Laptop-Review.eu

Specifications

Category:
Gamer or Multimedia

Processor:
Intel® core™2 Quad CPU Q9000 @ 2.00GHz  - 6 MB L2 Cache

Chipset:
Intel® PM45+ICH9M - 1.1 GHz FSB        

RAM:
2x 2048 MB PC3-8500S DDR3-1066

GPU:
ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4850 1GB DDR3    

Storage:
500 GB SATA /320 GB SATA HDD

Display:
17" TFT-LCD Widescreen Display

Sound card:
MSI (ICH9) HD Audio Controller

Optical Drive:
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7560S - Super-Multi / Blu-Ray

Battery:
Li-Ion 9 cells / 6 cells

Connectivity:
Built-in Gigabit Ethernet LAN and Modem Module
Built-in 802.11b/g/n WLAN Card / Bluetooth V2.0+EDR

I/Os:
1 x VGA Output (15-pin, D-Sub)
3 x USB2.0 Port
1 x Mic-in Port
1 x Headphone Output
1 x Modem Port
1 x LAN Port
1 x PCI Express Card
1 x eSATA (USB Combo)
1 x HDMI
1 x IEEE1394 Port
1 x 4-in-1 Card Reader, SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro

Operating system:
Vista Home Premium

Dimensions:
395(W) X 278(D) X 26.5~35(H)mm
3.2KG (with 9 celled battery)

Warranty:
2 years

Software included:
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Tomb raider
Driver CD for the fantastic mouse
Driver CD for the rest of the hardware in the computer
Two CDs for making backups

Price:
Around £1,300.00

Package contents








- Charger
- Great, wired mouse
- Bag designed to hold the computer
- Installation media (drivers and OS)
- Two empty CDs for backing up data
- Tomb Raider Underworld
- Antistatic cloth
- Manuals

This computer comes with plenty of high-quality accessories. The included mouse is absolutely amazing for gaming, capable of reaching 3200 dpi, which really goes to show the whole gaming is concept is well thought out; no need to go out and buy a new mouse in order to start fraggin’ away. The mouse has the same black/red design as the computer. Another great feature of the mouse is that the bottom contains some small weights, allowing you to adjust its gravity – see the picture below.



The sleek bag included is also designed to match the laptop’s awesome looks, and is very comfortable to use as well, thanks to the soft material the wide carrying strap is made of. In addition, its interior is imminently practical with plenty of space for the laptop and all the accessories as well.
All in all it seems like MSI is providing the full package here, with a handsome exterior in a red and black design, as well as a strong collection of hardware.
If you are going to a LAN Party, you will be ready as soon as you get the package in your hands. You will quickly discover just how much attention MSI has paid to even the smallest detail, all the way from user friendliness and quality to design. Even the power supply has been equipped with a nice, long wire so you will not have trouble reaching an outlet.

Construction & Design

First impression






The lid:



The lid has a black, glossy surface with the MSI logo on top and an aluminum pattern below. The battery sticks out a bit at the back since it is a larger 9-celled kind.

The front:



The design looks great with the black and red metallic surface.


Beautiful front where you can see the two frontal speakers for the Dolby 4.1 system.



2.0 Mpixels webcam and microphone.



By the black touch panel are two speakers connected to the Dolby 4.1 system. At the left of the touch panel are some media buttons, and in the middle are the ECO and Turbo mode buttons.
The ECO button is used for power management; with it, you can toggle between Gaming Mode, Movie Mode, Presentation Mode, Office Mode and Turbo Battery Mode, or you can turn off power management completely which can be quite handy if you are running on battery.
The Turbo button is used to overclock the CPU and will only work on AC.



The standard movement keys for most games, ASWD, are highlighted. This is a nice feature that allows you to find the keys quickly and avoid the enemy faster after, for example, switching weapons. Notice the keyboard also has a numpad.



The two mouse buttons are shaped like an S just below the touchpad. Below those are seven diodes, indicating the status for e.g. wireless and Bluetooth. The one shining in the picture indicates the computer is in Sleep mode. The touchpad is fairly susceptible to fingerprints, but I must stress again that as a gamer PC, all the details are really well thought out.

The rear:



The rear contains the VGA (15-pin, D-Sub) and HDMI outputs, as well as the DC-in jack.

The bottom:




The bottom contains two speakers – one at each side – as well as a subwoofer for the Dolby 4.1 system. The large lid provides access to the RAM modules and motherboard. Notice how MSI has decided to place a ”Warranty Sticker Void if tampered” above a screw here, which is pretty odd as it robs you of the possibility of cleaning the fan (and it can suck in a lot of dirt and dust, especially if you overclock the processor). So if the machine begins to make a lot of noise because of dirt within, forget about cleaning the fan because then your warranty is void.

The right side:



First a 4-in-1 card reader and above a PCI Express Card slot. Then E-SATA and IEEE1394 ports, audio jack in- and outputs as well as a large vent for cooling the GPU and CPU.

The left side:



Contains an RJ11 Modem port, an RJ45 LAN port, 2 USB ports and an Optiarc DVD RW AD-7560S - Super-Multi / Blu-Ray drive.

Hinges:



The hinges blend in well with the top part of the computer. They are cast in plastic and may have some metal on the inside as well, for they seem very sturdy.

The display:




The display runs a resolution of 1680 x 1050 and is TFT LED backlit. The picture is very clear regardless of angle of view, though the colours turn slightly grayish the greater the angle. The backlighting is very even throughout and there do not seem to be any errors.

Overview: