A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gateway 15.6" offers a larger storage capacity and more memory than the MSI GF63 Thin, which can enhance multitasking and data storage capabilities. However, the MSI has a dedicated graphics card which typically provides better performance for gaming and graphics-intensive tasks. The Gateway, being slightly less expensive and equipped with an integrated graphics solution, may be suitable for general use and productivity tasks. On the other hand, the MSI, despite being a bit pricier, would be more appropriate for users inclined towards gaming or requiring better graphics processing power. Additionally, the MSI is lighter, potentially making it more portable. 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 15.6"
- Good for general use
- Good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
6.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Gateway 15.6" is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" with more RAM and a higher capacity SSD provides smoother multitasking and faster data retrieval for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin, despite its dedicated GPU, comes with less RAM and a smaller SSD which might slow down intensive multitasking and storage-demanding tasks. Additionally, the Gateway offers better portability and battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use compared to the MSI, which, though thinner, has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.0
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gateway 15.6" is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.7
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for software development, though the Gateway 15.6" is somewhat better.
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
6.1
6.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Gateway 15.6" has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Gateway and MSI laptops have sufficient resolution and brightness, but the panel type might not offer the best viewing angles or color accuracy. During engineering and design tasks, the color representation may lack precision, as these laptops don't cover the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB comprehensively, which are crucial for professional color work. When it comes to 3D applications or gaming, the screen's refresh rate is lower than ideal, leading to less fluid motion, while the resolution and panel type only partially meet the desired experience for these activities.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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.
Build Quality
5.1
6.5
The MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI GF63 Thin have enough graphical power to handle many games and 3D tasks, but for the best gaming experience, higher-end GPUs and faster refresh rates are preferred. While both offer decent processors and acceptable screen quality, serious gamers or professional 3D artists typically look for machines with more robust CPUs and superior displays.
Engineering and Design
6.2
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Gateway 15.6" has a capable CPU and sufficient RAM for light engineering and design tasks, alongside a fair screen, but its integrated GPU may limit performance in graphics-intensive applications when compared to the MSI GF63 Thin, which has a dedicated GPU better suited for such tasks, though it has less RAM which could hinder multitasking capabilities.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF63 Thin and Gateway 15.6" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$600
$599
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $600 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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How the Gateway 15.6" and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 15.6" | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.75" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 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 | 8/10 | |
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 | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the MSI GF63 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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