The MSI GT780R that was reviewed two months back was pretty impressive, but now that both Intel and Nvidia have released their Ivy Bridge processors and GTX 600M series graphics cards, it was time for a refresh.
The new GT70, for all intents and purposes, is the same as the GT780R before it, i.e. a big desktop replacement high-end laptop meant for gaming. It’s big, it’s bulky, it looks scary, but that’s what gaming laptops are.
Packing the latest lntel Ivy Bridge Core i7-3610QM @ 2.3GHz (TurboBoosting up to 3.3GHz), the Nvidia GTX 670M (with 3GB GDDR5 RAM), 16GB DDR3 RAM and 2x 64GB SSD (in RAID 0) and a 500GB HDD (@ 7,200RPM). The gold plated audio ports with built-in amplifier, 3x USB 3.0 ports and the high-end Killer E2200 LAN card ensures the MSI GT70 has bleeding edge tech as far as laptops are concerned.
Usage
On the surface the GT70 is the exact replica of the GT780R, having just some internal components changed. You have the same non-glossy 17.3-inch screen supporting a crisp resolution of 1920×1080. The mirror finish camera resides on top, along with the mic.
Down below the Steelseries multi-color backlit keyboard looks as mesmerizing as ever. The keys are easy to use and feel nice to touch, however, I noticed that due to the limited spacing between the keys it’s very easy to push another key accidentally.
On top of the keyboard are the Dynaudio speakers, their subwoofer tucked away underneath. The 2.1 speakers certainly make an impact, and indeed the bass reproduction is pretty impressive for the size of these speakers. While this setup is very good for songs and games, for movies and competitive gaming I would suggest using headphones.
The touchpad mouse is average at best, but a non-issue really, as you’re most likely to use a proper gaming mouse instead of the built-in touchpad.
Temperature & Noise
According to HWMonitor, the internal temperature of the GT70 did reach as high as 75°C. However, most of this heat is dissipated by the large fan at the bottom right. As long as there’s good ground clearance, or the GT70 is kept on a clean flat surface, temperatures actually felt through the palm rest area will not go higher than ‘mildly warm to touch’.
Now to keep such powerful hardware cool, especially during games, the fan does make a fair bit of noise. It doesn’t get too irritating because the built-in Dynaudio speakers do a good job of drowning out the whining noise. However if you’re watching a Bluray or DVD, the drive is going to make some very annoying sounds, so better use headphones.
