MSI GT72 (GTX 980M) Notebook Review Update Small update, big impact. MSI now installs the brand new premium models from Nvidia's Maxwell generation. Read here to what extent the GeForce GTX 980M can outperform its precursor, and what it looks like in terms of temperatures, power consumption, and system noise. , ✓ Sabine Kückemanns ( Florian Glaser translated by Liala Stieglitz),

For the original German review, see here. "Think big": hardly any other manufacturer follows this motto like MSI. The laptop expert particularly comes up trumps in its GT72 line. An example is our review sample. While the processor is still quite conventional (Core i7-4710HQ), 32 GB of DDR3 RAM and 2 TB of storage are more than lush. MSI fuses a total of four M.2 SSDs to a RAID 0 array that is accompanied by an ordinary HDD. Naturally, the device also sports a Blu-ray burner and matte Full HD screen. The new top model from Nvidia takes care of games and other 3D applications. Owing to the Maxwell architecture, the GTX 980M is swift and efficient at the same time. That leads to a steep price in conjunction with the generous accessories (see specs on the right). MSI demands just below 3300 Euros (~$4162) for its GT72-2QE32SR311BW (SKU8). Buyers who are satisfied with less storage capacity and DDR3 RAM should take one of the lower-priced 2QE32SR351BW (SKU9 @ 3000 Euros, ~$3783), 2QE32SR21BW (SKU10 @ 2700 Euros, ~$3405) or 2QE16SR21BW (SKU11 @ 2300 Euros, ~$2900) models. A list of configuration details can be found in this German news article. MSI also sells models with a GTX 970M instead of a GTX 980M under the name GT72-2QD. Their prices range from 1500 to 2000 Euros (~$1891 to ~$2522).

Innovations Shift Mode No exterior modifications are seen at first glance. The laptop's chassis and most of the hardware correspond to that of the former device. Therefore, we would refer to our existing review for information concerning "Case", "Connectivity" and "Input Devices." The only innovation is the so-called "Shift" function. The present mode can be easily switched to "Sport" (maximum power), "Comfort" (limited GPU clock) or "Green" (limited CPU & GPU power) via FN + F7. Switching in the Dragon Game Center is also possible. However, our practical experience shows that the advantages are limited. We did not notice any differences in either power consumption or system noise in idle mode. There is no getting around the "Sport" option in 3D mode from a gamer's point of view anyhow. In the writer's opinion, "Shift" is only a pseudo-replacement for the omitted Optimus technology. MSI intentionally leaves out graphics switching to make multi-monitor setup with three external screens possible (including 3D Vision support). The manufacturer also places importance on maximum reliability (keyword: game detection). Since Optimus usually operates impeccably, and only very few buyers will use multiple monitors for gaming, we cannot approve of this decision. Especially because the manual graphics switching that MSI installs requires rebooting.

Display Although the ascertained rates are somewhat worse than in the last review sample, the screen models are identical. The CMN N173HGE-E11 (related to the Chi Mei N173HGE-L11) is one of the better members of TN technology despite a few shortcomings. In addition to the relatively crisp black (0.3 cd/m²), the contrast is also compelling. 910:1 is impressive and ensures vivid game and video rendering.

266

cd/m² 247

cd/m² 244

cd/m² 254

cd/m² 273

cd/m² 235

cd/m² 276

cd/m² 271

cd/m² 263

cd/m² Distribution of brightness CMN N173HGE-E11 (CMN1735) X-Rite i1Pro 2 Maximum: 276 cd/m² Average: 258.8 cd/m²

Brightness Distribution: 85 %

Center on Battery: 273 cd/m²

Contrast: 910:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)

ΔE Color 11.63 | 0.6-29.43 Ø5.8

ΔE Greyscale 11.9 | 0.64-98 Ø6

54% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 3D)

Gamma: 2.56 ICC File (X-Rite i1Pro 2) Maximum: 276 cd/m² Average: 258.8 cd/m²Brightness Distribution: 85 %Contrast: 910:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)ΔE Color 11.63 | 0.6-29.43 Ø5.8ΔE Greyscale 11.9 | 0.64-98 Ø654% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 3D)Gamma: 2.56

The GT72 does not fare quite as well in brightness. 259 cd/m² is only located in the midfield. The same is true for the illumination of 85% and the sRGB coverage of 73% (AdobeRGB: 54%). The color reproduction proves to be the biggest disappointment of the CMN N173HGE-E11. As the screenshots below show, the color accuracy is also unsatisfactory. Skin segments look rather unnatural due to the bluish cast, which will, however, only bother some buyers. Although our PR contact stated that MSI will soon be releasing its own color profile, which is to improve the image quality like a manual calibration, the GT72 will not be suitable for ambitious users. CalMAN: Grayscale CalMAN: Saturation Sweeps CalMAN: ColorChecker MSI GT72 vs. sRGB MSI GT72 vs. AdobeRGB

We hope that IPS screens will also prevail in the 17-inch sector next year. Users who put big importance on viewing angles and color accuracy are currently still better off in the 15-inch sector. There are quite a few laptops based on IPS technology (Gigabyte P25X v2, Gigabyte P35W v2, MSI GT60 WQHD+, etc.). It is too bad that the horizontal stripes that were eliminated in the "old" GT72 after a driver update (compare review) have apparently returned.

MSI GT72 outdoors

As for drivers: Since the ForceWare 344.24 that MSI technicians installed via GeForce Experience caused problems (severe stutters in some 3D applications), we performed a downgrade to version 344.00. The latter was also used for the GTX 870M in Schenker's XMG P505. Viewing angles: MSI GT72

Performance Haswell Processor Despite the laptops' steep price, MSI only integrates the "entry model" of the Core i7 line. The Core i7-4710HQ's clock of 2.5 - 3.5 GHz places it clearly behind the i7-4810MQ (2.8 - 3.8 GHz) or i7-4910MQ (2.9 - 3.9 GHz) - at least on paper. Unlike the MQ CPUs that can be exchanged when required, the HQ models are soldered to the motherboard. Aside from that, there is no reason for complaint. Although the processor is the limiting factor in some games/settings, Intel's Haswell generation (22 nm) is still state-of-the-art and clearly stronger than the competition from AMD.

System information: MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW

Turbo Boost The clock behavior almost completely corresponded to that of the former GT72 version. Owing to the powerful cooling, the Core i7-4710HQ always operated with enabled Turbo Boost technology. Apart from the stress test (~2.9 GHz), the overclocking was completely exhausted. 3.3 - 3.5 GHz in single and multi-core scenarios should satisfy most buyers. The clock of other premium-line laptops fluctuates considerably more. Single-core rendering Multi-core rendering CPU & GPU load

Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit 1.52 Points Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit 7.15 Points Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit 61.59 fps Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit 657 Points Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit 106.97 fps Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit 135 Points Help ... in comparison

Graphics Card Maxwell The weightiest modification concerns the dedicated graphics chip. Rather than the GeForce GTX 880M (GK104 based on Kepler), the GTX 980M (GM204) operates in the review sample. Nvidia's new top model that comes from the Maxwell generation again has 1536 shader units and a 4 - 8 GB GDDR5 video memory that is connected via a 256-bit bus. The first advantage of the GTX 980M is its higher clock. Depending on the load, the 28 nm product achieves up to 1127 MHz (default: 1038 MHz). The GTX 880M only managed 954 - 993 MHz, which equals a minus of roughly 10%. The improved architecture results in an even higher performance. Compared with Kepler, Maxwell operates considerably more efficient. As expected, the laptop model cannot quite compete with its desktop counterpart. The GTX 980 offers 33% more shaders (2048 CUDA cores), an 8% higher core clock (1127 - 1216 MHz), and a 40% higher memory clock (3.5 vs. 2.5 GHz). Nevertheless, we have to greatly praise Nvidia. In contrast to the 50 - 100% lead that the desktop chips often had over their laptop counterparts, the performance plus is now only 25% (average rate of 24 games in ultra-settings). We have to keep in mind that mobile GPUs are both significantly smaller and energy efficient.

GPU Performance The GTX 980M impressively stood its ground against the other top models in the synthetic graphics tests. In addition to three 3DMark versions, we also used Unigine Heaven 3.0 benchmark (1920x1080 pixels, high, default tessellation). Until now, no chip has ever achieved over 100 fps. With 119 frames per second, the GTX 980M outperforms the GTX 880M by almost 45% (82.1 fps @ MSI GT72), and the GTX 870M by over 80% (65 fps @ One K73-4N). It has an even bigger edge on AMD's main contender, the Radeon R9 M290X (62 fps @ One K56-4N). Solely the GeForce GTX 970M tries to keep up with 93 fps. The advantage in the Fire Strike test of 3DMark 13 is even more smashing. The GT72 achieved a GPU score of 9809 points. That is 60% more than from the GTX 880M (6144 points) and 110% more than from the GTX 870M (4664 points). There is no land in sight for the Radeon R9 M290X either (5294 points). Second place again belongs to the GTX 970M with 7268 points. Thus, users with enough financial reserves should disregard the Kepler architecture and grab the 900 generation.

3DMark Vantage P Result 31944 points 3DMark 11 Performance 11173 points 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score 131093 points 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score 22055 points 3DMark Fire Strike Score 8364 points Help ... in comparison

Storage Devices Super RAID 3 We are rather skeptical about RAID arrays made up of multiple SSDs. Though the sequential performance is worthy of reference with 1335 MB/s in read and 1115 MB/s in write (AS SSD benchmark), the performance with smaller files is barely different from a single SSD. Then there is the enormous cost factor. Four M.2 modules with 256 GB each (4 x 128 GB @ SKU9, 2x 128 GB @SKU10 & 11) are not exactly cheap. The laptop could be sold for considerably less with a single, high-capacity SSD that would also achieve higher rates in the 4K field. But the marketing department would not have so much work. After all, manufacturers want to advertise with as many as possible features.

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 AS SSD 4x Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1 (RAID 0)

Sequential Read: 1346 MB/s

Sequential Write: 1105 MB/s

512K Read: 825.8 MB/s

512K Write: 1044 MB/s

4K Read: 29.3 MB/s

4K Write: 79.84 MB/s

4K QD32 Read: 518.5 MB/s

4K QD32 Write: 502 MB/s CrystalDiskMark 3.0 AS SSD 4x Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1 (RAID 0)

Sequential Read: 1335.21MB/s

Sequential Write: 1014.94MB/s

4K Read: 33.02MB/s

4K Write: 71.36MB/s

4K-64 Read: 626.1MB/s

4K-64 Write: 397.58MB/s

Access Time Read: 0.105ms

Access Time Write: 0.048ms

Score Read: 793Points

Score Write: 570Points

Score Total: 1760Points

System Performance The system's performance fulfills the high expectations. 5969 points in PCMark 7 is common for a gaming laptop with a solid state drive, although most contenders score marginally worse. Besides Asus' G750JZ-T4023H (5746 points), Medion's Erazer X7831-MD98776 (5597 points) also lags behind by a few percent. The review samples of the XMG P704 (Core i7-4910MQ, GeForce GTX 880M, 480 GB SSD) and One's K73-4N (Core i7-4800MQ, GeForce GTX 870M, 500 GB SSD) were slightly faster.

PCMark 7 Score 5969 points PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 4889 points PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 5804 points PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 4434 points Help ... in comparison

Gaming Performance The distance to the contenders is not as gigantic in the gaming field as it was in the synthetic benchmarks. Based on our ultra-setting (1920x1080 pixels, maximum details, anti-aliasing), the GTX 980M has an edge of approximately 30% on the GTX 880M and 55-65% on the GTX 870M and R9 M290X. Passionate gamers will not go wrong with the GeForce GTX 970M either. The high-end chip only lags behind the GTX 980M by not quite 16%.

Graphics Card Overall Performance @ Ultra-Setting GeForce GTX 980M Base GeForce GTX 970M -16% GeForce GTX 880M -22% GeForce GTX 870M -36% Radeon R9 M290X -39%

In any event, the GT72 provides enough performance to power almost all games using maximum settings. Only Risen 3, which acts strangely on many laptops, did not want to go beyond 40 fps. Otherwise, the GTX 980M even manages demanding titles like Battlefield 4, Metro: Last Light, Crysis 3, Watch Dogs, Far Cry 3, and Ryse: Son of Rome without difficulty (providing the user does not exaggerate with anti-aliasing). Compromises were still necessary with the GeForce 7x0M. It is only aggravating that the new chips are still fairly pricey. Since AMD does not have a real contender, Nvidia can design the prices almost as it likes.

Emissions Before we deal with the emissions, we should remark that all measurements were determined using Nvidia Mode and disabled Cooler Boost. Only the battery test (idle runtime) was performed with the HD Graphics 4600.

System Noise The noise basically follows the version with the GTX 880M, although the precursor seems slightly louder in idle mode. We measured 34 - 35 in contrast to 33 - 34 dB(A), which is still acceptable. The load rates are virtually identical. An average of 40 dB(A) in 3DMark06 is not at all quiet, but the contenders are considerably louder - regardless whether it is the Clevo P177SM-A and P170SM-A barebones (48/49 dB), MSI's GT70 (~47 dB) or Alienware's 17 (~44 dB). Even Asus' top model that is known for its relatively quiet fan achieves a bit more (~41 dB). The 49 dB specified below refers to the stress test. Up-to-date games should range somewhere between the 3DMark and full load rates (the GT72 achieved approximately 45 dB in Crysis 3).

Noise Level Idle 34 / 34.5 / 34.7 dB(A) HDD 34.7 dB(A) DVD 37 / dB(A) Load 40.3 / 49.4 dB(A)

30 dB

silent 40 dB(A)

audible 50 dB(A)

loud , med: , max: Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) min:, med:, max:

Temperature Stress test Although the fans operate rather unobtrusively, the high-end machine does not tend toward high temperature development. The entire chassis was pleasantly cool during basic tasks. Our thermometer recorded an average of just 26 °C after two hours of idling. There is no comparison with thinner 17-inch laptops, such as the Aorus X7 v2 (~39 °C). Solely the rear heated up noticeably in 3D operation. While the wrist rest remained below 29 °C, 40 or even 50 °C were reached in some corners in extreme cases. These temperatures are, however, absolutely harmless when compared with other laptops (maximum 63 °C @ MSI GS70; up to 76 °C @ Schenker XMG P505). The GT72 never felt really hot. We particularly liked the situation on the components. The Core i7-4710HQ did not exceed over 90 °C for a change. It looked even better for the GeForce GTX 980M. Nvidia has done such a good job with the Maxwell architecture that we could only educe a maximum of 78 °C from the graphics chip during full load (Furmark + Prime95). The GTX 880M was roughly 10 °C warmer in this scenario. In case the screenshot of the GPU clock is confusing: the graphics card throttles its clock in Furmark - like in the former GT72. However, this is not related to the laptop but rather with Nvidia according to MSI. A 40-minute test using Crysis 3 previously confirmed that there was no throttling in gaming operation. That should also be true for the GTX 980M.

Max. Load Idle 39.4 °C

103 F 40.1 °C

104 F 38.2 °C

101 F 39.1 °C

102 F 39.8 °C

104 F 33.5 °C

92 F 28.3 °C

83 F 28.1 °C

83 F 26.7 °C

80 F Maximum: 40.1 °C = 104 F

Average: 34.8 °C = 95 F 52.1 °C

126 F 41.7 °C

107 F 43.3 °C

110 F 36.3 °C

97 F 40.1 °C

104 F 30.1 °C

86 F 25 °C

77 F 25.1 °C

77 F 25.8 °C

78 F Maximum: 52.1 °C = 126 F

Average: 35.5 °C = 96 F Power Supply (max.) 55.3 °C = 132 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | Voltcraft IR-900 Max. Load Idle 26.9 °C

80 F 27.1 °C

81 F 26.1 °C

79 F 27.7 °C

82 F 28 °C

82 F 26.4 °C

80 F 25.1 °C

77 F 25.1 °C

77 F 25.1 °C

77 F Maximum: 28 °C = 82 F

Average: 26.4 °C = 80 F 26.7 °C

80 F 25.9 °C

79 F 27.5 °C

82 F 24.6 °C

76 F 25 °C

77 F 24.8 °C

77 F 25.3 °C

78 F 25 °C

77 F 24.7 °C

76 F Maximum: 27.5 °C = 82 F

Average: 25.5 °C = 78 F Power Supply (max.) 38.2 °C = 101 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | Voltcraft IR-900 (±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.8 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 33.4 °C / 92 F for the devices in the class Gaming.

(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 39.8 °C / 104 F, ranging from 21.6 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.

(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 52.1 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 42.6 °C / 109 F

(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.4 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 33.4 °C / 92 F.

(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.3 °C / 82.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.

(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+0.5 °C / 0.9 F).



Speakers Since the sound system has not been changed, we would like to refer to the previous article.

Energy Management Power Consumption In addition to the waste heat, Nvidia has also optimized the power consumption. The GTX 880M precursor now only needs 97 watts instead of 113 watts in the first 3DMark06 scene (-14%). However, this advantage is nullified in the stress test due to the CPU's slightly higher clock (2.9 vs. 2.6 GHz). Omitting the graphics switching is noticed extremely in idle mode. Despite the fact that the GT72 consumes 2 watts less, the rates are considerably higher than those of some Optimus laptops. For example, Asus' G750JZ consumes 12 - 24 watts rather than 24 - 34 watts. This not only has an adverse impact on the budget (electricity bill), but also on battery life.

Power Consumption Off / Standby 0.2 / 0.4 Watt Idle 23.9 / 29 / 33.6 Watt Load 97.2 / 210.1 Watt

, med: , max: Voltcraft VC 940 Key: min:, med:, max:

Battery Runtime Reader's Test Classic Test The battery runtimes are neither good nor bad. Although the 17-inch laptop lasted for up to 6.5 hours in Intel Mode (maximum energy-saving options, minimum brightness), not quite three hours of DVD playback and three hours of Internet browsing are not overwhelming. Gaming on-the-go is possible for approximately 1.5 hours with the GT72. Replacing the 9-cell battery is very difficult for construction-related reasons (at least for inexperienced users).

Battery Runtime

6h 37min 3h 04min 2h 50min 1h 27min