Review: MSI Bravo 15 C7VF

I recently had the opportunity to test out the MSI Bravo C7VF and wanted to share my experience with this laptop. As someone who has a complex relationship with it, I believe it is important to discuss both the positives and negatives.

Let's start with Windows 11. The Bravo C7VF comes with strict driver support for Windows 11, which is a positive aspect. However, it was a bit of a shock for me, as I feel like I may have missed the train on Windows 10 becoming the trusted operating system of this generation. Nevertheless, Windows 11 has its own merits, but my initial encounter with it was less than ideal. I had previously used it on a MSI Stealth series laptop, which had issues recognizing my Nvidia GTX 1600 drivers. This was frustrating, especially when each new update seemed to mess with my video card. Thankfully, with the Bravo C7VF, I haven't encountered any issues with the video card drivers so far.

Instead, my next hurdle came with the audio drivers. One day, the audio suddenly stopped working through the speakers, although the headphones continued to function normally. I initially suspected a driver issue, but it turned out to be a hardware problem with the speakers themselves. Even Ubuntu and Pop OS were unable to resolve the issue. However, I managed to fix the audio problem, along with several others I encountered on Linux, by updating the BIOS.

Speaking of which, as of September 8, 2023, the latest BIOS driver was released just a few days ago, addressing various bugs that were causing instability. This is where my experience with Ubuntu comes into play.

Ubuntu proved to be a challenging experience for me. The first issue I encountered was with the keyboard, which was not recognized in Ubuntu 22. After conducting extensive research, I discovered that the problem stemmed from the kernel, as my device was being recognized as a tablet, resulting in the complete disabling of the keyboard. While using an external keyboard could have been a temporary solution, it was not ideal for me, considering the laptop's 15-inch screen. Thankfully, I found a workaround by using an OEM kernel, specifically Kernel v5.17, which made the computer finally usable in Ubuntu. I followed this guide to upgrade the Linux kernel in Ubuntu: Upgrade Linux Kernel in Ubuntu

At this point, the Bravo C7VF is performing much better than its initial state. The drivers are receiving frequent updates, almost on a weekly basis. If you decide to go for this model, I highly recommend using the latest drivers from the official website, as the drivers that come pre-installed on the laptop's separate partition are essentially outdated.

I hope you found my experience and insights useful. Whether you're considering the MSI Bravo C7VF or simply interested in the challenges of using Windows 11 and Ubuntu, I hope this review has provided some valuable information. Have a great day!