• MSI CR620

    MSI CR620

    Rohan Naravane, Mar 10, 2010 1708 hrs IST

    Sports Intel's latest Core i3 processor

    Lightweight for a 15-incher, easy to use chiclet keyboard, good quality screen, decent webcam quality, two-year warranty

    Majority of ports at the back, left-right mouse buttons hard to click, jarring of speakers at maximum volume, 32-bit OS despite having 4GB RAM

    Check specifications
    Write Review
    Expert Rating :
    Rating
    mail share

Expert Review

    next


Early this year, Intel came up with a new system for naming their latest processors. With plans to phase out the "Core 2" moniker and replace it with the "Core i", they now have three ranges of processors for desktops and laptops. The low-end is called the Core i3, the mid range consists of the Core i5 and the high-end one is going to be called Core i7. The MSI CR620 is the first laptop we've received with the Core i3 processor. Other than that it seems to be a typical 15-inch desktop replacement model. Along with the laptop, let's see how better the Core i3 is in terms of performance and power saving. 
 
Design and Build

The MSI CR620 has standard looks. The combination of horizontal lines on the lid and the palm rest make its identity unique. The build quality is pretty decent. The screen hinge offers good resistance. However, the glossy top accumulates finger smudges easily. At almost 2.5 kilos, its not too overweight for a 15-incher, but can't be considered lightweight either. It's not too bulky and can be carried around easily. The glossy screen offers good clarity and high brightness. HD movies looked good on it. It has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which isn't the crispiest, but at least it makes the fonts look adequately big. The webcam delivers good clarity and a speedy frame rate. There is a speaker-strip below the screen that delivers average quality audio. Also, when the volume was bumped up to max there was some jarring in the audio.






Like the MSI X350, we have a chiclet style keyboard where each square-shaped key has equal spacing and proportion. They've also fitted a numeric pad next on the QWERTY keyboard. The keys have good tactility, but there were times when we felt the QWERTY part was aligned a little too much to the left, thus putting a slight strain on the left hand. However, it's not a deal breaker. The touch-pad has a smooth material and offers good response. It's not multi-touch, but the side-scrolling strip works as expected. The right-left click buttons are disappointingly hard to click though.





Follow Techtree on Twitter

    next

Do you agree with this Review?
YesNo

Up

2

Down

1

Related Links
Acer Aspire 4520
Asus S6Fm
Asus Launches Bamboo Notebook
Tag keywords
MSI CR620 review laptop notebook Core i3 processor Intel 15-inch laptop



Discussion Board
(2) Comments
becker
,istambul, on Apr 17, 2010 07:41 PM
if you had a brain , you realized that the new Core i3 Series have the GPU and Memory Controller integrated in the CPU.. that's why it has a bigger TDP. So while the CPU CORE is made with 32nm technology , the GPU and Memory Controller are made with older 45nm tech. The Old Norhtbridge from intel the GS45 (present in the Gateway laptop you compared to ) had about a 13W TDP or more...depending on GPU CORE Frequency . So if you do the math of the systems (not only the CPU ) you see both a rise in performance , better in multitasking and a lower power comsumption.
Report abuse
XsK.SimKill
,Mumbai, on Mar 11, 2010 02:51 AM
Hey, regarding the Windows 7 32 bit thing, for Windows 7 Microsoft has made it such that every CD key can be used on both 32 and 64 bit installations. So for a reasonably experienced person, they can download the 64 bit OS ISO from probably Microsoft's own website and use their original key. It is perfectly legal.
Report abuse

Opinion Poll