Posts Tagged ‘ msi

MSI CX620 review – English

Romanian version here.

CPU – Intel Core i5 430M
RAM – 2x2GB DDR3
HDD – Western Digital 500GB
15.6″ WXGA display, integrated Intel HD Graphics, discrete 1GB ATI HD5470 graphics.
Misc: Wireless draft-n, 1.3mpx webcam, card reader etc.

The package also contained a 6-cell battery, 65W charger, certificates, driver CD, English manual, Romanian manual, Hindu manual etc.

It has a minimalistic look, the build quality is over average. The battery has a support peg on itself so the laptop is quite unstable if it’s removed. The lid is a fingerprint magnet, it also flexes ~0.2cms [~0.08 in] if pressed around the msi logo.

            

            

            

The CPU is based on the Nehalem architecture, being an Intel i5 430M, created using the new 32nm procedure, its frequency stays between 2.26 and 2.5 GHz. It also, if needed, underclocks itself to save battery. It has a DDR3-1066 memory controller and integrated Intel HD Graphics. Both are made using the 45nm procedure. [Give me a better word than 'procedure' and I'll use it]
We can also find two Kreton 2GB DDR3-1066 modules and a 500GB 5400rpm Western Digital HDD.
The WEI result is a 5.8, the HDD dragging it back.

            

It can seamlessly run HD movies, photo/movie editing applications. It can also run most games on medium-to-high details.
It has a 1366×768 15.6″ LED display. Visibility angles are good, no dead pixels here.

The keyboard is a chiclet keyboard and it’s ‘just another beauty’, it also has a numeric keypad.
The touchpad works fine using the W7 driver, nothing special about it. Above the display we can see a 1.3mpx webcam, good in high luminosity conditions but under average when we can’t get enough light, settings can be tempered with to give a better image.
The mic is situated in the right of the webcam.
The wireless works fine, having a full signal bar anywhere in the apartament [using a Cisco EPC2425 router].

The notebook has 3 USB 2.0 ports, one being an USB/eSata combo, it also has a VGA, an hdmi, a 3.5mm line-in and a 3.5mm line-out port. It also has an ethernet port and 34mm Expresscard slot. The charger plug is on its back.

The sound is delivered using two speakers, both situated in the front of the laptop. The frequency response is under average, one time somebody asked me if I listened to radio [he didn't notice the laptop in front of me]. Decent if you don’t have other speakers or headphones. The sound delivered through the 3.5mm port is strong and crisp.

Cooling-wise, when the integrated Intel graphics are on, the CPU stays around 30°C [86°F]. When the ATI discrete graphics are on, the CPU reaches just under 50°C [122°F]. The graphics card also reaches 70°C [158°F] yet the coolers do their job. The left part of the keyboard tends to heat up during high-cpu/gpu load, as the heatsink is just under it. Do not put your ethernet cable [or chocolate for that matter, I did it, not a pretty sight] in front of the exhaust, it gets extremely hot, the ethernet cable will dilate during high load. No performance drops were noticed during high-temps.

The battery’s lifetime is just under 3 hours in everyday office/wireless browsing using style.

The CD [and msi's website] includes w7 drivers [they also work on w7 x64], no errors during installation.

It’s a good notebook for its price, yet the speakers, webcam, glossy plastic and [sometimes] the warm-to-hot keyboard are drawbacks.

MSI CX620 review – Romanian

Click here for the English review.

Nu, n-am murit, abia a fost ziua mea mai devreme luna asta si de vreo 2 luni am laptop avion, review time:

Procesor – Intel Core i5 430M
Memorie – 2x2GB DDR3
Stocare – Western Digital 500GB
Afisaj 15.6″ WXGA, accelerator grafic integrat Intel HD Graphics si accelerator grafic dedicat ATI HD5470
Restul, Wireless draft-n, webcam de 1.3mpx, card reader etc.

In pachet, impreuna cu laptopul, se afla un acumulator cu 6 celule, alimentator de 65W, certificate de testare, manual in engleza, romana, alte 20 de limbi, CD cu drivere si aplicatii, spam de oferte.

Cat despre design si calitatea materialelor, are un look minimalist, calitatea materialelor e peste medie, desi nu impresioneaza prea tare. Carcasa e stabila doar in timp ce laptopul are bateria in el [are un piciorus de suport fix pe acumulator]. Capacul e un fingerprint magnet si flexeaza ~0.2cm daca e apasat in jurul siglei msi.


            

            

            

Procesorul notebook-ului e bazat pe arhitectura Nehalem, avand un procesor Intel i5 430M care in general sta intre 2.26 si 2.5 GHz, fabricat in noul proces de 32nm, se underclockeaza la nevoie pentru a salva energie. Procesorul are incorporat un controller de memorie DDR3-1066 si un accelerator grafic Intel HD cu memorie shared. Controllerul si acceleratorul sunt fabricate la 45nm.
Mai departe se gasesc doua module de 2GB DDR3-1066 produse de Kreton si un HDD Western Digital de 500GB, care ruleaza la 5400rpm.
Scoate un Windows Experience Index de 5.8, datorita hardului.

            

Ruleaza fara probleme filme HD, aplicatii de editare grafica, foto etc. Majoritatea jocurilor merg perfect pe optiuni de detalii inalte.
Afisajul masoara 15.6″ in diagonala, iluminat cu leduri si prezinta o rezolutie de 1366×768. Unghiurile de vizibilitate sunt bune, nu am dat de vre-un pixel mort.

Tastatura cu taste indepartate (chiclet) e ‘just another beauty’, e o tastatura ‘intreaga’, avand si un numeric pad.
Touchpad-ul merge usor, driver incorporat in W7, in rest nimic special. Deasupra afisajului exista o camera web de 1.3mpx care e buna in conditii de luminozitate mare dar in conditii unde lumina e redusa e cel mult acceptabila. Per total e decenta.
Microfonul e situat la dreapta webcam-ului [desi desteptii de pe cel.ro ziceau ca n-are, sunt bine informati, ce mai?].
Placa de retea wireless merge perfect, avand semnal full oriunde in apartament folosind routerul celor de la UPC. Placa de retea wired merge bine, la fel si card reader-ul si modulul Bluetooth.

Laptop-ul are in dotare 3 porturi USB 2.0, printre care unul e combo USB/eSata, un port VGA, un port hdmi, o intrare audio de 3.5mm si o iesire tot de 3.5mm, port ethernet, slot de Expresscard de 34mm si mufa de alimentare. Portul de LAN, porturile audio, card readerul si slot-ul de Express card aflandu-se pe partea stanga, un port USB si DVD-RW-ul pe partea dreapta, 2 porturi usb [printre care si combo-ul eSata], precum si portul hdmi si vga in spate.

Sunetul e asigurat de 2 difuzoare aflate in partea din fata a laptop-ului, e in mare parte sub medie, la un moment dat ma intreba cineva daca ascult la radio muzica, sunt acceptabile cand nu ai casti sau altceva.
Sunetul difuzat prin jack-ul de 3.5mm e puternic, fara distorsionare [ceea ce nu se putea spune despre sunetul din desktop-ul meu vechi de peste 9000 de ani].

Cat despre racire, cand ruleaza placa video intel, procesorul se tine sub 30 de grade [fiind incorporata in el]. In schimb, cand ruleaza placa video ATI la sarcini mari, coolerele accelereaza imediat, tinand procesorul sub 50 de grade si placa video sub 70. Partea din stanga a tastaturii se incalzeste datorita heatsink-ului de sub ea. Nu e recomandat sa aveti cablul de net trecand prin fata exhaustului, mie mi s-a dilatat un pic datorita caldurii emanate.
In schimb, nu s-a sesizat nici o schimbare de performanta, de la 20 de grade la cele 70 ale placii video.

Rezista un pic mai putin de 3 ore in regim office/wireless browsing.

Pe CD-ul primit precum si pe website-ul MSI se gasesc doar drivere pentru Windows 7, merg pe W7 x64 fara nici o problema, toate s-au instalat fara erori.

Exceleaza la unele capitole, dar are si minusurile lui, precum difuzoarele, webcam-ul, carcasa din plastic lucios si uneori temperatura, desi tastatura nu se incinge asa de tare, poate sa ti se incalzeasca mana de numa’ daca o tii in dreptul exhaustului.

Nu ma astept sa ii pese cuiva de review, l-am facut doar pt ca si eu am cautat review-uri in disperare si n-am gasit. Sper sa-i fie de folos cuiva.

In before ‘hai ca te dai mare’.

PS: Daca are cineva propuneri de un laptop bag, let me know, am vrut sa-mi iau asta dar laptopul meu e cu 1cm mai lung decat compartimentul interior si nu vreau sa risc sa dau banii degeaba.

 

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