MSI are back with a strong lineup of Intel Skylake-based notebooks. GE72 6QF incorporates the Core i7-6700HQ, 16GB DDR4 and NVIDIA’s GTX 970M.
Product on Review GE72 6QF Apache Pro
Manufacturer & Sponsor: MSI
Street Price: £1299 GBP / $1899 USD
Gaming on-the-go is an ever increasing leisure activity and while some desktop computers are easy to transport to events the notebook still retains a stronghold on portable gaming. In order to match, or even better a desktop computer, it’s essential for a gaming notebook to feature the very best hardware. Many brands fail to update their notebooks with the very latest technology, but one company which are keen to keep up with current trends and technologies are MSI.
It was only a few days ago that MSI announced a large selection of new notebooks featuring the newly released Intel Skylake processors and today we have the pleasure of taking a look at the GE72 6QF Apache Pro. GE72 is armed with Intel’s new Core i7-6700HQ, 16GB DDR4 and NVIDIA’s GTX 970M, so we’re expected good things from this mid to high-end notebook. On the subsequent pages we’ll be putting GE72 through its paces to give you a definitive verdict.
About MSI
Micro-Star International Co., Ltd (MSI) was established in August 1986 in Jhonghe, Taipei by 5 founders, one of the world’s largest information technology manufacturers with more than 12,700 employees, including those in Taipei headquarters, Baoan Plant (Shenzhen), Kunshan Plant and sales staff around the world.
MSI started from the motherboard and graphics card industries and extended into consumer and commerical electronics including notebooks, All-in-One PCs, servers, workstations, industrial PCs, household appliances, car infotainment products, barebone systems, multimedia, communication devices, and others.
MSI started from the motherboard and graphics card industries and extended into consumer and commerical electronics including notebooks, All-in-One PCs, servers, workstations, industrial PCs, household appliances, car infotainment products, barebone systems, multimedia, communication devices, and others.
Technical Specifications
– Product Code: GE72 6QF(Apache Pro)-014UK
– OS: Windows 10 (64 bit)
– CPU: Intel® Core™ i7 Skylake-6700HQ (2.6GHz – 3.5GHz)
– Display: 17.3″ FHD Anti-Glare (1920*1080) PLS Wide View angle
– Memory Supplied: 2 x 8GB
– Memory Type: DDR IV
– Memory Speed: 2133 Hz
– Max Memory Support: 32GB (2 Slots)
– Graphics Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce GTX970M
– Graphics Memory: GDDR5 3GB
– Storage: 1 x 128GB M.2 SSD + 1TB 7200RPM
– Keyboard Type: SteelSeries FULL back lit keyboard with SteelSeries Engine
-USB3.0 Port x 2
-USB 3.1 Type-C x 1
-USB 2.0 port x 1
– HDMI Port(s): 1(v1.4b), Support 4Kx2K Output
– Mini Display port(s): 1, Support FHD 120HZ, 4K 60Hz
– LAN Port(s): 1
– Microphone Jack(s): 1
– Headphone Jack(s) (SPDIF): 1
-Line-in: 1
– Super Multi (9.5mm)
– Card Reader: SD (XC/HC)
– Audio: – Audio Sound by Dynaudio, Support 7.1 channel SPDIF output, Exclusive Audio Boost technology, Nahimic sound
– LAN: Killer™ E2200 Game Networking LAN
– Wireless: 802.1ac
– Bluetooth: V4.1
– Webcam: HD type (30fps@720p)
– Security: Kensington Lock
– Battery: 6-Cell Li-Polymer(60Wh)
– Dimension: 383 x 260 x 27mm
– Weight: 2.7kg(w/ battery)
– Warranty : 2 YR’s Collect & Return (1 YR Global)
– OS: Windows 10 (64 bit)
– CPU: Intel® Core™ i7 Skylake-6700HQ (2.6GHz – 3.5GHz)
– Display: 17.3″ FHD Anti-Glare (1920*1080) PLS Wide View angle
– Memory Supplied: 2 x 8GB
– Memory Type: DDR IV
– Memory Speed: 2133 Hz
– Max Memory Support: 32GB (2 Slots)
– Graphics Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce GTX970M
– Graphics Memory: GDDR5 3GB
– Storage: 1 x 128GB M.2 SSD + 1TB 7200RPM
– Keyboard Type: SteelSeries FULL back lit keyboard with SteelSeries Engine
-USB3.0 Port x 2
-USB 3.1 Type-C x 1
-USB 2.0 port x 1
– HDMI Port(s): 1(v1.4b), Support 4Kx2K Output
– Mini Display port(s): 1, Support FHD 120HZ, 4K 60Hz
– LAN Port(s): 1
– Microphone Jack(s): 1
– Headphone Jack(s) (SPDIF): 1
-Line-in: 1
– Super Multi (9.5mm)
– Card Reader: SD (XC/HC)
– Audio: – Audio Sound by Dynaudio, Support 7.1 channel SPDIF output, Exclusive Audio Boost technology, Nahimic sound
– LAN: Killer™ E2200 Game Networking LAN
– Wireless: 802.1ac
– Bluetooth: V4.1
– Webcam: HD type (30fps@720p)
– Security: Kensington Lock
– Battery: 6-Cell Li-Polymer(60Wh)
– Dimension: 383 x 260 x 27mm
– Weight: 2.7kg(w/ battery)
– Warranty : 2 YR’s Collect & Return (1 YR Global)
Packaging & Bundle
GE72 is presented in a stylish and well-designed box which has a convenient carry handle for transportation. As you would expect, all of the associated technologies and features are listed on the box and we’re reminded by the dragon emblem that this particular notebook is from MSI’s gaming range.
Inside the box MSI has carefully concealed GE72 in a fabric sleeve for additional protection during transit and each of the bundled accessories have been sectioned off into cardboard compartments. It’s nice to see MSI taking extra care with the packaging.
Opening the box up, the bundle consists of just a few items which include the following:
• Documentation – Quick Start Guide, Warranty Book, Hot Key, Registration
• DC Charging Unit with plug
• Driver/Utilities CD
Closer Look
When we first see GE72 the phrase “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” comes to mind. MSI has used identical styling to previous generations of the GE72 notebook for the simple reason that it works. As such, GE72 adopts a professional looking brushed aluminium lid which really makes the notebook stand out. Rather than attaching a flat lid, MSI has carved out two accents on either side to create a sleek concave. In the centre there is an MSI gaming emblem which lights up when the notebook is powered on.
From the above pictures it’s evident how aesthetically pleasing this notebook is. Build quality and styling are obviously a high priority here.
Flipping GE72 over, we have five rubber feet to prevent the unit from sliding on smooth surfaces. There are various areas which feature ventilation cut-outs for the internal components to have an outlet for heat dissipation.
You’ll notice there is no detachable battery on G72 – the battery unit is permanently fixed on the underside of the cover. Any replacements must be carried out by MSI technical support. The battery unit is a 6-Cell Li-Polymer(60Wh).
The reverse also features the serial number and technical details in case you need to contact MSI for technical support.
Over on the left edge of the notebook there is a wide selection of functionality. From left to right we have:
• Kensington lock support
• Ethernet Gigabit LAN port (w/ Killer E2200)
• 1x USB 3.0 port (Doubles up as a smart charging port too)
• HDMI port
• Mini DisplayPort
• 1x USB 3.0 port
• 1x USB 3.1 Type C port
• Gold plated headphone/microphone jacks
It’s great to see MSI embracing USB 3.0 which is 10x faster than USB 2.0. We even see USB 3.1 Type C making an appearance too which has only just hit the market. It’s also pleasing to see the option to output to external displays (4K resolutions) via HDMI or Mini DisplayPort.
Over on the other side we have some additional features too.
There is a Bluray drive, a single USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader (supporting SC/XC) and the AC power port which working in conjunction with the supplied power pack.
On the next page we’ll be continuing our exploration of GE72.
Closer Look (Continued)
Opening the lid we have a 17.3″ FHD PLS widescreen display which provides a maximum resolution of 1920×1080. At the very top of this screen MSI has included a 720p webcam which also offers up to 30FPS. This isn’t always included with notebooks so it’s a handy feature to have if you’re on-the-go and need to engage in any Skype calls or if you’re planning to live stream to services such as Twitch.
Having the lid open also reveals further brushed aluminium styling in and around the keyboard area. The keyboard is part of a strong partnership between SteelSeries and MSI. GE72 features a fully-back lit keyboard which takes advantage of SteelSeries Engine.
MSI area also continying the collobration with Dynaudio for its latest GE72 – providing excellent sound quality from the integrated speakers and subwoofer which sits on the underside of the notebook.
Towards the bottom of the notebook we have a large touchpad which blends into the design of the keyboard area very well – adopting a brushed metal appearance and using a silver line around the border.
MSI GE72 Specifications:
Inside GE72 we have the following core components:
• CPU Intel Core i7-6700HQ (2.6GHz – 3.5GHz)
• Memory 16GBGB 2133MHZ DDR4
• GPU NVIDIA GTX 970M 3GB GDDR5
• HDDs 120GB M.2 SSD + 1TB 7200RPM Mechanical
Fresh off the launch of Intel’s 6th Generation of processors, MSI are using the Skylake Core i7-6700K which uses new architecture and paves the way for DDR4 both on the desktop and notebook platforms. Inside GE72 we have a whole host of high-performance kit and so the next step is to determine how this hardware performs in real-world tasks.
Over the page we’ll begin our benchmarking of GE72.
Benchmarks: Temperatures, Boot Time & Battery Uptime
For our first benchmark tests we observe the max. CPU/GPU temperatures of the system during 3DMark and THIEF. We also monitor how quickly the notebook boots into Windows 10 using a digital stopwatch. Battery uptime is another aspect which is observed… in its idle state (not performing any tasks) – uptime will be affected when the notebook is used, so expect less than the recorded result below.
Benchmarks: Cinebench R15 & Handbrake
CINEBENCH can measure systems with up to 64 processor threads. This test scene contains approximately 2,000 objects which in turn contain more than 300,000 polygons in total, and uses sharp and blurred reflections, area lights, shadows, procedural shaders, antialiasing, and much more. The result is displayed in points (pts). The higher the number, the faster your processor is.
Benchmarks: PCMark 8
PCMark 8 combines performance benchmarking with battery life measurement and includes tests based on popular Adobe and Microsoft applications. Whether you are looking for long battery life, or maximum power, PCMark 8 will help you find the devices that offer the perfect combination of efficiency and performance for your needs. It’s the complete PC performance benchmark for home and business.
Benchmarks: 3DMark & Heaven 4.0
The new 3DMark includes everything you need to benchmark your hardware. With three all new tests you can bench everything from smartphones and tablets, to notebooks and home PCs, to the latest high-end, multi-GPU gaming desktops. And it’s not just for Windows. With 3DMark you can compare your scores with Android and iOS devices too. It’s the most powerful and flexible 3DMark we’ve ever created.
Benchmarks: Far Cry 4, Assassin’s Creed Unity, BF4, The Witcher 3
The MSI GE72 uses the GTX 970M for graphics delivery, in this section we test the latest gaming titles to see how effective the 3D capabilities are. We report on the average framerate using FRAPS.
Conclusion
Seeking to be at the very pinnacle of new technology, MSI has been wise in updating their lineup of notebooks on the eve of the Intel Skylake launch.
The GE72 epitomises luxury, quality and finesse. The physical design and styling of this notebook has differed very little from its predecessors but the aesthetics work and we’re a big fan of the overall appearance.
At the very heart of GE72 is Intel’s Core i7-6700HQ processor – a rather capable quad-core chip which offers excellent all-round performance. Using Skylake has meant that there is also the opportunity to shift over to DDR4 too and MSI has used 16GB of 2133MHz; again, another component which will contribute to consistent performance in a range of different tasks. Although it’s still early days for USB 3.1 we’re really pleased to see its existence on this notebook as it further future-proofs with current and upcoming technology.
Placing GE72 into the gaming arena with its GTX 970M as the star of the show, we get some decent performance – even in the most demanding of titles. The high detail preset at 1080p isn’t really designed for this notebook but rather we expect it to be reserved for the high-end GTX 980M instead.
With Windows 10 now being mainstream focus, GE72 arrives with this new operating system – so there’s no need to engage in unnecessary upgrades from previous versions of Windows. Combining this new software with the super-fast M.2 as a boot drive also means a lightning quick boot-up is in order too.
MSI’s GE72 comes with an RRP of £1299 GBP / $1899 USD. We expect in the coming months for various retailers to offer this notebook at a lower figure but as it stands, this represents good value for money – especially when you consider all of the included cutting-edge technology. MSI also offer a 2 year-collect and return service for technical assistance.
GE72 6QF Apache Pro is an elegant looking notebook which carries with it all the trademark MSI features. Those who want to harness the advantages that Skylake processors bring should look no further.
VIDEO REVIEW – VORTEZ TV
Pros
+ Stylish, sleek design
+ Skylake driven
+ Great performance results
+ High-quality audio
+ Plenty of useful ports
+ LED backlit keyboard
+ Choice to turn LEDs on/off
Cons
– No windows key on left-side
– Fixed battery unit
+ Stylish, sleek design
+ Skylake driven
+ Great performance results
+ High-quality audio
+ Plenty of useful ports
+ LED backlit keyboard
+ Choice to turn LEDs on/off
Cons
– No windows key on left-side
– Fixed battery unit
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
