MSI GS30 2M Shadow - Intel Gen 5

Overview

Apart from Alienware, MSI belongs to the few gaming companies which have the courage to offer a notebook with optional graphics amplifier. However, the risky concept was implemented quite well. Due to the hot-headed Core i7-4870HQ, the notebook can already get quite loud while idle, which might discourage many customers from buying. Not to mention the fact that the Turbo is hardly used under load. In addition, the stability of the case, the battery life, the ClickPad and the connectivity are not the best.

-- As reviewed by NotebookCheck

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 5 expert reviews

Excellent:

1
Good:

3
Average:

1
Bad:

0

7.4

User Score

Based on 150 reviews
as rated by users

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Last revision on August 27, 2018

Reviewers Liked

Could replace your gaming rig
Straightforward docking procedure
GeForce GTX 980
IPS display
Low and ultra-lightweight chassis

Reviewers Didn't Like

Mediocre battery life
Fan noise can be bothersome
Throttling under full load
Expensive

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick these products using a variety of criteria: they might be direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or they could be devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

By NotebookCheck on May 20, 2015 82

By PC Gamer on March 18, 2015 78

Without a longer battery life in the laptop, and less noise while docked, the GS30s impressive gaming performance isnt quite enough to make it a must...

By Kitguru.net on March 05, 2015 80

When we previewed the MSI GS30 Shadow and GamingDock at the end of 2014 we were blown away by the combination of Core i7-4870HQ CPU in the laptop and the desktop GTX 980 graphics card in the GamingDock. The concept of using an external dock to add proper...

By APC Magazine on January 22, 2015 70

MSI is hoping to cash in on that idea with its latest bit of kit, a weird but perhaps not entirely crazy concept: the GS30 bundles a high-spec 13.3-inch laptop along with a hefty box that MSI is calling a “GamingDock”: basically it's an enclosure...

By GoldFries on September 19, 2015

OK so here it is, the GamingDock. It's huge, measuring at 364.4 x 209 x 197.7mm. That's pretty much a Mini-ITX desktop already, in fact it's actually bigger than some Mini-ITX setup. The front of the GamingDock is a set of speaker – my take on front...

By lowyat.net on August 21, 2015

The MSI GS30 Shadow is an interesting product. On one hand, it is a lightweight and portable laptop with a very capable processor and integrated graphics. But once the laptop is connected to the GamingDock, it turns into one beastly gaming machine that...

By klgadgetguy.com on August 12, 2015

First, the MSI GS30 with GamingDock retails at RM10,999, that's a crazy amount to pay for a 13-inch laptop, it all comes to how you perceive its value to be very honest. In my case, I will consider the MSI GS30 to be the perfect machine for both gaming...

By TheStraitsTimes on July 29, 2015

The MSI GS30 is not your typical gaming laptop. Weighing just 1.2kg, it is lighter than the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air.Here's the catch: It is equipped with integrated graphics that are barely better than the graphics on the MacBook Air or any other...

By PCPer on April 09, 2015

The unfortunate part of the MSI GS30 Shadow is that it's not perfect, and that is really what I was looking for. An Ultrabook-style notebook that can be docked with a discrete GPU when at home or at the office, with more accessories and connectivity...

By eurogamer.net on April 05, 2015

MSI is onto something here - in our opinion it really needs to double-down on the eGPU strategy and to make it a cornerstone of its enthusiast notebook offerings. Firstly, we reckon that the dock expansion slot should be included as standard on all MSI...

By hardware-boom.com on March 05, 2015

The MSI GS30 is in itself a very special laptop. A 13.3-inch laptop with a weight of just 1.3 pounds and still feature beautiful specifications as a quad-core processor, two SSDs and a Full HD IPS display. Ideal if you're a powerhouse, but preferably...

By Trusted Reviews on February 04, 2015

We're really happy to see another attempt at creating a graphics card dock and laptop solution, and MSI seems to have made a decent attempt with the GS30 Shadow and GamingDock. We're not really sold on the inclusion of speakers or the styling of the...

By HEXUS.net on January 13, 2015

The MSI GS30 Shadow is further proof that laptop docking stations have plenty to offer.Transforming a thin-and-light 13.3in laptop, the bundled GamingDock opens the door to greater storage, better connectivity, improved audio and a far superior...

By TechRadar on January 08, 2015

MSI successfully combines its laptop and GamingDock into a powerful gaming machine, but neither part of this dynamic duo shines on its...

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MSI GS30 2M Shadow - Intel Gen 5

Overview

Pros & Cons

Reviews

Price: $1,948

TechSpot Metascore

User Score

Reviewers Liked

Reviewers Didn't Like

Competitors and Related Products

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Expert reviews and ratings