MSI Sword A11UE laptop review and test: when the RTX 3060 is as good as the 3070

The MSI Sword A11UE is an interesting new product that continues the company’s acclaimed series in recent years with dignity. The notebook’s creators took all the wishes and comments into account, developing a device that incorporates only the best features of its predecessors. It provides the ability to enjoy top video games and features a rather handsome design.

Looks and Build Quality

The new laptop attracts attention with its stylish design. There are no flashy elements and only understated modesty is preserved, which adds to the charm. The keypad glows blue, which compares beautifully with the white chassis. The only difference in colour is the display frame and tray.

The surface of the device is matte and made of plastic, which is easy to clean. Moreover, this effect makes it less dirty, even fingerprints are not noticeable. The notebook can be opened with one hand. The hinges ensure secure positioning, the keyboard won’t ‘sink’ when you use it – and there are no creaks.

Ergonomic features

The novelty is equipped with a full-size keyboard. There are also arrow keys, ANSI layout and a set of ‘hotkeys’. With the latter you can adjust screen brightness, sound, activate maximum fan speed, for maximum cooling and much more.

The blue backlighting of the keyboard is not RGB, but it’s just as pretty. A white backing is present, which provides both adequate brightness and a pleasing visual effect. Adequate diode glow is pleasing to the eye – eliminating fatigue in the dark and ensuring comfortable operation.

The touchpad measures 10×6.5 cm. The keys are pressed independently of each other. The touchpad has clearly marked edges, and it’s easy to feel it, even in dark or dimly lit environments.

There are seven outputs on the notebook. These include HDMI, Ethernet, USB Type-C as well as three USB Type-A sockets, a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones and a port to connect to the laptop’s external power supply.

Display and hardware

The notebook has a Full HD IPS-display with a diagonal of 15.6 inches. It features a matte finish, but a very noticeable Glow effect is present. Other features include 60% sRGB, 41% Adobe RGB, 42% DCI-P3. The brightness limit is 245 nits.

The webcam offers traditional features, namely 720p and 30fps. The image is quite passable for video calls and conferencing in appropriate applications. However, if the lighting is at all dim, it will be appropriate as well.

Inside the MSI Sword A11UE, there’s a 6-core Intel Core i5-11400H processor as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop graphics card. Kingston’s internal storage capacity is 500GB. The operating interface is M.2 PCIe 3.0. In addition, the laptop has a decent Phison PS5012-E12 4-channel controller. The notebook is also equipped with an Intel AX210NGW networking device featuring Wi-Fi 6 support.