Laptops built around AMD's mobile Ryzen 4000 series continue to trickle into the marketplace, the latest of which is MSI's Bravo 15. Like the others that have materialized so far, the Bravo 15 is aggressively priced, in the realm of gaming laptops.
There are several configurations available, the least expensive of which is priced at $929. That model pairs a Ryzen 5 4600H CPU with a Radeon RX 5500M GPU. It also features 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD. A modest setup at a comparatively modest price.
Every SKU wields a 15.6-inch 1080p display, with either a 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate, depending on the model. Taking full advantage of either refresh rate is a tough ask of a 5500M (performance generally falls between a GeForce 1650 and 1660 Ti Max-Q), though should be doable in many lightweight games.
A bit more intriguing is the $999 configuration, which bumps the specs up to a Ryzen 7 4800H CPU and 16GB of RAM. The version with a 144Hz refresh rate goes for $1,049.
Connectivity options on all of the available models consist of Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless chores, three USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports, Gigabit LAN, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
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It's another relatively affordable lineup. The situation reminds me a little bit of when, years ago, Gateway (remember them?) launched the P-7811 FX, reviewed in the October 2008 issue of Maximum PC. It punched above its weight class, in terms of pricing, and that's what we are seeing with the latest Ryzen laptops (see our review of the Asus TUF A15).
The only question is, can AMD keep up with demand? System builder XMG recently lamented a "serious CPU shortage from AMD in Q3 2020," which speaks to the demand for these systems.
As for the Bravo 15, some models are currently in stock now, and others are available to preorder.
