Msi gp75 leopard 9sd review in Spanish (full analysis)

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is the new laptop that the brand introduces in this series of good gaming performance with important innovations. Only this GP series was missing with 6-core Intel Core i9-9750H processors and also with the new Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti, a card that is located in the middle zone in terms of performance and is ideal for budget gaming laptops.

In addition, we tested the version with a 17.3-inch screen and 144 Hz, a high-performance unit and many high-level details, which we will see in this review. If you were waiting for the new generation with 1660 Ti, here you have this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD.

Before we begin, we appreciate the trust that MSI places in us by temporarily transferring this laptop to us for analysis.

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD technical characteristics

Unboxing

For the presentation of this new model of the GP series, MSI has opted for a briefcase-type rigid cardboard box. Aesthetically it offers a black color entirely on the entire surface next to the MSI logo on the upper face painted in red. We do not have vinyl finishes on the outside or anything like that, it is a simple presentation, but quality and safe.

We open the box and have the main equipment stored inside a plastic bag and in turn put in two high-density polyethylene foam molds ideal for protection against strong shocks. This is much better than cardboard or polystyrene cork.

Right next to it, there is a cardboard box that stores another cardboard box that in turn stores the external power supply and the cable that plugs into the mains. In this bundle we have absolutely nothing else, neither CD with drivers, nor stickers.

External design

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is the first model that has come to us from the manufacturer with a GTX 1660 Ti configuration inside. This means that users who were looking for a portable computer to play at relatively cheap prices are in luck, and as always MSI is one of the first to offer us its configurations.

Well here we have this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD as we almost always start, with the lid closed to see a little of its outside. This cover is made of aluminum entirely on the outside in almost matt black. It has the typical lines of this series of equipment and the MSI logo in red and white without LED lighting. The only drawback is that all traces will be noticed on this cover, with our best ally being a cloth.

After seeing this quite conservative and discreet finish, we have to talk about measurements and weight, because remember, it is a laptop with a 17.3-inch screen and not necessarily a Max-Q design. We are then 397 mm wide, 268.5 mm deep and 29 mm thick. Its weight is 2.6 Kg with the battery included, although beware, in this model we do not have a 2.5 ”HDD pre-installed.

And it is that the measures are really very optimized in the team. MSI has already implemented its Thin Bezel display design in practically all available models. This means that the side frames of your screen are only 5.7mm wide, the top frame 9mm and the bottom frame 27mm.

Al webcam is located in the upper central part, while the hinge configuration is quite conservative in terms of design. Mobility is perfect and the lid offers enough hardness to be able to push the screen from the ends to open and close it.

Inside the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD laptop we have hard plastic in its entirety. The display frame is painted black and has numerous rubber feet to securely support the display on the base. While the base itself has a pretty sleek silver gray design and full keyboard setup. This area is lowered so that the keys remain at the same height as the rest of the base.

If we place ourselves right in front of the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD, we will be able to see its 29 mm profile that offers us surprisingly small rear grilles. Note that not all the surface designed in diagonal edges is open, it would have been the best, but it has an explanation. It is because the battery is located right on this back instead of the front.

And precisely at the front, we only find a small panel of three indicator LEDs in the central area and some rather soft corners that bring elegance to the whole.

In / Out Ports

We only have to see the lateral areas that is where all the ports of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD are located. It is a fairly complete connectivity, although you should know that this GP series has Thunderbolt connectivity, like the GE series. On the right side we will have the following:

• 2 USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports SD card connector Power connector

While in the left lateral area we will have everything that remains:

• Dual 3.5mm mini jack connector for audio and micro USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A Mini DisplayPort 4K @ 60Hz HDMI 4K @ 60Hz port RJ-45 Ethernet Kensington slot for universal padlocks

On both sides we have separate openings for expelling hot air from the cooling system. And we practically do not miss anything, we have everything necessary to connect drives at high speed with USB, and Matrix Display system with capacity for two 4K monitors in addition to the laptop screen.

screen

We are going to talk a little more extensively about the screen of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD, although the truth is that we do not specify too many details of it. In this review model we have mounted a screen with a 17.3-inch IPS panel that offers us a Full HD resolution of 1920x1080p working at 144 Hz refresh rate.

We will also have another version available with a somewhat more basic screen with 60 Hz refresh rate. In neither case do we have dynamic refresh rate management by AMD and Nvidia, so this will be fixed. Being an IPS panel, we should look at the possible appearance of bleeding, although MSI has this issue more than solved and at least in our unit, everything works perfectly. Similarly, viewing angles are, as it should be, 178 degrees in both vertical and lateral views.

Calibration

We have also taken advantage of our Colormunki Display colorimeter to see the quality of the calibration of this IPS screen. We will only give the results regarding the sRGB color space, since this is clearly where this screen is located. And for this, we will use the HCFR software, where we will verify the color and image graphics of the screen, as well as the comparison between colors, brightness and contrast.

In fact, we start with these last characteristics. This IPS panel gives us a contrast of 1369: 1 ANSI, considerably high for this type of technology. We have also carried out a comparison in the sRGB color palette and the results, practically in all cases exceeds the DeltaE less than 3, considered sufficient for the human eye to not distinguish between real and on-screen colors.

MSI does not specify that there is Pantone or Delta E certification for this screen, so considering this, the results are acceptable for a gaming screen. If what we want is to use it for design, perhaps this is not going to be enough.

We have used the colorimeter with the maximum brightness to determine what brightness levels this screen has, and in all cases it has exceeded 270 nits or cd / m ². They are quite good results, and also the panel offers a fairly uniform brightness throughout its surface, always a little stronger in the center.

Finally, we have captured the graphics related to the panel's performance. They show a discontinuous white and blue line, considered as an ideal reference, and a yellow one that is that of the monitor itself.

They are quite acceptable results, and with a calibration we could correct them to a great extent. Although it is a gaming laptop, and to personal taste, the level of color and tones is very good, offering a neutral image. We also see that the sRGB color space is met almost entirely with slight deviations.

Web camera, microphone and sound

What we have to talk about in terms of the webcam and micro of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is very little. This is because we find a configuration exactly the same as that of 95% of laptops on the market, that is, a Webcam with HD resolution. As always, you will be able to capture images at 1280x720p (0.9 MP) and capture video at 720p @ 30 FPS. And the microphones more of the same, a dual-matrix setup on either side of the camera that captures sound acceptably and far enough away. A configuration with strictly what is necessary for video conferencing.

And when it comes to the sound system, we have a dual 3W speaker setup in a circular format just on both sides of the front end. In fact, this round membrane setup is called MSI as the Giant Speaker, as it is significantly larger (x5) than the usual oval speakers.

To this, we add the presence of a Realtek sound card with Nahimic condensers and management by the Nahimic 3 software in regards to headphones. The presence of a dedicated Audio Boost amplifier has given us good audio quality for our headphones and even being able to emulate 7.1 sound using the software.

Overall, a pleasant audio experience with good balance and low distortion at high levels, and more than decent bass for these 3W speakers. Although we recognize that the experience with the 4.1 system installed by the previous GS73 is still a little better, although of course, it is two ranges above.

Keyboard and touchpad

And in regards to the keyboard and touchpad configuration, we have very good news, because the configuration of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is worthy of the manufacturer's higher-end equipment.

And we say it because this keyboard, for example, is the same one that installs the powerful GT76 Titan. A keyboard that comes from the hand of SteelSeries as usual, in full TKL configuration, that is, with a numeric keyboard included. It consists of chiclet-type membrane keys with RGB backlighting and independent key-to-key management. In addition, this lighting comes with the backlight type configuration, which is basically transparent keys on the sides to increase the power of your lighting.

This keyboard configuration is the best performance and, despite being oriented to gaming, the sensations in terms of touch and writing are very good. A key travel of about 3.5 mm, quite smooth, and that improve speed thanks to being not too far apart from each other.

And as a detail, we have an area located on the far right with the power button and two interaction buttons, one of them to activate the turbo mode of the cooling system and another to interact with the keyboard lighting, (as long as we have the SteelSerieres software installed).

And the touchpad, under my personal taste and preferences, is a delight. It is very wide and very easy and comfortable to use with the large space we have in the base of the laptop, it is one of the advantages of being 17.3 inches. And I like that the buttons are installed independently of the panel itself, since it is much more comfortable to operate it with two hands and not have that feeling of slack in the panels that make it all up.

It also allows some gestures such as zoom, which improve versatility. Accuracy is undoubtedly one of its main qualities, being able to move almost pixel by pixel across the screen if the precision of our finger is up to it.

SteelSeries keyboard software

We then take advantage of the section to talk a little about the software that we have discussed. And is that, having a keyboard of this configuration available, the least we could do is use the software for customization.

The interface is extremely simple, we will only have to select a key to customize the function it performs, or select one or more to modify its lighting in color or animations. We can practically do what we want with them, having a lot of predefined animations.

Features and hardware

The next step is to go inside to see what it offers us in terms of hardware, surely the most interesting for the player. In addition, the process of disassembling the rear case is quite simple, we just have to unscrew a handful of screws located all over this surface and disengage the clicks that will still hold the plastic case together.

We take this opportunity to see that the vents are not too numerous, and also the openings in front of the fans are quite limited and just how will this affect the air circulation? Then we will see.

Refrigeration system

Notice how good the interior of this laptop looks in terms of cooling. We have installed the MSI Cooler Boost 5 system, which is a system of 7 heatpipes built in copper. These cover both the processor and the GPU along with metal plates to improve thermal efficiency, which finally transfer all the heat to the small heatsinks located on the sides. In turn, a system of two turbine-type fans is responsible for expelling all the heat out.

And despite having so few bottom and side vents, the system works really well, full-flow airflow is pretty forceful, and temperatures stay around 87 degrees for the CPU and 70 degrees for the CPU in peak stress processes.

Basic hardware and storage

After this, let's finally see the hardware we have inside. And in this case we are going to start with your graphics card, since one of the novelties of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is the incorporation of an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti.

A card in Max-Q design for laptops that has 6 GB of 12 Gbps GDDR6 memory, just like the desktop configurations. Like its 192-bit memory interface with bandwidth at 288 GB / s. The graphics processor is of Turing architecture, with 1536 CUDA cores and without Tensor or RT, although with Ray Tracing capacity thanks to the new Nvidia drivers. Finally, the frequency at which it works is between 1335 to 1590 MHz with a TDP of between 60 to 80W.

As for the processor, we will know from the model, that it is a 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, the new successor star of the 8750H and that it will be the most widely used from now on. This CPU offers a performance that surpasses approximately 10 or 15% of the previous model, thanks to the increase in frequency of 2.6 GHz in basic mode and 4.50 GHz in turbo mode. In addition, we have 6 cores and 12 threads with Hyper Threading along with 12 MB of L3 cache that work dramatically thanks to an Intel HM370 chipset.

The chosen memory configuration can be improved, and not by the quantity but the distribution. They are 16 GB DDR4-2666 MHz Samsung but installed in a single memory module. On the one hand, it is good, since we still have a second free slot, but on the other hand it is bad, because it is a factory configuration in Single Channel and we will notice it in performance.

Something we also consider quite positive is the storage configuration. We have in this model a 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD storage unit installed, specifically a Samsung PM981 with NAND 3D TLC memory that will offer us a performance greater than 3000 MB / s in sequential reading.

We have enough space for a second M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slot for another SSD and also a space available to install a 2.5-inch SATA mechanical hard drive (or SDD), which does not come pre-installed. The application capacity, therefore, is magnificent.

Network connectivity

The next item to see is the network card configuration of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD, which is not bad either, although it is practically the standard.

We say this because a Killer E2400 network card has been installed for 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet connectivity. We therefore know that there are a couple of models above, such as the E2500 and the E3000 2.5 Gbps.

In the case of Wi-Fi connectivity, we can identify in the photo an Intel Wireless-AC 9560 card (not the Killer version) that offers us a bandwidth of 1.73 Gbps in the 5 GHz frequency in 2 × connection two. Bluetooth 5.0 + LE connectivity is also included in this chip. Remember that this card works under IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), so the model does not include Wi-Fi 6 connectivity already available in other new generation models.

Autonomy: the pending subject

We had high hopes for this model, first, for being a 17.3-inch display configuration, and second for the presumably available internal space.

In the end it was not so good, since MSI has installed a Li-Ion battery with 6 cells and 4730 mAh that delivers a power of 51 Whr. From the outset it will be quite little for a configuration with a dedicated graphics card. In the case of the external source, we have a 180W power input that will allow us to play as it should be, and which will practically be mandatory for it.

Regarding autonomy, because we do not have one too large, and that we can divide it into two types of experiences:

• Autonomy of about 4 hours and 20 minutes with a balanced profile with a screen at 40% brightness and doing very basic tasks.Autonomy of about 5 hours and 30 minutes approximately with the screen at minimum and eco mode activated playing content and browsing.

In no case are we going to reach those 8 reference hours for a work day, and we can hardly be playing more than an hour at a medium-low performance.

MSI Dragon Center 2 software

Dragon Center is already a program that we know well on this page, since there are many laptops that have passed through our hands at MSI. Now this version 2.0 comes with some interesting details regarding the previous version.

These details include, for example, a somewhat more detailed interface in terms of functions and interaction, or more advanced battery management, in which we can select how and when to charge it to protect its integrity and deterioration.

Among other things, we can manage ventilation profiles, activate gaming mode with performance profiles optimized for certain games, and other settings on sound or connectivity. We will also have our friend the MSI Charmander who will help us establish certain preferences regarding the energy and performance profile.

A small utility is also included to calibrate the use and charge of our battery and thus optimize the charging cycles intelligently, which we will carry out on this laptop quite frequently.

Performance tests and games

Before starting the performance tests we have to clarify an important detail. The MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD, at least in our unit and on the day we were doing these tests, we had no possibility of correctly installing the drivers for the Nvidia graphics card in version 430.xx, nor with Windows in its version 1809 or 1903. What does this mean? Well, we couldn't perform the benchmark tests with 3DMark properly, so it has been removed.

In any case, the performance tests with games and others have been carried out without too many problems with driver version 417.77, which is the one available in the MSI drivers section. With that said, let's get started.

SSD performance

The storage configuration consists of a single 1024 GB Samsung PM981 SSD, and to measure the performance we have used the CristalDiskMark 6.0.2 software and Atto Disk Benchmark 4.0.

This new model of Samsung SSD performs excellently in reading modes and slightly less in writing. In any case, in the first case we far exceed 3000 MB / s and in the second we stay around 2200 MB / s which is not bad for a simple SSD configuration without RAID 0.

The temperature recorded in idle mode has been around 51 ° C, which is not a small thing, although we must consider that it does not have an integrated heatsink.

CPU and GPU benchmarks

We have reduced testing to Cinebench R15 programs for the CPU, PCMark 8 for the GPU, and Aida64 Engineering for RAM and Cache memory.

In these measures, we can highlight a somewhat low score for PCMark 8, mainly due to the memory in Single Channel and some rather old Nvidia drivers, which make the Intel GPU detect before the dedicated one.

Otherwise, we see excellent performance from the Core i9-9750H, especially when it comes to mono core, and that increase in frequency.

Gaming performance

As usual, we will only test the performance of this laptop in the Full HD resolution that is native to the screen. For this, we have activated the maximum performance plan of the laptop obviously with the power connected. The configuration has been as follows:

• Shadow of the Tomb Rider High + TAAFar Cry 5 High + TAADOOM High + TAA (Vulkan) Final Fantasy XV Standard Quality Deux Ex Mankind Divided High + TAAMmeter Exodus High without RTX

It is the default configuration that the system establishes for these titles.

We see that the performance at this resolution and with this graphics card is very good. In fact, in almost all titles we comfortably exceed 60 FPS, although we stay away from 144 Hz on the screen at a high quality like the one we have chosen.

In this case, we warn that without the latest Nvidia drivers, some titles will detect as the main GPU, the one integrated in the CPU, so stay tuned. Similarly, the performance under Open GL is not too good, so in DOOM, for example, we have chosen to switch to Vulkan.

Temperatures

After these 45 minutes at maximum stress with Aida64 in CPU and GPU, we have proceeded to take some photos with the thermal camera to see what are the critical points of this MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD.

What we make clear is that the central area and rear parts are the ones that get the most heat, because the heat pipes send all the heat to this area. In fact, the left side gets hotter due to fewer heat pipes dedicated to the graphics card. For practical purposes, the keyboard does not feel very hot and we can work relatively comfortably with it.

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD	Repose	Maximum performance
CPU	45 ºC	87 ºC
GPU	47 ºC	70 ºC

And we see that the cooling system internally does an excellent job. Those 7 heatpipes are noticed working in conjunction with two very powerful fans, and not too loud we must say. They are temperatures that are below other models with this same CPU already analyzed, so we congratulate MSI for its excellent cooling systems.

Final words and conclusion about MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD

So far our review of the MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD goes, if someone missed a good update to the GP range, MSI has responded with a team that incorporates the 9th generation Intel processor and a very successful Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti card with performance Outstanding for Full HD gaming.

This is completed with 16 GB of RAM, but beware, on Single Channel. For personal taste, it is also wise to use a high-performance 1 TB SSD, especially if we consider that there is space to fit a 2.5-inch HDD and a second M.2 PCIe.

Something that can be improved is the management of the drivers for this new graphics card for laptops, because they are not yet fully tuned. Anyway, these initial problems will be a matter of days or weeks to solve them, since the process of updating Windows to its version 1903 is also in the process.

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

And about improvement is also the section of autonomy, 4 and a half hours we believe that it is little for a laptop, even if it is a gaming-oriented model. Being a fairly large team, a better space would have been settled with a battery more in line with what an average user of a laptop asks for, about 6 to 8 hours.

The design, for its part, follows a continuist line in the range, with the combination of plastic elements with aluminum. 2.26 Kg is little weight for a laptop with a 17.3-inch screen, with 144 Hz and a good level of brightness and correct calibration and color presentation.

Something that I really liked was the keyboard and touchpad section, incorporating the RGB Per-Key version of SteelSeries and a touchpad with independent buttons on the touchpad. The good sound quality offered by the double 3W speaker is also remarkable, with a great firm like Nahimic behind the system.

To finish, MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD is already available for sale for a price of approximately 1, 700 euros. It is more or less expected for this new step, since the GTX 1660 Ti offers similar performance to a GTX 1070 and superior to a GTX 1060. In any case, it is still a figure greater than 1500 euros.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ NEW GTX 1660 TI WITH +70 FPS MEDIA IN GAMES	- AUTONOMY IS INSUFFICIENT
+ GREAT KEYBOARD AND TOUCHPAD	- SMALL PROBLEMS WITH THE CARD DRIVERS
+ EXCELLENT HARDWARE EXPANSION CAPACITY
+ RECOMMENDED THE 144 HZ DISPLAY VERSION
+ GOOD INTERNAL COOLING

The professional review team awards him the gold medal:

MSI GP75 Leopard 9SD

DESIGN - 87%

CONSTRUCTION - 84%

AUTONOMY - 77%

REFRIGERATION - 90%

PERFORMANCE - 85%

DISPLAY - 87%

85%

A laptop with GTX 1660 Ti that would be almost round without better autonomy