How to open MSI Cyborg 17 (B13W) – disassembly and upgrade options


    Step 1: Removing the bottom panel

    1. Power off the laptop and place it on a soft, clean surface.
    2. Remove the screws securing the bottom panel.
    3. Use a thin plastic pry tool to carefully release the clips around the perimeter.
    4. Lift the bottom cover away from the chassis.

    More info: Once inside, the layout is fairly serviceable, with the battery along the front edge, the memory and SSD in the middle-left area, and the cooling system stretching across the upper side of the chassis.


    Step 2: Battery removal

    1. Disconnect the battery connector from the motherboard before touching any other internal component.
    2. Remove the screws securing the additional battery frame to the chassis.
    3. Lift the frame and battery assembly out carefully.

    More info: The battery is a 4-cell unit with a typical capacity of 55.2Wh. Since it is mounted inside an additional frame, removal takes a bit more time than on some simpler designs.


    Step 3: Memory Upgrade

    1. The laptop has two SO-DIMM slots for DDR5 memory.
    2. MSI officially rates the series for DDR5-5200 support and up to 96GB in total.
    3. Our unit comes with one 16GB DDR5 SO-DIMM module installed.
    4. The second slot is free, making a dual-channel upgrade easy.
    5. Final memory speed can depend on the installed RAM combination and CPU support.

    You can buy DDR5 RAM modules here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)


    Step 4: Storage Upgrade

    1. The MSI Cyborg 17 B13W has one M.2 slot for NVMe SSDs.
    2. The slot supports PCIe Gen 4 storage.
    3. Our machine is equipped with a 512GB Phison NVMe SSD.
    4. Since there is no second SSD slot, storage expansion means replacing the factory drive rather than adding another one.

    You can buy Gen 4 M.2 SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

    Hint: Don’t forget to check out our Top M.2 SSDs Performance Rankings for insights on the best storage options available.


    Step 5: Cooling system overview

    1. The cooling system uses a single fan and a set of copper heat pipes shared between the processor and the dedicated GPU.
    2. The CPU sits close to the memory area, while the dGPU is positioned under the heatsink assembly toward the upper-middle part of the motherboard.
    3. This is not an extravagant cooling setup, but it leaves clear access to the main upgradeable components without removing the heatsink.
    4. Basic fan and heatsink cleaning is straightforward once the bottom cover is removed.

    More info: The Wi-Fi card is replaceable. Our unit uses an Intel AX211 module with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, while wired networking is covered by Gigabit LAN.

    More info: The main upgrade limits are the single M.2 storage slot and the compact single-fan cooling design. On the positive side, the RAM, SSD, battery, and Wi-Fi card are accessible and replaceable, making the MSI Cyborg 17 B13W reasonably easy to maintain once the bottom cover is off.

     

    MSI Cyborg 17 (B13Wx / B2RWx) in-depth review

    The MSI Cyborg 17 (B13W / B2RW) enters the budget gaming arena with a clear mission: to stand out. Instead of following the usual plain black-box formula, it embraces a sci-fi-inspired translucent design that gives the laptop a much more distinctive personality than most machines in this price class.On paper, the recipe sounds tempting: a large 17.3-inch display, Intel H-series processors, and NVIDIA RTX 50-series graphics in a more affordable package. But as always with budget gaming laptops, the details matter. In this case, the most important detail is not just which GPU you get, but ho[...]

    Pros

    • Strong sustained CPU performance for the price
    • Cool and stable operation under long CPU and GPU loads
    • Unique translucent cyberpunk-inspired design
    • Two user-accessible DDR5 RAM slots, up to 96GB
    • Fast PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD in our configuration
    • PWM-free display, good for long-term viewing comfort
    • Physical privacy shutter for the webcam
    • Comfortable keyboard with 4-zone RGB backlight

    Cons

    • Low GPU power limit limits RTX 5050 performance
    • Base Full HD display has limited color coverage
    • Only one M.2 slot for storage
    • Battery life is acceptable, but not impressive
    • Half-height arrow keys on a 17-inch gaming laptop
    • No SD card reader

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