MSI Alpha 15 Gaming Laptop model: A3DDK-012CA
Quick Description
This laptop aims to deliver satisfying gaming performance at a reasonable price, and it's worth a look if you need a gaming PC that can be set anywhere. You will need to keep an eye out for available power outlets, especially when gaming, but it's nice to have the portability.
This laptop stood out to me on 20 occasions while compiling the weekly Tech Worth Buying Newsletter. It was most recently selected on 2020-09-11, selling for $1300.
Other Considerations
Here are a few things about this laptop which could come as a surprise. For each point, you will find how to fix it (if it's an issue) and how much to budget for it. Not every point below will be a concern, but hopefully, we can keep your surprises to a minimum.
Frequently Discounted. This device gets discounted on a regular basis (42.35% of the time to be exact).
No Optical Drive. If you still use CDs, DVDs, or Blu-Ray disks on a regular basis, you will need an external drive to read them with this laptop.$30+
Assuming you are starting over fresh, you can expect to spend $20 on accessories, for a total cost of $1120.
Currently Exclusive to Canada Computers for $1099
Based on 392 days of observation, the MSI Alpha 15 Gaming Laptop usually costs ~$1300 in Canada. The lowest price on record for this laptop is $1099.00. If you were waiting for this laptop to drop in price, this could be the day you were waiting for.
Scroll down to find charts comparing the MSI Alpha 15 Gaming Laptop to similar devices, to see how well it runs your favorite apps and to find where it can be bought from.
Pricing
History
Here's how this device has been priced up to now:
Here are a few Canadian retailers who currently sell this product:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Canada Computers at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Specs
Here's how the MSI Alpha 15 Gaming Laptop ranks compared to similar devices. The more stars there are, the better (except for the price row).
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The Meaty details
The Specs
The features
- Backlit
- Paired Memory
- RGB Lighting
- Fixed storage: Solid State (very fast)
- Webcam / Front-Facing Camera / Selfie Cam
- DisplayPort (mini)
- IPS Display (incl. PLS, AHVA, etc.)
- 3.5mm Stereo jack
- Built-in Microphone
- Built-in Speakers
- Optical S/PDIF output
- Bluetooth 5
- Wi-Fi a
- Wi-Fi ac
- Wi-Fi b
- Wi-Fi g
- Wi-Fi n
- Built-in Media Card Reader
- HDMI
- Multiple Monitor Support
- USB 3.2
- USB Type-A
- USB Type-C
- Ethernet 10
- Ethernet 100
- Ethernet 1000 (Gigabit)
- Built-In Keyboard
- Built-in Number Pad
Repair / Upgrade Options
| Score | Ease of Maintenance | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Replacement | 6/10 | A technician can help you with that |
| Memory Upgrade | 6/10 | A technician can help you with that |
| Data Storage | 6/10 | A technician can help you with that |
| Graphics Upgrade | 0/10 | Can't be repaired or updated |
Want more details concerning repairs and upgrades options for this products?
Official Support Page for this ProductWhat it's capable of
Here are the tasks this computer can handle and how easily it'll breeze through it. A 5-star rating means it should handle the task at a professional level, a 1-star rating means it can do it, but it likely won't be a pleasant experience.
Activities it will handle
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Web & Communication
The basics Design Websites -
Audio & Visual medias
The basics Music Production Drawing and Illustrations Photo Editing Video Editing -
Texts & Numbers
The basics -
Video Games
Casual and Mobile Games Enthusiast Games Triple-A Video Games -
3D and CAD
The basics
Programs, Apps and Games it will handle
Activity ratings are good but sometimes, you want to be absolutely sure your next purchase will be able to run a specific piece of software.
A 1 star rating means the program'll be usable (according to the developer's own definition; some are more demanding than others); 3 stars mean recommended specs are met with this device; 5 stars will means you will have plenty of overhead to handle uncommon uses of that program like mods, plug-ins and more.
In the same price range
For roughly the same price, you could get one of these. Anything in there sounds like a better deal?
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Asus TUF Gaming FX505GT 15-inch Laptop from US$760;
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Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Best Buy site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
HP ENVY x360 13-inch Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop from US$840;
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- US$836.08 from Best Buy (New)as of 2021-04-16 00:52:31, EDT
Pricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
#7, Laptops ($1025 - $1875)
Samsung Galaxy Book S from US$8409% cheaper than usual
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Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
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- US$961.09 from Newegg (New)as of 2021-04-16 04:58:06, EDT
- US$1035.14 from Walmart (New)as of 2021-04-16 04:18:06, EDT
- US$1035.14 from Staples (New)as of 2021-04-16 04:38:40, EDT
Pricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
#6, Laptops ($1025 - $1875)
Asus Vivobook Flip 2-in-1 Laptop from US$840;
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Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Microsoft site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
HP Envy 13-inch Laptop - Natural Silver from US$860;
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Bang for the Buck -37.9% inferior Versatility for the Price -50.53% inferior Power -22.11% inferior Storage -26.32% inferior Portability 49.47% better Autonomy 65.57% better Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: Intel Core i5-10210UGraphics: Intel UHD GraphicsMemory: 8.00 GBStorage: 256.00 GBScreen Size: 13.3"Screen Resolution: 1920×1080Dimensions: 30.70 x 21.15 x 1.47 cmWeight: 1.170 kgdetailed info US$851.97 from Best Buy (Open Box)as of 2021-04-14 12:03:07, EDTPricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Best Buy site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
HP ENVY x360 13-inch Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop from US$880;
~$1120 with accessoriesSpecsDevice Ratings
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck -22.11% inferior Versatility for the Price -40% inferior Power equivalent Storage equivalent Portability 45.26% better Autonomy 80.33% better Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4500UGraphics: AMD Radeon Vega 6 GraphicsMemory: 8.00 GBStorage: 512.00 GBScreen Size: 13.3"Screen Resolution: 1920×1080Dimensions: 30.65 x 19.46 x 1.64 cmWeight: 1.320 kgdetailed info US$875.89 from Staples (New)as of 2021-04-14 06:13:15, EDTPricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Staples site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×
