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MSI GF63 Thin 9SC Laptop Review: Lightweight gamer for just under $1000

Good package with some limitations. While budget gaming notebooks often have difficulties displaying current games at maximum details, the price-to-performance ratio is good in most cases. MSI's GF63 Thin 9SC is a fairly affordable representative of this species.
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC

The GF63 Thin 9SC from MSI is directed at occasional gamers who wouldn't (want to) spend over $1000 dollars for a notebook. The device is 2.2 cm (~0.9 in) thick and weighs 1.8 kg (~3.9 lb), which is fairly slim and light for a 15-inch notebook. It has a good selection of components and is equipped with Intel's quad-core processor Core i5-9300H, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM (single channel) and a 512-GB SSD. The energy-efficient Max-Q version of the mid-range GeForce GTX 1650 takes care of the graphics department. The images it produces are displayed on a matte IPS display with 1920x1080 pixels.

MSI GF63 Thin 9SC (GF63 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-9300H 4 x 2.4 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1020 MHz, Memory: 1750 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 441.87, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, Single Channel, 1 of 2 Slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, AU Optronics B156HAN02.1 (AUO21ED), IPS, Full-HD, 60 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G, 512 GB 
, NVMe SSD. Slots: 1x M.2 Type 2280 & 1x 2.5 inches
Soundcard
Realtek ALC269 @ Intel Cannon Point PCH
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1 microphone, 1 headphone
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 22 x 359 x 254 ( = 0.87 x 14.13 x 10 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 3 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: 2.0, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 120-watt AC adapter, 2,5-inch frame, warranty card, Recovery instructions, Quick Start Guide, Dragon Center, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.78 kg ( = 62.79 oz / 3.92 pounds), Power Supply: 450 g ( = 15.87 oz / 0.99 pounds)
Price
949 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

The competition of the GF63 9SC includes other 15-inch laptops that are equipped with a Core i5-9300H and a ("normal") GeForce GTX 1650 such as the Dell G5 15 5590, the Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515, the HP Omen 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH. These notebooks have been included in our review as comparison devices.

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
77.6 %
01/2020
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
1.8 kg22 mm15.60"1920x1080
79.6 %
10/2019
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2.7 kg23.7 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.5 %
05/2019
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2.2 kg27 mm15.60"1920x1080
81.5 %
07/2019
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2.3 kg25 mm15.60"1920x1080
77 %
09/2019
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2.1 kg23.9 mm15.60"1920x1080

As the case is identical with that of its predecessor (Core i5-8300H & GeForce GTX 1050), we will not be discussing the case, connectivity and input devices in this review. Please refer to the predecessor's review or details on these aspects.

MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC

Size Comparison

363 mm / 14.3 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 2.2 kg4.76 lbs364 mm / 14.3 inch 273 mm / 10.7 inch 23.7 mm / 0.933 inch 2.7 kg5.98 lbs363 mm / 14.3 inch 254.6 mm / 10 inch 23.9 mm / 0.941 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 263 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg5.11 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 1.8 kg3.92 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
1150 MBit/s
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s -6%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +2%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
1290 MBit/s

Display

Like most budget gamers, the display has a Full-HD resolution and 60 Hz. Faster panels with 120 or 144 Hz are usually only available beyond the $1000 price point.

247
cd/m²
258
cd/m²
257
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
260
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
244
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156HAN02.1 (AUO21ED) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 260 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 249.1 cd/m² Minimum: 4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 260 cd/m²
Contrast: 1130:1 (Black: 0.23 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.56
ΔE Greyscale 2.83 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
56% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.01% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
56.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
37.76% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.53
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
AU Optronics B156HAN02.1 (AUO21ED), IPS, 1920x1080
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
AU Optronics B156HAN (AUO23ED), IPS, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
LG LP156WFC-SPD1 (LGD0563), IPS, 1920x1080
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
LGD05CE, IPS, 1920x1080
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
CMN 156HCA-EAB, IPS, 1920x1080
Display
115%
1%
2%
13%
Display P3 Coverage
37.76
83.1
120%
37.97
1%
38.37
2%
42.81
13%
sRGB Coverage
56.5
99.9
77%
57
1%
57.6
2%
63.8
13%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.01
96.8
148%
39.23
1%
39.69
2%
44.31
14%
Response Times
-1%
11%
9%
1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44.8 ?(22, 22.8)
48 ?(22.8, 25.2)
-7%
42 ?(20.8, 21.2)
6%
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
11%
45.6 ?(23.6, 22)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
31.6 ?(17.2, 14.4)
30 ?(16.8, 13.2)
5%
26.8 ?(16, 10.8)
15%
29.6 ?(17.2, 12.4)
6%
30.8 ?(16.8, 14)
3%
PWM Frequency
25910 ?(20)
Screen
-19%
-2%
-21%
-16%
Brightness middle
260
234
-10%
238
-8%
251
-3%
275
6%
Brightness
249
216
-13%
226
-9%
232
-7%
253
2%
Brightness Distribution
92
87
-5%
83
-10%
76
-17%
83
-10%
Black Level *
0.23
0.22
4%
0.27
-17%
0.17
26%
0.18
22%
Contrast
1130
1064
-6%
881
-22%
1476
31%
1528
35%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.1
6.52
-59%
4.11
-0%
6.2
-51%
5.4
-32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.93
10.58
-33%
6.89
13%
18.6
-135%
21.3
-169%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.56
3.56
-0%
3.76
-6%
4.8
-35%
4.4
-24%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.83
5.33
-88%
1.78
37%
4.2
-48%
3.7
-31%
Gamma
2.53 87%
2.86 77%
2.41 91%
2.32 95%
2.12 104%
CCT
6158 106%
5983 109%
6311 103%
7454 87%
6376 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36
36
0%
36
0%
36.5
1%
40.8
13%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
56
57
2%
57
2%
57.4
3%
63.6
14%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
32% / 8%
3% / 0%
-3% / -13%
-1% / -8%

* ... smaller is better

The image quality of the GF63 9SC mirrors that of its competition. Thanks to the relatively low black value of 0.23 cd/m², the 15-inch screen has a decent contrast of 1130:1, which should satisfy most users.

CalMAN: grayscales
CalMAN: grayscales
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN: grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (after calibration)

The brightness is not as good. We measured an average of 259 cd/m², which should be enough for (dark) indoor spaces but isn't ideal in brighter surroundings. We usually recommend notebooks with at least 350 cd/m² for outdoor use. The panel's color space is also rather limited with a 56-percent coverage of the sRGB and a 36-percent coverage of the AdobeRGB color space. However, this is quite normal in the budget segment. 

MSI GF63 vs sRGB (56%)
MSI GF63 vs sRGB (56%)
MSI GF63 vs AdobeRGB (36%)
MSI GF63 vs AdobeRGB (36%)

The response time isn't really impressive either. 31.6 ms black-to-white and 44.8 ms gray-to-gray can cause some ghosting during faster games (e.g. the soccer simulation game "FIFA"). At least the monitor offers the usual stable viewing angles that are typical for an IPS display. The color accuracy is decent ex-works.

Reflections
Reflections
Subpixel
Subpixel
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
31.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 14.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 22.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 73 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Testing conditions

The preinstalled Dragon Center gives users the possibility to make various adjustments to the system. The system tuner tab is particularly interesting. Our measurements were all made using the shift mode "comfort" (but we got exactly the same results in our short test using the gaming profile) and with the cooling fan set to automatic. The display profile was set to standard (MSI's RGB), the audio test is based on the "music" setting (Nahimic).

Dragon Center
Dragon Center
Dragon Center
Dragon Center
Dragon Center
Dragon Center

Performance

We will start with a series of system screenshots that display the most important components.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
AS SSD Benchmark
CrystalDiskMark
LatencyMon

Processor

The Core i5-9300H currently is one of the most successful notebook processors available - particularly in the multimedia and gaming segment. The quad-core chip from Intel's Coffee Lake generation has a TDP of 45 watts and can work up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to hyper threading. The 8 MB of L3 cache and the clock rate of up to 4.1 GHz are quite promising as well.

Single core rendering
Single core rendering
Multi core rendering
Multi core rendering
GPU load
GPU load

However, the GF63 9SC cannot make full use of the CPU turbo. While single core applications are completed at a constant 4.0 to 4.1 GHz, the clock rate quickly drops to 3.4 GHz in multi core scenarios in which all cores are under load (tested in the CineBench R15). This causes the performance to drop by around 10%, but thankfully does not have an impact on the frame rate in most 3D applications.

04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810Tooltip
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø737 (729.39-797)
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø771 (679.21-818)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2 Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø707 (700.72-757)
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø748 (730.55-769.02)
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø755 (746.1-761.43)

In order to save energy while idling or during less demanding tasks including office, video and browsing, the MSI has equipped the GF63 9SC with Nvidia's Optimus technology which dynamically switches between the processor's graphics chip (in this case the UHD Graphics 630) and the dedicated GeForce GPU. 

Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=241, last 2 years)
689 Points +65%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H
419 Points 0%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i5-9300H
418 Points
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
Intel Core i5-9300H
404 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
Intel Core i5-9300H
398 Points -5%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=241, last 2 years)
7164 Points +312%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
Intel Core i5-9300H
1821 Points +5%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i5-9300H
1737 Points
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H
1723 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
Intel Core i5-9300H
1530 Points -12%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=245, last 2 years)
265 Points +53%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
Intel Core i5-9300H
176 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
Intel Core i5-9300H
176 Points +2%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i5-9300H
173 Points
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H
171 Points -1%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
Intel Core i5-9300H
169 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=246, last 2 years)
2988 Points +275%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
Intel Core i5-9300H
818 Points +3%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
Intel Core i5-9300H
801 (748.64min - 797.24max) Points +1%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i5-9300H
797 Points
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H
769 Points -4%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
Intel Core i5-9300H
757 Points -5%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
173 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
797 Points
Help

System Performance

The system performance is very good. With a total score of 4889 points, the GF63 makes second place among its competitors in the PCMark 10. Only the Acer Nitro 5 manages an even better rating. The device boots quickly and is as fast as you would expect a $1000 notebook to be.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7540 Points +54%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4973 Points +2%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i5-9300H, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
4889 Points
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
4873 Points 0%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, KBG30ZMS128G
4615 Points -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-512
4400 Points -10%

Storage Device

The operating system (Windows 10 Home 64 bit) is installed on an M.2 drive from Toshiba. The 512-GB model KBG30ZMV512G reaches over 1000 MB/s during sequential reading. The write rates remain below expectations for PCIe/NVMe technology. Competing SSDs such as the WDC PC SN520 or SN720 do a significantly better job (see comparison table). The GF63 might seem a little slower than other budget gamers during heavy multi-tasking with high write rates (transferring files, installing software, ...). Users can add a 2.5-inch drive using the frame that is included in the scope of delivery.

MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
KBG30ZMS128G
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-512
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-43%
48%
105%
34%
Write 4K
80.6
65.3
-19%
109.1
35%
112.1
39%
103.6
29%
Read 4K
41.82
29.71
-29%
42.05
1%
42.01
0%
39.91
-5%
Write Seq
597
128.8
-78%
1457
144%
1964
229%
1160
94%
Read Seq
963
859
-11%
1421
48%
2065
114%
990
3%
Write 4K Q32T1
188.8
95.8
-49%
287.8
52%
318.2
69%
283.4
50%
Read 4K Q32T1
403.7
197.6
-51%
317.9
-21%
406.7
1%
344.5
-15%
Write Seq Q32T1
689
132.5
-81%
1455
111%
2534
268%
1455
111%
Read Seq Q32T1
1583
1208
-24%
1739
10%
3438
117%
1690
7%
Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1583 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 689 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 403.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 188.8 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 963 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 597 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 41.82 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 80.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 is the successor of the popular GeForce GTX 1050. It is no longer based on Pascal architecture but uses the more efficient Turing system.

3DMark 11 Performance
10378 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
17713 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
7177 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
3136 points
Help

Compared to the "normal" GTX 1650, the Max-Q version that is used in the GF63 9SC manages to run on lower clock rates. It has a base clock rate of 1020 MHz instead of 1395 MHz. In practice, the chip reaches far higher clock rates thanks to its GPU boost (which works similarly to Intel's turbo boost). The GF63 reached 1440 MHz in the Unigine Heaven benchmark and 1400 MHz with very steady frame rates during our 60-minute test of "The Witcher 3". This shows that the cooling system must be very efficient. 

All specifications apart from the clock rate are identical with the standard version of the GTX 1650. This includes 1024 shader units and 4 GB of GDDR5 VRAM with a 128-bit interface.

051015202530Tooltip
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i5-9300H, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G: Ø31.9 (29-34)

We did not notice any peculiarities during the various benchmarks. The 3D performance of the GF63 9SC is on par with that of other laptops that are equipped with a GTX 1650 Max-Q. According to 3DMark 13 and 11, notebooks that are equipped with the standard GTX 1650 are faster by about 13 - 19 percent.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +256%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
9536 Points +17%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
9292 Points +14%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
9239 Points +13%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
9221 Points +13%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
8161 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=246, last 2 years)
11809 Points +293%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
3565 Points +19%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
3517 Points +17%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
3488 Points +16%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
3004 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +246%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
13447 Points +17%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
13270 Points +16%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
13233 Points +15%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
13125 Points +15%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
11458 Points

Gaming Performance

The Nvidia GPU is usually fast enough to play games at high details and 1920x1080 pixels smoothly. Only more demanding or badly optimized titles such as "Metro Exodus", "Anno 1800", "Control", "Borderlands 3" and "Red Dead Redemption 2" may have difficulties in these settings and users will have to reduce to medium details to play these games.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=175, last 2 years)
214 fps +302%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
62.2 fps +17%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
61.1 (51min) fps +15%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
59.8 (50min) fps +12%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i5-9300H
53.2 (44min) fps
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=243, last 2 years)
114.3 fps +276%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
37 fps +22%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
35.4 (28min) fps +16%
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
34.5 (32min, 32P1 - 37max) fps +13%
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H
34.4 (26min) fps +13%
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i5-9300H
30.4 (24min) fps

If you do not want to make any compromises when playing more demanding games, would like to connect an external QHD or 4K monitor, or would appreciate having some reserves for future games, you might want to look for a configuration with at least a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. 

low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 146 99 53.2 30.4
Apex Legends (2019) 144 71.1 58.4 57
Far Cry New Dawn (2019) 72 52 49 46
Metro Exodus (2019) 73.3 36.9 27.5 22.6
Dirt Rally 2.0 (2019) 154 81.6 68.8 38.7
The Division 2 (2019) 82 56 45 32
Anno 1800 (2019) 60.4 52.2 34.7 18
Rage 2 (2019) 103 46.5 39.7 38.9
F1 2019 (2019) 127 83 69 46
Control (2019) 120 39.9 29.1
Borderlands 3 (2019) 86 53.6 34.9 26
FIFA 20 (2019) 150 118 115 114
Ghost Recon Breakpoint (2019) 63 41 39 26
GRID 2019 (2019) 92.4 65.9 53.4 36.7
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 (2019) 94.1 59 49.8 40.6
Need for Speed Heat (2019) 67.6 52.2 46.8 37.2
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order (2019) 57.2 49.7 44.4
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019) 56.3 43.5 29.3 18.6

Emissions

System Noise

MSI might want to work on its fan control in future. The fact that the fans are permanently active while idling would not be a problem if they ran at low speed. As it is, they produce 35 to 37 dB(A), which is quite audible and louder than all comparison devices.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.735.332.933.435.32539.843.741.940.644.93133.537.234.83434.94034.435.532.230.4355033.440.639.730.232.46333.334.634.130.735.68028.936.636.226.53110027.529.829.824.83112531.830.630.224.732.816030.334.631.125.628.820028.628.226.522.627.925027.629.328.521.627.4315292625.521.728.540030.124.623.719.829.75003124.92418.729.763031.72624.818.331.480033.326.125.919.932.9100033.426.926.319.432.8125035.127.126.119.534.116003627.126.717.834.9200034.324.722.417.333.3250032.52120.317.430.9315029.320.719.41728.1400026.519.718.817.225500026.119.718.517.424.6630021.718.417.817.220.7800019.318.517.617.218.6100001918.617.717.218.21250018.618.217.717.2181600019.318.417.717.117.9SPL43.836.335.330.342.8N4.32.62.31.44median 29.3median 24.9median 24median 18.3median 28.8Delta4.54.34.21.85.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseMSI GF63 Thin 9SC

The noise emissions of the GF63 9SC are on par with the competition while idling. The 15-inch device is quieter than the Dell G5 5590 and the Acer Aspire Nitro 5 but louder than the HP Omen 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH at 41 to 44 dB(A). In general, its fan noise during 3D applications is fairly good for a gamer.

Noise Level

Idle
35 / 36 / 37 dB(A)
Load
44 / 43 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
-3%
1%
14%
16%
11%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
30
-0%
28.8
4%
28.4
5%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=192, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
35
31
11%
30
14%
28.8
18%
28.4
19%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=193, last 2 years)
27%
Idle Average *
36
32
11%
31
14%
29.5
18%
28.4
21%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=193, last 2 years)
24%
Idle Maximum *
37
35
5%
33
11%
31.1
16%
28.4
23%
30.8 ?(21.9 - 47, n=193, last 2 years)
17%
Load Average *
44
49
-11%
46
-5%
35.2
20%
30.1
32%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=193, last 2 years)
2%
Witcher 3 ultra *
41
47
-15%
46
-12%
35.2
14%
40.2
2%
Load Maximum *
43
53
-23%
49
-14%
41
5%
40.2
7%
53.3 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=193, last 2 years)
-24%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The temperature development of our MSI notebook is average as well. Its maximum of 47 °C (~117 °F) on the top and bottom are quite acceptable and the case does not heat up particularly while idling. The average surface temperature of 23 - 24 °C (~73 - 75 °F) is comfortably cool.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Maximum load top
Maximum load top
Maximum load bottom
Maximum load bottom

You don't need to worry about the components. While the CPU and GPU reached around 70 °C (~158 °F) during the Witcher 3 test, the cores heated up to around 80 °C (~176 °F) during our stress test with FurMark and Prime95. This is quite moderate for a gaming device.

Max. Load
 47 °C
117 F
47 °C
117 F
47 °C
117 F
 
 40 °C
104 F
44 °C
111 F
43 °C
109 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
32 °C
90 F
32 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 40 °C = 104 F
41 °C
106 F
47 °C
117 F
47 °C
117 F
39 °C
102 F
37 °C
99 F
45 °C
113 F
28 °C
82 F
29 °C
84 F
23 °C
73 F
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 37.3 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  45 °C = 113 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32 °C / 89.6 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-3.1 °C / -5.6 F).
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
-4%
2%
6%
-8%
-13%
Maximum Upper Side *
47
49
-4%
47
-0%
40.3
14%
44.8
5%
46.3 ?(28.2 - 61, n=192, last 2 years)
1%
Maximum Bottom *
47
55
-17%
50
-6%
48.5
-3%
58.1
-24%
49.7 ?(30 - 66.3, n=192, last 2 years)
-6%
Idle Upper Side *
26
25
4%
24
8%
23.9
8%
27.9
-7%
31.5 ?(21.2 - 43, n=192, last 2 years)
-21%
Idle Bottom *
26
26
-0%
25
4%
24.6
5%
27.9
-7%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=192, last 2 years)
-26%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.434.42540.640.8313432.44030.435.25030.234.56330.740.18026.535.310024.836.612524.742.916025.639.520022.643.825021.657.331521.759.940019.866.550018.77263018.378.980019.983.3100019.477.6125019.574.3160017.869.3200017.368.6250017.463.431501766.2400017.265.1500017.464.3630017.271.2800017.267.81000017.266.71250017.262.41600017.158.8SPL30.385.9N1.461.6median 18.3median 66.2Delta1.85.332.537.439.446.531.535.533.93831.132.92933.128.529.824.933.123.341.826.85022.150.821.960.72167.419.870.61972.818.277.317.67917.778.818.874.419.176.317.678.617.877.217.876.117.670.317.868.617.655.817.86417.759.717.870.717.569.530.487.21.469.7median 17.8median 70.31.49.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GF63 Thin 9SCDell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 59% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 38% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 54% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 6.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 27% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The power consumption of our test unit while idling is a little higher than that of its competition. But 7 - 9 watts can still be considered good for a gaming notebook. The Max Q design of the GPU is not that noticeable under load. The consumption of 73 - 164 watts could have come from a normal GTX 1650 laptop.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 0.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7 / 9 / 13 Watt
Load midlight 79 / 164 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
9%
8%
9%
20%
-81%
Idle Minimum *
7
4
43%
5
29%
4.04
42%
3.8
46%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=189, last 2 years)
-97%
Idle Average *
9
7
22%
7
22%
7.2
20%
6.6
27%
19 ?(6.5 - 67, n=189, last 2 years)
-111%
Idle Maximum *
13
12
8%
11
15%
11.4
12%
8.9
32%
26.6 ?(9 - 101.1, n=189, last 2 years)
-105%
Load Average *
79
95
-20%
89
-13%
80.8
-2%
78.4
1%
112 ?(32.1 - 202, n=189, last 2 years)
-42%
Witcher 3 ultra *
73
86
-18%
90
-23%
93.6
-28%
82
-12%
Load Maximum *
164
135
18%
132
20%
144.5
12%
124
24%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=188, last 2 years)
-52%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Thanks to graphics switching, the GF63 9SC can boast a good battery life - although the 8.5 hours of runtime according to our Battery Eater Reader's test (minimum brightness) make our device second to last in our comparison field. The Dell G5 15, the Acer Nitro 5 and the HP Omen 15 all manage over 10 hours in this test. The 51-Wh battery in our test unit lasts around 4.5 hours during wireless browsing at medium brightness. Gaming sessions can be expected to last around 1 hour at maximum brightness. We were pleased that the 3D performance hardly dropped when the device was running on battery with the frame rate dropping from 31 to 29 FPS (1920x1080 pixels).

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
8h 27min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 22min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 12min
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 51 Wh
Dell G5 15 5590-PCNJJ
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 60 Wh
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-54-53Z2
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 57 Wh
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 52.5 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15IRH 81LK00BMGE
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 45 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
79%
71%
45%
5%
22%
Reader / Idle
507
867
71%
1044
106%
951
88%
469
-7%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
8%
WiFi v1.3
262
482
84%
486
85%
385
47%
368
40%
365 ?(57 - 745, n=190, last 2 years)
39%
Load
72
131
82%
88
22%
71
-1%
59
-18%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=153, last 2 years)
19%
H.264
482
392 ?(56 - 747, n=97, last 2 years)
Witcher 3 ultra
59
81.7 ?(47 - 155, n=23, last 2 years)

Pros

+ good price-to-performance ratio
+ light and compact case
+ moderate temperatures

Cons

- display with low response times and brightness
- meagre port selection
- quite loud while idling

Verdict

MSI GF63 Thin 9SC, test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC, test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de

If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses.

The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price.

But this is a very competitive field and there are many similar or even better alternatives available from other manufacturers (e.g. Dell, Acer, HP & Lenovo).

MSI GF63 Thin 9SC - 05/14/2020 v7
Florian Glaser

Chassis
74 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
72%
Connectivity
51 / 80 → 63%
Weight
66 / 10-66 → 99%
Battery
60 / 95 → 63%
Display
83%
Games Performance
80%
Application Performance
88%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 91%
Noise
69 / 90 → 77%
Audio
70%
Camera
38 / 85 → 44%
Average
70%
78%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GF63 Thin 9SC Laptop Review: Lightweight gamer for just under $1000
Florian Glaser, 2020-01-17 (Update: 2020-01-17)