Kısa inceleme: MSI GT73VR 7RF Titan Pro Notebook

We skip the sections Case, Connectivity and Input Devices, because not a lot has changed except for the processor. The GT73VR leaves a pretty good impression in these sections, and all the corresponding information is available in the review of the predecessor. We only repeated the measurements for the SD-card reader as well as the wireless module (see below), which are once again excellent and much higher compared to some rivals.

Speaking of rivals: Besides the GT83VR 6RE and GT72VR 7RE from MSI, we also use the bulky 17-inch gaming systems Asus G752VS and Acer Predator 17 G9-793 as comparison devices, which are "only" equipped with a GTX 1070 (SLI @GT83VR). The last model is the much thinner and therefore more portable Aorus X7 v6.

MSI does not make any experiments in terms of software, either. The central hub is once again the Dragon Center, which combines many comfort, control, and tuning options in one nice and simple interface. Core gamers will be happy about the comprehensive customizability of the keyboard as well as the fan control and the Turbo. The CPU is overclocked to 4.0 GHz by default, which was already the case for the previous model.

We performed all the benchmarks with the Turbo Mode, but we used the Shift mode "Power Options" for all the other measurements. This setting uses the Windows power profile and therefore reduces the possibility of measurement errors (especially while idling). Our test sample unfortunately had a problem with the clocks, and we already know similar issues from earlier MSI notebooks. The CPU was often stuck at 3.5 GHz in the majority of Shift and Windows settings, which represents the multi-core level of the i7-7820HK. In the past, this problem was usually fixed by an update for the Dragon Center. The fan control setting was always the default option "Auto".

We added a couple of system screenshots with an overview about the components below.

The difference will be bigger in notebooks without additional overclocking, since Kaby Lake models are clocked a couple of hundred megahertz higher than their Skylake counterparts. However, we do not think you are making a mistake if you get an older (used) notebook for price-performance reasons. The majority of games are limited by the GPU, so even a Core i7-6700HQ should easily be sufficient for the next couple of years.

The system performance did not really change, either. However, this is not a surprise, because most components are identical. The GT73VR 7RF scores 7635 points in PCMark 7 and is only 9% faster than the GT73VR 6RE (7024 points). Both devices are subjectively basically identical in practice.

There is also an additional hard drive from HGST to ensure sufficient storage capacity for gamers. It is a 7200-rpm drive with a capacity of 1 TB. Thanks to the great maintainability, you can replace the storage drives (3x M.2 + 1x 2.5-inch), the RAM modules (4x DDR4 SO-DIMM), the wireless adapter and even the GPU (MXM module). More pictures of the internal layout, which is dominated by the gigantic cooling construction, are available in our review of the old GT73VR.

The word dominating is also a suitable description for the GPU. Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1080 is currently the fastest mobile graphics adapter. It is equipped with 2560 shaders as well as 8 GB GDDR5X-VRAM, so every modern title runs smoothly at the highest settings and with anti-aliasing. Only extreme resolutions towards 4K could be a challenge, where the frame rate sometimes drops below 40 fps.

Synthetic benchmarks like the Fire Strike Test from the latest 3DMark determine excellent scores for the GeForce GTX 1080. 21,026 points (GPU score) is out of reach for the GTX 1070. The competition is between 19 (Aorus X7 v6) and 25% (Acer Predator 17 G9-793) slower. The G73VR 7RF is only beaten by the 18-inch monster GT83VR, but it is much bigger, heavier and more expensive in return. SLI systems are also quite special due to several details (micro stutters, driver dependency, etc.). The clocks of the GTX 1080 did not cause any criticism. The Pascal chip leveled off at a very high 1850 MHz during Unigine Heaven 4.0, and up to 1911 MHz in the GPU-Z Render Test.

We already mentioned that the 17-inch system usually has no performance problems. You can max out all graphics settings in almost every game when you play on the internal FHD screen. Even poorly optimized AAA-games like Deus Ex Mankind Divided or Dishonored 2 can be enjoyed in their full splendor. The GTX 1080 even passes the maximum display frequency quite often. Our benchmark sequence of Battlefield 1, for example, ran at a buttery-smooth 135 fps (Ultra preset) at 1920x1080 pixels.

The cooling solution is quite restrained while idling. Almost 34-35 dB(A) is common for a gaming notebook with an Nvidia GPU running in it. We could not notice any annoying pulsating. The 37 dB(A) in the table was recorded during the boot sequence.

We cannot criticize MSI for the internal temperatures, either. The CPU reaches around 90 °C in extreme scenarios, but we never noticed any throttling, even in unrealistic stress situations. The same applies for the graphics card, which warmed up to 73 °C – a great result.

Frequency comparison (checkboxes are selectable)

You should force the GT73VR to use the integrated graphics adapter via the GPU button if you want long battery runtimes. This action requires a restart though, so not every user will want to switch all the time. We performed our measurements with the Nvidia GPU, so the consumption values are higher compared to laptops with dynamic graphics switching (Optimus).

29-40 Watts while idling remind us of the Acer Predator 17 and Aorus X7 v6. We can measure between 94 Watts (average 3DMark06) and 315 Watts (stress test) for the GT73VR under load, so the provided 330-Watt power adapter (1.2 kg) is not oversized. Devices with the GTX 1070 only require a 240-Watt model.

You will soon reach the limits of the 17-inch system when the GeForce GTX 1080 is active. 2:25 hours of video playback and 2:40 hours of web browsing (display luminance @150 nits) will not impress anyone. However, the battery capacity of the 8-cell module is not very generous at 75 Wh, either. Other manufacturers equip their gaming notebooks with 90-Wh modules.