MSI has just launched a couple of very powerful new laptops which offer hardware that is very similar in its high specifications but are aimed at two completely different market niches. The new MSI GT72 Dominator Pro is the latest evolution of the gaming notebook from the Taiwanese computer maker and features Nvidia's powerful GeForce GTX880M and GTX870M graphics chips. The MSI WS60 is the company's latest mobile workstation, said to be the thinnest and lightest ever, and features Nvidia Quadro K2100M 3D graphics.
MSI GT72 Dominator Pro
With aesthetics inspired by "matte black racing super cars" the new MSI GT72 Dominator Pro is designed to appeal to adrenaline fuelled gamers. It features cutting edge laptop components which aim to squeeze the best gaming performance possible into a portable. Headline features, beyond the new design, include the Nvidia GeForce GTX880M/GTX870M graphics, 4th gen Intel i7 processor, a 17-inch full HD matt screen, up to 4 SSDs in RAID config, a 2.1 speaker system, Steel Series gaming keyboard, Killer LAN and more.
MSI's VP of global sales and marketing, Eric Kuo said that this new notebook was made to help gamers speed through the "increasing number of heavy-load games". He said that the GT72 Dominator Pro was designed to meet the demands of gamers and applies "numerous breakthroughs and innovations," to bring the best gamer-friendly experience to a laptop.
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Model Name |
GT72 Dominator Pro |
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Operating System |
Windows 8.1 |
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LED Backlight Display |
17.3" Full HD (1920x1080), matted panel |
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Processor |
The 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7 Processor |
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Memory Type |
DDR3L, up to 1600MHz, 4 DIMM, max 32GB |
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Graphics |
GeForce GTX 880M / GDDR5 8GB (Dominator Pro) GeForce GTX 870M / GDDR5 6GB (Dominator) |
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Hard Disk Capacity |
From single HDD up to 512GB Super RAID 3 + 1TB HDD 7200rpm |
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Keyboard |
Full-colour backlight, Keyboard by SteelSeries |
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Optical Disk Drive |
BD Writer / DVD Super Multi |
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USB 3.0/2.0 |
6/0 |
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Card Reader |
SD(XC/HC) |
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Video output: |
HDMI 1.4 / 2x MINI DisplayPort 1.2 |
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Mic-in/Headphone out |
1/1/1(line in)/1(line out) |
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LAN/WiFi |
Killer DoubleShot Pro |
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Bluetooth |
Bluetooth v4.0 |
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Web Camera |
Full HD type (30fps@1080p) |
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Power Batter |
9-Cell Li-Ion 83wHr |
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Power Adapter |
230W |
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Dimension (WxDxH) |
428(W) x 294(D) x 48(H)mm |
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Weight |
3.78Kg (w/ Power Unit) |
MSI WS60 Mobile Workstation
MSI bills the new WS60 workstation as the "world's first ultra-slim workstations equipped with Nvidia Quadro K2100M 3D graphics and Thunderbolt 2 connectivity". This machine has been unveiled in time for the Siggraph 2014 computer graphics technology show which kicks off in a few days time.
This Intel Core i7-4710HQ processor powered 15.6-inch laptop is both notably thin (20mm or 0.8-inch) and light (1.98Kg or 4.36lbs) considering its meaty performance. This is partly down to the MG-Li alloy construction, used for the majority of the chassis. Other performance niceties include Super RAID configurations, dual fan cooling technology and Thunderbolt 2 connectivity facilitating transfer speeds up to 20 GB/s.
"The WS60 is the perfect workstation for mobile designers and CAD CAM Engineers," said Andy Tung, president of MSI Pan America. "It combines the versatility of an ultrabook with the performance of a workstation and takes it to another level with Thunderbolt connectivity, MSI's Shortcut Manager, and an array of gaming components."
Buyers can choose from two versions of the WS60 as detailed below in the specification table. You can see the differences between the two models concern the 15.6-inch screen's resolution, the SSD/HDD configuration and US$300.
As a workstation the MSI WS60 is certified for use with professional software such as SolidWorks. Also to aid your productivity MSI has endeavoured to provide a responsive and configurable SteelSeries keyboard. In particular, MSI highlights its Shortcut manager which "allows designers and engineers to program keys and combines multiple keys into a single command key, increasing efficiency and speed".
