Pros
- Lightweight and thin design
- High-refresh-rate 144 Hz display
- 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor
- Supports Thunderbolt 4
Cons
- No Ethernet port
- Overheating and loud fan noise
Introducing powerful 11th-Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 graphics cards, MSI's Stealth 15M lineup aspires to bring gaming to a whole new level sporting a sturdy and portable design accompanied by an immersive 144 Hz display, a comfy backlit keyboard, and a decent connectivity selection for your gaming peripherals.
And in this review of the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009, we'll dive deep into the most appealing features of an excellent-rated mid-range gaming laptop you can't go wrong with, mainly because of its unbeatable price point.
Overall, it's a good choice for those needing a lightweight gaming laptop that is easy to carry along and whose powerful hardware allows you to play most AAA games and work on several demanding tasks simultaneously without skimping on performance. But don't take our word for it! Check out everything you need to know about the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 in this review.
Table of contents
MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 Specifications
| Brand/Model | MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 |
| Dimensions | 14.1 x 9.76 x 0.63 inches |
| Weight | 3.73 pounds |
| Display | IPS | Anti-glare | 15.6'' | 144 Hz |
| Resolution | Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) |
| Processor | 11th-Gen Quad-Core Intel Core i7-11375H |
| RAM | 16 GB (DDR4) |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | 6 GB (GDDR6) |
| Storage | 512 GB (SSD) |
| Battery | 3-Cell | 52 Wh |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 2x USB-A 3.2 1x USB-C 3.2 | DisplayPort 1.4 1x Thunderbolt 4 1x HDMI 1x Audio jack 1x Micro SD card reader HD Webcam |
Design, Display, and Keyboard
Besides its elegant and low-profile carbon grey look, the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 can boast about being one of the few gaming notebooks on the market with such specs while maintaining an incredibly lightweight design weighing 3.73 pounds and measuring just 0.63 inches in thickness.
Tackling its cooling features, it comes with a powerful dual-fan system that keeps the laptop cool, especially when gaming, although its temperature tends to get warm over time. Also, it's essential to highlight its sturdy and well-built chassis for those looking for a laptop that will stand the test of time.
As for the display, the A11UEK-009 features a narrow-bezel 15.6-inch IPS Full HD screen whose 144 Hz refresh rate allows you to play smoothly most Triple-A games and watch your favorite multimedia content with decent viewing angles and not much glare since it has an anti-glare coating.
However, if you prefer a bigger screen for more immersive gaming sessions and you're not planning to carry the laptop with you everywhere you go, you can take a look at the already reviewed Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-79L1, a 17.3-inch laptop packed with a Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card, and a 1 TB of SSD storage.
In addition, this model comes with a well-lit RGB keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience, allowing you to easily customize it through the preinstalled MSI Dragon Center app, so you can get the most out of it when playing in dim environments and you don't need to take your eyes out of the game, letting your peripheral vision do the work.
Last but not least, we've got a responsive touchpad placed beneath the keyboard, which is big enough for a 15-inch gaming laptop.
When it comes to productivity tasks, the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 delivers what it takes to get things done thanks to its powerful 11th-Gen Intel Core i7-11375H processor, powered by 4 cores, 8 threads, and a 12 MB SmartCache memory, reaching up to 5.00 GHz when working in heavy tasks from a base clock speed of 3.00 GHz.
It also packs a generous 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, which you can upgrade up to 64 GB if needed. In fact, if that's what you're aiming for because you have some serious multitasking needs or are looking to do some high-end video editing or graphic design work, then we would suggest you take a look at our quick step-by-step tutorial on how to upgrade the RAM on the MSI Stealth 15M laptops done earlier this year.
In your day-to-day routine, you can expect an excellent performance while working on tasks such as creative work, video/photo editing, web development, programming, 3D rendering, and the most common everyday tasks including web browsing, spreadsheet editing, video-chatting, 4K streaming, and so on.
In terms of graphics performance, this laptop is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6 GB of VRAM, allowing you to play smoothly games like F1 22 (52 fps), The Quarry (59.4 fps), Vampire Bloodhunt (173 fps), Ghostwire Tokyo (119.3 fps), and Cyberpunk 2077 1.5 (62 fps) with Ultra presets and in FHD definition.
As for the storage, we've got a 512 GB NVMe SSD drive whose faster reading/writing speed (up to 3200 MB/s) compared to the traditional SSD units will make a big difference when booting Windows, transferring heavy data, opening apps, rendering 3D projects, and doing many other daily tasks on your computer.
To put it in simple terms: this laptop is lightning fast, as some users have already expressed in their personal reviews.
What Are Customers Saying?
What are customers saying about the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009? Overall, the customer reviews highlight several positive aspects of the laptop. One customer mentions that they purchased the laptop as a desktop replacement due to issues with their previous desktop freezing. They found the MSI Stealth 15M to be well-built with a solid chassis and liked the available ports on the sides. They also appreciated the gaming performance, noting an upgrade from their previous system and improved FPS in games like WoW. The fan noise was acceptable for everyday non-gaming use, though it could become loud during gaming sessions. Heat was manageable, especially when using a cooling stand.
Another customer shared a remarkable experience of durability. They accidentally drove away with the laptop on the hood of their car, resulting in physical damage. However, upon booting it up, they found that the laptop still worked fine without any damaged pixels on the screen or keyboard issues. This incident impressed them with the laptop's durability and solid build quality.
Customers also appreciate the laptop's performance, including its fast speed and graphics quality. The laptop is described as fast, able to handle gaming and demanding tasks like image editing. The presence of an 11th Gen i7 Intel processor and an RTX 3060 graphics card is highlighted as desirable features. Additionally, the laptop's thin and lightweight design is commended.
However, some customers did raise a few concerns. One customer mentioned that the laptop's battery life is relatively short, especially during gaming sessions, and it doesn't last as long as they had hoped. Another customer noted that the laptop can run hot during intense gaming sessions, though they managed the heat by using a cooling stand.
In summary, customers appreciate the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 for its performance, build quality, gaming capabilities, and portability. It offers a solid gaming experience with impressive graphics and fast speed. While battery life and heat management during intense usage are areas for improvement, the overall consensus is positive, with customers recommending the laptop for purchase.
Connectivity and Extras
Just by looking at its connectivity options, it's more than clear that this laptop packs everything you need.
Specifically, there are two full-sized USB-A 3.2 ports, a single USB-C 3.2 port with DisplayPort 1.4, and a high-speed Thunderbolt 4 port, which also can be used for charging the battery.
Moreover, it comes with an HDMI output, a Micro SD card reader, a 3.5 mm audio jack, an HD webcam, and a pair of speakers that aren't as good as we would like them to be, so it would be a great idea to use headphones when gaming.
On the other hand, this laptop has Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6 wireless technologies, so you can get faster connectivity when pairing your peripherals and, more importantly, up to 75% lower latency while browsing the web and streaming games.
And in case you didn't know, the previously known 802.11ax protocol is now simply known as Wi-Fi 6 after Wi-Fi Alliance updated its name back in 2018, while the old 802.11ac standard is currently marketed as Wi-Fi 5.
However, if you need a gaming laptop with an Ethernet port, you might take a look at the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S, a Core i7 computer that has also managed to climb the ranks thanks to its high-end specs and competitive price point.
Battery Life
Moving onto the battery life of the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009, we've seen some improvements on its 52 Wh battery, lasting nearly 6 hours of HD video playback with screen brightness set at 50%.
And if you're surfing the web, doing non-demanding tasks, or doing some school assignments, you can expect up to 8 hours of battery life as stated by some users.
This is seriously impressive for a gaming laptop. Most gaming laptops will generally hover along the lines of 3-4 hours worth of battery due to the fact that they need to power a lot of very intensive hardware. So this is definitely one of the best features since it actually offers us a truly portable gaming laptop.
Verdict: Is the MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 worth buying?
The MSI Stealth 15M A11UEK-009 is a highly recommended solution for those needing a fairly-priced gaming laptop that you can take everywhere, thanks to its lightweight design and generous battery life.
In terms of performance, the A11UEK-009 allows you to handle several heavy-resource tasks at once and to play almost every popular AAA game even at the highest settings, thanks to its high-end graphics card, powerful octa-core i7 processor and generous RAM that can be easily upgraded.
Couple that with a stunning 144 Hz display at a FHD resolution, customizable RGB keyboard, and excellent port selection, and you've got yourself a gaming laptop that's in it to win it. The perfect option for those looking for a well-balanced gaming machine that can also be comfortably used for other tasks, thanks to its portable design and relatively discrete aesthetics.