Product Listing

MSI GX600 Gaming Notebook (Intel Santa Rosa)

By Vincent Chang - 8 Nov 2007

Conclusion

Conclusion

What does it mean to be a gamer? This is a question that is probably best left to our colleagues over at GameAxis for an in-depth discussion, but an unmistakable trend is that computer and video games have gone mainstream now. The gaming audience as a whole has increased substantially, but it would seem from MSI's design that they're focusing on the younger. If you're a big fan of the Need for Speed series or Fast and Furious, the GX600 may appeal.

For most consumers, we find its design may be a little too loud and crass to be carrying around. Although MSI probably wanted to make it clear that the GX600 is really meant for gaming, in our opinion, the designers overdid it. A better option would have been to partner with laptop skins designers like Garskins to create customizable skins for the GX600 instead, something that other vendors like HP has tried.

Don't judge a book by its cover. If you can get past its tacky and loud exterior, the MSI GX600 does boast the performance desired by gamers.

Barring that exterior, the MSI GX600 is actually a rather powerful gaming notebook, with above average specifications for its category. The inclusion of the Turbo mode for a quick boost in CPU performance is unique, though it won't suddenly make it the fastest gaming notebook around, what with SLI enhanced versions like Dell's XPS M1730 in the market. The GeForce 8600M GT graphics chipset can handle most games, including DirectX 10 games at reasonable resolutions. Its multimedia aspect is also not neglected with a proper HD DVD drive and HDMI output, though we would have expected a better speaker system to go with its video and graphics prowess.

And it's not merely the specifications. Actual gameplay experience has been quite positive, with the GX600 chewing up older games like Quake 4. It does require users to tone down some settings for the new Unreal Tournament 3 beta demo though, especially if you intend to play at the native resolution. Audio could be improved however, but the full sized keyboard did compensate for a better gaming experience.

Dampening the positive performance however, is its equally large appetite for power. The GX600 has one of the higher power consumption numbers for its class and while we believe performance and power goes hand in hand, it does seem a bit excessive. Battery life therefore is mediocre at slightly over 2 hours even when equipped with a 9-cell extended battery for nothing more than DVD playback. At least its weight at 2.6kg is not overly above the norm for its category, so the determined user can still game on the road.

Finally, one of the first or last factor in any purchase - price. The MSI GX600 doesn't come cheap at around S$2899 (US$1999 without OS). In fact, with notebooks becoming more affordable and powerful, the premium of the GX600 may look less attractive at first, until you realize that the price is inclusive of an HD DVD drive, which is still a rarity today. Still, it will take a certain breed of gamers to fall in love with this gaming notebook.

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