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MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1070, Full HD) Laptop Review

Here comes some color! The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider offers very good gaming performance at a weight below 3 kg (~6.6 lb). The 17-inch laptop masters even long gaming sessions. Whether there are weaknesses and if so where, you can find out in our review with a multitude of benchmarks.

For the original German review, see here.

With the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider, MSI presents us with a gaming notebook of a thin design, which still offers decent performance under the hood. Intel has provided a fast quad-core processor in the form of the Core i7-7700HQ. But for a gaming laptop, the built-in graphics card is much more important. MSI has equipped our test unit with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070, which offers enough overhead for current games with its own 8-GB GDDR5 Video-RAM (VRAM). The combined SSD and HDD storage solution and the 16 GB DDR4-RAM fulfill the demands on a gaming laptop. Also when seeing a 17-inch panel, the heart of a gamer beats higher, and MSI uses a matte display with 120 Hz. The device sits on the shelves for 1999 Euros (~$2360; starting at $1800 in the US with GeForce GTX 1050), waiting for a new owner. Anyone wanting to spend a little less can also buy the MSI GE73VR Raider with a weaker Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060.

However, our test unit must prove itself against the competition by Acer, Asus, HP, and Gigabyte. All the devices have the same combination of CPU and GPU. Thus, it will be very interesting to see, which manufacturer can make the best use of the component performance. Below, you can see a table of all the comparison devices with their most important technical information.

HP Omen 17 Asus ROG G752VS Gigabyte P57X v7 Acer Predator 17 MSI GT72VR 7RE
CPU Intel Core i7-7700HQ Intel Core i7-7700HQ Intel Core i7-7700HQ Intel Core i7-7700HQ Intel Core i7-7700HQ
GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Panel 17.3 in, 1920x1080 pixels 17.3 in, 1920x1080 pixels 17.3 in, 3820x2160 pixels 17.3 in, 3820x2160 pixels 17.3 in, 1920x1080 pixels
RAM 16 GB 16 GB 32 GB 32 GB 16 GB
Speicher 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD 512 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD 512 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD
Result 85% 86% 82% 87% 86%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (GE73 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1480 MHz, Memory: 8000 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 385.41, Nvidia Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2400, dual channel, 2 of 2 slots occupied, max. 32 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, Chi Mei N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), TN WLED, 120 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
HM175
Storage
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY, 256 GB 
, M.2-SSD + HGST HTS721010A9E630, 1 TB HDD, 7200 RPM
Soundcard
Realtek ALC1220 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphone connection (SPDIF), microphone port, Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 28.5 x 419 x 285 ( = 1.12 x 16.5 x 11.22 in)
Battery
51 Wh, 4730 mAh Lithium-Ion, 6 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD (720p, 30 fps)
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W speaker + 2x 3W woofer, Keyboard: chiclet (Steelseries RGB), Keyboard Light: yes, 230 W power supply, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.88 kg ( = 101.59 oz / 6.35 pounds), Power Supply: 950 g ( = 33.51 oz / 2.09 pounds)
Price
2000 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Red and black are the dominating colors in the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider. The display cover is decorated with an illuminated MSI logo and red stripes, which are inserted into the structure of the display cover. However, the red stripes are only glued on and not illuminated. The case is mainly made from plastic and aluminum. The surfaces of the top of the base and display cover have an aluminum finish, while the frame around the display and the bottom of the case are made of "regular" plastic. The aluminum surfaces are very susceptible to fingerprints, although they can be removed easily with a moist rag. Due to its size, the base can be twisted minimally, and such attempts are accompanied by some quiet creaking noises. The same goes also for the display cover, which could have been more robust in the pressure test. During the pressure test, we also observe some slight give in the center of the base. However, this remains within limits and is not very pronounced. The hinges hold the display in position well. However, they are hard to move, and opening the case with one hand does not succeed. We observe a slight bounce after moving the display lid, but it does not last long. 

MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider

Size Comparison

When looking at the graphic below, it becomes apparent that the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider has a considerably smaller footprint. The same goes for the thickness, since at only 28.5 mm (1.1 in), the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is the thinnest device in our comparison here. And we can say the same for the weight, since the 17-incher does not even weigh 3 kg (6.6 lb). However, for transport, you also have to consider the power supply, which weighs 950 grams (2.1 lb).

428 mm / 16.9 inch 334 mm / 13.1 inch 53 mm / 2.09 inch 4.5 kg9.88 lbs428 mm / 16.9 inch 294 mm / 11.6 inch 48 mm / 1.89 inch 3.8 kg8.44 lbs423 mm / 16.7 inch 322 mm / 12.7 inch 40 mm / 1.575 inch 4.3 kg9.57 lbs423 mm / 16.7 inch 304 mm / 12 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 3.8 kg8.35 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 296 mm / 11.7 inch 31 mm / 1.22 inch 3.4 kg7.52 lbs419 mm / 16.5 inch 285 mm / 11.2 inch 28.5 mm / 1.122 inch 2.9 kg6.35 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Features

Connections

The features of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider are good, and all the important connections are there. The connections are distributed over both sides, with most of them on the left. This creates a clear advantage for right-handed users, since it leaves enough space on the right side of the device to operate a mouse. The power plug is angled, so that the cable will not be in the way either. The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider offers a total of four USB connections, with one having the USB Type-C Gen.2 standard. The remaining USB connections, which have the standard size, can optionally be illuminated by a red light. The test unit offers an HDMI connection (4K @ 60Hz) and a mini DisplayPort for external monitors. The positioning of the connections is fine, so that they do not interfere with any neighboring connections.

Left: Kensington Lock, fan openings, RJ45, HDMI, Mini-DisplayPort, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Type C, headphone, microphone
Left: Kensington Lock, fan openings, RJ45, HDMI, Mini-DisplayPort, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Type C, headphone, microphone
Right: SD-card reader, 2x USB 3.0, fan openings, power connection
Right: SD-card reader, 2x USB 3.0, fan openings, power connection
Back: fan openings
Back: fan openings
Front: status LEDs
Front: status LEDs

SD-card reader

The card reader is on the right side, right next to the two USB-3.0 connections. It can handle all the standard formats such as SD, SDHC, and SDXC. Inserted storage cards only stick out by a few millimeters, which protects them from inadvertent harm. The performance of the card reader inside the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is very good, which is clearly confirmed by our measurements. With our reference card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II), the test unit achieved 176 MB/s copying jpg files, and 200 MB/s in sequential reads. We also saw in the GT72VR 7RE, that MSI uses very fast card readers. 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
176 MB/s
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
125 MB/s -29%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
79 MB/s -55%
Gigabyte P57X v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.2 MB/s -56%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78 MB/s -56%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76 MB/s -57%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
205 MB/s +3%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
200 MB/s
Gigabyte P57X v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
90.4 MB/s -55%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
89 MB/s -55%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
88 MB/s -56%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s -56%

Communication

The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider offers LAN as well as WLAN. Both of the communication modules are made by Killer and are common in gaming laptops, due to very low latencies. The WLAN module is the Killer Wireless AC 1435 module, to be exact. In our measurements, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider achieved 682 MBit/s while receiving and still 525 MBit/s while sending. Those values are not as good as the SD-card reader before, but our test unit does rather well in the comparison. During the time of our testing, there were no abnormalities in the WLAN connections. With the wired network connection, speeds up to 1 GBit/s are possible.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
624 MBit/s +19%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
618 MBit/s +18%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
525 MBit/s
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
512 MBit/s -2%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
443 MBit/s -16%
iperf3 receive AX12
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
702 MBit/s +3%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
694 MBit/s +2%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
682 MBit/s
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
681 MBit/s 0%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
672 MBit/s -1%

Security

There are hardly any security features in the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider. Outside, we can only see the Kensington-Lock port. The users will have to do without a fingerprint sensor. There is a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM), however.

Software

The MSI Dragon Center provides a good overview of the system components and their loads. The tool offers a multitude of presets in the "System tuner" tab. For example among other things, you can overclock the graphics card here. You can also set up your own profiles without any problems, which can then be activated while gaming via the smartphone, for example. Of course you need to connect your smartphone first, which worked without a hitch during the test. The smartphone app also offers the option to survey the system data.

MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center (smartphone app)
MSI Dragon Center (smartphone app)
GPU-Z

Accessories

The included accessories are quite limited. In addition to the laptop, only the 180-watt power supply, various booklets and a driver CD are in the box. The manufacturer does not include an optical drive. The high-quality cloth that was placed between the display and the keyboard of the closed laptop is also worth mentioning. It can also be used to clean the surfaces.

Maintenance

Unfortunately, there is no maintenance hatch, which will make upgrading more difficult. However, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider can still be opened without any problems. Nevertheless, after loosening and removing the many screws, when removing the bottom cover, you should still be careful to avoid any damage. We definitely recommend using special tools for this. After the removal, you can reach all the important components. For example, you can clean the dust and dirt off the two fans without any problems and also replace the storage or RAM. Our test unit still has some space for an additional SSD in the M.2-2280 format.

The insides of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
The insides of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider

Warranty

The warranty of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is 24 months (pick-up & return). Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Steelseries keyboard of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Steelseries keyboard of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Steelseries keyboard of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (with RGB illumination)
Steelseries keyboard of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (with RGB illumination)
Steelseries keyboard of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (with RGB illumination)

MSI uses a keyboard by Steelseries in the GE73VR 7RF Raider. At 15 x 15 mm (0.6 x 0.6 in), the keys are sufficiently large and stick out slightly above the surface of the base. The workmanship is excellent, and nothing rattles or wobbles. All the keys sit tightly in their places. The low stroke of 1.9 mm (0.075 in) is accompanied by a clearly noticeable pressure point, which is not spongy by any means. The typing feeling is comfortable and you can easily accomplish longer typing tasks. The labels are slightly unusual, but after some time you will get used to it. As the highlight, the background illumination can be adjusted to your own liking, thanks to the RGB illumination. With the corresponding software, you can select a profile from the presets. For example, in the "Disco" profile, the single keys constantly change their colors, which makes the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider an eye catcher at any LAN party. Anyone who does not like it that wild can choose a uniform background color.

Touchpad

The touchpad of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
The touchpad of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider

Compared to the keyboard, the touchpad appears rather unremarkable, being only emphasized by a red frame. The input surface measures 11 x 6.2 cm (4.3 x 2.4 in). The two input keys at the bottom edge are separated and do not count with the input surface. The surface is smooth and does not hinder fast navigation input. However, there are still some areas in the corners and bottom edge, where the mouse pointer does not do what it should. But, in the center where it is used most, we cannot detect any sloppiness. The two input keys are large and give a good acoustic feedback to the user. 

Display

Subpixels
Subpixels
Very good: no clouding
Very good: no clouding

The Chi-Mei display of our MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider offers 1920x1080 pixels in a 17-inch diagonal, which corresponds to a pixel density of 127 ppi. Even though often 4K panels are used, we did not miss this in our test unit. Moreover, the MSI GE73VR 7RF boasts with 120 Hz, which makes the display ideal for gaming. Slightly less encouraging is the relatively low average brightness of 279 cd/m². The very low black value (0.21 cd/m²) still assures a good contrast ratio of 1410:1, though. At 90%, the measured brightness distribution is at a good level, which also becomes apparent in a completely black image. The so-called "clouding" is not a subject in the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider. Furthermore, the measured PWM frequency is very high at 26,000 Hz, which should not lead to any interference.

273
cd/m²
290
cd/m²
265
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
296
cd/m²
275
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
285
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 296 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 279.2 cd/m² Minimum: 16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 296 cd/m²
Contrast: 1410:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.09 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.06 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
75% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
84.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.19
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Chi Mei N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Omen 17-an014ng
AUO149D, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus G752VS-BA338T
AU Optronics B173HAN01.1 (AUO119D), 1920x1080, 17.30
Gigabyte P57X v7
SHP145E, 3840x2160, 17.30
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), 3840x2160, 17.30
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Chi Mei N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
-19%
-23%
5%
4%
-21%
Display P3 Coverage
90.5
64.6
-29%
61.6
-32%
87.8
-3%
86.4
-5%
68.3
-25%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
92.9
-7%
90.3
-10%
100
0%
99.9
0%
86.7
-13%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
84.8
66.1
-22%
62.8
-26%
98.9
17%
99.1
17%
63.4
-25%
Response Times
-92%
-60%
-146%
-83%
24%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
28.8 ?(16.8, 12)
45.2 ?(20.8, 24.4)
-57%
36 ?(18, 18)
-25%
55.6 ?(18.4, 37.2)
-93%
50 ?(24.4, 25.6)
-74%
29 ?(13, 16)
-1%
Response Time Black / White *
13.4 ?(11.4, 2)
30.4 ?(16.4, 14)
-127%
26 ?(14.4, 11.6)
-94%
46.8 ?(10.4, 36.4)
-249%
25.6 ?(11.2, 14.4)
-91%
7 ?(4, 3)
48%
PWM Frequency
26000 ?(15)
1000 ?(29)
-96%
Screen
-13%
-41%
-20%
-10%
-64%
Brightness middle
296
314
6%
307
4%
441.3
49%
343
16%
299
1%
Brightness
279
309
11%
300
8%
408
46%
328
18%
277
-1%
Brightness Distribution
90
88
-2%
88
-2%
86
-4%
84
-7%
87
-3%
Black Level *
0.21
0.34
-62%
0.32
-52%
0.44
-110%
0.29
-38%
0.27
-29%
Contrast
1410
924
-34%
959
-32%
1003
-29%
1183
-16%
1107
-21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.09
3.19
-3%
5.53
-79%
5.1
-65%
4.01
-30%
9.65
-212%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.97
6.1
-2%
11.54
-93%
9.8
-64%
6.03
-1%
15.43
-158%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.06
3.49
-14%
7
-129%
4.3
-41%
4.7
-54%
9.68
-216%
Gamma
2.19 100%
2.34 94%
2.48 89%
2.08 106%
2.4 92%
1.89 116%
CCT
7315 89%
7261 90%
8103 80%
7345 88%
6451 101%
11652 56%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
75
60
-20%
58
-23%
87
16%
88
17%
75
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
93
-7%
90
-10%
100
0%
100
0%
100
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-41% / -25%
-41% / -40%
-54% / -39%
-30% / -17%
-20% / -44%

* ... smaller is better

The quality of the display is very good, and the measured DeltaE-2000 values are only slightly elevated in the state of delivery. Via calibration, we were able to improve these values some more. We were also able to remove the slight blue tint. We have linked the corresponding ICC profile for your download. We like the color space coverage of the test unit very much. 100% of the sRGB color space can be displayed, and 75% of the AdobeRGB color space is still covered. This even makes the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider suitable for professional image processing.

CalMAN: Grayscales
CalMAN: Grayscales
CalMAN: Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
MSI GE73VR 7RF vs. sRGB (100 %)
MSI GE73VR 7RF vs. sRGB (100 %)
MSI GE73VR 7RF vs. AdobeRGB (75 %)
MSI GE73VR 7RF vs. AdobeRGB (75 %)

The low display brightness makes using it outdoors more difficult. Fortunately, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider has a matte display panel, which prevents reflections. If outdoor usage cannot be avoided, we recommend a shady place.

The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider in sunlight
The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider in sunlight
The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider in the shade
The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider in the shade

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
13.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.4 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 29 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
28.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.8 ms rise
↘ 12 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 32 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 26000 Hz ≤ 15 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 26000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 15 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 26000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Even though the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is equipped with a very good TN panel, the viewing angles cannot keep up with an IPS panel. Compared to other TN displays, the Chi Mei N173HHE offers considerably higher viewing angles, though.

The viewing angles of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
The viewing angles of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider

Performance

The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider combines an Intel Core i7-7700HQ with 16 GB of DDR4-RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070. With that, the device offers a very solid base for usage as a gaming laptop. The storage combination of SSD and HDD assures a comfortable working speed with low wait times. With this, the device also offers sufficient storage space for your game collection. Anyone for whom this is not enough can also expand the storage space without any trouble. Our test unit even offers space for an additional SSD in the M.2-2280 format. You can also add to the RAM, and both storage slots can be equipped together with up to a maximum of 32 GB.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWiNFO
DPC latencies
Intel Extreme Utility
Intel Extreme Utility (benchmark)

Processor

The i7-7700HQ is hidden underneath the heat pipes.
The i7-7700HQ is hidden underneath the heat pipes.

At this point, the Intel Core i7-7700HQ is an old acquaintance and a well-liked processor in gaming notebooks. Games often benefit from a high single-core performance of the processor. The Intel Core i7-7700HQ (3.8 GHz) offers exactly that, and with 160 points in Cinebench R15, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider occupies second place in our comparison here. However, in the multi-core performance (3.4 GHz), the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider slips into the second to last place. This is not too bad, though, since all the comparison devices are very close together.
You can find further benchmarks on the Intel Core i7-7700HQ here.

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
GPU load
GPU load

Under load with the Cinebench-R15 constant loop, it is apparent that the processor performance does not drop even after many runs. At 724 - 730 points, we do not measure any noticeable performance drop under constant load.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
161 Points +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
160 Points
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159 Points -1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
157 Points -2%
Gigabyte P57X v7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
152 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
144 Points -10%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
742 Points +1%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
736 Points 0%
Gigabyte P57X v7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
736 Points 0%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
735 Points 0%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
733 Points
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 Points 0%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.83 Points +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.82 Points
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.81 Points -1%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.81 Points -1%
Gigabyte P57X v7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.71 Points -6%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.19 Points +1%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.17 Points +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.1 Points
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.09 Points 0%
Gigabyte P57X v7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.04 Points -1%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
270 Points +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
266.5 Points
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
255.5 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
221.5 Points -17%
Octane V2 - Total Score
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
38782 Points +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
38434 Points
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
37018 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
32512 Points -15%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1114 ms * -14%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
998 ms * -2%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
975 ms *
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
944 ms * +3%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Jetstream 1.1
Jetstream 1.1
Octane V2
Octane V2
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7152
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
21630
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5645
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
7219 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
28465 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
7347 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.1 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
63.5 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.82 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
733 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
160 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
101.7 fps
Help

System Performance

Even though the CPU performance of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is on the same level as that of the comparison devices, a different picture is shown during the test of the system performance. In the PCMark 8, the performance of our test unit is often only sufficient for a place in the lower third. However, this does not mean that the device is slow, and the subjective evaluation of the system performance does not reflect the result you can see in the chart. 

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
5103 Points +17%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
5009 Points +14%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4989 Points +14%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4395 Points 0%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
4379 Points
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
3569 Points -18%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
8191 Points +51%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
7765 Points +43%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
5424 Points
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
5161 Points -5%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
5410 Points +5%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
5404 Points +5%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5289 Points +3%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
5155 Points
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4541 Points -12%
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
4218 Points -18%
PCMark 10 - Score
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5137 Points +7%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
4786 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4379 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5424 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5155 points
PCMark 10 Score
4786 points
Help

Storage Solution

M.2-SSD from Toshiba
M.2-SSD from Toshiba
1-TB HDD from HGST as data storage
1-TB HDD from HGST as data storage

MSI has equipped the GE73VR 7RF Raider with a combination of a fast SSD and a conventional hard drive. The SSD in the M.2 2280 form factor offers 256 GB and transfers data in SATA speeds. With this, we measure a data rate of 509 MB/s in sequential reads, while it achieves a data rate of 430 MB/s during writing. The faster NVMe SSDs achieve a considerably better performance. They can also reach their full performance in the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider, since the M.2 connection supports the faster SSD storage media. Our test unit offers two of these connections in total, which also support RAID.

The second storage drive in our test unit is a 2.5-inch hard drive from HGST with 1 TB of storage space. The plates rotate at 7,200 rpm, so that we achieve an average transfer rate of 100.4 MB/s with HD Tune.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 (SSD)
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 (SSD)
CrystalDiskInfo (SSD)
CrystalDiskInfo (SSD)
HD Tune
HD Tune
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 (HDD)
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 (HDD)
CrystalDiskInfo (HDD)
CrystalDiskInfo (HDD)
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
HP Omen 17-an014ng
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Gigabyte P57X v7
Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5
AS SSD
-344%
257%
2%
171%
44%
Seq Read
510
2374
365%
2824
454%
491.9
-4%
2237
339%
509
0%
Seq Write
430.9
365.5
-15%
1554
261%
260.9
-39%
1230
185%
282.1
-35%
4K Read
17.85
47.62
167%
49.71
178%
23.65
32%
37.51
110%
40.04
124%
4K Write
69.9
1.26
-98%
138.9
99%
72
3%
120.8
73%
95.8
37%
4K-64 Read
348.3
1129
224%
744
114%
241.4
-31%
851
144%
394.5
13%
4K-64 Write
127.1
122.9
-3%
1185
832%
151.4
19%
646
408%
281.4
121%
Access Time Read *
0.195
0.058
70%
0.058
70%
0.11
44%
0.052
73%
0.077
61%
Access Time Write *
0.052
1.85
-3458%
0.027
48%
0.055
-6%
0.033
37%
0.035
33%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 540 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 489.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 313.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 189.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 521 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 427.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 20.41 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 83.3 MB/s

Graphics Card

Many heat pipes cover the GeForce GTX 1070.
Many heat pipes cover the GeForce GTX 1070.

The graphics card is probably the most important component in a gaming laptop, and in combination with a fast processor, it assures sufficient performance. With the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070, our test unit does not need to hide at all. In the synthetic benchmarks, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider shows what it is made of, securing the second place behind the Asus G752VS. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 has its own 8-GB GDDR5 VRAM, with which the graphics card will not become outdated in the near future. Anyone for whom the performance is insufficient can change it by overclocking the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 via the MSI Dragon Center. The clock speed can be raised by 200 MHz and the VRAM speed by 350 MHz. With these settings, we were able to increase the results in the Fire Strike Extreme from 8489 points (stock) to 9123 points (overclocked). To avoid putting too much load on the battery in 2D operation, the Intel HD Graphics 630 then takes over the display output. The graphics switching (Nvidia Optimus) works flawlessly, and the user does not notice any of this.
You can find more information and benchmarks on the two graphics adapters (Intel HD Graphics 630, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070) here.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
18346 Points +3%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17799 Points
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17625 Points -1%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17289 Points -3%
Gigabyte P57X v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17170 Points -4%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
16847 Points -5%
Fire Strike Extreme Graphics
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
8770 Points +3%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
8489 Points
Gigabyte P57X v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
8236 Points -3%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
8217 Points -3%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
24349 Points +4%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
23524 Points
Gigabyte P57X v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
23243 Points -1%
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
23170 Points -2%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
22510 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-an014ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
21918 Points -7%
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
 
3DMark 11 Performance
16965 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
123519 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
27920 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13853 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
7744 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5386 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The gaming performance of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is very good, without a doubt. Similar to what we already saw in the synthetic benchmarks, the performance in the gaming benchmarks is also on a high level. With the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider, gaming is possible in native resolution without any compromises. This means that also the current games can be displayed smoothly in the "Ultra" preset. Anyone who considers connecting the device to an external monitor to enjoy games in 4K resolution can do this without any problems. In that case, you should choose one quality level lower, depending on the game. Nonetheless, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 is fast enough for the gaming experience in UHD. Compared to the other devices, it shows that the gaming performance of the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is very good.

01234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556575859606162636465Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

In the hour-long endurance test with the game "The Witcher 3," the frame rate is relatively constant and varies only by a few fps. On average, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider achieves a good result of 58.6 frames per second in the "Ultra" preset. Our test unit did not show any frame drops due to heat development.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
59.6 fps +2%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
59.4 fps +1%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
58.6 fps
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
58 fps -1%
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
139.4 fps +3%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
135 fps
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
133.2 fps -1%
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
130 fps -4%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
99 fps +8%
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
91.4 fps
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
90.9 fps -1%
Battlefield 1 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
123.2 (109min - 131max) fps
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
106 fps -14%
Battlefield 4 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
154.2 (138min - 191max) fps
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
144.8 fps -6%
Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:2xMS AF:8x
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
45.9 fps
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
43.7 fps -5%
low med. high ultra4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 267.3 233.7 217.3 135
Battlefield 4 (2013) 199.9 199.9 199.5 154.2 72.6
The Witcher 3 (2015) 231.9 175.7 107.8 58.6 39.9
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 218.5 176.2 111.4 91.4 38.1
Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016) 139.8 129.7 84.5 45.9 28.5
Battlefield 1 (2016) 179.2 161.8 133.4 123.2 51.8

Emissions

Noise emissions

No one purchasing a gaming laptop should be bothered by a high noise level. The developing heat has to be transported from the case quickly. In our case, this happens with a bunch of heat pipes and two fans, which are positioned in the two corners in the back of the case. During idle operation, these are turned off, and you can only hear the hard drive. Under load, the two fans start quickly, and we measure 54 dB(A) as the maximum level under load. Only the HP Omen 17 is louder at 55 dB(A).

Noise level - idle
Noise level - idle
Noise level - load
Noise level - load
Volume - speaker
Volume - speaker
Fan (left back corner)
Fan (left back corner)
The whole cooling unit
The whole cooling unit
Fan (right back corner)
Fan (right back corner)

Noise Level

Idle
33 / 34 / 39 dB(A)
HDD
34 dB(A)
Load
47 / 54 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
HP Omen 17-an014ng
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Asus G752VS-BA338T
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Noise
1%
8%
7%
4%
6%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
30
-0%
29
3%
31
-3%
31
-3%
Idle Minimum *
33
30
9%
30
9%
30.4
8%
32
3%
34
-3%
Idle Average *
34
37
-9%
32
6%
32.1
6%
35
-3%
35
-3%
Idle Maximum *
39
39
-0%
36
8%
32.1
18%
38
3%
37
5%
Load Average *
47
44
6%
43
9%
45.6
3%
42
11%
37
21%
Witcher 3 ultra *
49
47
4%
43
12%
44
10%
Load Maximum *
54
55
-2%
49
9%
51.5
5%
50
7%
44
19%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

3DMark 11 after the stress test
3DMark 11 after the stress test

The cooling unit works well and is able to keep the case temperatures just below the 50 °C mark (122 °F). However, we cannot recommend operation on your lap under constant load, since we measure the hottest spot (49 °C, 120 °F) in the central area in the back at the bottom. In our comparison, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider fares well here and only remains a few percentage points behind the top. The HP Omen 17 and the Gigabyte P57X fare considerably worse. Besides the case temperatures, we are of course also interested in the temperatures of the processor and graphics card. We run them under load for at least one hour with the Prime95 and FurMark programs. At the Intel Core i7-7700HQ, we measure a maximum of 96 °C (205 °F), whereas the temperature of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 remains considerably lower at 77 °C (170 °F). During simultaneous load on both components, there is a slight throttling of the CPU and GPU. When only one component is stressed under load, the cooling unit manages to keep it within temperature limits where there is no throttling. The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider handled the load tests offered by 3DMark 13 with a very good 98%. Even in the follow-up test with 3DMark 11, with 16,678 points, our test unit achieved almost as many as during the cold start before (16,965 points). 

Stress test: Prime95 solo
Stress test: Prime95 solo
Stress test: Furmark solo
Stress test: Furmark solo
Stress test: Furmark + Prime95
Stress test: Furmark + Prime95
3DMark Sky Diver stress test
3DMark Sky Diver stress test
3DMark Time Spy stress test
3DMark Time Spy stress test
Full load, top (Optris PI 640)
Full load, top (Optris PI 640)
Full load, bottom (Optris PI 640)
Full load, bottom (Optris PI 640)
Max. Load
 46 °C
115 F
46 °C
115 F
48 °C
118 F
 
 45 °C
113 F
45 °C
113 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
29 °C
84 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 48 °C = 118 F
Average: 39.7 °C = 103 F
46 °C
115 F
49 °C
120 F
42 °C
108 F
39 °C
102 F
48 °C
118 F
35 °C
95 F
28 °C
82 F
33 °C
91 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 49 °C = 120 F
Average: 38.9 °C = 102 F
Power Supply (max.)  46 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 48 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 49 °C / 120 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.3 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 37.9 °C / 100 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31 °C / 87.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.1 °C / -3.8 F).
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
HP Omen 17-an014ng
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Asus G752VS-BA338T
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Gigabyte P57X v7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Heat
-23%
4%
-13%
5%
2%
Maximum Upper Side *
48
48
-0%
41
15%
51.2
-7%
39.1
19%
41.5
14%
Maximum Bottom *
49
54
-10%
39.3
20%
56.8
-16%
42.1
14%
50.6
-3%
Idle Upper Side *
25
35
-40%
28.8
-15%
29.2
-17%
27.9
-12%
26.4
-6%
Idle Bottom *
26
37
-42%
27.3
-5%
29.2
-12%
26.1
-0%
25.4
2%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

The speakers are positioned right below the palm rests. After removal of the bottom cover, it becomes clear how much space MSI provides for the speakers. There is also a woofer on the side next to each speaker. They provide the loud volume of the speakers, and the bass reproduction is decent. The mids and highs are strong, and even at maximum volume, we do not hear any distortions or overload. The sound of the good speakers can be adjusted to your liking via the Nahimic audio software. You can either select from predefined profiles or create your own. In the "microphone" section, you can activate noise-suppression to filter out annoying noises.
You can also connect an external microphone to the 3.5-mm connector. Next to this is another 3.5-mm connection that supports the digital Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF).

Nahimic audio settings
Nahimic audio settings
Nahimic microphone settings
Nahimic microphone settings
Speaker (right side)
Speaker (right side)
Speaker (left side)
Speaker (left side)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.435.32533.934.43128.935.14037.237.1502837.46326.840.38027.945.710026.35512525.852.816024.755.820025.662.525022.563.531521.26340019.261.950018.269.263017.775.280017.678.2100016.678.4125017.179160017.181.9200017.286.6250017.483.9315017.879.7400017.879.650001880630018.179.4800018.175.81000019.277.21250019.374.81600018.672.6SPL30.292.8N1.494.5median 18.1median 77.2Delta1.6641.745.737.74130.833.534.537.127.228.527.129.527.335.726.744.22449.421.753.623.157.323.260.221.164.120.168.219.770.319.871.719.473.319.168.219.665.219.864.220.266.420.569.420.870.121.371.621.967.722.56023.349.22451.624.742.325.53533.380.41.948.8median 21.3median 64.21.59.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GE73VR 7RF RaiderAsus G752VS-BA338T
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (93 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.4% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 70% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 14% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 83% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus G752VS-BA338T audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 7.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 74% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 22% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 53% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency comparison (Checkboxes selectable!)

Power Management

Power Consumption

Despite the high performance, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider does really well in terms of power consumption. All the comparison devices use more power overall. Particularly during idle operation, the MSI did its homework and uses only 10 to 26 watts. During average load, the consumption rises to 97 watts, and under maximum load, it goes up to 230 watts. This is also the maximum amount of power, the power supply can provide. We should also mention that we did not observe any discharging of the battery even under full load.

At 0.95 kg (2 lb), the power supply is really not a light weight.
At 0.95 kg (2 lb), the power supply ...
At 0.95 kg (2 lb), the power supply is really not a light weight.
... is really not a light weight.
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 0.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 10 / 18 / 26 Watt
Load midlight 97 / 230 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
HP Omen 17-an014ng
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Asus G752VS-BA338T
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Gigabyte P57X v7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
Power Consumption
-31%
-25%
-34%
-43%
-28%
Idle Minimum *
10
22
-120%
21
-110%
15.7
-57%
23
-130%
20
-100%
Idle Average *
18
28
-56%
27
-50%
23.4
-30%
33
-83%
27
-50%
Idle Maximum *
26
35
-35%
32
-23%
23.5
10%
40
-54%
31
-19%
Load Average *
97
93
4%
86
11%
184.6
-90%
94
3%
86
11%
Witcher 3 ultra *
183
157
14%
165
10%
177
3%
Load Maximum *
230
208
10%
206
10%
233.1
-1%
228
1%
184
20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

3DMark 11 in battery operation
3DMark 11 in battery operation
51-Wh battery
51-Wh battery

Even though the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider did well in terms of power consumption, the battery life is unfortunately not so good. With only 51 Wh, our test unit has by far the smallest battery. With 75 Wh up to 90 Wh, the competitors have considerably more capacity. But of course a gaming laptop is not built primarily for mobile usage, which should be considered during the purchase. The battery life in the WLAN test is limited to four hours. To stick with the test conditions, the display brightness had to be reduced by seven steps to reach 150 cd/m². We do not recommend gaming in battery operation, since the performance is throttled a lot to prevent the battery from discharging too quickly. A test run with the 3DMark 11 clearly shows that the performance is reduced compared to mains operation.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 24min
WiFi Websurfing (EDGE: 40.15063.0.0)
4h 00min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 26min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 43min
Maximum runtime
Maximum runtime
Minimum runtime
Minimum runtime
WLAN runtime
WLAN runtime
H.264 runtime
H.264 runtime
Charging time
Charging time
MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 51 Wh
HP Omen 17-an014ng
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 86 Wh
Asus G752VS-BA338T
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 90 Wh
Gigabyte P57X v7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 75.81 Wh
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 88 Wh
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 83 Wh
Battery Runtime
41%
60%
30%
42%
35%
Reader / Idle
264
349
32%
445
69%
256
-3%
323
22%
316
20%
H.264
206
255
24%
257
25%
228
11%
WiFi v1.3
240
267
11%
293
22%
155
-35%
218
-9%
230
-4%
Load
43
84
95%
96
123%
98
128%
91
112%
91
112%

Verdict

Pros

+ slim, elegant design
+ low weight
+ fast Intel Core i7-7700HQ
+ Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 with 8 GB VRAM
+ display with high color space coverage and 120 Hz
+ USB-3.1 Gen.2 Type C
+ combined SSD and HDD storage
+ high-quality keyboard with RGB illumination
+ efficient idle operation thanks to graphics switching
+ good sound system

Cons

- short battery life
- throttling under full loads (CPU + GPU)
- low display brightness
- no NVMe SSD
The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider, provided by MSI Germany.
The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider, provided by MSI Germany.

Without a doubt, the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider is a gaming laptop. Together, the fast Intel Core i7-7700HQ and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 provide a great basis for gaming. We also like the display, which makes the hearts of any gamer beat faster with a high color space coverage and 120 Hz. For the device as equipped in our test, the manufacturer asks for 1999 Euros (~$2360), which is a similar price as for comparable 17-inch laptops.

The MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider offers a very good basis to meet the high demands by gamers even in the long run. The high-quality keyboard does a great job and is a real eye catcher with its colorful lights.

Besides the positive qualities, which include the low power consumption, in some places the MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider also deserves some criticism. In terms of the storage, we would have rather liked an SSD that uses the considerably faster PCIe connection in order to make use of the full performance of the M.2 adapter. The battery life also leaves us with mixed feelings, since it could not convince in the comparison. However, since this is a pure gaming laptop, this should not be the most important point for the purchase decision. Finally, we can say overall, that with the GE73VR 7RF Raider, MSI has a very good gaming notebook in a hot segment of the market.

MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider - 10/12/2017 v6(old)
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
62 / 81 → 77%
Weight
57 / 10-66 → 84%
Battery
75%
Display
89%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
94%
Temperature
86 / 95 → 91%
Noise
62 / 90 → 69%
Audio
75%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
77%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GE73VR 7RF Raider (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1070, Full HD) Laptop Review
Sebastian Bade, 2017-10-16 (Update: 2020-05-19)