11.11.2020 
MSI just launched a new premium gaming laptop called the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS. It's a high-end device that's available in a multitude of configurations. We got a sample that featured an Intel Core i9-10980HK processor, 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and the best mobile graphics card these days: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER with Max-Q Design (and 8GB of GDDR6). Are you curious to find out more? Read this review to see the details about what the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS can do:
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS: Who is it good for?
The MSI GE66 Raider 10 SGS is an excellent choice if you:
- Want to play any modern game at high framerates and maxed graphics settings
- Desire a laptop with high-end hardware that can handle any task, no matter how demanding
- You afford paying a high price for a premium device
Pros and cons
There are a lot of good things to mention about the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS:
- It features one of the best Intel processors for laptops
- The graphics card can run any game at maxed visuals and high framerates
- The sample we tested has a display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, excellent for competitive gaming (also, you can choose what type of display you prefer)
- The SteelSeries keyboard is excellent and comfortable to type on
- The laptop's chassis has a premium and robust build
- The cooling system is well thought
- Comes with Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gbps Ethernet, which means fast network connections
- Plenty of input/output ports
- RGB lighting that looks great
- The battery is generous
The only downside we can think of when it comes to this laptop is that it's price is high, and many people won’t afford it.
Verdict
If money is not a problem for you, and you want one of the best gaming laptops available on the market today, you can't go wrong with the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS. It is one of the most powerful laptops we tested and, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful we've seen also. After seeing its hardware specs and the results it managed to get in benchmarks, we're pretty sure that this laptop will be able to run any game at maxed graphics settings for at least a couple of years from now.
Unboxing the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS
The MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS laptop arrives in a large box made of hardened cardboard. The box design is minimalist: only the MSI logo is painted on it.
The box containing the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop
In the package, you find the laptop inside a protective textile cover, a power adapter, a power cable, the user documentation, and the warranty.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: What's inside the box
Unpacking the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS is a pleasant experience, and we must admit that we loved the way it looks from our first encounter.
Design and hardware specifications
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS is a powerful machine with a beautiful design. Its chassis looks elegant and more restrained compared to the majority of gaming laptops we've seen during the last years. On the screen lid, you're only going to find MSI's dragon logo on a plane matte gray surface.
The MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop (view of the screen lid)
The screen connects to the body via two slightly oversized and robust hinges. On the rear side, as well as on the left and right sides, MSI placed large air vents for cooling the insides of the laptop. However, they're not the only ones, as the bottom of the chassis is also filled with a large grille that looks like a bees honeycomb. It's an interesting choice of design that we like a lot. Not only does it provide an excellent airflow, but also helps keep the laptop very stable on any plane surface.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: View from the bottom
The body size of the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS is that of a regular 15" modern laptop, measuring 14.1 by 10.51 by 0.92 inches (358 x 267 x 23.4 mm) in width by depth by height. It weighs 5.25 pounds or 2.38 kg.
The MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop has robust hinges
The brain of the machine we tested is an Intel Core i9 10980HK processor. It's a CPU launched in the second quarter of 2020, with 8 cores and 16 threads running at a base frequency of 2.4 GHz and a maximum turbo frequency of 5.3 GHz! It is one of the fastest processors you can find on a laptop these days.
However, you might find other variants of the MSI GE66 Raider laptop that feature other CPUs from Intel. According to the company, this laptop can be equipped with any CPU from "the latest Intel Core Processor Family."
Processor information from CPU-Z
The processor is accompanied by a maximum of 64 GB of DDR4 RAM running at a maximum frequency of 3200 MHz. The amount of RAM you get also depends on the exact model you buy. For example, the laptop that we received had 32 GB. Note that there are two SO-DIMM slots available on the laptop, so you should be able to upgrade to larger capacity DIMMs if you want to.
Details about the RAM, from CPU-Z
Moving on to the graphics part, this is where things get interesting. The MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS laptop features the best mobile GPU you can find today. We are talking about the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER with Max-Q Design and 8GB of GDDR6. Sure, NVIDIA launched the RTX 3000 series of graphics cards already, but only for desktop machines. If you dream about having one of those on a laptop, you will probably have to wait until the first quarter of 2021.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: GPU details
The GPU sends the video signal to a 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) display with an impressive refresh rate of 240 Hz. But that is just the sample laptop that we tested. According to MSI's documentation, the laptop is available in other display configurations also: 15.6" UHD (3840x2160), 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) and 144Hz, and 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) and 300Hz! MSI describes all the screen options as being IPS-Level. However, that does not mean that they use IPS panels: they use TN panels, but MSI thinks their quality is close to that of IPS.
A view of the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop
When it comes to storage options, the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS offers one M.2 SSD slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3) and one M.2 SSD Combo slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3 / SATA). The sample that we tested came with 1 TB SSD made by Sandisk. However, MSI probably sells this laptop in other storage configurations too.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: SSD information
The MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS comes with great options in terms of network connectivity. You get Killer Gb LAN, as well as Killer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.1. If you are curious about the exact models of network chips you get, know that the sample we received had a Killer E3100 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet controller and a Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i wireless network adapter.
Regarding audio, the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS laptop delivers it via a set of built-in stereo speakers made by Dynaudio. Nahimic handles the software part.
The laptop is generous when it comes to the input/output ports you can use. Some of them are positioned on the rear side, while others are found on the left and right sides. On the rear, there is a Mini-DisplayPort, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port, the RJ-45 Ethernet connector, an HDMI port, and the AC power connector.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: IO ports on its rear
On the right side, you get a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and a card reader, while on the left side of the laptop, there is a Kensington Lock, a status LED, a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (Type-C) port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a Combo 3.5 mm audio port.
MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS gaming laptop: IO ports on the left side
Regarding the operating system, MSI delivers the GE66 Raider 10SGS with Windows 10 Home. When it is not connected to a power socket, the laptop gets its autonomy from a generous Li-Ion battery that can deliver 99.9 watts per hour.
For more details about the features and technical specs of this laptop, visit GE66 Raider Specifications.
The hardware specs of the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS recommend it to anyone who longs for a premium laptop that can handle any modern game at high framerates and the highest graphics settings. Evidently, it should also ace any productivity tasks. Also, the design is quite elegant, and the RGB lighting looks great on the laptop.
On the next page of this review, we share details about the user experience, the software, and apps bundled with the MSI GE66 Raider 10SGS laptop, as well as its benchmark results.
