The Perks of the MSI Alpha 15 Gaming Laptop

The PC gaming scene has exploded in the last couple of years, with a staggering number of new graphics cards, processors, and gaming laptops on the market. For example, Nvidia and AMD captured headlines as their GPUs were snatched up instantaneously upon release. Sadly, this left a lot of players out in the cold.

That said, the market is far from hopeless for those looking for a premium PC gaming experience. Instead, gamers may simply need to think outside the box and opt for a gaming laptop. A compelling choice? The MSI Alpha 15 has proven popular since its release in December 2020.

Sporting a 15.6-inch IPS-level screen with a fantastic 144Hz refresh rate, the Alpha 15 makes a great first impression. While it’s not capable of 4K gaming (since the screen resolution is only 1080p), games will still look great.

Powering the MSI Alpha 15 is an AMD Ryzen 7 3750H CPU. This 4-core, 2.3GHz processor works in tandem with the GPU to deliver exceptional performance. The Radeon RX5500M GPU has more than enough horsepower to run today’s top AAA games at maximum settings. In addition, MSI’s own benchmarks show that the Alpha 15 pumps out over 160 frames-per-second in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive — and over 60 FPS in Forza Horizon 5.

The MSI Alpha 15 is no slouch in other areas. For example, 16 GB of DDR4 memory combined with a 512 GB SSD allows it to keep loading times in games and applications to a minimum. It also has three USB 3.2 ports plus USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort. These essentials give players ultimate flexibility. Overall, the MSI Alpha 15 is well-equipped and can function as an everyday PC gaming solution for most consumers.

Qualification as an excellent PC gaming rig goes beyond pure power alone. Tricking it out with lights or a bold, eye-catching case represents half the fun of building a PC.

Thankfully, MSI has applied this approach to the Alpha 15, giving it a sleek look that’s sure to turn heads at the coffee shop or library. The black aluminum construction is sharp, as is the neon green MSI logo emblazoned on the lid.

Another perk of PC gaming? The ability to customize key bindings. The Alpha 15’s SteelSeries keyboard allows players to change the color of each key thanks to RGB backlighting. To some, this may seem like a frivolous feature. But, in reality, it’s completely practical. In addition, mapping certain colors to specific keys can help with macros.

The entire MSI Alpha 15 package — from the powerful AMD CPU and GPU to the slick case and keyboard — retails for a surprisingly sedate $950. Even though the technology powering the device is more than a year old, it’s still worth the price. And, given the current state of GPU shortages, customers should be leaping at the chance to get into the game any way they can.

Can it run Crysis? Of course, but while it’s not going to compete against the newest crop of GPU benchmarks, it’s important to remember that, for this price, it would be impossible to do so.

Like any gaming device, the MSI Alpha 15 laptop requires extensive warranty protection, as it can be vulnerable to falls or spills. In the event of a malfunction, it’s best to have extended warranty coverage, which limits the cost of repair or replacement.

While many retailers offer warranties for gaming laptops, Upsie provides a far more cost-effective solution. By cutting out the middle man, Upsie’s warranties cost up to 70 percent less than warranties sold by retailers and manufacturers. The result? Excellent peace of mind at a low cost.

In addition, Upsie protects laptops from accidental damage, manufacturing defects, and more. Customers have up to 60 days after purchasing their laptop to pair it with an Upsie warranty.