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Review of the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD: Low-priced Gaming Laptop with a 144 Hz Panel

Notebook for 1080p gamers. The MSI GP75 Leopard promises to deliver a good gaming performance at a budget price. With the hardware that the MSI GP75 offers, all modern titles should be playable in Full HD at the very least. We reveal in the following review what gamers who are not interested in 4K gaming, can expect from the MSI GP75 Leopard.
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD

MSI is known for its large selection of gaming notebooks. It offers a lot of high-priced options for premium customers. However, MSI also offers devices that price-conscious customers might find very attractive. The notebooks from the GP series are suited for those who can live without the highest performance and the best design. When we reviewed the MSI GP63 Leopard 8RE and the MSI GP72VR, we found that these two devices were suited exactly for that kind of clientele and that they offered very good price-to-performance ratios. 

For 1800 Euros ($2032), the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD offers an Intel Core i7-9750H and 16 GB of RAM. Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is used for image rendering and a combination of a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD provides enough storage space for applications, games and user data. All of this is good enough to satisfy the basic requirements of a capable gaming notebook.

The competing manufacturers also offer capable gaming devices at a similar price. The competing devices include: The Lenovo Legion Y530, the CUK Model Z, the Dell G5 15 5590 and the Aorus 15-W9

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD (GP75 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1455 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 417.77, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, Dual-channel, all slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, Chi Mei N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C), IPS, 144 Hz, FullHD, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1, 256 GB 
, NVMe-SSD + Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute ST1000LM049, 1 TB HDD, 7200 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek ALC1220 @ Intel Cannon Lake PCH
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 0 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combination headphone/microphone jack, Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC
Networking
Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 29 x 397 x 269 ( = 1.14 x 15.63 x 10.59 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Ion, 6 Zellen
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet-style, RGB blacklight, Keyboard Light: yes, 180-watt power adapter, various tools from the manufacturer, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.566 kg ( = 90.51 oz / 5.66 pounds), Power Supply: 604 g ( = 21.31 oz / 1.33 pounds)
Price
1800 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - Rigid gaming notebook made of plastic

The chassis is made of rigid plastic, which only bends slightly in the wrist rest area when a lot of pressure is applied. The build quality is very solid and we did not observe any defects such as chinks where pieces of plastic meet. The GP75 Leopard looks quite good for a gaming laptop. Clean lines and individual accents dominate the design. Moreover, the sides of the device are adorned with imprinted patterns. The bezels are also small, which is in keeping with the current trend.

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD

At a weight of 2.6 kg (~5.7 lb), the GP75 Leopard 9SD is one of the heavier notebooks in our comparison chart. The dimensions are also somewhat larger. The width of the device is determined by its 17-inch display. The MSI laptop is somewhat thicker than other comparable notebooks. However, its depth is very reasonable.

Size Comparison

397 mm / 15.6 inch 269 mm / 10.6 inch 29 mm / 1.142 inch 2.6 kg5.66 lbs365 mm / 14.4 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs364.3 mm / 14.3 inch 273.4 mm / 10.8 inch 23.7 mm / 0.933 inch 2.7 kg5.91 lbs361 mm / 14.2 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 24.4 mm / 0.961 inch 2.2 kg4.88 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.2 kg4.77 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - GP75 Leopard 9SD with a USB 3.2 Type-C port

The MSI GP75 Leopard offers a good selection of ports. All ports, whether they are Type-C or Type-A, operate at USB 3.2 speeds. The maximum transfer speed for Gen1 ports is 5 GB/s and for Gen2 ports 10 GB/s. Moreover, the HDMI port can output content in 4K at 60 FPS.

Left side: SD card reader, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, power socket
Left side: SD card reader, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, power socket
Right side: Kensington Security Slot, Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI-out, Mini DisplayPort port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, one headphone jack, one microphone jack
Right side: Kensington Security Slot, Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI-out, Mini DisplayPort port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, one headphone jack, one microphone jack

SD Card Reader

The built-in SD card reader does not “swallow” SD cards whole, which is why they protrude 5 mm (~0.2 in) from the chassis. In our benchmark with the reference-grade SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II), the MSI notebook achieves subpar write and read speeds. However, the SD card readers of other gaming notebooks also achieve mediocre transfer rates, provided that they are included at all. 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +264%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81.1 MB/s +200%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27 MB/s
Dell G5 15 5590
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
19.1 MB/s -29%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +353%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.6 MB/s +224%
Dell G5 15 5590
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
32.2 MB/s +19%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27 MB/s

Communication

In addition to a Gigabit Ethernet port, the GP75 Leopard 9SD also features a Wi-Fi adapter that supports the fast 802.11ac standard and can operate in 5 GHz networks. Thanks to a 2x2 MIMO antenna, the MSI notebook achieves a download speed of 690 Mb/s and an upload speed of 676 Mb/s. 

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s +49%
Aorus 15 W9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
680 MBit/s +1%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
676 MBit/s
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 (581min - 693max) MBit/s -5%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
611 MBit/s -10%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
144 (113min - 190max) MBit/s -79%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s +74%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
690 MBit/s
Aorus 15 W9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
671 MBit/s -3%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
657 (556min - 690max) MBit/s -5%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
638 MBit/s -8%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
293 (186min - 315max) MBit/s -58%

Accessories

The box contains the laptop itself and the power adapter. MSI does not offer any additional accessories that were specifically designed for the GP75. However, you can get various MSI-branded accessories such as headphones, keyboards and mice from MSI’s online store.

Maintenance

The bottom cover of the GP75 Leopard can be removed once you undo all the screws on the underside of the device. After you open up the device, you can upgrade the RAM, or replace the storage devices or put in an additional SSD in the second M.2 slot. The laptop supports a maximum of 64 GB of RAM.

Warranty

The MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD comes with a 24-month warranty. To learn more, visit our FAQ, which has a section that deals with warranty, return policy and other related issues.

Input Device - Cheap MSI laptop with an RGB keyboard backlight

Keyboard

The keyboard of the GP75 Leopard 9SD is well-suited for typing. It does not provide a lot of feedback and has a somewhat clear actuation point. The keys do not produce any noise, which is why the MSI notebook can be used in quiet environments. The colors of the keys can be mapped individually in the preinstalled utility and the RGB backlight covers all the colors of the rainbow. Users can choose between static and active lighting patterns. 

TouchPad

The GP75 Leopard 9SD uses a TouchPad with individual hardware buttons as a replacement for the mouse. The surface of the TouchPad is very smooth, which is why users can move the cursor with a lot of precision. The mouse buttons offer a clear actuation point and are easy to press, even though they do put up a little resistance. Unlike the keyboard, the TouchPad does not feature any illuminable elements. 

Display - Gaming notebook with a 144 Hz Full HD screen

Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding

The GP75 Leopard 9SD comes with an IPS panel with a native resolution of 1920x1080. The refresh rate amounts to 144 Hz and the response time to 3 ms. Thanks to an average brightness of 393 cd/m² and a brightness distribution of 91%, the MSI notebook takes a spot at the top of our comparison chart. At 17% brightness, the display starts to flicker with a frequency of 25510 Hz. Because the PWM frequency is so high, susceptible individuals should not experience any discomfort after looking at the screen for long periods of time.

As an alternative, buyers of the GP75 Leopard 9SD can get a screen without the 144 Hz refresh rate.

392
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
382
cd/m²
388
cd/m²
420
cd/m²
384
cd/m²
384
cd/m²
395
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 420 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 392.8 cd/m² Minimum: 22 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 420 cd/m²
Contrast: 1313:1 (Black: 0.32 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.89
ΔE Greyscale 3.91 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
94.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.26
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Chi Mei N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
LG Display LP156WFG-SPB2, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
LG Philips LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G5 15 5590
AU Optronics B156HAN, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Aorus 15 W9
LG Philips LP156WFG-SPB2 (LGD05E8), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GS75 8SG Stealth
N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
-2%
0%
-38%
0%
1%
Display P3 Coverage
63.4
62.5
-1%
64.5
2%
39.26
-38%
64.3
1%
63.6
0%
sRGB Coverage
94.9
93
-2%
93
-2%
59.1
-38%
93.5
-1%
95.4
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.1
63.8
-2%
65.7
1%
40.56
-38%
65.6
1%
65.5
1%
Response Times
-57%
-53%
-352%
-78%
-1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
8 ?(4, 4)
15 ?(8, 7)
-88%
13.6 ?(6.8, 6.8)
-70%
45 ?(22, 23)
-463%
16.8 ?(9.2, 7.6)
-110%
7.6 ?(3.8, 3.8)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
11 ?(7, 4)
-25%
12 ?(7.6, 4.4)
-36%
30 ?(17, 13)
-241%
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
-45%
9.6 ?(5.2, 4.4)
-9%
PWM Frequency
25510 ?(17)
25510 ?(17)
0%
Screen
-26%
-21%
-84%
-21%
14%
Brightness middle
420
305
-27%
306.8
-27%
234
-44%
295
-30%
355
-15%
Brightness
393
284
-28%
309
-21%
219
-44%
292
-26%
327
-17%
Brightness Distribution
91
83
-9%
87
-4%
82
-10%
80
-12%
85
-7%
Black Level *
0.32
0.52
-63%
0.38
-19%
0.17
47%
0.34
-6%
0.26
19%
Contrast
1313
587
-55%
807
-39%
1376
5%
868
-34%
1365
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.04
3.63
-19%
3.16
-4%
8.6
-183%
3.89
-28%
1.54
49%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.22
8.18
-13%
6.05
16%
17.49
-142%
7.28
-1%
3
58%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.89
1.31
-47%
2.4
-170%
4.06
-356%
1.44
-62%
0.77
13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.91
4.77
-22%
2.3
41%
8.55
-119%
4.98
-27%
2.19
44%
Gamma
2.26 97%
2.54 87%
2.17 101%
3.02 73%
2.45 90%
2.42 91%
CCT
7138 91%
7500 87%
6557 99%
7802 83%
6407 101%
6893 94%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60
59
-2%
60
0%
37
-38%
60
0%
61
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
95
93
-2%
92.6
-3%
59
-38%
93
-2%
95
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-28% / -25%
-25% / -21%
-158% / -109%
-33% / -24%
5% / 9%

* ... smaller is better

According to our measurements, the screen of the GP75 Leopard 9SD has a very good contrast ratio of 1313:1 and a slightly elevated black value of 0.32 cd/m². This is why the colors are easy to tell apart and the dark hues look rather washed-out. The color space coverage of 95% for sRGB and 60% for Adobe RGB is on a normal level for such a device.

The CalMAN analysis reveals that the screen of the GP75 Leopard 9SD suffers from a bluish cast straight out of the box. This issue can be completely resolved through calibration. You can download our ICC profile at the bottom of the box that contains all display measurements (this box is located to the left of the graphic showing the distribution of brightness).

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Colors
CalMAN: Colors
CalMAN: Grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: Grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: Colors (after calibration)
CalMAN: Colors (after calibration)

The MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD can be used outdoors, as long as it is in the shade. Because of a matte screen surface, there are no reflections of the objects in the environment on the screen. Having said that, the display is simply not bright enough to be legible in direct sunlight. 

MSI GP75 vs. sRGB (95%)
MSI GP75 vs. sRGB (95%)
Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
MSI GP75 vs. AdobeRGB (60%)
MSI GP75 vs. AdobeRGB (60%)
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use

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
8.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 19 % 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 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 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. » 15 % 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 ≤ 17 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25510 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 17 % 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.

The IPS panel of the GP75 Leopard 9SD has very stable viewing angles. The screen content can be read from any angle without any distortions.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - GP75 Leopard offers good system performance

The MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. There are several CPU and memory configuration options to choose from. Our review model has an Intel Core i7-9750H, 16 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD. The RAM can be upgraded to 64 GB. There are two M.2 slots and one 2.5-inch drive.

Processor

The Intel Core i7-9750H is a Coffee Lake-based hexa-core CPU. Its clock speed ranges from 2.6 to 4.5 GHz and it can process up to 12 threads at the same time. The amount of time a processor can run at its boost clock is influenced very significantly by the capabilities of the cooling solution.

In our CineBench R15 stress test, the performance drops by 6% shortly after the start of the test. After that the clock rates stabilize. When compared to other notebooks with similar hardware, the performance of the GP75 Leopard 9SD disappoints. The i7-9750H does very well in the single-core benchmarks, but it is tied in the multi-core benchmarks with its direct predecessor, the Intel Core i7-8750H.

Single-core performance
Single-core performance
Multi-core performance
Multi-core performance
GPU stress test
GPU stress test
0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1125 (1112.04-1191.93)
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1118 (1106.5-1218.62)
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1190 (1182.24-1239.66)
Aorus 15 W9 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1017 (1003.76-1122.08)
Dell G5 15 5590 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1144 (1121.11-1191.01)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +39%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Intel Core i7-9750H
191 Points
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
Intel Core i7-9750H
187 Points -2%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points -8%
Aorus 15 W9
Intel Core i7-8750H
170 Points -11%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
165 Points -14%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +151%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
Intel Core i7-9750H
1261 Points +6%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Core i7-8750H
1219 Points +2%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
1191 Points 0%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Intel Core i7-9750H
1191 Points
Aorus 15 W9
Intel Core i7-8750H
1122 Points -6%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
191 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1191 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
120.8 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark benchmarks, the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD achieves average results, when compared to other devices that we have included in this review. In day-to-day use, the system feels very responsive. The apps start very fast and accessing data and opening folders does not present any problems. In the course of our review, we did not observe any micro-stuttering or any other anomalous behavior.

You can find out how MSI’s GP75 Leopard 9SD stacks up against other laptops on our CPU Benchmarks page.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +38%
Aorus 15 W9
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5839 Points +7%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
5678 Points +4%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
5440 Points
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5125 Points -6%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
5069 Points -7%
PCMark 8 - Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +8%
Aorus 15 W9
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5899 Points +5%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
5696 Points +1%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
5636 Points
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5543 Points -2%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
5291 Points -6%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5636 points
PCMark 10 Score
5440 points
Help

Storage Devices

The GP75 Leopard 9SD comes with a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD. In our storage benchmarks, the SSD achieves below-average results and fails to keep up with almost all other devices that we have included in this review for comparison purposes. However, the data access speeds are still typical of an SSD and are high enough that users will not have to spend any time waiting when accessing the data. 

You can find out how well the Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1 stacks up against other storage devices on our HDD/SSD Benchmarks page.

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
Aorus 15 W9
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
Dell G5 15 5590
KBG30ZMS128G
AS SSD
119%
206%
233%
-124%
Seq Read
748
1808
142%
1283
72%
2611
249%
1036
39%
Seq Write
219
1429
553%
1730
690%
1545
605%
115.1
-47%
4K Read
25.7
46.1
79%
49.89
94%
55.2
115%
29.6
15%
4K Write
82.4
97
18%
110.1
34%
111.9
36%
67.8
-18%
4K-64 Read
259.3
536
107%
904
249%
884
241%
184.5
-29%
4K-64 Write
190.2
273.6
44%
792
316%
941
395%
95.2
-50%
Access Time Read *
0.159
0.085
47%
0.036
77%
0.045
72%
1.519
-855%
Access Time Write *
0.058
0.038
34%
0.042
28%
0.033
43%
0.255
-340%
Score Read
360
763
112%
1082
201%
1200
233%
318
-12%
Score Write
294
514
75%
1075
266%
1207
311%
174
-41%
Score Total
821
1663
103%
2745
234%
2982
263%
620
-24%

* ... smaller is better

Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
Sequential Read: 844 MB/s
Sequential Write: 257.6 MB/s
512K Read: 606 MB/s
512K Write: 264.2 MB/s
4K Read: 26.59 MB/s
4K Write: 85.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 362.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 248.1 MB/s

Graphics Card

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a mobile, Turing-based GPU. Unlike the more expensive GeForce RTX 20 series, the 1660 Ti does not support hardware-accelerated Ray-tracing. The 1660 Ti offers the same level of performance as the GTX 1070 while consuming less energy. In the 3DMark benchmarks, the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti in the GP75 Leopard 9SD performs as well as all other GTX 1660 Ti GPUs that we have benchmarked. However, when compared to devices with RTX GPUs, MSI’s gaming notebook falls significantly behind.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +92%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
16460 Points +9%
Aorus 15 W9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
15501 Points +3%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
15415 Points +2%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
15088 Points
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11640 Points -23%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +108%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6503 Points +15%
Aorus 15 W9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
6007 Points +6%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
5977 Points +6%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
5657 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +96%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
21409 Points +6%
Aorus 15 W9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
20464 Points +1%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
20196 Points 0%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
20181 Points
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14569 Points -28%
3DMark 11 Performance
17499 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
36091 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13443 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5743 points
Help

Gaming Performance

All the games we have benchmarked are playable on the GP75 Leopard 9SD. Because of a 1080p display, the selection of resolutions is limited. That being said, the MSI laptop has no trouble running games smoothly in Full HD. If you want to game in 4K with the help of an external monitor, you will have to lower the settings to medium to achieve playable frame rates. 

To learn what kind of gaming experience you can expect from the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti go to our Gaming Benchmarks page.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +98%
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
63 fps +9%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
60 fps +4%
Aorus 15 W9
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
58 fps +1%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
57.6 (46min) fps
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
41.4 fps -28%
Anno 1800
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality (DX11)
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
36.9 fps +3%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
35.86 fps
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (DX11)
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
75.9 fps
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
63.1 fps -17%
Dota 2 Reborn
1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking
Average of class Gaming
  (26.9 - 220, n=254, last 2 years)
140.4 fps +24%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
113.5 (99.2min) fps
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Gaming
  (29.9 - 244, n=253, last 2 years)
149.7 fps +25%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
120.1 (104.5min) fps
BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
150.2 fps +6%
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
142.2 fps
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
136.9 fps -4%
Aorus 15 W9
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
135.9 fps -4%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
114.2 fps -20%
1366x768 High Preset
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
260.1 fps
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
255.7 fps -2%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
241.9 fps -7%
Aorus 15 W9
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
227 fps -13%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
224.8 fps -14%

Our stress test with the video game known as The Witcher 3 shows that the GP75 Leopard 9SD can maintain its gaming performance over an extended period of time. Towards the end of the stress test, there is a significant drop in performance. However, the system manages to stabilize itself after that performance drop.

051015202530354045505560Tooltip
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1: Ø58.4 (50-62)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 314.1 278.5 260.1 142.2
The Witcher 3 (2015) 57.6
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 139 128.7 120.1 113.5
Anno 1800 (2019) 75.9 35.86

Emissions - Loud fans in the MSI laptop

System Noise

When idle, the GP75 Leopard does not produce much noise and the fans usually just stand still. However, under medium load, the fans begin to spin so fast that the laptop becomes too loud for quiet environments. Under more taxing loads, the fans start to spin even faster, and eventually the fan noise exceeds the 50-dB(A) mark. This is very loud, which is why we recommend gamers get a pair of headphones to escape some of the noise.

Fan noise at idle
Fan noise at idle
Fan noise at under load
Fan noise at under load
Fan noise vs speakers
Fan noise vs speakers

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 34 / 37 dB(A)
Load
53 / 55 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: 29 dB(A)

Temperature

According to our measurements, the surface temperatures of the GP75 Leopard reach at least 27 °C (80.6 °F) when idle and up to 45 °C (113 °F) under load. The notebook becomes quite warm in the areas around the screen, but the wrist rest area always stays relatively cool.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Full load (top)
Full load (top)
Full load (bottom)
Full load (bottom)

During our stress test, the temperatures inside the device hit 95 °C (203 °F). However, the cooling system manages to bring the temperatures under control, with the clock rates settling down at around 2.8 GHz. Because the clock rates never drop below the base frequency of 2.6 GHz, users should not experience any problems related to thermal throttling.

Max. Load
 43 °C
109 F
44 °C
111 F
45 °C
113 F
 
 43 °C
109 F
43 °C
109 F
40 °C
104 F
 
 37 °C
99 F
37 °C
99 F
34 °C
93 F
 
Maximum: 45 °C = 113 F
Average: 40.7 °C = 105 F
42 °C
108 F
40 °C
104 F
41 °C
106 F
38 °C
100 F
38 °C
100 F
39 °C
102 F
29 °C
84 F
29 °C
84 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 42 °C = 108 F
Average: 36.2 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  48 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.7 °C / 105 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 45 °C / 113 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 42 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 40 °C / 104 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 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).

Speakers

The speakers of the GP75 Leopard 9SD are pretty loud and offer a rather wide frequency range. Anything below the mids is not very well reproduced and the highs are over-represented. The speakers are good enough for occasional use, but we recommend you get a pair of headphones or external speakers if you intend to use the MSI notebook for media consumption on a regular basis. The headphones can be connected to the laptop via the 3.5-mm audio jack.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203043.42531.646.43129.446.6402947.15026.147.46323.648.68025.649.610025.551.112525.551.616024.953.420020.95625020.359.731518.964.240017.873.950018.282.263017.581.280016.776.6100016.778.7125017.877.2160017.380.8200016.784.4250017.385.9315017.186.140001785.950001783.3630016.980.4800016.881.21000016.882.31250016.7781600016.971SPL29.495N1.2111.6median 17.3median 80.4Delta1.27.340.237.240.241.13641.139.931.239.938.528.538.539.432.239.440.828.740.841.528.641.543.127.543.143.625.143.646.825.546.850.523.650.554.82354.858.122.158.157.62157.659.320.259.365.62065.669.418.769.46517.96566.81866.868.717.368.765.117.365.167.917.367.968.317.268.365.61765.660.31760.361.617.161.66117.16160.217.360.26217.36257.217.557.277.930.277.939.81.239.8median 61median 17.9median 615.61.95.6hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI GP75 Leopard 9SDLenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (95 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.5% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 35% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 58% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - The AC adapter cannot provide enough power

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, MSI’s notebook draws at least 10 watts when idle and up to 216 watts under load. Therefore, our current review device takes a spot in the middle of our comparison chart. When compared to other notebooks with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, the GP75 Leopard has an above-average power consumption.

The rated output of the AC adapter amounts to 180 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.6 / 0.9 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 10 / 15 / 22 Watt
Load midlight 92 / 216 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 GP75 Leopard 9SD
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
Aorus 15 W9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
Dell G5 15 5590
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
20%
-45%
-17%
32%
-24%
Idle Minimum *
10
7.3
27%
23.5
-135%
18
-80%
3.5
65%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
-37%
Idle Average *
15
11.1
26%
28
-87%
20
-33%
6.9
54%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
-26%
Idle Maximum *
22
12.6
43%
32
-45%
28
-27%
8.5
61%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
-20%
Load Average *
92
109
-18%
102.4
-11%
87
5%
127
-38%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
-21%
Witcher 3 ultra *
153
142.8
7%
135
12%
Load Maximum *
216
168
22%
209
3%
175
19%
179
17%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
-15%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the GP75 Leopard 9SD achieves a battery runtime of 3 h 10 m. This is why, MSI’s laptop takes a spot closer to the bottom of our comparison chart than to the top.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 46min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 10min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 38min
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 51 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 52 Wh
CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 46.74 Wh
Aorus 15 W9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 62 Wh
Dell G5 15 5590
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 60 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
20%
-6%
16%
232%
104%
Reader / Idle
286
495
73%
176
-38%
890
211%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
92%
WiFi v1.3
190
228
20%
178
-6%
141
-26%
463
144%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
93%
Load
38
26
-32%
81
113%
168
342%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
126%

Pros

+ good performance at 1080p
+ great maintenance options
+ comparatively bright 144 Hz screen

Cons

- very loud
- mediocre battery life

Verdict - Good gaming notebook for 1080p gaming

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD. Review device provided courtesy of: MSI Germany.
MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD. Review device provided courtesy of: MSI Germany.

The MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD proves to be a capable gaming laptop, which can run all modern games in Full HD resolution. A combination of an SSD and an HDD ensures that the system feels responsive and users have enough storage space. The CPU performance is also good and the cooling system manages to prevent the clock speeds from falling below the base frequency. 

With the GP75 Leopard 9SD, MSI offers a powerful gaming notebook that only reaches its limits when you try to play video games in 4K on it.

However, users will have to learn to live with a lot of fan noise, because the fans of the GP75 Leopard can get really loud. Moreover, the battery life is very short, which is not unusual for such a device. The good maintenance options are also worth mentioning. Buyers of the GP75 Leopard can easily upgrade or replace the storage devices and the RAM.

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD - 06/19/2019 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
78 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
63 / 81 → 77%
Weight
59 / 10-66 → 88%
Battery
70%
Display
89%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
96%
Temperature
86 / 95 → 90%
Noise
60 / 90 → 67%
Audio
72%
Camera
44 / 85 → 52%
Average
76%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Review of the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD: Low-priced Gaming Laptop with a 144 Hz Panel
Mike Wobker, 2019-06-19 (Update: 2019-06-21)