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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're on a strict budget and largely use your laptop for simple tasks like web browsing and document editing, the Gateway 11.6" with its lower price might suffice. However, if you need higher performance for gaming, video editing, or more demanding applications, the MSI GF65 Thin, despite its higher cost, offers a much more powerful processor, superior graphics, and a larger, higher-resolution screen. Keep in mind that the MSI is also heavier and may have shorter battery life, making the Gateway more portable and likely to last longer on a charge for everyday use. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6
6.5
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" offers limited performance for general use due to its less powerful Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 4 GB of RAM, which may struggle with multitasking and more demanding applications, despite its excellent portability with a small, light frame and long battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.4
6.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.4
6.7
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.7
6.8
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
5.7
6.3
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI GF65 Thin is only fair for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
5.7
6.8
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Gateway's lower resolution and brightness make it less suitable compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which offers a fair balance of clarity and visibility. In engineering and design, the MSI's ability to display a wider range of colors makes it more adequate than the Gateway, which lacks in this area, causing potential inaccuracies in color-sensitive work. For gaming and 3D tasks, while both have limitations, the MSI's higher refresh rate provides a smoother visual experience than the Gateway, which may not support fast-paced visuals as effectively.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1
6.7
The MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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How the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 11.6" | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$89 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.5" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the MSI GF65 Thin
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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