Build quality of GT/GX series

i would like to hear some opinions of the GT/GX owners out there. Any issues?
thermal issues? quality of build? The reason I am asking as it almost looks like a done deal that i will be purchasing the GT725 in january/february come tax time.
I want some reassurance on it. My old laptop was an asus G2P with an ATI x1700 while graphics was very weak the build quality and thermal quality were excellent. I liked the asus alot.

 

i too would like to know, seeing as not many people own an MSI.its between the GT725 and the Asus G71v. any advice guys? =D

only annoying things is that the MSI comes out jan/feb. I would like one ASAP hehe

 

noone here owns one? are they that bad?

 

Just because not a lot of people own these notebooks doesn't mean they're bad. MSI isn't as widespread as some of the other notebook manufactures such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. This isn't because of the quality of MSI, it because their US market isn't as large as those companies. You don’t see much advertising from MSI and there aren’t many US retailers that sell MSI notebooks to begin with. Most people who own these notebooks probably didn’t observe them in person, but instead purchased over the web.

 

I can't tell you to buy one or not, but I can vouch for the build quality of the GX630. The brushed aluminium and plastic run together nicely, and it's solid and fairly lught for the size. The keys have a nice tap and feel to them, although some may find the key layout a little disorienting and they have sacrificed some standard layout features to get the left side as close to a normal keyboard (for gaming) as possible. The touchpad feels very good and is nicely sensitive.

Ventilation is excellent, there are many vents on the bottom and a heatpipe coming out the right side which expels hot air from the CPU and GPU modules. I have read a review which notes that as the CPU and GPU share a heatpipe, overclocking the GPU is not advisable as it will cause more heat to be sent to the CPU and may cause instability issues. However I have tried the standard "Turbo" button overclock the notebook comes with without any problems.

One possible issue is that the vent for the heatpipe is on the mouse side for a right hander, which may annoy some.

Generally the laptop is cool enough to sit on your knees as you surf the web or watch a movie, but in games it gets a touch hotter. I don't think this is a big issue, though.

All the card slots and holder plastic inserts are flush and neat with the case, and whilst I've not removed the covers on the back they look to feature fairly standard screws and clips so modifications, if that's your game, shouldn't be a problem.

 

thanks for your reply! a couple more questions:

How about chassis flex and keyboard flex? are they present?
are the hinges durable? i had an acer and the monitor flaps about, very annoying!

thanks!

 

Thanks for your time. sounds like a good quality going in. seems like my 4yo can use it without me stressing so much

 

There's a bit of give in the plastic base if you squeeze it, but the aluminium is very solid. Keyboard flex may be an issue if you're a very heavy typer, I suppose - it is not as sturdy as a desktop but it is comparable to most notebooks.

The monitor hinge seems OK to me - it gets a tiny bit of a wobble when you are rapidly typing but in gaming or if you are not a fast typer it is quite stable.

Redlance - make sure your 4YO has clean hands or s/he will get fingerprints all over your nice shiny aluminum

 

lol with a now 5yo boy playing his reader rabbit and math blaster games i have given up on keeping it spotless. we both share the comp so i am just concerned about durability. Fingerprints are lost cause

 

With my experience, MSI is actually the best price out there.

The build quality is excellent. The finish is nice, keyboard seems tough enough to handle a good pounding. I'm not sure about what the above poster mentioned about the hinge wobbling... mine doesn't. I do tend to type soft and quiet though. I guess the negatives would be this, the glossy finish of most builds attract finger smears a lot. I find myself wiping the finished material every few uses/days. Also, make sure you buy the U.S. version, because the U.K. version has a different keyboard layout. The U.K. has 3 or 4 buttons switched around, but they still function the same as the U.S. keys. So basically, if you know where all the keys on a typical keyboard are at, this shouldn't be a problem.

Internally, the designs are great too. I have yet to notice excess heat from my system. I can game things like, Guildwars, Oblivion, Sports Games, and still the thing stays within decent range. I believe since MSI actually manufactures their insides, they know what works best with what.

Peformance wise, I guess it depends on which system you get. The lower classes like the GX600 and GX700 can play all the decent games, such as Counter Strike, Assassin's Creed and such. But if you're looking for something to play Crysis, you should AT LEAST get the GX versions that comes with the Nvidia 9600gt. All the GT versions should be fine. The speakers are excellent. They are neat compared to most other laptops. The volume can be pretty high for watching movies and what not.

The great thing about MSI is that it comes with little bloat-ware, none of that stuff to slow down the start up. All in all, the machines that MSI make should last a good while, and they tend to be cheaper

 

MSI sounds good. Now you mentioned abt the UK keyboard. You wouldn't, by any chance, be in the UK, would you?

I ask because I am curious as to where i can get the MSI notebooks in the UK...

 

I am not from the .K.

I did however order a U.K. version. I new it was a U.K. version, but it was pretty cheap, so I took it. I know sites that ship there, like frostycomputers, but the shipping could be high. Other than that, I'm not sure where anything is in the U.K.

 

Many thanks for your input

 

same here, thanks!

 

any ideas on the release of msi gt725...?

 

end of december to mid january from what i have gathered

 

i wonder when it might arrive in the uk..im anticipating its arrival

 

hmmm...nice..is it possible if i can get an exact date??...coz i would be landing to US on 31st of this month..and i need a lappy as soon as possible...i tried contacting some of the manufacturers ..but no reply..can any1 help me out with this?

 

You CAN preorder the brand new GT725 from Amazon.com. Great specs with the 4850 card and lots more. Best price/performance I've ever seen.

 

ya i know that..but i wanted a laptop asap..and i am not sure when am i gonna receive it..what if i order it now..and receive it after a month or so...?? cant take that chance...