Msi ge65 raider 9sf review in Spanish (full analysis)

MSI GE65 Raider 9SF is the next laptop that has come to us from MSI Spain so that we can analyze it. As in the rest of the ranges, this GE has also been updated with the new Intel 9th ​​processors and the Nvidia RTX 2060 and 2070. But the most important thing about this laptop is a spectacular screen with an IPS IPS panel, 240 Hz refresh rate, being the fastest IPS panel in the world.

The Raider series is one of the best and most powerful laptops it has, with its gaming aspect and the SteelSeries keyboard we have a very complete pack of first-rate hardware to play.

And before starting, we thank MSI Spain for the loan of this laptop to be able to do our review.

MSI GE65 Raider 9SF technical features

Unboxing

Well, we will start this review with the bundle that the manufacturer offers us for this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF laptop. This time it has come to us in a double cardboard box, the outermost one being the packaging for the final product. The second is the one with the corresponding MSI screenprint and the laptop model that has arrived.

We open the final box, which is a case type as always, and we find a laptop with enough layers of protection. A plastic bag over a fabric one that keeps the equipment. All this is protected by high-density polyethylene foam that protects it from shocks. In a separate box we have the charger.

In total, the bundle has the following elements:

• MSI GE65 Raider 9SF Portable 280W External Power Supply Instructions and Warranty Extra Screw to Install a Second M.2

Despite the fact that we have space for the installation of a 2.5 ”SSD, we do not have any fixing screws, since it will be directly fixed to the tray with the connector itself.

Exterior design

The Raider series is distinguished by having a fairly personalized and aggressive cover with the MSI logo in the central area and two diagonal stripes on the sides with the edge painted red. Keep in mind that none of these elements will have LED lighting, although in the screenshots they are quite bright.

It is a laptop that is built almost entirely from aluminum, and so it is in all the cases that protect the internal hardware and give the design component to the team. There are only black versions, leaving the silver variant for the design-oriented Prestige range. And in this case we are not looking at an ultrabook with Max-Q design either. And it is that its measurements are 358 mm wide and 248 deep to house the 15.6-inch screen, and 26.9 mm thick, much more than those 20 mm that we consider maximum to be a Max-Q.

It is also not a lightweight notebook for its size, with a weight of 2.27 Kg including battery, so in this case the internal chassis and components are somewhat heavier than usual. The screen opening system consists of two small hinges at the ends that have just enough hardness. In addition, the screen is not as extremely thin as on other occasions and this makes it more rigid and gives us greater security in handling.

The frames are highly optimized in this equipment, with only 5 mm edges above and below and 25 mm in the lower area, where they are always more noticeable. However, the webcam is installed in the upper area as we like. The panel finish is anti-reflective as it usually is in 98% of gaming equipment cases.

The lower area is not built in aluminum, but in hard plastic, although its grilles are made of metal. In this area, we see a huge opening for the air intake that occupies just over half the equipment. This will be important for the cooling of the equipment, since we have very powerful hardware, and we also know that the Core i7-9750H gets quite hot.

In the lower area of ​​the image we also see four openings relative to the four speakers we have in this model, later we will analyze its main advantages. For the rest, we have enough rubber feet spread around the base that raise the equipment about 3 or 4 mm from the ground to allow air flow.

Before reaching the connectivity area, we can see that the rear area is very aggressive, with a central area in which the RAIDER badge is shown along with two side openings on a panel of fins, which are not too large. I think that a larger open area would have liked more in the face of cooling, we will see later how the set behaves.

Ports and connections

Now yes, we continue evaluating this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF seeing what external connectivity we have. And in this case we will check that it is quite good, although we note certain absences and details.

Let's start with the left side, which is made up of:

• RJ-45 ethernet connector HDMIM port Mini DisplayPort1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C2x 3.5mm jack for audio and microphone Kensington slot

This side we have quite complete connectivity, and in the most remote area we see that this time it has opened, yes, a fairly large hole for the expulsion of hot air.

This is precisely where we miss that the USB Type-C port includes Thunderbolt 3, not being the case in the Raider range. It will be important to know that the HDMI port will be in version 2.0, so it supports resolutions up to 4K at 60 FPS, while the Display Port will do the same as it is version 1.2. in this case we have no complaints.

On the right side we find:

• Power port SD card reader (XC / HC) 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A

A much simpler connectivity in this area, but that completes the possibilities and variety. Here we have a couple of things to say, the first, that we do not have any opening for cooling, which is something that we have not seen in a gaming laptop for a long time. And the second is that the USB ports are very advanced, so much so that if we want to connect a USB or flash drive, for example, it will even bother us a little to work with the equipment.

One last appreciation is that the USB Type A ports have integrated red lighting. This is a great aesthetic and useful detail to quickly find them in very dark situations.

240 Hz IPS-Level display

We start the features breakdown sections as always on the screen, which in this case is one of its most differentiating aspects compared to other models of the previous generation of MSI.

In the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF we have a 15.6-inch screen as it has been normal in models with the "65" in its name. It achieves a Full HD resolution of 1920x1080p in a panoramic 16: 9 format. The manufacturer did not provide us with panel response times, but its refresh rate, which is no less than 240 Hz. In this way, it is the IPS panel with the highest refresh rate on the market, moreover, we thought that It would be a TN panel due to these enormous benefits.

The manufacturer has another IPS-Level variant with a frequency of 144 Hz and identical resolution for what the extreme model does not need. In features it is an identical panel. Otherwise, we do not have details about maximum brightness, contrast or other characteristics, so we will see them with the help of our colorimeter a little later. Of course it won't be a design-oriented panel, and we don't have certifications such as DisplayHDR or Pantone, so in this sense we shouldn't expect much from it.

On the other hand, the viewing angles are 178 ⁰ both vertically and laterally, and this makes it very clear that it is an IPS panel. As we see in the images, the variation of colors at very wide angles is practically nil, MSI always takes great care of its screens.

MSI True Color already a standard for MSI

Until recently this software was only on MSI's range of design teams, such as the Prestige. But now it seems that it is included in many other models natively with the system, this is the case of the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF.

With this program we can basically modify all the main sections of the panel image, so it is a kind of OSD menu integrated in software. We have 6 predefined image modes, and in many of them we can customize, brightness, contrast, gamma, RGB levels, color space and color temperature.

In a second tab we have options such as split desktop mode, or a calibration section in case we have a compatible colorimeter. What does this mean? Well, MSI considers this panel to be at the height of the Prestige range oriented to design, so it has introduced an extra control option also for its gaming equipment.

Calibration

We have run some calibration tests for this IPS panel with our Colormunki Display colorimeter, which is X-Rite certified, and free HCFR software. With these tools we will analyze the color graphics of the screen in the DCI-P3 and sRGB spaces, and we will compare the colors that the monitor delivers with respect to the GCD reference palette.

All the color tests have been carried out with a brightness of 49%, a contrast of -2 and a Gamma of 5. We have kept the color space in native and the temperature in neutral. It is in these registers that we have achieved the highest fidelity Delta E of colors on the screen.

Brightness and Contrast

The brightness that we obtain with this screen to the maximum is more or less than expected, with normal values ​​for not having HDR, always exceeding 250 nits and with an acceptable uniformity. And regarding the contrast, because we have figures that we also expected, reaching that 1000: 1 contrast typical of IPS panels.

Overall good results for these two measures. Let's continue with your factory calibration and color space.

SRGB color space

As we see in the color comparison table, we have an average Delta E of 2.76 which is very good if we can adjust the brightness properly. Considering that a design monitor must achieve at least a Delta E <2, we are in very good records regarding color fidelity, something that could be expected from an IPS panel. Perhaps where the benefits weaken the most is in the gray tones, which are precisely those that the human eye most easily distinguishes and to which we are especially sensitive.

The graphics also fit the reference quite well, so the Gamma 5 mode is the one indicated for this panel, it is not for nothing that it comes from the factory like this. Perhaps in the RGB levels we see an overexposure of the blue colors in the panel, which we had previously noticed in its factory settings. We also see that the CIE diagram shows us a very good fit for the tested color space, although with a slight deviation in the blue spectrum. This indicates that a better calibration of the blues would have further improved the final result.

DCI-P3 color space

This space is more demanding than the previous one, and this translates into a higher Delta E, especially in gray levels. Of course we see the same deviations in the RGB levels, although as always the black and white graphics fit better in this space than in the previous one, being a constant in the IPS panels.

Otherwise, the results are acceptable, we recall, for a brightness of 49% on the panel. In any case, we do not see it as an optimal panel for design, and its 240 Hz would not make sense in this section, so the gaming performance is more than sufficient, and even better than could be expected. Great brand work on the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF.

Enhanced sound with Giant Speakers

In the multimedia peripherals section we have an interesting proposal from MSI to maintain its Giant Speaker sound system in this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF, compared to the configurations of only two speakers from other ranges of laptops.

On this occasion, a configuration of two round 3W speakers has been used together with two other 2W oval speakers, all of them by Dynaudio. And here the amount has been noticed, because we have experienced a very good sound quality, with quite high levels and hardly any distortion in them. The 3W speakers are excellent for giving us better bass, while the smaller ones will work better in high tones.

And when it comes to webcam and microphones, we don't have any news regarding the rest of the brand's laptops. We have a sensor that captures both images and videos at a maximum resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels (0.9 MP) and at a speed of 30 FPS. It is placed in the upper area of ​​the screen, so at least it allows us better versatility than those located at the bottom. We are not going to contribute photos because you already know perfectly the quality of a webcam of this type.

There are no surprises in microphones either, with a dual array setup on either side of the camera with a one-way pickup pattern. The quality is also the same as always, with the ability to capture sound from far away and valid for chats and similar applications.

Touchpad and keyboard

MSI has had the detail of incorporating its best performance keyboard also in the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF, being in this case the SteelSeries Per-Key RGB Backlight Gaming Keyboard. Without a doubt one of the ones we like the most from the current generation, with a high quality membrane and a minimum travel to obtain the maximum speed. The keys as always are large and island type, so our hands need a period of adaptation to write fluently.

Part of the row of F keys have secondary functions, typical of a laptop, although it is in the direction keys where we have the volume control and screen brightness. For its part, the power button is located in the upper right corner, along with two other buttons that serve to set the fans to maximum speed and to change the keyboard's RGB animation.

And of course, another of the great advantages of this keyboard is that it has N-Key Rollover to be able to press more keys simultaneously and RGB LED lighting. One of the characteristics of the backlight-type keyboard is that the keys are transparent through the bores, so they let out their lighting in a higher percentage. This provides better user vision and an optimal gaming experience.

The SteelSeries software already comes natively installed on the system, so it's just open and customize. We can configure the lighting individually on each key, or choose between the different effects available in the software. We also have a panel where you can configure the different functions of the F keys. Very simple and quick to use software.

Now we move to the bottom area of ​​the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF keyboard, where we find a touchpad built by Microsoft. This will be positive in the face of compatibility with Precision Touchpad in Windows 10, whose functionality is integrated into the system and gives us a total of 17 gestures with two, three and four fingers.

Something that personally seems to me a success for players is that the touchpad has the buttons installed independently of the touchpad. This gives us greater durability and stability in a panel that will not lose stability in the fixation, as it does with integrals.

In such a case, it is not a large panel, which reduces the navigation space and our movements should be shorter and with an extra care in precision tasks. It is also an option designed for gaming, but a larger panel would give us a little more comfort to work with it daily. In any case, the navigation is very good and the instantaneous response, we have only lacked a fingerprint sensor.

Network connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 AX

We continue with the network section, which in this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF which presents us with an excellent level of performance, especially in Wi-Fi.

Taking advantage of the previous screenshot of the inside of the equipment, we see an entire Wi-Fi card installed on the corresponding M.2 2230 slot that is the Killer AX1650. This card works on the IEEE 802.11ax or Wi-Fi 6 standard, and is based on the Intel AX200NGW although oriented for gaming. With it, we have a bandwidth of up to 2, 404 Mbps on the 5 GHz frequency in 2 × 2 connection with MU-MIMO and OFDMA, and more than 700 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz frequency. To achieve these values, We will need a router that implements this protocol, otherwise we will automatically go down to traditional 802.11ac and we will be limited to 400 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 1.73 Gbps at 5 GHz.

We also do not lack the Bluetooth 5.0 LE technology implemented in it to round off the compatibility with wireless devices such as speakers, etc. Killer also has network management software that we have already seen countless times during review. We can do without it, since its functions are not fundamental in terms of performance.

In the wired network section we also have the presence of a Killer E2600, the manufacturer's most optimized GbE 10/100/1000 Mbps version. Again on a computer like this with impressive hardware inside it, a 2.5Gbps Killer E3000 could have been used, but it's not a big deal either.

Top-notch internal features and hardware

Now it is time to talk about the main hardware of the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF, which is of the highest level in all its aspects. As always, we have opened the bottom to be able to see much better that we are going to find, especially facing the cooling system.

In fact, the distinction of "9SF" already tells us that inside we have installed an entire Nvidia RTX 2070 Max-Q. The main details of its specifications are 2304 CUDA Core, the same as in the desktop version, and Tensor and RT cores to do Ray Tracing and DLSS. The processing frequency is between 885 MHz and 1305 MHz at maximum performance. There is also no lack of 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, although in this case they work at 12 Gbps instead of 14. We have a second model "9SE" with an Nvidia 2060 and a lower price.

Now we continue with the CPU, which is the well-known Intel Core i7-9750H, the 9th generation CPU that comes to replace the i7-8750H. It works at a base frequency of 2.6 GHz and 4.5 GHz in turbo boost mode. A 9th generation CPU that also has 6 cores and 12 processing threads under a TDP of only 45W and a L3 cache of 12 MB. Next to it we have a motherboard with HM370 chipset and a total of 32 GB of Samsung RAM at 2666 MHz. In total, its two SO-DIMM slots support 64GB, but it is certainly one of the factory configurations with the largest capacity.

MSI tends to use good components and options for storage and the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF was no exception. We have a Samsung PM 981 unit of no less than 1 TB of storage under the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface through M.2 2280 slot. But we have a second M.2 slot compatible with PCIe and SATA and space to install a unit 2.5-inch SATA SSD.

Quiet and solvent cooling system

It is also not a secret that MSI laptops are practically the best in the refrigeration section. And much more if what we are dealing with is a team with almost 27 mm thickness.

We have previously commented that the cooling openings seemed insufficient for such powerful hardware, but of course, we did not take into account the thickness. The more, the better the air flow and the greater the suction and extraction capacity of its two turbine fans. What's more, we are surprised at how small they are, although, yes, much thicker than for example a Max-Q.

The heatsink system is based on two copper blocks, one for the GPU with 4 heatpipes to pass over, and one for the CPU, with 4 above. All of these tubes will be hollow and constructed of copper, and some are shared in both sockets. The chipset for its part has no heatsink, while one of the heatpipes is responsible for cooling the VRM.

The result of this configuration has been very solvent, with temperatures that have not exceeded 90 ⁰C on average in the CPU and approximately 85 ⁰C in the GPU. But most important of all, the response of the fans and the heat transfer capacity of the copper tubes greatly reduce the possibility of thermal throttling of the equipment.

Discreet autonomy and no surprises

The battery that has been installed in this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF is a 6-cell Lithium-Ion capable of giving us a power of 51 Wh. The curious thing is its configuration in a compact and interchangeable format like those of yesteryear. Thanks to this, the space for hardware is much better used, since it is a thick computer it has been possible to implement this format and thus save space for 2.5 ”hard drives for example.

It is striking that the power delivery is not too high, only 51 Wh, this implies that the performance of the equipment will be cut without the external source, although of course, it will increase its autonomy. In the days that we have been testing this equipment, we have obtained an autonomy of approximately 4 and a half hours with the brightness below half, a backlit keyboard and doing basic tasks such as typing or browsing. It is more or less what is expected, and what notebooks with this type of hardware mark.

Regarding the external power supply, we have no less than 280W of power and a standard charging speed of one and a half hours. With this, we will have more than enough to squeeze the maximum CPU and GPU while we play.

Test of performance

All the tests that we have subjected this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF have been carried out with the equipment connected to the external source and the ventilation profile in turbo mode.

SSD performance

Let's start with the benchmark to the unit in this solid Samsung PM 981 of 1 TB, for this we have used the CristalDiskMark 6.0.2 software .

And the truth is that we highly value the choice that MSI has made for the SSD, since its performance is very high both in reading and writing in all circumstances. With values ​​that exceed 3500 MB / s in sequential reading and almost bordering 2400 MB / s in writing. Almost at the level of the 970 EVO so no objection to this model.

CPU and GPU benchmarks

Let's see below the synthetic test block. For this we have used the following programs:

• Cinebench R15Cinebench R20PCMark 83DMark Time Spy, Fire Strike and Fire Strike Ultra

Gaming performance

To establish a real performance of this team, we have tested a total of 7 titles with fairly existing graphics, which are the following, and with the following settings:

• Final Fantasy XV, standard, TAA, DirectX 12 DOOM, Ultra, TAA, Open GL Deus EX Mankind Divided, Alto, Anisotropico x4, DirectX 12 Far Cry 5, Alto, TAA, DirectX 12 Metro Exodus, Alto, Anisotropico x16, DirectX 12 Shadow of the Tomb Rider, High, TAA + Anisotropic x4, DirectX 12 Control, High, DLSS 1280 × 720, Ray Tracing Medium, DirectX 12

Temperatures

The stress process to which the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF has been subjected has taken around 60 minutes, in order to have a reliable average temperature. This process has been carried out with Furmark, Prime95 and the capture of temperatures with HWiNFO.

MSI GE65 Raider 9SF	Repose	Maximum performance
CPU	44 ºC	89 ºC
GPU	45 ºC	86 ºC

As we already anticipated, the temperatures fall within what we consider good for a laptop with these benefits. The fact of not exceeding 90 degrees is already good, and much better if we do not get thermal throttling as this has been the case. This makes performance under continuous stress much better, as power does not limit CPU frequency by temperature.

Final words and conclusion about MSI GE65 Raider 9SF

This is our review of the MSI GE65 Raider 9SF, so now it is time to take stock, and we have no choice but to praise the impressive pure performance and when it comes to gaming. The GE65 range is, let's say, the third after the powerful GS and GT, but the i7-9750H, the 32GB of RAM, and the RTX 2070 may well be worth a place equal to the others.

In addition, the fact that it is not a Max-Q such as those in the GS range, has allowed us to have better cooling and an almost total absence of thermal throttling. We could say then, that a GS with the same hardware will perform less than this laptop . We have a large 1 TB M.2 storage exceeding 3500 MB / s in reading, and also with the possibility of expanding with another M.2 and a third 2.5 ”SSD.

MSI has opted for what is the fastest refreshing IPS screen on the market, no less than 240 Hz for a fluidity worthy of the desktop e-sports monitor. Of course, to reach these figures we will have to possibly play at medium quality in Full HD.

We recommend that you take a look at our guide to the best laptops on the market

In the connectivity section we are also in luck, because we have Wi-Fi 6 implemented and ethernet connectivity with an RJ-45. We really like that the best SteelSeries keyboard is included for this Raider too, and a touchpad with separate buttons designed for gaming. Let's also not forget its great Giant Speakers 4-speaker sound system, which we consider a very favorable point.

Few cons we can put to this laptop, since it is very complete and balanced in all its aspects. A larger touchpad, or the inclusion of a fingerprint reader, would have been useful. Autonomy is good for what we have in hand, 4 and a half hours is more than could be expected, although 51 Wh will reduce the performance of the team.

We finish with the price of this MSI GE65 Raider 9SF, which we can acquire for 2450 euros, astronomical figures but that we are already used to seeing in gaming laptops. The version with RTX 2060 will be around 2000 euros approximately when it finally comes onto the market. Due to its excellent performance and balance, we classify it as recommended if someone can afford it.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ HARDWARE TOP WITH I7-9750H + RTX2070 + 1 TB EXPANDABLE	- WE DO NOT HAVE A FOOTPRINT SENSOR AND THE TOUCHPAD IS NARROW
+ 240 HZ IPS SCREEN, NEVER BEFORE SEEN	- THE PRICE EXCEEDS 2000 EUROS
+ GOOD LEVEL IN SOUND	- DOES NOT BRING WINDOWS 10 PRO
+ TOUCHPAD WITH INDEPENDENT BUTTONS AND STEELSERIES RGB KEYBOARD
+ E / SY CONNECTIVITY WI-FI 6
+ GOOD REFRIGERATION WITHOUT THROTTLING

The professional review team awards you the platinum medal and recommended product:

MSI GE65 Raider 9SF

DESIGN - 87%

CONSTRUCTION - 88%

REFRIGERATION - 91%

PERFORMANCE - 92%

DISPLAY - 90%

90%

One of the best balanced gaming notebooks in hardware and cooling, although its price is very high