Official MSI GX640 Owner's Thread

Thanks for the great response! I still do not really know how the new i5s and i7's work.

Are all the i7's quad cores and all the i5's dual core?

I understand that the better i5's are better than the cheaper i7's at tasks that do not use all 4 cores, but if I get the best dual core (i5), is that better then the cheaper quad cores (i7's), even at things that rely on all 4 cores, such as photoshop, 3D rendering and autocad?

Anyways, here are my choices that I would get on these systems. For the tasks that I want to use it for (photoshop, 3DS max, AutoCAD), what is the best cpu performance wise that I can get? I would really prefer the GX640 over the Force, but for the price of the upgrades, is the Force a lot more powerful?

So my question is:

1.What is the best cpu for the tasks I want to perform for each of these laptops
2.What is the most powerful CPU out of these picks for the tasks I want to perfrom
3.How much more powerful is the best CPU (probably on the Force) compared to the GX640?

Here are my picks:

GX640:

- Intel® Core? i7-720QM, 1.60-2.80GHz, (45nm, 6MB L3 cache) ( + 283 )
-Intel® Core? i5-540M, 2.53-3.06GHz, (3MB L3 cache) ( + 299 )

Force:

Intel® Core? i7-720QM, 1.60-2.80GHz, (45nm, 6MB L3 cache) - Special! ( + 119 )
Intel® Core? i5-540M, 2.53-3.06GHz, (3MB L3 cache) ( + 145 )
Intel® Core? i7-620M, 2.66-3.33GHz, (4MB L3 cache) ( + 225 )
Intel® Core? i7-740QM, 1.73-2.93GHz, (45nm, 6MB L3 cache)- ( + 236 )


Thanks!

 

Out of the CPUs you're looking at, the i5s and the i7-620M are dual-cores, while the rest of the i7s are quad-cores.

As far as performance is concerned in tasks like video encoding that will use as many virtual cores as possible (i.e. 8 threads in a Hyper-Threaded quad), the i7-720QM (slowest quad) is equal to the i7-620M (fastest dual) in performance. Of course, in tasks that don't make use of the extra cores, the i7-620M will be faster. Look at these benchmarks.

I've already said this before, but when you consider the pricing the i7-720QM in the Force 1656-ID4 is the only worthwhile upgrade, due to the current heavily discounted price. All of the other upgrades are overpriced, especially the ones in the GX640. The stock i5-450M in the GX640-260US is a great CPU, and the i5-540M will only be 5% faster on two cores, and 15% faster on one (with the exception of tasks that use AES-NI). There's no way that's worth $145, let alone $299.

 

Just saw that, and just jumped on it. The only other difference is the 1066 vs 1333 memory, but I heard thats just crying over spilled milk. few days and i'll be a proud owner of a GX640.

Thanks for all your help lackofcheese.

Now to read all 151 pages of this thread to unlock all thats there...

 

Heat and the keyboard are generally seen as the GX640's biggest flaws, so that's something you want to read up about. I have a GX640 myself, though, and I'm not bothered by either.

There's some issues with PowerPlay on the laptop, but they're fixed by using the latest drivers and downclocking the GPU manually. This thread is a nice summary of those.

 

How bad is the heat on GX anyways? Will it be alarming (hardware-damaging) heat, or is it just the stupid heat that people been complaining about cuz they're sticking their hand next to the vents?

 

thanks for the great response cheese!

I think I would prefer a quad core CPU, and the Force is the much cheaper upgrade.

I really like the GX640 over the force because of a few things:

1. The look (red trim), touch pad bar
2. 3 year warranty included
3. 9 cell battery included

And I actually just calculated it, but the GX640 comes out cheaper!

If I get the Force, I upgrade the CPU (for only $119), but I also have to add the 9 cell battery ($109), 3 year warranty ($100), network card ($45), 4GB RAM, 500GB 7200 RPM HD and it comes out to be $100 MORE than the GX640, even when I upgrade the GX640 with the $300 Quad core processor!

Since the GX640 already comes with a 9-cell battery, network card and 4GB of RAM, I only have to upgrade the processor, which is expensive, but CHEAPER than all the other upgrades!

The main reason I was considering the Force was because of the cheaper cpu upgrade price, but since its a barebone, I have to add everything else.

Thanks for the replies, it really helped me out on understanding how each work and whats more powerful.

I read about the keyboard, and if it does bother me, I can easilly fix the flex. The heat doesnt seem to be an issue, because I will
And I just have 1 more question:

The force weighs more with a 6cell battery than the GX640 does with a 9 cell, even though its the same chasis. Do you know the difference?

Thanks again cheese!

 

Mostly the vents. And people really not expecting current gen cards to run hotter. Sure their hotter then larger rigs with better cooling, but well within acceptable thresholds.

 

'Kay. So a Thermaltake Massive23 will take care of everything then, most of the time, right?

 

The GX640's chipset supports all the current Quads too, so it's just a matter of taking out the stock CPU and putting in the new one and setting the BIOS right. Down the line, if the higher quads drop, that's what I'll be doing.

And like Cheese said, you better off just getting the stock CPU, selling it and buying the Quad. It would prob be cheaper then the upgrade price!

 

Who would buy the 430M? Do i3 folks have the ability to upgrade from i3 to an i5? Or would most likely a reseller buy it from ya?

 

I'd make an exception for the upgrade price of the i7-720QM in the Force 1656; $119 is worth it there if you really need the extra power. However, the GX640-260US has too many advantages over the Force 1656, in my opinion,.

I think people can upgrade from the i3s to the i5-430M if they want to, though, so there should be buyers for the 430M.

 

The barebones (1656) is by default more expensive than the GX640, right? Is that why CPU "upgrades" cost less?

 

The difference isn't that large, but the stock GX640-260US is better value.

 

Not quite, it's more about the fact that in the GX640 it comes from MSI with a CPU already in it so upgrading it would require buying a whole new proc. For the barebones, the CPU (if provided such as in the FORCE) is provided by the reseller so theyd be buying a proc either way so all you need to pay is the difference

 

It's a tad more expensive, since xotic needs to make a buck too.

I think the FORCE came with 320 5400 HDD and the next step down CPU. Upgrading it to an exact replica of the GX640, and then it's a tad more expensive. And don't forget thats W/O WIN 7 and the 1 year warrenty instead of the 3/1yr.

I was originally going with the FORCE because I need a laptop delivered in the next few weeks, but I'm glad to say a few $100 and get more now that RK had a few in stock.

 

Do I have the 3 years warranty even if I didn't registered it before 1 month after I bought it?

 

Finally got the gx640 from rk computers. I got the heatsink upgrade and the keyboard and some others so I can give some info on it eventually.

 

wow u got the same exact upgrades as me ugaboga313 hahaha. hopefully the mirror polished heatsink/chiclet keyboard will be worth the money.

 

wow RK computers has some pretty good upgrades. I was looking at xoticpc, and I will probably order it from them, but I would like to see what the chicklet keyboard looks like, and if it has the flex.

I also wonder how much the heatsink will lower temps. Their upgrades are also more than xotic.

 

OMG. My ATI sticker peeled off. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....

 

lol i took all the stickers off

oooo im really curious about how effective the heatsink upgrade is

 

Which company should I order my GX640 from?

I live in Canada, so I would prefer to order it from a place within Canada, or even Ontario, but I don't think I can.

So right now I am deciding between XoticPC and RK Computers. I've known of both for a few years now, since I've been searching for my first laptop. They are both very reputable, and pretty much the same price.

Both customer services are amazing, with me getting emails at 9:00 on a friday night, so that isn't a problem.

The thing that RC has over XoticPc is some better upgrades for a different keyboard and better battery.

So what do you guys recommend, and if anyone knows of MSI dealers anywhere in canada where I can custom order a GX640 that would be great, but I hope they are just as good as Xotic or RC.

Thanks!

 

tornbacchus, shoot me a pm

 

tornbacchus you should decide where you're gonna order your notebook from because RK computers only has one left in stock, and I don't know if they will restock. They probably will, because the gx640 sold out so quickly for them, but it will probably take some time.

 

Its prob one of the old 098's they have left. They'll prob get stock of the new 260's coming out.

 

What is the difference between the two? Is there a way to tell between the 098 and the 260's?

Because I thought the 260 doesn't come out until mid July, but seeing some of the older 098's, they look exactly the same, with the same components.

 

Actually they have still one left of the 260us in stock. Probably got the first shipment or something.

 

the only difference is the 098 has the i5-430m and the 260 will have the i5-450m. A barely noticeable difference I would think but a difference none the less.

 

oh well I guess it doesn't matter because I'll be upgrading it to the 720QM anyways.

Also, how is GentechPc? I hear good things on reseller ratings, and it seems like i can get a good deal on the laptop, but on their site it only shows the 098. Maybe I can give them a call and see.

Also, do they add anything to their laptops that are different? See the chrome vents or speakers in this picture:



Looks pretty nice

 

That has me wondering then. RK has the 260 listed, but I think when I configured it it still listed the 430m. Also, like everyone else, though the 260 isn't going to be round till mid July.

Should be interesting to see what I get. I've shot them an email.

Wonder if they'll just sawp out the CPU and call it a day.

 

The 260 is listed with the i5-450M at RK. Also, they only seem to have one in stock, which is very strange.

 

When you buy a GX740/640 and upgrade the CPU you pay for the CPU and you don't get the default one. Might as well buy the default config and buy your own upgrade CPU and ebay the default CPU.

Or even better build your own from scratch with the parts you really want from the start.

 

Yup, I stand corrected. Somehow missed that (then again I did order at 11:30 pm)

Inventory dropped to 2 when I ordered, and a page back someone said they also ordered; thus 1.

Hoping it's not an inventory glitch. How long does it usually take them to change their status from processing?

 

I emailed them and they said they will ship in about a week, with the next shipment being in mid-july like everyone else. Pretty excited about the laptop, and the inventory dropped by one when I ordered. I got some of the unique upgrades from rk, so am also excited about some of those (heatsink, keyboard, 6300 agn, bigger battery).

 

No it's not an inventory glitch. At first they had four in stock (I know because I kept checking their gx640 page every hour pretty much hahahaha). I was the first to order one. Then you and ugaboga313 commented that you ordered one...so it is correct that only one is left in stock.

And ugaboga313 thanks for that info. I'm really anxious about getting my gx640!!!! Hopefully they'll cash in my money order quickly and build my gx640 quickly too so that it'll ship next week also.

 

Same here. Said they got a very small initial shipment, only 4 units. More slated for mid July they hope.

Pretty cool, I was a tad bumbed about not getting the 450m, but now I am. Nice little suprise.

 

The chromy/silvery things are the speakers and sub (the alloys lmao )

But i don't know if 640 has a sub.

 

640 does not have a sub

Let us know how the custom heatsink works out. I'm curious how much they improve temps and how MSI will treat it if warranty repairs are ever needed.

 

AMD GPU Clock Tool is all i need right? It'll let me check temps, underclock/overclock, and undervolt too right? And to check temps all i have to do is leave it running in the background while I play a game?

 

No glitch. The manufacture received a small shipment last week of the GX640-260. We were able to get a small qty of them. The next shipment is supposed to be around the 2nd week of July with better availibility. Only difference between the previous model and the new is the 450M CPU.

 

Is it possible to tweak some settings so that the higher fan speed would kick in at around 90C instead of 100C?

 

If I understand this right, does the Intel 620M i7 has a built in graphics card?

If so, I have two questions:

1. Can I switch between the 5850 and the integrated card if I want? As in can this laptop support that?

2. Can I have 3 monitors going at once, as the 5850 can only support 2, can I use the integrated card to run a 3rd? Because it is like having 2 graphics cards.

Thanks!

 

1. No
2. No

 

I think the fan is more likely to go based off CPU temperatures than GPU.

 

It seems the 450m is only 2.4 to 2.66 with turbo boost, and not 2.93 like the 520m. I don't know when this change was made, as RK still lists it at 2.4 to 2.93 as I also thought it was. In the end, the dual core turbo boost wasn't changed, so this is more of a curiosity as most games run on dual cores.

 

Sorry I'm back on the CPU topic again, but is the 620m the only processor that beats the 720QM in single threaded tasks, and ties it at multi threaded tasks?

thanks

 

I assume the 740m and 820m (which I think are the same pretty much), 840m, 920m, and 940m would all beat the 720m and probably the 620m. 720m only clocks to 2.4 for dual core stuff, and 2.8 for single. 620m goes 3.06 for dual core and 3.3 for single (I think). However, at tasks that use quad cores (certain games, encoding), the quad cores will beat the 620m by a bit.

 

lol sorry, I forgot to add:

Is the 620m the only DUAL core processor to beat the 720QM in single threaded tasks. Kinda figured the better quads beat the cheaper quad.

Thanks for the answer though

 

620m
1 thread - 3.33
2 threads - 3.06

720qm
1 thread - 2.6
2 threads - 2.4
3/4 threads - 1.6

the math you can figure out. Whether you'll notice the difference at all, depends on what you'll be doing

 

Well, technically with HT they have double the threads, so you should really say "cores" instead or double the figures.

Also, the i7-720QM actually gets 1.73GHz turbo with 3/4 cores active, and 2.8GHz with one.