- Kyle Chua
MSI Unveils 2022 Lineup of Laptops
Updated: Jan 25, 2022
EDIT 24/1/2021: Added price and availability for applicable laptops.
While MSI cancelled its in-person plans for CES 2022, the Taiwanese computer maker still made a showing at the annual tech event, unveiling its updated lineup of gaming and creator laptops for this year.
The refreshed laptops feature new silicon from Intel and Nvidia, upping their performance and graphics capabilities. Every release from the lineup comes equipped with the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7 or above CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 or above GPUs.
They also include the new 4th generation of Max-Q Technologies, with CPU Optimizer, Rapid Core Scaling and Battery Boost 2.0, among other performance-enhancing upgrades.
MSI added that some of the more powerful laptops house a new phase-changing liquid metal pad to accommodate the beefed-up hardware. This new proprietary thermal solution is said to be safer than liquid metal while remaining just as efficient at improving heat transfer and performance.
Stealth GS77 and GS66
The popular Stealth series returns this year with new flagship hardware. Both the 17-inch GS77 and 15.6-inch GS66 ship with up to an Intel Core i9-12900H processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. It also comes with DDR5 RAM and PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage.
The two laptops have almost the same display configurations, with both offering FHD at 360Hz and QHD at 240Hz. Both also have a UHD option, which is capped at 60Hz for the GS66 and 120Hz for the GS77. Notably, the GS77 features a stereo sound system with six speakers and a 1080p webcam. The GS66, on the other hand, only has two speakers and a 720p webcam.
Both additionally include Thunderbolt 4 support, a USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports and HDMI 2.1 connectivity.
The GS77 starts from S$4,999 and will be available from March onwards while the GS66 starts from S$4,899 and is available for pre-order today.
Raider GE76 and GE66
Meanwhile, this year’s new Raider laptops similarly boast flagship specs. The 17-inch Raider GE76 and the 15.6-inch GE66 come with up to the latest Intel 12th Gen Core i9 processors and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, along with DDR5 memory and SSD storage.
When it comes to the display, both models have similar configurations to the Stealth series: Full HD at 360Hz, QHD at 240Hz and UHD at 120Hz, which is no longer limited to the larger model. The 17-inch model has an additional FHD at 144Hz option.
The two stick to the flashy design the series is known for, retaining the panoramic aurora lighting strip along the front of the body, which adds to laptops’ visual appeal. Both also include a 1080p webcam, Thunderbolt 4 support, USB Type-C and Type-A ports and HDMI 2.1, among other connectivity options.
The Raider GE76 starts from S$4,699 and is available for preorder today.
Vector GP76 and P66
MSI’s all-new Vector series debuts this year with the 17.3-inch GP76 and 15.6-inch GP66. Both can house up to the latest 12th Gen Core i9 CPUs, GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, 8GB of GDDR6 RAM with DDR4 RAM and SSD storage.
The larger model offers a QHD panel at 240Hz whereas its sibling offers the choice QHD at 165Hz or FHD at 240Hz. For ports, both include three USB Type-A, one USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1 as well as a MiniDisplay port, in case you want to connect your laptop to a monitor.
No local pricing and availability yet.
Crosshair 17, Crosshair 15 and Crosshair 15 Rainbow Six Extraction Edition
Another series getting a refresh this year, the Crosshair 17 and 15 now comes with the latest Intel 12th Gen Core i9 processors. The Rainbow Six Extraction Edition, which MSI designed in partnership with Ubisoft, comes with up to a Core i9-12900H chip. The standard models can be powered by up to the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, while the special edition maxes out at the RTX 3070.
The Crosshair 17 has an FHD panel at 360Hz while the 15 and its special edition variant both have QHD panels at 165Hz. All three include a 720p webcam, three USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port and HDMI 2.0, among other specs.
The Rainbow Six Extraction Edition uses the base models’ design but features additional motifs themed around Ubisoft’s upcoming shooter. It features logos and colour patterns inspired by what’s seen in the game.
MSI has yet to announce local pricing and availability.
Pulse GL76 and GL66
Also getting a refresh this year is the more budget-friendly Pulse series. The GL76 and GL66 now ship with up to an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU and up to an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU. It also comes with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage.
The 17.3-inch GL76 has an FHD panel with a 360Hz refresh rate. The 15.6-inch GL66, on the other hand, has a QHD panel at 165Hz. Both also have a 720p webcam.
Other specs include three USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.0 port and a headphone jack.
The Pulse GL66 will be available in Singapore with an i7-12700H processor, Nvidia RTX 3070, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD storage for S$2,899. Preorders are open now.
Sword 17 and 15 and Katana GF76 and GF66
Spec-wise, this year’s new Sword and Katana laptops share a lot in common. All of the new releases under the two series have up to the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor and up to an RTX 3070 Ti graphics card. The four also feature comfortable key travel at 1.7mm.
The 15.6-inch Sword 15 features an FHD panel with a 240Hz refresh rate. The 17.3-inch Katana GF76 features an FHD panel at 144Hz while the 15.6-inch similarly features an FHD panel with a choice of 144Hz or 240Hz.
For ports, all four include three USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port, HDMI 2.0 and a headphone jack.
The Katana GF76 will be priced at S$2,699 while the Katana GF66 will start from S$1,999. Both models are available for preorder now.
Creator Z17, Creator Z16P and Creator Z16
Gaming laptops aren’t MSI’s only offerings this year. The brand is also expanding its Creator series with three new iterations: the Creator Z17, Z16P and Z16.
First up, the Creator Z17 is what MSI dubs as the perfect companion for creators and students alike, touting competitive performance. This is said to be the world’s first 17-inch laptop to support pen touch. It features a QHD+ panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 165Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, it combines up to an Intel Core i9-12900H processor with Nvidia’s RTX 3080 Ti. It additionally includes Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1 support, a 1080p webcam, Wi-Fi 6E network connectivity, a fingerprint reader and an SD card slot.
The Z16P is sort of a smaller version of the Z17, similarly pairing Intel’s Core i9-12900H processor with Nvidia’s RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. However, instead of a 17-inch panel, this laptop has a 16-inch one with identical specs. Like the Z17, this also supports the MSI pen. Plus, it also has Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1 support, a 1080p webcam and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, among others.
Lastly, the Z16 is a slightly less powerful variant of the Z16P, topping out with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor and an RTX 3060 graphics card. The laptop's panel is the same as the Z16P, but the refresh rate here is 120Hz rather than 165Hz. Furthermore, the webcam is 720p instead of the 1080p found on both the Z17 and Z16P. Also, no MSI pen support. Other specs include Thunderbolt 4 support, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, a fingerprint reader and an SD card slot.
The Creator Z17 will start from S$5,499 while the Creator Z16P starts from S$4,999. Preorders are open now.