When considering the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI Thin GF63, it's important to evaluate what you prioritize. The Gateway is much less expensive and is suitable for basic tasks like browsing and office applications, also being lighter and thus more portable. On the other hand, the MSI, with a higher price tag, offers significantly better performance for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its superior processor and graphics card. It also has a larger, higher-resolution display that could enhance your multimedia and gaming experience but at the cost of added weight and less portability. 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 Thin GF63
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.4/10
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 Thin GF63 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
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
8.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has an Intel UHD Graphics 600 which is significantly less capable for gaming and 3D applications than the Nvidia RTX 4050 found in the MSI Thin GF63, plus the latter also features a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the former's 60Hz, making the MSI more suitable for the smoother visuals required in gaming and 3D tasks. While the Gateway's processor and screen quality are modest for basic tasks, the MSI's more advanced processor and superior screen quality provide a better overall experience for demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" falls short for engineering and design as it has basic CPU and graphics capabilities, minimal RAM, and a lower resolution display, which are inadequate for demanding software used in these fields, whereas the MSI Thin GF63 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen necessary for such intensive tasks, despite being less portable and potentially noisier during use. Additionally, while the Gateway 11.6" is extremely portable with excellent battery life, its lower screen and build quality, along with weaker speakers, make it suboptimal for professional creative work compared to the MSI, which offers better overall performance and features for such purposes.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Thin GF63 is good 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
5.7/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is good 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
5.7/10
6.8/10
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 Thin GF63 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely has lower resolution and brightness, making it less suitable for any detailed work required in general use, engineering, or gaming. The MSI Thin GF63, while offering fair screen quality for general use and engineering due to a better resolution and perhaps higher brightness, still lacks the advanced color range needed for precision in design work. For gaming and 3D applications, both lack the high refresh rates desired for smooth visuals, with the MSI being marginally better because of its resolution and panel type.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 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 Thin GF63 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.5/10
The MSI Thin GF63 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
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,400.
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the MSI Thin GF63
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.