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MSI GL63 8RC (i5-8300H, GTX 1050) Laptop Review

Excellent for the price. At only $900 USD, the entry-level MSI GL63 is able to play most if not all modern titles at 1080p with some tweaked settings for smoother frame rates. The stereo speakers are surprisingly decent and fan noise is relatively low for such an inexpensive gaming machine.

Take a few steps down from the flagship MSI GT or GE series and you'll find yourself in the entry-level gaming segment populated by the GL, GP, and GF series. Our test unit today is the affordable GL63 that directly succeeds last year's GL62M and GL62. The refresh brings minor visual and internal adjustments as well as the all-important jump from the 7th gen Intel Core ix series to the current 8th gen Coffee Lake-H.

Current GL63 SKUs can be configured with the Core i5-8300H or i7-8750H CPU, 1080p IPS or 120 Hz/3 ms display, and the GTX 1050 or GTX 1050 Ti GPU. Storage options range wildly because of the dual internal storage slots. Our specific test unit is the lower-end configuration with the Core i5-8300H, GTX 1050, 8 GB of single-channel DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SATA III M.2 SSD for a retail price of roughly $800 to $900 USD. The MSI system competes directly with other inexpensive gaming notebooks like the Dell Inspiron 15 7577, Gigabyte Sabre 15, HP Pavilion Power, Lenovo Legion Y520, and the similarly named Asus GL series.

Other affordable MSI gaming laptops to consider:

MSI GL63 8RC-069US (GL63 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8300H 4 x 2.3 - 4 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1354 MHz, Memory: 7008 MHz, GDDR5, 390.85, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4 PC4-19200, 1333.3 MHz, Single-Channel, 17-17-17-39
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LG Philips LP156WF6-SPK6, IPS, LGD0590, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphones, 3.5 mm SPDIF, Card Reader: SD reader
Networking
Qualcomm Atheros AR8171/8175 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless AC 9462 (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 29 x 383 x 260 ( = 1.14 x 15.08 x 10.24 in)
Battery
41 Wh Lithium-Ion, 6-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 3 W (stereo), Keyboard: SteelSeries Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Quick Start Guide, Dragon Center 2.0, Norton Anti-Virus, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.2 kg ( = 77.6 oz / 4.85 pounds), Power Supply: 576 g ( = 20.32 oz / 1.27 pounds)
Price
800 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The chassis is visually distinct from the GP62 with newer accent marks, more red colors, and other superficial changes. The biggest change is the removal of the optical drive to make room for additional ventilation for improved cooling characteristics.

Other than the changes mentioned above, the GL63 still feels similar to the GL62 and GL62M. The plastic base is resistant to twists and depressions with almost no creaking while the lid is weaker and more susceptible to warping especially down its center. The small hinges are adequate and uniform up to their maximum of 150 degrees. One major drawback of the chassis is that grease and fingerprints are both difficult to clean and very easy to see. Perhaps a brushed aluminum or rubberized approach would have been better options to keep the system looking new for longer.

Dimensions are exactly the same as the GL62M and GL62 even though the GL63 introduces numerous visual changes. Nonetheless, the newer model is actually slightly lighter this time around by about 200 grams. The new Dell G5 15 is significantly heavier by about 700 g because of its more rigid base and materials.

Red trims now line the perimeter of the base
Red trims now line the perimeter of the base
More ventilation grilles compared to the older GL62
More ventilation grilles compared to the older GL62
Smooth matte surface will attract fingerprints faster than on other notebooks
Smooth matte surface will attract fingerprints faster than on other notebooks
Exact same dimensions as the GL62M
Exact same dimensions as the GL62M
389 mm / 15.3 inch 274.7 mm / 10.8 inch 24.95 mm / 0.982 inch 2.9 kg6.29 lbs383 mm / 15.1 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 29 mm / 1.142 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs383 mm / 15.1 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 29 mm / 1.142 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2.2 kg4.91 lbs378 mm / 14.9 inch 267 mm / 10.5 inch 26.9 mm / 1.059 inch 2.5 kg5.5 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 267 mm / 10.5 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.5 kg5.51 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

All ports from the GL62 have carried over to the GL63 with some small rearrangements. Note that the ports on the left edge are now more tightly-packed because of the new ventilation grilles. A few entry-level gaming laptops like the Dell Inspiron 7577 are starting to ship with Thunderbolt 3 to be more competitive.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Left: Kensington Lock, RJ-45, HDMI 1.4, Mini-DisplayPort, USB 3.1, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, 3.5 mm earphones, 3.5 mm headphone (SPDIF)
Left: Kensington Lock, RJ-45, HDMI 1.4, Mini-DisplayPort, USB 3.1, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, 3.5 mm earphones, 3.5 mm headphone (SPDIF)
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Right: SD reader, 2x USB 3.1, AC adapter
Right: SD reader, 2x USB 3.1, AC adapter

SD Card Reader

The spring-loaded card reader offers very slow transfer rates at just under 22 MB/s with our UHS-II test card. Transferring 1 GB worth of images from card to desktop takes well over 60 seconds compared to only 8 seconds on the XPS 15.

A fully inserted SD card will protrude by about half a centimeter. We recommend ejecting the card before transporting to avoid bending or cracking.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.8 MB/s +418%
Dell G5 15 5587
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
20 MB/s +32%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
15.2 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86.5 MB/s +297%
Dell G5 15 5587
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35 MB/s +61%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
21.77 MB/s

Communication

WLAN and Bluetooth 5 are provided by the new and budget Intel 9462 M.2 module. The 1x1 card offers a maximum transfer rate of just 433 Mbps compared to 867 Mbps or 1.73 Gbps on most Ultrabooks and pricier gaming notebooks. While we didn't experience issues when connected to an 802.11ac network, our system would constantly disconnect from an 802.11n network. We're unsure if this is a widespread issue or something unique to our specific test unit, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
582 MBit/s +160%
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
319 MBit/s +42%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
Intel Wireless AC 9462
224 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
485 MBit/s +43%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
Intel Wireless AC 9462
340 MBit/s
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
240 MBit/s -29%

Dragon Center 2.0


Dragon Center software has been redesigned
Dragon Center software has been redesigned
Annoyingly, core temperatures are not visible until clicking the 'Detail' option
Annoyingly, core temperatures are not visible until clicking the 'Detail' option
Pre-installed keyboard light and audio behavior for select popular titles
Pre-installed keyboard light and audio behavior for select popular titles
VoiceBoost to rebalance gaming audio and voices. Such features are common on most multiplayer titles
VoiceBoost to rebalance gaming audio and voices. Such features are common on most multiplayer titles
Customizable System profiles including fan speed
Customizable System profiles including fan speed
Customizable shortcuts
Customizable shortcuts

Accessories

A Quick Start guide is included alongside the AC adapter. MSI-branded accessories like caps, mice, headsets, and mousepads are also available.

Maintenance

The bottom panel requires a Philips screwdriver and a thin edge to pry apart the edges and corners. The rear edges are especially difficult to separate without a sharp edge and one screw requires tearing a "Factory Seal" sticker that may impact warranty.

Internals are very similar to the GP63 as shown below.

MSI GL63
MSI GL63
MSI GP63
MSI GP63
MSI GT63
MSI GT63
MSI GL62M
MSI GL62M

Warranty

The usual one-year warranty applies when purchased in the United States.

Input Devices

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard (34.5 x 10.5 cm) and trackpad (~11.0 x 6.3 cm) feel identical to the ones on the GL62 and GL62M. Thus, we refer to our two existing reviews for more information. Users can expect satisfactory feedback from the main QWERTY keys while the NumPad keys are unfortunately a bit spongier since the individual keys are smaller. Keys are not as firm as on the MSI GT series because the base underneath the keys of the GL63 is a bit thinner and not as sturdy.

The completely smooth trackpad offers uniform glide for reliable cursor control and multi-touch gestures. We suspect that the dedicated left-click key on our unit is faulty because it is very spongy in feedback compared to the firmer and more audible right-click key.

Expect grease to buildup quickly on the keys, palm rests, and trackpad
Expect grease to buildup quickly on the keys, palm rests, and trackpad
Red backlight is recommended
Red backlight is recommended

Display

The GL series is limited to only 1080p options whereas higher-end MSI models may have 4K UHD options. The 1080p IPS display on our GL63 configuration offers excellent contrast levels and comparable brightness levels to the competition. Display quality is very similar to the Gigabyte Sabre 15G and new Dell G5 15 since both competitors also utilize very similar LP156WF6 panels from LG Philips.

Subjectively, the matte screen is clean and crisp with almost no noticeable grains. The backlight bleeding around the edges and corners is minor and easy to ignore during video playback or when gaming.

Minor uneven backlight bleeding
Minor uneven backlight bleeding
RGB subpixel array (141 PPI)
RGB subpixel array (141 PPI)
245.7
cd/m²
279.7
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
262
cd/m²
286.5
cd/m²
267.2
cd/m²
247.1
cd/m²
254.3
cd/m²
236
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WF6-SPK6 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 286.5 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 257.8 cd/m² Minimum: 3.84 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 286.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 843:1 (Black: 0.34 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.57 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.16
ΔE Greyscale 4.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
58.9% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.72% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.15
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
LG Philips LP156WF6-SPK6, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell G5 15 5587
LGD053F, 156WF6, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
Chi Mei N156HGE-EAL, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
LG Philips LGD0533, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
ID: AU Optronics AUO41ED, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
ID: LGD0533, Name: LG Display LP156WF6-SPK3, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
-3%
97%
0%
-2%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
39.4
38.13
-3%
85.4
117%
39.53
0%
38.81
-1%
38.97
-1%
sRGB Coverage
59.2
56.8
-4%
100
69%
59.2
0%
57.9
-2%
58.2
-2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.72
39.47
-3%
83.8
106%
40.86
0%
40.03
-2%
40.3
-1%
Response Times
1%
-26%
-19%
-16%
-1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
33.6 ?(16.8, 16.8)
33 ?(16, 17)
2%
44 ?(24, 20)
-31%
42 ?(22, 20)
-25%
38.8 ?(20, 18.8)
-15%
32 ?(16.4, 15.6)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
24 ?(13.2, 10.8)
24 ?(14, 10)
-0%
29 ?(12, 17)
-21%
27 ?(17, 10)
-13%
28 ?(16.4, 11.6)
-17%
25.6 ?(15.6, 10)
-7%
PWM Frequency
198 ?(90)
24900 ?(90)
20000 ?(99)
Screen
-7%
-17%
-3%
11%
-14%
Brightness middle
286.5
229
-20%
258
-10%
243
-15%
256.6
-10%
248.4
-13%
Brightness
258
224
-13%
234
-9%
231
-10%
243
-6%
241
-7%
Brightness Distribution
82
87
6%
79
-4%
87
6%
81
-1%
84
2%
Black Level *
0.34
0.28
18%
0.54
-59%
0.24
29%
0.19
44%
0.3
12%
Contrast
843
818
-3%
478
-43%
1013
20%
1351
60%
828
-2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.57
6.1
-10%
9.74
-75%
6.36
-14%
5
10%
7.5
-35%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
16.8
12.2
27%
14.6
13%
12.76
24%
20.1
-20%
25.2
-50%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.16
6.12
-47%
6.51
-56%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.6
5.68
-23%
11.59
-152%
5.63
-22%
2.7
41%
6.5
-41%
Gamma
2.15 102%
2.4 92%
2.19 100%
2.47 89%
2.32 95%
2.19 100%
CCT
7564 86%
6989 93%
11851 55%
7411 88%
6599 98%
7852 83%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37.4
36
-4%
76
103%
38
2%
36.7
-2%
37
-1%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
58.9
57
-3%
100
70%
59
0%
57.7
-2%
57.9
-2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-3% / -5%
18% / 5%
-7% / -5%
-2% / 5%
-5% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is approximately 37 percent and 59 percent of the AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively. Results are unsurprisingly very similar to the LG panels found on the Sabre 15 and Dell G5 15. Graphics artists may want to consider a different notebook with wider color gamuts like the XPS 15 or Gigabyte Aero 15X. The 100 percent sRGB Chi Mei option from last year's MSI GL62 is seemingly not available on the new GL63 series.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further measurements with a X-Rite spectrophotometer show a generally inaccurate grayscale and an overly cool color temperature not unlike many budget MSI notebooks in the past. Our calibration attempts improve grayscale by noticeable margins with more accurate colors on lower saturation levels. Even so, the limited gamut prevents most colors from being very accurate. Pure blue, for example, appears Blue-violet even after calibration.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 10.8 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. » 48 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
33.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.8 ms rise
↘ 16.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 39 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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 not detected

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.

Outdoor visibility is average at best when under shade and poor when under direct sunlight or on an overcast day. The GL63 is not designed to be used outdoors frequently even though the matte panel is good at reducing glare. Viewing angles are excellent as one would expect from an IPS panel with no major color shifting and only slight changes in apparent brightness if viewing from extreme angles.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Much like how the i5-7300HQ was the CPU of choice for affordable gaming laptops of yesteryear, expect to see the i5-8300H on more entry-level laptops moving forward. The biggest difference between it and its Kaby Lake predecessor is that the CPU now supports Hyper-Threading for 8 simultaneous threads. Performance is very similar to the last generation Core i7-7700HQ as a direct result.

Nvidia Optimus is included by default with no option for G-Sync. RAM is exandable up to 32 GB across two SODIMM slots.

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

The i5-8300H in the MSI is performing where we expect it to be as its CineBench scores are nearly a match against other notebooks with the same processor. Performance is about 10 percent and 20 faster than the common i7-7700HQ and i7-6700HQ, respectively, found on most last generation gaming laptops. Users who opt in for the GL63 i7-8750H SKU will get a rough 30 percent performance boost in multi-threaded workloads.

Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop results in very steady scores from beginning to end to suggest steady Turbo Boost performance. In contrast, super-thin alternatives like the Razer Blade 15 or GS65 commonly throttle their CPUs to keep temperatures in check.

See our dedicated page on the Core i5-8300H for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
206 Points +36%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
190 Points +26%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (151 - 174, n=17)
168.6 Points +12%
MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro
Intel Core i7-7820HK
160 Points +6%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
Intel Core i5-8300H
151 Points
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
149 Points -1%
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
144 Points -5%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
141 Points -7%
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
140 Points -7%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
140 Points -7%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
138 Points -9%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1312 Points +59%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
1129 Points +37%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Intel Core i7-8750H
1091 Points +33%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
897 Points +9%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
Intel Core i5-8300H
823 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (609 - 850, n=17)
793 Points -4%
MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro
Intel Core i7-7820HK
758 Points -8%
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
734 Points -11%
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
676 Points -18%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
566 Points -31%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
542 Points -34%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
516 Points -37%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
2.34 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
2.19 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (1.72 - 1.96, n=7)
1.87 Points
MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro
Intel Core i7-7820HK
1.81 Points
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.73 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
1.58 Points
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
1.56 Points
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.55 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
1.55 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
15.14 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
12.5 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
9.78 Points
MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro
Intel Core i7-7820HK
8.34 Points
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.08 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (6.2 - 8.79, n=7)
7.93 Points
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.39 Points
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
5.93 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
5.88 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
28189 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
25561 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (20061 - 24718, n=4)
22328 Points
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
21839 Points
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
19720 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
13729 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
7222 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (6115 - 6524, n=4)
6392 Points
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5528 Points
MSI GE72VR-6RF16H21
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
4720 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
4515 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
4330 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
353.2 s *
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
268.1 s *
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (206 - 286, n=4)
256 s *
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
213 s *
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
176.3 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
151 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
823 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
104.2 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark 10 ranks the GL63 slightly below many of its competitors including the Gigabyte Sabre 15 and Dell G5 15. The benchmark was performed before updating Windows and our attempts to rerun the benchmark after updating would always fail even when using the latest version of the benchmark tool (1.0.1238 64).

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 - Score
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5961 Points +52%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5483 Points +40%
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4644 Points +19%
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Liteonit CV3-8D128
4364 Points +12%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
3912 Points
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5445 Points +39%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
4331 Points +10%
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4069 Points +4%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
3927 Points
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
3899 Points -1%
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Liteonit CV3-8D128
3431 Points -13%
Work Score Accelerated v2
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5574 Points +6%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5339 Points +1%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
5270 Points
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
5090 Points -3%
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Liteonit CV3-8D128
5063 Points -4%
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
4831 Points -8%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3927 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5270 points
PCMark 10 Score
3912 points
Help

Storage Devices

There are two internal storage options (1x M.2 2280 + 1x 2.5-inch SATA III) with no NVMe configurations available. The 256 GB Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY SSD initially returned very slow sequential write rates of about 150 MB/s. It wasn't until after we applied Windows updates and stopped background activity from MSI Dragon Center and Norton Anti-Virus that sequential write rates would bounce back up to a more normal 489 MB/s. Most SATA III SSDs have comparable read and write rates in the 500 MB/s range.

See our table of SSDs and HDDs for more benchmark comparisons.

Secondary 2.5-inch SATA III bay
Secondary 2.5-inch SATA III bay
Primary M.2 SSD adjacent to the two SODIMM slots
Primary M.2 SSD adjacent to the two SODIMM slots
CDM 5
CDM 5
AS SSD
AS SSD
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
Dell G5 15 5587
SK hynix SC311 M.2
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
Liteonit CV3-8D128
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-8%
26%
82%
145%
-91%
Write 4K
60.2
67
11%
66.3
10%
132.7
120%
108.5
80%
0.296
-100%
Read 4K
19.94
25.8
29%
36.68
84%
32.25
62%
37.67
89%
0.363
-98%
Write Seq
443.1
238
-46%
469.2
6%
476.5
8%
1120
153%
102.3
-77%
Read Seq
527
506
-4%
536
2%
867
65%
1300
147%
85.3
-84%
Write 4K Q32T1
140.5
155.2
10%
182
30%
400.9
185%
243.9
74%
0.403
-100%
Read 4K Q32T1
215.8
195.8
-9%
357.9
66%
281.5
30%
311.6
44%
0.822
-100%
Write Seq Q32T1
489
232.7
-52%
507
4%
474.9
-3%
1395
185%
79.8
-84%
Read Seq Q32T1
544
549
1%
562
3%
1558
186%
2667
390%
97
-82%
Write 4K Q8T8
214
Read 4K Q8T8
205
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 544 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 489 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 215.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 140.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 527 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 443.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 19.94 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 60.2 MB/s

GPU Performance

The GeForce GTX 1050 is the go-to GPU for entry-level gaming laptops. Raw performance is about 15 to 20 percent slower than the last generation GTX 970M while being 20 to 30 percent faster than the GTX 960M. Users who want to upgrade to the GL63 GTX 1050 Ti SKU will see a 20 to 25 percent boost over the GTX 1050.

All modern titles are playable at the native 1080p resolution. To hit 60 FPS, however, most graphical settings will have to be turned down to Low or Medium especially on more demanding titles.

See our dedicated page on the GTX 1050 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Aorus X5 v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8850H
21823 Points +184%
MSI GV62 8RE-016US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-8300H
15101 Points +96%
Asus Strix GL502VT-DS74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
9824 Points +28%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
9147 Points +19%
Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 2GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Desktop), 4790K
8571 Points +11%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7693 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (6744 - 8903, n=42)
7662 Points 0%
Asus GL552VW-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ
5779 Points -25%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4708 Points -39%
MSI PX60 6QD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ
4384 Points -43%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
3728 Points -52%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Aorus X5 v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8850H
12471 Points +69%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
8786 Points +19%
MSI GV62 8RE-016US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-8300H
8215 Points +11%
Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 2GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Desktop), 4790K
7998 Points +8%
Asus Strix GL502VT-DS74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
7952 Points +8%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7385 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (4446 - 7607, n=42)
6827 Points -8%
Asus GL552VW-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ
5808 Points -21%
MSI PX60 6QD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ
4501 Points -39%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4296 Points -42%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2734 Points -63%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Aorus X5 v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8850H
118612 Points +207%
MSI GV62 8RE-016US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-8300H
82006 Points +112%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
51038 Points +32%
Asus Strix GL502VT-DS74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
50205 Points +30%
Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 2GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Desktop), 4790K
40922 Points +6%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
38631 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (14979 - 40201, n=40)
36212 Points -6%
Asus GL552VW-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ
31747 Points -18%
MSI PX60 6QD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ
25900 Points -33%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
19900 Points -48%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
15613 Points -60%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Aorus X5 v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8850H
17257 Points +181%
MSI GV62 8RE-016US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-8300H
11968 Points +95%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
7610 Points +24%
Asus Strix GL502VT-DS74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
7321 Points +19%
Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 2GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Desktop), 4790K
6797 Points +11%
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
6145 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (4935 - 6651, n=43)
6022 Points -2%
Asus GL552VW-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ
4645 Points -24%
MSI PX60 6QD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ
3638 Points -41%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
3622 Points -41%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2442 Points -60%
3DMark 11 Performance
7709 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
20894 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
5594 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 192.7 160.8 155.5 64
The Witcher 3 (2015) 125.1 74.9 42.4 21.9
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 121.9 74.9 40.1 33.2

Stress Test

We stress the notebook to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU can be observed operating stably at 3.6 GHz with no dips and at a sustainable core temperature of 76 C. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will cause CPU and GPU temperatures to rise up to 79 C and 67 C, respectively, which is relatively cool for a gaming laptop. Strangely, the CPU can be observed periodically dropping to 800 MHz for very short periods, but this thankfully does not occur when gaming. Performance is consistent when running Witcher 3 with a steady GPU clock rate of 1683 MHz and a core temperature of 62 C.

If Turbo Fan is toggled on, CPU and GPU temperatures will drop even further when gaming to 44 C and 50 C, respectively. It's important to note that Turbo Fan will not magically boost system performance and it's arguably unnecessary for day-to-day or gaming loads. Overclockers and enthusiasts, however, may appreciate the option nonetheless.

Running on battery power will severely limit CPU and GPU performance. A 3DMark Fire Strike test on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 9457 and 1436 points, respectively, compared to 11576 and 6145 points when on mains. We double-checked to make sure that all system profiles on the Nvidia settings, Windows Power settings, and Dragon Center settings were set to Performance, but the disappointing results remain the same.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress w/ Turbo Fan
Witcher 3 stress w/ Turbo Fan
0123456789101112131415161718192021222324Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.6 -- 76 --
FurMark Stress -- 1531 -- 61
Prime95 + FurMark Stress ~3.4 1418 79 67
Witcher 3 Stress 3.9 1683 59 62
Witcher 3 Stress w/ Turbo Fan 3.9 1695 44 50

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution is larger than on many other gaming notebooks and it consists of twin fans and seven copper heat pipes. The fans will idle when sitting on desktop and will eventually pulse to a low and unobtrusive 31.6 dB(A) after a few minutes of use.

When gaming, fan noise remains steady at 40.6 dB(A) to be significantly quieter than the Sabre 15 and Asus GL503VD each with the same GTX 1050 GPU. This makes the GL63 one of the least noisiest 15.6-inch gaming laptops available with Nvidia GTX graphics. Enabling Turbo Fan mode will swiftly boost fan noise up to a blistering 56.8 dB(A) regardless of onscreen activity.

Our test unit exhibits no noticeable electronic noise or coil whine.

Center of the notebook will be very warm under load
Center of the notebook will be very warm under load
Dual ~45 mm system fans
Dual ~45 mm system fans

Noise Level

Idle
28.6 / 31.6 / 31.6 dB(A)
Load
38.6 / 56.8 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: 28.6 dB(A)
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Liteonit CV3-8D128
MSI GV62 8RE-016US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-8300H, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
Aorus X5 v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8850H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
Asus GL503VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, ADATA SX7000NP 256 GB
Noise
1%
-8%
-8%
-14%
-2%
off / environment *
28.6
30.3
-6%
28.2
1%
28.2
1%
30
-5%
28.3
1%
Idle Minimum *
28.6
31.1
-9%
33
-15%
33.5
-17%
33
-15%
30.6
-7%
Idle Average *
31.6
31.1
2%
33.3
-5%
33.5
-6%
35
-11%
30.8
3%
Idle Maximum *
31.6
34.2
-8%
34.7
-10%
33.7
-7%
40
-27%
32.8
-4%
Load Average *
38.6
34.9
10%
44.5
-15%
41
-6%
45
-17%
37.6
3%
Witcher 3 ultra *
40.6
42.7
-5%
49.2
-21%
52.3
-29%
50
-23%
47
-16%
Load Maximum *
56.8
44
23%
52.8
7%
52.3
8%
55
3%
53.5
6%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Four separate ventilation exits
Four separate ventilation exits

Surface temperatures are uniform and slightly on the warmer side when idling. Strangely, the area adjacent to the touchpad can be significantly warmer than the rest of the notebook as shown by the temperature map below.

Higher loads like gaming can cause the center of the keyboard to become as warm as 42 C. Fortunately, areas around the NumPad, palm rests, and WASD keys remain relatively cool for comfortable gaming.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Max. Load
 47 °C
117 F
47 °C
117 F
44.2 °C
112 F
 
 39.6 °C
103 F
44.4 °C
112 F
35.2 °C
95 F
 
 27.8 °C
82 F
27.8 °C
82 F
26.6 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 37.7 °C = 100 F
47.4 °C
117 F
42 °C
108 F
48 °C
118 F
29 °C
84 F
30.2 °C
86 F
31 °C
88 F
27.8 °C
82 F
27.8 °C
82 F
27.8 °C
82 F
Maximum: 48 °C = 118 F
Average: 34.6 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  56 °C = 133 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.7 °C / 100 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 47 °C / 117 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 48 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35.6 °C / 96 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35 °C / 95 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-6.1 °C / -11 F).

Speakers

MSI has traded in the quad speakers on the GL62M for two 3 W speakers on the GL63. The results are excellent because sounds quality is very good even for a budget laptop. Whereas the speakers on most other laptops are 2 W or less, these 3 W speakers are quite powerful while being relatively balanced even on higher volume settings. There are slight chassis reverberations when on the 50 percent volume mark, but it's thankfully not distracting when gaming or typing.

25 mm speakers near the two front corners of the system
25 mm speakers near the two front corners of the system
Balanced pink noise on maximum volume
Balanced pink noise on maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.72536.336.63134.636.94035.535.65034.434.96334.936.18032.736.410031.84212530.846.816029.956.220029.158.525028.761.231527.965.840027.567.150026.968.263026.373.28002671.4100025.267.8125025.867.9160025.572.4200025.267.9250024.767.5315024.368.1400024.371.9500024.272.6630023.873.5800023.673.51000023.265.31250023.369.81600023.274.1SPL37.282.7N2.959.2median 25.5median 67.9Delta1.95.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GL63 8RC-069USApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI GL63 8RC-069US audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 20% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 12% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 85% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Prime95 activated at the 20s mark. Power consumption is constant to reflect consistent CPU performance
Prime95 activated at the 20s mark. Power consumption is constant to reflect consistent CPU performance

Idling on desktop will draw anywhere from 7 W to 11 W depending on the Power profile and screen brightness setting. Gaming will demand about 93 W to be very similar to both the Gigabyte Sabre 15 and Asus GL503VD. The faster MSI GF62VR with the more powerful GTX 1060 will draw about 30 W more than our GL63 when gaming.

Maximum load with Prime95 and FurMark will demand 133 W from a medium-sized (~14.3 x 6.3 x 3 cm) 135 W AC adapter. We would have preferred a more capable 150 W AC adapter for the additional power overhead.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.39 / 0.58 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7.1 / 9.8 / 10.4 Watt
Load midlight 88.8 / 132.5 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 GL63 8RC-069US
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NY, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G5 15 5587
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, SK hynix SC311 M.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Liteonit CV3-8D128, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus GL503VD-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, ADATA SX7000NP 256 GB, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Aorus X5 v8
i7-8850H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
5%
0%
-5%
-58%
-148%
Idle Minimum *
7.1
4.9
31%
8
-13%
8.2
-15%
16.2
-128%
25
-252%
Idle Average *
9.8
8.5
13%
10.9
-11%
11.1
-13%
18.2
-86%
31
-216%
Idle Maximum *
10.4
9.1
12%
11
-6%
11.8
-13%
18.9
-82%
33
-217%
Load Average *
88.8
90.7
-2%
76.7
14%
81
9%
82.7
7%
102
-15%
Witcher 3 ultra *
93.3
110
-18%
94.9
-2%
95.1
-2%
125.7
-35%
194
-108%
Load Maximum *
132.5
144
-9%
106.4
20%
123.3
7%
162.3
-22%
239
-80%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery capacity remains the same as last year's model at 41 Wh. In comparison, many pricier laptops have larger capacities like the GT63 (75 Wh) or Alienware 15 (99 Wh) for potentially longer runtimes. Users can expect about 4 to 4.5 hours of real-world WLAN use from the GL63 to be about average for a gaming laptop.

Charging from near empty to full capacity takes just under 2 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 20min
WiFi Surfing
0h 00min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 15min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 41min
MSI GL63 8RC-069US
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 41 Wh
Dell G5 15 5587
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, 56 Wh
Gigabyte Sabre 15G
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 47 Wh
Asus GL503VD-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 64 Wh
MSI GF62VR 7RF-877
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 41 Wh
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 41 Wh
Battery Runtime
112%
34%
54%
-39%
-8%
Reader / Idle
440
705
60%
493
12%
647
47%
166
-62%
387
-12%
WiFi v1.3
255
391
53%
261
2%
348
36%
115
-55%
225
-12%
Load
41
133
224%
77
88%
73
78%
41
0%
41
0%

Pros

+ relatively cool core temperatures when under load
+ steady CPU performance; Sustainable Turbo Boost
+ Stereo 3 W speakers; good sound quality
+ decent fan noise when under load
+ crisp matte display; no graininess
+ good gaming performance
+ affordable

Cons

- performance greatly reduced when on battery power
- small battery capacity; unimpressive battery life
- lid could be more rigid down its center
- no Thunderbolt 3 or NVMe options
- keyboard keys could be firmer
- serviceability could be easier
- huge fingerprint magnet
- very slow SD reader

Verdict

In review: MSI GL63 8RC-069. Test model provided by MSI
In review: MSI GL63 8RC-069. Test model provided by MSI

The MSI GL63 chassis is clearly capable of housing more demanding GPUs than the GTX 1050 because of its many ventilation grilles and oversized cooling solution. The consequence of this is a net positive because buyers will get a system that subsequently runs cooler and quieter as a direct result. We can't stress how important these qualities are in a gaming laptop because many are notorious for being loud, hot, and high-pitched during heavy loads. Owners of the Razer Blade 14, MSI GS73VR, Aorus X5, or Asus GL503VD will know how distracting their system fans can become when playing their favorite titles.

Other surprises include the above average speakers and excellent CPU performance with sustainable Turbo Boost because of the large temperature overhead. More powerful and expensive gaming notebooks have a thing or two to learn from the GL63.

There are notable drawbacks and cut corners to reflect the inexpensive price. In particular, we recommend double-checking the WLAN and mouse keys and updating Windows immediately after purchase since we experienced issues on our test unit. The SD reader is incredibly slow, both Thunderbolt 3 and NVMe are absent, the WLAN module is 1x1 only, and common luxuries like per-key RGB lighting or 4K UHD are not included. This is a system that focuses on the core gaming essentials and we think it hits that mark so long as the above negatives aren't major hurdles.

Cool core temperatures, quieter fans, and sustainable CPU Turbo Boost. The GL63 is a great entry-level gaming system that checks all the right boxes for casual and mainstream gamers. Some QA concerns on our test unit means users should be wary of certain defects.

MSI GL63 8RC-069US - 07/13/2018 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
70 / 98 → 71%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
72%
Connectivity
52 / 81 → 64%
Weight
62 / 10-66 → 92%
Battery
88%
Display
84%
Games Performance
89%
Application Performance
93%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 91%
Noise
78 / 90 → 87%
Audio
76%
Camera
31 / 85 → 37%
Average
74%
81%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GL63 8RC (i5-8300H, GTX 1050) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2018-07-13 (Update: 2018-07-18)