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HP Victus and MSI Thin GF63 are two of the most popular budget gaming laptop series today. Their impressive hardware specs but affordable price tags make both incredibly popular among gamers. However, the specs and features can be so close for some models that it can be confusing to choose between them. So, which is the better laptop to power your gaming sessions? Which is better for everything else?
Generally speaking, the HP Victus is the better gaming laptop series. However, either laptop has something unique to deliver, and there's a lot more going on under the hood. In this article, we'll put the two laptops head-to-head and show why the HP Victus is the better choice.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.
HP Victus vs MSI Thin GF63: Which is the better gaming laptop series?
Specs comparison
Both HP Victus and MSI Thin GF63 are mid-range offerings. They are a step above the baseline models and primarily target performance gaming at 1080p with 50-class and 60-class GPUs. You would rarely find laptops from either series pairing 4070 or 4080.
Zooming in, the Victus is generally targeted at gamers who want their notebook to double up as a professional laptop. The Thin GF63, on the other hand, is targeted at players looking for portability.
You get the Ryzen 7000 series and Intel 14th-generation processors with either device. Given they are affordable options, both HP and MSI haven't introduced options with the latest Core Ultra chips yet.
Here are some general specs of HP Victus and MSI Thin GF63 series laptops:
Design and display comparison
As mentioned earlier, the Victus and Thin GF63 are polar opposites when it comes to design. The HP Victus features a more professional-looking aesthetic with a white backlit keyboard. On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63 features a gamer-like design with a bold, red backlit keyboard. Also, as the name suggests, the MSI Thin GF63 is a thinner and lighter laptop, compared to the HP model.
The designs are subjective, and you may prefer one over the other. The displays of both laptops have similar FHD resolutions with 144Hz refresh rate options so you will have a similar gaming experience on both laptops.
Performance comparison
Performance is one area where you will see a major difference between the two laptops. Specs sheets, however, can be deceiving, and either laptop might end up delivering similar framerates in video games — given the graphics processor mostly holds them back.
Another factor is that MSI Thin GF63 laptops are fairly thinner and usually power-limited. This might decrease the performance potential during long gaming sessions.
On top of that, most budget laptops in the MSI Thin GF63 series have a single fan, which further decreases the cooling potential and the thermal headroom of the chips. So, the GPUs inside the MSI GF63 laptops are usually limited to 40 - 60W, which stops the GPU from boosting the clock speeds too high.
On the contrary, the HP Victus laptops have dual fans, so their GPUs have a higher 75 - 140W thermal headroom, which allows the GPUs to boost significantly higher. So, games like The Last of Us: Part 1 or Spider-Man Remasters will deliver more FPS.
Battery life comparison
Most budget laptops in the HP Victus series have a larger battery capacity than the MSI Thin GF63 options. But, generally, HP Victus laptops pair components that consume more power. Their battery drains faster.
In short, you will get a similar battery experience no matter which laptop you choose.
Price
The price is a huge factor, especially in budget-range laptops. Usually, there is a significant price difference, even with the same configurations. The HP Victus series might cost you a couple hundred bucks more.
Verdict
Both HP Victus and MSI Thin GF63 laptops have something new to the table. With an MSI Thin GF63 laptop, you will get a relatively slim design, and it will weigh less. You will also get a bold red RGB backlit on the keyboard. But its chips are power-limited, and they will lag behind the competition in raw performance.
On the other hand, the HP Victus laptops are all about delivering the best possible performance but are a bit thicker and heavier when compared to the MSI alternative. But it's more of an advantage than a disadvantage. The added thickness allowed HP to cram in two fans, which enhanced the cooling potential of the laptop.
If you ask my opinion, I'd opt for the HP Victus laptop series out of the two, particularly due to its sheer performance and cooling advantage. But choose your pick based on what you want — more computing horsepower or portability.
