The new generation of MSI's GE63 and GE73 gaming laptops—formerly called "Apache Pro" but recently renamed "Raider"—debuted a few months ago, but their exact configuration options were kept under wraps. Today, these options have been announced, and they are what you would expect from any other 2017 desktop replacement rig.
The 15.6-inch GE63 and 17.3-inch GE73 both run Windows 10 Pro and feature nearly identical specs, including:
- Either a 1080p display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 3 ms response time, or a 4K IPS display
- Mobile Intel HM175 chipset
- Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor
- A choice between Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, or 1070 graphics
- Up to 32 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM
- 1x 2.5-inch HDD slot (up to 1 TB)
- 2x M.2 SSD slots (up to 1 TB, as 2x 512 GB drives)
- 1x USB 3.1 Type-C port
- 3x USB 3.0 ports
- 1x HDMI 2.0 port
- 1x DisplayPort 1.3 interface
- Qualcomm Killer E2500 Gigabit LAN adapter
- 802.11ac WiFi, with Killer Wireless 802.11ac adapter exclusive to 7RE and 7RF models
Those two designations at the end of the list may cause a bit of confusion. They simply represent the type of graphics card found in each laptop model. The designations are:
- 7RC for the GTX 1050
- 7RD for the GTX 1050 Ti
- 7RE for the GTX 1060
- 7RF for the GTX 1070
When you combine these with the designation for either of the two screen sizes (GE63 for the 15-inch or GE73 for the 17-inch), you get the full model number for your selected laptop. For example, a 15.6-inch model with a 1050 Ti inside would be called a GE63-7RD Raider. Additionally, any laptop with either a 1060 or 1070 gets an extra two letters attached to their designation: VR. This shows that it is virtual-reality ready.
The new Raider gaming laptops do not yet have an official launch date or price, but it's reasonable to expect these details to be announced soon.