MSI’s sleek GS43VR laptop does virtual reality in a light, inexpensive form factor

A gaming laptop didn’t make a lot of sense around this time last year. But thanks to some major breakthroughs from graphics chip maker Nvidia, they are a lot more reasonable.

The MSI GS43VR Phantom Pro gaming laptop is a compact powerhouse that is light enough to use as a daily driver and capable enough to push the polygons in a VR headset. It’s out now for $1,500, which also makes it competitively priced alongside other workstations. But what’s most incredible here is that this 14-inch, 4-pound notebook runs games as well as the 17-inch, 8-pound MSI GT72S portable desktop that sold for twice as much in 2015. That’s a tectonic shift in performance.