MSI GT80 Titan

Here are the specs:
MSI Global GT80 2QE Titan SLI

Still on pre-order at the moment.
What about the keyboard noise?
Did anyone checked it at CES?
Please post your impressions so far.

Some pics:

 

What backpacks will hold such monster?

 

It comes with one from MSI directly according to the newegg specs and several of the advertisements. I have asked to see if anyone has pics of it but my understanding is its specifically designed for the Titan. I checked my pre-order today and no change yet, not been billed completely yet either.

 

I was comparing its dimensions with my G73 and it's only 2.1cm wider. Maybe it will fit my backpack or other for 17". It's even thinner than the G73 by 0.8cm!!! not that big! lol

 

Images of the backpack that comes with the GT80 Titian can be seen here http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi/761676-official-questions-msi-rep-39.html

 

They keyboard will give the clickity sound expected out of a mechanical keyboard.

 

Nothing on my new egg account either .. I'm getting to anxious, I've started watching the foreign videos lol

 

Don't be anxious, some french resellers told me they were expecting them quite soon.

 

We expecting this week

CEG Team your Upgrade Base for Clevo & Alienware

 

The amusingly similarly named everki titan should hold it just fine.

 

That looks great! I'm looking for a backpack with protective foam at the bottom and maybe with a buffer space, such as the AORUS B7: Backpack for 17"
I prefer the Everki style though!

 

The main notebook compartment has a pouch which actually holds the machine which surrounds it in foam (except for the top which has a strap), you can leave nothing else in this section (or only soft items like clothes) and it acts like extra protection.

 

I've just confirmed the Everki Titan backpack doesn't have the protective foam nor the Everki "Corner-Guard Protection System" (present in the Concept and Versa models).
Think I will have to hack something to add extra protection.

 

Does anyone have any information on the display? Specifically is it 120hz capable and is it lightboost capable? Touch screen?

They claim it is PLS and I have seen other PLS displays hit 120 hz.

 

Since it is not a 3D screen I dont think it would have lightboost on it, I've only seen that on 3D screens before. It is not a touchscreen. We have not seen any mention of it being 120hz so it would be safe to assume its a 60hz as they would advertise the 120hz if it were.
Not sure about the PLS but it does have very good viewing angles.

 

The screen is Samsung SDC4C48 which is the LTM184HL01 PLS panel at 60Hz 72% NTSC Color gamut, Brightness 350 cd/m2.

 

Isn't that the same PLS screen that the Alienware 18s used?

Pretty nice response time of 16ms. At least they put a good quality screen in this even if it is only 1080p 60hz.

I assume the stock ram and stock ssd's are the same as the g72 models. How are they? Would it be worth upgrading those items? Also, would I notice any real world gaming hit if I used my 840 evo in the SATA II slot?

 

While sata II does limit performance, I don't think the impact will be massive at all. Specially not for gaming.

As for the stock SSDs, I don't think you need to upgrade them, they work well. Even my previous gen GT60 with a single 128GB sandisk, which is hardly a top performer, works well on its own. I'd say hold upgrading the SSDs for now and see how it feels for you. They should be plenty fast.

And yeah, it seems they did put a quality screen on this machine, I am very pleased

 

Thanks Ryzeki. I may consider just upgrading the capacity from 128 to 256 then to put my more intensive applications on the m.2 ssd and the rest on the 840 evo running of the SATA II.

How is the stock ram? Is it pretty stable/reliable? Any reason for gaming purposes to upgrade 1866 ram?

Sorry for the number of questions but I think I am about to go all in on this machine.

 

Don't worry about a number of questions, I understand that feeling

Stock ram works good enough and I don't think you will see any noticeable performance improvement by using faster ram honestly. I think improvements are in the single digits % which at times may be negligible depending on the game. I am strictly speaking gaming wise, because i do know certain applications do benefit from faster ram.

Upgrading the SSDs to 256x2 is a good idea.

 

I wished we knew the overclock headroom in the bios for each processor.

 

Based on this: An introduction to Cherry MX mechanical switches | The Keyboard Company do they really "clickity" or do you just feel it in your fingers as you type?

Homer

 

You can hear them. If you've used a mechanical keyboard before its like that. In my opinion its worth the trade off.

 

Just got a voice mail from new egg wil ship on 20th

 

Here is the video of the keyboard, still working on full review:

 

The video makes it seem smaller than it actually is, but then you compare the size of the keyboard, the hand and all, and you get a sense of how big it really is hahaha

 

How much bigger is this than an Alienware 17? I use a laptop tray when I game on my recliner or sofa and while my Alienware 17 fits with some room to spare I wasn't sure how much more of a footprint this would take up.

Also, in your initial opinion, will this laptop require a cooling pad or is the cooling solution good enough that it won't be needed?

 

(17 dimensions borrowed from notebookcheck):

height x width x depth (in mm): 48 x 414 x 299 ( = 1.89 x 16.3 x 11.77 in)

MSI GT80 dimensions:

17.95" (L) x 13.02" (W) x 1.93" (H)

16.3" x 11.7" x 1.89"

=1.65" longer from side to side, 1.32" deeper from front to back and 0.04" taller.

The cooling should be fine, notebook cooling in general can be optimised by propping up the back a little bit.

 

Thanks Meaker...Reasonably bigger but seems manageable

 

Should be and you get a LOT more power packed in

 

Is there a hack to reduce the noise? Maybe removing some part of the keys...
I hate that sound.
Will MSI offer a keyboard with a silent switch?

 

I had myself a few days the opportunity to test the GT80 (i7-4720HQ, 16GB Ram, 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 2xGTX980M). The keyboard is really unbearable loud ... no comparison to the normal keyboard of the GT series. The buttons are extremely sensitive and give himself with a slight touch has an action to often produce incorrect entries.
The display is for one of the best I've ever seen, here are a couple of times with my GT70 comparison images. The entire volume of the device was ok but otherwise, under load it is quieter as my GT70. The sound reproduction was breathtaking, as MSI has surpassed again, because the sound system of the GT70 is already known to be damn good.

here is our german Test from the GT80: Das MSI GT80 Titan im Überblick und Erfahrungen - Neue MSI-Hardware - MSI Forum

 

It's a mechanical keyboard and I don't know if there is a way to reduce noise.

 

Unbearable indeed! Will MSI release keyboards with different switches? The "Brown" seems to be the most popular, but since I've never used any of the SteelSeries keyboards I still have to find my favorite one.
Is the "Blue" switch the most silent?

 

@Hutsady@XoticPC

If I order a GT80 from XoticPC, will I get the laptop bag that MSI said would be offered with the laptop? Also, do you have any info to share about the bag?

 

There are pics of the bag on the thread Official questions for the MSI rep. Geno posted some on page 39.

 

Yes you will get the backpack from us, and should regardless of where you get it from, its in the same box with the notebook box.
Pics have been posted as GTEVO linked too. When I was unboxing it for our video review, the quality of the backpack really stood out.

 

MSI is using "standard" switches for the mechanical keyboard right? so in theory we could change them? It will be interesting to confirm

And damm, that laptop is HUGE! the GT70 seems so tiny!

 

Just a quick primer on Cherry switches.

You can divide up the Cherry switches by two main classifications: Feedback (tactile or linear) and Sound ("clicky" or "non-clicky").

Tactile switches have a little "bump" as you press the switch down that let you know from feeling that the switch has actuated, great for touch-typing. Linear switches have no "bump", which a lot of gamers like because it becomes easier to "float" the switch around the actuation point, leading to better ability to quickly re-press the key without the tactile "bump" interfering. The downside is, if you don't bottom-out the key out normally then you kinda have to learn where the actuation point is or you might miss keystrokes. Most people bottom out when they type, so the difference really becomes whether you want the tactile actuation feedback, or rather a "smoother" keypress.

"Clicky" cherry switches have a little mechanical "noisemaker" built in that gives AUDITORY feedback that the key has been actuated. This simulates the old IBM Buckling Spring keyboards that would audibly click due to the spring bending as the key was depressed. Non-clicky, of course, are relatively silent, especially when you don't bottom out the key, which will make noise regardless. All linear switches are non-clicky, but not all tactile switches are clicky.

With all that said, the most common switches these days:

Brown: Tactile, Non-clicky
Blue: Tactile, clicky
Red: Linear, non-clicky

Most of the other switch types are variations of these basic types, usually in terms of key pressure - in other words, how "stiff" the key is to press, usually measured in grams. Browns and Reds are 45 gram switches, and Blues are 50 gram switches. So you get the other variations:

Black (60 gram Reds)
Clear (65 gram Browns)
Green (80 gram Blues)

...etc.

All mechanical keyboards are noisy if you "bottom out" or press the key all the way down to hard contact when you type. Clicky switches are loud anyway, as that's what they're for. Some people like it, some don't. For the non-clicky switches, you can buy o-rings that fit around the switch stems that would prevent the "bottoming-out" sound and effectively silence non-clicky switches. Blues, though, are forever clicky =)

There are other mech switches too (Topre, Alps, the aforementioned Buckling Spring, etc) but Cherry is by far the most common. The great benefit of a Cherry switch keyboard is that a keycap that fits a Cherry keyboard fits all other Cherry keyboards too, leading to a pretty cool side hobby of finding, buying, and installing key caps that are better feeling, more durable, or just plain cooler-looking. The caps themselves are easy to pull off and reinstall, making the keyboard easy to clean, and is a pretty nice benefit to owning a Cherry keyboard.

Hope this helps!

 

It helped a lot! Thank you!!!
It seems I've made a mistake and mentioned "Blue" instead of "Black". A linear non-clicky seems to be the most silent. Therefore I'm looking for a "Red" or "Black". I've read somewhere that "Red"s are hard to find these days. Is that right?
Are those[1] the o-rings you are referring to? How noisy will it get after the o-ring installation?

[1] 150pcs White O Ring Keycap Rubber for Cherry MX Switch Keyboard Free Shipping | eBay

 

I 've just found[1] a comparison of keyboards with "Brown" switches with and without the o-rings.
My measurements indicate a reduction of 10dB in the noise. Think it's worth the price. Nice hack!!! :thumbsup:

[1] Cherry MX Switch Keycap Rubber O-Rings Dampeners 50A 0.4mm Reduction

 

Those O-rings should work, and they're pretty cheap to boot. Some people like different o-ring material, like EPDM (which is harder, or "less mushy" than silicone, depending on your point of view haha), or different thicknesses to reduce or increase key travel, but at that point it's all personal preference for keyfeel, haha.

Here's a cool vid from YouTube that compares the sound difference with and without orings for the basic switch types.

Max Keyboard Cherry MX Switch Sound Comparison with O-Ring Sound Dampeners - YouTube

I read somewhere that MSI is planning on releasing a Titan with Red switches. That's pretty cool for those hardcore or pro gamers that need the high apm for something like StarCraft or MOBAs. I personally prefer Browns, as I'm a writer too and type a lot. They're like the all-rounder of Cherry switches - they do everything pretty well.

Depending on the baseplate that MSI used for the keyboard, it may or may not be practical to replace the switches themselves, but the fact that they're backlit probably means it's a lot more work than it's worth. (read: lots of soldering.)

 

Soldering is out of question to me. I'd prefer buying a new keyboard with the right switches and maybe add a little rings to it!
I'll try to find the the keyboards and test drive.

 

Thanks a lot for all the info posted in this thread.
I still have some doubts though. Here they are:

1. Are the CPUs overclockable? I thought the i7-4xxxHQ were locked.
2. Does the it supports Optimus? Does it need to be restarted to activate the IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor)?
3. What the "graphics card button" do?
4. If I change the LCD will I void warranty?
5. Will they release a GT80 keyboard with Cherry "Black" switches?
6. Where can I buy spare keyboard, LCD and other parts?
7. What countries are already selling the GT80 in Europe?
8. Off-topic: Why FIVR will not be included in Skylake?

 

Partially locked for mobile cpus.

Max overclocks (for all turbo core counts)

47xx = 200Mhz
48xx = 400mhz
49xx = 600mhz

There is no optimus but the graphics button will disable the dedicated gpus and run just on intel. Rather than dynamic it's manual (and requires a restart).

Replacing parts other than under the top panel yourself would technically void your warranty (bottom panel may depend on region).

They may do other switch types in the future but nothing is confirmed.

You reseller would source parts or msi directly if you sent it in yourself.

FIVR is increasing the heat output of the cpu die compressing heat generation into a smaller area making cooling more difficult.

 

I have some videos of o-ring mods and such. They will not take away any click if you have MX blue but it will take away the bottom out noise (and that is where 99% of the noise comes from) on a linear switch like the brown or red.

My favorite is MX Red after o-ring mod it was by far my most comfortable and fastest typing keyboard, but I use browns for my day to day keyboard and they are also a great all around switch. For the masses brown was probably the best choice as its the most neutral.

http://youtu.be/PhXwDpRv2DM

This video shows my Poker w/ MX Reds and O-Ring Moddified how quiet it is.

Just above it the full size keyboard with no letters/numbers is my DasKeyboard Ultimate Stealth. It has no mods and uses the Browns.

I have like 7 Mechanical Keyboards in all, back in the day they used to be very rare and somewhat of an niche enthusiast thing, now all the major brands have state side products utilizing mechanical swtiches, but many of them put together pretty disappointing products (Like my Razer Black Widow DA2 Special Edition that I sent back for a refund even w/ restock fee)

 

Thanks a lot!
What are the clocks you've mentioned?
I thought Optimus was necessary for switchable graphics. Is that a motherboard feature?
So, if I buy the 4980HQ will I be able to use the Iris Pro 5200?

 

Thanks! Nice video and mod! What is that thing with a filter on a yellow circle frame? A microphone?
I don't know my favorite switch yet. But I've read the "Black" is the most silent. Or is it the "Red"?

 

Black and Red have the same action but different resistances. Black takes more pressure to downpress so for me that is more fatiguing and since your pressing harder you have more tendency to bottom them out harder so I say black are louder, but in the hands of the right person they could in theory be the same as both are silent its only the key bottoming out and snapping back into place that makes any sound.

The yellow thing is a home made pop filter for the microphone I was using (Blue Yeti) I have upgraded all that stuff finally but that video is pretty old.

Also I want to leave this here, as every time I see this laptop this is all I hear in my head its like its own theme song.

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cEikFuxAGhU" allowfullscreen="" frameborder='0' height="315" width='560'></iframe>

 

I don't have a clue how harder it is, but "Black" is 15cN heavier (+33%) than "Red".
I also got a song in my head after reading about the GT80:

lol