MSI FX620DX

MSI FX620DX

The MSI FX620DX has a few nice features that help it stand out in a bleak, cost-conscious, all-purpose laptop world. Sure, it's no gaming superstar, but the 720p webcam and two USB 3.0 ports are sure to woo some shoppers on a budget. Our review model, which costs $760, comes packed with one of Intel's second-generation Core processors--the Core i5-2410M, to be exact. Alongside the CPU is 6GB of RAM, a 640GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GeForce GT540M graphics card. Besides the built-in webcam, the FX620DX has a DVD Super-Multi drive, and 802.11n Wi-Fi, also built-in. The FX620DX runs the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium. That's pretty good power under the hood of such an affordable laptop: In our WorldBench 6 benchmark tests, the FX620DX scored a very reasonable 119. Another feature is switchable graphics--that means you can conserve battery life and use the integrated Intel graphics, or you can switch over to the discrete, more powerful Nvidia GeForce GT540M graphics card. In PCWorld's graphics tests, the FX620DX managed 43 frames per second while running Dirt 2 (high quality settings, 1024 by 768 resolution).