We'll tell you what MSI showed at gamescom 2017.

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Iron shop

MSI knows his audience well, and therefore does not miss a single major gaming event. At gamescom 2017, the Taiwanese company had a large booth with a stage where anyone could play League of Legends in 5v5 mode, and each match was commentated by a professional caster. However, the neighboring zone turned out to be much more interesting, where MSI showed her new “iron” products.

Trident 3 Arctic

CPU	Intel Core i7-7700 3.6-4.2 GHz 8M Cache
Chipset	H110
Video card	MSI GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5
Memory	SO-DIMM DDR4 2133 MHz 16 GB (8GB*2)
Ports (front)	1 x Mic in, 1 x Audio Out 2 x USB 3.1 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C 1 x VR Link (HDMI in)
Ports (rear)	1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A 4 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI-out 1 x VR Link (HDMI in) 3 x OFC Audio jacks 1 x RJ45
Disk subsystem	256 GB M.2 SATA SSD + 1 TB 7200RPM HDD
operating system	Windows 10 Home
power unit	330W
Dimensions	346.2 mm x 71.9 mm x 232.4 mm (without stand)
Weight	3.13 kg
Price	~110,000 rubles

Trident 3 Arctic - This is a full-fledged gaming PC in a small package. If you calculate the volume by maximum dimensions, it turns out to be a little more than five and a half liters. But this baby is equipped with an Intel Core i7-7700 processor, a GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 video card and 16 GB of RAM. The final configuration allows you to comfortably play almost all modern games at high graphics settings.

True, such hardware in a narrow case will have to operate at extreme temperatures, but MSI claims that it has thought through the case cooling system. The company's engineers divided it into two parts so that the air flows for the video card and the processor arrive separately, without mixing in the process.

Trident 3 Arctic leaves the feeling that MSI couldn't take its eye on the console market, so it decided to design its own. A lot speaks about this: small form factor, the ability to install in any position, a connector for VR devices on the front panel...

Perhaps MSI is following the fashion trend that the market is pushing, because after the failure of Steam Machines, a lot of gaming stations and small form factor chassis appeared. However, such computers are not yet popular in the CIS countries.

Aegis Ti3

CPU	Intel Core i7-7700K
Chipset	Intel Z270
Cooling system	Exclusive Silent Storm Cooling 3 Pro
Video card	2 x MSI GTX 1080 Gaming 8GB GDDR5X SLI
Memory	4 x SO-DIMMs DDR4 2400 MHz expandable up to 64 GB
Ports (front)	1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A (with Super Charger 2) 1 x Mic-in / 1 x Headphone-out 1 x HDMI-out (VR Link)
Ports (rear)	2 x USB 2.0 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A 1 x HDMI-out 1 x HDMI-in (connect Graphic card and front VR-Link port) 5 x OFC Audio jacks 1 x S/PDIF 2 x WiFi Antenna connectors 1 x RJ45 LAN 1 x Gaming device port (PS/2)
Disk subsystem	3 x M.2 SSD (1 x Auto Switch, 1 x Intel Optane support, 1 x PCIe Only) 1 x 2.5" HDD 2 x 3.5" HDD
operating system	Windows 10 Home
power unit	850 W 80 Plus Platinum (ATX)
Dimensions	195 mm x 510 mm x 506 mm
Weight	19.9 kg
Price	~250,000 rubles

Last year we already tested a similar computer and were delighted, and Ti3- this is the next iteration of the series development Aegis. The PC stands out for its unusual design solutions: the video cards are arranged non-standardly, the cooling system always remains quiet, and the power supply is moved to the rack (leg) and does not affect the temperature of the video cards and processor. At the same time, the PC can be easily upgraded. The only thing that scares me is the price of about 250 thousand rubles.

Infinite A

Technical characteristics of the top-end configuration (updated!)
CPU	Intel Core i7-7700 3.6-4.2 GHz 8M Cache
Chipset	Intel B250
Cooling system	Silent Storm Cooling 3
Video card	MSI GTX 1080 Gaming 8GB GDDR5Х
Memory	2 x 8GB DDR4-2400MHz expandable up to 64GB
Ports (front)	1 x USB3.1 Gen 1 Type C 1 x USB3.1 Gen 1 Type A 1 x USB2.0 1 x HDMI out (VR Link) 1 x Mic-in + 1 x Headphone-out
Ports (rear)	3 x Audio jacks 1 x RJ45 2 x PS/2 2 x USB2.0 2 x USB3.1 Gen1 Type A 1 x HDMI-out 1 x DVI-D 1 x HDMI-In (VR-Link)
Ports (video card)	3 x Display Ports (v1.4) 1 x HDMI-out (v2.0) 1 x DVI-D
Disk subsystem	1 x M.2 256GB SSD 1 x 3.5" 2TB SATA3 7200rpm HDD + 1 x 3.5" slot 1 x 2.5" slot
operating system	Windows 10 Home
power unit	550 W 80 Plus Bronze(ATX)
Dimensions	210 mm x 450 mm x 488 mm
Weight	15 kg
Price	~110,000 rubles for assembly with GTX 1070 8GB

Series Infinite was presented MSI at Computex 2017. MSI continues to follow the trend and now has a full build with a tempered glass side panel. By characteristics Infinite A look like Trident 3 Arctic.

Its main difference lies in the video card: an MSI GTX 1080 Gaming with 8 GB GDDR5X is installed here. The graphics adapter is mounted vertically, and for good reason. First of all, it's beautiful. Secondly, MSI has thus divided the case into three parts, and in them each component (power supply, video card, processor) is cooled separately.

Of all the builds, Infinite A looks the most attractive: it looks aggressive, there is RGB lighting on the front side with a printed circuit board pattern, there is tempered glass, but the body does not seem pretentious. I wonder how much such a PC will cost, because its price has not yet been announced.
UPD: An official representative of MSI confirmed that the assembly with the GTX 1070 8GB will cost about 110,000 rubles, with the GTX 1060 6GB - 100,000 rubles. There is no information yet about whether Infinite A with a GTX 1080 8GB on board will appear in Russia.

GE63VR Raider and GT75VR Titan

At gamescom 2017, MSI introduced several new gaming laptops. First - MSI GE63VR Raider. The laptop has a fully customizable keyboard backlight - you can set your own color for each key. MSI placed special emphasis on the sound system: large speakers from Dynaudio. The laptop is already on sale and will be available in two versions: with 15.6 and 17.3 inch screens.

Technical characteristics of the top configuration MSI GE63VR Raider
CPU	Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8 – 3.8 Ghz w/ Turbo Boost
Chipset	HM175
Video card	MSI GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5
Display	15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 120 Hz, 3ms, Wide-View 17.3" FHD (1920x1080), 120 Hz, 5ms, Wide-View
Memory	16 GB (16G*1) DDR4 2400 MHz
Ports	4 x USB 3.0 4 x USB Type-C 3.1 1 x HDMI (supports 4K@60hz) 1 x mDP 1.2 3.5 mm jack
Disk subsystem	512 GB SSD M.2 SATA + 1 TB (7200RPM)
operating system	Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
power unit	230 W
Dimensions	383 mm x 260 mm x 27.5 mm
Weight	2.39 kg
Price	~140,000 rubles

The second new product was MSI GT75VR Titan. This is one of the most powerful laptops on the market. It is sold in several configurations: either with one GTX 1080 or with two GTX 1070 in SLI. As with the Raider, the key backlighting is fully customizable, only the keyboard also has mechanical switches SteelSeries Rapid. Before this, MSI had already released laptops with mechanics, but this time they made it a little thinner, thereby reducing the thickness of the laptop.

Technical characteristics of the top configuration MSI GT75VR Titan
CPU	Intel Core i7-7820HK 2.9 – 3.9 GHz w/ Turbo Boost
Chipset	HM175
Video card	MSI GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5x
Display	17.3" UHD (3840x2160), 120 Hz, 3ms, Wide-View
Memory	32 GB (16G*2) DDR4 2400 MHz
Ports	5 x USB 3.0 1 x Thunderbolt 3 1 x HDMI (supports 4K@30hz) 1 x mDP 1.2 3.5 mm jack
Disk subsystem	Super RAID 1TB SSD M.2 SATA +1TB 7200rpm
operating system	Windows 10 Pro
power unit	330W
Dimensions	428mm x 314mm x 31~58mm
Weight	4.56 kg
Price	~250,000 rubles

Of course, that's not all that MSI brought to gamescom. They also showed the motherboard X399 Gaming PRO Carbon AC compatible with Ryzen Threadripper, and MSI GTX 1080 TI Lightning Z is an absolutely amazing graphics card that we hope to test soon. In the meantime, we are waiting for news about non-reference versions of Vega from MSI - they should appear very soon.

What does each of us mean by the concept of a “good gaming laptop”? Is it a modern filling, an interesting design, an excellent screen? Yes, but first of all, this is an opportunity to install the latest game, set the highest settings, or those close to them, and have fun. It is the pleasure from the process itself, and for this you need an appropriate computer. We have already selected, today we will go further and look at what even more modern, powerful and promising stores offer us.

Criterias of choice

As usual, let's start with the “hanger”. In order not to try to embrace the immensity, let’s narrow down the list of models of interest a little. We are still approaching the middle of '17, and this is the time of 7th generation Kaby Lake processors and Pascal family video processors. So we’ll limit ourselves to this, i.e., let’s look at laptop models that have a GeForce 10xx video card installed on board.

Perhaps this will be the only limitation. Remember when we talked about fun, the highest settings and modern games? This means you understand that you have to pay for pleasure, and therefore we will not make any restrictions on price.

I will not take into account the battery capacity and battery life, because I think that for a gaming laptop the battery rather serves as an uninterruptible power supply, nothing more.

As usual, we will not take into account the design, level of development of branded service, and brand reliability. Our goal is to determine the optimal combination of performance and price. We will start from a certain basic configuration with a minimum price, and then let’s see how it goes.

Processor, video card and everything else...

I have already expressed my opinion on the relevance of using processors, i.e. with low energy consumption. This series still has a place in junior gaming laptops, but when it comes to truly powerful machines, a processor capable of providing the appropriate performance is required.

All laptops that we will consider have processors from the “HK” and “HQ” series, i.e., full-fledged 4-core “stones” designed for such loads. The latest two generations of CPUs are installed, i.e. Skylake and Kaby Lake.

Does it make sense to strive specifically for the 7th generation of processors? According to tests, they are faster by a maximum of 10%, and given the difference in price, whether it makes sense to overpay interest for this is up to you to decide. On the other hand, the latest generation introduced official support for faster DDR4-2400 memory. How much better is this? I think if you collect all these percentages bit by bit, then you may well gain a couple of FPS, or even more.

Acer

Predator G9-593

The 15-inch FullHD IPS gaming laptop, in the simplest configuration, has an i5 6300HQ, 16 GB of RAM, and a GeForce 1060 video card with 6 GB GDDR5. Cost – approximately 115,000 rubles. Comes with Linux OS.

The top-end configuration includes a GeForce 1070 video card with 8 GB of video memory and an SSD drive. This adds about 30,000 to the price.

The model does not have clear advantages, given the presence of serious competitors.

Predator G9-793

17-inch gaming laptop model. Prices start at around 130,000. For this amount you will get an i5 6300HQ, 16 GB RAM, GeForce 1070 with 8 GB GDDR5, 128 GB SSD. The top version with i7 6700HQ, 32 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD will cost approximately 210,000 rubles.

One of the features is the presence of 2 M.2 connectors, one of which operates on the PCIe bus (with SATA support), and the second - only SATA. If you install 2 SATA drives, they can be combined into a RAID. The location of these connectors is a little confusing - one under the other, and the one in which you can install PCIe SSD drives is located under the SATA drive. Considering that high-speed SSDs are prone to heating, will this drive not work under the most optimal conditions?

ASUS

FX502VM and GL502VM

It makes sense to consider these two hypostases of the same model together. The FX series are rather all-rounders with gaming capabilities, while the GL are full-fledged gaming models. These laptops have very similar internal structures. We can say that the FX502VM is a budget version of the GL502VM model.

This is a way to get almost everything the same, but a little cheaper. This “almost” included a 2-fold reduction (from 6 to 3 GB) of video memory in the GeForce 1060, the absence and, perhaps most importantly, the replacement of an IPS screen with a not-so-best TN. If the lack of a USB port and the reduction in video memory are not very upsetting, then the low quality of the screen may be a reason to refuse the purchase.

If we talk about prices, then the FX502VM-DM105T with i7 6700HQ and 8 GB of memory costs approximately 80,000 rubles. Doubling the memory capacity and a pre-installed 256 GB SSD increases the price by about 20 thousand rubles.

The cheapest GL502VM in the FY043T modification, equipped with an i5 6300HQ, with the same amount of memory and 6 GB of video memory will cost about 89,000 rubles. Don't forget about the much better screen and USB Type-C, for those who care. The only thing that confuses me is whether the i5 capabilities are enough for the video card being used? I think it's better to pay attention to the i7 processor.

The M.2 connector runs on the SATA III bus, so you can't expect the impressive performance that the PCIe bus can provide. For a universal laptop, this is an insignificant drawback, but when it comes to games, about using all the capabilities of the computer, then half measures look somehow inappropriate.

In general, this is a budget option for a gaming laptop for those on a budget, although with very good capabilities.

GL553VD(VE)

15-inch model with a 1050 (GL553VD) or 1050 Ti (GL553VE) video card. We can say that this is the budget model being considered today. The low-end configuration uses an i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, without an SSD, but with the possibility of installation. This pleasure costs about 70,000 rubles. In my opinion, this model is somewhat overrated, because there are very interesting competitors.

G752VM(VS)

17-inch gaming series laptops. They differ in the video card, in VM - GeForce 1060, and in VS - GeForce 1070. The younger modification G752VM uses an i7 6700HQ, 8 GB of memory (maximum 64 GB), a pre-installed 128 GB SSD. Cost – approximately 120,000 rubles.

G752VS in a minimal configuration, similar to the previous one, costs about 140,000 rubles. The most powerful option, with 64 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD and a 4K resolution screen, will cost about 210,000 rubles. Considering the configuration, this is a very interesting option.

Laptops have 2 M.2 slots for installing SSDs, which can be combined into RAID. In this case, a traditional hard drive is also used.

By the way, the updated 753 series on Kaby Lake processors is coming.

GL702VM

To some extent, we can call this model a lightweight version of the previous one. The 752 looks impressive, weighs more than 4 kg and gives the impression of not just a laptop, but a truly gaming model, a sort of Porthos in the Asus family of gaming laptops. At the same time, the GL702VM - with the same 17 inches IPS, the same i7 6700HQ processor - is a sophisticated Aramis, weighing just over 2.5 kg and a body less than 30 mm thick. By game standards - skinny. The video card is a full-fledged GeForce 1060.

All this elegance raises only one concern - will it overheat under heavy loads? In this regard, increasing the thickness of the case allows for a more efficient cooling system. Otherwise, this is one of the best deals on a 17-inch gaming laptop.

The basic modification without SSD will cost a little more than 100,000 rubles. A solid-state drive (by the way, on a PCIe bus), a screen with a 4K resolution (3840x2160) will increase the price by 35 thousand.

Dell

Inspiron 7567

“A gaming laptop for every home” - this could probably be a slogan attached to this model. Judge for yourself: i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, GeForce 1050, caching 8 GB SSD (which means you can replace it with a more capacious one and make it a system one, albeit running on the SATA bus). And all this pleasure is estimated at about 50,000 rubles.

The somewhat blissful picture is darkened by the unimportant TN screen and the absence of the newfangled USB Type-C. Otherwise, it is a good competitor to the Asus 502 model, especially if you choose a modification, for example, 8821, which uses an i7 7700HQ processor, and the video card is slightly better than the GeForce 1050 Ti. In terms of performance it is almost equal to Asus, but in terms of price it is significantly superior. You just need to remember that Windows OS is not included in the package, and you will have to install it yourself.

XPS 15

This laptop is fashionable, designer, prestigious, pretentious, “for showing off” - whatever you want, but it is NOT a gaming model, even despite the i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, GeForce 1050, M.2 for the PCIe bus, excellent FullHD (or 4K) IPS screen and other “goodies” such as USB Type-C, thin frames around the screen. The basic modification costs about 90,000 rubles. A 4K screen with multi-touch, i7 7700HQ and 512 GB SSD increase the price by about 25 thousand.

If you like to make an impression with an elegant thing when you take it out of the wide legs of a backpack or leather bag, then this is definitely the model you need, especially since the performance is very high. If the goal is games, both at high and ultra-high settings, then a thin case and a rather weak video card are no longer very suitable for this.

HP

Pavilion Gaming 15

Entry-level gaming laptop in a business suit. The “Gaming” prefix for the Pavilion series indicates the laptop’s readiness for virtual battles. For a configuration with i7 7700HQ, 12 GB of memory, 256 GB SSD, GeForce 1050 with 4 GB of memory and a 4K screen they are asking about 80,000 rubles. M.2 runs on the SATA bus. The video card’s capabilities may not be enough for the highest settings in modern games, but overall it’s a balanced solution at an attractive price.

Pavilion Gaming 17

Essentially the same filling as the previous model, but with a 17-inch screen and FullHD resolution. In a configuration with i7 7700HQ, 12 GB of memory, 128 GB SSD, GeForce 1050 with 4 GB of memory costs approximately 90,000 rubles. Perhaps you should think about whether you really need 4K resolution on a 15-inch monitor and, by adding about 10 thousand rubles, treat yourself to a larger screen.

Omen 15 (Omen 17)

As in the case of Pavilion, we have two incarnations of one model, housed in different cases with screens of 15 and 17 inches, respectively. The simplest modification with i5 7300HQ, 6 GB, GeForce 1050 with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and a FullHD screen will cost about 66,000 rubles. The only thing that confuses me is the small amount of video memory, which is not the most powerful graphics card. And the lack of USB Type-C looks somehow undignified. The cost of a 17-inch model with a similar configuration is only 3000 more, which cannot but attract attention.

The top-end HP Omen 17 with i7 7700HQ, 4K screen, GeForce 1070 with 8 GB of memory, 16 GB RAM and 256 GB PCIe SSD at least doubles the price.

Lenovo

Legion Y520-15

A whole series of inexpensive gaming laptops with a large number of modifications. The basic version with i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, 500 GB hard drive, FullHD IPS screen and GeForce 1050 video card with 2 GB of memory will cost only about 58,000 rubles. Let's not forget that it is possible to equip the laptop with an M.2 PCIe SSD drive; there is even the newfangled USB Type-C. The result is a very serious competitor to the Dell Inspiron 7567 described above.

This Lenovo modification has a slightly weaker video card due to less memory, but a good matrix is ​​initially installed, which cannot be compared with the one found in Dell.

The top modification with i7 7700HQ, 16 GB of memory, 128 GB SSD, GeForce 1050 Ti with 4 GB of memory will cost only 88,000 rubles.

Legion Y720-15

In principle, we can say that the technology is the same as the previous model, but with a GeForce 1060 video card with 6 GB. There are no cuts in the form of reduced video memory, as we saw from Asus. The price for the basic package is approximately 73,000. Naturally, a 500 GB disk will not impress with performance, therefore installing an SSD is highly recommended. Fortunately, there is somewhere to install it, since there is an M.2 connector.

The top modification for approximately 125,000 rubles will have a 512 GB SSD, an i7 7700HQ processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a terabyte disk.

IdeaPad Y910-17

In one of the simplest configurations, the 80V1000GRK is equipped with an i7 6700HQ, 16 GB of memory (with a maximum of 62 GB), a GeForce 1070 with 8 GB of memory, a PCIe SSD drive and a FullHD IPS screen. A sort of classic set of high-performance gaming laptop, also with a mechanical keyboard. Naturally, the price cannot be low and is approximately 150,000 rubles. And don’t forget about a possible upgrade.

The top-end configuration is equipped with an i7 6820HK processor, 32 GB of memory, the same screen as the base version, and a 1 TB SSD. Here it should be clarified that the laptop is equipped with 2 M.2 connectors, and when installing 2 SSD drives with a capacity of 512 GB, they can be combined into RAID0, which ultimately gives 1 TB and impressive performance.

And one moment. For the first time we see the processor in the “HK” version here. What these letters mean is in, but let me remind you that the letter “K” means an unlocked multiplier, which allows you to overclock. So, this particular processor was not chosen by chance. The laptop is equipped with a button with the magical name “Turbo”, which is used to overclock, i.e. increase the frequency of the processor.

If we talk about prices, the numbers are already approaching 200,000, but it's worth it.

MSI

GP62 Leopard (Pro)

The company's most inexpensive gaming laptops. The base includes an i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, a GeForce 1050 with 2 GB of memory will cost about 60,000 rubles. Doesn't remind you of anything? Namely, this is a direct competitor to the Legion Y520-15 from Lenovo. The asset includes an M.2 connector on the PCIe bus, USB Type-C, an IPS screen, and a sound system with a woofer.

In the top configuration, the processor is already i7 7700HQ, there is a 128 GB SSD. Cost – about 78,000 rubles.

GP72 Leopard (Pro)

A very extensive series with a large number of modifications. Much like the GP62, but with a 17-inch screen. Prices start at approximately 68,000 rubles. For this money, the basic configuration will include: i5 7300HQ, 8 GB of memory, GeForce 1050 with 2 GB, the screen, however, is not the best, just a TN matrix. Therefore, it makes sense to look for another modification with a display made using IPS technology.

The top modification, which costs more than 90,000 rubles, has an i7 7700HQ, 16 GB of memory, a GeForce 1060 video card, although, like Asus, with memory reduced to 3 GB, as well as a 128 GB SSD with a PCIe interface. An interesting offer, worth paying attention to.

GE62 Apache Pro

15-inch IPS screen, i7 7700HQ processor, 8 GB of memory, 128 GB SSD, and the M.2 connector runs on the PCIe bus. GeForce 1050 Ti 4 GB – all this is the basic package at a price of approximately 87,000 rubles. The top configuration offers, for an amount slightly exceeding 100,000 rubles, an i7 7700HQ processor, 8 GB of RAM, GeForce 1070 with 8 GB of video memory. Perhaps one of the best offers on this video card, even despite the small amount of memory and the lack of a solid-state drive. For this amount you get an excellent processor, one of the best video cards and great prospects for upgrading memory and storage.

GE72 Apache Pro

17-inch model of the GE series. The assets include an i7 6700HQ, 8 GB of memory, GeForce 1060 with a memory capacity reduced to 3 GB. The downside is the TN screen, which doesn’t impress with picture quality. There is an M.2 PCIe connector. Cost – about 90,000 rubles.

Top option for about 120,000 rubles. offers i7 7700HQ, 8 GB of memory, 128 GB SSD, IPS screen and GeForce 1070 video card with 8 GB of video memory. A very attractive offer in its class.

GT73VR Titan

It's time to move on to heavy artillery. This series offers the most productive solutions. The concept of a good gaming laptop moves into a slightly different plane, in which cost is relegated to the background, and power and “coolness” are valued first and foremost.

Judge for yourself: i7 7820HK processor (only Xeon stars are higher), 32 GB of RAM, 4K screen (3840x2160), the latest GeForce 1080 video card with 8 GB of memory, 512 GB SSD. It’s worth mentioning separately about the storage system. In addition to the classic hard drive, there are as many as 3 M.2 connectors for SSDs, one of them running on the SATA bus, and the other two on PCIe, and the drives installed in them can be combined into RAID.

The laptop is thick (almost 50 mm) and heavy (more than 4 kg), which, however, is not surprising. Powerful hardware requires appropriate cooling. It should be noted that even solid-state drives, which are covered with a separate radiator, are cooled. The solution is smart, considering that modern SSDs, especially high-performance ones using the PCIe bus, heat up well and throttling is a common occurrence.

The installed processor of the “HK” version indicates that overclocking can be done. Another plus is the ease with which you can get to the insides. The bottom cover can be easily removed, providing access to memory modules (4 of them), drives, and it’s easy to clean.

Well, now the most important thing is the price. Do you have an amount of about 230,000 rubles? Then this laptop is yours.

If you think that this is the most powerful gaming laptop at the moment, then this is not entirely true. There is a modification with a weaker processor, i7 6820HK, but, as compensation, 2 video cards are installed. I'm not talking about the built-in video core, but about 2 discrete GeForce 1080 video cards in SLI mode. This configuration outperforms the top-end GeForce 1080, which works alone, in games. The price is about the same, or slightly higher, than the previous modification.

By the way, about the built-in video core. NVIDIA Optimus proprietary technology, which provides automatic switching between the integrated video core and a discrete video card, is not used. Switching to the built-in video core will have to be done forcibly by restarting the laptop with the special button pressed.

GT83VR Titan SLI

Well, let’s complete the review of good gaming laptops with a machine with a rarely seen screen size of 18 inches and FullHD IPS resolution. As the name suggests, two video cards are used in SLI mode, in this case it is also a GeForce 1070. The simplest configuration is equipped with an i7 6820HK, 16 GB of RAM, 128 GB SSD. It costs approximately 238,000 rubles.

Want something cooler? Please. Modification with an i7 6920HQ processor, 32 GB of memory, 256 GB SSD and two GeForce 1080 video cards in SLI mode. All the fun - about 330,000 rubles.

conclusions

If we conditionally divide models based on Pascal generation GPUs into budget, mid-class and top-end, then choosing a good gaming laptop becomes not so easy.

Budget

For 50,000 you can get a Dell 7567 with a full-fledged GeForce 1050, but an unimportant screen. But adding only 10 thousand we get 2 candidates at once - MSI GP62 and Lenovo Legion Y520-15, in similar configurations they cost almost the same. True, the problem with video cards is the GeForce 1050, which is cut down on memory.

A full-fledged gaming video card GeForce 1060 appears closer to 90,000 rubles. These are Lenovo Legion Y720-15 and ASUS GL502VM.

Average level

These are prices starting from about 90,000 rubles. For this money, offering something worse than the GeForce 1060 is no longer comme il faut. Although this is not a dogma for Dell, it offers its spectacular XPS 15, stuffed with a powerful processor, SSD and a large amount of memory, but with a modest GeForce 1050 for a not quite modest 115,000 rubles or more. Of course, there is also a 4K screen and a design (beautiful, dog), but still...

Moreover, on the next shelf, for the same money, there are Lenovo Legion Y720-15, and ASUS G752VM with GeForce 1060 video cards, and even something like the MSI GE72MVR Apache Pro with GeForce 1070 video, and even 17 inches to boot. It seems that in battles with monsters, the effectiveness of weapons is much more important than the effectiveness of its appearance and the beauty of its design. However, who needs what...

Tops

There is nothing more to say here. Video cards, as a rule, are no lower than GeForce 1070, and even in SLI mode. Moreover, the best laptops are offered by MSI. Although Lenovo and Asus are nearby.

In general, these companies actively compete, offering very similar laptops, which can sometimes be difficult to choose based on technical characteristics. You have to resort to the proven method of “looking with your hands” and choosing by appearance and tactile sensations. And in general, take what you like best.

Conclusion. A good gaming laptop is not cheap

I did not specifically limit the price range today. Following the logic of my choice of gaming laptops, when I considered what was offered for a price of up to 90 thousand rubles, everything on GeForce 1050 video cards should have been excluded from consideration. But... let them be. Still, it’s nice to know that for 50,000 rubles you can buy a laptop with a gaming video card and frolic in almost any game.

Real gamers will look down on such laptops somewhat. Real hardcore begins with at least a GeForce 1060, and even with the support of an appropriate processor, and on a screen with good color rendition. That’s why a good gaming laptop starts somewhere around 80-90 thousand, and then subject to further upgrades in the form of increasing memory or installing an SSD.

Bonus

Since we don’t limit ourselves on price when considering gaming laptops, for dessert I’ll mention the Acer Predator 21 X - the first laptop with a 21-inch diagonal curved screen. Considering the size of this monster, it’s somehow hard to even call it a laptop. By the way, the manufacturer’s website mentions a certain event that will happen soon and which is associated with this laptop.

If we talk about the characteristics, then this is an i7 7820HK, 64 GB of RAM, 2 GeForce 1080 in SLI mode, the ability to install 4 M.2 SSDs of 512 GB each, a screen with a resolution of 2560x1080, a mechanical keyboard... The price is at least $8,000.

Who has it easy now? Watch Dogs was disappointing because it worked incorrectly on a flagship laptop - regardless of the level of graphics detail and SLI operating status, the smoothness of the game remained at the “console” level, occasionally rising above 40 fps. It is not possible to explain this behavior by any other reasons other than game optimization problems.

Because all other games worked on the MSI GT80 2QE much more predictably: in Tomb Raider, GRID: Autosport, Far Cry 4, Bioshock Infinite and Battlefield 4, the laptop consistently produced over 120 frames per second, and this is at extremely high graphics detail! Known for its high processor dependence, Total War: Rome II worked at extremely high detail with 80 fps, and the most severe test for the powerful laptop was Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - the maximum level of detail reduced performance to 45 frames per second.

Thus, the MSI Titan justified its purpose: it can handle the most demanding games on any graphics settings, something that only desktop PCs could boast of before.

Will the drives of the hero of our test be able to justify their purpose just as convincingly?

The solid state drives combined into a RAID array are very fast and regularly outperform the single Samsung drive in the ASUS ROG G751J by 50%. But it is unlikely that you will be able to feel the difference in practice using the laptop in normal modes. But this SSD consolidation allows you to have a lot of fun: while games are downloaded from Steam and Origin at a speed of 100 Mbit/s, the potential of the RAID array is enough to install another 3D hit and comfortably play something from Uplay. It’s difficult to get used to the realities of less sophisticated laptops after such an orgy.

Cooling system

MSI GT80 2QE is a mood notebook. In moderate use mode, it makes noise comparable to an ultrabook under load: already noticeable, but not yet annoying. When gaming, the noise level approaches that of a desktop PC, loud speakers and a subwoofer come in handy during peak load modes, and activating the Cooler Boost function disturbs the fans enough to produce noise comparable to a hair dryer held close to your ear. It will hardly be possible to do without headphones in graphically demanding games, and household members will circle around the ventilation holes of the laptop (in Cooler Boost mode, air currents move a pen or a pack of gum on the table), and will be forced to hide from the hissing laptop, leaving the gamer alone.

But it is the hard work of the fans that saves the MSI GT80 2QE from constant overheating: if the video cards do not cross the 86 degrees Celsius mark, the processor has a hard time, and upon reaching 93% in the stress test, throttling comes into play. Skipping clock cycles can cost the CPU up to 20% in performance loss, but two factors save the day. Firstly, it was not possible to achieve a processor load comparable to the stress test in any game, and secondly, the problem is instantly solved by activating Cooler Boost - a slight increase in noise will allow you to convert videos or load the processor with mathematical calculations without the risk of performance degradation. For example, in Battlefield 4 with Cooler Boost enabled, the processor temperature fluctuates around 78-80 degrees.

MSI presented its new gaming laptop in Russia (models MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI-009 and MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI-001).

We are talking about the world's first laptop with a SteelSeries mechanical gaming keyboard (with red backlight) based on original Cherry MX Brown mechanical switches. At the same time, we are dealing with the thinnest 18.4-inch gaming laptop - the thickness of the black aluminum case is 4.9 cm (at least 17% thinner than competitors from other manufacturers equipped with membrane keyboards).

MSI GT80 Titan SLI is equipped with two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M graphics cards (SLI graphics) with 16 GB of dedicated memory (8 GB per card). The power is incredible: performance - for those who understand - is more than 16,000 in the 3DMark 2011 test.

New display MSI gaming laptop- 18.4-inch with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and anti-glare coating. The hardware basis of the MSI GT80 Titan SLI is the Intel HM87 chipset with fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processors, which can be supported by up to 32 GB of DDR3L-1600 RAM.

• Intel Core i7-4980HQ (4 cores, standard clock frequency - 2.8 GHz, maximum in Turbo mode - up to 4 GHz, cache - 6 MB, max. TDP - 47 W) with integrated graphics Intel Iris Pro 5200;
• Intel Core i7-4720HQ (4 cores, standard clock frequency - 2.6 GHz, maximum in Turbo mode - up to 3.6 GHz, cache - 6 MB, max. TDP - 47 W) with integrated graphics Intel HD 4600 .

For data storage, hard drives with a spindle speed of 7200 rpm and a capacity of up to 1000 GB are designed. Also, the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI is equipped with a RAID 0 array, which combines up to four solid-state drives (M.2 SATA) with a total capacity of up to 1000 GB. Windows 8.1 is used as the control operating system.

The sound is as good as the graphics, thanks to the built-in audio system using Sound Blaster Cinema 2 technology, as well as Dynaudio Premium speakers and a subwoofer.

The laptop is also equipped with a Bluetooth module, as well as a Killer™ N1525 WLAN adapter and Big Foot Gaming LAN (Killer Gaming Networking) - Killer E2200 Intelligent Networking for high-speed Internet connection. Thanks to Advanced Game Detect technology, online game data packets are recognized, processed and forwarded with priority over other applications.

In addition, the list of specifications of the new series MSI G laptops- five USB 3.0 ports, HDMI 1.4 and miniDisplayPort video outputs (2), audio connectors (line-out with S/PDIF support and microphone input), SD card reader (XC/HC), Blu-Ray or DVD Super Multi optical drive, FHD- camera. Battery - 8-cell.

Many gamers, for various reasons, try to stay away from gaming laptops. Some are put off by the price, some by the difficulty of upgrading, and others by the fact that truly powerful and truly gaming laptops are capable of running modern games at high quality settings and in high resolution, while providing the user with comfortable controls and a high-quality display are disappointingly small. In all respects, from the processor and graphics adapter to the ease of working with built-in input devices, a laptop is almost always inferior to its desktop counterpart with high-performance hardware. Well, the difference in cost between them helps to finally decide on the choice. Naturally, not in favor of the laptop.

MSI's new gaming laptop with the long name MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI may change this situation. The manufacturer is modestly silent about this, but this model, it seems, may turn out to be not just one of the most productive mobile gaming machines, but literally the most productive. The GT80 2QE Titan SLI combines one of today's highest-performance mobile processors with a pair of powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M graphics cards combined in SLI mode, as well as a full-size SteelSeries keyboard with full-fledged Cherry MX mechanical switches - just like desktop gaming keyboards. The manufacturer proudly states that this is the first laptop in history to have a backlit mechanical keyboard.

⇡ Delivery set

The laptop comes in a large but surprisingly thin black and red box with a plastic carrying handle. The weight of the box is rather large, so it is not recommended to travel long distances with it on foot. Inside, in addition to the device itself, an impressive set of accessories was found:

• power supply with removable power cable;
• a set of replaceable gaming keys;
• wrist pad;
• mouse pad;
• keychain in the shape of a soft dragon toy;
• CDs with drivers and software;
• a set of printed materials, including a getting started guide.

We’ll come back to the accessories a little later, so now we’ll just note that the package is really pleasing to the eye, but the question of why the box with one of the most expensive gaming laptops in the world doesn’t have a basic case for transportation remains open. This is still a mobile PC, and MSI is famous for the fact that it does not deprive most of its gaming models of a standard case. In the case of the GT80 2QE Titan, this would be especially true, since finding a suitable bag for such a huge device will not be easy.

⇡ Technical specifications

MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI (MS-1812)
CPU	Intel Core i7-4980HQ 2.8 GHz
Graphics controller	2 × NVIDIA GeForce 980M, 8192 MB GDDR5 (SLI) 1 × Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 (GT3e), 128 MB eDRAM
Display	PLS, 18.4 inches, Full HD (1920 × 1080)
RAM	32 GB (4 × 8 GB), SO-DIMM DDR3L-1600 (800 MHz)
Storage System	1 × HDD, 1 TB, HGST Travelstar 7K1000, SATA 6 Gbit/s, 7200 rpm 4 × SSD M.2, 256 GB, Toshiba THNSNJ256G8NU, SATA 6 Gb/s
Optical drive	Blu-ray DVD Combo
Flash card connector	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Interfaces	5 × USB 3.0 1 × RJ-45 1 x HDMI 1.4 2 × Mini DisplayPort 1.2 1 × audio output jack 3.5 mm 1 × audio input jack 3.5 mm 1 × S/P-DIF audio output
WiFi	802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth	4.1
Network adapter	10/100/1000 Mbit/s (Killer e2200)
Sound	Realtek ALC892 High Definition Audio
Additionally	Mechanical keyboard Steel Series Speaker system 4.1 Webcam (1080p)
Nutrition	Battery: non-removable lithium-ion, 75 Wh (5225 mAh, 14.4 V) External power adapter, 330 W (16.9 A, 19.5 V)
Size, mm	456 × 330 × 49
Weight, kg	4.5 (with battery)
operating system	Windows 8.1
Official manufacturer's warranty	24 months
Approximate price*, rub.	313 000

* Average price according to Yandex.Market at the time of writing

The laptop comes in several modifications, differing in processor, as well as the amount of RAM and disk subsystem. We got the version with the maximum configuration for testing: it is based on a quad-core Intel Core i7-4980HQ processor built on the Haswell architecture. It has 6 MB of cache and runs at a base clock speed of 2.8 GHz, rising to 4 GHz with one active core or up to 3.8 GHz with four active cores in Turbo Boost mode.

Processor and Chipset Information

This processor appeared only in the third quarter of last year, so laptops based on it are just beginning to be sold. It would be disingenuous to call it the most productive mobile processor today, since the Extreme series models are still being produced. For example, there is an Intel Core i7-4940MX with advanced overclocking capabilities, but its TDP is almost 20% higher than that of the Intel Core i7-4980HQ model, and is 57 W versus 47 W, respectively. For a high-performance laptop, such a significant difference greatly complicates the already complex cooling system. The choice of processor is more than justified, since its capabilities are quite comparable to desktop high-performance solutions.

The Intel Core i7-4980HQ processor works with DDR3L-1600 memory with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. In this modification of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI laptop, these capabilities are used 100 percent. All four SO-DIMM slots on the motherboard are occupied by DDR3L-1600 modules HMT41GS6BFR8A-PB manufactured by a South Korean company Hynix Semiconductor with a capacity of 8 GB each.

The basis of any gaming laptop - the video adapter - in this case should be considered one of the key features of the new product. As a rule, this hardware component is the weak link of a mobile gaming PC, which does not allow it to be fully compared with desktop solutions. But the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI will give a head start to its desktop brothers: it has two of the most powerful mobile video adapters today, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, combined using SLI technology. These discrete cards are based on the GM204 chip, built on Maxwell architecture, and operate at a frequency of 1038 MHz. Each graphics card has 8GB of GDDR5 RAM clocked at 1253MHz (5GHz effective). The laptop itself has three video outputs: one HDMI version 1.4 and a pair of Mini DisplayPort version 1.2 interfaces, to which three monitors with a resolution of up to 3840 × 2160 pixels can be connected simultaneously.

MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI can also work with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 integrated into the processor. This is one of the most productive embedded solutions today, based on the GT3e core and featuring 128 MB of built-in Embedded DRAM (eDRAM). eDRAM memory can be used to store data not only from the GPU core, but also from the CPU cores, which has a positive effect on processor performance. In the case of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI, the only thing that is really important to know about integrated graphics is that the laptop can switch to it - that is, it can run on battery power for at least some noticeable time. Not all gaming laptop manufacturers leave processor graphics active. The GPU button allows you to manually switch from one video adapter to another - if automatic switching for some reason does not work (and this happens on many laptops).

The second key feature of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI (after two video cards in SLI mode) is its high-performance disk subsystem. Or rather, its two components. The first is unremarkable - it is a 2.5-inch hard drive HGST Travelstar 7K1000 (HTS721010A9E630) manufactured by a division of Hitachi. It has the maximum possible capacity for models in this line of 1 TB, a buffer memory of 32 MB and works with an eSATA 6 Gb/s interface and a spindle speed of 7200 rpm. This disk is divided into two logical partitions, the main part of which is empty, and 12.89 GB are allocated for the recovery partition.

Reading speed when tested in AIDA64: upper values ​​for HDD HGST Travelstar 7K1000, lower values ​​for a RAID 0 array of four Toshiba THNSNJ256G8NU SSDs.

If the hard drive is supposed to store various data, then for system files and installed games a virtual disk has been created based on a RAID array assembled on four M.2 solid-state drives, which are Toshiba THNSNJ256G8NU modules with a capacity of 256 GB each. The array has its name MSI Super RAID 3, but is essentially a regular RAID 0. For the user, this means unsurpassed data processing speed - about 1600 MB/s when reading and about 1300 MB/s when writing. Even among the owners of high-performance desktop gaming computers, there are a few lucky ones who can boast of such performance values ​​of disk subsystems. To understand the level of performance of such a RAID array, it is enough to say that the OS on this laptop boots in about four to five seconds.

The laptop is equipped with a Hitachi-LG HL-DT-ST BD-RE BU20N Blu-Ray optical drive and a reader for SD flash cards (XC/HC). The sound is provided by an unremarkable Realtek ALC892 module and a rather interesting system with two pairs of stereo speakers and a subwoofer from the Hi-Fi acoustics manufacturer Dynaudio, with which MSI has been collaborating for five years now. In addition, the laptop has three independent audio amplifiers for four speakers, a subwoofer and a linear audio output. The latter can be used to connect headphones with an impedance of up to 48 Ohms. In addition to the analog audio output, the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI also has a digital optical S/P-DIF output, as well as a microphone connector.

Network interfaces are represented by a gigabit Ethernet controller and a Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n module. Also installed on the motherboard is the Killer e2200 PCI-E controller, which combines wired and wireless interfaces using Killer DoubleShot Pro technology, which can significantly increase the overall network throughput. The picture is completed by a set of five USB ports, all of which have the 3.0 specification.

The rechargeable battery is built into the housing. Its capacity is 75 Wh (5225 mAh, 14.4 V). To charge the battery, as well as to operate the laptop from the mains, a power adapter of truly impressive dimensions and weight is used: 200 × 100 × 43 mm, 1.3 kg. The adapter has an equally impressive output power of 330 W (16.9 A, 19.5 V), comparable to desktop PC power supplies.

⇡ Design and ergonomics

The developers of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI managed to pack all the high-performance hardware, including a rather large cooling system, into a relatively thin case. At the same time, there is still room for design delights, of which the new product has quite enough. Traditionally for a serious gaming laptop, this model is made in a characteristic brutal style. The body with all its stiffening ribs and cooling ventilation grilles makes one think of either a sports car or a spaceship. In short, it immediately puts the user in a gaming mood.

The main elements of the case are made of dark gray plastic, and only the upper part of the lid, as well as the inner panel above the keyboard, are made of metal, also painted dark gray. At the same time, on the lid there is a corporate red logo with a white dragon that glows during operation - a distinctive feature of the MSI gaming laptop series. The lid is attached to one large hinge, slightly offset from the rear side edge to the center. There are no locks provided, but it fits very tightly to the body, with a minimal (considering the scale of the device) gap.

The laptop turned out to be lighter than it seems. When you pick it up, you tense up and prepare to exert quite a lot of force, which in fact turns out to be unnecessary, since the mass of the device is much less than expected. The same numerous reinforcement ribs and ventilation grilles of the highly developed cooling system, which give this model solidity, also play a misleading role in this. The latter are located on the sides, back and bottom of the body.

The case of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI has a traditionally tapering shape towards the front edge for more comfortable work with the keyboard, but despite this, the distance from the surface of the table on which the laptop is located during operation to the upper edge of the front edge when open is quite large . Quite high triangular legs, located along the perimeter of the lower surface of the body, also took part in its formation. The included wrist pad is designed to compensate for this difference and ensure proper comfort when working.

The front panel of the laptop has three LED indicators that inform the user about the operation of the wireless adapter, power mode and storage system activity.

On the left side, closer to the user, there are all audio connectors, three USB 3.0 ports, a flash card reader and a slot for attaching a Kensington security lock, and an optical drive is built right under the laptop lid. The starboard side is almost empty - there are only a couple of USB 3.0 ports.

Well, on the back edge of the laptop there are those interfaces that do not require frequent handling to connect and disconnect various devices. We are talking about three video outputs, an RJ-45 network connector and a block four-pin plug for connecting the power adapter.

⇡ Interior and input devices

Unfolded MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI n less interesting. The lid of this model opens quite wide, but not completely, but at an angle of about 135 degrees, which is more than enough for comfortable work both at a desk and with a laptop on your lap. At the same time, the movement of the lid is moderately tight, and it itself bends a little if you grab it not in the center, but from the edge. The display has a fairly wide frame around the entire perimeter, and above it there is a webcam with a pair of microphones. This is where everything normal in the design of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI ends.

The SteelSeries mechanical keyboard on this model, unusual for any laptop, is also very unusually located - not in the center and closer to the lid hinges, like other mobile PCs, but is shifted as far as possible to the left edge and towards the user. This was done in order to provide the greatest comfort when working, because the laptop body is quite high, and even with a wrist pad, reaching for the keys located at a great distance from the edge is not very convenient. An asymmetrical keyboard layout minimizes this problem.

The other side of the coin with this arrangement is the unusual placement of the touchpad, which on the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI, along with the buttons emulating the main mouse buttons, has moved from the central place under the keyboard to the side. As a result, using the touchpad on this laptop is not nearly as convenient as using the same input device on other models. However, you shouldn’t be upset, because the touchpad for a gaming laptop is just an additional input device. You still won't be able to use this PC without a mouse. But the touchpad on the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI is not simple. Another original solution by MSI designers is that pressing one (touch) key instantly turns the panel into a numeric pad that complements the main keyboard.

Above the keyboard and touchpad there is a huge, almost empty metal space, occupied only by a barely noticeable perforation, behind which the built-in speakers are hidden, and a small triangular block of additional keys. The largest button from this block controls the power, the middle one switches between modes of operation with the built-in or discrete graphics adapter, and by pressing the smallest key, you can, in the literal sense of the word, make a lot of noise - forcefully activate the cooling system at maximum speed.

Despite the universality “according to the passport”, in reality typing texts on such a keyboard is inconvenient. But you can play using any of the available keys with the comfort of a desktop keyboard. The only drawback is the height at which the keyboard is located. But, firstly, the manufacturer tried as much as possible - as much as possible - to lower the substrate with the keyboard inside the case, thus reducing the height of the upper edge of the keys by several millimeters. Well, secondly, as mentioned earlier, the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI comes with a special wrist pad that compensates for this shortcoming. The pad is quite dense, but bends under the weight of the hands. The inside appears to have a gel fill, and the outside is covered with durable woven material that is pleasant to the touch. Sliding on the table is prevented by a base made of silicone or some kind of soft plastic.

The keyboard layout is not mobile, but the same as that of desktop models, with the only difference being that the key has been moved from the left side to the right. This was done to please the needs of players who, using the standard [W], [A], [S] and [D] control keys for most games, do not risk accidentally leaving the game by hitting their palm or wrist. However, this key can also be disabled programmatically using the included software. All the keys on the keyboard are plastic, but the above-mentioned game four and the key adjacent to them can be replaced with metal ones from the delivery kit.

Additional replacement keys are supplied in a metal box along with a plastic key for installation and removal. The keys can hardly be called more comfortable than ordinary plastic ones, but they make the appearance of the laptop even more striking. Purely from a subjective feeling, instead of the golden color of the keys in this case, a red color combined with the inserts of the case would look much more harmonious. However, this, as they say, does not affect the speed.

The entire unit with keyboard and touchpad has adjustable red backlighting. The adjustment is carried out in hardware, using cursor keys with a previously pressed function key. The backlight has three brightness levels and can also be turned off completely.

⇡ Internal structure

It is extremely difficult to somehow improve the already maximum possible characteristics of the MSI GT80 2QE Titan SLI. Unless you replace the hard drive with a more capacious one, if the need arises. However, getting to the main removable components of this laptop is easier than in other models. To do this, you just need to unscrew two screws at the bottom of the case, then open the laptop lid and slide the metal panel above the keyboard to the right. In this case, two of the four slots with memory modules, a hard drive, SSD modules and - along with all these removable components - four non-removable speakers will open for access.