MSI GX 630 Review

The new MSI GX630 is the latest gaming notebook from MSI’s stables. It is the successor to the MSI GX600 notebooks and is a low end alternative to the powerful MSI GX720 notebook which we reviewed earlier in the previous year. It packs in a nice amount of power beneath its hood, and most pleasingly, it is relatively inexpensive compared to other gaming notebooks. It is the way to go if you don’t have very deep pockets but are still looking to buy a decent gaming solution. It is very similar to the MSI GX 720, only smaller, a bit slower and cheaper. It can easily compete with the Dell XPS offerings, especially the Dell XPS M1530. In this review, we check out the MSI GX 630 and see if it has it in itself to become the best low range gaming notebook.

MSI GX630 Specifications:

• Dimensions: 14.7 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches
• Weight: 6 lbs
• Processor: 2.0 GHz AMD Athlon X2
• RAM: 4 GB DDR2 RAM
• Hard Drive: 250 GB SATA HDD, 5400 RPM
• Optical Drive: 8X DVD ± RW Optical Drive
• Display Size: 15.4 inch TFT Display, 1280 x 800 pixels with 2.0 MP Webcam
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce M 9600 GT with 512 MB VRAM
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.0
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Ports: 3 USB 2.0, Ethernet, HDMI, Headphone and Microphone Jacks, VGA out, eSATA, 4 in 1 card reader, ExpressCard slot
• Price: $800 (Approx)

Design and Build Quality:

The MSI GX630 is a powerful machine with nice sleek design, eerily similar to the older MSI GX 720, just slightly compressed. It has dimensions of 14.7 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches, it has the same width as the MSI GX720 but is an inch less in the other two. The build quality is stellar and sturdy, the chassis being the same used in the MSI GX720. There is vey less flex in the display and keyboard areas. The red and black color combination is also the same as the MSI GX720 – looks sleek and will definitely appeal to the younger masses. It has a nice feel all over. It weighs around 6 pounds or 2.7 kgs which is quite normal for a notebook of this form factor. It is the perfect candidate, in terms of design, build quality and portability as a portable gaming machine.

Display and Speakers:

The MSI GX630 comes with a glossy 15.4 inch TFT display supporting a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It has nice brightness levels and offers excellent contrast. The picture quality is nice and vibrant, making it ideal for movies and video playback. It offers nice viewing angles, both horizontal and vertical. The glossy surface proves to be a bit of a hindrance under direct light though, as it is reflective. You also get a built in 2.0 MP webcam located exactly above the display which offers decent video quality. It should easily suffice for video conferences or casual video chats.

The MSI GX630 comes with uilt in speakers which aren’t much good – they offer decent volume and good sound quality. If you are someone who takes his / her music seriously, we would recommend getting external speakers or plugging in your headphones to the headphone jack. Coupled with the superb display, good headphones can deliver one of the best gaming experience we have seen in recent times. To further enjoy your videos or games, you can use the HDMI port to output the video to a bigger HD enabled monitor.

Keyboard and Touchpad:

The MSI GX630 sports a nice standard keyboard with adequate key spacing and travel. The keyboard has the standard key placement with little changes, and is very ergonomic. The W, A, S, D keys have been highlighted in red to mark its gaming roots and to assist gamers in their fragging experiences. The keys offer good tactile feedback and are ideal for touch typists. The touchpad is nice and responsive. It also has good sensitivity levels. The touchpad buttons have a nice feel too. Just above the keyboard, there is an array of touch sensitive controls which offer an easy way to perform basic functions. The touch sensitive buttos have been arranged very stylishly and blend in with the overall design of the keyboard.

Performance:

The MSI GX630 is powered by a 2.0 GHz AMD Athlon X2 processor, which is rare these days, due to the market domination by Intel’s high performing Core 2 Duo range. It comes with 4 GB DDR2 RAM, which coupled with the processor is totally capable of running and multitasking normal applications. The storage part is handled by a 250 GB SATA HDD at 5400 RPM while the graphics part is handled by a Nvidia GeForce M 9600 GT with 512 MB VRAM. The overall configuration is very able, and can run the bundled Windows Vista easily at full blast. It can also handle most games, atleast at low settings. The performance should improve considerably with a GPU driver update, as the bundled drivers are a bit outdated. The hard drive has nice data transfer speeds.

Battery Life, Wi-Fi and Ports:

The MSI GX630 can run for about 2 hrs with moderate usage with Wi-Fi in use on a full charge. The battery life is a bit too low compared to other notebooks in its range. To maximise battery life you may switch off Wi-Fi and lower speaker volume and display brightness or use the Eco Mode options. The Wi-Fi reception is quite good had has a decent range.

The MSI GX630 comes with an array of expansion ports – it is equipped with 3 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, HDMI, Headphone and Microphone Jacks, VGA out, eSATA, 4 in 1 card reader and an ExpressCard slot

Pros:

• Nice Design and Build Quality
• Relatively Inexpensive
• Nice Performance

Cons:

• Low battery life

Conclusion:

The MSI GX630 is a good low budget notebook especially for gamers and offers nice value for money. It is suited for gaming sessions and watching multimedia content, but doesn’t offer much of an improvement over existing notebooks. It is a nice low end alternative to the Dell XPS M1530. However if you can spend a few bucks extra, you would recommend the Dell XPS M1530 as it features better hardware. You could also lookout for the HP DV5T.

Our Rating: 3 / 5.