Skip to main content

Lenovo has allegedly posted a bid for MSI’s gaming notebook division

MSI Global GT60 Dominator Pro lid
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Mergers are nothing new in the PC business, as the companies building our laptops and desktops scramble to find new ways to lower prices. Usually, though, the acquisitions involve mainstream consumer PCs or enterprise hardware.

Lenovo, however, seems to have gaming set in its sights. A rumor from DigiTimes suggests that the Chinese computer maker is looking across the sea at a purchase of Taiwanese manufacturer MSI’s gaming notebook division. That’s almost the same as saying Lenovo wants to buy all of MSI’s PC business. MSI makes a lot of hardware components, such as motherboards and video cards, but it rarely builds PCs that aren’t gaming notebooks.

A purchase could make sense from Lenovo’s perspective. The company has made several attempts to gain traction in the gaming notebook market, such as the Y50 gaming notebook and the Erazer gaming desktop. These products haven’t been top-sellers, though, and haven’t scored well in reviews. Putting a PC gaming division together from scratch is hard work.

MSI isn’t exactly head of its class, either, but it does tend to produce systems that have excellent hardware for their given price. The company was also quick to embrace super-high-resolution displays and has strong partnerships with audio qualities that give its notebooks an edge.

The real question is not whether it’d make sense for Lenovo, but if it’d make sense for MSI. As mentioned, gaming notebooks is the only category MSI consistently competes in, so selling the division would mean withdrawing from the notebook business, more or less. That’s not the kind of decision any company will make lightly.

For now, all we really have to go on is rumors from DigiTimes. The publication is well known for its coverage of the PC industry’s inside baseball, but its rumors aren’t always accurate. The rumor says Lenovo has put an offer on the table that “hasn’t yet been turned down,” so if a deal does happen, it’ll happen this summer.

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…
MSI has some massive QD-OLED monitor news in the works
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8.

MSI is getting ahead of CES 2024 by revealing a few of its most anticipated products two months ahead of the showcase. The company is set to launch four QD-OLED gaming monitors in January, setting the tone for an event that should be packed with new monitor reveals.

For QD-OLED enthusiasts, the two most exciting announcements are a 32-inch 4K display with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 27-inch 1440p display with a 360Hz refresh rate. These sizes and resolutions mirror the QD-OLED monitors Alienware recently teased during TwitchCon, which we also expect to see at CES 2024.

Read more
MSI could be prepping next-gen OLED gaming monitors — and they look insane
Marvel's Spider-Man running on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8.

MSI is getting serious in the gaming monitor space. Newly leaked information suggests that the company is preparing at least six new QD-OLED monitors that are set to arrive in the coming months. It is said that the new models will range from 27 inches to 49 inches in size, with refresh rates of up to 360Hz.

The alleged information comes from Twitter/X user @chi11eddog, who is known for consistent and reliable leaks, particularly regarding MSI and general hardware-related information. The upcoming monitors are expected to be part of MSI’s MPG and MAG series of product lines, with the first new model scheduled for November 2023.

Read more
I review gaming laptops professionally — these are the only two you should buy in 2023
Cyberpunk 2077 on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5.

I'm not going to lie: There are a lot of great gaming laptops out there. There are so many options, in fact, that it's hard to narrow it down to a couple that truly stand out from the pack.

Even recognizing that, there are two main laptops I recommend when someone asks me directly which gaming laptop they should buy. That doesn't mean other gaming laptops are bad, but these two hit the budget and performance requirements that most people are looking for in a way few other laptops can match.
Lenovo Legion Pro 5

Read more