Msi gx630 gaming laptop

The biggest difference between the GX and both its kin and the competition at large is the use of a processor from AMD rather than Intel. Thanks to its Griffin core, the QL features a 3. Given the low TDP of the processor and this single-chip motherboard solution, we should be able to expect reasonable battery life from the GX The M also has a PureVideo HD decode engine that provides hardware-accelerated video playback for all common high-definition formats. The latchless lid of the GX is black brushed aluminum with a silver MSI logo and cherry red accent at the hinges.

Most modern notebooks have some kind of glossy finish that picks up fingerprints just as easily. Opening the GX reveals what is probably its singular fashion faux pas: the frankly hideous car-like grill above the keyboard. The grill hides the speakers, but it looks decidedly cheap. The overall build quality of the GX is another in a series of trade-offs. With the lid open, a stronger individual could flex the entire unit.

Even my puny musculature, atrophied from years of sitting in front of the computer typing reviews and playing Doom , can give the system a little twist. Of course, all this flexibility does come with one major bonus: the GX is remarkably light for a Unfortunately, warranty stickers cover two important screws that secure the access panels in place.

The GX mercifully comes equipped with a decent Wi-Fi card and 4GB of memory, but not being able to upgrade to a speedier 7,RPM hard drive without sacrificing warranty coverage leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Measuring A run through PassMark Monitor Test 3. This kind of bleed makes the sweet spot hard to find, because it creates an imbalance between the brightness at the top and bottom of the screen. Though touch-sensitive buttons have gained in popularity, their glossy surface is fingerprint prone, and the lack of feedback can be annoying.

This last characteristic proved particularly problematic for the ECO button, which cycles through multiple power schemes. The keys are responsive, and the board is largely flex-free. Yet the dedicated number pad brings with it some complications. In order to accommodate the number pad, several keys had to be squished, and two of the page navigation keys—Home and End—are only available on the number pad when Num Lock is disabled or as part of a Fn combo with the Page Up and Page Down keys.

The placement of the Fn key on the far left, rather than between the Ctrl and Windows, keys may also be a sticking point for some users. The blue text used to denote Fn functions is only marginally brighter than the red, making secondary functions fairly difficult to read without squinting. Below the keyboard sits the touchpad, which is just textured enough to be useful.

The touchpad is very sensitive, but the buttons are cut into the aluminum palm rest and feel a little stiff as a result. To the far right of the touchpad is a small hole in the surface of the palm rest that leads to the built-in microphone. However, it could be an issue for those who want to talk and type at the same time. Overall, the placement of the ports makes sense, in particularly since video outputs are located at the rear where their bulky cables are least likely to interfere.

That said, there are only two USB ports: one per side. Given that the GX can be used as a desktop replacement, limiting the number of USB ports seems counter-productive, especially given the real estate the four audio minijacks take up on the left side.

The GX was surprisingly snappy when I booted it up, which is a welcome change of pace from most notebooks from bigger manufacturers. However, considering that the GX ships with 4GB of memory, a bit version of Vista would have been more appropriate. None of these apps really clog up the system tray, but the Cyberlink software suite is a curious one. The overclocking software takes the processor up to 2. The names and logos of third party products and companies shown on our website and used in the materials are the property of their respective owners and may also be trademarks.

Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved. All images and descriptions are for illustrative purposes only. Visual representation of the products may not be perfectly accurate. Product specification, functions and appearance may vary by models and differ from country to country. Still, the 6-pound notebook is refreshingly light for a gaming system, and at The only design complaint is that it exudes heat right where most gamers place their hands while using the mouse.

In an effort to provide a full numeric pad, MSI squeezed the rest of the keys into a smaller space. This trade-off is perplexing considering that many games require the use of the Ctrl key that MSI shrank and moved to the right to make room for a Fn key. FPS gamers won't appreciate the inconvenience of remapping or relearning controls. The overly sensitive touchpad is also too close to the keyboard, which can result in a jumpy cursor during typing. The silver and black dashboard above the keyboard features an illuminated power button and touch controls for media, the webcam, Bluetooth, MSI's power-saving Eco mode, and the overclocking Turbo mode, which gives the system a slight performance boost.

The bright The screen performed brilliantly while displaying bright explosions or tropical settings, but the reflective surface can be bothersome when watching darker scenes and while viewing from wider angles.

Still, the panel is good enough for two people sitting next to each other in front of the screen. Click to enlarge The 2-megapixel webcam above the display delivered surprisingly decent video quality during Web chats.

The operating system is also a serious issue if you want to play a game made before the last year or two. New models will only be coming out with Windows Vista as the operating system, so if you are in search of a faster and more efficient gaming machine loaded with Windows XP, this will probably not be the one for you.

In reality, this could be a major problem for a wide variety of gamers as it is well known that you may encounter some performance issues when gaming on your laptop with certain versions of Vista. Battery life will leave you more than happy, and with a full charge you can game for about 4 hours before you have to consider switching to the cord. These models are also tailor-made to be overclocked, which provides a significant amount of extra processing power to your gaming.

This can be a lifesaver if you have something that is running so slowly you are considering throwing your machine out of the window. Well you can, but you will lose out thanks to a significant power drain.