Notebookcheck Logo

MSI GS63VR 7RG Stealth Pro (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1070 Max-Q, Full HD) Laptop Review

Lighter, slimmer fireball. The slim MSI GS63VR 7RG can run all the modern games smoothly on its matte Full HD screen. Here, MSI goes for a 120 Hz TN panel with fast response times. The rest of the hardware is also in good order: NVMe SSD, HDD, Thunderbolt 3.

For the original German review, click here

The light and thin MSI GS63VR 7RG Stealth Pro is no stranger to us. We have already reviewed two sibling models: the GS63VR 6RF-16H22 (6700HQ, GTX 1060) and the GS63VR 7RF-228US (7700HQ, GTX 1060). Our review device comes equipped with a quad-core Kaby Lake processor and a GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU. Therefore the laptop should be more powerful than its siblings. The competitors of the device include: the Gigabyte Aero 15X, the Eurocom Q5 and the Asus Zephyrus GX501VS.

Because the three GS63VR models are identically built, we will skip over the case, the interface, the input devices and the speakers. You can find the missing information in the reviews of the GS63VR 6RF-16H22 and the GS63VR 7RF-228US.

MSI GS63VR 7RG-005 (GS63 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1100 MHz, Memory: 8000 MHz, GDDR5, 256-bit bus, ForceWare 388.13, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2400, single-channel, two RAM slots (one slot occupied)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Chi Mei N156HHE-GA1 (CMN15F4), TN LED, 120 Hz, Full HD, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175
Storage
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL, 256 GB 
, M.2-SSD + Seagate ST2000LM015, 2 TB HDD, 5400 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek ALC899 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Headphone jack, microphone jack, Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC, TPM 2.0
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.7 x 380 x 249 ( = 0.7 x 14.96 x 9.8 in)
Battery
52.4 Wh, 4500 mAh Lithium-Ion, 3 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 180 watt power adapter, MS Office 365 (test version), Norton Security (test version), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.9 kg ( = 67.02 oz / 4.19 pounds), Power Supply: 588 g ( = 20.74 oz / 1.3 pounds)
Price
2299 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

380 mm / 15 inch 249 mm / 9.8 inch 18.6 mm / 0.732 inch 2.2 kg4.81 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 249 mm / 9.8 inch 17.7 mm / 0.697 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs379 mm / 14.9 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 2.3 kg4.96 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2.2 kg4.78 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

SD card reader

Some changes have been made to the SD card reader: While the SD card readers of the predecessors were connected via USB 2.0 and, as a result, offered very slow transfer rates, with our current device the SD card reader is connected through SATA. Therefore the transfer speeds are significantly increased. When copying large chunks of data, a maximum transfer speed of 204 MB/s was achieved. The transfer of 250 JPG image files was completed with a transfer speed of 181 MB/s. We test the SD card reader by means of a reference SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Aorus X5 v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
201 MB/s +11%
Eurocom Q5
 
195.4 MB/s +8%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
181 MB/s
Gigabyte Aero 15X
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82 MB/s -55%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26 MB/s -86%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23.59 MB/s -87%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Aorus X5 v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
244 MB/s +20%
Eurocom Q5
 
212.3 MB/s +4%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
204 MB/s
Gigabyte Aero 15X
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
89 MB/s -56%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
28 MB/s -86%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
20.96 MB/s -90%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
594 MBit/s +13%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
524 MBit/s
Aorus X5 v7
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
496 MBit/s -5%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
491 MBit/s -6%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
456 MBit/s -13%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
354 MBit/s -32%
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
698 MBit/s
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
684 MBit/s -2%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
669 MBit/s -4%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
662 MBit/s -5%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
652 MBit/s -7%
Aorus X5 v7
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
441 MBit/s -37%

Display

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

While both of the previously reviewed sibling models of the GS63VR came with IPS screens, our current review device utilizes a 120 Hz TN panel. It offers much better response times than the IPS models.

The matte 15.6-inch display operates with a native resolution of 1920x1080. The contrast ratio (1281:1) is in good order. The brightness (254 cd/m²) leaves a lot to be desired. A 2300-Euro (~$2740) notebook should offer a brightness of at least 300 cd/m²

Unfortunately, at 25% brightness and below, the screen exhibits PWM-flickering with a frequency of 25,510 Hz. Because of such a high frequency, even susceptible individuals should not experience any adverse effects like headaches and eyestrain. 

268
cd/m²
280
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
269
cd/m²
237
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
238
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N156HHE-GA1 (CMN15F4) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 280 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 254.3 cd/m² Minimum: 15 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 269 cd/m²
Contrast: 1281:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.18 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
77% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
86.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
91.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.25
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Chi Mei N156HHE-GA1 (CMN15F4), 1920x1080, 15.60
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Chi Mei N156HCA-EA1 (CMN15D7), 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
ID: AUO42ED, Name: AU Optronics B156HAN04.2, 1920x1080, 15.60
Eurocom Q5
ID: LGD04D4, Name: LG Philips LP156UD1-SPB1, 3840x2160, 15.60
Aorus X5 v7
AU Optronics B156ZAN02.3 (AUO23EB), 3840x2160, 15.60
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
3840x2160, 15.60
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Samsung 156HL01-104 (SDC324C) , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-21%
-25%
-21%
-20%
-39%
-16%
Display P3 Coverage
91.6
64.7
-29%
62.1
-32%
63
-31%
65.3
-29%
48.21
-47%
67.8
-26%
sRGB Coverage
100
90.4
-10%
85.6
-14%
92.7
-7%
91.9
-8%
72.6
-27%
97.4
-3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
86.6
65.7
-24%
62.4
-28%
64.4
-26%
66.3
-23%
49.81
-42%
69.7
-20%
Response Times
-214%
-272%
-274%
-312%
-174%
-197%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
10.4 ?(6, 4.4)
43.2 ?(22.8, 20.4)
-315%
33.2 ?(18.4, 14.8)
-219%
32.4 ?(16, 16.4)
-212%
44 ?(21.2, 22.8)
-323%
28 ?(15.6, 12.4)
-169%
Response Time Black / White *
6.6 ?(4.4, 2.2)
28.4 ?(15.6, 12.8)
-330%
28 ?(15.6, 12.4)
-324%
28.8 ?(18.8, 10)
-336%
26.4 ?(14, 12.4)
-300%
23.6 ?(15.2, 8.4)
-258%
26 ?(8, 18)
-294%
PWM Frequency
25510 ?(25)
26000 ?(20)
2%
1351 ?(39)
-95%
202 ?(100)
-99%
Screen
-40%
-11%
-44%
-21%
-73%
-14%
Brightness middle
269
338
26%
307.1
14%
287.5
7%
307
14%
274.2
2%
293
9%
Brightness
254
324
28%
309
22%
279
10%
297
17%
263
4%
279
10%
Brightness Distribution
85
88
4%
86
1%
87
2%
92
8%
92
8%
84
-1%
Black Level *
0.21
0.34
-62%
0.35
-67%
0.65
-210%
0.3
-43%
0.44
-110%
0.33
-57%
Contrast
1281
994
-22%
877
-32%
442
-65%
1023
-20%
623
-51%
888
-31%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3
5.92
-97%
3.4
-13%
4.5
-50%
4.72
-57%
8
-167%
3.59
-20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.62
11.77
-109%
8.2
-46%
8.9
-58%
8.07
-44%
14.6
-160%
5.79
-3%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.18
7.45
-134%
1.4
56%
4.6
-45%
4.79
-51%
9.1
-186%
3.86
-21%
Gamma
2.25 98%
2.58 85%
2.19 100%
2.39 92%
2.42 91%
2.24 98%
2.53 87%
CCT
7274 89%
6366 102%
6558 99%
7393 88%
7690 85%
5020 129%
7229 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
77
59
-23%
55.6
-28%
59
-23%
60
-22%
45.7
-41%
63
-18%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
90
-10%
85
-15%
92.3
-8%
92
-8%
72.1
-28%
97
-3%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-92% / -69%
-103% / -48%
-113% / -70%
-118% / -59%
-95% / -85%
-76% / -38%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 25510 Hz ≤ 25 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25510 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25510 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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

Right out of the box, the color reproduction of the display is in very good order. With a DeltaE-2000 color deviation of 3, it almost manages to hit the target value (DeltaE lower than 3). Furthermore, the display does not suffer from a bluish cast. By means of calibration, the color reproduction can be further improved. After calibration, the DeltaE drops to 1.74. In addition, a more balanced representation of the grayscale has also been achieved. Positive: The display covers 100% of the sRGB color space. However, it is only able to cover 77% of the AdobeRGB color space. We conducted our measurements with the "sRGB" profile selected in the "True Color" application.

By means of our color profile, the color reproduction can be improved. However before downloading it, you should make sure that your laptop has the same display model (manufacturer + model number) as our review device, because otherwise our color profile can result in worse color reproduction. Displays from different manufacturers can often be found within notebooks from the same model range.

CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (after calibration)
MSI GS63VR 7RG vs. sRGB (100%)
MSI GS63VR 7RG vs. sRGB (100%)
MSI GS63VR 7RG vs. AdobeRGB (77%)
MSI GS63VR 7RG vs. AdobeRGB (77%)

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
6.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 2.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 15 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
10.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6 ms rise
↘ 4.4 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 19 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

MSI equips the laptop with a TN panel with poor viewing angles. Consequently, the display is not legible from every position. However, what we are dealing with here is a TN panel of a better kind that has better viewing angles than a lot of the TN panels that can be found in low-priced notebooks. However, it falls far short of an IPS panel. Outdoors, the notebook can only be used when the sun is not shining too brightly.

The GS63VR outdoors
The GS63VR outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

With the GS63VR 7RG, MSI has a slim 15.6-inch gaming notebook in its product range. It can run all the modern games smoothly on its screen and hands in great results in all other applications. Our review device can be had for 2300 Euros ($2740). Other hardware configurations are also available.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 

Review Conditions

The preinstalled “Dragon Center” utility offers options for the customization of the fan’s speed and the energy profile. We have conducted all of our benchmarks with the fan speed set to “Auto”. Moreover, in the “Shift” tab, we selected "Power options", meaning that Windows 10’s energy profiles will be utilized.

MSI Dragon Center
MSI Dragon Center

Processor

The GS63VR comes equipped with a quad-core Kaby Lake CPU (Core i7-7700HQ). This processor is found mostly in gaming laptops, because it represents a good compromise between performance and energy consumption. The processor has a base clock of 2.8 GHz. Via Intel’s Turbo Boost technology, the clock rate can be increased to 3.4 GHz for four cores, 3.6 GHz for two cores and 3.8 GHz for one core.

In our single-core CPU benchmarks, both when plugged in and when running off of battery power, the CPU operates at 3.4 to 3.8 GHz. In the multi-core benchmarks, the CPU operates at 3.4 GHz when plugged in and at 3.1 to 3.3 GHz when running off of battery power. However, the CPU consistently throttles down to 1.4 to 1.5 GHz as well as 800 MHz.

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

We check if the Turbo boost can be used continuously by running the Cinebench R15 Multi-Core benchmark in a continuous loop for 30 minutes. The results of the GS63VR stay consistently on the same level. There are no drops in performance to report.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The results in the Cinebench benchmarks are consistent with those of other 7700HQ-based notebooks. However, in the Geekbench benchmarks, the MSI laptop falls behind. The reason: The notebook’s RAM runs in single-channel mode.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6885
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
22253
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5910
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
62.7 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.14 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.82 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
97.6 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
735 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
158 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Aorus X5 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
174 Points +10%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
162 Points +3%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
161 Points +2%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
158 Points
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
152 Points -4%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
150 Points -5%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
139 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Aorus X5 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
827 Points +13%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
742 Points +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
742 Points +1%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
738 Points 0%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
735 Points
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
734 Points 0%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
667 Points -9%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Aorus X5 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
9.18 Points +13%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.21 Points +1%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.18 Points 0%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.14 Points 0%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.14 Points
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.06 Points -1%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.33 Points -10%
CPU Single 64Bit
Aorus X5 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
1.98 Points +9%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.84 Points +1%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.82 Points
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.81 Points -1%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.77 Points -3%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.73 Points -5%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.65 Points -9%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22380 Points +1%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22253 Points
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22243 Points 0%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22217 Points 0%
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
21824 Points -2%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5952 Points +1%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5910 Points
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5877 Points -1%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5860 Points -1%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5747 Points -3%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14090 Points +6%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
13354 Points
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
3840 Points +9%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
3522 Points
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14216 Points +15%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
12384 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4682 Points +6%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4411 Points
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
15111 Points +16%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
13053 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4808 Points +6%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4543 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Edge 41)
276 Points +2%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Edge 41)
270 Points
Eurocom Q5
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Edge 40.15063.0.0)
263.8 Points -2%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Edge 38.14393.0.0)
257.1 Points -5%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Intel Core i7-6700HQ (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
241 Points -11%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Edge 40.15063.0.0)
234.5 Points -13%

System Performance

A lightning-fast NVMe SSD and a powerful processor create a very responsive system. The very good results in various PCMark benchmarks attest to the fact that the GS63VR has more than enough performance for gaming and image/video-editing applications. A small increase in the overall performance is possible. For this, one must install a second RAM module in order to enable dual-channel mode.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 7 Score
5755 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4193 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5362 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5176 points
PCMark 10 Score
4542 points
Help
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
5009 Points +19%
Aorus X5 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
4718 Points +13%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
4394 Points +5%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
4193 Points
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
4141 Points -1%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4060 Points -3%
Eurocom Q5
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
3829 Points -9%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
5358 Points +4%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
5268 Points +2%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
5195 Points 0%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
5176 Points
Eurocom Q5
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
4891 Points -6%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4859 Points -6%

Storage Space

An M.2-2280 SSD from Samsung serves as the system drive. Because such SSDs are connected via PCI Express 3.0 x4, they achieve significantly higher transfer rates than the SSDs that are connected via SATA III. The transfer rates of the built-in SSD are superb. The SSD offers a capacity of 256 GB. However, there is no dearth of storage space. Besides the SSD, there is also a 2 TB HDD (2.5-in, 5400 RPM) inside the device.

The HDD can be replaced hassle-free. The SSD can only be replaced after the removal of the motherboard.
The HDD can be replaced hassle-free. The SSD can only be replaced after the removal of the motherboard.
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
Sequential Read: 2065 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1459 MB/s
512K Read: 439.4 MB/s
512K Write: 1283 MB/s
4K Read: 56.6 MB/s
4K Write: 148.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 576 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 480.6 MB/s
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
Gigabyte Aero 15X
Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Aorus X5 v7
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-7%
11%
9%
17%
Read Seq
2065
1381
-33%
1479
-28%
2141
4%
1973
-4%
Write Seq
1459
1546
6%
1076
-26%
1621
11%
1292
-11%
Read 512
439.4
418
-5%
1086
147%
499.7
14%
1279
191%
Write 512
1283
1277
0%
1101
-14%
1531
19%
1288
0%
Read 4k
56.6
51.3
-9%
44
-22%
54.2
-4%
52.3
-8%
Write 4k
148.4
131
-12%
137.8
-7%
158.2
7%
153.2
3%
Read 4k QD32
576
544
-6%
697
21%
632
10%
464.4
-19%
Write 4k QD32
480.6
480.2
0%
556
16%
527
10%
384.4
-20%

Graphics Card

With the MSI GS63VR, Nvidia’s Optimus technology is enabled straight out of the box (this technology allows automatic switching between a discrete and an integrated graphics adapter). Here, it encompasses Intel’s HD Graphics 630 and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q. The latter GPU represents a trimmed-down version of the normal GTX 1070, which is intended for thin and light notebooks. The model used in our review device has a base clock of 1101 MHz and a boost clock of up to 1544 MHz. However, the boost clock cannot be maintained under continuous load. During our benchmarks, we observed an average core clock of 1200 MHz. The GPU has 8192 MB of fast GDDR5 video memory at its disposal.

In the 3DMark benchmarks, the GS63VR achieves results which are similar to those of the competitors. Only the Asus Zephyrus GX501VS performs better. Presumably, this is because the GPU of the Asus laptop can achieve higher average core clocks.

Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark 06 Standard Score
26805 points
3DMark 11 Performance
13513 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
121077 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
25810 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
11857 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
6272 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
4396 points
Help
3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Aorus X5 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
16349 Points +14%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
16165 Points +12%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14607 Points +1%
Eurocom Q5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14557 Points +1%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14394 Points
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11730 Points -19%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11261 Points -22%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Aorus X5 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
22241 Points +22%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
20240 Points +11%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18689 Points +3%
Eurocom Q5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18684 Points +3%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18205 Points
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
15075 Points -17%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14450 Points -21%

Gaming Performance

The 15.6-incher has enough performance at its disposal to run all the latest games smoothly at Full HD resolution with high to maximum graphical settings. However, the frame rates fall behind other notebooks with GTX 1070 Max-Q GPUs. The reasons: The core clock of the GPU lies below those of other notebooks with GTX 1070 Max-Q GPUs, plus the laptop’s RAM runs in single-channel mode.

We use the video game The Witcher 3 to check if the frame rates can be maintained consistently over a longer period of time. For this, we run the game with the maximum graphics settings in Full HD resolution (1920x1080) for one hour. Over the entire run of gameplay, the player-controlled character just stands still. The frame rates drop from an initial 49 to 50 FPS down to 44 to 47 FPS. Therefore, there are no massive performance drops (=throttling) to report. The frame rates are always in playable territory. 

0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Aorus X5 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
61.1 fps +22%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
52.4 fps +4%
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
51 fps +2%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
50.2 fps
Eurocom Q5
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
46 fps -8%
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
40.4 fps -20%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
39.4 fps -22%
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
131.6 fps +20%
Eurocom Q5
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
130.5 fps +19%
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
123.9 fps +13%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
109.6 fps
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
101.8 fps -7%
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
100.6 fps -8%
ELEX - 1920x1080 Ultra / On AA:SM AF:16x
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
66.6 fps +5%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
63.3 fps
Middle-earth: Shadow of War - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Gigabyte Aero 15X
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
69 fps +11%
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
62 fps
low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 407.5 376.4 339.3 179.1
BioShock Infinite (2013) 239.4 173.8 161.5 109.6
The Witcher 3 (2015) 175.7 140.8 90.3 50.2
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 91 82 74 62
ELEX (2017) 120.5 87.7 77.9 63.3
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 63 53 52 44
Call of Duty WWII (2017) 163.3 133.5 97.2 86
Need for Speed Payback (2017) 112.4 95.9 89.9 87.2

Emissions

System Noise

MSI equips the slender laptop with a total of three fans. Despite that, the GS63VR can run nearly silently - at least at idle. During idle operation, only the right fan (as seen from the user's POV) is usually engaged. However, it operates with such a low speed that it is only audible in quiet environments. The 2.5-inch hard drive easily drowns out the fan when it is being accessed. None of the three fans spin up during idle operation. Under load, the fans start to speed up considerably. During our stress test, we measured a sound pressure level of 46 dB(A). During gaming, it is not so loud: Here one can expect 42 dB(A).

As was mentioned previously, during our stress test, we use automatic fan control. Alternatively, the fan operation can be controlled manually. Those who can be bothered with this can lower the fan noise further.

Occasionally, one can hear a crackling sound coming from the inside of the device. However, it can only be heard if one places one’s ear close to the keyboard.

Noise level at idle
Noise level at idle
Noise level under load
Noise level under load
Speakers
Speakers

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 34 / 35 dB(A)
HDD
34 dB(A)
Load
42 / 46 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Gigabyte Aero 15X
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Eurocom Q5
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Aorus X5 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
6700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Noise
-0%
8%
-1%
-9%
1%
3%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
28.5
5%
29
3%
30
-0%
28.8
4%
30
-0%
Idle Minimum *
31
31
-0%
28.5
8%
31.5
-2%
35
-13%
33.1
-7%
32
-3%
Idle Average *
34
32
6%
28.5
16%
33.8
1%
36
-6%
33.1
3%
33
3%
Idle Maximum *
35
36
-3%
30.1
14%
33.8
3%
40
-14%
34
3%
34
3%
Load Average *
42
39
7%
35.2
16%
41.7
1%
43
-2%
37.2
11%
37
12%
Witcher 3 ultra *
44
44
-0%
41.7
5%
41.7
5%
49
-11%
46.1
-5%
Load Maximum *
46
52
-13%
48.8
-6%
54.2
-18%
55
-20%
47.1
-2%
46
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The GS63VR performs differently in our stress test when plugged in and when running off of battery power. When running on battery power, after two minutes the CPU and the GPU operate at their minimum clock speeds (CPU: 800 MHz, GPU: 140 MHz). When plugged in, the processor operates at 3 to 3.4 GHz, the graphics card at 700 to 1000 MHz.

During the stress test, the laptop gets considerably hot. At two measurement points, the 60 °C (140 °F) mark has been exceeded. The temperatures turn out to be somewhat lower during our The Witcher 3 stress test (the game runs for one hour in Full HD resolution with the maximum graphics settings).

Stress test
Stress test
Upper side under load (Optris PI 640)
Upper side under load (Optris PI 640)
Underside at idle (Optris PI 640)
Underside at idle (Optris PI 640)
Max. Load
 44 °C
111 F
46 °C
115 F
45 °C
113 F
 
 42 °C
108 F
47 °C
117 F
46 °C
115 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
37 °C
99 F
38 °C
100 F
 
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 41.9 °C = 107 F
63 °C
145 F
63 °C
145 F
51 °C
124 F
53 °C
127 F
56 °C
133 F
41 °C
106 F
39 °C
102 F
39 °C
102 F
34 °C
93 F
Maximum: 63 °C = 145 F
Average: 48.8 °C = 120 F
Power Supply (max.)  43 °C = 109 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.9 °C / 107 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 63 °C / 145 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.1 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 37.9 °C / 100 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 38 °C / 100.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-9.1 °C / -16.4 F).
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Gigabyte Aero 15X
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Eurocom Q5
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Aorus X5 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
6700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Heat
2%
-2%
-10%
-13%
-12%
1%
Maximum Upper Side *
47
51
-9%
54.4
-16%
56.2
-20%
64
-36%
45.3
4%
Maximum Bottom *
63
58
8%
41.2
35%
61.2
3%
56
11%
62.6
1%
Idle Upper Side *
25
25
-0%
31.2
-25%
27.8
-11%
29
-16%
28.4
-14%
25.3
-1%
Idle Bottom *
27
25
7%
27.6
-2%
29.6
-10%
30
-11%
29.6
-10%
27.3
-1%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.935.8253030.63126.127.44031.631502627.16324.830.38026.535.710025.238.612523.629.516022.335.920021.94325020.752.831520.360.140019.364.65001966.863018.772.18001876.2100018.184.612501886160018.279.9200017.974.625001869.6315018.169.9400017.963.650001862.363001869.8800017.963.71000017.860.31250017.757.31600017.657.9SPL30.390N1.467.4median 18.1median 64.6Delta1.16.846.33739.732.833.12936.637.327.828.127.327.326.528.724.932.522.932.120.937.222.348.721.152.120.555.618.760.318.76217.865.717.666.717.164.117.169.717.369.417.468.717.46617.964.918.259.617.962.818.264.418.364.119.161.719.261.41957.730.1781.341.4median 18.3median 621.56.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GS63VR 7RG-005Aorus X5 v7
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.3% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 11% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 69% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Aorus X5 v7 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 58% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 37% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked!)

Energy Management

Energy Consumption

Thanks to Nvidia’s Optimus technology, the energy consumption at idle reaches “only” 21 watts. Notebooks with Nvidia’s Optimus technology disabled draw about 10 watts more. During our stress test, the energy consumption reached 162 watts. During gaming, the power consumption turned out to be somewhat lower. It reached 128 watts during our The Witcher 3 stress test. The nominal power draw of the AC adapter amounts to 180 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.8 / 1.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 12 / 16 / 21 Watt
Load midlight 85 / 162 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 GS63VR 7RG-005
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Gigabyte Aero 15X
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Eurocom Q5
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Aorus X5 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
6700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Power Consumption
9%
-15%
12%
-63%
-4%
-25%
Idle Minimum *
12
10
17%
19.1
-59%
9
25%
26
-117%
14.5
-21%
18
-50%
Idle Average *
16
13
19%
20.8
-30%
13.5
16%
31
-94%
17.3
-8%
22
-38%
Idle Maximum *
21
20
5%
21.8
-4%
13.7
35%
36
-71%
17.4
17%
30
-43%
Load Average *
85
79
7%
73.7
13%
87.8
-3%
93
-9%
93
-9%
77
9%
Witcher 3 ultra *
128
120
6%
130.2
-2%
129
-1%
176
-38%
128.8
-1%
Load Maximum *
162
165
-2%
173.1
-7%
158.6
2%
240
-48%
165
-2%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The GS63VR completes our practically-oriented Wi-Fi test after 3 hours and 52 minutes. Here we run a script that simulates loads that are consistent with web-browsing. The test runs with the “balanced” profile selected, the brightness set to 150 cd/m² and power-saving functions switched off. With a single battery charge, the MSI laptop achieves a runtime of 3 hours and 49 minutes in our video test. In this test, we play the short film Big Buck Bunny (H.264, 1920x1080) in a continuous loop. The communications modules as well as the energy-saving functions are switched off, and the brightness is set to 150 cd/m².

The MSI GS63VR delivers somewhat worse battery runtimes than its previously reviewed siblings. The reason for this: The battery of our current device has a lower capacity (52.4 Wh) than the batteries of the sibling models (65 Wh). All in all, the battery runtimes are in good order, for a gaming notebook. Most of the competitors deliver similar results. In terms of battery life, only the Gigabyte Aero 15X sticks out from the crowd. It delivers battery runtimes that many simple office notebooks cannot achieve.

With this laptop, MSI uses a lower-capacity battery (52.4 Wh) than with the sibling models (65 Wh).
With this laptop, MSI uses a lower-capacity battery (52.4 Wh) than with the sibling models (65 Wh).
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
5h 40min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 41)
3h 52min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 49min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 01min
MSI GS63VR 7RG-005
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 52.4 Wh
Gigabyte Aero 15X
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 94.2 Wh
Asus Zephyrus GX501VS
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 50 Wh
Eurocom Q5
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 55 Wh
Aorus X5 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 94 Wh
MSI GS63VR 7RF-228US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 65 Wh
MSI GS63VR-6RF16H22 Stealth Pro
6700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 65 Wh
Battery Runtime
125%
-30%
8%
-16%
12%
10%
Reader / Idle
340
781
130%
229
-33%
466
37%
208
-39%
386
14%
358
5%
H.264
229
456
99%
163
-29%
271
18%
WiFi v1.3
232
491
112%
147
-37%
258
11%
151
-35%
232
0%
210
-9%
Load
61
157
157%
49
-20%
47
-23%
84
38%
75
23%
76
25%

Verdict

Pros

+ Responsive 120 Hz display
+ 100% of sRGB
+ NVMe SSD
+ A lot of storage space
+ Very fast SD card reader
+ Nifty case with good build quality
+ Thin and light
+ Great performance
+ Good keyboard with an RGB backlight
+ Thunderbolt 3

Cons

- Dim TN panel with poor viewing angles
- Case could have been more rigid
- Access to RAM and the M.2 slot requires removal of the motherboard
The MSI GS63VR 7RG-005, provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de
The MSI GS63VR 7RG-005, provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de

If you hold the MSI GS63VR in your hands, you will not get the impression that this is a gaming laptop. The slender, light device bears more resemblance to a mobile office notebook. Far from it - the device’s hardware can run all the latest games smoothly on the matte Full HD screen with high or even maximum graphical settings. However, the frame rates fall somewhat behind those of the comparable notebooks.

A lightning-fast NVMe SSD makes for a very responsive system. The SSD cannot be easily replaced. For this, one will have to remove the entire motherboard. Replacing the supplied 2.5-inch HDD is much easier. The good keyboard should satisfy anyone who has to type a lot. The battery is in good order. The fast SD card reader and the Thunderbolt 3 port are also worth mentioning.

MSI goes for fast response times instead of viewing-angle stability.

The matte Full HD screen delights with a great contrast ratio and fast response times. The brightness of a notebook with this price tag should have been higher. What we are dealing with here is a TN display with poor viewing angles. However, MSI uses a TN panel of a better kind, which has better viewing angles than many models that can be found in low-priced notebooks.

MSI GS63VR 7RG-005 - 11/17/2017 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
79%
Connectivity
67 / 81 → 82%
Weight
64 / 10-66 → 97%
Battery
73%
Display
88%
Games Performance
93%
Application Performance
94%
Temperature
80 / 95 → 84%
Noise
77 / 90 → 85%
Audio
66%
Camera
55 / 85 → 65%
Average
77%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 4 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GS63VR 7RG Stealth Pro (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1070 Max-Q, Full HD) Laptop Review
Sascha Mölck, 2017-12- 2 (Update: 2020-05-19)