In Hannover, at the world famous CeBIT 2010, Micro-Star International announced the FX line of notebooks. This is a fundamentally new series, which is distinguished by a stylish appearance (primarily due to the coating made using its own technology, 3D totem seal), high-quality spatial sound of the THX class and enviable performance in the “face” of the processor Intel Core i3 and discrete graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M. Also, this laptop has modern technologies (Turbo Drive Engine and GPU Boost), which can speed up the work of both the processor and the video card.
It should be noted that at the exhibition Centrum der Büro- und Informationstechnik, aka CeBIT, it became known that the F-series of MSI laptops will be further assembled sound solutions Dynaudio.
It's hard to say which category of users this model will suit more, but this laptop is positioned as a business-class device. However, judging from the characteristics, the laptop is more suitable for the status of a universal office and home device.
The MSI FX600 is a laptop that is very difficult to describe in a nutshell. In order to understand what kind of "fruit" it is, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with full overview of this device.
Design
The first thing the buyer pays attention to is the appearance of the device. It is important that the laptop looks at least attractive. MSI designers are aware of this, so the device is stylish and seductive.The FX600 has a jet black 3D totem seal finish using MSI's proprietary technology. It protects the case from scratches, dirt and wear. Fingerprints will not remain on such a surface, laptop long time will delight you with its pristine purity. The embossed matte texture is quite pleasant to the touch.
Along the perimeter of the case, along the edges of the laptop, a strip of silver plastic is stretched, giving the model an elegant look. It fits harmoniously into the overall look of the device. Gloss can be found in the interior design of the laptop. The panel with the speakers and additional buttons, as well as the frame around the display, are made of black mirror-like plastic. Naturally, on such an impractical surface, traces of exploitation will appear with an enviable frequency.
As for the build quality, there is nothing to make serious claims here. Even the plug for the card reader is made of durable plastic. Almost the only place where the designers did not finalize is the laptop lid. She noticeably bends under the pressure of her hands. Otherwise, everything is clear, harmonious and monolithic. Working, it is under the palm, the area will not deform. The same can be said about the underside of the laptop. It is made of rough plastic, thanks to which the adhesion to any type of surface will be simply wonderful. Five rubberized feet prevent the laptop from sliding on the table.
There is no doubt about the rigidity of the structure, but there are questions about the display hinges. It's hard to call them tough. When transporting the laptop open, the lid vibrates and shakes noticeably. The same is observed if you change the angle of inclination of the display.
Display and sound
As for the display, it is, if I may say so, standard. MSI FX600 is equipped with a 15.6-inch matrix with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The screen manufactured by Samsung model 156AT02-A04 measures 344.232 x 193.536 mm. Thanks to the 16: 9 cinematic aspect ratio, high quality video (HD content) will play without black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. The passport data of this matrix indicates the values of the maximum brightness (220 cd / m2) and the response time, which is 8 ms. The declared characteristics of the screen also indicate that the laptop will not be able to boast of large viewing angles: vertically they are 15/30 degrees, horizontally - 40/40 degrees.
If you do not take into account the dry numbers, the image can be described as follows: the picture is juicy and saturated, the realism and depth of color pleased. LED lights gives brightness to an already light screen. A weak contrast caught my eye - the black color seems to be some kind of dark gray. However, it's hard to call it a huge drawback ... Rather, it is a flaw of Samsung, the manufacturer of the matrix.
Around the screen, as already noted, you can see a frame made of glossy plastic. Six rubber pads prevent contact between the matrix and the working area of the laptop. By the way, there are no latches that would fix the lid when closed. This burden fell on the "shoulders" of the hinges.
A few words should be said about the acoustics of the laptop. As a rule, notebooks do not have high quality sound, which cannot be said for the MSI FX600. Four speakers (two above the keyboard, and two more - in the front) reproduce rich sound at the level of conventional external speakers. The THX TruStudio Pro module dramatically improves clarity and depth. Basses, of course, are not enough, but not every laptop can even boast of such acoustics.
MSI FX600 Notebook uses MSI's proprietary Cinema Pro technology to optimize graphics. Pressing the Cinema Pro key instantly launches Cinema mode for higher resolution, richer colors and the best viewing experience.
Keyboard and touchpad
I would like to draw an analogy right away: the FX600 keyboard is identical to the one installed in the MSI CX620 MX. It is made in the corporate style of Sony VAIO laptops. This keyboard is usually called "island" (Chiclet-keyboard). Flat, rough buttons are located on a glossy pallet, which will undoubtedly collect fingerprints and dust on its surface. When pressed, the key block deforms and flexes decently - a clear drawback of the input device. A rattling sound interferes somewhat during operation. However, there are also pleasant moments - a digital block and a panel with additional buttons are provided. Above the keyboard, the user will find six buttons with which you can adjust the volume, activate Wi-Fi, launch any program, activate the Cinema Pro mode, and simply turn on / off the laptop.The layout of the buttons is standard, you won't have to get used to the layout. The copy that came to us for testing did not have the marking of the Russian alphabet. However, most likely, the Russian letters will have the same color as the Latin ones - white.
Hidden under the space bar is a small button that is responsible for turning the touchpad on / off. Right below it is the TouchPad itself from Elan. It cannot be called trivial. It is slightly recessed and provided with dotted grooves. The dimensions of the touch panel are 70x40 mm, which is not much, but quite enough for comfortable work. The cursor is positioned easily and naturally. Support for multitouch technology is a clear plus for the touchpad. With the fingers of one hand, you can rotate images, zoom and flip through pages. There are no horizontal and vertical scroll bars.
The mouse buttons (or rather, the double rocker button) work a little indistinctly. However, this is a feature of the test sample. The sensor pad and the key are separated by a chrome insert. RMB and LMB will have to be distinguished visually.
Under the double button of the touch pad, there are icons of seven indicators that signal about loading hard disk, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi activity, battery power, Caps Lock and Num Lock on, as well as laptop power (activity).
Processor and performance
The stuffing of the laptop is the fun part. It is noteworthy that the FX600 can be called a rather powerful device without unnecessary flattery. The laptop is equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i3-330M processor, each core of which is clocked at 2.13 GHz. 3MB shared L3 cache and support DDR3-1066 memory. This CPU is built on a 32nm process technology. A video core made using a 45 nm process technology is integrated into one case with a processor. This CPU incorporates Hyper-Threading, Intel Virtualization, Execute Disable Bit and EIST (Enhanced Intel Speed Step Technology) technologies. Thanks to Hyper-Threading (HT), the Intel Core i3-330M can use up to four threads simultaneously.
The FX600 features MSI's proprietary Turbo Drive Engine technology to instantly boost productivity with a single press of the P1 key located above the keyboard.
Also provided 2 GB random access memory DDR3-1066. This is enough for work, but if you do not have enough RAM, you can add another RAM module to the free slot.
MSI FX600 is equipped with hard disk Hitachi HTS545025B9A 250 GB. The spindle speed is 5400 rpm, the buffer memory is 8 MB, and the average access (read) time is 12 ms.
Graphics capabilities are represented by a discrete video adapter NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M (1024 MB DDR3 memory). The core of the video card runs at 450 MHz, the memory at 700 MHz. The adapter supports DirectX 10.1. However, this is not all. The FX600 allows you to work with not one, but two video cards: integrated Intel HD graphics and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M. NVIDIA Optimus technology in the laptop allows you to switch between energy-efficient integrated graphics and discrete graphics card NVIDIA programmatically, and even without user intervention. Working with integrated graphics can significantly increase the time autonomous work at low load.
MSI's 3DMark 2006 scores 6399 points (SM2.0 Score - 2602, HDR / SM3.0 Score - 2679, CPU Score - 2180).
The Cinebench R11.5 utility (benchmark for 3D scene creation) showed a result of 1.75 pts (CPU) and 11.73 fps (OpenGL).
The hard drive was tested using the HD Tune 2.55 package. Hard Disc Utility: minimum data transfer rate - 20.6 Mb / s, maximum data transfer rate - 83.8 Mb / s, average data transfer rate - 61.4 Mb / s, access time - 19.7 ms, shooting speed - 110.3 Mb / s.
The CPUID Hardware Monitor Pro utility demonstrated the heating temperatures of the CPU and HDD. For the processor, the following values were obtained: 54 degrees (min) and 85 degrees Celsius (max). The hard drive practically does not heat up - 40 and 41 degrees (minimum and maximum temperatures, respectively).
Applied CPU-Z programs and GPU-Z indicate the specifications of the CPU, motherboard, RAM, and video card.
The operating system also has its own "opinion" about the performance of the laptop. After testing the laptop, Windows 7 gave the following results: the processor scored 6.2 points, RAM - 5.5, graphics for games - 6.1, hard drive - 5.9, integrated graphics - 3.9 points. The overall performance index is determined by the worst result. The “weakest link” was the built-in graphics.
It is worth mentioning that NVIDIA Optimus technology not only extends battery life, but also delivers excellent graphics performance when you need it. Thanks to this feature, in games and resource-intensive graphics applications, the laptop behaves confidently and with dignity: instead of the built-in graphics card a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M is functioning.
Ports and interfaces
The laptop has a quite expected set of ports: we found everything we need for comfortable work on three sides of the mobile device. At the front is a card reader designed for XD, SD, MMC and Memory Stick memory cards.The left side contains two audio jacks (microphone input, headphone output and external acoustics), two USB 2.0 ports, followed by HDMI. Closer to the rear edge there is a ventilation grill, a socket for a power supply and a Kensington Lock hole.
On the right is located optical drive DVD Multi, another one USB port(combined with eSATA), VGA video output and RJ-45 connector (for connecting to a local network).
The rear edge is free from ports - the design features of the case did not allow placing a single connector on the back. Hidden in the frame that surrounds the display is a 2 megapixel webcam.
Wireless networks will become available after activation of Intel Wi-Fi Link 1000 BGN and Motorola Bluetooth adapters (version 3.0.0.217). Wireless interfaces are turned on by pressing special keys located above the main key block.
Battery
The battery in the tested laptop is not difficult to find - you just need to turn the laptop over. Unlike the matte bottom, the battery is made of glossy plastic. This is a little strange, because the battery looks somehow alien. This is most likely just a flaw in the test sample. It is easy to get it out - just press the latch.
MSI FX600 has lithium ion battery capacity of 4400 mAh (49 Wh).
The laptop has been tested for battery life using Battery Eater Pro v.2.70. In the "Read" mode (display brightness 100%, reading text files) the laptop lasted 2 hours and 56 minutes. In Classic mode (uniform maximum load per system) the FX600 could not work for more than 1 hour 4 minutes. It took us 2 hours and 40 minutes to fully charge the battery. Considering the small battery capacity and high performance, these figures look quite adequate.
It is worth noting the moderate temperature heating of the mobile device. The cooling system works efficiently and quite quietly. The model can easily be kept on your lap - the user will not experience discomfort from high temperatures.
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Conclusion
MSI FX600 a priori attracted interest in its stylish appearance and its high declared performance. A laptop for office and home use - this is how we initially defined its status. As it turned out, we were not mistaken.I would like to highlight the excellent sound quality of the THX class, the "two-faced" graphics system (Intel GMA HD + NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M) and Turbo technology Drive Engine that enhances laptop performance.
The disadvantages include unreasonably developed input devices (the keyboard is deformed, the touchpad button is very hard). However, as we were assured by MSI representatives, these are flaws of a purely test model. Otherwise, the FX600 proved to be a solid mid-range.
Whether you are looking for a laptop to work in the office or at home, then the MSI FX600 is what you need.
We are grateful to the Ukrainian representative office of MSI for the laptop kindly provided for testing.
MSI has been in the laptop market for a long time, although compared to its competitors, it can be called a newcomer. The lineup is constantly being reviewed, the manufacturer is actively looking for free niches in the market in which the leading players can be moved. For example, MSI quickly reacted to the emergence of netbooks and today takes a confident position in this segment. It was interesting to watch the struggle in the ultrathin laptop segment, for which the company has developed a largely unique X-Slim series.
In 2010 on the market laptop computers there is a relative lull, no one has proposed new interesting directions. In this situation, MSI, hoping to become a trendsetter, announced a new line of notebooks - the F series, which has an original corporate design. Initially, it included two 15.6-inch models on the Intel platform, FR600 and FX600, and then the lineup began to replenish (14- and 17-inch models, models on the AMD platform, etc.).
What is this F series? Oddly enough, we cannot immediately determine its target audience. On the one hand, this is the typical multimedia home lineup, which includes mid to large models, with or without a discrete midrange graphics card. The presence of quality speakers and THX certification confirms this assumption. On the other hand, MSI speaks of a high level of performance, stylish modern design, high-quality materials, while the hero photographs depict stylish young people - businessmen, designers, creative intelligentsia.
The premium status of laptops is supported by rather high prices, which are not typical for the company. However, we know that fashion business laptops usually have slightly different parameters - they are thin, light, made of durable quality materials, with high performance and autonomy. It turns out that MSI is either trying to attract a business audience with a combination of familiar style and good multimedia functionality, or it wants to offer a new, more modern style for mid-range home laptops.
In our review, we'll take a look at the FX600, which actually started the F line.
Specifications
Overall, MSI is a typical budget home laptop. Its advantages include, firstly, truly high-quality speakers, and secondly, good efficiency. The disadvantages are a cheap screen, not the best keyboard, ineffective cooling system. The price of the laptop, in our opinion, is not justified by anything, since the hardware configuration is the most commonplace, and the level of performance is far from ideal.
We are grateful to HyperItTrade for the provided MSI laptop
Hello friends. How to find out how much maximum RAM a computer can support - a PC or a laptop? If you are planning to increase the amount of memory, this is the first thing you should start with - by finding out the exact figure for the maximum amount of support. It is very easy to find out. You can look at the necessary information on the official website of your motherboard or laptop. To do this, you just need to enter the model of your motherboard or laptop into the search engine and add the postscript "manufacturer's site" or "official site". However, information about the maximum supported amount of RAM may not always be posted on the laptop's website, only the amount of it can be indicated according to the fact that the model is equipped with. In this case, you can use the well-known AIDA64 program. But let's talk about everything in more detail.
How to find out how much RAM a computer or laptop supports
Important note : friends, please don't forget that if you have a new processor Intel generations Core i3, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7 or from the new AMD series, then you have a RAM controller not on the north bridge , a in the processor itself. And the RAM modules are controlled by the processor, not motherboard... Therefore, the maximum amount of RAM you also need to look at in the description of your processor or on its official website.
Official sites of motherboards, processors and laptops
Take, for example, an Asus P8Z77-V Pro PC motherboard with Intel processor Core i7-3770. If you go to the official website of the manufacturer Asus, to the page of this motherboard, then we will see the information we need about the maximum amount of RAM (32 GB).
On the official website of the processor, we see a similar indicator.
We also have another device - the HP Envy 17 laptop. But on its page on the official website you cannot find information about the maximum amount of RAM. This means that you need to refer to the AIDA64 program.
AIDA64 program
AIDA64 is one of the most powerful computer diagnostics tools. It is paid, but has a trial period of 30 days. Official site:
http://www.aida64.com/downloads
AIDA64 will tell you everything about the RAM installed on a PC or laptop: size, type (SIMM, DIMM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3), frequency, timings, etc.
Launch the program, select the "Motherboard" tab.
Then - "Chipset".
The properties of the north bridge of the computer are opened. The third line will indicate the type of memory supported, and the fourth - what exactly you need - the maximum amount of memory that can be installed in a PC or laptop.
Even below it will indicate how much RAM is installed on the device now.
If you do not have information about the maximum amount of RAM in the properties of the north bridge, look for it elsewhere: on the left panel, open “Computer”, then “DMI”. Go to the right panel, open "Memory Arrays - System memory". In the block below, see support for the maximum amount of RAM. 
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If with the help of AIDA64 you still cannot find out how much RAM your laptop supports, then write to the technical support of its manufacturer.
And one more thing: friends, if you are going to upgrade your computer yourself, before buying additional RAM, check everything in the technical support of your motherboard or laptop. Or order memory in the official service centers device manufacturers. And one more thing: additional RAM is not a panacea for brakes. More than 8 GB you need to install it, clearly understanding why - counting on the use of some programs or games. If you want your PC or laptop to run 10 times faster,
Many were interested in what the retail price of this laptop will be, because the filling is quite good, and the price should theoretically not be too high. We had a great opportunity to compare the price-performance ratio of the MSI FX600. An engineering sample was provided for testing in the most modest possible modification: Intel Core i3-330M, HDD 250GB, 2GB RAM and HD display. The video adapter for all modifications is the same - NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M with 1 GB of its own memory and the ability to automatically switch to the video core integrated into the processor. The recommended cost of commercial samples with a similar filling, according to the statement of MSI representatives, should be only $ 750- $ 800, and this is a powerful blow to the positions of all manufacturers in this segment.
⇡ Specifications declared by the manufacturer
| MSI FX600 | |
| OS | Windows 7 Home Premium |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-330M, 2.13 GHz |
| L2 cache | 256 KB per core |
| Cash L3 | 3 MB |
| Chipset | Northbridge: Intel Ironlake-M IMC Southbridge: Intel Ibex Peak-M HM55 |
| Video | NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M, 1 GB / Intel GMA |
| Sound | Realtek ALC269 |
| Matrix type | 15,6” 1366x768 dots Samsung 156AT02 |
| RAM | 2 GB DDR-3 Samsung M471B5673EH1-CF8 |
| HDD | 250 GB Hitach HTS545025B9A300 SATA-II, buffer - 8 MB, 5400 rpm |
| Optical drive | LG DVD-RAM GT32N |
| Interfaces | 3 x USB 2.0 1 x eSATA / USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1 x D-Sub (VGA) 1 x memory card slot 1 x RJ-452 x mini-jack 3.5 mm |
| Wireless interfaces | Intel WiFi Link 1000 BG |
| Network adapter | Realtek RTL8168D / 8111D Gigabit Ethernet Adapter |
| Additionally | Web camera 1280x720 pixels (30 frames / s) |
| Battery | Li-ion battery with a capacity of 49 W * h |
| Dimensions, mm | 383x249,2x32,5 / 38 |
| Weight, kg | |
| There is no data | |
Processor information
Video subsystem information
Video subsystem information
Testing cache and memory
⇡ Scope of delivery
An engineering sample was provided for testing, so the package included in fact only a charger.
⇡ Appearance and usability
General view
All laptops of the modern F line are similar, and the differences between them are only in small details, but they are all cute, and most importantly, very practical, because the display lid is not glossy. The proprietary 3D totem seal coating on the display lid and work area resembles molded leather. There is no resemblance to leather at all to the touch, but the plastic is of high quality, so it is rather difficult to leave a scratch on it. But the prints, oddly enough, are a little noticeable, but they are wiped off in one motion. The bottom is made of thick plastic with a rough surface, and the roughness is such that it easily picks up fine lint and dust. The battery provided with the laptop has a glossy surface of the case, so during active work with the laptop, it may become covered with small abrasions.
General view
The island keyboard panel and the overlay around the display matrix are also glossy. A silver cover is installed around the perimeter of the case, which refreshes the design and visually reduces the already small thickness of the case. The build quality is good, and the rigidity of the case is quite high, so when you try to twist the case, the case gives in only a little, but at the same time you noticeable crackles in the area of \ u200b \ u200bthe battery attachment and connecting loops.
Front view
At the front there is a slot for installing memory cards, a pair of speakers and as many as seven activity and status indicators, explanatory icons to which are located in front of the touch panel, so they are accessible only when the lid is open.
Back view
Only the connecting loops and the battery wall are visible at the back.
Left view
The left side is the busiest, but nonetheless free space there is plenty of it. So, here is a connector for installing a security lock, a jack for connecting an external power source, a ventilation grill, an HDMI port, two USB ports, and a pair of standard 3.5 mm audio jacks.
Right view
On the right is the optical drive, eSATA / USB combo connector, D-Sub (VGA) port, and RJ-45 Ethernet port.
Bottom view
The bottom of the laptop is flat and there are plenty of vents to help dissipate heat quickly. The body rests on a pair of thin plastic legs and five more rubber ones. Although the rubber feet are large at the base, their total contact area with the mounting surface is relatively small, so the laptop easily slides on almost any tabletop. On the bottom there is a large compartment containing a hard drive, memory modules, expansion cards, and a processor, which is often hidden from the user by warranty seals.
Keyboard
Due to the use of hinges recessed into the body, the opening angle of the lid is limited to 135 degrees, which is not always convenient. The island-style keyboard is surrounded by a glossy bezel so it is easy to leave fingerprints on it. The left side of the keyboard base is not fixed too well - a slight backlash is noticeable, which can be attributed to flaws in the assembly of an engineering sample, but the keyboard base that sags a little under pressure on the keys is likely to become a feature of commercial samples too. The keyboard unit is standard with an additional numeric keypad. There are no reduced letter keys, and the long-suffering [ё], on the contrary, is stretched in width from 15 to 18.5 mm. The arrow keys are compressed only a little - up to 14 mm, which is almost invisible visually. The travel of the keys of medium hardness, with a slight interference at the beginning, the actuation moment is clearly visible, while the operating noise, on the contrary, is barely audible. In general, if it were not for the slightly sagging base, the keyboard would deserve only praise.
Touchpad and status indicators
Just below the main keyboard block is Touchpad size 75x43 mm. Its surface is dotted with small hemispherical protuberances, which, when evaluated by touch, differ significantly from the texture of the work area panel, in addition, the touch panel is slightly recessed, so it is easy to grope it even in complete darkness. The manipulator keys are a single piece. The key travel is average, but quite firm, the actuation moment is well felt, and the click noise is almost imperceptible.
Above the keyboard, there is a block of keys for controlling the volume, calling the multimedia player and turning on wireless interface plus a programmable key (Turbo mode by default) and a power key. There is also a second pair of speakers.
Web camera
The top edge of the display has a webcam and a pair of microphones.
