Decoding laptop models. Which MSI laptop is best for you? What is the difference between msi laptop series

Company MSI (Micro-Star International) specializes in the production of reliable electronics and computer equipment, including powerful and productive laptops. The brand's products can be divided into three main groups depending on their functions and capabilities:

• Classic- reliable laptops designed for home use;
• Prestige- series for professional activities and business;
• Gaming- gaming laptops. They are distinguished by the most powerful technical characteristics, speed and durability.

Each of these lines is further divided into series. A wide range of models makes it possible to buy an MSI laptop suitable for any task and budget.

Case design

MSI laptops run as aluminum, so made of high-strength plastic. The case may have a matte or glossy texture depending on the model. Using modern color film print coating with shading on the lid prevents wear and scratches. In general, we can say that even budget options They are distinguished by very decent build quality and design.

The palette of shades is mainly represented by traditional colors - silver and black. Thanks to the minimalist design, the laptops look stylish and elegant. The design of the case depends on the specific line of laptops. For example, MSI Dominator gaming laptops look more brutal and aggressive, while models from the Classic or X-Slim series focus on mobility and lightness.

Keyboard and touchpad

Each Emsiay laptop is equipped with a comfortable full-size keyboard. Thanks to the convenient location of the keys and silent operation, it is very comfortable to use. Unique technology MSI Chiclet allows you to significantly reduce the number of errors and typos, which is important both when working with office applications and during games. Almost all models the keyboard is backlit, which allows you to work comfortably in any lighting.

Gaming laptops differ special keyboard , designed with gamers in mind. It has several backlight modes, differs in the location of the buttons and is capable of quickly processing several presses at once.

The highly sensitive touchpad responds clearly to touch and minimizes the risk of accidental presses. Many of the offered models support the technology Multitouch doing work with touch panel even more comfortable.

Performance

Performance is MSI's main focus. Therefore, she equips her laptops with powerful energy-saving processors with two or four cores. Most models have discrete GeForce video cards from NVIDIA. Application NVIDIA technologies Optimus delivers unprecedented performance by automatically tuning your laptop for great graphics and extended battery life.

Depending on the modification, laptops are offered with a pre-installed operating system Windows system 8.1 or 10, and without it.

Display and audio system

The range of MSI laptops is represented by options with diagonal screens:

• inches.

Most models use high-quality IPS matrices, providing bright, rich images and wide viewing angles. Permission:

Most often, models with . This type of panel has good anti-glare properties and allows you to work comfortably in any lighting. Another advantage of the matte finish is that it reduces eye strain during prolonged use of the laptop.

The devices are offered with built-in speakers and microphone. Optimal arrangement of audio system elements Dynaudio and technology Premium Sound provide high quality and sound depth. Many models are equipped with a subwoofer. And technology Audio Boost Provides truly powerful and spacious sound.

Memory and battery

Main memory characteristics:

• Operational - from 8 GB to GB.
• Built-in, available in the classic 1 TB capacity or modern solid-state ones from 128 GB to 1 TB.

These characteristics provide quick start and the operation of applications, and also provide impressive space for storing files.

MSI laptops are equipped with built-in lithium-ion batteries different capacities - up to 5700 mAh. Most models use batteries with six or nine batteries, which provides decent autonomy when working on a laptop.

MSI Gaming Laptop Line

Includes many series:

• MSI Titan
• MSI Phantom

MSI Titan SLI, Titan Pro, Dominator, Dominator Pro, Dominator laptops with Heroes Special Edition design

Main advantages:

• Powerful nVidia Ge-Forse GTX 970-1080 video cards;
• Cooler Boost Titan technology;
• MSI X Boost function for accelerated access to data storage;
• Dragon Center - application for system control;
• SteelSeries Engine 3 keyboard with switches and backlighting;
• Optional Thunderbolt and Super RAID 4 technologies;
• Technologies Nahimic 2 Sound, True Color.

Powerful gaming machines in an aluminum case. They ensure comfortable gaming battles due to high performance and reliability. Models are available with 15-18-inch displays, with or without Windows 10 installed.

Laptops MSI Stealth, Stealth Pro, Phantom, Phantom Pro, Ghost, Ghost Pro

Main advantages:

• Latest processors Intel Core i5-i7;
• Powerful nVidia GeForse GTX 950-1060 video cards;
• Cooler Boost Trinity - exclusive cooling technology;
• X Boost MSI - accelerated data access function;
• Dragon Center app;
• SteelSeries Engine 3 keyboard with GameSense (for customization) and backlighting;
• Technologies Nahimic 2 Sound, True Color, Thunderbolt;
• Matrix Display - output to 3 screens in 4K quality.

The light-alloy material from which the body is made makes the device lightweight. Buy powerful and stylish MSI laptops- means getting the ideal equipment for gaming battles. Most models come with installed Windows 10.

MSI Apache, Apache Pro, Apache Pro Laptops with Heroes Special Edition Design

Main advantages:

• Newest Intel processors Core i6-i7;
• Powerful nVidia graphics cards GeForce GTX 950-1070;
• Technologies Cooler Boost 4, X Boost;
• SHIFT - system overclocking;
• Multimedia technologies Nahimic 2, Audio Boost 2, True Color;
• SteelSeries Engine 3 keyboard with customizable Engine 3 gaming style and backlighting;
• Matrix Display - output to 2 displays in 4K resolution.

Powerful gaming machines in an aluminum case. They are distinguished by their visual appeal, high performance and reliability. Models are supplied with Windows 10 installed and without OS.

Laptops MSI Leopard, Leopard Pro

Main advantages:

• Powerful nVidia GeForce GTX 950M-1050 video cards and the latest Intel Core i6-i7 processors;
• Exclusive keyboard design and full-size backlight;
• MSI X Boost - a function for quick access to data storage;
• Nahimic 2, Audio Boost 2, True Color;
• Dragon Center system personalization application;
• Output to 2 4K displays using Matrix Display technology.

Beautiful and functional, the GP Series laptops mostly come with Windows 10 Home or Pro. Leopard will become the gamer's faithful companion throughout many virtual battles.

MSI GL Series laptops

Main advantages:

• Intel Core i6-i7 processors, nVidia GeForce 940M-GTX 1050 Ti video cards;
• Technologies SHIFT, MSI X Boost;
• Cooler Boost 4, Dragon Center;
• Keyboard with red or white single-color backlight;
• Audio technologies Nahimic 2, Audio Boost 2;
• Matrix Display - output to 2 4K monitors.

The combination of elegance, lightness and high productivity is the hallmark of MSI GL Series laptops. By purchasing such a car, you can enjoy the latest games!

Exclusive Gaming Series models

In addition to the presented series, MSI produces laptops with individual design solutions or functionality in comparison with conventional factory devices, focusing on user needs:

• VR Ready Series;
• Heroes Special Edition;
• Tobii Eye-tracking.

MSI VR Ready Series Laptops

Main advantages:

• Powerful nVidia GeForce GTX 980M-1080SLI video cards and the latest Intel Core i6-i7 processors;
• 4K display with Adobe RGB technology;
• Super RAID 4 and Dragon Center support;
• ESS Saber Hi-Fi, Nahimic 2 Sound, True Color;
• Keyboard with LED backlight and GameSense for SteelSeries Engine 3;
• Supports 3 external 4K displays with Matrix Display technology.

Aggressive in design, the aluminum-framed machines are designed to handle even the most demanding games perfectly. Buying an MSI VR Ready Series laptop means getting the reliable “Titan” for numerous victories in hot virtual battles!

MSI Heroes of The Storm Special Edition Laptops

Main advantages:

• Individual design;
• Technologies Thunderbolt 3, Cooler Boost 3;
• True Color, Nahimic Sound;
• Matrix Display - output to 3 screens with 4K resolution;
• Powerful nVidia GeForce GTX 970M-980SLI video cards.

Beautiful and powerful laptops in this series come with Windows 10 installed and no OS. They express the individual gaming style and successfully master even the latest new products!

Laptops MSI Tobii Eye-tracking

Main advantages:

• Intel Core i6-i7 processors;
• Powerful nVidia GeForce GTX 970M-1070 video cards;
• 4K display with Adobe RGB;
• User eye tracking technology - Tobii;
• Cooler Boost 4, X Boost MSI;
• Nahimic 2 Sound, True Color;
• SteelSeries keyboard with GameSense customization;
• Matrix Display - support for 2 4K monitors.

Thanks to the latest development - technology for tracking the user's gaze - the device positions the image so as to provide its owner with maximum advantages in protracted virtual battles!

MSI Prestige Series Laptop Line

Main advantages:

• Powerful Intel Core i6-i7 processors and nVidia GeForce GTX 950M-1050 video cards;
• Technologies Cooler Boost 3, SHIFT;
• Thunderbolt 3, Matrix Display supporting 2-3 4K displays;
• Miracast - broadcasting multimedia streams to paired devices;
• True Color, Nahimic 3D;
• Full-size backlit keyboard.

Laptops in this series excel at handling various multimedia applications and modern games. They are ideal for working with graphic and audio files and will serve as faithful companions for gamers! Most models come with Windows 10 installed.

MSI CX Series Classic Laptop Line

Main advantages:

• Intel Core i5-i7 processors, nVidia GeForce 940M video cards;
• Quad audio system (4 speakers);
• MSI Audio Boost;
• SHIFT, Cooler Boost;
• Matrix Display with output to 2 4K monitors.

Devices in this series function adequately in not the most resource-intensive gaming applications. Devices in this series are suitable for games from previous seasons or modern applications not used at maximum settings. Such devices are perfect for office and home work. They come with Windows 10 installed.

MSI Workstation series laptop line

Models of two subseries are presented - WS and WT.

Main advantages:

• Intel Xeon processors, Intel Core i6-i7, nVidia Quadro video cards;
• Cooling Cooler Boost Titan;
• Overlocking MSI SHIFT;
• True Color, Dynaudio;
• SteelSeries keyboard with full-color backlighting;
• Thunderbolt 3, Matrix Display with output for 3 4K monitors.

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On March 24, in the near Moscow region, MSI held an event dedicated to the updated line of gaming laptops based on the latest generation discrete graphics Nvidia GeForce 800M.

At this event, not only representatives of MSI spoke, but also Nvidia representative Dmitry Konyagin, who spoke about the features new series Nvidia mobile GPUs.

New mobile graphics Nvidia GeForce 800M series

A story about new graphic Nvidia processors Dmitry, naturally, began with an analysis of the situation on the market and the image of a modern gamer. Actually, this is understandable. After all, Nvidia needs to somehow explain why they are developing new graphics processors.

So the reason for it all is that today gaming market estimated at $25 billion per year. And we are talking exclusively about PC games. And the most important thing is that this market, against the backdrop of general stagnation, is still developing. Along with the games market, the market for gaming solutions is also developing - gaming computers and laptops. Moreover, if the market for regular laptops is gradually shrinking, the market for gaming laptops, on the contrary, is growing.

By the way, the average PC gamer looks quite interesting today. It is clear that this is like the average temperature in the hospital, but still. The average gamer is 35 years old and plays 12.5 hours a week. But the most interesting thing is that among women lovers computer games more (52%).

And here's another Interesting Facts. 95% of gamers watch gaming videos on YouTube. In addition, a specialized service has been created for avid gamers, where more than 12 million minutes of gaming video are uploaded monthly. So Nvidia’s desire to stake out its piece of the pie in this market is quite obvious.

Well, now about the main thing. On March 12, Nvidia announced new line GeForce 800M series mobile graphics cards. These new laptop graphics cards are based on the GeForce GTX 880M, GeForce GTX 870M, GeForce GTX 860M, GeForce GTX 850M, GeForce 840M, GeForce 830M and GeForce 820M GPUs. Please note that the name of the lower models no longer uses the GT prefix.

Graphics cards based on GeForce series processors GTX Nvidia is positioning the 800M for the gaming laptop segment, while video cards based on GeForce 800M series processors are aimed at the multimedia solutions segment.

	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 860M	GeForce GTX 850M
Those. process	28 nm	28 nm	28 nm	28 nm
Architecture	Kepler	Kepler	Kepler/Maxwell	Maxwell
Number of Cores	1536	1344	1152 or 640	640
Supported technologies	Battery Boost GameStream ShadowPlay GPU Boost 2.0 Optimus PhysX CUDA SLI GeForce Experience	Battery Boost GameStream ShadowPlay GPU Boost 2.0 Optimus PhysX CUDA SLI GeForce Experience	Battery Boost GameStream ShadowPlay GPU Boost 2.0 Optimus PhysX CUDA SLI GeForce Experience	Battery Boost GameStream ShadowPlay GPU Boost 2.0 Optimus PhysX CUDA SLI GeForce Experience
Frequency excluding overclocking (Boost)	945 MHz	941 MHz	797 or 1029 MHz	876 MHz
Memory frequency	2500 MHz	2500 MHz	2500 MHz	2500 MHz
Memory type	GDDR5	GDDR5	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory bus width	256 bit	192 bit	128 bit	128 bit

By the way, since we are talking about such segmentation of laptops, Nvidia’s own vision of a gaming laptop seems quite interesting. It is clear that there is simply no clear definition of a gaming laptop, and there are no criteria based on which one could conclude whether a particular laptop is a gaming laptop. So, today, according to Nvidia, any laptop with a GeForce GTX video card (700 and 800 series) can be considered a gaming laptop. The definition, of course, is ambiguous and at least does not take into account the fact of the existence of AMD laptop solutions, but we emphasize once again that this is the vision of Nvidia.

Well, since mobile video cards of the GeForce GTX 800M series are intended for the gaming segment of laptops, let’s take a closer look at how they fundamentally differ from the previous GeForce GTX 700M series. First of all, if you compare these two lines as a whole, GeForce GTX 800M video cards are on average 30% faster. The top-end GeForce GTX 880M, GTX 870M and GTX 860M graphics processors are based on the same Kepler architecture as the previous generation of processors, and therefore, of course, there was no need to expect a dramatic change in performance. And it seems that Nvidia in this case relied not on productivity growth, but on new technologies that are supported by mobile devices. graphic solutions GeForce GTX 800M series. These are GeForce Battery Boost, Shadowplay and Gamestreaming technologies.

Let's start with GeForce Battery Boost technology: it is designed to increase the battery life of the laptop in gaming mode. Let us remind you that before the advent of mobile video cards GeForce GTX 800M, an attempt to play on a laptop in offline mode with default settings it switched to CPU graphics and made it almost impossible to play. In principle, in the video card driver it was possible to prohibit switching to the processor GPU in standalone mode, but in this case it was rare that a gaming laptop could run on battery power in game mode for more than 1 hour due to the very high power consumption of the discrete video card.

GeForce Battery Boost technology allows you to reduce the power consumption of the GeForce GTX 800M series discrete video card by limiting FPS. Let us remind you that 30 FPS is quite enough for a comfortable game. However, if the laptop has a powerful GeForce GTX 800M series video card, then the FPS value in the game can be significantly higher. In this situation, it seems logical to reduce GPU performance, reducing its frequency and power consumption, until the game maintains an acceptable FPS. By default, the maximum FPS value to which the video accelerator power will be limited is 30 FPS, but this value can be changed in the settings.

The maximum FPS value is limited by manipulating the operating frequency of the GPU, video memory and even the CPU, and this technology is configured in the video card driver.

Naturally, GeForce Battery Boost technology only works when the stationary power is turned off and only if it is activated in the video driver. If the laptop is connected to a stationary power supply, then there is no limitation on the maximum FPS value - the excessive consumption of electricity is obviously not worth the possible lag in games.

The next technology that is implemented in GeForce GTX 800M mobile video cards is Shadowplay. Actually, this technology is no longer new: it was introduced by Nvidia about a year ago. However, until now it has been implemented only for desktop video cards and has only now become available in mobile video cards of the GeForce GTX 800M series.

This technology is aimed at avid gamers who not only play, but also post videos of their games on the Internet. Until recently, playing and recording gameplay at the same time was quite problematic. To do this, it was necessary to install third-party utilities such as FRAPS and manage them during the game. In addition, these third-party utilities reduced overall performance when recording gameplay. Shadowplay technology allows automatic mode Record gameplay without reducing system performance in the game. Video capture, encoding and uploading to the network is done using GPU, without reducing FPS in the game itself.

Well, the last one new technology, implemented in GeForce GTX 800M video cards - Gamestreaming. Again, for desktop systems This technology has been available for more than a year, but it appears in gaming laptops only with the use of GeForce GTX 800M video cards. This technology has not yet become widely known and popular - according to Nvidia, this is a kind of foundation for the future.

This technology allows you to launch a game on a laptop or desktop gaming PC and play it on another mobile device. The most trivial scenario for using this technology is when the laptop is connected to a large TV, and we play using a joystick. Another, not so trivial scenario for using Gamestreaming is this. You can run the game on your laptop at home, and play outside the home on any compatible mobile device. Such a mobile device could be, for example, a portable console Nvidia Shield. It is clear that to implement this feature, you need high-speed Internet (with a channel of at least 5 Mbit/s), to which both the laptop and the console must be connected. Today, Gamestreaming technology is practically not in demand, but, as we have already noted, for Nvidia this is a foundation for the future. This is only the first technological step of the company, which in the future will allow the creation of unique gaming torrents. So, ideally, Nvidia is trying to build the following infrastructure. There are a number of gamers around the world with laptops and desktops that support Gamestreaming technology. These laptops and PCs have various games installed and other gamers can use mobile devices with Gamestreaming support play these games. There is still complete clarity on the question “why?” No. Time will tell whether such technology is needed at all.

Well, the last technology that makes sense to talk about when talking about the new family of mobile video cards of the GeForce GTX 800M and GeForce 800M series is GeForce Experience. Actually, GeForce Experience is a kind of general name, and all the technologies mentioned above are its integral part. As a rule, when they talk about this technology, they remember the ability to automatically update the video driver, but the optimization function is much more important installed games according to the capabilities of the graphics card. It is clear that this function is aimed at the inexperienced user, but these are the majority of users. According to Nvidia, most users do not configure games at all and play exclusively with default settings - this is precisely what the technology of optimizing games for their laptop with the click of a button is aimed at.

New range of MSI gaming laptops

MSI representative Dmitry Lukin spoke about the updated line of MSI gaming laptops, which are equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 800M series mobile video cards.

Today, MSI gaming laptops come in four series: GP, GE, GS and GT. Each of these series has its own marketing name: for example, the GP (low-end series of gaming laptops) is called Leopard, the GE series is Apache, the GS series is Stealth and Ghost, and the top GT series is Dominator.

Each series of MSI gaming laptops includes models with diagonal screen sizes of 15.6 inches (GP60, GE60, GS60 and GT60) and 17.3 inches (GP70, GE70, GS70 and GT70).

As already noted, the most important innovation in the updated line of MSI gaming laptops is the new graphics. The younger GP series is equipped with an Nvidia GeForce 840M video card, while all others allow the choice of one of two video cards. Thus, the GE series can install the GeForce GTX 850M or GeForce GTX 860M, the GS series can install the GeForce GTX 860M or GeForce GTX 870M, and the GT series can install the GeForce GTX 870M or GeForce GTX 880M. You can determine which video card is installed in a particular laptop by its marketing name. If Pro is added to the name (for example, Dominator Pro or Stealth Pro), this means that the laptop has the higher of the two possible video cards installed. For example, if a laptop is called Dominator Pro, then this means that it has a GeForce GTX 880M video card installed, and if the laptop is called simply Dominator, then it has a GeForce GTX 870M video card installed.

New graphics are one of the main, but still not the only innovations in the gaming series of MSI laptops. The design of the models has also undergone changes. So, on all 2014 models on the lids there is a logo of a shield with a dragon (the logo of the gaming series of MSI laptops), which is also illuminated on some models. In addition, the hardware configuration of laptops has also changed significantly - and in this case we are not just talking about the processor. This includes a new Super RAID 2 storage subsystem (in some models), a new NOS power subsystem, and new system cooling Cooler Boost 2, and new Dynaudio audio technology, and new functionality, such as SteelSeries Engine, support for Matrix Display technology, support for XSplit technology. Of course, this does not mean that all of the listed technologies are implemented in every new MSI gaming laptop. This is just a general list of changes, and before we tell you exactly what technologies are implemented in specific series of laptops, let’s take a closer look at them.

NOS technology, which is implemented only in the top GT series, is that during stressful loading of the video card and processor, when the power of the power adapter may not be enough, part of the power, up to 40 W, can be borrowed from the battery (it must be charged at least by 30%). The result, according to MSI, is a slight increase in system performance in games.

Super RAID 2 technology means that the data storage subsystem includes three SSD drives with an mSATA interface, which are combined into a RAID level 0 array, and a separate capacious HDD drive.

Cooler Boost 2 is the marketing name for the cooling technology used in high-end GT series laptops. The point of this technology is to redistribute heat between the central processor area and the video card. Physically, this is realized due to the fact that the radiators of the video card and processor are connected to each other by heat pipes. Actually, there is nothing special about this technology - a similar approach is used in many laptops.

Perhaps the most interesting new feature of MSI gaming laptops is the SteelSeries Engine. This is about special utility, which allows you to program almost every key on a gaming laptop. This feature is very important for gamers. Moreover, you can not only bind a macro to any key on the laptop, but also configure delays between pressing individual keys in macros (for example, when the macro simulates typing a phrase).

Most MSI gaming laptops support Matrix Display technology, which allows you to connect two or three more external monitors to the laptop, and they can all work together at the same time.

Well, now let’s take a closer look at each series of MSI gaming laptops.

GP-series (Leopard)

The GP series includes two models: GP60 (size 15.6 inches) and GP70 (size 17.3 inches). This is a low-end series of gaming laptops that uses GeForce 840M graphics. By and large, these are mostly not even gaming laptops, but multimedia laptops.

Laptops in this series support Matrix Display technology according to the 1+2 scheme (connecting two external monitors), and support the ability to install an SSD drive with an mSATA interface in addition to an HDD drive. In addition, laptops in this series support connecting a 4K monitor via HDMI interface. Well, they can implement Killer LAN technology (network traffic prioritization technology for the Killer E2200 network controller). As you can see, the range of branded features is small, but, let us repeat, these are entry-level gaming laptops.

GE-series (Apache)

The GE series are classic gaming laptops. They are equipped GeForce video cards GTX 850M (Apache models) or GeForce GTX 860M (Apache Pro models). In addition, 15-inch GE60 models with GeForce GTX 860M graphics are equipped with a PLS-type screen, which in its characteristics is close to IPS screens, but PLS matrices are cheaper. In addition to all the technologies that are implemented in the GP-series, the GE-series adds support for SteelSeries Engine technology, Dynaudio acoustics, and as a bonus - a six-month license for the XSplit Gamecaster program for streaming gameplays.

GS-series (Stealth and Ghost)

GS is MSI's series of slim gaming laptops. The 15-inch models are marketed as Ghost, while the 17-inch models are called Stealth. Laptops in this series can be equipped with GeForce GTX 860M or GeForce GTX 870M video cards (in Pro version). GS-series laptops support Matrix Display technology (2+1 or 3+0), SteelSeries Engine technology, and Dynaudio speakers. Well, the GS60 (Ghost) model is also equipped with a PLS matrix. In addition, laptops in this series use Super RAID technology, that is, the data storage subsystem includes two SSD drives combined into a RAID level 0 array, plus a separate capacious HDD drive.

GT-series (Dominator)

GT is a series of top-end gaming laptops from MSI, which are equipped with GeForce GTX 870M (Dominator models) or GeForce GTX 880M (Dominator Pro models) graphics cards. In short, Dominator and Dominator Pro laptops are equipped with all the technologies mentioned in the article: NOS, Matrix Display in a 3+1 scheme, Cooler Boost 2, Super RAID 2, and SteelSeries Engine. And of course, these laptops have Dynaudio speakers installed.

Conclusion

Judging by MSI's presentation, their series of gaming laptops can satisfy the needs of any user. In our opinion, not everything is as perfect as on the slides, and some models are not without flaws. For example, we don’t really understand why a laptop that costs more than 100 thousand rubles uses a cheap and not very high-quality TN matrix, and not a high-quality IPS matrix. It is also not very clear why some laptop models use such a small, and therefore not very convenient, touchpad. However, these are specific details that are appropriate to discuss in reviews of specific models.

We have already tested the top model of the MSI GT70 Dominator Pro gaming laptop, and we will soon have a review of the GS70 Stealth Pro. Well, over time we will also test gaming laptops of the GE and GP series.

Ahoy! In this review, I will reveal a small secret about a limited-edition mid-segment gaming laptop from MSI. In fact, the owner or user receives a good balanced base, a proven chassis with good ergonomics, cooling and the possibility of a relatively easy upgrade.

Main technical characteristics

Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Kaby Lake)
Graphic arts: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB GDDR5, Intel HD Graphics 630
Storage system: 128 GB SSD (SATA), 1 TB HDD 5400 RPM (SATA)
Memory: 8 GB DDR4-2400, 2 slots, max 32GB
Display: 17.3 inches, FullHD, TN Vide-view, matte
OS: W10 Home
Dimensions: 419 x 287 x 32 mm
Weight: 2.7 kg (with battery)

The differences in the configurations of the VR version with the GTX 1060 stop at two points: the amount of VRAM (GTX 1060 3 GB and 6GB) and the display with a refresh rate of 60 and 120 Hz.

If we move away from the GTX 1060 (this laptop is already called GV72), then the differences grow, perhaps, exponentially:
- CPU (i5-7300HQ and i7-7700HQ);
- games with storage devices (HDD at 7200 and 5400 RPM, SSD at 128 GB);
- and RAM (one 8 GB stick or two 16 GB sticks in total).

Packaging, appearance

The packaging that the GV72VR comes in is identical in design to both the GP and GE series of MSI laptops. The main background is cooled lava, through which the image of the dragon logo of the game series appears. As always, this box is hidden inside another beige corrugated cardboard box. Each has its own handle for easy carrying. Without a doubt, MSI did their best when it came to protecting the laptop during delivery. For example, inside the laptop itself, between the keyboard and the lid, there is a soft seal, and all accessories are located in small sections. Each object is in a plastic case, and the laptop is also in a fabric case.
The package includes a power supply (180 W, ~150 x 70 x 20 mm, 600 g) and a cable for it, many instructions and manuals.

The chassis in this laptop is based on a proven design from MSI GE72 laptops, and therefore the cooling system has not undergone any changes, the keyboard is full-size, and the dimensions have not actually changed. To some extent, the GV72VR can be considered as an alternative and slightly lighter version of the GP72MVR in terms of components. With similar performance, the differences are mainly visual: the GV has a matte plastic body, while the GP is made of metal. To be honest, the GV design is even a little more brutal and expressive.

The laptop adheres to the classic rule of three, only for color options - the lid is black, the interior/palmrest is dark gray, and the keyboard has a rich red backlight.

The laptop does not have a laser disc drive, just like its twin GP72MVR. Purely theoretically, it can even be installed in a GV by taking the bottom cover from the donor laptop and the drive itself. True, given their popularity, MSI switched to this additional way to reduce weight.
Ventilation grilles for cold air intake are located at the bottom, and hot air is exhausted to the rear. From the point of view of ease of use, it is an almost ideal solution.

Sides and ports

On the left side of the laptop: Kensington lock, RJ-45, USB 3.0, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort with support up to 120 Hz, another USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Type C and a pair of 3.5 mm TRS for external audio.

Right side: USB 2.0, SD reader and power supply plug input.

Keyboard and touchpad

As with other MSI gaming products, the keyboard is a proven solution from SteelSeries. Knowing a similar keyboard for a long time, I can state that this thing is truly wonderful in the world of membrane devices. The dimensions of the keys are approximately one and a half by one and a half centimeters, the distance between them is 3 mm. The moment of actuation is informative, and the key stroke is stiffer than typical keyboards - due to which the tactile sensations are strictly pleasant. The keys move very quietly and do not wobble in their seats. LOCK mode indicators are located next to the keys to which they are functionally assigned. Among the additional buttons there is Cooler Boost (activation of a mode at maximum fan speed, which is not available in auto mode) and a button for calling the Dragon Center hub utility. The keys themselves are painted in two colors - red for the ends and black for the main plane. The backlight is exclusively red, unlike the three-zone RGB in the GP72MVR, but has brightness adjustment.

The touchpad is classic, with two buttons and a rough touch area. On the palm rest it is slightly offset to the left of the center line. In my opinion, there are two downsides: the loud click of the buttons and the small size. But the sensor handles gestures remarkably well.

Cooling system

The applied CO is called Cooler Boost 4; it includes two fans, a thermal bridge and six heat pipes. Running stress tests, I already guessed that I would see a good result, since exactly the same CO is installed in some other MSI laptops.

I noticed an “extra” two degrees on the CPU, which usually does not rise above 85, but it would be more correct to attribute them to the ambient temperature rather than to a softer fan setting. The most important thing is that even under heavy load, the processor and video card operate at full capacity (power consumption, frequencies).

Drives

In this instance, unlike all those with only HDD, there is still one solid-state SATA drive. In general, the laptop slot supports both PCIe and SATA and has potential from the point of view of upgradeability. The hard drive shows average speeds, but the SSD operates almost at the limit of its interface capabilities:

Display

This copy has a wide-view type TN matrix with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The display gives a very good picture, contrasty and bright, without noticeable grain. The wide-view prefix means that the horizontal viewing angles will be quite large (up to 80 degrees), but the vertical ones are the same as with all TN displays. FullHD resolution, average brightness - 300 cd/m2. The screen coating is matte.
There are versions with a display with a frequency of 60 Hz, which is one of the key differences from the GP72MVR, which in 90% of cases is equipped with a 120 Hz motherboard.

Acoustics

Total number of speakers in this laptop- 4, and there is no subwoofer. The power of each speaker is 2 W. The sound lives up to expectations. It is quite loud and transparent, but for natural reasons it lacks low frequencies. In this situation, there are two assistants, the first is DSP Nahimic. The interface of this software allows you to process sound. In addition, it works with sound coming from a microphone and has several other features, incl. "cheating" Sound Tracker.

In this section I will include a new utility for comprehensive laptop management - MSI Dragon Center. Its incomparable advantage is that it is essentially a hub, collecting all the main settings in one place. The program contains several tabs. There is a system monitor with information about temperatures, fan speeds and system load. There is a backlight adjustment tab, as well as a very interesting System Tuner.

This tab allows you to make many interesting settings, the coolest of which I think is the function of setting the operation of coolers. The user can choose the number of revolutions per minute depending on the temperature. Xboost technology has also appeared; its inclusion slightly increases the speed of HDD read/write and USB copying.

Gaming Performance

GTX 1060 - definitely good map, convincingly holding on to ~60 FPS at 1080p resolution and with maximum settings. It, like even the GTX 1050 Ti, fits this laptop perfectly.

Nutrition

The battery has a capacity of 41 Wh, and the power supply is designed for 180 W. The battery capacity is enough to keep the laptop “above the surface” for 2.5 hours of multimedia. Or four hours, if you turn the screen brightness down significantly (to 20%). Gaming is approximately 1 hour, ± 15 minutes.