Aluminum Black MSI GE62 Apache Pro-239 15.6 Inches Laptop Review

First let me say that I did a ton of research before I settled on this computer. I looked at the 15.6 "mid-range" gaming laptops from Asus, Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Sager, Lenovo and Gigabyte. I drove to big box stores and tested most of them out. This is the computer with the best specs for the price you can get. I'm not returning it and I'd make the same choice again. But I'm not 100% happy.

I wanted a computer that would be somewhat "future proof". Which, to me, as of late 2015, meant a 6th Gen i7/i5 processor, at least an Nvidia 960M with at least 3GB VRAM (DDR5), 12 GB RAM (ideally DDR4), full HD matte screen, a USB C port (ideally Thunderbolt 3), Windows 10. Only a handful of options met all the criteria within my budget, specifically, the Asus GL552VW-DH74, The Acer "Predator" and this GE62. The "Predator" looks silly. So, it came down to the Asus and the MSI. Both have some metal accents but are mostly plastic builds. I like the overall... Read more

First off, I'll say if you can afford the models with the 970M, then get one of those. For the games I play, the 960M is more than sufficient and I couldn't justify the extra $200 but the 970M is a different beast. Also, if you plan on installing an SSD, make sure you have a 32GB pen drive. 16GB isn't enough and my 64GB pen drive wasn't detected by the MSI BurnRecovery software to create a bootable USB. (Check the forums, some 64 GB drives work). After the PC boots up for the first time, let it download updates and then Restart (it did not prompt me to do this). My Nvidia graphics card wasn't working until I did this. Lastly, the battery will not charge up to 100% unless you let it dip below 95% and then charge it. This is not a fault with the battery. It's to save those needless 95% -> 100% charges.

Quick Update: You will get a BSOD (machine_check_exception) if you open any MS Office app/file, or any Steam game. Update your BIOS to the latest version to solve this. You... Read more

I love this product. In fact I ordered it the day it was available. And I must say after receiving it, this computer has amazing specs. I hear people complaining about the textured track pad being 'annoying' but frankly if you're into gaming (I.E. THE ONLY REASON YOU'D BE PURCHASING A GAMING LAPTOP) you will love it. The textured track pad makes any kind of mouse movement feel much more responsive than on any other device I've EVER used. When it comes to gaming, for a laptop, it's hard to get much better for this price. I'm tired of people comparing gaming laptops to 2 year old custom PCs... They are completely different beasts. So be realistic and stop comparing apples to oranges. I've been able to play every game I have on ultra settings and still get over 60 fps which let's face it, is not really noticeable above that. Battery power is not an issue if you use common sense and switch performance modes away from sport to comfort or even green when you're unplugged from the wall. The... Read more