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MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046 (i7-8750H, GTX 1080, FHD) Laptop Review

Six Cores the Richer. Aesthetically, not much has changed with the GT63 since its predecessor nearly two years ago. But the upgrades to a Core i7-8750H and GTX 1080 are promising by themselves… do they live up to expectations?

It’s been nearly two years since we evaluated the MSI GT62VR, a large “desktop replacement” 15.6-inch machine which was among the first notebooks to implement NVIDIA Pascal architecture GPUs. We were impressed by its strong performance, great RGB-LED illuminated keyboard, and good display. However, the device also suffered GPU throttling under heavy loads and exhibited suboptimal heat distribution across the top cover/palm rests.

Today, we’re taking a look at the GT63 Titan, which adopts the same case design and board layout, but leverages a respected NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU alongside a CPU—an Intel Core i7-8750H—that’s two generations newer. Joining these formidable chips are 16 GB of DDR4 memory and an NVMe SSD. At a current retail asking price (available from Computer Upgrade King) of $2,639, can the GT63 Titan preserve its status among the top 15.6-inch gaming notebooks currently available?

MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046 (GT63 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H 6 x 2.2 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1734 MHz, Memory: 1251 MHz, GDDR5, 23.21.13.9094 (NVIDIA 390.94)
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, N156HHE-GA1, TN, glossy: no
Storage
CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe, 500 GB 
Soundcard
Realtek ALC1220 @ Intel Cannon Lake PCH
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm Line In/Out, Microphone, Headphones, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 40 x 390 x 266 ( = 1.57 x 15.35 x 10.47 in)
Battery
75.24 Wh, 5225 mAh Lithium-Ion, Model BTY-L78
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1080p
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 4x 2W, Keyboard: RGB-LED backlit Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.92 kg ( = 103 oz / 6.44 pounds), Power Supply: 780 g ( = 27.51 oz / 1.72 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The case hasn’t changed since our original review of the GT62VR nearly two years ago. Having said that, considering its classification as a desktop replacement, there isn’t a whole lot of need for improvement. While the primary construction (including the internal frame and the bottom) is plastic, the display lid and top cover/palm rest are made from aluminum. Stability is quite good on the base unit, with only minor flex detectable in the middle of the machine (above the touchpad) under moderate pressure. The display lid, meanwhile, is quite a bit more flexible and can be twisted with hardly any effort. It also succumbs to pressure from the back and curves inward with little provocation, which concerns us somewhat about its resilience in transit.

Size and weight are also basically unchanged. While the GT63 is fairly large (especially in comparison to thinner, less powerful alternatives such as the MSI GS65 8RF Stealth Thin or Razer Blade 15), once again, it isn’t intended to be constantly on the move. To that end, the hinges are also fairly loose, which would be a problem if the machine was in motion, but instead simply means that the lid is easy to open single-handedly. The lid can open to approximately a 165 degree angle and is quiet during movement.

425 mm / 16.7 inch 319 mm / 12.6 inch 51 mm / 2.01 inch 4.7 kg10.4 lbs428 mm / 16.9 inch 298 mm / 11.7 inch 38.7 mm / 1.524 inch 3.8 kg8.33 lbs390 mm / 15.4 inch 266 mm / 10.5 inch 40 mm / 1.575 inch 2.9 kg6.44 lbs389 mm / 15.3 inch 305 mm / 12 inch 25.4 mm / 1 inch 3.6 kg7.83 lbs389 mm / 15.3 inch 274.7 mm / 10.8 inch 24.95 mm / 0.982 inch 2.9 kg6.29 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 2.5 kg5.51 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 267 mm / 10.5 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.5 kg5.51 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17.3 mm / 0.681 inch 2.1 kg4.53 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Once again, port selection and placement remains identical to that of the MSI GT62VR 7RE Dominator Pro Notebook ReviewGT62VR. We’re treated to some five total USB ports (3x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 2.0, and 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C) as well as multiple options for video output (HDMI, mini-DisplayPort) and a full gamut of audio connections. The USB and audio ports are located on the left and right sides of the machines, but most of the rest of the connections (power, video, Ethernet, and one of the USB ports) are on the rear—a decision which some users may find inconvenient. It would also be nice to see Thunderbolt in a laptop of this class.

Front: No connections
Front: No connections
Rear: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, Charging port
Rear: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, Charging port
Left: Kensington Lock, USB 2.0, audio ports
Left: Kensington Lock, USB 2.0, audio ports
Right: Card reader, USB 3.1 x 3
Right: Card reader, USB 3.1 x 3

SD Card Reader

Oddly enough, the SD card reader in today’s unit is considerably slower than that of the GT62VR. We measured just 13.44 MB/s during our AS SSD benchmark of the card reader, which is less than one-tenth the speed of its predecessor.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus Chimera G703GI
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
198 MB/s +1597%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +741%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
67.1 MB/s +475%
Dell G5 15 5587
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
20 MB/s +71%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
11.67 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus Chimera G703GI
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
246 MB/s +1730%
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +810%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.3 MB/s +535%
Dell G5 15 5587
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35 MB/s +160%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
13.44 MB/s

Communication

The GT63 leverages a Killer e2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller for physical network connectivity and a Killer Wireless-AC 1550 WLAN adapter for wireless connections (the latter also includes Bluetooth 4.2 functionality). In our tests, network connection speeds were decent—neither topping the charts nor below expectations.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +89%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
691 MBit/s +21%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
690 MBit/s +21%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
643 MBit/s +13%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
593 MBit/s +4%
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
582 MBit/s +2%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
570 MBit/s
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
563 MBit/s -1%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
243 MBit/s -57%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +107%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
697 MBit/s +10%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
681 MBit/s +8%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
681 MBit/s +8%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
671 MBit/s +6%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
666 MBit/s +5%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
633 MBit/s
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
485 MBit/s -23%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
303 MBit/s -52%

Software

The Dragon Center software remains central to the MSI gaming laptop experience, providing resource monitoring, power management, audio/network tuning, and a few other useful features. Cooler Boost 5 is also supported, with a dedicated hardware key (as usual) located above the keyboard near the power button.

Accessories

The GT63 comes with a large AC Adapter (Delta Electronics 330W) and a microfiber cleaning cloth. No other accessories are included.

Maintenance

Six Phillips-head screws secure the bottom cover to the device, and once removed, nearly every major replaceable component is accessible. That’s hardly inconvenient, but CUKUSA’s sticker obscures the sixth and final screw at the bottom. Whether or not warranty terms are voided if this sticker is broken is a topic we’d recommend addressing with the retailer before opening it up.

It’s unfortunate that only a single M.2 slot exists within the GT63 given the board real estate available within. We fielded this complaint back in 2016 with regard to the GT62VR, and it unfortunately still applies today.

Maintenance is easy following the removal of the six screws on the bottom...
Maintenance is easy following the removal of the six screws on the bottom...
...but warranty implications should be investigated first.
...but warranty implications should be investigated first.

Warranty

Our MSI GT63 review unit includes a 1-year warranty on the machine and 3 years warranty on all upgraded parts. More details can be found at Computer Upgrade King's website here.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The SteelSeries keyboard is as good as ever, and yet again, it appears mostly identical to its predecessor. The chiclet-style keys are highly visible thanks to the contrast between their black backgrounds and white labels, and in the dark, they now sport per-key RGB-LED backlighting (as opposed to the previous three-zone backlighting approach of the GT62VR). Key travel is medium with reasonable, consistent feedback and quiet operation; it seems good for fast typing. The keys are tightly affixed with no clatter.

The layout hasn’t changed, and it’s immediately familiar. Only the number pad off to the right is horizontally compressed slightly (and with it, the Insert/Delete/PgUp/PgDown/Home/End keys). The arrow keys, by contrast, are fully-sized.

Touchpad

The 107x60 mm Synaptics touchpad is reasonably large, and pointer movement is subject to very little lag. It isn’t a Precision Touchpad out of the box, though it can likely be transformed into one using some fancy driver-oriented tricks. The basic gestures still worked without any technical sorcery, so perhaps most users won’t mind regardless. The biggest complaint we have with the touchpad is actually the two physical buttons below it: they’re incredibly loud, especially the left button, which also sounds rather hollow. The pitch of the noise and the feel of the click also change depending on where the button is pressed.

The SteelSeries keyboard remains excellent...
The SteelSeries keyboard remains excellent...
...but the touchpad is nothing special.
...but the touchpad is nothing special.

Display

The GT63 offers a couple of different 15.6-inch panel options: a 4K IPS display, and an FHD (1920x1080) 120 Hz 3 ms response time TN LED screen. Our review unit came configured with the latter, which subjectively appears only moderately bright, but which also possesses immediately obvious color rendering proficiency.

We measured 275.8 cd/m² brightness with a distribution of 80%, both of which are merely average numbers. Contrast came in at 830:1 (on the heels of a 0.37 cd/m² black level), which is decent. Some minor clouding on black screens is visible.

Subpixel layout, MSI GT63
Subpixel layout, MSI GT63
Minor clouding on black screens
Minor clouding on black screens
279
cd/m²
301.4
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
270.7
cd/m²
307.1
cd/m²
246.2
cd/m²
266.3
cd/m²
278.9
cd/m²
266.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
N156HHE-GA1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 307.1 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 275.8 cd/m² Minimum: 15.64 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 307.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 830:1 (Black: 0.37 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.53 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.82
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
76% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
85.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
91.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.194
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
N156HHE-GA1, TN, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
AU Optronics AUO45ED, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Razer Blade 15 2018
LGD05C0, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
LG Philips LGD0533, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
LG Philips LP156WF6 (LGD049B), IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell G5 15 5587
LGD053F, 156WF6, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus Chimera G703GI
B173HAN03.2 (AUO329D), IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
AUO_B173HAN03, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Display
-22%
-20%
-50%
-25%
-52%
-19%
-20%
Display P3 Coverage
91.3
63.4
-31%
64.3
-30%
39.53
-57%
64.3
-30%
38.13
-58%
65.8
-28%
64.4
-29%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
87.7
-12%
93.7
-6%
59.2
-41%
82.9
-17%
56.8
-43%
92.6
-7%
91.3
-9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
85.7
65.5
-24%
40.86
-52%
60.6
-29%
39.47
-54%
67
-22%
65.6
-23%
Response Times
-322%
-106%
-256%
-259%
-304%
-31%
-61%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
8.4 ?(4.4, 4)
30.8 ?(13.6, 17.2)
-267%
17.2 ?(8.8, 8.4)
-105%
42 ?(22, 20)
-400%
40 ?(19.6, 20.4)
-376%
33 ?(16, 17)
-293%
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
24%
14 ?(7, 7)
-67%
Response Time Black / White *
5.8 ?(4.4, 1.4)
27.6 ?(16, 11.6)
-376%
12 ?(6.8, 5.2)
-107%
27 ?(17, 10)
-366%
28 ?(16, 12)
-383%
24 ?(14, 10)
-314%
10.8 ?(6, 4.8)
-86%
9 ?(5, 4)
-55%
PWM Frequency
25510 ?(34)
24900 ?(90)
-2%
21100 ?(95)
-17%
Screen
-21%
-3%
-68%
-38%
-69%
-2%
-47%
Brightness middle
307.1
286.7
-7%
290
-6%
243
-21%
306
0%
229
-25%
285
-7%
335
9%
Brightness
276
281
2%
281
2%
231
-16%
297
8%
224
-19%
275
0%
300
9%
Brightness Distribution
80
92
15%
82
3%
87
9%
89
11%
87
9%
82
3%
82
3%
Black Level *
0.37
0.39
-5%
0.3
19%
0.24
35%
0.28
24%
0.28
24%
0.22
41%
0.7
-89%
Contrast
830
735
-11%
967
17%
1013
22%
1093
32%
818
-1%
1295
56%
479
-42%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.53
4.17
-65%
2.85
-13%
6.36
-151%
5.45
-115%
6.1
-141%
3.18
-26%
4.99
-97%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.66
7.22
-55%
6.27
-35%
12.76
-174%
9.45
-103%
12.2
-162%
5.99
-29%
9.32
-100%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.82
1.39
51%
6.51
-131%
6.12
-117%
1.73
39%
1.93
32%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.7
2.5
-47%
2.4
-41%
5.63
-231%
4.9
-188%
5.68
-234%
2.93
-72%
5.2
-206%
Gamma
2.194 100%
2.274 97%
2.34 94%
2.47 89%
2.49 88%
2.4 92%
2.45 90%
2.49 88%
CCT
6893 94%
6885 94%
6718 97%
7411 88%
7062 92%
6989 93%
7165 91%
7719 84%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
76
57
-25%
60
-21%
38
-50%
54
-29%
36
-53%
60
-21%
59
-22%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
87
-13%
94
-6%
59
-41%
83
-17%
57
-43%
93
-7%
91
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-122% / -64%
-43% / -19%
-125% / -98%
-107% / -77%
-142% / -95%
-17% / -9%
-43% / -43%

* ... smaller is better

Color reproduction, on the other hand, is leagues ahead of most of the competition. Our analysis shows that the panel covers 100% of the sRGB spectrum and 76% of AdobeRGB, which is a good result in context with its peers (most of which hover within the 54 – 63% AdobeRGB range).

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. Alienware 15 R3
vs. Alienware 15 R3
vs. ASUS ROG GU510GM
vs. ASUS ROG GU510GM

Accuracy is similarly good, with average pre-calibration DeltaE2000 results of just 2.82 for ColorChecker and 1.7 for Greyscale. Total gamma of 2.194 and the CCT Average of 6893 are also impressive results. MSI’s helpful True Color app provides full control over the tone and gamma of the panel, and provides handy preset profiles to match common settings (sRGB, Development, Gaming, Blue Light Filter, etc.).

Color analysis (pre-calibration)
Color analysis (pre-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (pre-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (pre-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (pre-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (pre-calibration)
Color analysis (post-calibration)
Color analysis (post-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (post-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (post-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (post-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (post-calibration)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
5.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 1.4 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. » 12 % 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
8.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 16 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 25510 Hz ≤ 34 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25510 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 34 % 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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Panel response times are terrific; we measured just 6 ms / 8.4 ms in Black to White / 50% Grey to 80% Grey respectively. Very few devices achieve such stellar results. While PWM is implemented at brightness values below 34%, the frequency is sufficiently high (at 25510 Hz) that it isn’t likely to bother most users.

The middling brightness does thwart the GT63’s outdoor utility somewhat, but given its intended use that’s probably not so debilitating. Although the display in today’s review unit is not an IPS panel, viewing angles are still very good both horizontally and vertically, with the exception of extreme angles from the bottom, which do result in brightness inversions.

In the sun
In the sun
In the shade
In the shade
Viewing angles, GT63
Viewing angles, GT63

Performance

The MSI GT63 is configurable with Intel H-series 8th-generation CPUs ranging from Core i5 up to Core i7 six-core chips. It supports up to 2 SODIMMs of DDR4-2666 RAM, or up to 4 DDR4-2400 sticks. Dual storage is also possible, with both a 2.5-inch HDD bay and a single M.2/NVMe slot available.

Our particular unit features 16 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM. Although both RAM slots beneath the bottom panel are unoccupied, as mentioned above, we’d need to operate at 2400 MHz to support all four slots—but at least upgrades are relatively simple should users find themselves motivated. Our CPU is the venerable Core i7-8750H, and the GPU is an equally impressive NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8 GB GDDR5).

As always, the system needs to be plugged in to achieve anything close to full performance (we received a 3DMark 11 score of just 7065 while unplugged). LatencyMon, meanwhile, didn’t detect any issues with DPC latencies that might prevent the smooth operation of real-time audio or video streaming.

CPU-Z CPU
CPU-Z CPU
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
Octane v2
Octane v2
JetStream
JetStream
LatencyMon
LatencyMon

Processor

Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15

The Intel Core i7-8750H is a formidable six-core high-end CPU based on the 14 nm Coffee Lake architecture. It clocks between 2.2 and 4.1 GHz (3.9 GHz with 6 cores, 4.0 GHz with 4 cores), and it also supports Hyper-Threading. It carries a staggering performance premium of nearly 50% versus its predecessor (the Core i7-7820HQ) thanks to the addition of 2 cores. The TDP of 45 W is significant, but no problem for a laptop as large as the GT63.

The performance gains are illustrated by our comparisons to the previous-gen Alienware 15 R3, which is powered by an Intel Core i7-7820HK. While single-core speed has only jumped around 5% in our benchmarks, multi-core performance is up by an astounding 42%—a terrific 1091 points in Cinebench R15 multi-CPU (versus the Alienware’s 767 points). This is also slightly above the average for the i7-8750H, but ever-so-slightly below the ASUS ROG GU501GM’s score of 1113. The Asus ROG Chimera, equipped with its Core i9-8950HK, meanwhile, naturally posts even higher scores: some 18% and 20% higher in single- and multi-core respectively. It’s worth mentioning that subsequent runs of Cinebench R15 multi-CPU did produce higher scores (around 1130), but this is likely because those runs were divorced from the preliminary single-core benchmark, which heats up the CPU beforehand. We record the original scores from the combined benchmark when we run our Cinebench tests, so 1091 is the score that remains on record in spite of the difference. This is absolutely hair-splitting, however; both of these scores are excellent overall.

As for sustained performance, in our Cinebench multi-CPU loop test, the MSI GT63 first starts out at 1130 before dropping significantly (and permanently) into the 910 – 925 range by the second run. A notable drop in performance following a short initial burst is typical of 8th-generation Intel CPUs, but the GT63’s drop is steeper than most at nearly 19%. By contrast, the ASUS ROG starts at a higher initial value of 1174 before wavering around the 1000 mark (and a bit below) thereafter, with an average drop of closer to 15/16% over a long period. Even the MSI GS65 Stealth manages better sustained performance with a mostly stable long-term average of around 980 (down from a comparably lower initial score of 1023). We’d like to see better results here; perhaps a firmware update could improve these down the road.

For what it’s worth, invoking Cooler Boost doesn’t materially affect these scores; although the first few runs are marginally higher (by perhaps fewer than 10 points), over the long haul, scores still hover in the same range.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=245, last 2 years)
265 Points +52%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
206 Points +18%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Core i7-8750H
173 Points -1%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
172 Points -1%
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Core i5-8300H
172 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-8750H
  (163 - 177, n=86)
172 Points -1%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-7820HK
166 Points -5%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
150 Points -14%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
147 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=247, last 2 years)
2988 Points +174%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1312 Points +20%
Average Intel Core i7-8750H
  (863 - 1251, n=93)
1113 Points +2%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
Intel Core i7-8750H
1091 Points
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
Intel Core i7-8750H
1007 Points -8%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
983 Points -10%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-7820HK
767 Points -30%
Dell G5 15 5587
Intel Core i5-8300H
735 Points -33%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
728 Points -33%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
501 Points -54%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
174 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1091 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
122.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help
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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

System Performance

The MSI GT63 fares well in our general system performance tests with a very good score of 5961 in PCMark 10—some 7% above the third place finisher, the Acer Predator Helios 500, but around 11% below the 6607 posted by the Asus ROG Chimera. Results are similar in PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated (5445), though it loses out slightly to the Razer Blade 15 and Acer Predator Helios as well in Work Score Accelerated, a test which is far more dependent on storage speeds than the other tests (and the PM961 bests the CUK 500 GB SSD, as we’ll see in the next section).

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated v2
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated v2
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated v2
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated v2
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6093 Points +12%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5445 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
5445 Points 0%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5431 Points 0%
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points -4%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
5121 Points -6%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4658 Points -14%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
4331 Points -20%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4257 Points -22%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
4119 Points -24%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
3385 Points -38%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6281 Points +13%
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +9%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5872 Points +5%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5637 Points +1%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5574 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
5574 Points 0%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5339 Points -4%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
5305 Points -5%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5111 Points -8%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4700 Points -16%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
4102 Points -26%
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7542 Points +27%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6607 Points +11%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
5961 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
5961 Points 0%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
5589 Points -6%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5483 Points -8%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
5295 Points -11%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5092 Points -15%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5046 Points -15%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
4306 Points -28%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3700 Points -38%
Essentials
Average of class Gaming
  (7334 - 12334, n=205, last 2 years)
10674 Points +15%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
9982 Points +7%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
9306 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
9306 Points 0%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
8808 Points -5%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
8220 Points -12%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
8078 Points -13%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
7916 Points -15%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
7567 Points -19%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
7312 Points -21%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
5678 Points -39%
Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (6282 - 11833, n=205, last 2 years)
9693 Points +20%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
8877 Points +10%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
8092 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
8092 Points 0%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
7468 Points -8%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
7349 Points -9%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
7177 Points -11%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
7131 Points -12%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
6897 Points -15%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
5366 Points -34%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5334 Points -34%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Gaming
  (5288 - 18475, n=205, last 2 years)
11339 Points +48%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
8836 Points +16%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
7637 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
7637 Points 0%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
7201 Points -6%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
6669 Points -13%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
6596 Points -14%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
6057 Points -21%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5808 Points -24%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
5557 Points -27%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4514 Points -41%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
5445 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5574 points
PCMark 10 Score
5961 points
Help

Storage Devices

The GT63 offers two internal drive connections, an M.2/NVMe slot and a conventional 2.5-inch SATA drive bay. It’s disappointing that by now MSI hasn’t added a second M.2 slot (for RAID or otherwise), as a laptop of this size can absolutely support it.

Nevertheless, our review unit shipped with both ports populated—a 1 TB 7200 RPM storage drive in the SATA bay and a 500 GB “CUK Cyclone” NVMe SSD in the M.2 slot. The SSD turns in a good performance overall, with an AS SSD overall score of 3040 and Read/Write scores of 1433/902. In our comparison field, only the two Samsung SSDs beat this result (the PM961 thanks to a superior 4K-64 Write speed of 1203.91 MB/s—versus the CUK 500 GB’s result of 647.89 MB/s; the SM961 across the board). As mentioned previously, replacements and upgrades of either of the two storage drives are easy thanks to their accessibility directly beneath the bottom cover.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark
The internal M.2 SSD
The internal M.2 SSD
The SATA mechanical hard drive
The SATA mechanical hard drive
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Razer Blade 15 2018
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
LiteOn CX2-8B256
Asus Chimera G703GI
2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
AS SSD
-96%
18%
-12%
67%
-28%
Copy Game MB/s
419.3
572
590
Copy Program MB/s
269.2
332
337
Copy ISO MB/s
773
1266
868
Score Total
3040
900
-70%
3806
25%
2328
-23%
4843
59%
Score Write
902
345
-62%
1450
61%
894
-1%
1855
106%
812
-10%
Score Read
1433
377
-74%
1584
11%
989
-31%
1999
39%
859
-40%
Access Time Write *
0.042
0.058
-38%
0.038
10%
0.032
24%
0.026
38%
0.054
-29%
Access Time Read *
0.05
0.278
-456%
0.051
-2%
0.063
-26%
0.03
40%
4K-64 Write
648
237
-63%
1204
86%
710
10%
1303
101%
647
0%
4K-64 Read
1144
270.3
-76%
1300
14%
741
-35%
1453
27%
723
-37%
4K Write
87.7
67.1
-23%
93.6
7%
119.3
36%
141.3
61%
80.7
-8%
4K Read
49.17
22.62
-54%
46.45
-6%
42.73
-13%
57.4
17%
38.57
-22%
Seq Write
1665
404.7
-76%
1521
-9%
645
-61%
4110
147%
838
-50%
Seq Read
2399
841
-65%
2376
-1%
2058
-14%
4886
104%
972
-59%

* ... smaller is better

CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2339 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1678 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 385.2 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 197.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2100 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1536 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 51.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 87 MB/s

GPU Performance

The MSI GT63 easily ranks near the top (just below the Asus ROG Chimera) in most of our GPU benchmarks thanks to its combination of the GTX 1080 GPU and very fast six-core CPU. Our 3DMark Fire Strike Graphics test awarded the machine a 21058—a very respectable score—and Cloud Gate Graphics, 133548. Both of these are the highest in today’s field. 3DMark 11 shows the GT63 below the average for GTX 1080-equipped machines in Performance Combined, but in Performance GPU, it’s slightly above average (and 18% above the Max-Q variant in the Alienware 15 R3).

3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +38%
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK
29696 Points +3%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H
28785 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (24868 - 31412, n=26)
28106 Points -2%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK
24425 Points -15%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
19969 Points -31%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
14975 Points -48%
Dell G5 15 5587
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H
13871 Points -52%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
13180 Points -54%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ
8345 Points -71%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Average of class Gaming
  (1251 - 26759, n=243, last 2 years)
19642 Points +99%
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK
13951 Points +42%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (7533 - 16949, n=26)
11440 Points +16%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H
9853 Points
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK
9607 Points -2%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
9333 Points -5%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
9019 Points -8%
Dell G5 15 5587
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H
8788 Points -11%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
8685 Points -12%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ
5933 Points -40%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK
143777 Points +8%
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=155, last 2 years)
134902 Points +1%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H
133548 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (88432 - 143992, n=24)
125040 Points -6%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK
104506 Points -22%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
98051 Points -27%
Dell G5 15 5587
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H
79420 Points -41%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
71431 Points -47%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
69279 Points -48%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ
36528 Points -73%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +38%
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK
21849 Points +4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (18879 - 23091, n=24)
21306 Points +1%
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H
21058 Points
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK
18505 Points -12%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
17649 Points -16%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
15748 Points -25%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11733 Points -44%
Dell G5 15 5587
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H
10970 Points -48%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
10180 Points -52%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ
5738 Points -73%
3DMark 11 Performance
19463 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
35776 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
17582 points
Help
0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

Gaming Performance

As expected, the GT63 absolutely obliterated all of the game benchmarks we threw at it, with smooth performance at even the highest settings. This is one reason to opt for the 1080p 120 Hz panel over the 4K panel: the added smoothness and terrific response times arguably will be more beneficial than the additional resolution (which might not even be usable in many cases).

In comparison with other machines packing the same GPU, performance is actually slightly lower—some 2 to 10% to be precise. As we’ll see in the next section, thermal limitations under combined stress likely play some part in this discrepancy.

Rise of the Tomb Raider
1024x768 Lowest Preset (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
210 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
163 fps -22%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
51.8 fps -75%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
160.9 (127min - 174max) fps -23%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (148.8 - 261, n=3)
207 fps -1%
Average of class Gaming
  (205 - 205, n=2, last 2 years)
205 fps -2%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
166 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
120 fps -28%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
47.4 fps -71%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
128.1 (116min - 142max) fps -23%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (139 - 218, n=3)
174.4 fps +5%
Average of class Gaming
  (161 - 161.2, n=2, last 2 years)
161.1 fps -3%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
131 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
71 fps -46%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
35.1 fps -73%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
72.7 (67min - 82max) fps -45%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
108 fps -18%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (115.3 - 153.8, n=4)
133.5 fps +2%
Average of class Gaming
  (121 - 121.4, n=2, last 2 years)
121.2 fps -7%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
120 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
57 fps -52%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
27.8 fps -77%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
45.3 fps -62%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
60.5 (53min - 68max) fps -50%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
90 fps -25%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (100.5 - 126.1, n=10)
114.4 fps -5%
Average of class Gaming
  (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years)
95.9 fps -20%
BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
309 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
194 fps -37%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
88.6 fps -71%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
272.3 fps -12%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
264 fps -15%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (221 - 380, n=5)
312 fps +1%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
270 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
173 fps -36%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
75.3 fps -72%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
243.6 fps -10%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
233.1 fps -14%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (192.8 - 321, n=5)
271 fps 0%
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
259 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
162 fps -37%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
70.1 fps -73%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
232 fps -10%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
213.3 fps -18%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (181.4 - 303, n=5)
258 fps 0%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
169 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
99 fps -41%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
40.05 fps -76%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
100.4 fps -41%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
151.7 fps -10%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
107.5 fps -36%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (151 - 181.2, n=12)
168 fps -1%
Metro: Last Light
1024x768 Low (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
128 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
128 fps 0%
1366x768 Medium (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
131 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
131 fps 0%
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
129 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
 
129 fps 0%
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
117 fps
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
74 fps -37%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (110.2 - 141.1, n=7)
127.9 fps +9%
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) (sort by value)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
72 fps
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
39 fps -46%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
53.5 fps -26%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBA-80WY001VGE
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7300HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
20.7 fps -71%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, SK hynix SC311 M.2
36.8 fps -49%
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
64.2 fps -11%
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
34.9 (29min - 39max) fps -52%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
76.7 fps +7%
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
57 fps -21%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
  (61.7 - 78.1, n=23)
72.5 fps +1%
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=243, last 2 years)
114.3 fps +59%
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 309 270 259 169
Metro: Last Light (2013) 128 131 129 117
The Witcher 3 (2015) 72
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 210 166 131 120

Stress Test

As we noted earlier, in spite of its strong overall performance scores, the GT63 struggles a bit with heavy CPU loads. Under full synthetic CPU stress, we witness the details of that struggle, which involve the expected initial jump up to full clock rates for a few precious seconds before core temperatures plummet from the 90s down to roughly 75 °C average. Correspondingly, clock rates remain stable at just 3.0 GHz across all six cores—some 0.9 GHz below the max turbo target, though still well above the base clock frequency of 2.2 GHz. On the other hand, full GPU stress provides no such challenge, with GPU clock rates stable at 1772 (near max turbo) and temperatures hovering around the 90 °C mark.

Combined system stress seems to favor CPU, with GPU clock rates at around 1 GHz on average and CPU reaching 3.1 GHz. GPU core temperatures we measured at 66 °C while the CPU reached a blistering 96 °C. The more realistic Witcher 3 stress test resulted in CPU/GPU temperatures of 87 °C / 90 °C respectively, which are more in line with what can be realistically expected during typical gaming sessions.

As mentioned earlier, Cooler Boost only marginally improves the thermals and corresponding clock rates. It staves off the frequency drops for a very short period, but ultimately sustained performance is more or less the same.

Full CPU stress
Full CPU stress
Full GPU stress
Full GPU stress
Full GPU stress (5 minutes later)
Full GPU stress (5 minutes later)
Combined CPU + GPU stress
Combined CPU + GPU stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.0 - 75 -
FurMark Stress - 1772 - 90
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 3.1 1013 96 66

Emissions

System Noise

After taking into account ambient noise levels of 28 dB(A), the GT63 is technically among the loudest of all of the tested machines at max stress levels—50.8 dB(A). However, average load values are considerably lower at just 35.5 dB(A), which isn’t really all that bad. Idle values, meanwhile, are higher than most of the rest of the laptops we’re comparing, with an average of 31.4 dB(A).

The extensive network of heat pipes...
The extensive network of heat pipes...
...and dual cooling fans
...and dual cooling fans

Noise Level

Idle
31.4 / 31.4 / 32.2 dB(A)
Load
35.5 / 50.8 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28 dB(A)
Fan noise profile, GT63
Fan noise profile, GT63
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8750H, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7820HK, LiteOn CX2-8B256
Dell G5 15 5587
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i5-8300H, SK hynix SC311 M.2
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256GD9MNE-6200A
Noise
-5%
-5%
-7%
2%
-14%
-4%
off / environment *
28
28.6
-2%
29
-4%
29
-4%
30.3
-8%
29
-4%
30.4
-9%
Idle Minimum *
31.4
31.4
-0%
29
8%
32
-2%
31.1
1%
30
4%
31.2
1%
Idle Average *
31.4
31.4
-0%
30
4%
33
-5%
31.1
1%
34
-8%
35.3
-12%
Idle Maximum *
32.2
34.2
-6%
38
-18%
35
-9%
34.2
-6%
42
-30%
35.3
-10%
Load Average *
35.5
42.8
-21%
46
-30%
46
-30%
34.9
2%
53
-49%
44.4
-25%
Witcher 3 ultra *
47.6
50.9
-7%
49
-3%
48
-1%
42.7
10%
51
-7%
41
14%
Load Maximum *
50.8
50.9
-0%
46
9%
50
2%
44
13%
53
-4%
45.2
11%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Average temperatures of 36.9 °C / 37.1 °C on top/bottom (room temperature: 23 °C) indicate good thermal management. For a notebook with a GTX 1080 inside, these are great values; they’re a product of the GT63 employing more (and longer) heat pipes than its predecessor. However, it is worth noting that the WASD buttons do become appreciably warmer under load, reaching a temperature of 35.4 °C. Hot spots on the top of the base unit reach just 41.6 °C, which is perfectly reasonable. Underneath, the heat is concentrated in the rear three quadrants, with the center warming to 54.8 °C—again, a good design. By contrast, the Alienware 15 R3 reaches much higher temperatures on the top of the base unit and sees thermals in the mid-40s and 50s across the breadth of the bottom (and that’s with a significantly lower room temperature of just 20 °C).

Max. Load
 41.6 °C
107 F
37.4 °C
99 F
41 °C
106 F
 
 35.4 °C
96 F
39.2 °C
103 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 30.8 °C
87 F
37 °C
99 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 41.6 °C = 107 F
Average: 36.9 °C = 98 F
46 °C
115 F
54.8 °C
131 F
48.8 °C
120 F
28.4 °C
83 F
33 °C
91 F
32 °C
90 F
29.4 °C
85 F
31.4 °C
89 F
30.4 °C
87 F
Maximum: 54.8 °C = 131 F
Average: 37.1 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  45 °C = 113 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.9 °C / 98 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 41.6 °C / 107 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 54.8 °C / 131 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 37 °C / 98.6 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-8.1 °C / -14.6 F).
Thermal profile, base unit (idle)
Thermal profile, base unit (idle)
Thermal profile, bottom (idle)
Thermal profile, bottom (idle)
Thermal profile, base unit (max load)
Thermal profile, base unit (max load)
Thermal profile, bottom (max load)
Thermal profile, bottom (max load)
Thermal profile, base unit (Witcher 3)
Thermal profile, base unit (Witcher 3)
Thermal profile, side (Witcher 3)
Thermal profile, side (Witcher 3)
Thermal profile, bottom (Witcher 3)
Thermal profile, bottom (Witcher 3)

Speakers

The MSI GT63 features a 4.1 (4 speakers, 1 subwoofer) sound system that’s relatively loud, reaching 87 dB in our measurements. In spite of the woofer, there’s still hardly any bass, but frequencies across the board are fairly linear (including low frequencies). Mids are a bit higher than ideal, but for the most part, the results aren’t bad. As of this writing, some 38% of gaming notebooks achieve better numbers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.139.102536.937.1031363504035.234.905032.934.706333.634.50803531.1010040.831012544.830.3016055.328.4020057.127.7025060.727.6031562.427.3040060.626.2050062.226.7063069.726.7080072.327.20100069.324.90125069.624.30160070.4240200069.723.60250066.124031506423.30400066.123.30500063.523063006222.80800060.822.701000054.422.701250053.722.801600049.322.70SPL79.436.50N45.82.70median 62.2median 24.3Delta6.62.233.735.531.229.729.929.927.229.2253126.140.32451.923.557.824.261.822.866.225.166.622.569.420.373.819.274.818.477.317.878.217.477.817.880.417.580.217.277.717.27717.477.717.377.117.576.717.272.817.269.417.467.917.365.417.258.31752.429.888.81.382.3median 17.5median 74.81.85.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046Asus Chimera G703GI
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.2% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.3% 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%

Asus Chimera G703GI audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Unsurprisingly, apart from the absolutely decked-out Asus ROG Chimera, the MSI GT63 is the most power-hungry of all the machines in our comparison field. We measured some 225 W max under load (compared with 215 W for the Alienware 15 R3), with an average of 90.4 W. Witcher 3 provoked an even higher reading of 255.6 W—again, quite a bit higher than anything else against which we’re comparing today.

Power consumption, Prime95 CPU stress
Power consumption, Prime95 CPU stress
Power consumption, combined CPU + GPU stress
Power consumption, combined CPU + GPU stress
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 3.06 / 3.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 26.4 / 30 / 30.6 Watt
Load midlight 90.4 / 224.4 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 GT63 Titan 8RG-046
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, CUK Cyclone 500GB M.2 NVMe, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade 15 2018
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, LiteOn CX2-8B256, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G5 15 5587
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, SK hynix SC311 M.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID), IPS, 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
Power Consumption
31%
30%
12%
53%
-33%
0%
Idle Minimum *
26.4
12.35
53%
14
47%
22
17%
4.9
81%
29
-10%
20.4
23%
Idle Average *
30
19.98
33%
17
43%
26
13%
8.5
72%
37
-23%
26.5
12%
Idle Maximum *
30.6
25.44
17%
21
31%
33
-8%
9.1
70%
46
-50%
37
-21%
Load Average *
90.4
94.28
-4%
95
-5%
86
5%
90.7
-0%
156
-73%
129
-43%
Witcher 3 ultra *
255.6
132.9
48%
141
45%
159
38%
110
57%
252
1%
186
27%
Load Maximum *
224.4
140.63
37%
179
20%
215
4%
144
36%
314
-40%
216
4%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The internal 75.24 Wh battery
The internal 75.24 Wh battery

Correspondingly, battery life is expectedly poor. Lacking switchable graphics as a crutch, our machine lasted just 194 minutes during our Wi-Fi web surfing test, well below any of the less powerful machines in today’s field. Again, though, desktop replacements are just that—and they aren’t really expected to offer abundance in the category of battery runtimes. It’s long enough to survive a trip from the bedroom to the basement, or perhaps to remain asleep in a bag while in transit.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
3h 14min
MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 75.24 Wh
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 55 Wh
Razer Blade 15 2018
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 80 Wh
Alienware 15 R3 Max-Q
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, 99 Wh
Dell G5 15 5587
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, 56 Wh
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 71 Wh
Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-79BY
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 72 Wh
Battery Runtime
24%
66%
65%
102%
-33%
-10%
WiFi v1.3
194
240
24%
322
66%
321
65%
391
102%
130
-33%
174
-10%
Reader / Idle
271
382
424
705
169
253
Load
45
72
113
133
51
88
Witcher 3 ultra
66

Pros

+ strong hexacore CPU performance
+ powerful graphical performance and unquestionable gaming capability
+ color-accurate display
+ very fast response times from TN panel
+ reasonable viewing angles in spite of lack of IPS
+ comfortable SteelSeries keyboard with per-key backlighting
+ relatively easy maintenance and upgrades
+ good value compared to many competitors

Cons

- sustained CPU performance sees steeper initial drop than most
- only one internal M.2 slot
- very loud and irritating touchpad buttons
- system cannot maintain high Turbo CPU clock rates under heavy stress
- flimsy display lid feels susceptible to pressure or twisting
- vertical viewing angles from bottom are somewhat narrow
- display brightness could be better
- very slow card reader
- no Thunderbolt

Verdict

In review: MSI GT63 Titan 8RG (courtesy of Computer Upgrade King). Use coupon code NBCGT63 for $100 off
In review: MSI GT63 Titan 8RG (courtesy of Computer Upgrade King). Use coupon code NBCGT63 for $100 off

For raw gaming performance, the MSI GT63 Titan 8RG does the trick. The design may not have changed, but the overall speed has only improved since we last evaluated the GT62VR a couple of years back. Its thermal management is noticeably better than that of its predecessor, and the graphical performance absolutely delivers. Yes, it’s big, it’s heavy, and it’s somewhat noisy—but it’s a classic desktop replacement through and through.

Apart from that, we only have a few other significant complaints. Ideally we’d hope to see more than one M.2 slot in a machine of this size and class to pave the way for RAID options or even simply three separate storage volumes. The touchpad buttons are loud and irritating (especially the left button on our review unit). And, while it’s a minor complaint, positioning some of the major ports on the rear of the unit does make for an inconvenient acrobatic exercise in some instances.

Yes, it’s big, it’s heavy, and it’s somewhat noisy—but the MSI GT63 Titan 8RG is a classic desktop replacement through and through.

But is it worth springing for this $2,639 device over its numerous competitors? By comparison—while we haven’t had the chance to evaluate the Alienware 15 R4 yet—the R3 offers not one but three M.2 SSD slots (two of which are fully-sized 2280 slots), and though its surface temperatures across the keyboard are higher, it’s overall a very well-balanced machine. The Asus ROG Chimera and Acer Predator Helios 500 also offer a second M.2 slot and great performance, but struggle to match the GT63’s value. For those willing to trade some power for portability, the trendy thin-and-light gaming category offers the MSI GS65, ASUS ROG GU501GM, and Razer Blade 15, all of which feature their own unique sets of pros and cons. And finally, for those on a budget, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (and the newer Dell G5 15) and Lenovo Y500 series machines can be a great place to start.

MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046 - 07/02/2018 v6(old)
Steve Schardein

Chassis
78 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
66 / 81 → 81%
Weight
57 / 10-66 → 84%
Battery
75%
Display
89%
Games Performance
98%
Application Performance
94%
Temperature
85 / 95 → 89%
Noise
81 / 90 → 90%
Audio
75%
Camera
68 / 85 → 80%
Average
79%
87%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI GT63 Titan 8RG-046 (i7-8750H, GTX 1080, FHD) Laptop Review
Steve Schardein, 2018-07- 3 (Update: 2018-07-11)