Gaming laptops are a very attractive alternative for gamers in the midst of high prices for PC components, especially graphics cards (GPUs). Although not as flexible as desktops for upgrading , the price of gaming laptops on the market today tends to be quite stable. There are even pocket-friendly ones like the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD).
The MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) is an entry-level gaming laptop for gamers on a limited budget. Even so, the hardware embedded in it can still be relied on to run a variety of today’s games, including AAA class games.
Curious as to what his abilities are? Come on , just take a look at our review!
All black design with red backlit
MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) carries a quite futuristic design and firm angles, but with a blend of colors that can be considered minimalist. The black color is very dominant throughout the body. The backlit returns to only one color, red, with three brightness levels. Yes, no RGB here.
The outside is no longer plain like the previous version. You will find the Thunderbird logo typical of the Bravo series and contours like wings to just add to the gaming impression. My one note, this part is also the easiest to get dirty by finger marks.
As a gaming laptop, the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) appears with fairly large dimensions. It weighs 2.35 kilograms. To be taken traveling is actually still quite ideal, as long as you use a backpack that is comfortable so it doesn’t make your shoulders hurt quickly.
This laptop has a hinge that can be rotated up to 180 degrees. For cooling matters, the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) relies on Cooler Boost 5 technology with two fans and 6 pipes which are claimed to have 15 percent better airflow.
When the laptop is opened, you will find a 15.6-inch screen with fairly thin bezels on the left and right with a thickness of only 5mm, but rather wide on the chin which is also the location of the MSI logo. According to the company, the screen-to-body ratio presented can reach 85 percent. HD Webcam is above the screen.
While the full size keyboard comes with an ergonomic design and is made with solid metal shielding with 1.7mm key travel. During testing, I feel this keyboard is quite responsive and able to provide fairly solid tactile feedback. Not to forget, MSI also provides a number-pad with a rather minimalist size.
What about connectivity? On the right side, the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) offers USB 3.0 ports, Type-C, HDMI, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm audio jack. While on the left, there is a charging port, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. Card readers? Unfortunately there isn’t. In addition, this laptop has also adopted WiFi6 and Bluetooth 5.1 technology.
144 Hz screen
MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) is equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS-Level Full HD screen, with a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz. Color accuracy is not its main selling point. Therefore, if you need a laptop to support work such as professional photo or video editing, you may not be able to rely on the color accuracy of the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) screen.
But for other purposes such as gaming or watching movies, I think this laptop screen is more than enough. The display is sharp, does not bounce, the brightness level is quite good, and the view angle is wide.
Gaming performance is quite good in its class
The MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) that we reviewed is armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor with an AMD Radeon RX 5500M 4GB GDDR6 GPU. In addition to this variant, there is also a more affordable version with the Ryzen 7 5600H processor.
Please note, the unit that came to our test table was already using 16 GB DDR4 3200MHz dual-channel RAM. Meanwhile, the official version sold in the market is 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz single-channel.
Even though the default is ‘only’ 8 GB, you still have the option to add 1 RAM slot and make it dual-channel for optimal performance. For storage, this laptop is supported by a 512GB NVMe PCIe gen3 SSD.
Such a combination is still quite okay in its price class. Fast and powerful enough to run today’s games. Although of course in terms of GPU it feels a bit behind the more modern RTX 3050 laptop. As an illustration, here are some test results from the benchmark application:
How about the gaming performance? Here are some games we tried to play on MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD):
(Disclaimer: results may differ from products sold officially because the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) we use is already dual-channel 16 GB)
1. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
With High graphics settings at 1080p, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can run with a very playable framerate. The average FPS obtained is 59. Sometimes it can drop to the 40s range but can still be played comfortably.
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
While RDR 2 with Balanced graphics settings (dominantly Low) at 1080p can produce an average FPS in the 60s. Indeed, in severe conditions it can drop quite a bit, but in my opinion it is still very playable.
3. Forza Horizon 4
This racing game can also run smoothly on High graphics settings at 1080p. The average FPS you get is around 70, and can go up to 100 FPS or go down depending on the effects of the weather.
4. World War Z
I tried to play World War Z with High 1080p (Vulkan) graphics settings with the FidelityFX Super Resolution feature active in Balanced mode. As a result, testing with the default benchmark tool resulted in an FPS score of 127. During the game I didn’t find a significant frame drop that could interfere with comfort.
5. Valuing
Valorant is one of the games I played the most when testing the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD). I always use the High graphics setting at 1080p, with the frame rate I lock at 144 following the screen refresh rate. As a result, the frame rate I got was quite stable at 144 FPS.
6. Rainbow Six Siege
Finally, R6 Siege, I tried to play with the High 1080p preset. The result is an average of 143 FPS with a minimal drop to 133 FPS only.
Those are the results of testing several games on the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) gaming laptop. When working hard, the fan does spin fast and is quite noisy. But instead, I didn’t feel the annoying increase in heat in the areas I used the most while gaming, such as around the WASD buttons.
Talking a little about the battery, the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) is equipped with 3 cell 52Whr which can last about 7-8 hours with normal usage (non-gaming).
Interesting options for gamers on a budget
MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) is one option that gamers with limited funds should consider. In terms of price, it is still fairly competitive, and the gaming performance it offers is quite reliable.
One note, if you are interested in asking for the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD), I highly recommend upgrading the RAM to dual-channel 16 GB so that its performance is more capable. The MSI Bravo 15 with Ryzen 7 5600H sells for Rp. 12,999,000, while the model with the Ryzen 7 5800H costs Rp. 14,499,000. Purchases during the Back To School promo which ends on September 30, 2021 will get a prize in the form of an MSI gaming mouse.
MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) is suitable for:
- Casual gamer: If you are looking for an entry-level gaming laptop with good performance and a pocket-friendly price, the MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD) could be a worthy option to look at.
- Students: For needs such as online learning, the MSI Bravo 15 is capable of delivering agile performance. In addition, this laptop can also be a fun entertainment device for young people.
- Content creators: If you like to create content such as photos and videos, the MSI Bravo 15 is quite reliable. But if the need is for a professional level that requires a screen with high color accuracy, you might be able to add an external monitor.
Pros of MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD):
- The quality of the design feels solid and not cheap
- 144 Hz screen
- Fast performance
- Gaming performance is quite capable in its class
- Comfortable keyboard
- The ability of the cooling system is quite good
- There is an MSI Center application with various features and usage scenarios
- Competitive price
Disadvantages of MSI Bravo 15 (B5DD):
- The body is easily dirty by finger marks
- No card reader
- It would be more interesting if the built-in RAM was dual-channel
