MSI GT680 Pro Reviews

In most cases, we can recommend gaming laptops because their superior spec means they are suited to almost any task. Not in this case. If you're a gamer, we'd suggest the MSI because of the way it looks and the excellent performance from that Intel Core i7 processor. If you're not a gamer the irritating keyboard and mediocre battery life all count against the MSI as an all-rounder.

Fast, powerful and packed with features, the MSI GT680 has quickly become one of our favourite notebooks, and not just for Portal 2. DirectX 11 and a Core i7 Sandy Bridge system with 8GB of RAM give you the performance you need, while the high resolution screen has space for everything from Office to the highest end games. It looks good and performs well - and even has a reasonable battery life. What else do you need?

MSI has combined some of today's best technologies in the new GT680R. This notebook boasts of a 2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2630QM processor along with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics and 1.5GB of video memory. It also has a vibrant 15.6-inch display that's capable of full HD (1980x1080) resolution. MSI also included Dynaudio speakers as well as HDMI and USB 3.0 ports with the system. Although these might not be make-it or break-it options, they're definitely a nice addition to the entire package. All in all, MSI's GT680R may not replace your desktop if you're a really high-end user, but it's certainly a very capable machine with top-shelf, leading-edge components that provide excellent performance in a mobile form-factor. As the first "official" Intel Sandy Bridge system we've seen, we're relatively impressed.

It's not the most stylish or best-built gaming laptop we've seen, but when it comes to features and power for the money, few rivals can match the MSI GT680. Throw in an above-average screen, impressive speakers and excellent battery life, and this is one portable games machine that's easy to recommend.