It has been a while since I reviewed a laptop so please let me know in case you are looking for information not already covered in this review.
Overview:
I got a chance to use the MSi GX60 thanks to AMD. AMD have put their Trinity Processor, the A10, in this machine, and they wanted me, as a gamer, to put it through the gruesome bashing that I normally delegate to my laptops. Just kidding. They did, however, want me to share my opinion about the machine. So here it is.
Hardware & Appearances
This is a good looking machine. Excellent build quality, great functional layout, good quality of material all come together well to make this machine well rounded in the looks department too. Matt finishing everywhere, reduces glare. A nice brushed finish makes it nice to hold, although you are not going to lug that thing without a mini crane.
The Matt finishing also complemented the Non-Glare 15.6 Screen on the machine that improved the display quality and overall look of the machine.
The Keyboard looks nice, and being backlit is a good touch. The fact that a mechanical keyboard is now in a laptop is evident when you use the machine. It was amazing. It, however, does not help the weight of the machine. Neither does the graphic card, nor the battery charging pack. All of this weighs almost two times a regular 15.6 laptop (I lie, it is probably more).
All the bells and whistles for lights, turbo fans for optimum cooling are touch enabled switches that are quite cool to use. The design of the laptop, even though it is a gaming machine, makes it convenient to use for longer hours since there is no heat to the palm rest.
Software
MSi had bundled some of their bloatware into the machine, which I conveniently ignored, while I took to installing steam and origin so I could get to my gaming instantly. It came pre-loaded with Windows 8, and I was quite happy working with it. Given the hardware capability, running almost any software at optimum efficiency is nto a problem. I was running Steam, Origin and Adobe Suite trial version all simultaneously without any lag or strain on resources. Photoshop would run in the background while I played Left 4 Dead 2 and more recently Battlefield 3. Played and Finished by the way :P
What is it built for
It is built, not for portability - that is for sure, but for performance that can be carried around since, lets face it, carrying around a monster Desktop Setup is not that simple. This one is. Even though it is heavy, it is still all in that laptop form factor making it a useful designers machine that can be carried for on-client-premise work, gaming on the go. IT is built for performance, with its mechanical keyboard, APU/GPU setup, big battery, large matte screen, and good speaker system. The internal hardware is pretty amazing too.
Verdict
This machine can replace your now-obsolete desktop and become the powerhouse HTPC you have always been looking to buy. What is an HTPC? Read this!
This machine is your office Dell on steroids making sure that you can keep doing multiple things simultaneously and give you delusions of grandeur! :)
For more information about the GX60, click this link.
