With an Intel Core i9-11980HK chip, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 card in the top configuration version , the MSI GE76 Raider is kinda among the highest performing gaming laptops out there right now, at least that’s how it seems.
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-11980HK
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 32GB
Memory: 1TB SSD
Display: 17.3-inch, 1920x1080p, 360 Hz
Dimensions: 15.63 x 10.57 x 1.08 inches
Weight: 2.9 kg
Eye-catching design
MSI GE76 Raider is a laptop with a massive design, with an overall weight of up to 2.9 kg. However, in terms of size, MSI’s gaming laptop has a relatively slim appearance when compared to other models in the same segment. MSI’s Raider series has not changed much in terms of design compared to the previous version, except for the 17-inch screen.
The color version of the MSI GE76 Raider that we used in the review is called Titanium Blue. The outer shell of the machine has a main color of silver gray and it only lights up in metallic blue when you view it at a certain angle , so it feels kinda selective.
The MSI GE76 Raider is a laptop with a gamer-like design. Its display sits inside a slim bezel, and the frame is finished with diagonal cuts along the edges, for a more aggressive look.
Located on the body of the Raider is a full-size keyboard, flanked by a full numeric keypad. The keyboard set is brightly lit by a brilliant RGB lighting system. In addition to the lighting system for these buttons, the laptop is also decorated with a strip of RGB lights located on the front edge of the body.
The machine’s aluminum outer shell has a good build quality, giving it a very solid feel when held in the hand as well as when in use.
The machine is equipped with many connection ports of diverse types, divided equally among 3 sides of the laptop. On the left edge, you’ll see 1 USB Type-A port, and 1 USB Type-C port , plus a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with an anti theft lock slot too. Meanwhile on the right side there are 2 additional USB Type-A ports and a full size SD card reader slot, which is kind of convenient.
The rest of the Raider’s connections are placed around the back edge of the body, there you get 1 Mini DisplayPort , 1 Thunderbolt 4 port, an Ethernet jack , an HDMI port, and a power port.
Screen
The GE76 Raider comes with a display that has a diagonal of 17.3 inches, a 1080p resolution, and a fast refresh rate of 360Hz. It should work pretty well as a backdrop for fast paced gaming , mostly because it can show up to 360 frames per second and keep up without too much lag, or at least thats what you want it to do.
In our test, we measured screen brightness at 319 nits, which is just enough to beat the Alienware m17 R4 (316 nits) and the Aorus 17G (311 nits). So, not some giant advantage, but an edge still, you know.
From the color calibrator results, the Raider’s panel covers 73.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. This kind of color coverage feels slightly weaker versus other gaming laptops found in the same segment.
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Keyboard and touchpad
For many years, MSI has equipped its gaming laptop models with keyboards manufactured by SteelSeries. The GE76 Raider is one of those models. The keyboard set of this gaming laptop version is of good quality, with responsive buttons and good tactile feedback, providing a good user experience.
The machine’s touchpad has a 2-way size of 4.1 x 2.5 inches, providing just enough usable area for me to perform well the multi-finger swipes of Windows 10.
Ability to play games
MSI equips this Raider model with what is basically the top graphics card in the segment, namely the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16GB VRAM. Along with that strong graphics unit is an Intel Core i9-11980HK chip, and it gives you a pretty impressive overall performance, at least in this segment.
To see if the RTX 3080 really could squeeze everything out of the 360Hz display, I fired up Dota 2 and went for the unlimited frame rate option. Then I dropped the resolution down to 720p, and set the rendering quality at 60% . The frame rate on this laptop wavered somewhere between 320 and 350 fps, which is actually pretty smooth even with the fluctuation.
Next I checked the graphics muscle with a slightly more demanding title, Control . Running at 1080p with Ray Tracing switched on, the laptop delivered around 70–80 fps, give or take a bit.
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with the Highest setting and 1080p, the Raider averaged 106 fps, which kind of edges out the competitor Alienware m17 R4, rated at 103 fps.
Performance
Running on Intel’s top-tier Core i9-11980HK, plus 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, the GE76 Raider doesn’t just push strong gaming numbers, it also helps you glide through everyday chores and a usual daily workflow.
For benchmark results , I ran Geekbench 5 and the Raider came in at 1594 points in single-core, and 8388 points for multi-core. These scores are honestly 2 of the best results within the segment.
The Raider did well in our write speed test, copying a 25GB file for an average speed of 1309.64 MBps. This SSD is faster when compared to two gaming laptops from Alienware and Gigabyte, but slightly worse than ROG Strix (1499 MBps).
The GE76 Raider ran into a bit of a problem during the video transcoding speed test, with HandBrake just sort of being in charge of everything. I mean, the laptop did manage to convert a 4K video into 1080p , it took about 7 minutes and 12 seconds. That is not exactly a disaster but compared to the other results it looks a bit worse, since Alienware finished in around 6 minutes 44 seconds, and Strix even faster at 6 minutes 11 seconds.
Battery life
As a performance gaming laptop with a large screen, the GE76 Raider didn’t last long in our battery life test. Specifically, the laptop powered off after only 2 hours and 40 minutes of continuous web surfing using a wifi network, with the screen brightness adjusted at 150 nits.
This battery life result, though 35 minutes longer than the Alienware m15, is much worse when compared to the battery life of the Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 in the same test.
Heat dissipation ability
We obtained body temperature results when the laptop ran the Metro Exodus game to determine the machine’s heat dissipation performance.
During this time, the keyboard center area, specifically between the G and H keys, the laptop had a measured temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the touchpad area felt a bit more comfortable than expected, with the recorded value at 89.2 degrees Celsius. The area showing the highest temperature seems to sit in the chassis position, and the measured temperature there came out at 59.8 degrees Celsius.
Summary
If you are trying to find a gaming laptop that gives top-tier speed and also can step in when you need the desktop to take a break, the MSI GE76 Raider is kinda the main choice you should be looking at. Beyond the peak performance that it delivers, the unit comes with a panel that supports a refresh rate up to 360 Hz , which is pretty important for smoother play.
The machine has a heat level that gives off warmth when playing games, but this is a common limitation of laptops in this segment. If you are looking for a gaming laptop with top performance in the segment, capable of playing every game on the market, then the MSI GE76 Raider will be a good choice.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.