Computex 2010 Preview: MSI

MSI Computex 2010: The GT660 gaming laptop

MSI has a few new laptops arriving soon, and of the many new models MSI will be launching at Computex, the three we got to see are designed for the more powerful and larger end of the market. The GT660 is MSI's latest gaming laptop, and while not as imposing as the Asus G73 we saw recently, it still has a considerable presence thanks to its chiselled edges and rocket red highlights.

At 16in it's smaller than most gaming notebooks but at 3.5kg you'll not be forgetting it's in your bag. The shell might be all plastic but the wrist rest is slightly textured to feel nicer and better resist finger or palm prints.


The keyboard is the currently fashionable spaced-key type, and with the extra space MSI has squeezed in a number pad too, although that does make regular typing feel off centre to the LED backlit display. Like previous MSI notebooks the WASD and number keys are "gaming" colour-coded too. Do gamers really need telling? Being backlit for playing in the dark at 3am would be more useful.

On the back the creased spine and MSI logo is actually very appealing and creates a more dynamic design than just a plain lid. The downside is shiny plastic will reflect your fingerprints everywhere.


Along the side there are gaming-tastic customisable orange LEDS that can do Knightrider-esq trails, pulses and flashes in time to music or your games, or left permanently on or off. MSI tells us gamers like them, which is fair enough if that's what the market research says, but I doubt our audience would agree.

Less appealing again though is those bright red cup holders speakers. Maybe we're just getting older, but we found ourselves really wishing MSI designers would keep to a more unified and restrained design.