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MSI GX630 Review March 03, 2009 Brandon Sandman Bell |
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Summary: With GeForce 9600M GT graphics, a 2.0GHz Athlon X2 mobile CPU, and 4GB of DDR2 memory, MSI's GX630 gaming notebook is priced at just $800. The system is surprisingly light as well. Has MSI created the perfect notebook for gamers on a budget? Find out in our review!
 MSI GX630 Review | Page:: ( 1 / 7 ) |
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For the gamer on the go looking to save a little money, the GX630 looks like a winner. But is it too good to be true? Has MSI cut too many corners to get the price below $900? That’s what we’re here today to find out.
Specifications
| MSI GX630 Specs | |
| CPU | AMD Athlon X2 QL-62 2.0GHz Dual-Core Processor |
| Chipset | NVIDIA MCP77 |
| System Memory | 4GB DDR2-667 (2x2GB) |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT 512MB |
| Display | 15.4" WXGA 1280x800 TFT LCD |
| Storage | 250GB 5400 RPM Western Digital Scorpio HDD |
| Audio | Realtek ALC888 |
| USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
| IEEE-1394 | 1 |
| Video Outputs | 1xVGA, 1xHDMI |
| Audio Ports | 1xMic-in, 1xLine-in, 1xHeadphone |
| eSATA/USB Port | 1 |
| Card Reader | 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro) |
| Card Slot | PCI Express Card X 1 |
| Networking | 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet 56k modem Built-in 802.11b/g/n WLAN Card and Bluetooth |
| Battery | 6-cell Li-ion standard, 9-cell optional |
| Webcam | 2.0MPixel |
| Dimensions | 14.1\\"(L) x 10.24 \\"(W) x 1.07\\"~1.22\\"(H) |
| Weight | 5.95 lbs |
| Warranty | 1-year |
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Notes
One of the keys to the GX630’s low price point is their choice of CPU: MSI uses AMD’s Athlon X2 QL-62 CPU. The QL-62 is a dual-core CPU with 512KB of L2 cache per core (1MB total), 1.8GHz HyperTransport (3.6GHz effective), and 25W TDP. While the QL-62 isn’t as powerful as AMD’s latest Turion X2 Ultra processors, it is based on the exact same Griffin core. The key difference is the Turion X2 Ultra CPUs sport higher clock speeds (2.1GHz and up) and also feature a larger 2MB L2 cache (1MB of L2 cache per core).
Because of these differences, the Turion X2 Ultras are more powerful, but they also consume more power, with TDPs ranging between 32-35W depending on the model number. The QL-62 is actually a pretty popular solution among system manufacturers. HP for instance uses it in a number of low-cost notebooks ranging in price from $450-$600.
Of course, as any gamer that’s well versed in hardware should know by now, it’s the GPU plays the most vital role in actual gaming performance rather than the CPU – pair the latest quad-core mobile processor with a GeForce 8400M and see how far that gets you in Crysis – so we don’t fault MSI for skimping a bit on the CPU in order to pair the QL-62 with GeForce 9600M graphics. And besides, with the GX630’s Turbo Mode, you can always OC the processor to run at 2.3GHz for those cases when you need a little more CPU performance.
| 9600M GT Graphics and display | Page:: ( 2 / 7 ) |
The key ingredient to the GX630’s gaming credentials is without a doubt its GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor.
The GeForce 9600M GT is one of NVIDIA’s most popular mobile GPUs due to its combination of price and performance. The chip sports 32 stream processors clocked at 1250MHz, while the rest of the graphics core runs at 500MHz. Paired up to the 9600M GT is 512MB of 800MHz (1.6GHz effective) GDDR3 memory with a 128-bit memory interface.
Based on these specs, the 9600M GT compares most similarly to NVIDIA’s GeForce 9500 GT on the desktop. The 9500 GT features 32 shaders, just like the 9600M GT, and it runs at 550MHz core/1400MHz shaders. Both GPUs also feature a 128-bit memory interface with 800MHz GDDR3.
The 9500 GT isn’t exactly the fastest chip on the block, but as we demonstrated last summer it is capable of running today’s latest games with playable performance as long as you’re willing to compromise a little on the graphics settings. Most games should run fine with midrange settings.
Also keep in mind that the GX630’s 15.4” display maxes out at 1280x800. This prevents the 9600M GT’s 128-bit memory interface from becoming a bottleneck as you’re capped from running at higher resolutions where the GPU is constrained by its available memory bandwidth.
When comparing specs between various inexpensive gaming notebooks from other manufacturers, it’s important to keep in mind that MSI opted for the full spec 9600M GT GPU, and not the 9600M GS, which runs at slower clocks and usually ships with DDR2 memory. It’s an easy mistake that we see a lot of people make that can reap a significant difference in gaming performance.
In terms of upgradeability, the GX630 relies on NVIDIA’s MXM standard, so technically the system’s graphics could be upgraded if the user chooses to do so. In reality though we don’t think this is feasible for anyone outside of MSI’s own labs, as MXM cards are few and far between on the open market, plus you’d need to ensure that the GX630’s cooling would be sufficient for the GPU you’re upgrading to. Graphics upgradeability is a feature that the system manufacturer needs to offer in order for it to truly be a viable solution for gamers and unfortunately at this point MSI doesn’t offer it. Fortunately we had no problems upgrading to NVIDIA’s latest publicly available ForceWare 179.48 driver for notebooks released last month.
NVIDIA deserves huge kudos for delivering the world’s first universal driver for notebooks. This is a feature that’s absolutely vital in today’s age where many of the latest games don’t run properly, or run with poor performance if they don’t have the proper graphics driver. Previously gamers would have to wait months for their manufacturer to provide new drivers, if a new driver was made available at all, so NVIDIA’s decision to provide universal driver updates to the public on a regular basis is of huge importance for any gamer shopping for a new notebook.
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The display
The MSI GX630 relies on a 15.4” TFT LCD display with a max res of 1280x800. Obviously 1280x800 is a bit on the low end of the resolution spectrum, particularly on a 15” notebook, but considering the $800 price tag of the GX630 it’s another concession MSI had to make in order to hit such a low price point.
In terms of performance, the display performs adequately enough for basic gaming and movie watching, but we certainly weren’t blown away by the display’s visuals. Viewing angles were pretty narrow, making off-axis viewing pretty much impossible if you want to watch a movie on the display with a number of friends. The glossy nature of the screen contributes to the problem as well, although honestly glossy screens are common among all notebooks nowadays. Fortunately we didn’t spot a hint of ghosting in any of the games we played.
Overall we’d rate the display as pretty average for this class of notebook.
| Design | Page:: ( 3 / 7 ) |
The top of the GX630’s chassis is based around a brushed aluminum frame that contributes to the system’s light weight. Plastic is only used for the vital parts like the underside of the system and on select parts of the lid, where aluminum could get scratched easily. The red trim is also decked out in plastic.
The black aluminum will collect fingerprints rather easily, but this is pretty common among notebooks today: pretty much everyone is opting for glossy finishes.
The frame of the GX630 feels remarkably solid for an $800 notebook. Honestly we expected compromises here, but it’s pretty apparent that MSI didn’t skimp in this regard: the GX630 sports the same basic frame that MSI uses on their pricier gaming notebooks. The system has very little flex and is remarkably solid considering its light weight.
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The lid on the GX630 is also very well built. It features a latch-less design, simply lift the lid to open the notebook. The hinges on the lid are quite firm – the lid doesn’t budge one millimeter unless you pull on it. Considering the number of times we’ve bumped lids on laptops while walking with it open, this is quite reassuring. At the same time though, the lid isn’t so firm that opening and closing the notebook repeatedly can become a workout. MSI has found that perfect balance between maximizing durability while preserving usability.
Again, considering the $800 price tag and specs of this system, we were expecting to get a cheaply built, all-plastic notebook with lots of flex, but MSI has actually delivered a system with excellent build quality befitting that of a more expensive system.
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An example of this can be found in the quick launch buttons found to the left of the system power button, just above the keyboard. These buttons are all touch-sensitive, merely brush your finger across the button to activate it.
MSI provides touch-sensitive quick launch buttons for turning on/off the integrated wireless, Bluetooth, and the integrated webcam. Blue LEDs are used to indicate when each of these devices is activated. Additional touch-sensitive quick launch buttons are provided for toggling between the GX630’s five power modes (Gaming, Movie, Presentation, Office, and Turbo Battery), enabling or disabling the Turbo function (which automatically OC’s the CPU 300MHz), as well as media playback buttons such as rewind/fast forward, play/pause, stop, etc.
There’s also an additional touch-sensitive button that can be programmed by the user to launch whatever app you’d like.
Ports
The GX630’s minimalist design continues in the port clusters. The back of the GX630 features just two outputs: one VGA and one HDMI output. In addition, the system sports just two dedicated USB ports. A third port actually serves double duty as an eSATA, so you can either use it as a third USB port, or as an eSATA port, but not both. We’d like to see MSI offer a third USB port on the GX630, bringing the grand total of USB devices supported to four. With the proliferation of USB thumb drives and external hard drives, not to mention a dedicated gaming mouse, MP3 player, cell phone, and other accessories, it isn’t hard to run out of USB ports nowadays.
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MSI also provides mini-1394, Ethernet, modem, and audio jacks on the left and right sides of the GX630.
Gaming keyboard?
MSI likes to tout the GX630’s keyboard as designed for gamers, with its highlighted WASD keys and numpad, but we actually think the keyboard is one of the weakest links on the GX630.
While we didn’t have any gripes with the left side of the keyboard, the right half was frustrating at times. You see, in addition to directional arrows, MSI also includes a full numpad on the GX630. This numpad is great for use in Excel, but it takes up a large amount of space and therefore many of the keys on the right side of the keyboard are small.
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In the images above you can see what we’re talking about. See how the comma key is full-sized, but the period key isn’t? You can also see this with the L key and semicolon. The right shift key is also tiny.
It’s the period key that probably caused the most frustration though. Normally simple tasks like typing sentences and entering .com, .org on the end of web addresses becomes a frustrating endeavor, as your brain has to adjust to the fact that the period key is squished in comparison to the other keys right next to it. Meanwhile, you’ll have to use the function key in order to use the home and end keys for navigation.
We’re also not big fans of the location of the left control key. We feel its position should be swapped with the function key, so it can be used more easily with your pinkie when gaming.
In our opinion, MSI should either ditch the numpad or shrink its size significantly so a full-size keyboard can be implemented. After all, a full-size numpad isn’t nearly as important for day-to-day use as a full-sized period and enter key.
| Cooling, audio, battery | Page:: ( 4 / 7 ) |
MSI employs a blower-style fan for cooling these components. Blower-style fans are becoming increasingly popular because they can push a large amount of air without generating a lot of noise. The GX630 is whisper quiet under normal operation. Crank it up to Turbo mode though and the fan will spin faster to compensate for the OC’ed CPU. The system also runs cool for the most part. Heat only becomes noticeable after extended gaming sessions, although this is typical of any gaming notebook.
Audio and videoconferencing
Audio duties are handled by Realtek’s ALC888 CODEC. The ALC888 is a 7.1-channel HD audio CODEC and is used on a number of MSI’s desktop motherboards, including the 790FX-based K9A2 Platinum. It’s no longer Realtek’s flagship audio offering, but it does deliver good audio quality and respectable specs (97dB DAC signal-to-noise ratio, support for Dolby Digital Live, DTS, etc).
Recycling it for use on the GX630 (and other notebooks) certainly helps MSI save money.
MSI pairs the ALC888 with a conventional 2-speaker setup. The sound quality of the speakers is more than good enough for basic Windows duties, although for gaming, you may want to use the provided audio jacks to pair the system up to a dedicated speaker system or headphones. In our opinion, the highs on these speakers are a bit on the tinny side, while the lows lack bass, resulting in flat explosions and shotgun blasts in games.
Considering the $800 price tag of this notebook though you can’t really expect MSI to deliver a high-end 2.1 speaker setup like the ones found on pricier gaming notebooks.
The webcam delivered surprisingly good video quality for Skype. MSI uses a 2.0 megapixel unit, which obviously contributes to their performance here.
The mic is located on the GX630’s palm rest. While this sounds like a less than ideal location (as obviously you may rest your hand on the palm rest), we didn’t have any problems with mic reception.
Battery life
Considering this is a gaming notebook, we weren’t expecting miracles in the battery life department, as discrete graphics can take a huge chunk out of the battery’s available power, however we were surprised to see the GX630 system run out of juice at the 1:34 mark after basic desktop use. Gaming shaved this figure down to just 46 minutes.
This is definitely less than we expected, and quite frankly, we’re really not sure why the system performed so poorly in this regard.
Software
MSI ships the GX630 with a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium x86 (32-bit), as well as 60-day trial versions of Office and Norton Antivirus. That’s it. There’s really no bloatware or other annoying software programs that load up upon system bootup.
MSI also includes their own software for the webcam, but this is an optional program that you’ll have to manually install yourself; MSI doesn’t force it on you.
Honestly we were a little surprised to see MSI ship the GX630 with 32-bit Vista, as this will limit you to 4GB of memory. If you want to upgrade to 8GB or more memory at some point in the future, you’ll have to purchase a 64-bit OS.
| Performance benchmarks | Page:: ( 5 / 7 ) |
Notes
With its GeForce 9600M GT, the GX630 put up respectable numbers in the games we tested: 30-32 fps in Crysis, over 40 fps in Fallout 3, and 30 fps in Far Cry 2, all with moderate or in the case of Fallout 3, high settings. Turning on turbo mode yielded mixed results, in Left 4 Dead and Crysis performance improved by about 5%, while the other games yielded no performance gains.
One thing we noticed about the GX630’s turbo mode during this testing is that it won’t always allow itself to be turned on. If the CPU temp is too high, the GX630 will automatically disable turbo mode in order to keep temps in check.
| Ballistics Report | Page:: ( 6 / 7 ) |
Specs, specs, specs: For an $800 notebook, MSI’s GX630 sports very impressive credentials. For starters, gamers will appreciate the GX630’s GeForce 9600M GT graphics. The 9600M GT features a 32-shader architecture, with higher clock speeds than many other similarly-priced notebooks that are outfitted with 9600M GS or 9400M graphics (not to mention faster GDDR3 memory). But the GX630’s impressive spec list doesn’t stop there.
MSI has also outfitted the system with 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory. As any enthusiast will tell you, 4GB really is the sweet spot when it comes to price/performance right now. Vista in particular really begins to shine with 4GB of RAM. The system also features a 2.0GHz Athlon X2 QL-62 processor, 250GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, Bluetooth, and 2.0 megapixel webcam.
Price tag: Obviously the GX630 system’s $799.99 price tag is its second most distinctive feature. Never before has a gaming notebook with these kinds of specs been offered at a price tag this low. Dell’s popular XPS M1530 now starts at $999 and features slower GeForce 8600M graphics, while ASUS gaming systems with GeForce graphics start at about $1,000 and weighs a little more than the GX630.
Now sure, both of these systems ship with faster Core 2 CPUs, but as we’ve showed you time and time again, the GPU plays a greater role in gaming performance than the CPU. So it’s okay that MSI skimped a little on the processor in order to bring the GX630 to such a low price.
Aluminum chassis: Okay, so you’re impressed with the specs and the price tag of MSI’s GX630 notebook. If you’re like us, you would figure they accomplished this by housing everything in a cheap, all-plastic, hulk of a chassis. However the opposite is actually the case.
MSI uses the exact same brushed aluminum housing that they use on more expensive gaming notebooks.
Measuring in at 14" long, 10.2" wide and 1.22" tall, and weighing in at 5.9 pounds, the GX630 is also pretty diminutive.
Low noise/Cooling: As long as you keep the Tubo mode setting off, the GX630 generates very little noise. The GX630’s cooling subsystem also does a great job of dissipating heat.
Cons
Keyboard layout: By integrating a full-size numeric pad on such a diminutive chassis, MSI’s forced to sacrifice space somewhere, and unfortunately the sacrificial keys they’ve chosen to squish are some of the most commonly used keys on your keyboard: the enter key and the period key. In our opinion, MSI should have shrunk the numpad in order to integrate a full-sized keyboard, or skipped the numpad entirely.
This is definitely the GX630’s biggest weakness.
Wireless range: We had problems maintaining wireless signal at longer ranges that worked with other notebooks (albeit with poor signal strength). The problems went away once we dropped in a Netgear 802.11g wireless USB network adapter, confirming that the GX630’s wireless range is a little weaker than average.
Battery life: The GX630’s battery life was weaker than we expected, with the system’s battery draining in just 94 minutes in our testing. An average system in this class of notebook would typically deliver at least two hours of battery life.
Windows Vista 32-bit?: Unfortunately MSI ships the GX630 with a copy of Vista 32-bit. Windows Vista 32-bit supports up to 4GB of memory max, anything beyond that and you’re wasting your money. As a result, you’ve basically got no upgrade path for RAM unless you’re willing to also upgrade to 64-bit Vista.
| Final Verdict | Page:: ( 7 / 7 ) |
FiringSquad says:
The system’s most notable feature is its GeForce 9600M GT graphics. The 9600M GT ships with 32 stream processors clocked at 1.25GHz, while its 512MB of GDDR3 memory runs at 800MHz. It’s not NVIDIA’s fastest mobile GPU, but it does have enough horsepower to run today’s games at respectable frame rates if you’re willing to turn down the settings a little. The 1280x800 max res of the GX630 display actually helps here, as the 9600M GT really isn’t powerful enough to drive higher resolutions unless you’re willing to turn down graphics settings even further.
MSI pairs the 9600M GT with AMD’s Athlon X2 QL-62 mobile processor. This is a 2.0GHz Griffin part with 1MB of L2 cache and complements the 9600M GT well.
Besides the gaming performance, the system also sports a stylish brushed aluminum chassis that also happens to be fairly slim and lightweight, especially considering the system’s price tag and the hardware found inside: we’ve seen 15.4” notebooks with integrated graphics that are larger and heavier than the GX630. MSI also does an excellent job of combating heat while also keeping noise to a minimum.
MSI then finishes the package off with 4GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, 2.0 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth, and 802.11 b/g/n wireless networking.
There are a couple of quirks with the GX630 however. The keyboard is a huge weakness. MSI opted to include a full size numeric pad rather than a full-size keyboard for typing. You’ll appreciate the full-size numpad when doing your tax returns, but absolutely curse the keyboard when typing up documents or browsing the internet.
Now which do you do more often? Unless you’re an accountant, we think most users would appreciate a full-size keyboard over a full-size numpad.
Wireless range and battery life were also weaker than we expected. MSI also ships the system with a copy of Vista 32-bit, making RAM upgrades a worthless endeavor unless you’re willing to upgrade to a 64-bit OS.
These cons are forgiven though once you factor in the GX630’s $799.99 price tag. This is well over $100 less than other GeForce 9600M GT notebooks on Newegg – in fact the closest competitor is MSI’s own $950 GX620, which swaps out the AMD CPU with a Core 2 Duo from Intel and slightly larger HDD. ASUS’ lowest offering is a $1,000 notebook that’s heavier, but ships with faster GeForce 9650M GT graphics.
Because of its excellent price/performance ratio, we’re awarding MSI’s GX630 with our Bull’s Eye Award. At $800, no other gaming notebook delivers a better value than the GX630. Now sure, you could splurge and get a notebook with more powerful graphics and/or CPU, but in these hard economic times, saving money is more paramount than ever. The GX630 has arrived at just the right time to appeal to those gamers on a budget who can appreciate this.