MSI GE73 Raider RGB 8RF Review

Introduction

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that gaming laptops finally made the move away from mobile variants of desktop hardware, to fitting desktop hardware onto a mobile platform. The major push from all three big companies – Nvidia, Intel and AMD – towards greater efficiency meant that you were no longer crippled when comparing a desktop to a laptop of similar specifications.

Naturally there is still a great performance factor to be had from having a desktop version, if only because the automatic overclocking that is such a feature of modern components has greater thermal headroom with which to do its voodoo. Nonetheless the recent raft of gaming laptops have pushed out some spectacular frames per second whilst still being more than capable at those other tasks we do between long sessions fragging our friends.

The MSI range is one of the largest on the market with a model to suit all budgets. Today we’re looking at a GE72 Raider RGB 8RF. With a six core Intel CPU at the heart of it and the best pound per frame GPU in the form of the GTX 1070, it promises excellent performance whilst not stretching into “lottery winnings required” territory.

Does this mix of components deliver the goods?

Technical Specifications

There are a couple of options available when purchasing the GE73 Raider. Our review sample came equipped with a 480GB SSD, Intel Core i7-8750H, 2400MHz DDR4 and the 120Hz 1080P display. Apart from a proper M.2 drive this is the best spec. On screens this size a 4K panel is a waste, especially with a GTX 1070. Unless you have microscopes for eyes, stick with the excellent 1080P 120Hz display we have for you here today.