Notebookcheck Logo

MSI GS40 Series

MSI GS40-6QE-014FR PhantomProcessor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
Display: 14.00 inch
Weight: 1.6kg, 1.8kg, 1.84kg, 1.9kg
Price: 1700 euro
Average Score: 71.82% - average
Average of 17 scores (from 28 reviews)
price: 52%, performance: 87%, features: 82%, display: 85%, mobility: 73%, workmanship: 75%, ergonomy: 85%, emissions: 66%

 

MSI GS40-6QE16H11

Specifications

MSI GS40-6QE16H11Notebook: MSI GS40-6QE16H11
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M 3072 MB
Display: 14.00 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.84kg
Price: 1700 euro
Links: MSI homepage
 MSI notebook section

Pricecompare

Average Score: 71.43% - average

Average of 14 scores (from 20 reviews)

 

Reviews

81% MSI GS40 6QE Phantom Notebook Review | Notebookcheck
Hot performance dwarf. Skylake quad-core, GTX 970M and a decent 14-inch display: MSI’s device in the pretty narrow segment of ultra-mobile gaming notebooks can meet all the performance expectations. So much performance does, however, require some compromises in other areas.
70% MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: PC Mag English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 6QE Phantom is a good gaming laptop, boasting a good array of features and components, and it doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. Its GTX 970M card is capable of 30fps gaming at 1080p on the highest settings for most games (though the newest, demanding titles will challenge this number), and there's a lot of storage—an especially notable offering for a 14-inch laptop.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 07/19/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%
70% MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: PC Mag English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 6QE Phantom is a good gaming laptop, boasting a good array of features and components, and it doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. Its GTX 970M card is capable of 30fps gaming at 1080p on the highest settings for most games (though the newest, demanding titles will challenge this number), and there's a lot of storage—an especially notable offering for a 14-inch laptop.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 07/19/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%
60% Review: MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: PC Authority English Archive.org version
MSI once again delivers an outstanding machine for the price, with an excellent mix of interior components combined with a classy display. The plastic build quality does feel a little cheap, but we can’t really complain when it’s possible to buy a truly game-ready laptop for less than two and a half grand.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/26/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%
60% Review: MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: PC Authority English Archive.org version
MSI once again delivers an outstanding machine for the price, with an excellent mix of interior components combined with a classy display. The plastic build quality does feel a little cheap, but we can’t really complain when it’s possible to buy a truly game-ready laptop for less than two and a half grand.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/26/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%
85% MSI GS40 Phantom
Source: Mobile Tech Review English Archive.org version
Would I like to own the MSI GS40 Phantom? Yes, indeed! It's extremely portable at 3.5 lbs., in fact it's lighter than the Dell XPS 15 and it has a faster graphics card too, which means high to ultra settings on today's AAA titles. It's a nice looking, though not exceptionally attractive notebook and the SteelSeries RGB keyboard is good for gaming and typing at length.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/09/2016
Rating: Total score: 85%
85% MSI GS40 Phantom
Source: Mobile Tech Review English Archive.org version
Would I like to own the MSI GS40 Phantom? Yes, indeed! It's extremely portable at 3.5 lbs., in fact it's lighter than the Dell XPS 15 and it has a faster graphics card too, which means high to ultra settings on today's AAA titles. It's a nice looking, though not exceptionally attractive notebook and the SteelSeries RGB keyboard is good for gaming and typing at length.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/09/2016
Rating: Total score: 85%
75% MSI GS40 Phantom 6QE Gaming Laptop Review
Source: Techspot English Archive.org version
The GS40 Phantom 6QE will set you back $1,599 in its standard configuration, which is a reasonable price for the hardware that’s included with this machine. It is around $100-150 more expensive than Gigabyte’s competing P34W v5 that I reviewed earlier, but in my eyes this laptop is worth the extra money due to its better build, superior keyboard and trackpad, and extra features including more RAM. Plus, at $1,600 we’re only talking about a price difference of six percent.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 03/02/2016
Rating: Total score: 75%
75% MSI GS40 Phantom 6QE Gaming Laptop Review
Source: Techspot English Archive.org version
The GS40 Phantom 6QE will set you back $1,599 in its standard configuration, which is a reasonable price for the hardware that’s included with this machine. It is around $100-150 more expensive than Gigabyte’s competing P34W v5 that I reviewed earlier, but in my eyes this laptop is worth the extra money due to its better build, superior keyboard and trackpad, and extra features including more RAM. Plus, at $1,600 we’re only talking about a price difference of six percent.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 03/02/2016
Rating: Total score: 75%
MSI GS40 Phantom Review
Source: Notebooks.com English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 Phantom gaming laptop costs more ($1,599 directly from MSI or $50 less at Staples when they get it back in stock) than most of the Windows notebooks we review, but it also offers better hardware than the average Windows laptop. Gamers and people who want powerful hardware will enjoy the Phantom. It’s stylish, fast, and made well. The display, keyboard and speed mean power users will also enjoy it for general computing tasks. Photo, video and music creation pros will love the power. It’s not cheap, but it’s also not over-priced.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/21/2016
MSI GS40 Phantom Review
Source: Notebooks.com English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 Phantom gaming laptop costs more ($1,599 directly from MSI or $50 less at Staples when they get it back in stock) than most of the Windows notebooks we review, but it also offers better hardware than the average Windows laptop. Gamers and people who want powerful hardware will enjoy the Phantom. It’s stylish, fast, and made well. The display, keyboard and speed mean power users will also enjoy it for general computing tasks. Photo, video and music creation pros will love the power. It’s not cheap, but it’s also not over-priced.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/21/2016
70% MSI GS40 Phantom review – a G60 in a smaller package
Source: Ultrabook Review English Archive.org version
I think those who prefer a small and powerful laptop will appreciate what the MSI GS40 has to offer. It certainly delivers in terms of hardware specs, performance, cooling solution and screen quality. And is certainly fairly priced, but the keyboard and the speakers are two important aspects that might turn your towards something else.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/04/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%
70% MSI GS40 Phantom review – a G60 in a smaller package
Source: Ultrabook Review English Archive.org version
I think those who prefer a small and powerful laptop will appreciate what the MSI GS40 has to offer. It certainly delivers in terms of hardware specs, performance, cooling solution and screen quality. And is certainly fairly priced, but the keyboard and the speakers are two important aspects that might turn your towards something else.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/04/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%
85% MSI GS40 6QE Phantom Review
Source: Kitguru English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 6QE Phantom is an impressive gaming notebook with very few compromises. Its gaming abilities are only one rung down from the fastest single-GPU notebooks currently available. It has a great screen, looks good, and has a super-quick NVMe SSD for fast software loading.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 12/17/2015
Rating: Total score: 85%
85% MSI GS40 6QE Phantom Review
Source: Kitguru English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 6QE Phantom is an impressive gaming notebook with very few compromises. Its gaming abilities are only one rung down from the fastest single-GPU notebooks currently available. It has a great screen, looks good, and has a super-quick NVMe SSD for fast software loading.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 12/17/2015
Rating: Total score: 85%
55% MSI GS40 Phantom Gaming Laptop Review
Source: T Break English Archive.org version
Of all the gaming laptops I have reviewed, the MSI GS40 Phantom is one of the most exciting one. The reason is simple. I love gaming laptops that are small in size and can pack a fast GPU. Priced around 7499 AED, the MSI GS40 is surprisingly cheaper than the other MSI laptops we have reviewed.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/08/2015
Rating: Total score: 55% price: 52% performance: 85% features: 90% ergonomy: 90%
55% MSI GS40 Phantom Gaming Laptop Review
Source: T Break English Archive.org version
Of all the gaming laptops I have reviewed, the MSI GS40 Phantom is one of the most exciting one. The reason is simple. I love gaming laptops that are small in size and can pack a fast GPU. Priced around 7499 AED, the MSI GS40 is surprisingly cheaper than the other MSI laptops we have reviewed.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/08/2015
Rating: Total score: 55% price: 52% performance: 85% features: 90% ergonomy: 90%

Foreign Reviews

MSI GS60-6QE16H11
Source: 15 Zoll Notebooks Test German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/11/2016
MSI GS60-6QE16H11
Source: 15 Zoll Notebooks Test German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/11/2016
Review: MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: Hispazone Spanish ES→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Powerful hardware; compact size and lightweight; well constructed. Negative: Expensive.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/27/2015
Review: MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: Hispazone Spanish ES→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Powerful hardware; compact size and lightweight; well constructed. Negative: Expensive.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/27/2015

 

MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom

Those who prefer a small and powerful laptop will appreciate what the MSI GS40 has to offer. It certainly delivers in terms of hardware specs, performance, cooling solution and screen quality. It uses the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M graphic card to deliver fast and fluid gameplay at the highest settings and resolutions in a lightweight and portable design. Compared to regular TN display panels, the 14 inch wide-viewing angle display offers a higher resolution and is 40% sharper and 20% brighter. n brightness level. As a result image look more vivid even when looking at the screen from the left or right side. The MSI GS40 is powered by the latest 6th generation Intel processors, which require lower power consumption and is able to deliver better performance compared to the previous generation processor. DDR4-2133 RAM boosts the performance of the laptop, achieving 29 GB/s in reading and up to 32 GB/s in writing. The SABRE Audio DAC pushes the limits of audio peripherals, when it drives high quality headsets from 16 ohm to 600 ohm. This gives highest sound details, up to 127dBA DNR, which is unmatched by PCs or any other mobile devices. Together with the top audio brand Dynaudio, MSI has developed top notch audio features, creating a realistic sound with immersive effects. The amplitude is boosted by 50% compared to the previous generation. Any high quality stereo source is transformed into true-to-life multi-channel sound without the need to purchase extra speakers to appreciate room filling sound. The MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom comes with Bluetooth 4.1, a FHD web cam, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.1 port, and an SD card reader.

Specifications

MSI GS40-6QE-020RU PhantomNotebook: MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
Display: 14.00 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.6kg
Links: MSI homepage
 MSI notebook section

Pricecompare

Average Score: 80% - good

Average of 1 scores (from 2 reviews)

 

Reviews

80% MSI GS40 Phantom
Source: Computer Shopper English Archive.org version
The MSI GS40 Phantom is big news in the world of small gaming notebooks. Not only does it have nearly identical performance relative to its two closest competitors, but it delivers it while costing several hundred dollars less. At $1,599, the GS40 Phantom is a downright bargain compared to the Aorus X3 Plus ($2,299) and the 2015 Razer Blade ($2,399).
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 01/14/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

Foreign Reviews

MSI GS40 6QE Phantom – не ограничивай свою фантазию!
Source: Notebook-Center.ru RU→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Compact dimensions and lightweight; powerful hardware; impeccable color reproduction and wide viewing angles. Negative: High price.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/15/2015

 

MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom

Specifications

MSI GS40 6QE-019RU PhantomNotebook: MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
Display: 14.00 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.6kg
Links: MSI homepage
 MSI notebook section

Pricecompare

 

Reviews

MSI GS40 6QE
Source: Gaming Laptops Junky English Archive.org version
Well, the MSI GS40 6QE is a very nice compact gaming laptop. It does most of what you’d except : very good gaming performance, very good 1080p IPS display, reasonable temperatures even under highest load, and it’s compact and lightweight. Keyboard is very good in my experience, at least for most people. The 16GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB NVMe SSD makes it even better and result in a very good experience overall.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 01/15/2016

Foreign Reviews

Игровой ноутбук MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: Ixbt RU→EN Archive.org version
Positive: High-performance; long battery life; good screen, keyboard and touchpad; stylish look , slim and light weight. Negative: Noisy fan; poor sound quality.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 01/08/2016
Review MSI GS40 6QE Phantom – Laptop Gaming 14-inch Dengan Fitur Komplit
Source: Pemmzchannel ID→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Compact size; good design; decent speakers. Negative: Relatively high price.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/03/2016

 

MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom

Specifications

MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ PhantomNotebook: MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
Display: 14.00 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.9kg
Links: MSI homepage
 MSI notebook section

Pricecompare

 

Reviews

MSI GS40 6QE Phantom
Source: Custom PC Reviews English Archive.org version
Overall, the MSI GS40 6QE is a great choice for those looking for a portable high end gaming notebook. While there are a couple issues to be ironed out, there are few competing notebooks out there that offer the type of performance the GS40 Phantom offers in a sub 1″ thick, 14″ form factor.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/08/2016

Foreign Reviews

Test: MSI GS40 - maximum výkonu v 14“ tenkém notebooku s GeForce GTX970M
Source: Notebook.cz CZ→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Excellent performance; slim and light; comfortable keyboard; good range of interfaces; quality full-HD IPS display. Negative: Poor speakers; weak cooling system; poor touchpad.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/26/2016

 

MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom

Specifications

MSI GS40-6QE-014FR PhantomNotebook: MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
Display: 14.00 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.8kg
Links: MSI homepage
 MSI notebook section

Pricecompare

Average Score: 60% - poor

Average of 1 scores (from 1 reviews)

 

Foreign Reviews

60% Test : MSI GS40 6QE Phantom, un petit PC portable gaming à grosse propulsion
Source: 01Net French FR→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/01/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%

 

Comment

MSI: Micro-Star International (MSI) was founded in 1986 in Taiwan. MSI is especially known as a manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards for PCs, but also offers computer accessories, complete systems, motherboards, graphics cards, laptops, desktop PCs, monitors and other components. However, the Microstar brand name in Germany belongs to the Medion company. MSI is known for its gaming products and has developed a wide range of gaming laptops and desktop PCs. The company is also active in workstations, servers and industrial automation. MSI has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.


Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M:

Second fastest high-end graphics card based on the Maxwell GM204 chip from the GeForce GTX 900M series.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.


Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.  

6700HQ: Skylake-based quad-core processor for notebooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 530 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.


14.00:

14 inch display size represents a middle ground between the small subnotebook formats and the screens of the standard 15 inch laptops.

The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, provides good resolutions with usable detail sizes, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact. 

In the past, 14-inch devices were very rare, but now they are the standard for laptops after the 15-inchers. 

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.


No weight comment found (one expected)!


71.82%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

Please share our article, every link counts!

Similar devices with the Same Specs

MSI GS40-6QE16H11
GeForce GTX 970M

Similar devices from a different Manufacturer

Gigabyte Aero 14-W-CF2
GeForce GTX 970M
Eurocom Monster 4
GeForce GTX 970M
Razer Blade 14 inch 2016
GeForce GTX 970M
Aorus X3 Plus v5
GeForce GTX 970M
Schenker XMG P406
GeForce GTX 970M
Gigabyte P34W v5
GeForce GTX 970M

Devices with the same GPU

Asus Strix GL502VT-FW038T
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2 kg
Asus G752VT-GC062T
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 4.3 kg
Asus Strix GL702VT 90NB0CQ1-M0134
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 2.7 kg
Acer Predator 17 G9-791-71MG
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 3.9 kg
MSI GS72-6QE4K16H21
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 2.6 kg
Asus Strix GL502VT-FY002T
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.2 kg
Alienware 15 R2 A15-0238
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 3.2 kg
MSI GE62-6QF8H11 Apache Pro
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.4 kg
Alienware 17 A17-4518
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 4720HQ, 17.30", 3.8 kg
Asus Strix GL502VT-FY010T
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.5 kg
Acer Predator 17 G9-792-707R
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 4.2 kg
Asus Strix GL502VT-FY186
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.2 kg
Acer Predator 15 G9-592-70GD
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 3.5 kg
Gigabyte P35W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.4 kg
Asus ROG Strix GL702VT-GC023T
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 2.7 kg
Eurocom Sky M5
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.5 kg
Asus Strix GL502VT-DS74
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 2.491 kg
Acer Predator 15 G9-592-7925
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 15.60", 3.52 kg
Acer Predator 17 G9-791-75BE
GeForce GTX 970M, Core i7 6700HQ, 17.30", 4 kg
Current Prices
MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-014FR Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-026CZ Phantom
MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom
MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom
MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom
MSI GS40 6QE-019RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE-020RU Phantom
MSI GS40-6QE16H11
MSI GS40-6QE16H11
MSI GS40-6QE16H11
MSI GS40-6QE16H11
Stefan Hinum, 2016-01-12 (Update: 2016-01-12)