Gaming Laptops as Fast as Desktops? Yep!

New high-end gaming laptops close the desktop performance gap.

By Jane Larkin

Partner Content by MSI

2016 is rapidly going down as a year of tumult, strife, and a shocking number of beloved celebrity curtain calls (noooo, not Bowie!). But this challenging year is not without its geeky bright spots: VR finally arrived. Dark Souls III landed. And, perhaps most surprisingly, 2016 will be remembered as the year gaming laptops finally escaped the imposing shadow of their desktop forebears. Skeptical? Check out MSI's latest lineup for proof.

It's a brave new world, in which the phrase "gaming laptop" need no longer conjure thoughts of lowered expectations and disappointing framerates. One reason is that laptop manufacturers like MSI continually hone their fab and design skills, cramming ever more premium features into smaller, more intricate cases.

Recall, also, that Nvidia shocked industry watchers and gamers alike back in April by announcing that it would make full-spec versions of its latest 10-series "Pascal" GPUs available for use in laptops, supplanting the company's prior strategy of releasing lower-spec portable GPUs. The age-old divide between gaming desktops and gaming laptops suddenly seemed surmountable.

Both the GT73VR (pictured) and GT83VR sport rainbow LED keyboards.

Sure enough, high-end laptop creators like MSI didn't need to be told twice, coming up with crazy new machines that compare favorably to high-end desktop experiences. Just a quick look at MSI's two latest high-end laptops, dubbed the GT73VR and GT83VR, reveals features and performance that would have been unthinkable just a year ago.

MSI's two latest high-end laptops, dubbed the GT73VR and GT83VR

You'll notice both models have "VR" in their names — as in Virtual Reality — and that's because they actually have the horsepower to feed demanding VR headsets like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The GT73VR is powered by Nvidia's top of the line GTX 1080 GPU, the best sub-$1000 GPU available. And the GT83VR? That sucker has two 1080s, running in SLI. MSI to gamers: We're not messing around.

That said, a GPU is only as good as the monitor it drives, and MSI's got some intriguing options. For starters, MSI is the only laptop maker to offer screens with 120Hz refresh rates and fast 5ms response times, so that beefy GPU will be able to flex its muscles far beyond the usual 60fps ceiling, and with minimal blur to boot. Nvidia's motion-smoothing G-Sync technology comes standard technically, and you'll also have options for IPS (superior color reproduction) and super high-res 4K displays. Too soon for 4K? MSI doesn't think so.

The luxuries don't end there. Both models enjoy awesome LED-lit mechanical keyboards sporting MX Cherry Brown switches. In case you've never traveled down this particular Internet rabbit hole, many gamers favor Cherry Browns for their reliable input, moderate sound profile, and satisfying "bump" action. The GT83VR's touchpad, in a unique touch, also does double duty as a numkey pad.

Game performance comes from a combination of GPU and CPU performance, and the seventh-generation Intel i7-7920HQ and i7-7700HQ processors powering these machines are among the most powerful available for laptops. Want to encode a few movies between games? Have at it. Newly designed fans with 10 total heat pipes have you covered.

The rest of the specs follow suit. Connectivity is particularly impressive, with no less than 5 USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 1.4, several audio jacks, Killer LAN ports, and SD/HX card readers. The GT83VR is all like, "why stop there?", also supplying Mini DisplayPort 1.2 and a Blu-ray drive. MSI bundles some nice software, including Nahimic virtual surround, MSI Dragon Center, and a 12-month license for Xsplit Gamecaster streaming software.

No doubt, these GT-series laptops make for expensive kit. The best always do. Luckily, those seeking VR-level laptop gaming performance at a smaller price can check out MSI's GS- and GE-series machines. Many of the latest GS/GE models rock the Nvidia 1060 that's so crucial to baseline VR performance, but at a less wallet-shocking price point.

Enough said. With gaming laptops this powerful, the laptop / desktop divide has clearly been demolished. So, shed that inferiority complex, portable PCers, and remember: 2016 wasn't a complete bust.

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