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The new MSI CX640 is a 15.6in laptop with a new Intel Core i5-2410M processor running at 2.3GHz. It also has a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics card and uses Nvidia’s Optimus technology, which can switch between the Nvidia card and the Core i5’s integrated graphics chip depending on whether you need 3D performance or longer battery life.
It’s immediately apparent when looking at our benchmarks that the new Core i5 is not just more powerful, but more efficient than the previous Core i5 generation. An overall result of 55 in our new benchmarks compares well to the score of 45 for the older Core i5-460M. Needless to say, the CX640’s performance is more than enough for most applications, and it won’t slow down as much as older Core i5 laptops with multiple applications working.
We weren’t quite so impressed by the CX640’s graphics performance. A score of 22fps in Call of Duty 4 means that you’ll be able to play some games, but you’ll probably have to disable some effects including anti-aliasing to achieve playable frame rates. Another benefit of fitting such a card is its support for CUDA, Nvidia’s GPU acceleration technology, which can speed up some operations in applications such as Photoshop, but it’s a marginal improvement at best.
The CX640’s case has a brushed-metal effect, but it’s not convincing and the way the lid rattles if you tap it doesn’t inspire confidence in the build quality. The keyboard has flat-topped keys, but their action is spongy, they wobble and the whole keyboard flexes. The layout is standard, thankfully, apart from the numeric keypad on the right which has only three columns.
We’ve reserved our deepest ire for the touchpad. Instead of a smooth, uniform surface for your finger to glide over, the CX640’s has concentric, etched circles. This means that when you try and move your finger left-to-right, it’s guided instead by the grooves to follow a semi-circular motion. To cap it all off, there’s a single, stiff see-saw button underneath with a huge dead spot at its centre.
There’s more: the screen’s backlight was dull and uneven, with a blue cast that dulled flesh tones, and images looked washed out. Vertical viewing angles were fussy and, coupled with a reflective glossy finish, it can be tricky to find an angle that gives the best picture.
The CX640 does have some redeeming features. For example, it has four USB ports, two of which are USB3. Although you won’t want to lug its 2.6kg weight too far, a battery life of almost five-and-a-half hours is impressive for a 15.6in laptop.
However, you can’t escape the poor touchpad and keyboard. If you need better performance than the Dell Inspiron 15R delivers, it’s worth spending more on the Asus N53S or the Lenovo ThinkPad L520. Otherwise, the 15R is a better choice for £150 less.
