MSI proves that you can purchase a very solid gaming machine without taking out a second mortgage with the GT725, a $1,699 rig that features a powerful quad-core CPU, robust graphics, and Blu-ray playback. We’re not fans of the keyboard, and the design could use a bit of a refresh, but overall, you get a lot for your money.
A Gamer’s Design; a Keyboard for Few
Lacking flames or glowing alien eyes, the GT725 may not be as ostentatious as other gaming rigs, but it has plenty of touches to remind you this is no ordinary notebook. The system has fire red accents, and the blue neon lights illuminate the responsive, touch-sensitive media controls, status indicators, and power button. However, this design is practically identical to every other MSI gaming notebook we’ve tested recently (such as the GT627, the GX630, and the GX720), and like the Gateway FX Series, is starting to look a bit dated. The brushed-aluminum lid and base gives the 15.5 x 10.9 x 1.0-inch, 7.6-pound system quite a solid feel, but the palm rest and keyboard demonstrated a fair amount of flex.
Being a 17-inch system, the GT725 accommodates a roomy keyboard that, unfortunately, has some problems. The inclusion of a full numeric keypad causes other keys to be shrunk: The right Shift key is about half the size of the one on the left side, and the minute Ctrl and arrow keys may prove painful to touch typists accustomed to full-size decks. We did like the fact that the WASD keys are clearly highlighted, which could help gamers unaccustomed to keyboard play.
The touchpad is smooth and of decent size, which made it a breeze to navigate the desktop. Below it are mouse buttons cut out of the chassis of the machine. The look is cool, but these buttons are not as easy to activate as traditional ones. Positioned above the keyboard are the aforementioned multimedia keys, plus Eco and Turbo buttons (for tweaking battery life and adjusting CPU clock settings) and quick launch keys for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, webcam, and a user-defined application. Surrounding these buttons is a race car–like grill that Nascar fans will likely appreciate.
Ports and Webcam
Connectivity options abound on the GT725. The right side of the system features a 4-in-1 memory card reader, two USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire 400, and headphone, mic, line-in, and line-out jacks; the back houses the VGA and HDMI ports; the left side contains a Kensington lock, Ethernet and modem jacks, two more USB 2.0 ports, and the 2X Blu-ray drive.
Above the display is a very nice 2-megapixel webcam that we used to chat with friends in Meebo. Other video callers reported bright images, smooth frame rates during our conversation, and a minimum of motion blur. The CrazyTalk Cam Suite allowed us to add wacky visual effects (such as a kitten face in lieu of our own that moved in conjunction with our mug), take snapshots (up to 3200 x 2400-pixel resolution), and record video (up to 1600 x 1200).
Display and Speakers
The Full HD (1920 x 1200-pixel resolution) display served up smooth visuals when we played a Blu-ray of We Were Soldiers. Even during high-octane gunplay sequences, it was able to maintain good frame rates. The colors could’ve used more pop, but the images were solid, even when we exported the signal to a 32-inch Samsung monitor.
Four speakers (and a subwoofer) churned out clear sound with a nice amount of bass bounce when we played The JBs’ “Giving Up Food For Funk,” but we would’ve liked more volume. The speakers were loud enough to fill a small room, but lacked punch when we sat a distance away in a larger room.
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