I tested MSI’s latest gaming laptop, and it works as hard as it plays

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As a midrange model, the MSI Cyborg 15 it’s not the most powerful gaming laptop, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, it’s a well-rounded machine that pulls double duty. On the other hand, it’s a solid gaming PC with enough horsepower to run modern titles at high settings.

On the other hand, it can easily serve as a low-cost workstation, capable of handling hardware-intensive projects and seamless multitasking. It also boasts a smaller form factor than most gaming laptops for portability.

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That said, it’s not a compromise. The performance of the Cyborg 15 comes up short in several areas: the display leaves a lot to be desired, and it can run warm. Still, if you’re looking for a laptop that can work as hard as it plays, this PC comes recommended.

With courage

Instead of an all-black chassis, MSI opted for a “cyberpunk-inspired” design for the Cyborg 15. I wouldn’t call it “bold” like MSI does on the product page (it’s still very black and gray) but it has enough personality to set it apart. The most distinctive of these elements is the textured palm rest. MSI says this finish has anti-scratch properties to ensure the laptop looks great long after purchase. Obviously, the texture should invoke the gentleness of cyberpunk aesthetics. While that’s open to interpretation, it gives Cyborg 15 a unique look.

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In fact, design details are mostly cosmetic. The curve of the rear exhaust vents, for example, doesn’t seem to serve any purpose other than matching the laptop’s aesthetics. Inside the Cyborg 15, you’ll find the letters “C” and “Y” arranged in the shape of a heart like a line symbol, further emphasizing the theme.

Contrary to its rugged appearance, the Cyborg 15 is incredibly smooth. At 4.37 pounds, it’s relatively light for a gaming laptop. Its weight is evenly distributed, making it feel lighter than its specs sheet suggests. It even passes the one finger test. The trackpad however, is on the small side. I found it cramped while browsing the internet and would have liked a bigger space. Thankfully, it supports multitouch gestures, such as two-finger scrolling, to improve the navigation experience.

The laptop sound system was a pleasant surprise. The MSI device houses 2W speakers powered by DTS Audio Processing. The result is clear sound with punchy bass and enough volume to fully immerse the listener. But I wish I could have a good view of the display.

The Cyborg 15 has a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) screen with a 144Hz refresh rate to ensure the game feels fluid. The color reproduction is accurate enough, I would say. It supports the entire RGB color space, but nothing about this screen is impressive. There is no special visual enhancement software to enhance the output. Compared to other gaming laptops, the Cyborg 15 might seem a little dull.

Case of work and use

My review unit came with a pretty decent configuration: an Intel Core 7 240H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. It’s close, but compared to other laptops in its class, the Cyborg 15 is outfitted with more expensive equipment.

Nevertheless, Cyborg 15 still works very well. Running multiple Chrome tabs alongside Discord, Spotify, VLC Media Player, and Microsoft Office apps didn’t slow down the system. It has enough power to handle heavy photo editing in Photoshop and video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro very well: I was able to freely edit some of the 4K drone footage I recorded on this PC. Also, as a generic work/school laptop, the MSI model performs very well. Apps launch almost instantly, web pages load quickly, and they wake up from sleep when you open the lid.

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As a production machine, my tests show that as long as you keep things simple, the Cyborg 15 can handle it. My personal projects were not so difficult that I experienced any significant movement. Benchmarks tell a different story. Test results show that performance may decrease under certain heavy loads, such as editing a long 4K video with complex timelines or multiple effects.

As you’d expect from a laptop with 16GB of RAM and an RTX 5060 GPU, this is a solid gaming machine. I spent several hours playing Civilization VI, and the laptop handled the game’s large maps and hundreds of on-screen units without any noticeable slowdown. It also remained responsive across the board: I saw similarly solid performance across Monster Hunter Wilds, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Call of Duty, and Remnant 2.

The biggest problem with the hardware is heat. Cyborg 15 features MSI’s proprietary thermal technology, Cooler Boost, which draws in extra air to keep temperatures as low as possible. However, I found the cooling system to be less efficient here than in other models. While playing Civilization 6, the fans are very loud, and the chassis got very warm. I couldn’t really use the keyboard without feeling uncomfortable. Performance, thankfully, remained the same despite high temperatures — it never once slowed down under load.

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The temperature varies depending on the game you are playing. Civ 6 caused temperatures to rise, and it was the only one to do so. None of the other topics caused a lot of heat. In terms of battery life, the Cyborg 6 lasted longer than the average gaming laptop. It averaged six hours on a single charge, and that’s after I configured the hardware to prioritize efficiency over power.

ZDNET shopping advice

If you are interested in buying the same configuration that I had, you will have to wait a little longer. The MSI representative told me that my model is not expected to be launched until mid-August. If you don’t want to wait, Newegg sells a Cyborg configuration 15 that’s about the same at $1,199. The main difference is that the Newegg listing only has 512GB of storage, not 1TB.

Overall, I would comfortably recommend the MSI Cyborg 15 to anyone shopping for a midrange gaming laptop. I’ve found its shortcomings don’t detract from the user experience in any major way.