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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and battery life are top priorities for you, the Razer Book 13 with its lighter weight and longer battery life may be the better choice. It also offers a higher-quality display and keyboard, making it an excellent option for general use and business tasks. Conversely, the MSI GF65 Thin, while heavier and with a shorter battery life, is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, making it more suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, and intensive engineering tasks. Be aware that its gaming appearance may not suit all professional environments. Both laptops offer similar storage and have high build quality, but if you require more computing power and RAM for demanding tasks, the Razer has the edge. 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
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Razer Book 13.
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Book 13 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF65 Thin, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, excels in performance but compromises on battery life and portability, making it less ideal for users who prioritize mobility and all-day use. In contrast, the Razer Book 13 offers a balance of high-quality screen, efficient battery, and lightweight design, alongside a capable CPU and sufficient RAM, catering well to users seeking a blend of performance and convenience for general tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.2
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Razer Book 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The MSI GF65 Thin, with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and 144Hz refresh rate screen, is better suited for fast-paced gaming when compared to the Razer Book 13, which, despite its high-quality display, only has Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics and a lower 60Hz refresh rate, limiting its potential for gaming and 3D applications.
Content Creation
6.8
7.6
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Book 13 is 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
7.5
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 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
6.8
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Razer Book 13 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Razer Book 13 offers superior visuals due to its higher resolution and brighter display, making text sharper and images more vivid than the MSI GF65 Thin. Engineers and designers would prefer the Razer Book 13 as it likely covers a larger color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation which is essential for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced movements are common, neither laptop is ideal, but the MSI GF65 Thin, while still lacking, may have a slightly better refresh rate which is crucial for smooth motion.
Battery
4.5 Hours
14.0 Hours
The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Book 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.7
8.5
The Razer Book 13 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
$1,389
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI GF65 Thin has a price of $1,100 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.1
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
6.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Book 13 to be good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF65 Thin boasts a powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU suited for graphics-intensive engineering tasks and a larger screen, while the Razer Book 13 offers a superior CPU with more RAM for complex computations, a higher-resolution and touch-enabled screen for detailed design work, and is more portable due to its lighter build and compact size. However, the MSI has greater gaming capabilities due to its dedicated GPU, while the Razer Book, with better battery life and a higher quality build, could be preferred for professionals seeking a balance between performance and portability for engineering and design use.
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How the MSI GF65 Thin and the Razer Book 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GF65 Thin | Razer Book 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,389 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | April 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.1 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 11.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.99" | 7.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-10500H | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 14 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 507 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
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 Book 13
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | December 2020
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the MSI GF65 Thin or the Razer Book 13
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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Why trust us
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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About the laptop team
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