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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize budget and mainly use your laptop for general tasks and light gaming, the MSI GF65 Thin offers good value and will likely meet your needs. However, if you often engage in more intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or higher-end gaming, and budget is not a primary concern, the Razer Blade 17 provides superior performance with a higher price. The Razer Blade also tends to have a more robust build and better screen quality, but this comes with a higher cost and may be less portable due to its size. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin will be easier to carry around, but might not match the Razer Blade's performance and build quality. 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 Razer Blade 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Razer Blade 17 outshines the MSI GF65 Thin for general use due to its superior CPU, more RAM, and higher quality screen with better resolution and color coverage, which can be especially noticeable when multitasking or consuming media. The MSI GF65 Thin, while less suitable for demanding tasks, may be favored for its greater portability and longer battery life, making it a viable option for users needing a lighter laptop for basic tasks and longer usage on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.8
8.6
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Razer Blade 17 offers superior gaming and 3D capabilities owing to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, compared to the MSI GF65 Thin which is equipped with a less capable Nvidia RTX 3060. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates; however, the Razer's superior screen resolution and larger screen size contribute to better overall screen quality for gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.7
9.1
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
8.5
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 17 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
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 17 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
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Razer Blade 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Razer Blade 17's higher resolution and brighter display provide clearer and more vibrant visuals than the MSI GF65 Thin, making it a better choice for activities like browsing and watching videos. The Razer's coverage of wider color gamuts ensures that engineers and designers enjoy more accurate color representation, which is crucial for their work. However, for 3D and gaming, despite its superior resolution and panel type, the Razer Blade 17's lower refresh rate compared to gaming-optimized laptops means less smooth motion rendering, which can detract from fast-paced visual experiences.
Battery
4.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 has 5.5 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI GF65 Thin has good portability, while the Razer Blade 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.7
8.5
The Razer Blade 17 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
$4,300
$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 Razer Blade 17 costs $4,300.
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How the MSI GF65 Thin and the Razer Blade 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GF65 Thin | Razer Blade 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $4,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.1 lbs | 6.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.99" | 10.24" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-10500H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | July 2022
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the MSI GF65 Thin or the Razer Blade 17
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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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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