MSI CX640 review

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.