MSI Alpha 15 (A3DD) review

[ntab Configuration]

MSI Alpha 15 banner

The MSI Alpha 15 is the first gaming laptop build entirely on the new AMD platform with a 7nm dedicated graphics card and a 12nm Ryzen processor. The video card is a mid-range RX 5500M build on the Navi 14 chip (RDNA architecture), paired with a Ryzen 7 3750H processor. The result is a compact mid-range gaming laptop with a competitive price. In the US, the Alpha 15 starts from ~$899 on various online stores. However, the configuration reviewed here is a bit more expensive, usually selling for around $1100.
This version of the MSI Alpha 15 (A3DDK) has per-key RGB illumination, which is uncommon among most on-line retailers, however, all other specifications remain the same.

Full name: MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK / MSI Alpha 15 A3DD-004 (with per-key RGB)

Configuration specifications

Display 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 @ 144Hz, Matte, IPS B156HAN08.0 / AUO80ED
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
Memory Samsung 16GB DDR4 2666MHz (dual-channel)
Video card AMD Radeon RX 5500M 4GB GDDR6 (Navi14 XTM)
Wireless card Realtek 8822CE 802.11ac
Storage WDC SN730 512 GB M.2 PCIe SSD
Battery 50.1 WHr
Operating system Windows 10 Pro
Full specifications here

 

A local retailer provided the unit, and the machine was used as MSI delivers it. No enhancements or changes were done to the laptop except for installing the operating system.

[ntab Build quality]
Physical size

Width: 357 mm / 14.05 inches
Depth: 248 mm / 9.76 inches
Height: Front: 26 mm / 1.02 inch
Rear: 34 mm / 1.33 inch
Laptop weight: 2.330 g / 5.13 lbs
Charger weight: 760 g / 1.67 lbs
Laptop + charger weight: 3.081 g / 6.79 lbs

 

MSI Alpha 15 display lid
MSI Alpha 15 display lid

The MSI Alpha 15 uses the same chassis as other laptops in the MSI GP series, and it is entirely made out of plastic with a thin layer of metal on the back of the lid. The display opens at 160 degrees, and while it is unrecommended, it can be opened with one hand. Colour-wise, the laptop is entirely black with a dark silver/grey-ish finish on the keyboard deck. Overall, it has a clean look with no aggressive branding elements, except for the green logo on the back of the lid, which peels off easily, surrounded by two vertical lines resembling those of a sports car.

Even though the Alpha 15 may look like a generic laptop at first, when turned on, it lights up like a Christmas tree, mainly because of its SteelSeries’ per-key RGB keyboard and illuminated USB ports. There is also a dedicated button on the chassis to quickly switch between different illumination patterns. For further customisation, there is a SteelSeries app where the user can create custom profiles with lighting patterns, select a different colour for every individual keys/zone and integrate the keyboard lighting with supported games like DoTA 2 and CS: GO. Also, when pressing the FN key, the keys that switch their functionality immediately light up, which is helpful for quickly figuring out the new options.

MSI Alpha 15 keyboard view
MSI Alpha 15 keyboard view

The overall typing experience is enjoyable. The keys are not cramped, and despite their short travel time, they have excellent feedback to them. Unfortunately, like most other gaming laptops, the Numpad implementation is rather poor. In the case of the MSI, the “right arrow” key invades the Numpad where the “0” key should be, so out of habit, it is relatively easy to press the arrow key while reaching for the “0” key. However, it is a good thing that the laptop does have a Numpad, which is often removed in other generic laptops.

Also, there is no left-side Windows key, but through MSI’s Dragon Center app, the Fn key can be changed to act as a left Windows key. At the top right side of the chassis, right next to the power button, there are two additional buttons: one to change between the illumination profiles and the other one to turn the laptop’s fans to the maximum speed.

MSI Alpha 15 RGB keyboard
MSI Alpha 15 RGB keyboard

The overall quality of the touchpad gives the impression that MSI went for a cost-saving solution. In a way, it is understandable since most gamers will use a mouse anyway. However, the touchpad is still reasonably precise and comfortable to use. Beneath the touchpad, there are two dedicated left and right buttons with a very clicky feeling to them.

The webcam quality is acceptable, though not spectacular. It records in 720p at 30 frames per second, and should be good enough for occasional Skype calls but nothing more. On the bright side, all recordings sounded clear without picking any noticeable background noise, although their overall volume seems lower than in other laptops tested so far.

MSI Alpha 15 webcam quality
MSI Alpha 15 webcam quality

[ntab Disassembly]

MSI Alpha 15 bottom panel
MSI Alpha 15 bottom panel

Gaining access to the internal components of the MSI Alpha 15 is straightforward. Firstly, there are twelve Philips head screws (one of which is under a “factory seal” label), on the back of the laptop that needs unscrewing. Secondly, carefully place a prying tool or a plastic card in the space between the plastic bottom cover and the main chassis, then move the prying tool or plastic card all along this separation space. As the prying tool/plastic card moves along this space, it will slowly un-clip the bottom cover from the main chassis. Finally, lift the bottom lid to reveal the laptop’s internal components.

MSI Alpha 15 internal components
MSI Alpha 15 internal components

Inside, there is:

  • one M.2 SSD/PCIe slot;
  • two RAM slots;
  • one 2.5-inch storage bay;
  • a PCIe slot for the Wi-Fi card;
MSI Alpha 15 M.2 SSD slots
MSI Alpha 15 M.2 SSD slots

Adding a mechanical drive/SSD in the 2.5-inch bay or upgrading the RAM modules is reasonably straight forward but changing the M.2 SSD is harder than it should be because the screw that holds it down is under the heat pipes. Thus, upgrading the M.2 SSD means the user has to remove the entire cooling system, place the new M.2 SSD, re-apply thermal paste on both the processor and video card and then put the cooling system back on. Hopefully, future iterations of this model will have a better implementation of the M.2 SSD replacement system.
 

MSI Alpha 15 RAM slots
MSI Alpha 15 RAM slots

[ntab Ports]

The MSI Alpha 15 features a decent selection of ports distributed on both sides of the laptop. Unfortunately, the ports on the right side are near the front of the machine, interfering with the usage of a wired mouse. Same goes for the AC adapter, but the right-angle connector somewhat alleviates the problem.

Overall, the laptop has :

  • one Ethernet extension connector;
  • three USB 3.0 Type-A ports;
  • one USB 3.0 Type-C port (also known as USB-C 3.2 Gen 1);
  • one HDMI 2.0 port;
  • one mini-Display port;
  • a standard 3.5mm jack for the microphone;
  • a standard 3.5mm jack for headphones or speakers;
  • one Kensington lock
  • a DC-in power connector;

On the bright side, the USB-type A ports are LED-backlit, making it easy to find them in the dark. The light has different patterns and can be changed or completely turned off from the Dragon Center tool.

As a side note, both video outputs are wired directly to the RX 5500M dedicated graphics card, enabling AMD FreeSync on supported external displays. The power connector is also user-replaceable.

MSI Alpha 15 mouse area
MSI Alpha 15 mouse area

[ntab Display]

MSI Alpha 15 display

The MSI Alpha 15 comes with the B156HAN08.0 / AUO80ED display panel, which is mostly the same model used by most of its competitors. The display uses IPS-type technology with excellent viewing angles, 300 nits luminosity and matte coating. The display’s luminosity and surface enable it to be used outdoor to some degree, though preferably in the shade.

Furthermore, the display has a 144Hz refresh rate which is excellent for battle royale and any other on-line competitive games, provided the video card can push more than 60 frames per second. Unfortunately, the RX 5500M is not powerful enough for this kind of high fps in the graphically demanding games like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry 5 or GTA V, unless the user turns down the graphics detail to medium settings. Apart from the high refresh rate, the display also has AMD’s FreeSync technology which prevents screen tearing and stuttering in games.

In terms of colour reproduction capabilities, the display calibration profile indicates it has a 91.2% sRGB, 66.2% Adobe RGB and 69.7% DCI P3 colour coverage, which is reasonable for photo/video editing though still below professional displays which usually have over 80% AdobeRGB and DCI P3.

On the negative side, the display suffers from backlight bleeding, which even though it is not as bad as other panels reviewed so far, it is noticeable in dark movie scenes.

Here is a link to the calibrated display profile of the reviewed unit. Because each display is unique, this profile will not perfectly match other displays of the same model. Still, using this profile should give better overall colours.

MSI Alpha 15 display view angles
MSI Alpha 15
 display view angles

 

sRGB profile and calibration
sRGB profile and calibration
MSI Alpha 15 backlight bleed
MSI Alpha 15 backlight bleed

[ntab Benchmarks]

Cyan room

SCORE

972
Average frame rate 21.17 fps
Target frame rate 88.90 fps

Fire Strike

SCORE

10378
Graphics score 12498
Physics score 11049
Combined score 4392

Sky Diver

SCORE

21659
Graphics score 32152
Physics score 9022
Combined score 16086

Time Spy

SCORE

4098
Graphics score 4298
Physics score 3244

Cinebench R15/R20
R15 Single/Multi R20 Single/Multi
138/724 346/1616

Blender

Geekbench 4
Single-core score Multi-core score
3826 12932

Geekbench 5
Single-core score Multi-core score
836 3396

PCMark 10
Web Score
6935
Apps Score
7662
Chat Score
7836
Photo Score 8960
Video Score
3020
Writing Score
4706
Spreadsheet Score
5858
Essentials 7472
Productivity 5249
Digital Content Creation
5159
SCORE 4208

Crystal Disk Mark

[ntab Gaming benchmarks]

Overall, the RX 5500M seems to be a decent video card for gaming on a budget. Unfortunately, the overall gaming experience is spoiled by AMD’s driver problems. Eventually, any game can be played on this machine, but making some games work properly often requires some googling and editing the game files. To some degree, these problems are understandable, since the latest AMD video cards are new to the laptop market and the situation is likely to improve with future driver releases.
Here is a list of the main problems encountered during the game testing of this machine and their subsequent fixes:

– Games that run on DirectX 12 by default would simply not work, refusing to launch, and when they did start, often they will just display a black screen instead. The solution is to tinker with the game files and force the game to run on DirectX 11 or lower.

-Most games did not automatically detect the RX 5500M and ran on the integrated graphics card instead. From an end-user perspective, this might not be obvious from the start, but getting very low fps in games is a good indicator that the laptop is running on its integrated graphics instead of the RX 5500M. The solution is to go into Windows settings and force the games to run on the dedicated graphics card.

-Some games will only run on the latest drivers, but unlike Nvidia, AMD drivers releases for this video card are somewhat slow and only happen once every three months

The latest AMD drivers for the MSI Alpha 15 can be found here .

MSI Alpha 15 driver error
MSI Alpha 15 driver error

Apex Legends
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 63 FPS 53 FPS 71 FPS

Assassins Creed Odyssey
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 33 FPS 26 FPS 56 FPS

Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Very High 57 FPS 31 FPS 74 FPS

Borderlands 3
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High (DirectX 11) 56 FPS 29 FPS 66 FPS

Call of Duty: Warzone
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 63 FPS 45 FPS 90 FPS

Control
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 39 FPS 28 FPS 46 FPS

Counter Strike: GO
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 90 FPS 0 FPS 181 FPS

DiRT Rally 2.0
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 46 FPS 32 FPS 64 FPS

Darksiders Genesis
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 60 FPS 41 FPS 69 FPS

Devil May Cry 5
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 86 FPS 33 FPS 106 FPS

DOOM
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra (Vulkan) 121 FPS 82 FPS 160 FPS

F1 2019
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra High 74 FPS 41 FPS 85 FPS

Far Cry 5
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 44 FPS 26 FPS 67 FPS

Final Fantasy XV
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 45 FPS 4 FPS 72 FPS

Paladins
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum settings 107 FPS 86 FPS 126 FPS

Grand Theft Auto V
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 41 FPS 28 FPS 79 FPS

Guild Wars 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 49 FPS 23 FPS 67 FPS

One Punch Man
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 59 FPS 51 FPS 61 FPS

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 39 FPS 10 FPS 54 FPS

League of Legends
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Very High 62 FPS 10 FPS 86 FPS

Metro Exodus
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 60 FPS 35 FPS 75 FPS

The Division 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 47 FPS 24 FPS 69 FPS

No Mans Sky
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 60 FPS 28 FPS 76 FPS

Overwatch
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 64 FPS 10 FPS 200 FPS

Anthem
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 59 FPS 26 FPS 70 FPS

Red Dead Redemption 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium* 32 FPS 26 FPS 44 FPS

Resident Evil 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 76 FPS 26 FPS 109 FPS

Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Highest 57 FPS 42 FPS 67 FPS

Smite
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum + HD Texture Pack 70 FPS 56 FPS 80 FPS

Darwin Project
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 50 FPS 33 FPS 61 FPS

The Witcher 3
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 56 FPS 21 FPS 64 FPS

Total War: Three Kingdoms
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 28 FPS 8 FPS 42 FPS

War Thunder
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Movie preset 64 FPS 30 FPS 75 FPS

Warcraft 3: Reforged
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 61 FPS 33 FPS 94 FPS

Warframe
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 90 FPS 10 FPS 128 FPS

Need for Speed Heat
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High (DirectX 11) 35 FPS 20 FPS 64 FPS

Granblue Fantasy Versus
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra (DirectX 12) 130 FPS 46 FPS 230 FPS

Forza Horizon 4
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 66 FPS 60 FPS 73 FPS

Dota 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 63 FPS 46 FPS 83 FPS

Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 97 FPS 26 FPS 134 FPS

PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 55 FPS 16 FPS 73 FPS

NBA 2k20
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 83 FPS 53 FPS 142 FPS

Halo Combat Evolved
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Enhanced 83 FPS 57 FPS 106 FPS

*First level of “Favor Quality” graphics preset.

[ntab Temperatures]

MSI Alpha 15 cooling system
MSI Alpha 15 cooling system

Compared to other gaming laptops, the cooling solution inside the Alpha 15 seems overpowered for the components it has inside. The cooling performance is impressive enough that MSI could have overclocked the video card and still keep it decently cool.
The cooling system air intake is through the bottom cover, through a large mesh that covers almost half of it. Having the air intake through the base of the laptop enables it to benefit from a cooling pad, though, in this particular case, a cooling pad is entirely unnecessary. The hot air is exhausted through the back and left side of the chassis. Fortunately, there is no exhaust vent on the right side of the laptop, and thus the area where the mouse is usually placed will not get hot. Inside, two fans are flanking the components and seven larger than average heat pipes:

– three for the GPU;
– one shared between the VRM and GPU;
– two for the CPU;
– one shared between VRAM and CPU.

MSI Alpha 15 back vent
MSI Alpha 15 back vent

All temperature measurements were performed at an ambient temperature of 26.5° C (79.7° F).

Temperatures on idle and heavy load
Temperatures on idle and heavy load

 

During the standard 20 minutes AIDA64 stress test (CPU, FPU, cache), the processor reached an average temperature of 69.6°C (157.28°F), with a maximum of 87°C (188.6°F). At these temperatures, the processor managed to keep an average frequency of 3.36 GHz, with occasional dips to as low as 2.98 GHz, which is well over AMD’s minimum guaranteed frequency of 2.30 GHz but under the maximum expected 4-core Boost Speed of 3.70 GHz.

 

CPU clock rates after AIDA64 CPU stress test
CPU clock rates after AIDA64 CPU stress test

 

In the Unigine Superposition test which puts the RX 5500M under heavy load for 20 minutes, the video card hovered between 65 and 66°C (149 – 150.8°F), with an average frequency of 1670 MHz and a maximum of 1675 MHz. These results are consistent with the temperatures measured while gaming, with the RX 5500M managing to keep an average speed of 1672 MHz and a maximum temperature of 65°C (149°F) even in the most demanding games.

 

Unigine Superposition GPU stress test
Unigine Superposition GPU stress test

 

In the combined AIDA64 plus Unigine Superposition test (which had both the processor and the RX 5500M under heavy load for 20 minutes), the processor reached a maximum temperature of 94°C (201.2°F) and throttled until it settled at a temperature of 81°C (177.8°F). Despite its throttling, the processor still managed to keep an average clock speed of 3.30 GHz with occasional dips to as low as 3.20 GHz, which is rather impressive. The video card temperatures never went above 70°C (158 °F), and after 5 minutes it settled at 69°C (156.2 °F). The RX 5500M kept an average frequency of 1672 MHz with a maximum boost clock of 1677 MHz.

Finally, the laptop was tested with the AIDA64 stability test, which is another combined stress test for the video card and processor. The processor heated up until it reached a maximum temperature of 74°C (165.2°F), at which point the fans started to kick in. Eventually, the processor settled at an average temperature of 72.6°C (162.6°F) with an average frequency of 2.85 GHz and occasional dips to as low as 2.25 GHz. The dedicated graphics card maintained an average clock speed of 1670 MHz with a maximum boost of 1675 MHz. Temperature-wise, the video card hovered between 62 and 65°C (143.6 – 149°F).

 

Aida64 full system stability stress test
Aida64 full system stability stress test

 

Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test
Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test -Unigine Superposition

 

With all the tested conducted by the Noteb review team, it is safe to conclude that MSI Alpha 15 cooling solution is more than adequate for its featured components. The laptop manages to keep its temperatures in check in any scenario while allowing the processor and video card to fully reach their potential, with some room left for potential overclocking.

[ntab Noise]
The Alpha 15 is a reasonably quiet machine. It seems that MSI did an excellent job of creating a smooth fan profile, with the laptop’s two fans not making any sudden jumps in speed (RPM). Moreover, the user can create a custom fan curve profile through the Dragon Center tool.
When idling, the fan noise is hardly noticeable, remaining at the room’s ambient level of around 27 dB. Under intensive usage, however, with CoolerBoost turned on, which sets the fans to their maximum speed, the noise level reaches 48-49 dB. Most gaming laptops usually remain under 46 dB while under heavy load, so the MSI is noticeably louder if pushed to the maximum. Still, given its overpowered cooling solution, the fans never need to run that high to reach 49 dB, and the users can safely game while remaining under 45 dB.

MSI Alpha 15 Noise test Idle MSI Alpha 15 Noise test Maximum Fan RPM
MSI Alpha 15 Noise test Idle MSI Alpha 15 Noise test Maximum Fan RPM

The LatencyMon test evaluates if a laptop is suitable for video/audio editing and recording. The results are mixed. It seems that when the LAN / wired network port is in use, the laptop experiences average latency, which may result in clicks or pops when recording. This problem completely disappears if the laptop is used on a WLAN / wireless connection. Otherwise, LatencyMon did not signal any other issues with this machine. Overall, the device should work well for video/audio editing and recording as long as the LAN port is not in use.

LatencyMon test - WIFI LatencyMon test - LAN
LatencyMon test – WIFI LatencyMon test – LAN

[ntab Sound quality]

MSI Alpha 15 speakers
MSI Alpha 15 speakers

The MSI Alpha 15 has two 2-watt speakers underneath the chassis that fire towards its resting surface. As a result, unless the laptop is placed on a hard surface, like a wooden desk, the sound will be muffled and of lacklustre quality. The speakers are reasonably loud though, managing to output an average of 75 dB at maximum volume. Still, unfortunately, the bass is non-existent and while they sound pleasant at 50% volume, turning the volume up at 100% will result in a distortion of the sound.

MSI Alpha 15 peak volume
MSI Alpha 15 peak volume

[ntab Battery life]

MSI Alpha 15 battery
MSI Alpha 15 battery

Since most laptops are used on battery for mundane office activities and web browsing, the laptop was tested using a simulated continuous web browsing session over the Wi-Fi. The browsing session involved checking emails/news, social media and accessing multimedia websites, similar to the behaviour of an average user. The level of brightness was set according to visibility and usability. At 25% brightness (maximum is 300 nits, 74% brightness= 200 nits) the laptop provided an enjoyable viewing experience. The sound volume was also set to 50%.

Officially, the battery is rated at 53,2 WHr. However, as it is often the case with most laptops, the real maximum charge is smaller and diminishes over time due to battery wear. The unit reviewed here reported a maximum charge capacity of 50.1 WHr.

.

MSI Alpha 15 battery specifications MSI Alpha 15 charger
MSI Alpha 15 battery specifications MSI Alpha 15 charger

With its 50.1 WHr battery, the laptop lasted only 2 hours and 30 minutes. The laptop was tested using both Firefox and Edge and yielded similar battery life results regardless of the browser.

Also, it is worth mentioning that while playing video games, the battery often discharged even when the laptop was plugged in. Such behaviour is an indication of an inadequate power supply, which is surprising given that MSI provided this machine with a 180-watt power supply weighing over half a kilo (close to two pounds).

Charging the laptop from 5% to 100% took almost 1 hour and 50 minutes with the 180W power adapter included in the box.

[ntab Software]
Even though the laptop was provided without an operating system, the hard drive contained a pre-defined partition made by MSI with various software kits. The files on the partition are accessible after installing the operating system. The most notable programs were:

-MSI Dragon Center tool that shows system information and allows the user to create fan curve profiles.
-The SteelSeries Engine 3 software that enables the user to switch between various keyboard illumination profiles and create custom ones.
-Killer Control Center that lets the user adjust and prioritise wireless bandwidth usage for games and applications.

MSI Alpha 15 pre-made partition with software kits
MSI Alpha 15 pre-made partition with software kits
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool System Monitor page
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool System Monitor page
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Ambient Link
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Ambient Link
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool illumination profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool illumination profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Creator Mode
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Creator Mode
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Gaming Mode
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Gaming Mode
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool General Settings
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool General Settings
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Battery Settings
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Baterry Settings
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Fan Profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Dragon Center tool Fan Profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Per Key RGB
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Per Key RGB
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Macro Keys
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Macro Keys
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Gaming Profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Steel Series Engine 3 Gaming Profiles
MSI Alpha 15 Killer Control Center Overview
MSI Alpha 15 Killer Control Center Overview
MSI Alpha 15 Killer Control Center Gamefast
MSI Alpha 15 Killer Control Center Gamefast

[ntab Conclusion]

Pros:

  • outstanding cooling solution;
  • 144Hz display;
  • good colour coverage;
  • VRM cooling;
  • decent performance;
  • large selection of peripheral ports;
  • competitive pricing;
  • user defined fan curves.

Cons:

  • below-average battery life;
  • noticeable driver issues;
  • poor speakers
  • fingerprint magnet
  • hard to upgrade M.2 SSD;
  • annoying placement of USB ports.

In a market segment dominated by Intel and Nvidia, MSI’s attempt to bring a compact budget gaming laptop with all its main components from AMD is something to be praised. The machine has many strong points: a 144Hz IPS display with excellent colour coverage, an overpowered cooling solution and the RX 5500M dedicated graphics card which performance-wise sits between the Nvidia GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 Ti. All of these in a light and compact chassis that does not scream “gaming laptop”. However, as much as this machine has to offer, buying it at the current time comes with several flaws of which users need to be aware. The most important is the video card driver problems and complications that arise from running most modern DirectX 12 games. Additionally, the laptop has a short battery life and poor speakers plus a 144Hz display that needs a more powerful dedicated graphics card to shine genuinely. Unfortunately, the laptop rarely surpasses 60 FPS aside from a few on-line competitive games. In AMD’s defence, most games out there are yet to be optimised for its graphics cards, but AMD is continuously taking feedback from its users and updates its drivers accordingly. Still, for the average gamer, the entire driver problem can be a very frustrating experience.

[ntab Buy]

To support noteb.com search engine and its review team, please consider buying a future MSI Alpha 15 laptop through one of the links included below. Thank you!

Newegg
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM (up to 32GB), 512GB SSD (up to 2TB), RX 5500M, 120Hz FHD display, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, 144Hz FHD display, Win 10 Home

Walmart
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM (up to 64GB), 512GB SSD (up to 2.5 TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Pro
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM (up to 64GB), 1TB SSD (up to 4TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Pro

Amazon
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

Bestbuy
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

BH Photo
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

CDW
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

Colamco
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

Compsource
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

MacMall
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

PC Nation
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

Tigerdirect
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DC (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RX 5300M, Win 10 Home

Xotic PC
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM (up to 64GB), 512GB SSD (up to 2TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM (up to 64GB), 512GB SSD (up to 2TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

Hidevolution
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (144Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 16GB RAM (up to 64GB), 512GB SSD (up to 4TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Home
MSI Alpha 15 A3DD – Configurator (120Hz FHD display) – Ryzen 7 3750H, 8GB RAM (up to 64GB), 512GB SSD (up to 4 TB), RX 5500M, Win 10 Home

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