Category: Laptop

The Acer Aspire 3 A317-51G is a multimedia all-rounder in the 17.3-inch format. The test device provided to us is the current top model of the series. It’s available for just under 1,000 Euros (~$1,185). However, you won’t find any high-quality case materials despite the high price point. The chassis is completely made of black plastic. The massive case and the mediocre battery life reveal that the laptop is primarily intended for use on a desk.

The laptop is powered by a Core i7-10510U processor and a dedicated GeForce MX250 graphics core. Together, they bring most of the games in our database smoothly onto the screen. However, you have to accept some compromises in terms of resolution and quality level – this is especially true for modern titles.

Users who need as much CPU power as possible would be making a wrong choice here, though. Acer slows down the processor a bit because the power consumption of the entire laptop needs to remain within the energy budget provided by the 65-watt power adapter. The purchase of a Core-i7 Aspire is, therefore, not worthwhile. Compared to the Core-i5 processors, the CPU is supposed to offer higher Turbo clock speeds, but it doesn’t manage to deploy them. However, this can look different on Aspire models that lack a dedicated GPU.

The port configuration isn’t particularly generous. The laptop has three USB Type-A ports (2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1). There’s no USB Type-C port. A memory card reader has been completely forgone as well – a questionable decision. An external monitor can be connected via HDMI.

The display (Full HD, IPS) scores points with a matte surface, stable viewing angles, good contrast, and decent color reproduction. The maximum brightness and the color-space coverage are too low for a device in this price range, though.

More information and many benchmark results can be found in our review of the Acer Aspire 3 A317-51G-72MD.

Microsoft is having another crack at the Surface Pro X, according to Windows Central. The first-generation device arrived just under a year ago, specifically on October 2 2019, so it is about time that Microsoft released a successor. According to Windows Central, Microsoft will unveil the new Surface Pro X alongside the budget Surface Laptop on which we reported last month.

The new Surface Pro X will retain the design of the current model but with one change. Windows Central claims that Microsoft will offer a platinum version of the Surface Pro X, probably alongside the black colour that the company currently sells. The website states that Microsoft plans to bring more Surface Pro X Type Covers to market too. Apparently, these will reflect the colours that Microsoft sells for the regular Surface Pro series.

Perhaps the most significant change for the next Surface Pro X will be the introduction of a new custom processor. In July, Windows Latest spotted a device called OEMSR OEMSR Product Name DV on Geekbench running a processor clocked at 3.15 GHz, albeit one called an Intel Pentium II/III.

Windows Central states that the next Surface Pro X will feature the Microsoft SQ2. The website does not know what changes Microsoft has made from the standard Snapdragon 8cx Gen2, but the Geekbench listing referred to the OEMSR OEMSR Product Name DV running Windows 10 Enterprise 64-bit. Hence, 64-bit support could be on the way to the Surface Pro X. There is no word on 5G connectivity though, nor pricing.

Lenovo’s Flex 5G is its take on the “Always On Always Connected” Qualcomm Snapdragon for notebooks platform. It is a 14-inch convertible with an FHD IPS display and 8GB of RAM that can be charged at up to 45 watts (W) via its type C ports, which also support DisplayPort and the USB 3.2 standard. It also now has a sales page on the OEM’s US site.

The Flex 5G (or Yoga 5G, as it may be known in other markets) is not exactly new to this market: Verizon has also been listing it as a device with next-gen connectivity on its network. The 2-in-1 costs US$1399 through this vendor, whereas its first-party source has put it at a starting price of $1699.

The new non-Verizon version has the same specs as the one sold by Lenovo; however, the latter can use both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G, whereas the former is stuck on the carrier’s ultra-wide (UW) mmWave bands. Therefore, a buyer may be able to use it on more available mobile networks, at least. Otherwise, the Flex 5G supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. It is available now from its new vendor.

HP is announcing a few new additions to its gaming accessory lineup. We’ve seen the Omen Blast and Omen Frequency Wireless before and now it is time to take a look at the Omen Space Wireless tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard and the Omen Vector Wireless mouse.

HP Omen Spacer Wireless TKL Keyboard

The Omen Spacer is a wireless TKL keyboard that utilizes Warp Wireless Technology over the 2.4 GHz frequency band. HP says that this wireless connection is as fast as a traditional wire though it still bundles a cable with the keyboard for flexibility. The Omen Spacer uses Cherry MX Brown switches with a 1 ms response time and a rated lifetime of up to 100 million keystrokes.

The keys offer 100% anti-ghosting with N-key rollover. They also can be fully configured to offer custom lighting and macro functionality via HP’s Omen Command Center software. According to HP, the Omen Spacer Wireless can offer up to six hours of play time with just five minutes of charging via USB-C and up to 75 hours on a full charge. A detachable USB cable and a magnetic palm rest come included in the box.

HP Vector Wireless Mouse

The Vector Wireless mouse uses the same Warp Wireless Technology as the Omen Spacer keyboard and offers 1 ms polling rates with extremely low input lag. The Vector Wireless uses a PixArt PAW3335 sensor that allows for customizing the DPI between 100 to 16,000 with a tracking speed of 400 inches per second and an acceleration of 40G. HP says that the Vector Wireless tracks with a 99% accuracy.

The Vector Wireless is designed primarily for right hand use and can be gripped in both palm and claw styles. There are a total of six programmable buttons and they can be customized in the Omen Command Center, which can also be used to control the lighting.

The Vector Wireless uses Omron mechanical switches for the left and right buttons and these are rated for 50 million clicks each. The Vector Wireless can be used both in wired and wireless modes. HP says that just 30 seconds of charging via USB-C can offer up to an hour of battery life while a full charge can yield up to 180 hours.

The HP Omen Spacer Wireless TKL keyboard is available for pre-order via hp.com for US$159.99 while the HP Vector Wireless mouse can be purchased now for US$99.99.

Acer has unveiled its first gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1 support. The HDMI Forum announced HDMI 2.1 in January 2017, which added support for up to 10K at 120 Hz. HDMI 2.1 also supports Dynamic HDR for scene-by-scene HDR, among other changes. Hence, HDMI 2.1 is ideal for next-generation consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The XV282K KV supports Adaptive Sync and AMD FreeSync for connection with desktop GPUs.

The monitor in question is the Acer XV282K KV, which is part of the company’s NITRO XV2 series. The XV282K KV has a 28-inch IPS panel that resolves at up to 3,840 x 2,160 pixels with a 144 Hz refresh rate. Acer has sourced the 28-inch panel from Innolux, which PCMonitors.info claims is the M280DCA AAS. Acer has VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified the XV282K KV, but its typical maximum luminance will be closer to 550 cd/m². Additionally, Acer claims that the panel will offer 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space and a contrast ratio of 1,000:1.

The XV282K KV also has an adjustable stand, along with four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 connection. Acer has included two speakers too and a 3.5 mm output if you want to connect headphones or external speakers.

The Acer XV282K KV currently retails for CNY 8,499 (~US$1,245). Pre-orders are open in China, although the monitor will not ship until January 2021. PCMonitors.infoexpects Acer to release the XV282K KV internationally too.

The Huawei MateBook X and new MateBook 14 are coming to Europe, following their launches in China last month. The MateBook X is the more premium of the two laptops, but the MateBook 14 has the performance edge. Both devices will be available to order from October 7.

The MateBook X has a 13-inch IPS screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 3,000 x 2,000 pixels. The touchscreen display also has a pixel density of 278 PPI, a contrast ratio of 1,500:1 and a screen-to-body ratio of 90%. According to Huawei, the display peaks at 400 nits.

A 42 Wh battery is onboard, which powers an Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 512 GB of PCIe storage and 16 GB of LPDDR3-2133 RAM. The MateBook X includes Huawei’s new pressure-sensitive trackpad, which extends to the edge of its compact chassis. Huawei has integrated an NFC reader for multi-screen collaboration, too.

Meanwhile, the MateBook 14 has either the Ryzen 5 4600H or Ryzen 7 4800H, two 45 W APUs from AMD’s Renoir architecture. The device can be configured with 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD. The MateBook 14 also has the advantage of having DDR4-2666 RAM, although it only has a 3:2 screen with a 2,160 x 1,440 resolution.

The MateBook 14 also has a 56 Wh battery, along with a USB Type-C port for charging, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports and a 3.5 mm jack. A full-size HDMI port is onboard, too. The device is 15.9 mm thick and weighs 1.49 kg.

The MateBook 14 starts at €849 for the Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB model. Huawei charges another €949 for the same processor with double the RAM and storage. If you want the Ryzen 7 4800H, then that will set you back €1,049. However, you get 16 GB of RAM, 512 B of storage and a touchscreen display.

Most 17.3-inch workstations are large and bulky since they generally aren’t chasing after the same narrow-bezel look and sleek designs that most consumer laptops like to boast. This idea has been changing over the past couple of years with the advent of Nvidia Studio, but even these newer ultra-thin workstations like the MSI WS75 or Asus ProArt are still not as portable as most Ultrabooks.

The Precision 5750 follows on the same footsteps as the 15.6-inch Precision 5550 but in a 17-inch form factor to be unlike every other 17-inch workstation out there. It trades away a lot of common auxiliary features like an integrated NumPad, Smart Card reader, mouse buttons, and even ports in favor of a much more portable design. Traditional workstation users who rely on such features may find the Precision 5750 off-putting as a result, but the system fills a niche for users who may need a more travel-friendly 17-inch workstation or are willing to give up some hardware options for the portable design. We’d rather lug around the Precision 5750 over the Precision 7750 even though the latter is the more feature-packed option.

Major competitors like Lenovo and HP do not yet offer competing 17-inch workstations that are as slim or small as the Precision 5750. The ThinkPad P73 and ZBook 17 are significantly bulkier and more traditional than the hybrid Ultrabook/workstation Dell machine.

See our review on the Precision 5750 for more details on its performance and hardware.

Microsoft already has two sizes of the Surface Laptop, but Windows Central now claims that the company is working on a 12.5-inch model. However, this device is apparently an equivalent to the Surface Go, insofar as Microsoft will pitch it as a budget option to the regular versions of the Surface Laptop.

Windows Central alleges that the device, codenamed Sparti, will start at around US$500-US$600. According to the website, the entry-level model will have 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and a 10th generation Core i5 processor. It remains to be seen whether this is from Intel’s Comet Lake or Ice Lake generations, or if the Sparti will be graced with a U-series chip.

The device will also come pre-loaded with Windows 10 S, or Windows 10 in S mode as Microsoft now calls it. Presumably, Microsoft will sell SKUs with 8 GB of RAM and more storage, although a Core i7 model may not be on the cards. Windows Central claims that Microsoft will announce the mini Surface Laptop in October, along with several accessories. If that is the case, then we would expect regulatory bodies like the FCC to certify the device in the coming weeks.

A new school year heralds the beginning of new learning experiences. What better way to kick start this year’s back to school season than with MSI laptops? In this article, we detail the salient features of the upgraded GF Thin, GL Leopard, and Prestige series, so you can be equipped well for both challenges and fun that the new academic year entails.

Introduction

Back to school season is upon us once again and that means shopping for new laptops that can take on the vagaries of the new academic year. With Intel announcing the new 10th generation Comet Lake processors and NVIDIA refreshing its mobile GPU lineup, there has never been a better time to go laptop shopping. But with the myriad of choices available for just about every budget, selecting one can get pretty daunting.

MSI has been a pioneer in gaming and content creator laptops for many years now. The company has offerings across almost all price ranges with a slew of configuration options to ensure your academic needs are taken care of and that you are getting the maximum bang for your buck.

In this article, we will discuss several MSI products in the GF Thin, GL Leopard, and Prestige series, which we feel will aptly address the needs of the coming academic year and also offer great gaming performance to help you unwind after a hectic day at school.

MSI GF Thin Series — Great power in a thin form factor

Grad school already has its own burdens, so why trouble yourself additionally with a very thick laptop in your backpack? Thin laptops usually compromise on component choice owing to chassis and thermal constraints. The MSI GF Thin series seeks to alter this paradigm.

The GF Thin series offers a variety of configurations and screen sizes, so not just your academic content but also your games and multimedia get the platform they deserve. Let’s have a look at what this lineup has to offer.

MSI GF65 Thin

When it comes to thin notebooks, it is often a trade-off between style and substance. Not any more with the MSI GF65 Thin. With a thickness of just 0.85 inches and weighing just 1.86 kg, the GF65 Thin is your perfect portable companion for both work and play. All variants of the GF65 Thin are powered by the latest Intel 10th generation Core i7-10750H processor. Featuring six cores and 12 threads combined with boost speeds up to 5 GHz, the Core i7-10750H offers the required horsepower to ensure a smooth computing experience at all times — whether you are on battery or plugged-in. 

More and more applications are becoming increasingly GPU-aware these days, so a simple integrated graphics solution won’t cut it anymore. Keeping the present and near-immediate needs of students in mind who would probably be working with domain-specific software and would also like their device to help them unwind after a grueling day at college, MSI is offering the GF65 Thin in both NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and GTX 1660 Ti variants.

Both the RTX 2060 and GTX 1660 Ti variants offer high refresh rate displays with the GTX 1660 Ti models going up to 144 Hz making them perfect for competitive fragging sessions after school. All GF65 Thin models come with a 15.6-inch IPS-level FHD panel and sport thin bezels for an immersive viewing experience.

Class work is all about assignments and that means a lot of research and collecting data. The GF65 Thin offers a choice of 512 GB and 1 TB NVMe SSDs in the default configuration. So, whether you are collecting material for finalizing your much anticipated thesis or need space for your ever-increasing games library you can be rest assured of having access to fast, copious storage with scope for further expansion.

The MSI GF65 Thin offers easy maintenance, decent port selection that also includes a couple of USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C ports, ability to expand memory and storage, Nahimic 3 enhanced audio with dual 2 W speakers, and all the latest networking options. A 51 Wh battery helps the GF65 Thin keep pace with the vagaries of school life.

If you are after a thin and light laptop that perfectly suits your curricular and gaming needs without breaking the bank, the MSI GF65 Thin ticks all relevant boxes. 

MSI GF75 Thin

For those who need a larger screen while still reaping the benefits of the thin chassis and affordability of the GF Thin series, the MSI GF75 Thin is an easy recommend. The GF75 Thin sports similar features as the GF65 Thin but offers a few added niceties. You get the same high-performing Core i7-10750H and now a GPU choice between the RTX 2060 and the GTX 1650. The 17.3-inch FHD displays in the GF75 Thin series are available in both 120 Hz and 144 Hz options, which make for a smooth viewing experience.

MSI GL Leopard Series — Unhindered performance for work and play

What if you need more performance than what the majority of the choices offer in the market? When subjects become more demanding, you need a laptop that can measure up to the task at hand without breaking a sweat. The MSI GL Leopard series is capable of handling demanding workloads while also measuring up to a very capable mobile gaming machine. Similar to the GF Thin series above, there are a slew of configuration options available with the GL Leopard, so let’s check them out.

MSI GL65 Leopard

The MSI GL65 Leopard gets an upgrade to the 10th generation Core i7-10750H. On the GPU side of things, you get a choice between the RTX 2060 and RTX 2070 in the RTX series, and the GTX 1650, GTX 1650 Ti, and GTX 1660 Ti in the GTX series. All models in the GL Leopard series offer 144-Hz 15.6-inch FHD IPS-level panels that nearly cover the entire sRGB color gamut. Other useful features include default memory configurations up to 16 GB DDR4-2666, SteelSeries RGB keyboard, and Nahimic 3 audio. 

MSI has endowed the GL65 Leopard with a fairly decent port selection that includes both HDMI and mini-DisplayPort-outs. This, combined with the powerful RTX 2070 GPU, enables connecting up to two 4K external displays for maximum productivity and gaming.

The RTX 2070 is also powerful enough to offer excellent ray tracing and DLSS performance resulting, in smooth, immersive, and cinematic gaming experiences. 

MSI GL75 Leopard

The MSI GL75 Leopard offers all the goodness of the GL65 Leopard but with a 17.3-inch 144 Hz display with near-100% sRGB coverage, making it an ideal choice for those who could use the additional screen real estate. The inclusion of the Core i7-10750H CPU and the RTX 2070 GPU option means that the GL75 Leopard can easily sail through even demanding workloads, making it ideal for students who work on extensive number crunching, simulations, and the likes.

The default configuration includes both a 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD as well as a 1 TB HDD, which provides an ideal combination of speed and storage space for both work files and games. If you are after a powerful laptop that does not disappoint in work or play, the MSI GL75 Leopard is your best bet.

In the Notebookcheck review, the GL75 Leopard also has very low fan noise that is nearly inaudible under light loads, which helps during the times you need to absolutely focus on the task at hand or when you are in the library. The laptop is also cool to touch and does not heat up unexpectedly, allowing for a very comfortable long-term usage.

MSI Prestige Series — A content creator’s best friend

Design, content creation, and allied disciplines are much sought after fields these days. While gaming laptops are powerful enough from a specifications point of view, those into content creation need much more than merely ticking off items on a spec sheet. Content creation workloads can be very demanding and also require certain characteristics such as the availability of a color-accurate display and fine-grain control over adjusting system modes and resources. Content creator laptops also need to have a good design aesthetic while also being easily portable and highly durable.

This is where the MSI Prestige 14 and Prestige 15 come in.

MSI Prestige 14

The Prestige 14 instantly stands out from the sea of other similar laptops out there. It comes with a fully metallic finish and is available in several color options including Carbon Grey, Pure White, and Rose Pink. With an ultra-slim design that is just 0.63 inches thick and weighs a mere 1.28 kg, the Prestige 14 is sure to turn heads on campus.

A slew of configuration options that include the Intel 10th generation Comet Lake-U series chips such as the Core i5-10210U, Core i7-10510U, and Core i7-10710U are available. All variants feature the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU for hardware acceleration in popular content creation apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and the likes.

The Prestige 14 is well-equipped for an ultrabook and even comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports that enable fast data transfers.

Though the 16 GB RAM (dual channel, LPDDR3-2133) is soldered, the Prestige 14 offers easy maintenance to swap out the NVMe SSD and the Wi-Fi if need be. 

The factory-calibrated True Pixel display that comes in both FHD and UHD options is perhaps one of the Prestige 14’s strong points. Notebookcheck’s tests found that there was very minimal need to re-calibrate the display. MSI True Tone allows for an excellent, color-accurate viewing experience for critical design workflows both indoors and outdoors. The screen is also devoid of any measurable PWM, which means working for long hours does not cause any eye strain or headache.

To understand more about the importance of having color-accurate displays in content creator laptops, check out the following article: Laptops 101: Understanding what goes into selecting an ideal laptop display for content creators

MSI Prestige 15

If you need the slim profile that the Prestige 14 offers but could use a slightly larger screen, the Prestige 15 definitely merits consideration. The Prestige 15 offers similar CPU and GPU configuration options as the Prestige 14 and comes with the added flexibility of expandable RAM. Once again, MSI has equipped the Prestige 15 with an excellent True Pixel display that has the potential to offer highly accurate color reproduction for your masterpiece. 

Creation often involves extensive collaboration. The Prestige 15 features a 180-degree lay-flat hinge that allows effortless sharing and discussions of your design ideas.

Notebookcheck’s testing found that the Prestige 15 with 4k panel really lives up to its claims of offering 100% sRGB and 100% AdobeRGB coverage along with an average delta E of less than 2. The slightly larger chassis also helps in better long-term sustained performance without the ills of thermal throttling. Similar to the Prestige 14, the Prestige 15 has fairly low noise emissions and manageable temperatures even under load.

Whether you are student of design or a content creator on the move, the MSI Prestige 15 offers the right combination of power, portability, performance, and affordability to ensure your creations get the platform they deserve.

Conclusion

MSI is offering upgraded versions of the popular GF Thin, GL Leopard, and Prestige series this year.

The GF Thin is for those who need a thin and light laptop that offers a good mix of performance and affordability while also being fully capable of catering to the demands of most school or college requirements.

The GL Leopard takes things a notch higher and is perfect for those who need a lot more power for demanding workloads and competitive gaming.

The Prestige series is made with the needs of mobile content creators in mind and features a beautiful design aesthetic combined with a very lively and color-accurate True Pixel display along with the required performance to boot.

Back to school season is the perfect time to evaluate your requirements for the coming academic year and plan your laptop purchases. With an assortment of laptops targeted at each price point and use case, you can count on MSI to be your best companion for a productive college year.