Laptops 101: Selecting software features that give gamers a competitive edge

So far, we have published several articles describing the basics of various aspects of gaming laptops such as cooling, audio, display, etc. Gamers also tend to focus on several other characteristics that would give them not only a performance edge but also enable them to stand out from the crowd. 

Many laptops come with RGB lighting and other enhancements that offer some degree of customization. The MSI GT76 Titan, however, takes these to an altogether different level by offering additional features and fine-granular control over most aspects of the notebook. 

In this article, we will take a look at how some of these enhancements can elevate the overall gaming experience. We discuss implementation of features such as per-key RGB lighting, keyboard macros, positional audio, and easy system tuning in MSI gaming laptops and see how they add up for gamers. It's not just about PC games, though. Triple-A gaming on Android is fast gaining steam so we will also take a look at the MSI App Player, which allows you to play all the latest Android games with the added convenience of a mouse and keyboard.

We also encourage you to check out some of our previous Laptops 101 topics in this series:

• Understanding what goes into designing an efficient laptop cooling solution
• Designing a capable laptop audio subsystem
• What goes into designing an ideal laptop display for gamers
• What goes into selecting an ideal laptop display for content creators

Many gamers swear by RGB lighting for enhancing their gameplay. MSI offers some neat enhancements to the way RGB lighting is implemented across the GT76 to further elevate the gaming experience.

Most MSI gaming laptops come with support for per-key RGB lighting for the keyboard. Besides enhancing aesthetics, per-key RGB lighting brings several tactical advantages to gamers. You can customize the lighting of keys per game so, for example, if you enjoy first-person shooters, important keys such as WASD and other keys that allow you to interact with the environment can be made to light up. You can also set a pre-defined key or zone of keys to light up when you are low on health or ammo, or even make the lights dance to your favorite tunes. 

A good, responsive keyboard not only helps with comfortable typing but is also an essential component of any gaming notebook. Gamers are often particular about certain important aspects of the keyboard such as responsiveness, key travel, and anti-ghosting features. The ability to customize RGB lighting and the clarity with which the keys are seen in dark environments also matter. MSI's implementation of the SteelSeries keyboard with the SteelSeries Engine 3 takes due cognizance of these requirements and provides gamers with what is arguably the best keyboard on any gaming laptop in the market. 

Audio plays a pivotal role in elevating the gaming experience. Modern AAA games come with support for surround sound that enables gamers to have spatial awareness of what's going on around them. However, not all gaming laptops are built to take advantage of a game's multi-channel audio. With hardware like powerful speakers and software enhancements such as Nahimic 3, audio quality truly sets apart MSI gaming laptops from the competition to put you right into the middle of the action. 

Competitive gaming is about the performance of the gaming laptop as much as it is about the skill of the player. Gamers would want to ensure that they are able to eke out every bit of power that their hardware can afford while not getting distracted in the middle of a crunch multiplayer death-match. Gamers prefer an easy way to switch between system performance modes without having to wade through the multitude of BIOS settings and confusing apps. MSI Dragon Center takes the guesswork out of system tuning and lets gamers concentrate on what they do best — gaming.

Perhaps, the most defining feature of any MSI gaming laptop is Dragon Center. Dragon Center consolidates all system information and tuning in one easy-to-access user interface. No more getting lost in complex BIOS settings or having to adjust clocks and fan speeds manually each time you start a game. Dragon Center offers comprehensive control over most aspects of your MSI gaming laptop so that you can extract every bit of performance from the powerful components inside. Let us take a look at the various tabs available in the current version of Dragon Center.

Smartphones are becoming more powerful by the day and gaming has been one of the catalysts in driving this change. However, smartphone gaming has limitations in terms of control accuracy and touch response, which can put you at a disadvantage when you are up against the world. While it is possible to emulate Android apps on a PC, the experience has been far from ideal — until now. MSI App Player is built for enabling a seamless gaming experience for mobile gamers by elevating their gaming experience to be on par with that of a native PC game.