With a cyberpunk-inspired design, the MSI Cyborg 15 has more personality than the bland gaming laptops you'll find in this price segment (S$2,299). More importantly, the Cyborg offers solid mid-range gaming performance, and runs cool, too.
Quick specs
- 15.6-inch Full-HD display (144Hz)
- Intel Core i7-12650H chip with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop graphics
- 2x USB Type-A, USB Type-C, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet port, audio jack
- 53.5 watt-hour battery
From afar, the MSI Cyborg 15 looks like a typical gaming laptop — dark with a blue LED-backlit keyboard. But once you get close, you'll notice that the base and the sides have a translucent finish. That's when the Cyborg moniker hits you. Kudos to MSI for trying a more unique look. However, I feel MSI could have gone further here. Most of the internals are still hidden from view, though there's a glimpse of the copper heat pipes. Perhaps MSI could have added more LEDs ala the Nothing Phone 1 to bring out the see-through aspect. That being said, the Cyborg certainly stands out from the generic-looking gaming laptops that exist in this price range (around S$2,000).
The Cyborg's 15.6-inch display is the usual 1080p, 144Hz screen that you'll find on many entry-level gaming notebooks. I like the matte finish, and the viewing angles are decently wide. However, it could be brighter. MSI did manage to squeeze in a numeric keypad on the right — the number keys are small, but just about usable. Key travel is decent. There's also a bit of flair here with transparent WASD, and Power keys. There's only a single blue backlight, no RGB backlighting. The touchpad is larger than the norm, though. I liked how the MSI Center, a control panel for the laptop's settings and features, is so customisable. You can install only the features needed. For example, gamers will want Gaming Mode, which automatically adjust settings (e.g. disabling the touchpad) when it detects the launch of a game. But maybe not Smart Image Finder, which helps you search for images.
With its Nvidia RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, the Cyborg 15 has slightly better hardware than an entry-level 2023 gaming laptop. It produced 55fps in Metro Exodus at 1080p, which is basically a tie with the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE (54fps with RTX 3060 graphics). However, the gap widened in Watch Dogs: Legion, with the MSI churning out 57fps (Ultra quality, 1080p) compared with the Acer's 49fps. Overall, you won't have any issues or lag running any AAA game on the Cyborg 15 at 1080p. More importantly, the MSI is one of the few gaming laptops I have tested that didn't feel scorching hot during intensive workloads. I can place it on my lap without feeling uncomfortable. And the usually-hot zone above the keyboard remained cool to touch. The cooling fans are definitely audible, though they sound like white noise, and hence easy to ignore.
At S$2,299, the MSI Cyborg 15 is reasonably priced for a mid-range gaming notebook. There are cheaper (and more expensive) options around the S$2,000 mark, but the Cyborg looks eye-catching — without relying on LEDs — compared with most competitiors. More importantly, I was impressed by how it remained relatively cool even in games. The customisable MSI Center is another plus point as it means less software bloat. Get the MSI Cyborg 15 now at Lazada, Shopee, and Amazon SG.
Note: Review unit provided by MSI.
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