MSI GE66 Raider Complete Review
Specifications Table
| MANUFACTURER PART # | GE66059 | GE66048 | GE66045 | GE66236 | GE66239 | GE66288 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) | Windows 10 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) |
| CPU | Core i7-10750H | Core i7-10750H | Core i7-10750H | Core i7-10750H | Core i7-10750H | Core i7-10875H |
| CPU SPEED | 2.6 – 5.0GHz | 2.6 – 5.0GHz | 2.6 – 5.0GHz | 2.6 – 5.0GHz | 2.6 – 5.0GHz | 2.3 – 5.1GHz |
| CHIPSET | HM470 | HM470 | HM470 | HM470 | HM470 | HM470 |
| COLOR | Aluminum Black | Aluminum Black | Aluminum Black | Aluminum Black | Aluminum Black | Aluminum Black |
| SCREEN SIZE | 15.6″ FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 240Hz 3ms | 15.6″ FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 240Hz 3ms | 15.6″ FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 240Hz 3ms | 15.6″ Thin Bezel FHD, IPS-Level 144Hz 3ms 100%sRGB 72%NTSC | 15.6″ Thin Bezel FHD, IPS-Level 144Hz 3ms 100%sRGB 72%NTSC | 15.6″ FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 300Hz 3ms |
| RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 (16:9) | 1920×1080 (16:9) | 1920×1080 (16:9) | 1920×1080 (16:9) | 1920×1080 (16:9) | 1920×1080 (16:9) |
| GPU | NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 SUPER™ Max-Q | NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2070 SUPER™ | NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 | NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 | NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2070 | NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 SUPER™ Max-Q |
| VIDEO MEMORY | 8G GDDR6 | 8G GDDR6 | 8G GDDR6 | 8G GDDR6 | 8G GDDR6 | 8G GDDR6 |
| KEYBOARD | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining |
| OPTICAL DRIVE TYPE | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| AUDIO | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio | Nahimic 3 / Hi-Res Audio |
| SPEAKER | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 |
| MEMORY | 32GB (16G*2) DDR4 2666MHz | 32GB (16G*2) DDR4 2666MHz | 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz | 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz | 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz | 32GB (16G*2) DDR4 3200MHz |
| HDD CAPACITY | 1TB NVMe SSD | 1TB NVMe SSD | 512GB NVMe SSD | 1TB NVMe SSD | 1TB NVMe SSD | 1TB NVMe SSD |
| HDD INTERFACE | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe |
| LAN | Killer LAN E3100 | Killer LAN E3100 | Killer LAN E3100 | Killer LAN E3100 | Killer LAN E3100 | Killer LAN E3100 |
| WLAN | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax) |
| BLUETOOTH | BT 5.1 | BT 5.1 | BT 5.1 | BT 5.1 | BT 5.1 | BT 5.1 |
| CARD READER | SD (XC/HC) | SD (XC/HC) | SD (XC/HC) | SD (XC/HC) | SD (XC/HC) | SD (XC/HC) |
| WEBCAM | 1080p FHD Webcam | 1080p FHD Webcam | 1080p FHD Webcam | 1080p FHD Webcam | 1080p FHD Webcam | 1080p FHD Webcam |
| USB | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 | 2x USB 3.2 Gen1; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 |
| TYPE-C PORT | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C | 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C; 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C |
| VIDEO PORT | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 | HDMI™ (supports 4K @ 60Hz), mDP v1.4*1 |
| AUDIO PORT | 1 Audio Combo | 1 Audio Combo | 1 Audio Combo | 1 Audio Combo | 1 Audio Combo | 1 Audio Combo |
| AC POWER ADAPTOR | 230W | 280W | 230W | 230W | 230W | 230W |
| BATTERY PACK | 4 cell (99.9Whr) | 4 cell (99.9Whr) | 4 cell (99.9Whr) | 4 cell (99.9Whr) | 4 cell (99.9Whr) | 4 cell (99.9Whr) |
| DIMENSION | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ | 14.09″x10.51″x0.92″ |
| WEIGHT | 5.25 lbs | 5.25 lbs | 5.25 lbs | 5.25 lbs | 5.25 lbs | 5.25 lbs |
| MANUFACTURER WARRANTY | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) | 1 year Limited warranty (Include 1 Year Global) |
Introduction
The MSI GE66 Raider is a top-of-the-line gaming laptop designed to deliver an exceptional gaming experience. Packed with powerful hardware and innovative features, this laptop stands out among its competitors. Let’s dive into the details and explore what makes the MSI GE66 Raider a true gaming powerhouse.
Design and Build Quality
The design of the MSI GE66 Raider is sleek and captivating. It features a robust chassis with a premium feel, thanks to its aluminum build. The laptop’s RGB lighting adds a touch of personalization, allowing you to customize the look according to your preferences. The GE66 Raider is a visually stunning gaming laptop that is sure to turn heads.
Display and Visual Experience
The GE66 Raider boasts a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a fast refresh rate of 240Hz. The high refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay and reduces motion blur, giving you a competitive edge in fast-paced games. The display also supports a wide color gamut, offering vibrant and accurate colors for an immersive visual experience.
Performance and Power
Under the hood, the MSI GE66 Raider houses the latest 11th generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics. This combination provides blazing-fast performance and allows you to run demanding games and applications without a hitch. Whether you’re into AAA titles or content creation, the GE66 Raider can handle it all with ease.
Cooling System
To prevent overheating during intense gaming sessions, MSI has equipped the GE66 Raider with an advanced cooling system. It features multiple heat pipes, strategically placed vents, and powerful fans to dissipate heat efficiently. This ensures that the laptop stays cool even under heavy loads, allowing you to game for hours without any thermal throttling.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The GE66 Raider features a comfortable and responsive keyboard with per-key RGB lighting. The keys have a satisfying tactile feedback, making them ideal for both gaming and typing. The touchpad is also precise and supports multi-touch gestures, enhancing the overall user experience.
Audio Experience
MSI understands the importance of audio in gaming. The GE66 Raider comes equipped with high-quality speakers and Nahimic 3 audio technology. The audio output is crisp, immersive, and accurately reproduces in-game sounds, adding another layer of realism to your gaming experience.
Connectivity Options
In terms of connectivity, the GE66 Raider offers a wide range of options. It includes multiple USB ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, and a Thunderbolt 4 port for lightning-fast data transfer. The laptop also supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, ensuring a stable and lag-free online gaming experience.
Battery Life
Given its powerful hardware, the battery life of the GE66 Raider is decent. It can provide around 4-5 hours of usage on a single charge, depending on the intensity of your tasks. However, it’s worth noting that gaming laptops are generally not known for their long battery life, as they prioritize performance over endurance.
Software and Customization
MSI’s Dragon Center software is pre-installed on the GE66 Raider, allowing you to fine-tune various settings and customize the laptop according to your preferences. From performance optimization to RGB lighting control, the software provides a comprehensive suite of tools to enhance your gaming experience.
Price and Value for Money
The MSI GE66 Raider is a premium gaming laptop, and its price reflects its high-end specifications and features. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option, it certainly offers excellent value for money considering its performance, build quality, and overall gaming experience.
Pros:
- Powerful performance
- Stunning design and build quality
- High refresh rate display
- Advanced cooling system
- Customization options
Cons:
- Relatively shorter battery life
- Pricey compared to entry-level gaming laptops
Conclusion
In conclusion, the MSI GE66 Raider is a remarkable gaming laptop that excels in performance, design, and features. It delivers an immersive gaming experience with its powerful hardware, stunning display, and advanced cooling system. Although it may come with a higher price tag, it is a worthwhile investment for avid gamers who demand the best.
FAQs
Does the MSI GE66 Raider support virtual reality (VR) gaming?
- Yes, the GE66 Raider is VR-ready and can handle demanding VR games without any issues.
Can I upgrade the RAM and storage on the GE66 Raider?
- Yes, the laptop allows for easy upgrades of both RAM and storage to suit your needs.
Does the GE66 Raider have an SD card reader?
- Unfortunately, the GE66 Raider does not come with an SD card reader.
Is the keyboard on the GE66 Raider backlit?
- Yes, the keyboard features per-key RGB backlighting for customization and better visibility in low-light conditions.
Can I connect multiple external displays to the GE66 Raider?
- Yes, the laptop supports multiple external displays via its HDMI and Thunderbolt 4 ports.