MSI FX720 review

In terms of aesthetics, the FX720 isn’t the smartest laptop we’ve seen recently. It shares some design elements with MSI’s cheaper laptops: the case is finished in a ‘scratch-resistant’ textured black plastic which isn’t particularly attractive.

MSI hasn’t used the entire width of the case for the keyboard and number pad, which is a shame as the keys felt smaller than other laptops’. The numberpad has four columns, but the main Enter key is only single-height and the backslash key has been moved to the left of the spacebar.

The keys themselves are good, however, with a light action and a crisp bite that provides excellent feedback for touch-typists. The touchpad isn’t particularly large but has a nice textured surface; we found it responsive, but the single see-saw button is a bit stiff.

Although at face value the FX720 looks like a bargain, it has some frustrating niggles that we can’t forgive: the cramped keyboard, dated design and limited battery life detract from what is otherwise a powerful laptop with a large screen and some modern features. The HP Pavilion dv7-6000sa may be slightly slower, but its large screen, massive hard disk and excellent build quality make it a bargain at under £500.