MSI Sword 15 A12UE review: Decent performance at a reasonable price

Price When Reviewed

$1,299.99

Best Prices Today: MSI Sword 15 A12UE

$999.99

$1299.00

Gamers searching for a mid-range laptop computer have loads of selection and, with mid-range RTX 40-series {hardware} presumably arriving later in 2023, it’s a wonderful time to snag a deal on outgoing 30-series laptops. The MSI Sword 15 A12UE is a fairly priced providing that reveals promise in efficiency checks. Its design and options, nevertheless, might use enchancment.

Note: See our roundup of the best gaming laptops under $1,000 to study competing merchandise, what to search for in a funds gaming laptop computer, and shopping for suggestions.

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Specs and options

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop computer with an Intel Core i7-12650H processor, 16GB DDR5 reminiscence, and an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU. It additionally has a 1920×1080 144Hz show and a 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 strong state drive

• CPU: Intel Core i7-12650H
• Memory: 16GB DDR5
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060
• Display: 1920×1080 144Hz IPS
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 strong state drive
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: 1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x AC barrel plug
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 53 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.13 x 10.20 x 0.98 inches
• Weight: 4.96 kilos
• MSRP: $1,299.99

The laptop computer’s specs are in any other case unremarkable. It affords a good array of ports, however nothing past the norm, and helps the same old Wi-Fi requirements. The webcam sticks to 720p and biometric login isn’t included. 

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE’s chassis is almost an identical to the MSI Katana, with one essential exception: the colour. Sword fashions are available white with black accents and a blue keyboard backlight, whereas Katana fashions are black with pink accents and a pink keyboard backlight. Personally, I desire the Sword’s design. It appears to be like like a funds Alienware R15. 

Build high quality is nice, however not excellent. MSI’s selection of plastics leans in the direction of glossy, slippery surfaces with out a lot sense of texture or substance. Despite this, the laptop computer’s rigidity is nice, permitting minimal flex throughout most surfaces. It’s a minimize above the least costly Acer Nitro and Asus TUF laptops and extra just like rivals just like the Dell G7 and Lenovo Legion 5.

It’s mild for a funds gaming laptop computer, weighing in at simply 4.96 kilos. Most options weigh round 5.5 kilos. This distinction is noticeable when dealing with the laptop computer. Dropping a couple of ounces doesn’t make the laptop computer way more moveable, although. It’s nonetheless near an inch thick and over 14 inches large. The Lenovo Legion 5i, Dell G7 15, and HP Victus 15 are comparable in dimension. 

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

MSI’s Sword has a traditional keyboard format with numpad, though the numpad’s half-sized keys could also be uncomfortable for frequent use. The keyboard’s dimension is similar to different funds laptops however some area stays on both facet that could possibly be higher utilized.

The keyboard is certain to disappoint avid gamers preferring a tactile expertise. Key journey is lengthy, however key really feel is obscure and springy, which makes high-speed typing or gameplay really feel much less exact. The typing expertise is just like different funds gaming laptops together with the Dell G7 and Asus TUF sequence, however the Lenovo Legion 5 and Acer Nitro 5 carry out higher.

Keyboard backlighting comes customary and is simply out there in blue, with three brightness ranges to select from. 

The touchpad, not like the keyboard, is cramped. It measures simply 4 inches large and a couple of.5 inches throughout. The lack of touchpad floor makes multitouch gestures annoying to make use of. This is a typical drawback amongst many funds gaming laptops although, as soon as once more, Lenovo’s Legion 5 leap forward. It has a extra spacious touchpad measuring 5 inches large and three inches deep.

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE comes geared up with a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS show that includes a 144Hz refresh charge. A number of costlier configurations have a 1080p 240Hz panel as a substitute. Unfortunately, the 144Hz show’s efficiency is disappointing.

The points start with brightness. At solely 266 nits, the show isn’t shiny sufficient for comfy use in a well-lit room. Lackluster brightness saps vibrance from the picture. It usually seems a bit boring and dim, particularly for those who select to show the show even a pair notches down from its most brightness setting.

Contrast is best, reaching a most ratio of 1210:1. That’s a good exhibiting for a funds gaming laptop computer and on par with some costlier options, just like the Acer Predator Helios 300. The Sword’s distinction ratio is sufficient to supply a way of depth and dimensionality in lots of conditions, however darker areas of the display will look hazy when the laptop computer is considered in a darkish room.

Color efficiency, alternatively, is a significant drawback. The 1080p 144Hz show covers simply 70 p.c of the sRGB coloration gamut and 53 p.c of DCI-P3. That’s about as little as you’ll discover on any fashionable laptop computer or standalone monitor. Colors usually seem light, as if the picture was unnoticed within the solar for a couple of years.

The show’s 144Hz refresh charge affords good, however not nice, movement efficiency. Fast-moving objects present slight movement blur and small particulars are obscured, however there’s clear enchancment in movement readability in comparison with the laptop computer with a 60Hz panel. The laptop computer doesn’t assist G-Sync, so avid gamers should depend on V-Sync or play with the framerate uncapped. 

While the show’s efficiency is disappointing, it’s widespread amongst funds gaming laptops. Many rivals, such because the HP Victus 15 and Acer Nitro 5, supply comparable shows, whereas Lenovo’s Legion 5i affords a barely higher 165Hz show with 300 nits of brightness in its entry-level configuration.

The built-in audio system are modest however respectable. Spoken dialogue, podcasts, and YouTube movies are pleasant, however music and video games lack oomph. The sound stage isn’t distorted or muddy, at the very least, which locations the Sword’s audio system a peg above most funds gaming laptops.

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE has a 720p webcam that performs poorly. The picture seems gentle with muted, light colours, and the webcam struggles to regulate to adjustments in lighting. A video convention over Zoom or Google Meet will look okay (these typically limit video high quality to 720p or under, anyway), however the digicam’s limitations are apparent when trying to stream at greater resolutions or file video.

Microphone high quality is appropriate, successfully capturing my voice whereas minimizing background noise. Recorded audio sounds skinny and metallic, however this can be a widespread drawback for all laptop computer microphones. Laptops on this worth vary received’t supply a greater expertise.

Biometric login isn’t supported by any MSI Sword configuration.

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

A wide range of USB-C and USB-A connectivity traces the Sword 15’s flanks. It has one USB-C port and three USB-A ports (two of that are USB 3.2). These are joined by HDMI, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

The USB-C port is restricted, nevertheless. It can’t assist DisplayPort video or cost the laptop computer. This was confirmed via testing with a USB-C monitor that gives Power Delivery and a USB-C energy brick. That’s disappointing information. The Dell G7 15 has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, and the latest Lenovo Legion 5 laptops supply that plus as much as 135 watts of USB Power Delivery.

Wireless connectivity spans Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. I’d desire to see the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard, however a Wi-Fi 6E router is required to reap the benefits of its added efficiency. Most properties have but to make that improve.

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Performance

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE comes geared up with an Intel Core i7-12650H processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 strong state drive. Graphics are offered by Nvidia’s RTX 3060 with 6GB of GDDR6 reminiscence and a most graphics energy of 105 watts. This is typical {hardware} for the worth.

MSI offers a number of completely different energy modes. The firm requested the laptop computer be examined in Extreme Performance mode, however this ramps the fan velocity as much as most and retains it there—an annoying expertise, to say the least. I’m presenting outcomes from testing within the Balanced efficiency mode as a substitute. The Extreme Performance mode offers small features to efficiency, however hardly ever better than 5 p.c when in comparison with the Balanced mode..

Let’s dive into the outcomes. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

PCMark 10 is an entire system benchmark, although it does are inclined to lean extra closely in the direction of processor efficiency. The MSI Sword 15 A12UE could appear a bit under-powered right here, on account of its Core i7-12650H (as a substitute of the Core i7-12700H, which is on the market at this worth level), however it makes a great exhibiting. The Lenovo Legion 5i, the quickest laptop computer on this aggressive set, solely beats the Sword by a couple of hundred factors.

IDG / Matthew Smith

The hole widens a bit in Cinebench R15, however the relative place of laptops is sort of an identical, with MSI’s Katana and Sword are almost tied. It’s clear the Lenovo Legion 5i has a bonus on this benchmark, and I’d count on the identical to be true of any laptop computer with a Core i7-12700H. Still, the hole is sufficiently small for the Sword to stay aggressive.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Handbrake stays on development. The MSI Sword performs equally to the Katana, which was examined with the identical Core i7-12650H processor. The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and Intel Core i7-12700H run forward of the Sword by a extra vital margin than earlier than, nevertheless. 

Now we come to the star of the present: the GPU. The MSI Sword 15 A12UE, like most gaming laptops priced a couple of hundred above $1,000, selects Nvidia’s GTX 3060 for its graphics grunt. Its efficiency is respectable however barely lags some rivals. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

3DMark Time Spy provides the Sword a powerful begin with a rating of 8,291. This falls behind the Lenovo Legion 5i and Acer Nitro 5 with Nvidia’s RTX 3060, however the hole is so small that it’s mainly a tie. All three laptops present wholesome efficiency for the worth and can typically outperform thinner laptops (like the Dell XPS 15) with the identical GPU.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Shadow of the Tomb Raider begins to separate the pack. The MSI Sword turns in a mean of 99 frames-per-second. That’s seven lower than the Acer Nitro 5 and 11 lower than the Lenovo Legion 5i. It’s nonetheless not a large hole, however the Sword is beginning to fall behind.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Metro Exodus is a demanding title. The Sword affords a playable common of 35 frames-per-second, however falls a number of frames behind the Acer Nitro 5 and Lenovo Legion 5i. A efficiency hole of this dimension isn’t straightforward to note in real-world gameplay, however it’s laborious to simply accept even a slight dip in efficiency when all three laptops hover across the similar $1,300 worth level.

I additionally benchmarked the Sword in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray-tracing turned on. It averaged 26 frames-per-second at 1080p decision with Ultra ray tracing settings—precisely the identical because the Lenovo Legion 5i. Performance improved to a mean of 44 frames-per-second at Medium ray tracing settings with DLSS in Performance mode, which is playable, if not clean.

What concerning the Extreme Performance mode? It affords a minor bump: Shadow of the Tomb Raider elevated from a mean of 99 FPS to 105 FPS, whereas Metro Exodus nudged up from 35 FPS to 36 FPS. That’s not sufficient to beat the Acer Nitro 5 or Lenovo Legion 5i.

While the Sword isn’t as fast as some rivals, I wouldn’t name it a dealbreaker. A efficiency deficit this small is tough to note in actual world use. A slight low cost to the Sword’s worth relative to the competitors will put it again into competition. 

MSI Sword 15 A12UEL: Battery life

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE has a 53.3 watt-hour battery. This isn’t a big battery for a gaming laptop computer, but additionally common for gaming laptops offered at or close to $1,000. The lack of juice leaves the Sword out of breath after a couple of hours.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Battery life is available in at 4 hours and 11 minutes—sufficient for a brief flight or half-day at a espresso store, however that’s it. I’ll additionally point out that our take a look at, which loops a 4K clip of the brief movie Tears of Steel, is just not demanding. Expect a major minimize to battery life for those who play video games whereas on battery energy.

Should you purchase the MSI Sword 15 A12UEL?

The MSI Sword 15 A12UE delivers good efficiency at an inexpensive worth. Older video games are playable at 60 FPS or higher. Even essentially the most demanding video games can obtain 30 FPS with just a few settings turned down from their most.

It’s the small print, not sport efficiency, which blunt the Sword’s edge. The keyboard is merely okay, the touchpad is small, and the USB-C port doesn’t assist video or charging. Display high quality additionally falls brief. The Lenovo Legion 5i and Acer Nitro 5 are a better option when equal in worth.

None of the Sword’s flaws are dealbreakers, although, and it’s price contemplating when its MSRP is slashed. MSI usually makes such cuts. Currently, a Sword 15 model with an RTX 3070 Ti is available on Best Buy for just $1,199.99.