Hardcore gamers will remember the time when brands strapped on desktop-sized graphics cards to gaming laptops. This resulted in colossal machines which were anything but portable. They needed two power bricks to keep them running and weighed as much as a baby elephant. This trend didn’t last long as consumers wanted laptops that could be carried around.
Although modern-day gaming laptops don’t have the raw horsepower of those with desktop-sized GPUs, they’re still quite capable of pushing high framerates. Laptops withNvidia’sRTX 4000 series graphics cards are the prime example of this. We are gradually seeing the RTX 5000 series laptops being introduced into the market, which means we’ll be seeing the previous generation devices being discounted at major retailers.
Right now, you can get theMSI Stealth 18 AI18-inch gaming laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card for $2575 at BestBuy. The laptop usually sells for $3300, so this deal will save you $725.
Specs For The MSI Stealth 18 AI
This is by no means a small and compact laptop, as the screen measures 18 inches, but the overall footprint is sleek and doesn’t weigh a ton. In order to shed some weight, MSI went with a magnesium-alloy chassis, which can flex under pressure. As long as you don’t try to bend it intentionally, you’ll be fine. This does mean that the build quality isn’t as great as theRazer Blade 18or the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16. However, it is lightweight and truly depicts the significance of being a portable powerhouse.
The laptop has a beautiful4K mini-LED displaythat produces vibrant colors and deep blacks. The contrast levels are high enough to give OLEDs a run for their money. It also gets super bright, so taking it outdoors occasionally won’t be an issue. The screen has a matte coating to prevent glaring and mitigate harsh reflections.Its 120Hz refresh rateallows for a smooth user experience, and motion in games looks fluid. You will feel the difference more in fast-paced competitive titles likeValorantandApex Legends.
MSI opted for theIntel Core Ultra9-185H processor, which focuses on AI more than gaming. However, the performance hit is not detrimental and will be passable in most cases. The chip is powerful enough to handle everyday tasks with ease, so if you’re someone who wants a laptop for productivity and gaming, then this will fit your needs. The laptop comes with 32 GB of DDR5 RAM running at 5600 MHz. You get 1 TB of NVMe SDD, and there is space to add one more module.
The GPU we get is theNvidia GeForce RTX 4080with 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM and draws 150W of power. The desktop grade 4080 can handle most games at 4K, but the laptop one is more suited for 1440p. Some less resource-hungry titles will output more than average framerates at 4K, but to run demanding titles at playable frames, you will need to drop the resolution. Nonetheless, it is a very capable graphics card that will chew through anything you throw at it, provided the resolution is set correctly.
