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MSI GL75 9SEK Laptop Review - An average mid-range gaming laptop with loud fans

Loud and proud. The MSI GL75 checks all the right boxes for a 2019 mid-range gaming laptop. Features like a high-refresh rate display and a per-key RGB backlit keyboard are nice additions, but fan noise and coil whine spoil an otherwise adequate package.

Every year, gaming laptops tend to get a little better. Slimmer display bezels, thinner cases, and improved performance have been the norm for the past few years. However, some things have continued to plague some gaming laptops (particularly cheaper models). The MSI GL75 is an interesting combination of modern design choices and annoying holdouts. 

The device is one of MSI's 17.3-inch mid-range models for 2019, and it ticks most of the boxes expected of a US $1500 gaming laptop. Some niceties once reserved for flagship notebooks have made their way into cheaper machines. For example, the GL75 enjoys slim display bezels, per-key RGB backlighting, and a 120 Hz panel. Seeing features like this in a sub-$2000 gaming laptop would have been unthinkable, even among last year's models. However, as we will see, there are a few hangups that spoil an otherwise decent package. 

The mid-range gaming laptop market is extremely competitive, especially considering how good machines around the $1500 price point have gotten. Competitors of the MSI GL75 include the Acer Predator Helios 500, the Asus Strix Hero III G731GV, and the HP Pavilion Gaming 17. We will also compare the 2018 MSI GL73, which has dropped in price, to see what MSI changed over the course of a year. 

Purchase the MSI GL75 on Amazon here.

MSI GL75 9SEK-056US (GL75 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1335 MHz, Memory: 1750 MHz, GDDR5, NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready Driver 436.30, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 1333.3 MHz, DDR4-2666 / PC4-21300
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, No touchscreen, AU Optronics AUO479D (B173HAN04.7), IPS, 120 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake HM370
Storage
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, 512 GB 
, 456 GB free
Soundcard
Nvidia TU106 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1x Mic in, 1x Headphone out, Card Reader: Full-sized SD/SDXC/SDHC Card Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 28 x 397 x 271 ( = 1.1 x 15.63 x 10.67 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Ion, 6-Cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 3 Watt, Keyboard: Chiclet, per-key RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, MSI Dragon Center, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.5 kg ( = 88.19 oz / 5.51 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1500 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The GL75's case is similar to MSI's other mid-tier gaming laptops. Cool aluminum with a black matte powdered finish covers the back of the display while the rest of the machine is dressed in plastic. The keyboard deck has a black matte finish, echoing the aluminum lid; however, the deck is entirely plastic. Fingerprints readily show on the plastic. While the metal lid is a bit more resistant to smudges, it will show finger oils after a short while. Both surfaces can be easily wiped clean. 

The case is fairly stable, though the keyboard deck and palm rests exhibit some minor flex under pressure. The lid is thin and can be warped and twisted, particularly in the middle. The bottom panel is sturdy and holds its shape when pressed. There are no unsightly gaps around the edges of the machine. The hinges hold the screen steady while typing. The display cannot be opened without holding the base of the machine. Pushing the top center of the machine's base creates an audible click, and some creaks can be heard when the palm rests are depressed. 

Due to the slim bezels around the display, the GL75 is a fair bit smaller than other 17-inch gaming notebooks. HP's Pavilion Gaming 17 and Asus' Strix Hero III G731GV are close in size but have slightly larger footprints. The GL75 takes up about 11% less desk space than its predecessor, the GL73 8SE. Despite its smaller footprint, the GL75 is still chunky; its 28 mm thick chassis may keep it out of smaller bags. The GL75 weighs in at 2.5 kg, which is on the lighter side for a large gaming laptop. As such, the machine is reasonably portable.

428 mm / 16.9 inch 298 mm / 11.7 inch 38.7 mm / 1.524 inch 3.8 kg8.33 lbs423 mm / 16.7 inch 304 mm / 12 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 3.7 kg8.06 lbs419 mm / 16.5 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.7 kg5.95 lbs405 mm / 15.9 inch 282 mm / 11.1 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.8 kg6.08 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 293 mm / 11.5 inch 26.2 mm / 1.031 inch 2.9 kg6.28 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 271 mm / 10.7 inch 28 mm / 1.102 inch 2.5 kg5.51 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 263 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg5.11 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port selection is varied but feels outdated. The absence of Thunderbolt 3 is understandable given the price, but the use of an older HDMI 1.4 port (which only supports 4K displays at 30 Hz) is a disappointing choice.

Left: Ventilation, Ethernet, HDMI 1.4, mini-DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, Headphones out, Mic in
Left: Ventilation, Ethernet, HDMI 1.4, mini-DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, Headphones out, Mic in
Right: SD card reader, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, Ventilation, DC in
Right: SD card reader, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, Ventilation, DC in

SD Card Reader

MSI's budget- and mid-range laptops have long been plagued by slow SD card readers, and (sadly) the GL75 falls victim to this disease. The card reader offers transfer rates below 30 MB/s, which is abysmally slow compared to similarly priced gaming machines. The only other device in our comparison at this end of the speed spectrum is another MSI laptop, the GL73. All other competitors average between 70-80 MB/s. 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +318%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81.6 MB/s +247%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80.5 MB/s +243%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
74.7 MB/s +218%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.81 MB/s +14%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
 
23.5 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +329%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s +205%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.8 MB/s +201%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
67.7 MB/s +138%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
30.98 MB/s +9%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
 
28.5 MB/s

Communication

Excellent wireless cards are somewhat of a given in even modest gaming laptops nowadays, and the GL75's Intel Cannon Lake card furthers this trend. Wireless speeds sit between 650-700 MBit/s, which should be more than enough for most consumer-grade routers. Connections remained stable up to about 30 meters from our home router, even through one interior and one exterior wall.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s +57%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
691 MBit/s +8%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
680 MBit/s +6%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
655 MBit/s +2%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
650 MBit/s +1%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
641 MBit/s
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
630 MBit/s -2%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
623 MBit/s -3%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s +74%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
693 MBit/s
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
671 MBit/s -3%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
669 MBit/s -3%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
655 MBit/s -5%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
650 MBit/s -6%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
646 MBit/s -7%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
644 MBit/s -7%

Accessories

MSI includes a few stickers and some paperwork in the box, but nothing else.

Maintenance & Warranty

Maintenance and upgrade options are plentiful, but work is required to get inside the laptop. Thirteen #0 Phillips Head screws secure the bottom panel to the chassis. Once these are removed, several stubborn clips hold the panel in place. Care should be used when disengaging these, as they take time and effort to unclip. A plastic spudger should be used on the clips as the soft plastic of the bottom panel could be easily scratched. 

Once the bottom panel is removed, users will have access to both RAM DIMMs, the NVMe drive, the wireless card, and an empty 2.5-inch SATA drive bay. Users can also remove the heat pipe array from the CPU and GPU for repasting. We note the tri-point mount used for the CPU's heat sink, which may dissipate heat less evenly than a standard four-point mount due to uneven pressure.

MSI offers a standard 12-month warranty on the GL75.

Bottom panel remove
Bottom panel remove
Empty 2.5-inch SATA bay
Empty 2.5-inch SATA bay

Input Devices

Keyboard

The GL75's keyboard offers the same firm, "pillowy" feedback that MSI laptops are known for. The typing experience is similar to other MSI machines like the GP65 Leopard. In fact, the GL75's keyboard is a near-carbon copy of GP65's. As such, we have similar quibbles here that we did there. The overall layout is good, although some users may find the righthand placement of the Windows key annoying. The QWERTY keys are a bit small for our tastest (19 mm2), and the number pad keys are smaller still. With the minor exceptions, the keyboard is excellent and typists' fingers should be happy.

The GL75, like the GP65 Leopard, has a per-key RGB backlight under the keyboard. Colors shine through the translucent sides of the keys, and there are several fun pre-programmed effects. Users can pick these or create their own backlight setup through the SteelSeries Engine 3 tool included with the laptop. One of our favorite features from the GP65 is also here; holding the Fn key kills the backlight and highlights the functions keys on the laptop in red. We hope this feature is picked up by other manufacturers. 

Touchpad

The touchpad is adequate. Glide is smooth across the plastic surface, and tracking is accurate. We appreciate the dedicated buttons below the tracking surface. Clicks are a mixed bag; while feedback is firm, travel is short and the overall feel is hollow. While the touchpad overall isn't suitable for gaming, it's perfectly fine for general navigation. 

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad
Per-key RGB lighting
Per-key RGB lighting

Display

Subpixel matrix
Subpixel matrix

The GL75's screen is decent but falls short in a few regards. The FHD panel offers good contrast (~1050:1) and is fairly sharp, but the backlight is dim at about 260 nits. (The average brightness for most laptops is 300 nits.) The screen is perfectly readable in most indoor environments but suffers under bright lights and outdoors. On the plus side, the 120 Hz refresh rate is a nice feature at this price point, and gameplay glides across the screen when it hits higher framerates. While the IPS panel is an upgrade from the GL73's TN display, the weaker backlight hurts the overall package. 

267.7
cd/m²
247.9
cd/m²
265.4
cd/m²
265.4
cd/m²
259.1
cd/m²
263.7
cd/m²
264.2
cd/m²
250.8
cd/m²
263
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO479D (B173HAN04.7) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 267.7 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 260.8 cd/m² Minimum: 4.28 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 259.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 1036:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.23 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.9
ΔE Greyscale 1.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
61% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.49% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
41.12% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.076
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
AU Optronics AUO479D (B173HAN04.7), IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
AU Optronics AUO B173HAN04.0, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
CMN1747, TN LED, 17.30, 1920x1080
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
AUO_B173HAN03, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
AU Optronics AUO309D, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
LGD05CE, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
BOE0825, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Display
49%
96%
53%
54%
-7%
51%
Display P3 Coverage
41.12
62.9
53%
91.1
122%
64.4
57%
65.4
59%
38.37
-7%
63.3
54%
sRGB Coverage
61.1
87.2
43%
100
64%
91.3
49%
90
47%
57.6
-6%
90.2
48%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
42.49
63.8
50%
85.4
101%
65.6
54%
65.8
55%
39.69
-7%
64.3
51%
Response Times
63%
59%
55%
46%
-38%
-1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
26 ?(11.6, 14.4)
6.8 ?(3.4, 3.4)
74%
12.8 ?(6.8, 6)
51%
14 ?(7, 7)
46%
17.6 ?(10, 7.6)
32%
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
-54%
31.6 ?(14, 17.6)
-22%
Response Time Black / White *
24.4 ?(12.8, 11.6)
12 ?(6.8, 5.2)
51%
8.2 ?(6, 2.2)
66%
9 ?(5, 4)
63%
10 ?(4.8, 5.2)
59%
29.6 ?(17.2, 12.4)
-21%
19.6 ?(10.8, 8.8)
20%
PWM Frequency
25770 ?(15)
Screen
12%
-50%
-28%
2%
-22%
-2%
Brightness middle
259.1
312.3
21%
326.4
26%
335
29%
343.6
33%
251
-3%
299.6
16%
Brightness
261
297
14%
317
21%
300
15%
320
23%
232
-11%
285
9%
Brightness Distribution
93
91
-2%
90
-3%
82
-12%
87
-6%
76
-18%
86
-8%
Black Level *
0.25
0.21
16%
0.28
-12%
0.7
-180%
0.34
-36%
0.17
32%
0.33
-32%
Contrast
1036
1487
44%
1166
13%
479
-54%
1011
-2%
1476
42%
908
-12%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.23
3.6
15%
7.83
-85%
4.99
-18%
3.74
12%
6.2
-47%
3.68
13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
23.39
6.74
71%
13.36
43%
9.32
60%
5.33
77%
18.6
20%
8.05
66%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.9
3.95
-1%
2.83
27%
1.93
51%
3.49
11%
4.8
-23%
3.15
19%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.3
3.1
-138%
10.9
-738%
5.2
-300%
3.7
-185%
4.2
-223%
3.8
-192%
Gamma
2.076 106%
2.26 97%
1.97 112%
2.49 88%
2.36 93%
2.32 95%
2.12 104%
CCT
6542 99%
7002 93%
11056 59%
7719 84%
6388 102%
7454 87%
7240 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39
56.6
45%
75.8
94%
59
51%
58
49%
36.5
-6%
58.1
49%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
61
86.6
42%
100
64%
91
49%
90
48%
57.4
-6%
89.8
47%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
41% / 25%
35% / -9%
27% / -3%
34% / 17%
-22% / -21%
16% / 8%

* ... smaller is better

Color reproduction and color space are decent but not great. The DeltaE2000 for colors averages 4.23, which is good for a gaming laptop but not low enough for professional use (DeltaE2000 of 3 or lower). However, some colors bands are far less accurate than others. In particular, hues of blue and green miss their color targets by a fair bit (DeltaE2000 between 8-12). This shouldn't matter much for games. Grays are far more accurate with little variance. Calibration helps these DeltaE2000 scores a bit, but this is not a good display for color-critical work.  

Color space coverage is similarly stunted. The GL75's panel covers only 61% and 39% of the sRGB and AdobeRGB color gamuts, respectively. Again, this is adequate for gaming, but videographers and photographers will find the limited color selection frustrating. Given how far gaming laptop displays have come with regards to color (even mid-range devices), these results are a bit disappointing.

ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
vs sRGB: 61%
vs sRGB: 61%
vs AdobeRGB: 39%
vs AdobeRGB: 39%

The dim backlight makes outdoor use difficult. While the screen can be seen under shade (thanks in part to its matte finish), direct sunlight completely washes out the display. The matte display exhibits noticeable graininess, especially on white backgrounds. However, this is not uncommon. On a positive note, viewing angles are good (typical for an IPS display), and backlight bleed is minimal.

Outdoors, shade
Outdoors, shade
Outdoors, direct sunlight
Outdoors, direct sunlight
Minimal backlight bleed
Minimal backlight bleed

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
24.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12.8 ms rise
↘ 11.6 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. » 51 % 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
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.6 ms rise
↘ 14.4 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. » 30 % 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 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.

Performance

While the GL75's exterior features range from mediocre to average, its internals are surprisingly good. The GL75 ticks all the boxes expected of a 2019 mid-range gaming laptop (Core i7-9750H, RTX 2060) but regularly outperforms similarly specced competitors in almost every regard.

 

Processor

Intel's Core i7-9750H is the go-to CPU for gaming laptops this year, and with good reason. The hexacore, hyperthreaded CPU is a great performer and a small bump up from last year's Core i7-8750H. We've seen this processor several times at this point, and we know what to expect. However, the MSI GL75 manages to rise above the sea of 9750H-equipped laptops with impressive performance.

In Cinebench R15's multicore test, the GL75 bests the average score for the Core i7-9750H by 9%. Similarly, the GL75 smokes the competition in our Cinebench R15 loop test, which runs the multi-core benchmark 50 times in a row. After the typical drop in performance from the first pass, the GL75 holds fairly steady over the test, save for a single dip about halfway through. Notably, the GL75 beats out the Asus Strix Hero III G731GV and the HP Pavilion Gaming 17 by an average of 7-10% in this test. 

Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R20
Cinebench R20
0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1175 (1102.32-1284.15)
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1096 (1054.52-1187.97)
MSI GL73 8SE-010US GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø920 (906.29-1034.2)
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø933 (883.12-1007.2)
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1 GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø981 (957.01-1046.68)
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø748 (730.55-769.02)
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1077 (1065.56-1205.55)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +42%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H
187 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Intel Core i7-1065G7
179 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H
171 Points -9%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
166 Points -11%
Dell G7 17 7790
Intel Core i7-8750H
164 Points -12%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
157 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495-20NKS01Y00
AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
144 Points -23%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +133%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H
1284 Points
Dell G7 17 7790
Intel Core i7-8750H
1183 Points -8%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points -8%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H
850 Points -34%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
821 Points -36%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
799 Points -38%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Intel Core i7-1065G7
740 (693min - 740max) Points -42%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Intel Core i7-1065G7
720 (659min - 720max) Points -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495-20NKS01Y00
AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
611 Points -52%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (35806 - 112749, n=24, last 2 years)
59061 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (28251 - 36304, n=13)
33539 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H
25656 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (5847 - 15819, n=24, last 2 years)
9035 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (6659 - 7214, n=13)
6923 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H
6421 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
187 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1284 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
121.1 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

Overall system performance is excellent. The fast CPU, beefy GPU, and snappy NVMe SSD work in concert to plow through most workloads. In general, performance (as measured by PCMark 10) is in line with similarly priced laptops, and the GL75 should be able to easily handle most workloads thrown its way. 

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +31%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5939 Points +3%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5748 Points
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5589 Points -3%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5580 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4395 - 5997, n=16)
5523 Points -4%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5429 Points -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5118 Points -11%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
4873 Points -15%
Essentials
Average of class Gaming
  (7334 - 12334, n=207, last 2 years)
10665 Points +14%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9832 Points +5%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
9388 Points
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9320 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (8361 - 10056, n=16)
9263 Points -1%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
9138 Points -3%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
8808 Points -6%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
8575 Points -9%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
8397 Points -11%
Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (6161 - 11833, n=207, last 2 years)
9670 Points +26%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7690 Points
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7679 Points 0%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7558 Points -2%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
7468 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (6098 - 8106, n=16)
7382 Points -4%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
7261 Points -6%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7165 Points -7%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
7096 Points -8%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Gaming
  (5288 - 18475, n=207, last 2 years)
11325 Points +59%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7530 Points +5%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
7201 Points +1%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7142 Points
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6827 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4344 - 8069, n=16)
6727 Points -6%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
6502 Points -9%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
6108 Points -14%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5044 Points -29%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5557 Points +31%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5431 Points +28%
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +23%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4399 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (3533 - 5185, n=11)
4396 Points +4%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4241 Points
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4148 Points -2%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
3876 Points -9%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
3691 Points -13%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +12%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5968 Points +10%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5872 Points +8%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5650 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (4450 - 5931, n=11)
5532 Points +2%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5428 Points
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5359 Points -1%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5222 Points -4%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5107 Points -6%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4241 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5428 points
PCMark 10 Score
5748 points
Help

Storage Devices

The Western Digital PC SN520 NVMe SSD is a very nice touch for a $1500 laptop. General read and write speeds are fairly good (~1300-1700 MB/s, depending on the test). Most competitors, except for HP's Omen 17t and Pavilion Gaming 17, cannot keep up. Both of these machines rely on Samsung's PM981, which usually bests other NVMe SSDs by a small margin. 

AS SSD
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark 6
CrystalDiskMark 6
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
AS SSD
-29%
-79%
-33%
17%
5%
Seq Read
1296
940
-27%
794
-39%
972
-25%
1473
14%
1709
32%
Seq Write
1391
921
-34%
427.6
-69%
838
-40%
1962
41%
1345
-3%
4K Read
29.67
48.05
62%
21.91
-26%
38.57
30%
31.66
7%
49.73
68%
4K Write
104.3
56.6
80.7
84.4
108.2
4K-64 Read
1042
320.1
-69%
354.3
-66%
723
-31%
1125
8%
731
-30%
4K-64 Write
1284
703
-45%
285.7
-78%
647
-50%
1866
45%
1233
-4%
Access Time Read *
0.108
0.079
27%
0.237
-119%
0.071
34%
0.073
32%
Access Time Write *
0.031
0.046
-48%
0.09
-190%
0.054
-74%
0.047
-52%
0.034
-10%
Score Read
1201
462
-62%
456
-62%
859
-28%
1304
9%
951
-21%
Score Write
1542
900
-42%
385
-75%
812
-47%
2147
39%
1476
-4%
Score Total
3363
1616
-52%
1061
-68%
4142
23%
2909
-13%
Copy ISO MB/s
1416
811
868
1080
1284
Copy Program MB/s
569
278
337
481.1
589
Copy Game MB/s
971
556
590
875
1107
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-13%
-49%
-37%
-6%
22%
Write 4K
149.1
129.3
-13%
71.2
-52%
79.2
-47%
110.7
-26%
135.3
-9%
Read 4K
48.58
54.4
12%
32.7
-33%
39.69
-18%
35.49
-27%
63.7
31%
Write Seq
978
404.5
950
1665
1337
Read Seq
1447
8.3
1087
1284
1617
Write 4K Q32T1
462
476.8
3%
204
-56%
189.6
-59%
340.2
-26%
568
23%
Read 4K Q32T1
606
338.1
-44%
303.2
-50%
304
-50%
407.5
-33%
645
6%
Write Seq Q32T1
1454
982
-32%
386.5
-73%
948
-35%
2038
40%
1428
-2%
Read Seq Q32T1
1724
1622
-6%
1214
-30%
1488
-14%
2367
37%
3184
85%
Write 4K Q8T8
1211
Read 4K Q8T8
1104
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-21% / -23%
-64% / -68%
-35% / -35%
6% / 8%
14% / 11%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1724 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1454 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 606 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 462 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.58 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 149.1 MB/s
CDM 6 Write 4K Q8T8: 1211 MB/s
CDM 6 Read 4K Q8T8: 1104 MB/s

GPU Performance

In similar fashion to the CPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 in the GL75 performs a bit above average. Compared to other laptops using the RTX 2060, the GL75 scores about 3-5% better 3DMark 11 and 3DMark's various benchmarks. The GL75 is even able to keep up with the RTX 2070 Max-Q-equipped Omen X 2S. As we will see below, this translates into competent gaming performance. As such, the GL75 can take advantage of its 120 Hz display. 

Time Spy
Time Spy
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Ultimate
Fire Strike Ultimate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +80%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
25500 Points +16%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
21895 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (19143 - 24662, n=40)
21459 Points -2%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
19329 Points -12%
HP Omen X 2S 15-dg0075cl
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
18434 Points -16%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U
10761 Points -51%
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
8220 Points -62%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
3064 Points -86%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Average of class Gaming
  (1251 - 26759, n=245, last 2 years)
19623 Points +56%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
12540 Points
HP Omen X 2S 15-dg0075cl
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
12458 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (1107 - 14726, n=40)
11688 Points -7%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
11416 Points -9%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
10851 Points -13%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U
8563 Points -32%
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
6399 Points -49%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
2270 Points -82%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=157, last 2 years)
134064 Points +19%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
119860 Points +6%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
112768 Points
HP Omen X 2S 15-dg0075cl
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
106563 Points -6%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
98452 Points -13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (55324 - 116593, n=36)
93235 Points -17%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U
46686 Points -59%
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
37173 Points -67%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +75%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
19846 Points +20%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
16590 Points
HP Omen X 2S 15-dg0075cl
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
16483 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (14768 - 18358, n=43)
16301 Points -2%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
14753 Points -11%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U
7593 Points -54%
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
6331 Points -62%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (46258 - 613731, n=20, last 2 years)
323443 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (73968 - 321075, n=6)
207813 Points
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
150368 Points
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
57989 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +89%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
7722 Points +24%
HP Omen X 2S 15-dg0075cl
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
6419 Points +3%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
6227 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (5660 - 6910, n=41)
6206 Points 0%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5335 Points -14%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U
2836 Points -54%
Asus TUF FX705DY-AU072
AMD Radeon RX 560X (Laptop), R5 3550H
1789 Points -71%
3DMark 11 Performance
18769 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
38284 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
15035 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
6245 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The GL75 is perfectly suited for gaming at FHD/High settings. Thanks to the excellent performance of the machine's RTX 2060, games can push past 60 fps. In particular, competitive titles like Rocket League, DOTA 2, and the like will greatly benefit from the fast 120 Hz display. Heavier titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider aren't much of a problem at Full HD, but higher resolutions will require lower settings. 

The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Gaming
  (54.1 - 718, n=138, last 2 years)
412 fps +57%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
268 fps +2%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
262 fps
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
256.8 fps -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (188.7 - 295, n=27)
256 fps -2%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
245.1 fps -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
188.7 fps -28%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
157.1 fps -40%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Gaming
  (34.2 - 617, n=148, last 2 years)
319 fps +75%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
191 fps +5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (152.2 - 215, n=24)
185.1 fps +2%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
182 fps
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
179.5 fps -1%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
173.3 fps -5%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
157.5 fps -13%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
109.6 fps -40%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=177, last 2 years)
213 fps +85%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
115 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (74.4 - 131, n=33)
111.3 fps -3%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
110 fps -4%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
107.1 fps -7%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
104.3 fps -9%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
92.1 fps -20%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
83 fps -28%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
62.2 fps -46%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +97%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (50.6 - 74, n=40)
61.1 fps +5%
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
58 fps
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
57 fps -2%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
57 fps -2%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
56 fps -3%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
55.1 fps -5%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
48.5 fps -16%
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
37 fps -36%

Long-term gaming performance is stable. Over an hour-long playthrough of The Witcher 3, we see neither unexpected frame drops nor spikes. 

05101520253035404550556065Tooltip
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G: Ø58.4 (55-63)
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø52.9 (49-61)
MSI GL73 8SE-010US GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ: Ø55.1 (43-58)
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A: Ø58.5 (36-65)
low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 262 182 115 58
Rocket League (2017) 252 249 246
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 120 96 90 80
F1 2019 (2019) 209 166 138 99

Emissions

System Noise

Fan noise
Fan noise

While the internals of the MSI GL75 offer above-average performance, they generate a lot of heat. Because of this, fan noise and heat management are the machine's Achilles Heels. The fans get extremely loud when the machine is under full load, peaking at 53-54 dB(A). Additionally, their high pitch cuts through all ambient noises and shrilly pierces the user's ears. There is a manual "turbo" mode for the fans that forces them to run full-tilt all the time; while this mode helps cool the internals, it is (obviously) extremely noisy. 

To further poison the well, there is noticeable coil whine. As such, the GL75 emits a subtle hum that can be heard in quiet environments like a library or office. The fans also spin up a slight bit under lighter loads (e.g., web browsing). The GL75 is constantly making some kind of noise, which can grow annoying in quiet rooms.

MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Noise
-2%
-2%
-2%
1%
11%
11%
off / environment *
28.1
28.2
-0%
28.6
-2%
30.4
-8%
27.8
1%
28.8
-2%
28.2
-0%
Idle Minimum *
30.9
29.5
5%
33.8
-9%
31.2
-1%
31.1
-1%
28.8
7%
30.1
3%
Idle Average *
30.9
30.3
2%
34
-10%
35.3
-14%
31.1
-1%
29.5
5%
30.1
3%
Idle Maximum *
31
31.9
-3%
34.1
-10%
35.3
-14%
35
-13%
31.1
-0%
30.1
3%
Load Average *
39
50.4
-29%
36.5
6%
44.4
-14%
42
-8%
35.2
10%
34.2
12%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53.5
50.1
6%
47.8
11%
41
23%
44.5
17%
35.2
34%
34.2
36%
Load Maximum *
53.5
50.1
6%
52.2
2%
45.2
16%
46.5
13%
41
23%
43.8
18%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
30.9 / 30.9 / 31 dB(A)
Load
39 / 53.5 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: 28.1 dB(A)

Temperature

Heat exhaust
Heat exhaust

The MSI GL75 grows hot under load, despite the aggressive fans. In particular, the chassis directly above and below the rear vents becomes hot to the touch when pushing the machine. After about 10 minutes of heavy gaming, these points can grow uncomfortable. Thankfully, the cooling system draws heat away from the WASD keys and number pad, which is where hands are likely to rest during gameplay; these areas only get a slight bit warmer than room temperature. The bottom gets too hot for lap gaming; a table or other hard, flat surface is recommended.

Max. Load
 49 °C
120 F
49.4 °C
121 F
44.4 °C
112 F
 
 41.6 °C
107 F
47 °C
117 F
37.2 °C
99 F
 
 29.6 °C
85 F
30.6 °C
87 F
29.6 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 49.4 °C = 121 F
Average: 39.8 °C = 104 F
50.6 °C
123 F
46.6 °C
116 F
48.2 °C
119 F
30 °C
86 F
40 °C
104 F
41.4 °C
107 F
29.2 °C
85 F
29.6 °C
85 F
29.4 °C
85 F
Maximum: 50.6 °C = 123 F
Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  49 °C = 120 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.8 °C / 104 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 49.4 °C / 121 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 50.6 °C / 123 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 39.2 °C / 103 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 31.6 °C / 88.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.7 °C / -4.9 F).
Keyboard, Idle
Keyboard, Idle
Bottom, Idle
Bottom, Idle
Keyboard, Load
Keyboard, Load
Bottom, Load
Bottom, Load
Keyboard, The Witcher 3
Keyboard, The Witcher 3
Bottom, The Witcher 3
Bottom, The Witcher 3

Stress Test

Under stress, the GL75 performs fairly well. Running Prime95 for an hour to full strain the CPU, the 9750H averages 3.6 GHz, though it gets fairly hot (87° C) to maintain this speed. The GPU, however, keeps its cool under stress (one hour of FurMark), keeping an average clock of 1300 MHz while temperatures hover around 58° C. These numbers hold when running Prime95 and FurMark concurrently, though the CPU throttles back a slight bit to 2.8 GHz. Even under the heavy load, the CPU is able to intermittently boost to 4.0 GHz, though it cannot hold this clock for long. 

Gaming stress presents no problems. After an hour-long session of The Witcher 3, the CPU and GPU were able to boost near their rated maximums. Temperatures were well-controlled (66° C and 59° C respectively), likely due to the aggressive fan profile. 

Prime95
Prime95
FurMark
FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.6 - 87 -
FurMark Stress 4.2 1300 55 58
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 2.8 1335 74 58
Witcher 3 Stress 4.1 1550 66 59

Speakers

Speaker sound profile
Speaker sound profile

One area MSI has seemingly invested in is speaker quality. We have seen great results from MSI mid-rangers, and the GL75 further solidifies that trend. The dual 3 Watt speakers get loud (82 dB) and remain clear at all volumes. While bass is thin, it is at least present. Mids and highs are well-balanced. The overall sound profile tends high but is fuller than the tinny speakers typical of laptops at or below this price point. Sadly, the dedicated headphone jack does not support S/PDIF or HiFi audio output, although MSI advertises an onboard amp that can boost volume up to an additional 30%. The GL75 also include the Nahimic sound software common to MSI laptops. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.343.22539.941.53139.940.94038.238.75035.637.16337.137.18035.337.41003543.51253553.116033.661.320032.564.125032.965.131532.263.14003164.650030.77663030.181.780029.679.4100029.577.7125029.376.5160028.978.3200028.978.1250028.578.6315028.977.4400028.677.6500028.274.363002874.480002879.5100002878.51250027.878.41600027.774.5SPL41.289.7N4.287.2median 29.3median 77.4Delta25.641.740.537.738.137.338.937.73836.137.238.339.236.440.734.947.834.954.733.462.33464.432.36731.867.432.164.831.570.130.270.729.574.929.669.829.368.128.567.92967.728.467.528.271.327.966.927.868.727.665.427.56527.564.527.456.427.252.741814.254.3median 29.3median 671.63.139.440.834.337.933.336.331.933.533.633.530.733.329.730.829.130.128.33327.848.226.958.126.665.926.565.425.665.324.964.625.568.225.86524.867.724.369.324.866.224.563.523.968.323.668.423.472.823.168.223.271.623.170.32371.122.972.622.967.936.481.12.753.1median 24.8median 67.71.64.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GL75 9SEK-056USAsus Strix Hero III G731GVHP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 82% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus Strix Hero III G731GV audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 6.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 17% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 10% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 35% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 58% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Power draw is on the higher side for an RTX 2060 but is largely within expectation. We observe brief spikes past 200 Watts at the beginning of our load test, which is higher than the 180 Watt rating of the included power supply. However, these are brief and should not present problems. Under more normal loads (e.g., gaming), the laptop draws about 150 Watts (83% of the power adapter's rating). 

Prime95
Prime95
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Full load
Full load
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.03 / 0.67 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 10.7 / 15.2 / 17.8 Watt
Load midlight 88.2 / 206.5 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 GL75 9SEK-056US
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ, TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.30
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Omen 15-dc1020ng
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Power Consumption
-37%
4%
-58%
-37%
38%
26%
Idle Minimum *
10.7
16.2
-51%
8.8
18%
20.4
-91%
17.8
-66%
4.04
62%
5.4
50%
Idle Average *
15.2
24.8
-63%
16.2
-7%
26.5
-74%
24.7
-63%
7.2
53%
9.2
39%
Idle Maximum *
17.8
28.6
-61%
18.3
-3%
37
-108%
29.6
-66%
11.4
36%
13
27%
Load Average *
88.2
127.6
-45%
86.1
2%
129
-46%
110
-25%
80.8
8%
85.9
3%
Witcher 3 ultra *
147.8
147.1
-0%
146.7
1%
186
-26%
167.8
-14%
93.6
37%
107.9
27%
Load Maximum *
206.5
212.7
-3%
186.4
10%
216
-5%
178.6
14%
144.5
30%
182.2
12%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Unsurprisingly, the 51 Wh battery doesn't last very long when gaming unplugged; users can expect about an hour of heavy use before the GL75 dies. Battery life with more general use is decent; the machine lasted just over four hours in our WiFi v1.3 battery test (screen set to 150 nits, Balanced power profile, opening a new web page every 30-40 seconds). With the keyboard backlight turned off and the screen fully dimmed, the GL75 can manage almost eight hours of use. While users can do some work on the go, the power adapter will need to be close at hand for longer workdays or heavier loads. 

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 54min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 14min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 00min
MSI GL75 9SEK-056US
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 51 Wh
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 41 Wh
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 72 Wh
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 86 Wh
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, 52.5 Wh
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 66 Wh
Battery Runtime
-32%
-10%
6%
26%
6%
Reader / Idle
474
388
-18%
253
-47%
268
-43%
695
47%
WiFi v1.3
254
168
-34%
174
-31%
253
0%
339
33%
270
6%
Load
60
33
-45%
88
47%
97
62%
59
-2%
Witcher 3 ultra
66

Pros

+ excellent SteelSeries keyboard
+ per-key RGB backlight with lots of presets
+ 120 Hz refresh rate display
+ above-average CPU and GPU performance
+ great gaming experience
+ good variety of ports
+ loud and clear speakers with good balance
+ internals perform well under extended stress

Cons

- subpar build quality
- thin lid flexes easily
- poor SD card performance
- mediocre battery life
- fans are shrill and loud
- chassis gets hot in spots under load
- no G-sync options

Verdict

In review: MSI GL75 9SEK. Review unit provided by CUKUSA
In review: MSI GL75 9SEK. Review unit provided by CUKUSA

The MSI GL75 is perhaps the definition of a mixed bag. For US $1500, there are quite a few things to like about the machine. The 120 Hz refresh rate of the display pairs well with the powerful hardware to make a great FHD gaming machine. The excellent keyboard and its per-key RGB backlight are excellent touches at this price point, and the speakers make media consumption enjoyable. 

However, a few hangups and annoyances hurt the laptop and keep it from excellence. The fans are noisy, and hot spots along the base of the chassis make lap use uncomfortable. Further, the display's backlight is dim and dull. 

Because of these sticking points, potential buyers will want to check out competitors. The Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU offers much better build quality, better heat management, and more even-pitched fans at the cost of a bit less graphical performance. MSI's own GP65 Leopard packs similar performance, the same keyboard, and a far superior display into a smaller package, though it also suffers from hot spots and shrill fans. These two devices prove that gamers aren't left wanting for options at this price point, making their decision all the more difficult. 

Overall, the GL75 fails to "wow." The laptop is a fine machine, but unless you need a 17.3-inch gaming laptop with a good RGB keyboard and loud speakers, there are better options available. 

MSI GL75 9SEK-056US - 09/30/2019 v7
Sam Medley

Chassis
71 / 98 → 72%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
58 / 80 → 72%
Weight
60 / 10-66 → 89%
Battery
59 / 95 → 62%
Display
82%
Games Performance
91%
Application Performance
92%
Temperature
83 / 95 → 87%
Noise
79 / 90 → 87%
Audio
82%
Camera
57 / 85 → 67%
Average
75%
83%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GL75 9SEK Laptop Review - An average mid-range gaming laptop with loud fans
Sam Medley, 2019-10- 2 (Update: 2019-10- 9)