I Won a Dragon at the MSI Gaming Laptop Launch Event
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Not a real dragon, but I did score a cute plush of MSI’s mascot for its latest line of gaming series laptops last August 16th.
I have to use the term “laptop” loosely here – despite sharing the form factor of a traditional laptop (albeit with several gaming related bells and whistles) MSI has really given us a selection of portable desktop in terms of raw, unadulterated processing power, equipped with Intel 6th Generation Skylake processors and nVidia’s latest Pascal processors in the form of their GeForce GTX 1080, 1070, and 1060 cards, depending on the model. All this power translates to the fact that every single laptop in their new range is VR ready – meaning those looking to purchase an Oculus Rift or an HTC Vive in the near future now have the additional option of owning a laptop that can run them. Hard to believe, but once I got a chance to try the Vive setup they had at the event, I was a believer. My head and hand movements were tracked perfectly with little noticeable lag, and the high resolution of the demo showed that the system was having no trouble processing everything.
But it’s not just sheer brute force that these machines have going for them, as there is a wealth of technology all hidden within. PCI-E SSD hard drives, TrueColor technology, a fully mechanical keyboard, an ESS Sabre Hi-Fi Audio DAC, Killer Network technology and a bevy more make these laptops more powerful than most desktops out there. With the addition of a Thunderbolt connection, you can easily hook these machines to a full 4k resolution monitor and have just about anything running on it, absolutely lag free. Needless to say, if you are in the market for a new gaming PC, then don’t scratch off laptops from your list just yet.
MSI has also included a wealth of software options to help fine tune the user’s computing experience. Alongside of the bevy of speed boosters, overclocking tweaks and visual colorization, one of the most interesting features was the Nahimic sound tracker, which would actually give you visual cues as to where your opponents might be in a multiplayer game based on the sound of their footsteps. Some might consider this cheating and it’s unlikely this sort of feature would ever be allowed in real competition, but it’s definitely unique.
Aesthetically speaking, these laptops scream “Gamer”. The red and black motif, along with the aggressive angles and vent design make this laptop look like a sports car. I’m generally not a fan of this type of look, preferring a plainer more business-like laptop design. Call me old fashioned, but “gamer” designs for me tend to reek of cheap gimmicks and lots of plastic. Thankfully MSI has kept function over form, and a lot of the design elements are necessary for the laptops to function as intended. Take for example their Cooler Boost Titan technology, which utilizes a mixture of new slim factor fan design and heat-pipes to push the tremendous heat generated by the unit out through the large vents on the back and sides of the unit effectively.
All this comes in a package that is honestly priced well enough when you consider the amount you are getting for a portable, VR ready gaming PC. The full range covers almost every price point you can imagine, from the flagship Titan Pro to the powerful yet affordable Apache series. Best of all, MSI is running a promo till October first where every user who pre-purchases a unit will get up to Php 10,000 discount alongside a host of other freebies. And to sweeten the pot even more, every purchase of an eligible MSI gaming laptop gets the user a raffle ticket to join MSI’s 30th anniversary raffle, where users can win brand new gaming laptops. Check out the details
MSI has definitely made some great strides to help build their gaming brand into one of the most recognized and I look forward to seeing what they have in store for the future.
Written by: Willem Den Toom
