There was a time when there was a clear boundary between business laptops and gaming laptops. The former had an ultra-thin form factor but insufficient processor power, while the latter was equipped with a powerful discrete graphics card but was cumbersome to carry and had limited battery life.
Came in MSI Stealth 15M It aims to blur the boundaries between these categories, providing users with the processing power for games and content creation, while at the same time having a slim, serious aesthetic outside the office that will not attract people’s attention.
is it okay Stealth 15M Is it really worthy of the name, invisible in the land of the cubicle? Let’s dive into it and find out.
As the name suggests, MSI Stealth 15M It will not reveal its gaming potential through its appearance. In addition to the subtle MSI logo on the lid that gamers will recognize, Stealth 15M There is an all-metal, all serious form. Founder’s line will convince any manager that this is a business laptop, and there is no rant under the hood.
This Stealth 15M It has a composite metal structure instead of a one-piece design, which reminds me of the good old days of IBM ThinkPad. It may not look as stylish as the one-piece shell, but in my experience, composite structures have greater elasticity and flexibility, making them more susceptible to exercise and stress during the journey. I only need a cracked MacBook with one-piece body to make me realize the advantages of the traditional sandwich structure.
Rigorous heat dissipation design
For the well-trained eyes, one thing may leak Stealth 15M The gaming function will be the grille above the keyboard. About the width of two fingers, the grille works in conjunction with the air intake and exhaust vents on the sides and back of the laptop (which may be mistaken for USB ports). The cooling design provides super effective cooling without obstructing the user’s hands or arms. These vents provide airflow for the impressive dual fans, with six cooling pipes inside.
This Stealth 15M It is also equipped with one of the most aggressive rubber foot covers I have seen, ensuring that there is enough space under the laptop to improve air flow.
Get ready to participate in the (LAN) party
Once working hours are over, Stealth 15M It can bend its hidden muscles immediately. Equipped with Intel Tiger Lake i7-1185G7 processor running at 3 GHz, RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU with 6 Gb video memory, 16 Gb DDR4 RAM and 512 Gb Kingston SSD. It may not be the highest-spec gaming laptop on the market, but its performance definitely makes a business laptop stand out, and it can handle it on its own in graphics-intensive games.
For example, when running GTA V, the game will automatically maximize the graphics settings by default, and it can still run effortlessly. A benchmark test showed that the frame rate runs at an average of 100 Hz, and can reach 120 Hz at the maximum setting-a very good performance for a laptop that doubles as a work machine during the day.
Keyboard with RGB lighting effect, moderate key stroke
In addition to the stable performance in terms of processing power, if you are also pursuing the talent of some gamers, then just press a button, this ordinary-looking keyboard will also be lit with RGB backlight. RGB lighting can be fully programmed via the built-in “Dragon Center” kit.
On the keyboard Stealth 15M More than just a look, it is actually a good keyboard input. I think this keyboard is comparable to Logitech’s flagship MX keyboard in terms of touch and keystroke, which is a considerable achievement for laptop keyboards.Match its name again, on the keyboard Stealth 15M It is very quiet and will not be noticed during a quiet flight or in an open office.
Port selection suitable for content creators
Any content creator interested in graphics processing capabilities Stealth 15M Glad to find its port selection.
Dual USB 3.2 (one on each side) and full-size HDMI can handle most peripherals without the need for a dongle.Thunderbolt 4 port when paired with a powerful docking station Kensington SD5600T docking station We recently reviewed that it gives users access to a large number of ports, as well as dual 4K displays and Ethernet connections. The inclusion of a built-in micro SD card reader is an excellent choice for content creators who need fast and frequent media transfers.
Powerful 150W adapter and moderate battery life
Power-hungry gaming laptops need to be repaired, and MSI’s 150W adapter will definitely pass.In contrast, Apple’s MacBook Pro 16″ Equipped with 96W charger, only 64% Stealth 15M power supply. Also, just like its name, the powerful adapter has a seemingly slim profile and does not reveal its function, which is a major advantage of its mobility.
Battery life is the only specification Stealth 15M This prevents it from being a perfect laptop. In our test, I found that it can last about 3 hours under heavy use and 4-5 hours in power saving mode. However, when such a slim profile contains powerful cooling and processing capabilities, this is to be expected: something must be done.MSI includes a 52 Whr lithium-ion battery in this game console, which is only half of it MacBook Pro 16 100 Whr built-in battery.This Stealth 15M Obviously, he is a heavyweight at the desk, but a middleweight fighter when on the move.
Final verdict
Considering, MSI Stealth 15M It is one of the best hybrids between gaming laptops and business laptops. We really like the minimalist aesthetics, the square corners make it look suitable for the office, and at the same time it is actually a beast that can run GTA V with buttery smooth 120 Hz FPS at maximum settings.
Coupled with an excellent keyboard, screen and ports, this is a laptop I recommend to those who want to play a semi-serious business laptop. We reward its versatility with the IBTimes Staff Pick badge.
Sam is a technical writer who has turned from a production engineer to a technical writer. He specializes in finding gadgets that can improve work efficiency while maintaining sharpness. This is a contribution to the ongoing IBTimes business traveler gadget review series.
