MSI GS66 Stealth: MSI sets a new benchmark for gaming laptops

The MSI GS66 Stealth is a new gaming laptop that manages to cram in the very latest high-end components into a compact design.

The bleeding-edge components of the GS66 Stealth comprise of Intel’s new H-series processors and Nvidia’s RTX Super series graphics cards, potentially resulting in the best performance yet seen in a gaming laptop – if you buy the top configuration. 

Other exciting features include a 15.6-inch display with a 300Hz refresh rate, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 1TB of storage via an NVMe SSD. 

Most notable is that MSI has been able to fit such lavish specs into a laptop that’s only 18mm thick. Whether its performance can live up to the specs remains to be seen but it’s difficult not to be dazzled by early impressions. 

The MSI GS66 is one of three laptops confirmed to feature the new Intel and Nvidia components joining the MSI GE66 gaming powerhouse and the more creative-focused MSI Creator 17.

Related: Best gaming laptop 2020

MSI GS66 Stealth release date – When will it launch?

MSI has confirmed the GS66 will launch mid-May in the UK. There’s no exact release date just yet but we’ll update this article once we hear more. 

MSI GS66 Stealth price – How much will it cost?

The MSI GS66 Stealth has a starting price of £1699, with this specific configuration featuring an Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card and Intel Core i7-10750H processor. 

The price balloons significantly on upgrading the specs, with the top configuration of an RTX 2080 Super Max-Q graphics card and Intel Core i9-10980HK processor – essentially the most powerful components you can find for a laptop – costing £2999. 

MSI GS66 Stealth specs

The MSI GS66 Stealth has some of the best specs seen in a gaming laptop, featuring Intel’s all-new H-series processors and optional Nvidia RTX Super graphics cards.

While we’re yet to test these laptop components, they’re expected to take gaming performance to levels previously unseen in portable laptops. 

There are seven different configurations of the GS66 Stealth on offer in the UK. We’ve included the four most noteworthy below, although prices will vary further if upgrading/downgrading the processor, RAM, storage capacity and refresh rate of the display.

You can also upgrade the RAM and SSD yourself, with MSI’s new gaming laptop featuring dual M.2 SSD and DDR4 slots. 

Judging by the specs sheet alone, the base model (10SE-041UK) appears to offer particularly good value. Whether that will be the case following benchmark tests remains to be seen. 

Model	GS66 Stealth 10SE-041UK	GS66 Stealth 10SF-042UK	GS66 Stealth 10SFS-074UK	GS66 Stealth 10SGS-070UK
Price	£1699	£1799	£2099	£2999
GPU	Nvidia RTX 2060	Nvidia RTX 2070	Nvidia RTX 2070 Super	Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
CPU	Intel Core i7-10750H	Intel Core i7-10750H	Intel Core i7-10750H	Intel Core i9-10980HK
RAM	16GB DDR4	16GB DDR4	32GB DDR4	16GB DDR4
Storage	512GB SSD	1TB SSD	1TB SSD	1TB SSD
Display	15.6-inch 1920 x 1080240Hz	15.6-inch 1920 x 1080240Hz	15.6-inch 1920 x 1080300Hz	15.6-inch 1920 x 1080300Hz
Battery	99.9 Whr	99.9 Whr	99.9 Whr	99.9 Whr
Dimensions	360 x 245 x 18mm	360 x 245 x 18mm	360 x 245 x 18mm	360 x 245 x 18mm
Weight	2.1kg	2.1kg	2.1kg	2.1kg

Related: Best Graphics Card 2020

MSI GS66 Stealth design

MSI has opted for minimalism when it comes to the GS66 Stealth’s design, touting this as a laptop you can use for gaming but also bring into the office without fear of being judged. 

The Core Black chassis looks classy without being overbearing. MSI has even made the lid’s logo more subtle by removing the gold colouring. 

The most impressive element of the design is how slender the laptop is at 18mm, even up against the top-end specs. I’d stop short of calling it an “ultraportable” laptop since it does weigh a slightly hefty 2.1kg – although that’s still light enough to throw in your bag. 

The GS66 Stealth comes with a decent array of port options including Thunderbolt 3-supported USB-C, USB-A and HDMI. With Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI, you can connect multiple external displays and see resolution outputs up to 4K. 

An Ethernet port makes the cut, too – although you do have the option to go wireless thanks to Wi-Fi 6 support.

MSI GS66 Stealth performance 

We can’t comment too much on performance right now, as we’re yet to test the MSI GS66 Stealth ourselves, so it’s best to reserve judgement until the final review. For now, all we have are MSI’s claims – which are pretty impressive if accurate. 

MSI suggests the 10th-Gen H-series processors will deliver a 15% improvement over their 9th-Gen counterparts, which should be a boon for any strategy gamers that put the CPU under lots of load on a regular basis. 

Nvidia’s RTX Super also reportedly provides a decent boost, with the RTX 2070 Super apparently being 12% more powerful than the non-Super version. Being RTX GPUs, you also get support for features such as ray tracing and DLSS.

MSI has also redesigned the cooling system to ensure these high-powered components don’t throttle, with 67 wafer-thin 0.1mm blades expelling unwelcome heat. 

Related: What is ray tracing?

MSI GS66 Stealth display 

It isn’t only the new Intel and Nvidia components in the MSI GS66 Stealth that should excite. It can also see refresh rates hiked all the way up to 300Hz, which will be a dream come true for competitive gamers. 

MSI claims the RTX 2070 Super configuration (from £2099) is powerful enough to run Overwatch at 280fps and CS:GO at 300fps. 

By fitting in an IPS panel, MSI seemingly hasn’t sacrificed picture quality to achieve such high refresh rates. In fact, MSI promises a “close to 100% sRGB”, so the Stealth should theoretically be capable of accurate and vivid colours.  

Only Full HD screens are available with the GS66 Stealth but I don’t see that as a major issue since 4K panels increase costs, drain battery far more quickly, and require a very powerful GPU for games to run at respectable frame rates. An optional upgrade would still have been nice, though. You can at least output to external monitors at 4K resolutions. 

The post MSI GS66 Stealth: MSI sets a new benchmark for gaming laptops appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

from Trusted Reviews https://ift.tt/2wXCi1P