MSI GS30 Shadow review

Gaming laptop manufacturers have been wrestling with the issue of performance versus available power and space since their inception. While chip makers like Nvidia are quickly closing the power gap between mobile GPUs and their desktop counterparts, notebook vendors like MSI and Alienware aren't about to sit around waiting for that day.


That's why MSI has developed the GS30 Shadow with GamingDock, a 13.3-inch gaming laptop that's just 0.77 inches thin. But here's the kicker, it comes bundled with an enclosure that houses just about any desktop GPU you can muster (GeForce 600 Series on and an array of AMD cards), a 3.5-inch drive bay for extra storage and a 450-watt power supply to feed it all.
Built exclusively for the GS30, the dock accepts the laptop through a PCIe 3.0x16 slot up top with a sturdy locking mechanism. That PCIe connection is important, because MSI has Alienware's Graphics Amplifier - which uses a proprietary PCIe 3.0x4 cable to connect to its line of notebooks - square in its sights.

MSI claims that, because its GamingDock uses a full-bandwidth connection (i.e. 16 connectors), it can achieve better performance than its competition's four connectors. While I haven't been able to test either solution at length, the math checks out, at the very least. But, of course, there are ups and downs to both approaches.

Pure power versus convenience

On the whole, MSI's modus operandi has always been to deliver as strong of performance as possible for the best deal possible, and nothing about that has changed with the GS30 Shadow. Because the laptop comes bundled with the GamingDock, MSI opted to equip the GS30 with solely an Intel Core i7-4870HQ with Iris Pro 5200 graphics.

However, that's where the deal stops: you'll have to provide your own desktop GPU for the GamingDock to do its thing. Furthermore, the GamingDock can only push video to an external display, though MSI is working on a BIOS update to allow the GS30 screen to display the desktop graphics. Sure, both points are a bummer, but how much did you expect in one package for $1,899 (about £1,246, AU$2,358) to start?
And as a result of this, the laptop must be powered down before connecting and removing it from the GamingDock. That sounds like a misstep at first, but MSI made a strong decision on the type of product it wanted to deliver.
The focus here, again, is on performance over convenience. If you're to provide a desktop GPU and external display to use the GS30 to its fullest, why would you need a mobile graphics chip anyway?

If mobile gaming performance is important to you, there are plenty of options out there. What MSI has done here is provided an Ultrabook for all your mobile computing needs and an easy way into desktop PC gaming. The idea, essentially, is to provide two products in one package, and MSI has managed that with flying colors.

On to the good stuff

Now that that's out of the way, let's get to brass tax: what's inside. MSI equipped the GS30 with a sterling 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 anti-glare LCD with wide viewing angles. Powering that, in addition to the Intel chip, are up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of solid-state storage (through two drives in RAID 0 configuration).

That alone sounds like a decent laptop, and thankfully it's a looker, too. MSI has honed its design ID to a fine edge, with sharp edges and attractive angles in a nearly all-aluminum chassis. Not to mention that backlit keyboard and lights the line the base. While it's not cut from one piece of aluminum or anything, MSI has clearly upgraded its aesthetic even over the past year while maintaining those appealing price points.
As for the GamingDock, it's also home to four USB 3.0 ports to compliment the laptop's two, an RJ-45 port (in case you'd rather use that over the laptop's 802.11ac Wi-Fi) and audio jacks. Oh, and that front grill you see? That hides two 5W speakers and a 5W subwoofer. A pretty complete package, if you ask me.

Early verdict

MSI has come at this new approach to empowering gaming notebooks from a different angle from its competition, focused almost solely on value, performance and design in GS30 Shadow and GamingDock. The result is a machine that can be an Ultrabook in your backpack when you need to get things done and a gaming PC at home that can play with the big boys.
Sure, the upfront cost for end user (player?) to getting such a thing off the ground is nothing to scoff at. But the idea here is to pay once for two devices and not have to pay again for some time. This may sound rather niche, but aren't gaming laptops already?
Frankly, and I'll say it one last time, this is the most complete solution on the market as far as drawing desktop-level graphics out of a laptop goes. MSI is clearly making a bet that you do most, if not all, of your PC gaming at home, and we'll see whether that checks out. In the meantime, know that - until mobile GPUs finally catch up with those in desktops - this is your best bet to close that gap right now. Stay tuned for our full review later this year.