who likes laptops that may do a little bit of the whole lot with out sacrificing portability, the Stealth 14 Studio seems like a very attention-grabbing addition to the rising variety of 14-inch thin-and-light gaming notebooks. My one small disappointment is that whereas MSI can also be refreshing the previous Stealth 15 with new silicon from Intel and Nvidia, the corporate sadly isn’t doing something to revamp its chassis.

Unfortunately, we’re nonetheless ready on pricing for MSI’s upcoming gaming laptops. But with the Raider line set for a launch someday in mid-February and the Stealth Studio arriving only a couple weeks after that, it shouldn’t be too lengthy earlier than we have now some agency numbers.