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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI GF65 Thin is more affordable, lighter, and offers decent performance for general use and gaming. However, its lower specs mean it isn't ideal for the most demanding tasks. The MSI Raider GE78, while more expensive and heavier, delivers high performance for intensive engineering work, 3D rendering, machine learning, and top-tier gaming, and it comes equipped with a better screen and longer battery life. If you prioritize high performance and advanced features for professional or gaming uses, despite the extra cost and reduced portability, the Raider GE78 stands out; otherwise, for everyday tasks and lighter gaming, the GF65 Thin provides good value. 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 MSI GF65 Thin
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF65 Thin is rated fair for general use due to its modest CPU, half the RAM, less storage, and a lower-quality screen compared to the MSI Raider GE78, which has a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, four times the storage space, and a superior screen quality providing a much sharper and vibrant user experience. Moreover, the Raider GE78, while offering better battery life, is less portable and heavier than the GF65 Thin, making the latter a more travel-friendly option despite its inferior specifications.
Gaming and AI
6.8
9.5
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF65 Thin, with its RTX 3060 GPU and a refresh rate of 144Hz, is a capable choice for gaming and 3D work, but the MSI Raider GE78 takes performance up a notch with its more advanced RTX 4090 GPU and a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, alongside a superior CPU, the Intel i9-13980HX, which is pivotal for intensive tasks. The screen quality on the Raider GE78 is also notably better, making it the best choice for gaming and 3D applications, although it comes with decreased portability due to its larger size and weight.
Engineering and Design
6.7
9.4
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF65 Thin is good for engineering and design because it has a capable i5 processor, a solid RTX 3060 GPU, and a clear IPS display, making it a balance of performance and portability. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for demanding engineering tasks, featuring a top-tier i9 processor, powerful RTX 4090 GPU, and a superior display, but it is heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
6.8
8.8
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very 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.
Software Development
6.3
8.5
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very 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
6.8
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The GF65 Thin's screen is adequate for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos due to its resolution and brightness, but for engineering and design, its limited color gamut doesn't represent colors as accurately as a professional might need. The Raider GE78's screen, with its higher resolution and brightness, offers a crisp and vibrant display that benefits both general use and detail-oriented work such as CAD and graphic design, thanks to its wider color gamut. However, both models have screens with lower refresh rates, which means they don't deliver the smooth visuals required for high-end gaming and 3D rendering, where fast motion is common.
Battery
4.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The MSI GF65 Thin has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.7
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI GF65 Thin has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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How the MSI GF65 Thin and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GF65 Thin | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.1 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.99" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-10500H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the MSI GF65 Thin or the MSI Raider GE78
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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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.
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