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日本MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx vs MSI GL65 – the budget laptop just got more powerful
Recently, we have reviewed the MSI GL65 and overall it’s a decent budget gaming device with a 15.6″ display. It seems that its successor – the MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx uses the same bulky plastic body but it’s somehow normal for a machine in this price range. As you may have guessed, the new one can be configured with the latest Intel Comet Lake-H processors that are refreshed Coffee Lake chips with higher frequencies and some additional tweaks here and there.
In addition, this year’s sibling can be even more powerful because you can pick it with a full-blown RTX 2070 while the top GPU option regarding the older machine was the RTX 2060. Display-wise, we have new panels as well and there is no sign of 60Hz displays which is a nice thing, especially if you are a gamer. So, the same body and visuals, new and more powerful CPUs and GPUs, and new display options. Sounds okay for an affordable gaming solution.
You can check the prices and configurations of the MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx devices in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/msi-gl65-leopard-10sx/
You can check the prices and configurations of the MSI GL65 devices in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/msi-gl65-leopard-9sx/
Contents
Design: these are twins
No changes in this area but hey, that’s a budget laptop. Still, the bezels are thin and that’s why the machine looks fine for a 2020 device but unfortunately, it’s bulky at the same time with a 27.5mm profile. The weight is unchanged as well – 2.30 kg.
MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx | MSI GL65
Display: two high refresh rate panels
Just like the MSI GL75, the GL65 version has a 120Hz panel as a default display option and if you have a bigger budget, you can pick the 144Hz optional unit. We were not quite happy with the 120Hz display in the MSI GL65 because it has a rather slow response time for such a display and its sRGB color coverage is too low. It would be a welcomed upgrade if the 120Hz panel is new and has a faster response time.
MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx | MSI GL65
Hardware: Comet Lake-H and NVIDIA RTX
The last year’s device can be configured with an Intel Core i7-9750H as a top CPU option and the newer one is no different. You can go as high as the Core i7-10750H which is a refreshed version of the Core i7-9750H and it has the same core count and 45W TDP as its Coffe Lake sibling.
As for the GPUs, unlike the CPUs, here we have a bit worthier upgrade because you can configure your device with the full-blown version of the RTX 2070 (the non-Super one). A bit down the “road” we can spot the RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, and GTX 1650 Ti.
With its 7 heat pipes, the cooling solution has to deal with the heat that is dissipated from the internals. The MSI GL65 was an okay performer when it comes to thermals and noise so we can probably expect similar results with the new device.
Connectivity and ports: the same I/O as the GL75
Since the GL65 model is almost just a 15.6 version of the GL75 it’s not a surprise that the port selection is the same. We have a USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C) port, three USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type-A) ports, an RJ45 port, an SD card reader, an HDMI connector, a Mini-DisplayPort, a mic-in jack, and an audio jack. There is a full-sized DisplayPort too which comes with the GL65 Leopard 10SFK only.
Storage and other specs: optional Steelseries keyboard and two storage slots
For storage, we can spot one NVMe slot and one SATA for standard 2.5″ drives. This is a normal selection for a budget device like that so we have nothing to moan about here. There is an optional Steelseries keyboard unit which is a good thing to have if you play a lot of games. This keyboard is highly customizable and it’s comfortable for both typing and gaming. The battery is a 51Wh unit which is a bit low for a gaming machine but it is what it is. Last but now least, there are Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 on board.
Specs Comparison
| MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx | MSI GL65 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 15.6″, Full HD, IPS 120Hz / 144Hz | 15.6″, Full HD, IPS 60Hz / 120Hz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1650 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1650 |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-10750H | Intel Core i7-9750H, Core i5-9300H |
| Memory | DDR4 DDR4 2666MHz | DDR4 2666MHz |
| Storage | M.2 NVMe SSD + SATA | M.2 NVMe SSD + SATA |
| Gigabit WiFi | 802.11ax | 802.11ac |
| Battery | 51Wh | up to 51Wh |
| Thickness | 27.5 mm | 27.5 mm |
| Weight | 2.30 kg | 2.30 kg |
| Review | – | Link |
Prices and Configurations
MSI GL65 Leopard 10Sx configurations:
MSI GL65 configurations:
