MSI GS60 2PC Ghost laptop

MSI has released another gaming laptop into the wild: the GS60 2PC Ghost. It has a more refined look and feel than the MSI gaming behemoths we've seen in the past, and MSI has put in more features that provide a better overall end-user experience. There is a focus on comfort and good looks, as well as a necessarily strong internal configuration.

User comfort

The first thing you notice when you pick up this gaming laptop is just how light it feels considering what it represents. It's a 15.6in model with a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 CPU inside, but the chassis has a slim profile, and the laptop as a whole tips the digital scales at only 1.96kg (without its power supply). It's one of the few gaming laptops we've reviewed that feels comfortable to rest on our lap, and we loved using it as a regular laptop for our everyday work, (in addition to running a few racing games while lazing on the couch).

The build quality of the chassis is rock solid, and the Full HD screen is a stunner. But one of the delights of this laptop is its keyboard, which is a SteelSeries unit with perhaps the best keys we've ever felt on a laptop that isn't a ThinkPad.

Truly, the SteelSeries keyboard on this MSI Ghost is one of the best we've used in a laptop, and one that makes you want to use the laptop. That's due to the soft, yet firm feel of the keys; they also provide an excellent amount of travel, quick response, and crisp feedback. Furthermore, they are quiet keys and they are backlit by an array of LEDs that can be customised to your heart's content using the preinstalled SteelSeries Engine keyboard utility. There are many other things you can do in that utility, such as give each keyboard zone its own colour, set up different profiles, and even create macros that light up keys in a specific pattern. Other features include the ability to record typing sessions and find out which keys you hit most.

The only drawback is that it's a packed keyboard, especially around the arrow keys, and this is mainly because the number pad encroaches on the arrow keys, which can make it hard to distinguish them purely by feel. Getting rid of the number pad in a future model and replacing it with a column of macro keys might be something for MSI to consider. Overall, though, we loved typing with this keyboard and think it's a great laptop to choose if you're a typist looking for a laptop that can be a very good all-rounder.

Sitting just below the keyboard is a touchpad with a chrome outline, which adds a bit of flare to an otherwise minimalist look. It's large and it supports common gestures such as three-finger flicks, two-finger taps, and Windows 8's swipe-in movements. It's an ELAN pad and it's good overall, but we did notice instances in which it was slow to respond to our movements. When gaming, you will most likely be using a mouse, but for the times when you just want to browse the Web or do other non-gamey things, you might notice that it's a little off. That's not to say it's bad, just that it could be a little better.

We love the laptop's screen, which has a Full HD resolution and bright and vibrant colour output, as well as a beautiful, deep black level. Furthermore, it supplied wide viewing angles; we never felt the need to adjust the tilt in order to make the picture look better. It's a very good screen for looking at photographs, watching video, in addition to gaming. We didn't notice any ghosting while looking at fast-paced content. The only problem is that the screen's housing feels a little flimsy. In particular, the bezel on the right side made clicking noises when we pressed it gently with our fingers. This goes against the overall sturdy feel of the chassis.

Next page: Configuration, performance, drawbacks, and conclusion.