MSI GE700 Looms Large with 17-inch Screen and ATI Graphics

By Geoff Duncan Published March 15, 2010

MSI has never been shy about shipping a plethora of notebook systems—it just dropped Core i3 and i5 CPUs into its mainstream C-series notebooks—and now the company is back with a biggie: the GE700 aims to be a entertainment and gaming machine, featuring a 17-inch display, ATI Radeon HD 5730 discrete graphics with 1 GB of VRAM, and a 720p-capable webcam so users can video conference in high definition.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Under the hood, the GE700 will offer an Intel Core i5 processor with Intel Turbo Boost and Hyper Threading technology for improved performance in multi-threaded applications. And while the system packs the ATI Radeon HD 5730 graphics for gaming and multimedia (and DirectX 11 support), it also has power-sipping integrated graphics for those times you need to extend battery life and need time with everyday applications like email and word processing. MSI hasn’t specified the native resolution on the display, but the system will offer up to 500 GB of hard drive space (there’s a second drive bay for even more storage), two DIMM slots, a 4-in-1 media card reader, Super-Multi DVD drive, an optional 9 cell batter for extended life, four USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, HDMi and D-sub video ouput, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR wireless networking, and that high-definition webcam. The system also sports stereo speakers and a subwoofer to bring out the SRS Premium Sound system.

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The GE700 ships with Windows 7 Home Premium and weighs (hold your breath) 3.2 kg—that’s just over 7 pounds. MSI hasn’t released pricing or availability information.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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