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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI GF65 Thin, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, could be a better choice. However, it's more expensive and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for long periods away from a power source. On the other hand, the HP 17" Laptop is generally less expensive, offers better battery life, and includes a number pad. The larger screen size of the HP may be more suitable for general use and engineering tasks, but it's heavier, which impacts portability. The MSI has an edge in color spaces important for creative work but has a more gaming-oriented appearance. 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 HP 17" Laptop
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
287.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP 17" Laptop is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.2
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and HP 17" Laptop are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The HP 17" Laptop uses an integrated GPU, which is typically less powerful than dedicated GPUs like the Nvidia RTX 3060 in the MSI GF65 Thin, meaning the latter will generally provide better gaming and 3D performance. However, the HP 17" has a larger screen size, but a lower screen refresh rate compared to the MSI, which offers a higher refresh rate beneficial for smoother visuals in fast-paced games.
Software Development
7.1
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP 17" Laptop is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.6
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The HP 17" Laptop has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the HP and MSI laptops have screens that provide acceptable clarity and brightness for activities like web browsing, document editing, and watching videos. For engineering and design tasks, they offer satisfactory color accuracy and range, but professionals needing highly precise color representation might find them lacking. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fail to deliver the smooth visuals and quick-refreshing displays that are essential for an immersive and responsive experience.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
6.0
6.7
The MSI GF65 Thin and HP 17" Laptop both have only fair build quality, though the MSI GF65 Thin has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
6.8
6.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP 17" Laptop and MSI GF65 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design.
The HP 17" Laptop's larger screen and higher RAM make it suitable for engineering designs requiring extensive multitasking and visual space, while the MSI GF65 Thin's more powerful GPU and higher refresh rate display favor engineering tasks with graphics-intensive applications like 3D modeling.
Content Creation
7.2
6.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin and HP 17" Laptop both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP 17" Laptop and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP 17" Laptop | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.58 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.78" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.15" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 287 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 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 | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
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 HP 17" Laptop or the MSI GF65 Thin
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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