How to open MSI Thin A15 B7V – disassembly and upgrade options

LaptopMedia.com Guides How to open MSI Thin A15 B7V – disassembly and upgrade options

From: Dimitar Stalev 10 December 2025 / 11:38 0

#CommissionsEarned

MSI Thin A15

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (Laptop, 45W)
RAM: 16GB RAM
STORAGE: 512GB SSD

Detailed review

$1399^.00

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How to open the bottom panel

Shut down the laptop completely and unplug the charger and all peripherals.
Place the notebook upside down on a soft, clean surface to avoid scratching the lid.
Undo the twelve Phillips-head screws that secure the bottom panel.
- There are no hidden screws or warranty stickers, but keep track of the screw positions for easier reassembly.
Starting from one of the side edges, insert a thin plastic pry tool between the panel and the chassis and gently release the clips.
- Work slowly around the perimeter. The clips can be tight, so apply even pressure and avoid twisting the tool.
Leave the hinge side for last — it will pop free once the other clips are released.
Lift the bottom panel away from the chassis and set it aside.

Hint: If a section feels stuck, move a few centimeters away and try again instead of forcing the same point — this reduces the risk of cracking the plastic.

Battery

Locate the 52.4 Wh Li-polymer battery pack (labelled BTY-M6K) along the front edge of the chassis.
Gently pull the battery connector out of its socket on the motherboard, parallel to the board. Don’t lift it vertically to avoid damaging the pads.
Carefully free the pack from the adhesive patches that hold it in the tray by prying under the battery edges with a plastic tool.
Lift the battery out of the chassis.
For installation, position the new battery flat in the tray, press it down so it adheres to the pads, and reconnect the cable firmly.

More info: The battery is not screwed down; it is secured by its connector and a few adhesive spots, so removal and replacement are possible without touching other components.

Memory (RAM) upgrade

Locate the two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots near the center of the motherboard, partly covered by low-profile thermal shields.
If shields are present, carefully lift or peel them back just enough to access the slots, keeping the pads intact for re-use.
To remove an existing module, push the metal retention clips on both sides outward. The RAM stick will pop up at an angle.
Slide the module out of the slot along the same angle.
Align the notch of the new DDR5 SO-DIMM with the key in the slot and insert it at about a 30° angle until fully seated.
Press the module down gently until both side clips click into place.
Re-position the thermal shield over the modules if you lifted it earlier.

More info: The platform supports DDR5-4800 memory up to 64 GB in dual-channel mode (2 x 32 GB). The sample configuration uses 2 x 8 GB SK hynix modules.

You can buy DDR5 SO-DIMM RAM modules here: Buy from Amazon.ca (#CommissionsEarned)

Storage upgrade

Find the single M.2 2280 slot wired for PCIe 4.0 x4, located near the center-right of the motherboard.
Peel back or lift the metallized protective label covering the SSD area just enough to access the drive and screw.
To remove the existing SSD:
- Undo the mounting screw at the end of the installed drive (e.g. Micron 2400E 512 GB).
- Let the SSD spring up slightly, then pull it out of the connector at an angle.
To install a new SSD:
- Insert a 2280-length PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD into the slot at about 30°.
- Push the drive down gently and secure it with the mounting screw.
- Lay the protective label back over the SSD so it sits flat.

More info: The platform supports one PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD. Since there is only a single slot, choose capacity and performance accordingly if you plan to use this machine long term.

You can buy PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.ca (#CommissionsEarned)

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

Wireless card and audio board

Locate the M.2 Wi-Fi card (near the edge of the motherboard), secured by a single screw and two antenna leads.
To replace the wireless card:
- Gently disconnect the Main and Aux antenna cables by lifting them straight up from the card.
- Undo the mounting screw, let the card tilt up, and slide it out of the slot.
- Install the new Wi-Fi module in reverse order and reconnect both antennas.
The separate audio board and ports are screwed to the chassis and can be removed once their cables are disconnected, allowing replacement if they fail.

Speakers

Locate the two down-firing speaker boxes in the front corners of the chassis.
Undo the screws that secure each speaker module to the base.
Carefully unplug the speaker cable from the motherboard, noting its routing.
Lift each speaker module out together with its rubber grommets and housing.
Install replacement speakers by positioning them in their recesses, reconnecting the cable, and tightening the screws.

More info: Each speaker is a self-contained module with its own chamber and isolation grommets, which makes replacement straightforward if audio issues arise.

Cooling system

Identify the cooling assembly: a single blower-style fan, several copper heat pipes, and a fin stack on the right-hand side.
Low-profile thermal shields cover the VRM area and memory slots to help spread heat away from critical components.
For basic cleaning:
- Hold the fan blades in place and blow compressed air through the heatsink fins from the inside out to push dust away.
- Avoid overspinning the fan with compressed air to protect the bearings.
If you plan to remove the heatsink for repasting, follow the printed screw order (if present) when loosening and tighten gradually in a cross pattern during reassembly.

More info: The shared heat pipe network services both CPU and GPU, so keeping the fins and fan dust-free is important for stable gaming performance.

Summary: MSI Thin A15 B7V offers unnecessary difficult access to two user-replaceable RAM slots, a single PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, a swappable Wi-Fi card, a screw-in audio board, and a replaceable 52.4 Wh battery, with the main upgrade limitation being the presence of only one storage slot.

MSI Thin A15 (B7Ux / B7Vx) in-depth review

The MSI Thin A15 makes a clear promise right in its name: it aims to deliver a gaming experience in a portable, lightweight package. To achieve this slim profile without melting its components, MSI has made a drastic and defining decision: to severely limit the power of its graphics card. The result is a laptop with an RTX 4060 that, in many cases, performs worse than cheaper machines equipped with an RTX 4050. This is the central paradox of the Thin A15. It's a machine that boasts phenomenal cooling and excellent stability, but at what cost to performance? Is its quiet, cool operation eno[...]

Read the full review