MSI CX640-018

MSI CX640-018UK review

MSI manufactures everything from individual computer chips to full laptops and the CX640-018UK is a prime example of excellent components combining to form a great all round machine. Only a slight usability issue detracts from an excellent experience. Intel's Sandy Bridge appears in the form of the Intel Core i7 2410M and provides excellent performance, as with the Dell Inspiron 15R and Lenovo G570. In fact, the MSI was only narrowly beaten by the Lenovo in our benchmarking tests, and this laptop can easily handle everything you throw at it. Even when multi-tasking with several applications, there's no slowdown. A dedicated Nvidia GT 540M graphics card handles photo and video editing, and you can play the latest games if you turn down the graphical detail. BenchmarksBattery life: 333 minutesMobileMark 2007: 2553DMark 2003: 13,143Only the Acer and Sony provide better multimedia performance. If you're doing more basic work, such as browsing the web, the graphics card shuts itself down to preserve battery power. The resulting battery life is excellent, stretching to five and a half hours.