MSI Vector GP78 HX (13V) review – offers great build quality, fast display, and exceptional performance

Name: MSI Vector GP78
Brand: MSI

LaptopMedia.com Reviews and Analysis MSI Vector GP78 HX (13V) review - offers great build quality, fast display, and exceptional performance Page 10

From: Nikolay Palaozov, Kroum Nikolov 09 November 2023 / 10:55 | 2

10. Verdict

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Verdict

The MSI Vector GP78 HX (13V) is almost a perfect gaming machine. It has a stable build that is made mostly of metal. The design is stealthier and cleaner compared to the GE78 model. The input devices are very good. The per-key RGB SteelSeries keyboard comes with tons of customization options and it’s cozy for both typing and gaming. The touchpad is fast and accurate.

The optional 1600p 2400Hz display (AUO B170QAN01.2 (AUO84A6)) is bright and it covers fully the sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts. It also becomes very color-accurate when our Gaming and Web design profile is applied. The base score of 2.4 is okay, but thanks to our “magic”, the average dE value is 0.8 and that is awesome! You can use the display for professional photo and video editing as well as for content creation. The panel has quick pixel response times and it’s PWM-free so you can use it for long hours of gaming.

The performance is definitely the cherry on top. The P cores can boost to ~4.50 GHz in short and medium loads and a bit below 4.00 GHz in longer stress when the “Extreme Performance” mode is put in use. The “Balanced” preset provides almost the same clocks alongside quieter fans. The 175W version of the GeForce RTX 4090 can sustain almost 170W after 30 minutes of gaming and 1950 MHz core frequency. This is possible only when using the “Extreme” preset. Yep, if you want the full gaming power your ears will be punished by the two fans that will spin with ~6000 RPM in demanding games such as God of War or Cyberpunk 2077. Again, you can enjoy lower noise if you choose the “Balanced” preset, but the TGP is ~155W (which isn’t bad at all).

Of course, to achieve the best possible FPS, you have to use the dGPU-only mode since the machine has a MUX switch. This function should be turned off immediately when you are away from the charger because the battery drains very quickly even in “Integrated Graphics Mode”. The 90Wh capacity is enough for just 5 hours and 33 minutes of Web browsing, or 4 hours and 32 minutes of video playback. Somehow it’s okay for such a powerful notebook. The I/O is modern enough it has four USB ports and an SD Card reader.

The upgradability is on point. You got two SODIMMs for up to 64GB of fast DDR5-5600MHz RAM in dual-channel mode. One of the M.2 slots is compatible with the latest Gen 5 SSDs. As you may expected, the main downside of this device is the high price but this applies to many other machines with the same hardware.

The MSI Vector GP78 HX (13V) is one of the best gaming laptops that we have tested up to date. It has a sturdy build, comfortable input devices, up-to-date port selection, fast and color-accurate display, and great performance under any kind of load.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/msi-vector-gp78-hx-13vx/

Pros

The MSI Center offers many performance presets as well as other handy features
Top-notch performance
100% sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage and accurate color representation thanks to our Gaming and Web design profile (AUO B170QAN01.2 (AUO84A6))
PWM-free (AUO B170QAN01.2 (AUO84A6))
240Hz display with high maximum brightness and very quick pixel response times (AUO B170QAN01.2 (AUO84A6))
The 175W RTX 4090 is crazy fast
Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5Gbit LAN on board
Great SteelSeries keyboard and smooth touchpad
2x DDR5 SODIMM + 2x M.2 slots (one is compatible with Gen 5 SSDs)
The CPU can maintain ~4.50GHz P core clock as well as above 200W in short and medium loads and nearly 4.00 GHz under long stress

Cons

Loud fans in “Extreme Performance” mode
Pricey
The removal of the bottom plate is a bit complicated

#CommissionsEarned

MSI Vector GP78

Processor: Intel Core i9-13950HX
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W)
RAM: 32GB RAM
STORAGE: 1000GB SSD

Detailed review