MSI GT72S 6QE Dominator Pro G
More power than any laptop before it.
Like the ASUS ROG G752VY, this is built to be the ultimate performance laptop, trading portability for a 17.3-inch screen and all the mod-cons. It actually one-ups the ASUS on having a faster CPU, as well as twice as much memory for the GeForce GTX 980M graphics chip. It has expansion for up to 64GB of memory, as well as a USB type-C/Thunderbolt port. It also boasts two 128GB PCIe SSDs configured in RAID 0.
That performance was staggering. Crystal DiskMark clocked its sequential read speed at over 2.6GB/s. The 4K writes brought it closer to the speed of ASUS’s single PCIe SSD, however. It comes with an additional 1TB SATA hard drive for when you need more space than the SSD supports.
In other benchmarks, it beat most other laptops tested, and was only really rivalled by the ASUS. Only when it came to battery life did it disappoint. We were also less thrilled by its design. The multicoloured keyboard backlight is a tad tacky. The full HD display is merely ‘okay’.
That said, the keyboard is fantastic, with deep, welldefined keys perfect for gaming or typing. The touchpad is large and smooth, although we would have preferred a greater slope at the front of the keyboard. The case does feel flimsier than the ASUS, but it’s also considerably lighter.
When it comes to ‘ultimate laptop’ options, we’d probably still favour the ASUS for its physical design. The performance and specs of the MSI can’t be denied, however, and if you’re looking for the very best laptop tech, this has it.