If you need a new gaming laptop but are not looking to spend a grand or more on one, then check out this deal for MSI’s GL65 Leopard (model 10SCSR-070). It is a 15.6-inch machine with an IPS display and a fast 144Hz refresh rate, priced at just $769 after discounts.
There are three discounts available. Normally priced at $1,099, the laptop is on sale for $969 right now. That’s discount number one. Secondly, using promo code 4STUDENT at checkout knocks $100 of the price, bringing it down to $869 (anyone can use the code, not just students). That’s discount number two. And the third discount is a $100 mail-in-rebate, which arrives in the form of a pre-paid card from MSI. Factor that in and you’re saving $330 on this deal.
MSI GL65 Leopard | 144Hz | Core i7 10750H | GeForce GTX 1650 Ti | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD | $1,099 $769 after MIR at Newegg (save $330)
This is a respectable gaming laptop for the money, with a 6-core/12-thread CPU and a GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU. Be sure to use coupon code 4STUDENT at checkout, and take advantage of the $100 mail-in-rebate.
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This is powered by an Intel 10th Gen Core i7 10750H (Comet Lake) processor, which is a 6-core/12-thread CPU clocked at 2.6GHz to 5GHz, with 12MB of L3 cache. For graphics and gaming, it leans on a discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU.
The GPU is on the lower end of the discrete totem pole, and seemingly an odd match for a 144Hz display. However, the CPU and GPU combo certainly has enough oomph to skip past 60fps in less demanding games, like FIFA 21, Star Wars Squadrons, and others.
In more demanding titles, you may need to lower some settings for smooth gameplay. That said, the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti is a definite upgrade over integrated graphics, just don’t expect to come anywhere close to 144fps in most games.
Other features include 8GB of RAM (I’d look at upgrading this to 16GB), a 512GB NVMe SSD, red LED backlit keyboard, and decent connectivity (Wi-Fi 6/802.11ax, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, mini DisplayPort, and HDMI).
For other options, be sure to check out our continually updated cheap gaming laptop deals of the week.