MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo Review

Built for business and corporate users, the Summit E13 Flip Evo is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop powered by the latest Intel Raptor Lake 13th-gen Core i7 processors and Intel Xe Graphics. With its 13.4″ IPS touchscreen, 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 1TB SSD storage, and rechargeable pen, this laptop offers exceptional performance and flexibility.

Moreover, the Summit E13 Flip Evo holds the Intel Evo platform certification, ensuring rapid wake-from-sleep functionality, a minimum of 9 hours of battery life, fast charging support, and advanced features like Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt 4. Equipped with a 65 Wh battery, it can deliver up to 10 hours of usage on a single charge and supports fast charging using either the included 65-watt charger or various USB-C chargers.

Specifications

The model we’ve received for review is Summit E13 Flip Evo – A13M. View full specifications here.

Packaging, Design & Build

The Summit E13 Flip Evo arrives in a stylish black MSI-branded cardboard box, neatly divided into compartments for the laptop and charger. Weighing just 1.34kg and measuring a slim 16.1mm, it is highly portable and fits comfortably in a backpack. Included accessories are a carrying sleeve, MSI pen, and a USB-C charging cable for the pen.

Available in Ink Black or Pure White color options, the Summit E13 Flip Evo features copper-accented angular edges, showcasing a sleek design. While the chassis and lids are constructed from hard plastic, this choice of materials does not compromise the overall experience. However, it is worth noting that the laptop base is prone to smudges.

As a 2-in-1 convertible, the Summit E13 Flip Evo offers versatility, allowing users to switch between notebook, tablet, stand, or tent modes with ease. The display can be rotated for comfortable viewing angles, enhancing user comfort.

The included MSI Pen proves to be a valuable addition, enabling tasks such as sketching, note-taking, copyrighting, and document signing. With 4096 pressure levels, tilt sensing, and a 266Hz sampling rate, it provides precise and responsive input, with minimal lag. The pen charges conveniently via USB-C and boasts an impressive battery life of up to 65 hours. Although the pen lacks wireless charging capabilities like the Apple Pencil, it delivers excellent performance for day-to-day workflows.

Ports

The Summit E13 Flip Evo offers a comprehensive range of ports to fulfill connectivity requirements. On the left side, you’ll find a USB 3.2 Type-A port, as well as two Thunderbolt 4 / DP / USB Type-C ports with PD Charging capabilities.

Located on the right side, you have convenient access to a Webcam Lock Switch, microSD Card Reader, HDMI 2.1 (4K@60Hz) port, and an Audio Combo Jack. Additionally, the laptop features built-in wireless connectivity through Intel Killer AX Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The USB-C ports support charging functionality, allowing you to conveniently power the laptop using a standard USB-C charger or power bank.

Display & Webcam

The Summit E13 Flip Evo features a 13.3-inch FHD (1920×1080) touchscreen display with slim bezels, delivering vibrant visuals and brightness suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, 500 nits of brightness, and full sRGB color coverage, the display excels in providing an good viewing experience, making it well-suited for entertainment, work, and tasks requiring color accuracy.

Located at the top of the display is a high-resolution FHD IR webcam, capturing videos at 1920×1080 resolution, ensuring clear and crisp video calls. Additionally, the integrated infrared sensor enables convenient Windows Hello sign-in, while a physical shutter ensures added privacy.

Keyboard & Trackpad

Equipped with a keyboard featuring short key travel and distinct function keys, the Summit E13 Flip Evo offers three levels of LED backlighting, ensuring visibility in all lighting conditions. While lacking a separate numpad, the keyboard’s smaller first row of function keys facilitates convenient adjustments of settings like screen brightness and multimedia controls.

The typing experience is satisfactory, albeit with softer feedback, requiring a short adjustment period for the smaller keys. The touchpad, generously sized, delivers responsive click actions. With support for four-finger gestures, the multi-touch touchpad enables effortless scrolling, zooming, and navigation through intuitive gestures.

Located along the bottom right-hand side of the keyboard, is a highly responsive fingerprint scanner provides a convenient and secure method for signing in.

Performance & Benchmarks

Powered by the latest Raptor Lake 13th Generation Intel Core i7-1360P processor, The Summit E13 Flip Evo offers 8GB of LPDDRX4 4800MHz RAM, Intel Iris Xe graphics and 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage.

CPU, GPU & RAM

The hybrid architecture of Raptor Lake chips allows for a faster and better performance while improving power efficiency, making them suitable for demanding workloads. The Core i7-1360P processor in the Summit E13 Flip Evo model offers impressive performance, especially in multithreaded workloads, thanks to the 12 cores and 16 threads. The high clock speed and cache also contribute to a smoother and faster experience.

The Core i7-1360P comes with 4 performance cores and 8 efficient cores for a total of 12 cores, 16 threads and 18MB of cache. The P-cores are clocked at 2.2GHz base and 5.0GHz boost, while the E-cores get a 1.6GHz base and 3.7 GHz boost clock with a minimum TDP of 20W. These new chips also support memory types up to DDR5 5200.

The Summit E13 Flip Evo is powered by Intel Iris Xe graphics which is powerful enough for daily tasks, work and photo editing. However, gaming performance is really poor and most games fail to achieve playable frame rates.

In terms of RAM, The Summit E13 Flip Evo is equipped with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM at a frequency of 4800MHz.

Storage

Our review unit came with a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage. However, depending on the region, they may be different. The SSD offers good performance with excellent read speeds of up to 6,559MB per second and write of up to 4,939MB.

Benchmarks

In Cinebench R20 tests, the i7-1360P scored 676 in single core benchmark which is a good benchmark for strong single-core performance and 3,517 in multi-core benchmark. In PCMark 10 Benchmark, the laptop scored 4,920.

Since this isn’t a laptop built for gaming, we haven’t benchmarked any games with the Summit E13 Flip Evo. With the said the hardware can run games at low-res with low quality settings.

Temperature & Noise

The Summit E13 Flip Evo remains cool and quiet when performing typical day-to-day tasks and using the default profile, with noise and heat levels staying at a minimum. Even with resource-intensive tasks, the noise is minimal and the laptop does not get excessively warm.

Upgradability

The Summit E13 Flip Evo’s upgradability options are limited. The RAM is soldered onto the board, preventing manual upgrades. Additionally, there is no slot available for adding a second NVMe SSD.

Software

The MSI Center software offers comprehensive control over performance and display settings. Users can access a wide range of features, including the ability to adjust user profiles, switch between display color modes, and customize preferences according to their needs. With its user-friendly interface, the MSI Center provides a convenient way to manage and optimize the Summit E13 Flip Evo’s performance and visual settings.

Audio

The Summit E13 Flip Evo features two stereo speakers enhanced with DTS Audio support. The speakers deliver ample volume to fill small to medium-sized rooms without significant distortion; however, they may lack bass depth. While suitable for calls and conferences with good audio quality, it is recommended to use headphones for an optimal media playback experience.

Additionally, the laptop incorporates Evo functionality for audio processing, including AI noise reduction and a microphone array. These features work together to enhance audio quality during video calls and collaboration, maximizing clarity and minimizing background noise for improved communication.

Battery

The Summit E13 Flip Evo is equipped with a 65Wh lithium-polymer battery, providing power for extended usage. Depending on screen brightness and usage patterns, the battery life can range between 10 to 12 hours, while internet browsing typically yields around 8 to 10 hours of battery life.

The laptop supports fast charging using the included 65-watt charger. Moreover, it is compatible with standard USB-C or USB-C Power Delivery (PD) chargers, providing flexibility in charging options. In our testing, the laptop charged from 0% to 100% in approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Verdict

The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop that impresses with its powerful performance and flexible design. Equipped with the latest Intel Raptor Lake 13th-gen Core i7 processors and Intel Xe Graphics, it delivers excellent performance for everyday use. The 13.4″ IPS touchscreen display with 16:10 aspect ratio, 500 nits brightness, and 100% sRGB color coverage offers an great visual experience suitable for various tasks.

While the laptop excels in many aspects, its upgradability options are limited, with soldered RAM and no slot for a second NVMe SSD. There are no variants with a 4K display or dedicated GPU.

Overall, the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo stands out as a versatile and capable 2-in-1 laptop, suitable for professionals who value portability, robust features, and solid performance, it is a compelling choice for those seeking a reliable companion for work or entertainment.