MSI is adding two new notebooks to the gaming world this year as part of its new Vector series. The smaller 15-inch already performs very well, but what improvements does the Vector GP76, which is the direct successor to the GP76 Leopard, offer? Unlike the MSI Alpha, Katana, and Pulse lines, the Vector line isn’t made for beginners or mid-level gamers. Instead, it has high-end gaming laptops with mid-level features, and the price reflects that.
But it doesn’t have as many features as the GE series for enthusiasts and the GS series for small cars. Thunderbolt 4, a card reader, and USB-C charging are all missing, and there are no QHD or UHD displays or Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti options. It also has DDR4 RAM that is a bit slower and a smaller battery. Still, there are a lot of good features and improvements that we point out in this report, like the 360 Hz fast panel with a 4ms response time.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core i9-12800HK
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
- RAM: 32GB
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Display: 17.3-inch, 1080p, 360Hz
- Battery: 2:45
- Size: 15.6 x 11.2 x 1 inches
- Weight: 6.4 pounds
Where to get MSI Vector GP76 laptop?
As we’ve already said, we’re not huge fans of the design, but one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. If you like the slightly dated retro throwback, this could be a nice change of pace from all the new laptops that try too hard to look like cutting-edge business laptops, like the Lenovo Legion 7i.
Not only does it look tough, but the whole laptop feels very well made. We didn’t feel any give in the keyboard base plate, and the hinge for the screen is also good. We don’t think you should see how much abuse it can take, but if you need a gaming laptop that can handle a busy life, the GP76 Leopard looks like it can handle it.
The strange font used on the SteelSeries keyboard, which looks like it would be more at home on an energy drink, also makes the laptop look old. This keyboard font has been used on MSI laptops before, so it might be to your taste, which is fine, but it seems like a bit of a risky choice. It’s also not mechanical, so if you don’t like the “tappy” sounds that mechanical gaming keyboards make, this one is quieter and still works well.
If you want a gaming laptop that you can take with you, the Vector GP76 isn’t the best choice unless you’re going somewhere with a lot of outlets. In a battery test that involved surfing the web with the brightness set to 150 nits, the Vector only lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, which is almost 2 hours less than the average gaming laptop (4:32).