MSI GX60: cheap-priced portable power
GX60-series laptop from MSI is currently in
our lab. Equipped with Radeon HD 7,970M graphics, a 15.6-inch screen, and
triple-screen output, 3, this is really a desktop replacement. But is whether
its AMD A10-4,600M APU able to keep up with the gaming platforms equipped with
Intel CPUs or not?
MSI
GX60 gaming laptop
The goal of the MSI when designing and
building the GX60 was very easy to understand: provide the highest-end gaming
performance with the least amount of money. Obviously, the challenge there is
that high-end systems are built with the superior components, and therefore,
they come with the premium. By changing an Intel processor and Nvidia GPU into
cheaper components from AMD, MSI was able to bring about a cheaper mobile
platform.
In addition to reducing costs, the graphics
module in the GX60 is still certainly high-end. AMD’s Radeon 7,970M is one of
the fastest mobile GPUs currently available. In terms of raw graphics, it
competes directly with the high-end GeForce GTX 680M series of Nvidia. Nvidia’s
mobile GPUs is usually more expensive than AMD’s, so using the Radeon instead
of a GeForce means that MSI saves about $350, but retains all of the
performance.
Equipped
with Radeon HD 7,970M graphics, a 15.6-inch screen, and triple-screen output,
3, this is really a desktop replacement.
The GX60’s APU is also from AMD. The
A10-4,600M that is based on the Trinity sports two modules (or four cores),
runs at 2.3GHz, and is able to reach a maximum Turbo Core speed of 3.2 GHz.
While the A10-4,600M is a "quad core" chip, its architecture creates
performance closer to a dual-core from Intel. But the use of A1-4,600M and A70M
chipset represents the higher cost savings that are able to be passed on to the
customers. It also means that MSI can activate AMD’s Enduro graphics switching
in order to extend battery life when using the 7,970M is not necessary.
Below, the GX60 is basically built around
processor and graphics module. In a 15-inch chassis, a powerful thermal
solution is necessary to drive away the heat generated by the 100W GPU and 35W
APU running at full speeds. The layout inside the notebook makes heat from
these two components keep off the hard drive, battery, palm rest, and keyboard.
Both of the APU and CPU heat sinks are respectable, and the unit is equipped
with an equally-huge fan that moves quite a lot of air when you need it to do
that, but is still incredibly quiet.
Below,
the GX60 is basically built around processor and graphics module.
MSI took notice to the details when it
defined the specifications of the GX60. The 15.6-inch WLED display is
anti-glaring and has full HD 1,080p resolution. The keyboard is made by
SteelSeries, manufacturers of modern gaming accessories. The built-in
networking solution is the Atheros Killer E2200, which routes the packets so
that gaming is prioritized by network. MSI’s Audio Boost offers
outstanding-quality sound through its interface. The built-in speakers are
great, and include a small subwoofer. The GX60 even comes with a Blu-ray drive.
MSI did not cut down peripheral
connections. Three different video output options mean that you are able to
plug the GX60 into most screens. You also have the option to use three monitors
simultaneously in an Eyefinity array. The GX60 packs three USB 3.0 ports on the
left and a USB 2.0 port on the right, in addition to one of the ports can
charge other devices even when the machine is switched off. You can also have
separate gold-gilded jacks for headphones/mic/ audio-in/audio-out and an SD
card reader. The position of all these connections seems to be very good.
On paper, it seems that MSI’s GX60 delivers
much more gaming power and features for $1,200. But before we find out if the
specs of this laptop can be carried out on real-life performance, let’s
consider a round of the GX60, both interior and exterior.
It
seems that MSI’s GX60 delivers much more gaming power and features for $1,200
