Page 60 - Australian Photography Dec 2020

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MSI WS66 LAPTOP
MSI’s may be known for their gaming laptops, but the Chinese company also makes some seriously impressive tools for creatives as well. Anthony McKee takes its latest, the WS66, out for a spin.
TESTED: MSI WS66 LAPTOP
| 60 | DECEMBER 2020 | AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Laptops are likes cars; there are hundreds to choose from and the more style and pace you want, the more it will cost you. These days you can pay as little as $400 for a new laptop (just don’t expect to drive Photo- shop) through to $10,000 or more for the high-end machines. Fortunately there are plenty of good laptops to choose from in the middle ground.
One example is the new Workstation WS66, a smart 15-inch machine made by Taiwanese computer manufacturer MSI. This company has a reputation for building high performance gaming computers and they are now sharing their performance knowhow with the creative market.
As is the case with most computers, the WS66 is available in a range of versions, but the model we have tested features a 10th generation Intel i7 2.66-Ghz processor, a NVADIA Quadro RTX 3000 GPU, 32-Gb of RAM, a 1-TB Solid State Drive, sup- port for the new wi-fi 6 standard, and a 1920 x 1080 full HD display. The WS66 also has a 99.9 Watt-hour battery that MSI claims can keep the WS66 operating for up to nine hours.
Unlike some glitzier laptops on the market, the MSI Workstation WS66 is a practical machine that is not too obtrusive. The dark grey aluminium body offers clean, simple lines and a slim profile of just 19.8mm that can easily slip into most suitable camera cases or satchels. With the laptop open, there is not a lot to distract you from your work. The keyboard is clean and feels good for extended periods of typing and the keys are illuminated with a soft white light that you can reduce in brightness by four levels or turn off as required. There is a small fingerprint lock on the touchpad that you can use to unlock the system, and if you look closely at the top of the display bezel you will just notice two small cameras; one is for your Zoom meetings but the other is an IR camera used in the Windows “Hello” password-free security options.
The only other subtle design feature you’ll notice is discreet perforations on the top and bottom of the laptop body, between the keyboard and screen, combined with three fans built into the body. These perforations do a good job