MSI Vector

Vector is MSI’s mid-tier gaming laptop line, sitting above Katana and below Raider and Titan.

What the step up from Katana buys is chiefly cooling and sustained performance. Gaming laptop speed is decided less by which graphics card is fitted than by how much power the chassis lets it draw and hold, and a Vector is built with more thermal capacity than the value line — which shows over a long session rather than in a short benchmark. Build quality, keyboard and display specification improve alongside it.

What you leave to Raider and Titan is the largest chassis, the best displays and the highest graphics power limits.

Two things to check when comparing models: the published graphics power limit, which tells you more than the GPU name; and the display, where at this price you should expect QHD or WQXGA at 144Hz or better rather than basic Full HD.

Also check whether memory is on slots, which makes a later upgrade to 32GB inexpensive.

See MSI Katana or all gaming laptops.