In the ever-evolving landscape of thin and light productivity machines, MSI introduces two compelling contenders: the Modern 16S AI+ and the Modern 14S AI+. These laptops are designed to cater to professionals and creators who demand a blend of sleek aesthetics, robust performance, and cutting-edge AI capabilities. While sharing a remarkable amount of core DNA, their subtle differences in form factor are crucial for determining which machine best integrates into your daily workflow. This comprehensive review will delve into their build quality, performance, display, battery life, software, and overall value, helping you make an informed decision.

Unboxing Experience: Simplicity and Efficiency

The unboxing experience for both the Modern 16S AI+ and Modern 14S AI+ is designed for simplicity and efficiency. Upon opening the box, users are immediately greeted by the laptop itself, with manuals and the power adapter neatly tucked beneath. This minimalist approach reflects the productivity-focused nature of these machines, ensuring a quick and straightforward setup.

Build Quality and Design: Premium, Portable, and Professional

Both the Modern 16S AI+ and Modern 14S AI+ boast a premium aluminum alloy design, featuring metal construction on both the lid and keyboard deck. This immediately places them in a solid category for professional ultrabooks, eschewing the plasticky feel often associated with budget machines. The tactile experience is one of quality and refinement, a crucial factor for users who carry their laptops daily. MSI has opted for a clean, minimal aesthetic, with subtle branding that aligns with their Modern line’s focus on professionals and creators, rather than the flashy, aggressive styling found in gaming laptops.

Despite measuring as little as 11.1mm at their thinnest point, both systems feel remarkably solid in hand, maintaining a lightweight and portable design. MSI has also introduced a velvet-touch, smudge-resistant keyboard design, which not only reduces visible fingerprints but also enhances the typing experience. The touchpad has been enlarged by 17% compared to the previous generation, providing ample space for gestures, scrolling, and everyday navigation. Furthermore, both laptops feature a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, facilitating easier collaboration and content sharing in various professional settings.

Core Differences: Size and Workflow Integration

The fundamental distinction between these two machines lies in their screen size, chassis dimensions, weight, and ultimately, how they integrate into your daily workflow. The Modern 16S AI+ features a 16-inch display, while the Modern 14S AI+, as its name suggests, is a 14-inch machine. The 16S weighs approximately 1.59 kg with the OLED panel, and the 14S comes in at around 1.38 kg. It is noteworthy that MSI has managed to keep the weight difference relatively small despite the variation in screen size, showcasing impressive engineering.

However, even small real-world differences in footprint between a 16-inch and a 14-inch chassis become noticeable when a laptop is carried daily. The choice here hinges on your primary use case: whether you prioritize a larger screen for a fixed workspace or enhanced portability for frequent travel.

Performance: AI-Powered Productivity with Intel Core Ultra 7

Both the Modern 16S AI+ and Modern 14S AI+ are powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor, a Panther Lake era chip that qualifies them as Copilot Plus PCs. This is where these machines truly shine, as the Core Ultra 7 355 integrates a highly capable Neural Processing Unit (NPU) delivering over 40 TOPS of AI processing power. This is not merely a marketing gimmick; it translates into tangible real-world benefits for AI-powered features, which are processed locally on the NPU, offering enhanced privacy for professionals.

Graphics are handled by Intel’s integrated solution, making it clear that these are not gaming machines. However, for productivity workloads, video conferencing, creative tasks, light photo and video editing, and general professional use, the Core Ultra 7 355 is more than capable. Both machines ship with 16GB of DDR5 SO-DIMM RAM and a 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 drive. A significant advantage is their upgradability: unlike many modern AI PCs with soldered memory, both models feature two DDR5 SO-DIMM memory slots and a PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD slot, offering greater flexibility for future upgrades and easier long-term maintenance.

Display: OLED Brilliance for Both Sizes

One of the most impressive shared features is the display. Both laptops boast a stunning 16-inch OLED FHD+ panel with a 1920×1200 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, and SGS-certified Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free technology. It’s important to note that even the 14S model features a 16-inch OLED panel, providing an absolutely wild amount of screen real estate for a compact form factor machine. The OLED technology ensures true blacks, incredible contrast, and vibrant colors, making them ideal for creators and visual professionals. The 16:10 aspect ratio further enhances productivity by offering more vertical screen space for documents, spreadsheets, and code. In terms of screen quality, both machines are equally excellent.

Ports and Connectivity: Comprehensive and Convenient

Connectivity is another area where both machines offer an identical and comprehensive setup. Each laptop includes two USB-C ports (USB 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 2.1), two USB-A ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 output supporting 4K at 60Hz, a MicroSD card reader, a combo audio jack, and a crucial RJ45 Gigabit LAN port. The inclusion of a wired Ethernet port is a notable advantage for thin ultrabooks, as not all competitors offer this at a similar weight class. Wireless connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Both machines also support 65W Power Delivery fast charging through either USB-C port.

Battery Life: All-Day Endurance

Both models are equipped with a 60Whr battery, a reasonable capacity for the efficiency-focused Core Ultra 7 355 processor. MSI’s Intel Panther Lake equipped machines are known for significantly improved battery longevity. With a chip designed for efficiency, users can expect a solid full workday of use from either laptop. The 65W PD adapter adds flexibility, allowing for convenient charging from any modern USB-C charger or dock.

Software and AI Integration: MSI Center S and Copilot Plus PC

Both machines ship with MSI Center S, MSI’s dedicated system management utility tailored for the Modern series. This streamlined version, distinct from the gaming-oriented MSI Center, focuses on productivity, allowing users to manage performance profiles, monitor battery health, and adjust system behavior without unnecessary bloat. It provides valuable control over the machine’s balance of performance and power draw.

As Copilot Plus PCs, both laptops offer native access to Microsoft’s AI-powered features, including Recall, Cocreator in Paint, and live captions with real-time translation. Crucially, these features are processed locally on the NPU, ensuring enhanced privacy. A dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard provides quick access to these AI functionalities.

Both machines also feature an HD IR webcam with a physical privacy shutter, a dual microphone setup with Hi-Res Audio certification, and DTS audio processing through two 2W speakers. While not groundbreaking in audio output, the Hi-Res Audio certification and DTS tuning indicate MSI’s attention to the listening experience.

Conclusion: Choosing Your Modern Companion

Ultimately, the MSI Modern 16S AI+ and Modern 14S AI+ are two exceptionally refined ultrabooks, packed with features essential for modern productivity. The choice between them boils down to your personal workflow and portability needs.

If you are a frequent traveler, daily commuter, or simply prefer a more compact machine that effortlessly fits into a smaller bag, the Modern 14S AI+ is your ideal pick. It offers every hardware advantage of its larger sibling in a more portable footprint, a significant win for on-the-go professionals.

Conversely, if your work primarily involves a fixed desk environment, or if screen real estate is paramount for your productivity workflow, the Modern 16S AI+ provides that larger chassis experience without compromising on specifications. Both machines are highly recommended by Epic PC, with the caveat that you choose the one that best aligns with how and where you work.

MSI Modern 14S Ai+：https://au.msi.com/Business-Productivity/Modern-14S-AI-plus-G3MX
MSI Modern 16S Ai+：https://au.msi.com/Business-Productivity/Modern-16S-AI-plus-G3MX

Product Review Video

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In the competitive landscape of professional laptops, MSI has consistently delivered devices that blend performance with sophisticated design. This year, we delve into a fascinating head-to-head comparison of two of MSI’s latest Prestige 14 machines: the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU and the Prestige 14 AI+ D3MG-027AU. While seemingly identical at first glance, these twins share a significant amount of DNA but harbor key differences that could sway a purchasing decision. This review will dissect each model across critical categories including build quality, performance, display, battery life, connectivity, and software, ultimately guiding you to determine which Prestige 14 is best suited for your needs.

Unboxing Experience: Simplicity and Purpose

Both Prestige 14 models offer a straightforward unboxing experience. Upon opening the main lid, users are immediately presented with the laptop, accompanied by essential manuals and the charger. The packaging design prioritises functionality over elaborate aesthetics.

The primary distinction in the box contents lies with the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU, which includes the MSI Nano Pen, a testament to its convertible nature.

Build Quality and Design: Twins with a Twist

From a distance, the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU and the Prestige 14 AI+ D3MG-027AU appear to be identical twins. Both share the elegant Platinum Gray colourway, fluid curves, an ultra-slim chassis profile ranging from 11.9mm to 13.9mm, and an identical footprint of 315.6mm by 221.95mm. The full aluminum chassis on both units exudes a clean, professional, and refined aesthetic, showcasing MSI’s meticulous design language for this generation.

However, the most significant differentiator is the Flip functionality of the D3MTG-003AU. This model features a 360-degree hinge, allowing it to transform into various modes such as tablet, tent, or presentation mode. Complementing this versatility, the D3MTG-003AU comes bundled with the MSI Nano Pen, which conveniently slots into a built-in groove on the chassis for storage and charging.

In contrast, the D3MG-027AU maintains a traditional clamshell design, foregoing the pen and flip capabilities. This design choice, however, grants it a slight edge in portability. The D3MG-027AU weighs in at 1.32 kg, marginally lighter than the Flip’s 1.37 kg. While a 50-gram difference might be imperceptible in a bag for most users, it technically positions the standard D3MG as the more portable option for those meticulously counting every gram. Despite this minor weight difference, both models offer a premium feel and robust construction, making build quality essentially a draw, with the Flip model simply offering more functional versatility.

Connectivity and Ports: Identical Offerings

When it comes to connectivity, both Prestige 14 models are virtually identical, offering a comprehensive suite of ports to meet professional demands. Each laptop is equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which support DisplayPort and Power Delivery, providing high-speed data transfer and versatile display connectivity.

Additionally, they feature two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports for connecting various peripherals. For external display options, both include an HDMI 2.1 port, capable of supporting up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz. An audio combo jack is also present for headphones and microphones. Wireless connectivity is robust, with both models utilizing Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, ensuring fast and reliable network connections. Audio capabilities are also consistent across both devices, featuring 2 x 2W stereo speakers paired with 2 x 2W woofers, enhanced by DTS Audio Processing. For clear communication, a Spatial Array 3-Mic setup with AI Noise Cancellation Pro is included, along with Hi-Res Audio Ready certification. Security features are equally matched, encompassing dTPM 2.0, a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button, an IR webcam with a physical shutter, and a Smart Guard Sensor. In essence, there are no discernible differences in connectivity, audio, or security features between the two models.

Performance: A Tale of Two Processors

Under the hood, the Prestige 14 AI+ D3MG-027AU is powered by the Intel Core Ultra X7 processor 358H, while the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU steps up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 386H. Both are paired with the Intel Arc GPU B390 and support up to 64GB of LPDDR5x onboard memory in dual channel, along with a single NVMe M.2 SSD slot via PCIe Gen4.

The Core Ultra 9 386H in the Flip AI+ is the higher-tier chip, offering more cores and greater headroom for demanding workloads. However, the X7 358H in the D3MG is by no means a slouch. It holds its own for business and content creation tasks, particularly excelling in graphic rendering output, where it has been tested to perform better than the Ultra 9 in certain scenarios. Both laptops feature the same advanced cooling system: a Vapor Chamber Cooler with Intra-Flow thermal design. This sophisticated cooling allows both machines to operate at a remarkably quiet 18 decibels at idle and only 26 decibels under full load in balanced mode, making them ideal for quiet office environments.

Verified benchmark scores for the D3MG-027AU highlight its capabilities: a Cinebench R23 score of 16,000 points and a Cinebench 2024 score of 800 points. For a slim ultraportable business laptop, these are solid results. In 3DMark, it achieved 1,500 points in Fire Strike and 6,000 points in TimeSpy, indicating respectable performance for light to moderate graphical workloads and casual gaming. The D3MG also scored 6,867 points on the Procyon Office Productivity Benchmark, demonstrating its smooth handling of multitasking, document workflows, and content creation.

Notably, PCMAG reported an astonishing 42 hours of battery life for the Flip AI+ in their Tears of Steel playback test at 50% brightness, outperforming nine other laptop models. This is an insane achievement, showcasing MSI’s engineering prowess in battery optimization. Even the D3MG, with its X7 processor, delivered bearable performance in Cyberpunk 2077 at around 35 FPS with ultra graphics and raytracing off, which is impressive for a non-gaming laptop.

Display: A Visual Tie with Functional Differences

Both laptops feature absolutely gorgeous 14-inch FHD+ OLED Gorilla Glass panels with eye protection. They boast a 1920×1200 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, and are Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free certified.

These displays are premium, offering vivid colours and deep blacks, making them ideal for creative professionals, photographers, video editors, or anyone spending long hours in front of a screen. Both also come with the same FHD webcam with HDR and 3D Noise Reduction Plus, ensuring sharp video calls. While display quality is a tie, the Flip model gains an advantage in functionality due to its touchscreen and convertible nature.

Battery Life: Endurance for the Long Haul

Battery life is essentially a dead heat between the two models. Both are equipped with the same 4-cell, 81 watt-hour battery and support fast charging via a 65-watt USB-C PD 3.0 adapter, with both rated for up to 30 hours of usage. The D3MG-027AU has a confirmed PCMark 10 Modern Office battery result of 25 hours, which is phenomenal for real-world conditions, easily covering a full workday. Given the identical battery hardware, the Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU is expected to offer similar endurance, though its convertible features and slightly more powerful processor might lead to a minor reduction in practice.

Software and Ecosystem: MSI Center S and AI Engine

MSI has developed a robust software ecosystem around both Prestige 14 machines, centered around MSI Center S. This centralised hub allows users to manage all system settings and AI features from a clean, intuitive interface. A standout feature within this ecosystem is the MSI AI Engine, which intelligently detects the user’s activity and automatically adjusts hardware performance accordingly. For instance, during a video call, it dials back performance to minimise noise, while for demanding tasks like rendering, it optimises for maximum output. This is not a mere gimmick but a genuine enhancement to the day-to-day user experience.

Both laptops also offer four manual performance modes: AI Engine for intelligent optimization, Extreme Performance for maximum output, Balanced for everyday use, and Eco Silent for quiet operation. Audio is further enhanced by DTS Audio Processing through the 2x2W stereo speakers and 2x2W woofers. MSI AI Noise Cancellation Pro is included on both, utilizing a three-mic spatial array to effectively filter background noise during calls. The third microphone is crucial for enabling directional AI filtering, adding significant value for frequent video conference users. The Action Touchpad, present on both models, allows for quick access to shortcuts like brightness, volume, and calculator via gestures, and is 15.5% larger than the previous generation.

Conclusion: Choosing Your Prestige 14

In conclusion, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU and the Prestige 14 AI+ D3MG-027AU are remarkably close in their offerings, a testament to the strength of MSI’s Prestige 14 lineup. However, their distinct differences clearly guide users toward the ideal choice.

The Prestige 14 AI+ D3MG-027AU is the ultimate choice for professionals seeking the absolute lightest and most streamlined ultraportable for business and productivity. Its slightly lighter chassis, confirmed strong benchmarks, and seamless handling of modern professional tasks make it an ideal companion for executives, frequent flyers, and anyone who values a machine that effortlessly integrates into their workflow without adding bulk. Epic PC highly recommends this model for those who need a powerful yet discreet workhorse.

The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3MTG-003AU, on the other hand, is designed for those who require unparalleled versatility. Its 360-degree hinge, the exclusive MSI Nano Pen with integrated storage and microphone, the higher-tier Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, and the pen-enabled touchscreen make it an exceptionally powerful tool for creatives, architects, designers, students, and professionals who frequently present or annotate on the go. For users whose work demands this level of flexibility and interactive capability, Epic PC gives the Flip AI+ an unreserved green light.

The only consideration for the Flip AI+ is that its convertible premium will be reflected in the price. Therefore, potential buyers should weigh the frequency of their need for its unique functionalities before committing. Both models represent MSI’s dedication to delivering cutting-edge technology tailored to the diverse needs of the professional market, offering powerful, elegant, and highly capable computing solutions.

Product Review Video

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MSI showcased several innovative laptop models at Computex 2025, including a special edition Prestige 13 AI Plus Ukiyo-e Edition laptop with hand-crafted details and a collaboration with Okadaya, and also highlights updated features like the latest 50 series GPUs, revamped designs, and the introduction of Thunderbolt Share, a technology for fast file transfer between laptops.

Take a seat, grab some popcorn – lets dive in!

The MSI Titan Series Laptops have always been renowned in the industry as the absolute top of the line and completely speced out device on the computing market each year. This model I currently have with me today made me go through a whole heap of exciting emotions after finding out what specs it comes with for this year’s edition. we’ll be taking a quick look at everything from benchmarking, temperature readouts, and other aspects of the laptops to see how it performs overall.

Take a seat, grab some popcorn – lets dive in!

find out more at:
https://au.msi.com/Laptop/Titan-18-HX-AI-A2XWX

MSIs Raider lineup of laptops have been killing it in the laptop game ever since they debut in 2018, starting with their GE63 and GE73 along with several updates throughout the years – but recently MSI has released their brand new Raider 18 HX AI edition laptops that carry the latest and greatest of gaming related computer components. So today we’ll be running through what this laptop offers for specs and test how capable it is for our creators and gamer heads out there

Take a seat, grab some popcorn – lets dive in!

find out more at:
https://au.msi.com/Laptop/Raider-18-HX-AI-A2XWX

Product Specification

MSI GS76 STEALTH 11UE Tech Specs from Official Website
HERE

Product Unboxing

Package Appearance
The insider package is the general GS series black box with thick form protection

The AC adapter is 20V 11.5A, a total of 230W and manufactured by Delta

The weight of the AC adapter and power cable is around 755g

The pure black internal box

The main body is warped by a double-layered suit which has an anti-static layer and a black fabric layer

Product Analysis

The main look of GS76 STEALTH

The thin-bezel design

The Steelseries Keyboard with per-key backlight

The Dynaudio audio system

The laptop front side – Smooth design without any indicator

The laptop rear side – Semi-symmetrical design with MSI logo and a large opening area

The laptop right side – 1 x battery charging indicator, 1 x Type-C(USB3.2 Gen.2 w/DP), 1 x SDXC Card Reader, 1 x Thunderbolt™ 4, 1 x (8K @60Hz / 4K @ 120Hz) HDMI 2.1

The laptop left side – Power jack, 1 x 2.5Gb LAN, 2 x Type-A(USB3.2 Gen2), 1 x Mic/Headphone combo jack

The laptop weight: 2.33KG, around 3.1KG total with AC adapter and power cable

Screen Calibration
MSI GS76 STEALTH 11UE is using a 17″ FHD Sharp LQ173M1JW05(SHP14EC) IPS-level panel

Calibration result: Average △E≈0.10, Maximum △E≈1.57
After calibration, we have a 108.0% of sRGB, 74.4% of Adobe RGB and 76.5% of DCI P3 coverage

Calibration Curves

Gamut

Tone Response Curves

Software & Hardware Introduction

The new looking MSI Center laptop management software
Monitor section

Features section – User Scneario selection

Features section – General Settings

Support section – Live Update

Support section – System Info

Support section – Backup

Feature sets page

Settings page

My Device page

HWINFO System detail – Intel 11th gen i7-11800H 8-cores 16 threads with Nvidia RTX3060 Mobile Graphics card

HWINFO WIFI & LAN detail
WIFI Card – Killer Wifi6E AX1675x(Intel AX210NGW) with Bluetooth v5.2
LAN Card – Killer E3100G 2.5Gb(Intel i225-V)

HWINFO SSD detail – Kingston OM8PCP3512F-AI1 512G PCIe Gen3

HWINFO Smart battery detail

CPU-Z snapshots

GPU-Z

GPU-Z PWR (70W around)

Run-time Benchmark Test

Unfortunately, we cannot change the power plan to the ‘Ultimate Power Performance’ in Win10. All test are based on the ‘performance mode’ in the settings of MSI Center.

Cinebench R15 Single core & Multi core

Cinebench R20 Single core & Multi core

Cinebench R23 Single core & Multi core

PCMark10 – | 6,065

3DMARK – Time Spy | 6,938

3DMARK – Time Spy Extreme | 3,273

3DMARK – Port Royal | 3,644

3DMARK – Fire Strike | 14,481

3DMARK – Fire Strike Extreme | 8,359

3DMARK – Fire Strike Ultra | 4,500

3DMARK – DirectX Raytracing feature test | 18.35 Average FPS

3DMARK – Mesh Shader feature test | OFF: 62.26 FPS, ON: 242.3 FPS

3DMARK – VRS: Tier 1 | OFF: 414.47 FPS, ON: 602.59 FPS

3DMARK – DLSS 2 v1.3 | OFF: 27.28 FPS, ON: 44.54 FPS

FURMARK FHD ｜ 78 Average FPS

CPU-Z Benchmark | Single-Thread: 566.6, Multi-Threads: 4514.7

BLENDER Benchmarks

7ZIP 128MB Dictionary Size

VRAY Benchmark

X264 Benchmark

TxBENCH

Thermal Tests

We are pressure testing this laptop by using AIDA64 and FURMARK.

With Auto FAN profile and non-OC settings:
Test room temperature: 18℃±2℃
CPU Idle temperature: 43℃±2℃
GPU idle temperature: 42℃±2℃

Under AIDA64 Single FPU pressure test, this Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 2.51GHz
The CPU package temperature is around 90℃±6℃

Under AIDA64 Single CPU pressure test, the Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 3.70GHz
The CPU package temperature is around 88℃±7℃

Under AIDA64 CPU + Memory & FURMARK GPU pressure test, the Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 2.58GHz
The GPU clock is average @ 947.9Mhz
The CPU package temperature is around 94℃±4℃
The GPU temperature is around 74.6℃

Overclock test
Test room temperature: 21℃±2℃
CPU Idle temperature: 37℃±2℃
GPU idle temperature: 36℃±2℃

With Cooler Boost FAN profile and Full OC settings:

Under AIDA64 Single FPU pressure test, this Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 2.83GHz
The CPU package temperature is around 79℃±17℃

Under AIDA64 Single CPU pressure test, the Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 4.06GHz
The CPU package temperature is around 88℃±7℃

Under AIDA64 CPU + Memory & FURMARK GPU pressure test, the Intel i7-11800H is partial throttling down @ 3.45GHz
The GPU clock is average @ 1038.4Mhz
The CPU package temperature is around 90℃±7℃
The GPU temperature is around 60.6℃

3DMARK Time Spy OC | 8,176 +15.1%

3DMARK Time Spy Extreme OC | 3,928 +16.7%

3DMARK Fire Strike OC | DID NOT PASS THE TEST

3DMARK Fire Strike Extreme OC | 9,600 +12.9%

3DMARK Fire Strike Ultra OC | 5,179 +13.1%

3DMARK Port Royal OC | DID NOT PASS THE TEST

3DMARK DirectX Raytracing OC | 21.14 Average FPS +13.2%

3DMARK Mesh Shader OC | 265.94 +8.9%

3DMARK VRS Tier 1 OC | 682.61 FPS +11.7%

3DMARK DLSS 2 v1.3 | DID NOT PASS THE TEST

The thermal snapshots under the MAX pressure test(AIDA64 + FURMARK)
Front – A panel | Left vent temperature is around 70.4℃ | Right vent temperature is around 58.3℃

Front – Top of the C panel | It’s around 56.8℃ in the middle of the vents and 40℃ on the average of the keyboard

Bottom – D panel | It’s around 64℃ crossing the CPU and GPU between the two exhausting fans

Sides – Left vent temperature | It’s around 50.9℃ at the Left vent and the hottest spot is 70℃

Sides – Right vent temperature | It’s around 45.6℃ at the Left vent and the hottest spot is 63.1℃

AC adapter – It’s around 45.4℃ average on the surface and the hottest spot is 49℃

Under Idle mode, the noise level is around 37.7dBA

Under normal fan mode under pressure, the noise level is around 51.4dBA

Under Cooler Boost mode, the noise level is around 61.7dBA

We only got the Engineering Sample this time, so the cooling solution may not be the final solution, but it still holds up well to the latest 11th gen i7-11800H, especially when the fan is running at full speed, and the overclock can actually reach an average of 12% performance increase. After all, this 45W TDP, 8-core, 16-thread CPU is far more powerful than the i7-1185G7. Unfortunately, a few of the 3DMARK tests did not pass because the card was overclocked and needed to be turned off to run properly, so we did not test the gaming performance in detail. Also, the fan is as noisy as ever with Cooler Boost on.

SUMMARY

The design is the same as before but with a few modifications, the sturdiness is guaranteed and at the same time it is as thin and light as possible. And for a 17″ laptop, the weight is close to that of the Razer Blade 15, proving that MSI has compressed the weight to the extreme. And the A-panel with the Dragon Shield design remains and has not been replaced with The MSI text logo is also a testament to the pedigree of its gaming series.

Instead of a 2K resolution screen, the GS76 STEALTH 11UE uses a 240Hz high refresh rate gaming screen with over 100% of the sRGB colour gamut (the official description is ‘close to 100%’) seems modest), with a much-higher 300Hz upgraded version available. The full-size per-key RGB Steelseries keyboard will satisfy most people’s pain points, while the full-size SD card reader is a favourite among office users. 16G of 3200Hz DDR4 and a 1TB NVMe SSD are enough for everyday applications and entertainment, and MSI hasn’t forgotten about those gamers and corporate users who need high-speed and stable Internet. The 2.5Gb LAN port is perfectly suited for these activities. Meanwhile, the Thunderbolt 4 interface, Type-C connector with DP protocol and the deployment of HDMI 2.1 allow the machine to be connected to three monitors with up to 8K resolution for Matrix Display.

Performance-wise, the new standard voltage laptop CPU does bring more performance, even MSI’s proprietary cooling is not able to fully suppress this CPU, but the reduced voltage overclocking through MSI’s own control does have a good effect. As we didn’t take any screenshots of the game scores, the overall frame rate is much better than the previous model STEALTH 15M, especially for very CPU-intensive games, such as GTAV, Total War series, etc.

Thermal dissipation is, as expected, MSI’s best item. But without being able to take it apart, according to MSI’s official figures, the cooling system used on the GS76 is a triple-fan, 6 heat pipes ‘Cooler Boost Trinity+’.

Price-wise, the pre-order price is roughly AU$3,499 and the GE76 Raider 10UE, also powered by the RTX3060 Mobile, is priced at AU$3,099, so users can take a little reference. Of course, we can’t rule out some price adjustments, but everything will be based on the retail version once it is listed.

MSI GS76 STEALTH 11UE OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

We’ve already tested Intel’s latest generation i7-11700K, and the results are as predictable as you can expect. Without further ado, let’s check out the video below! Please ‘like’ and subscribe to my channel, and don’t forget to click the ‘bell’ icon to get the latest video updates.

Compared with the previous generation GL65, this GL65 10SEK has only one slight change on its appearance which is the two strips on the top cover. This mold might have used GP series as it can be clearly seen on the resemblance regarding the I/O interface (ports) and the heat dissipation design.

So let’s dig into the details.

Product Specification

GL65 Leopard 10SEK Tech Specs from Official Website
https://au.msi.com/Laptop/GL65-Leopard-10SX/Specification

Product Unboxing

Package Appearance
MSI’s Typical blackbox packaging

The notebook is protected by the thick and shock-proof foam. The main body is warped by a double-layered suit which has an anti-static layer and a black fabric layer

The power cable and AC adapter

The AC adapter is from DELTA, model: ADP-230EB T, 19.5V 11.8A which is total of 230W

Product Analysis

The GL65 Leopard from the top

The GL65 Leopard from the bottom

The chamfered corners are slightly rounded and without sharp edges

The heat-dissipating part at the back of the laptop mimics the design of supercars, and all the sharp corners act to prevent scratches

The design of the Dragon Shield will glow up when turning on the machine

The full-sized keyboard comes from Steelseries

The per-key RGB brightness of the keyboard is pretty well distributed

The new 10th gen Intel logo and RTX logo from Nvidia

The GL65 Leopard nameplate sticker

The touchpad is separated by the touch area and buttons, which avoids accidental touch and improves the feel

The 720p camera on the top of the B cover is next to the built-in directional noise reduction microphone

The C panel buttons from left to right are the Cooler Boost button, Dragon Center button and power button

The laptop front side – The 3 indicators from left to right are WIFI, battery and HDD status

The laptop rear side – The back vents of the GL series molds are not symmetrical in design, but the appearance is avant-garded fashionable

The laptop right side – I/O are the 2 x USB3.2 Type-A Gen1, SD(XC/HC) card readers, power jack

The laptop left side – I/O are the Kensington lock port, RJ45 Ethernet port, 1 x HDMI(4K @ 30Hz) ), 1 x Mini-DisplayPort, 1 x Type-C (USB3.2 Gen2), 1 x USB3.2 Type-A Gen1, headphone and microphone port

The laptop overall weight: 2.3KG
The laptop opening angle is around 120 degree

The latest 10th Gen CPU brings more powerful performance.
The RTX graphics card with Ray-Tracing technology will experience a better light and shadow effects when playing AAA games.
The 144Hz gaming screen can make your game smoother and smoother.
The two-sided speakers support Hi-Res, please enjoy the lossless music with a premium sound quality.
The new version of the Dragon Center controlling program allows you to monitor every performance on your laptop.
The revolutionary cooling system –‘Cooler Boost 5’ is the best dedicated thermal solution from MSI and will establish a high-performances system running environment to provide a stable and immersed user experience.

More detailed tests and benchmarks will be presented after our comprehensive tests, Stay tuned!

GL65 Leopard 10SEK OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

The innovative Socket design of the 10th generation Core sees the introduction of the new Socket 1200, Intel is making sure it’s incompatible with the old CPU family and releasing the related ranges of the Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors, with a total of 32 models.

THE INTEL i7 10700K

The i7-10700K has 8 cores 16 threads, the L3 cache has 12MB, the frequency range is from 3.8GHz to 5.1GHz, the price of 749 AUD which is quite expensive.

Package appearance

Package Front & Back

The CPU chip & manual with newly designed 10th gen i7 sticker

The new LGA 1200 socket (FROM ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO WIFI)

Run-time Benchmark Test
CPU-Z

AIDA64 GPGPU

Comparison
We also prepared two bench platforms to compare the new 10th gen i7 10700K and 9th gen i9 9900K

CINEBENCH R15/R20 Single core & multi-cores comparison

wPRIME Single Thread & Multi Threads

V-RAY is using to demonstrate computer processing and rendering capabilities

AIDA64 PhotoWorxx is to test the performance of processing digital photos
FPU SinJulia is used to measure extended precision floating point performance
FP32 RRay-Trace uses SIMD enhanced ray-tracing engine to calculate the scene to measure single precision
FP64 Ray-Trace uses SIMD enhanced ray-tracing engine to calculate the scene to measure double precision

Gaming Performance Comparison
Intel claims that the new generation of CPU will bring a significant improvement in-game performance

However, after our testing, we found that the average FPS of these test games did not reach Intel’s advertised price. Given that most games have a higher avg FPS based on a high-frequency single-core speed, the 10th gen i7 with the new Turbo Boost V3 technology does have some advantages, but it is not obvious, some games do not even perform as well as i9 9900K.

Overclocking? The way we achieved the best performance is to push the core voltage to 1.47V to achieve all core 5.1Ghz, the temperature was stable at around 82°C, the HwINFO shows that CPU is eating 250W, as we are using a 240mm AIO liquid cooling kit, the 10th gen CPU is quite hot.

In summary, after testing, we found that this 10th gen i7 is not very cost-effective compared to the previous generation, buyers also need to upgrade the motherboard to fit the new socket 1200. However, the new SOCKET does not bring many new features such as USB4.0 support, although Intel has confirmed that they disabled PCIe gen4 support on 10th gen CPU until the next generation is released, so the motherboard manufacturers coincidently choose to not integrate it in their Z490 motherboards, which means we still cannot use the ultra-fast speed PCIe Gen 4 SSD or graphic card etc on the new platform at the moment. Users can decide whether to replace the new generation CPU according to their needs.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE: 91/100

EPIC REWARD: EDITOR’S CHOICE

The Z390 chipset has only been slightly tweaked, now including native support for USB 3.1 Gen.2, increasing the bandwidth up to 10Gbps max, and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi. With the Intel Wireless-AC 9560 NIC and the corresponding front-end design of the motherboard, a Gigabit wireless network can be achieved, although, it might not be possible on the NBN.

The chipset interface is still the LGA1151, the 9th generation Core is still compatible with the existing 300 series chipset, which including the Z370, B360, H310, etc., while the Z390 motherboard can also support the 8th generation Core series.

Intel 9th Generation Core Family CPU Official Specifications:

THE INTEL i7 9700K

The i7-9700K has 8 cores 8 threads, the L3 cache has 12MB (cut from 2MB to 1.5MB per core), the frequency range has been taken from 3.6GHz to 4.9GHz, with the price coming in at roughly 659 AUD, its 60 dollars more expensive than the i7-8700K.

Package appearance

Package Front

Package Back

Package Bottom Side

Opening the box

The CPU chip

The CPU front

The CPU back

Run-time Benchmark Test
CPU-Z

HWiNFO64

Intel XTU

Cinebench

Unfortunately, we found it difficult to get a stable reading with all cores running at 5.1Ghz during the overclocking test, but a single core can be pushed out to 5.5Ghz.

THE INTEL i9 9900K

The flagship model for the 9th generation is the i9-9900K, with 8 cores and 16 threads (the only hyperthreading available in the 9th generation), 16MB for the L3 cache (sharing for all cores), the reference frequency is 3.6GHz, the turbo frequency acceleration is up to 5.0GHz, and the integrated graphic is the UHD 630, memory supports dual-channel DDR4-2666 and TDP consumption is 95W.

Its price has reached 859 AUD, which is also the new price record for mainstream CPUs. Compared with the i7-8700K, that costs 599 AUD, its 30% more.

It is worth noting that the 9th generation Core has fixed some of the Meltdown and Spectre bugs on the consumer processors for the first time, including the Rogue Cache Data Load and the L1 Terminal Fault/L1TF, other bugs still need to be resolved by updating the BIOS.

Interestingly, the i9-9900K also offers a specially designed box, a dodecahedron shape with transparent glass material.

Package appearance

ES Package

Open the package

The CPU chip

The CPU front

The CPU back

Run-time Benchmark Test
CPU-Z

HWiNFO64

PC MARK 10

Cinebench

According to Intel’s official statement, the performance of the 9th generation Core is up to 15% faster compared to the overall performance of the 8th generation, the gaming performance is improved by about 10%, and the video editing performance is improved by up to 34%, compared to older chipsets (such as i7-6700K) you could see increases of up to 40%, 45%, and 97% respectively.

We tried to boost all cores to 5.1Ghz, and fortunately, it’s stable and passed the cinebench test

I9 9900K@4.8GHz, 3D MARK FSE, physics score is 24129 points, the graphics card is 18789 (ASUS ROG STRIX 2080TI O11G)

I9 9900K@4.8GHz, 3D MARK FSU, physics score is 24098 points, the graphics card is 9223 (ASUS ROG STRIX 2080TI O11G)

Overall
After a bunch of tests, the i7 9700K, i9 9900K and i7 8700K have the same single-core frequency performance, the theoretical multi-threading gap of the i9 9900K which has an extra 2 cores 4 threads over the i7 8700K, offers a performance bump of about 33%. In gaming performance, there is basically no difference between the three CPUs. Unfortunately, the potential of overclocking performance is not as good as the i7 8700K and i7 8086K.

If the CPU is being utilised for a small workstation, the reasonable price of the i9 9900K is definitely an excellent choice to replace the i9 7900X. Even with the i7 8700K, the extra 33% of theoretical performance is a big improvement for rendering. However, pure game users do not have to choose the i9 9900K, the i7 9700K is definitely a better choice.

INTEL ARK FOR I7 9700K:
https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-

INTEL ARK FOR I9 9900K:
https://ark.intel.com/products/186605/Intel-Core-i9-9900K-Processor-16M-Cache-up-to-5-00-GHz-