MSI TITAN GT77 HX Review

RTX 4090 | Core i9 13950HX | 64GB DDR5-4000 | 4TB SSD | $5,300

The MSI Titan GT77 HX is a high-performance gaming laptop produced by MSI, a well-known manufacturer of gaming hardware. The GT77 HX is part of MSI’s Titan series, which is designed for gamers and enthusiasts who demand powerful hardware and exceptional performance.

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MSI TITAN GT77 HX Features and Specifications

Here are some key features and specifications of the MSI Titan GT77 HX:

• Processor: The GT77 HX is equipped with Intel’s high-end desktop-grade processors, such as the Intel Core i9-10900K or the Intel Core i9-10980HK. These processors offer excellent multi-core performance and are capable of handling demanding tasks and gaming.
• Graphics: The laptop comes with a dedicated graphics card, usually the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series, such as the RTX 3080 or the RTX 3090. These GPUs provide exceptional gaming performance and support real-time ray tracing technology for enhanced visual realism.
• Display: The GT77 HX features a large 17-inch display with various options, including Full HD (1920×1080) and 4K UHD (3840×2160) resolutions. The display often supports high refresh rates, such as 144Hz or 300Hz, for smooth and fluid gameplay.
• Memory and Storage: It typically offers multiple RAM configurations, ranging from 16GB to 64GB of DDR4 memory. In terms of storage, the laptop usually includes a combination of SSD (Solid State Drive) and HDD (Hard Disk Drive) options, providing fast boot times and ample storage space.
• Cooling System: Given the high-performance components, the GT77 HX incorporates an advanced cooling system with multiple fans and heat pipes to ensure optimal thermal management and prevent overheating during intensive gaming sessions.
• Keyboard and Lighting: The laptop features a full-size backlit keyboard, often with per-key RGB lighting, allowing users to customize the lighting effects according to their preferences.
• Connectivity and Ports: The GT77 HX includes a variety of connectivity options, such as USB Type-C, USB Type-A, HDMI, mini DisplayPort, and Ethernet ports. It also offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for wireless communication.
• Audio: MSI typically incorporates high-quality audio technology, such as Nahimic or Dynaudio, to provide immersive sound and a more engaging gaming experience.
• Design and Build: The GT77 HX has a robust and premium build quality with a sleek and aggressive design aesthetic. It often features a sturdy chassis and a large ventilation system to facilitate airflow and cooling.
• Additional Features: Depending on the specific model, the GT77 HX may include additional features such as Thunderbolt 3 support, an SD card reader, a webcam, and various software utilities for system optimization and customization.

I must confess that I have developed a strong dislike for the MSI Titan GT77 HX. Part of this sentiment stems from my growing frustration with the continuously rising prices of modern gaming PC hardware. MSI has affixed a staggering price tag of $5,300 to the Titan GT77 HX, which only exacerbates my dissatisfaction. It has long been the case with gaming laptops that their cost far exceeds that of an equivalent desktop machine. However, the situation has reached absurd levels.

Nevertheless, it is entirely possible for an expensive piece of hardware to still offer good value. All I desire is the assurance that I haven’t been ripped off. Unfortunately, with the Titan GT77, I feel as though I’m left with nothing more than a relic of a gaming laptop, albeit with some modern technology thrown in.

To be fair, MSI has attempted to provide us with the best of everything, but I can’t shake off this feeling of dissatisfaction. Even though the Titan GT77 HX boasts top-of-the-line components, it fails to come together as an appealing package. If I had spent such a large sum of money on a gaming machine, I would be plagued by buyer’s remorse, especially after witnessing what other manufacturers have achieved with the mobile RTX 4090 and Intel Raptor Lake CPU combination.

And I have indeed witnessed it. I have tested both the Razer Blade 16 and the Asus Zephyrus M16, both of which are priced at least $1,000 lower than the Titan GT77. Given the choice, I would undoubtedly opt for either of these alternatives, even if they were priced the same.

Firstly, the Titan GT77 HX is monstrously large. I understand that it’s designed to be a “Titan,” but it’s simply excessive. If you recall the old Titan models, you’ll get an idea of the styling on this notebook. If you don’t, picture bulky exhaust vents, angular design elements, and a noticeably protruding rear end.

Asus has improved its design approach, as demonstrated by its Zephyrus lineup, while MSI appears to be stuck in the late-2000s. While a 17-inch laptop intended as a desktop replacement will always be hefty, I would opt for a modern 16-inch machine instead.

At this point, I should discuss the specifications, which you can find below. However, the specifications are not the crux of the issue for me. Essentially, it offers the same specifications as the $1,000 cheaper Razer Blade 16, albeit with double the memory and SSD capacity. This means you get a 175W version of Nvidia’s mobile RTX 4090, which is essentially a desktop RTX 4080 GPU—fast, but not quite on par with an actual RTX 4090.

Additionally, it features the same 24-core, 32-thread Core i9 13950HX CPU. Again, it’s fast. Extremely fast. If you intend to use this MSI machine for demanding productivity tasks, it serves as a capable desktop replacement.

In terms of benchmarks, it’s the fastest gaming laptop I’ve ever tested. Yet, despite its impressive performance metrics, I find myself devoid of enthusiasm for it. The larger chassis and more aggressive cooling enable it to extract more performance from the same core configuration as the Blade 16. However, that is precisely why I feel such disdain for the Titan GT77 HX.

To achieve those performance heights, the system becomes incredibly loud. You must set it to Extreme Performance mode to achieve those numbers, but that mode is solely for benchmarking purposes. You would never want to run it at those settings during actual usage. Even when in the

MSI-mandated Balanced mode, the fan noise feels more intrusive compared to the Asus or Razer RTX 4090 machines I’ve tested.

The excessive noise isn’t limited to gaming alone. As I write this, having used the laptop throughout the day for work, I’ve just restarted Windows with a couple of updates, and suddenly the fans have decided to kick into high gear even when downloading a game. It becomes a distracting and unnecessary disturbance. Take a breath, it’s just Cyberpunk.

So, while the impressive numbers may catch your eye, they come at a price. Both in terms of your sanity while using the laptop and, of course, the hefty dent it leaves in your bank account. Those few extra frames per second are simply not worth the increased volume or the additional $1,000.

But what do you actually get for that extra cash? As mentioned earlier, the Titan GT77 HX offers a substantial amount of RAM, 64GB to be exact, along with ample SSD storage space. It also boasts a mechanical keyboard. Equipped with Cherry MX switches, the keyboard is immediately recognizable due to the prominent backlit Cherry MX logo underneath. However, its appearance is rather unappealing.

As a keyboard, it does its job adequately. I consider myself a keyboard enthusiast, someone who appreciates the subtle differences in actuation between different mechanical switches. However, the low-profile mechanical switches on the MSI Titan GT77 HX fail to deliver the pleasurable typing experience that would justify its premium status. To make matters worse, the cramped numpad and other small-scale keys utilize membrane switches. Frankly, I have no need for a numpad on a laptop, especially one that is squeezed so awkwardly onto the side. If I did require a numpad, Lenovo offers 16-inch machines with well-designed numerical keypads.

The MSI Titan GT77 HX comes bundled with a plethora of software. While I hesitate to label it as bloatware, as most of it serves the purpose of controlling various aspects of the machine, there are numerous MSI applications dedicated to managing the GPU, CPU modes, and fan settings. Additionally, there’s the SteelSeries app for keyboard backlighting, a Nahimic app for audio, and, of course, Norton, which incessantly reminds you that your unwanted license has expired.

Personally, I prefer the unified approach of software management. Even Razer’s Synapse software seems more appealing than having to juggle multiple discrete apps. This experience has made me appreciate the functionality of Asus’ Armoury Crate software, despite my usual aversion to it. In a laptop setup, having a single software suite that controls everything proves to be highly convenient.

Now, let’s talk about the screen. It boasts another option of a 4K mini LED display, which should compensate for some of the Titan GT77’s other shortcomings. However, of the three mini LED laptop panels I’ve tested in this new generation, it is the weakest. I’ve grown rather fond of the 16:10 aspect ratio found in other models. The 16:9 3840 x 2160 display on the Titan feels a bit compressed, with the large MSI-logo chin under the screen giving it a foreshortened appearance.

Speaking of which, is it really “MSI”? The logo seems to read “IIISI” to me.

To its credit, the screen is bright and offers a decent HDR experience without requiring me to disable the feature in Windows for regular SDR content. However, I’m not entirely satisfied with the backlighting, likely due to the larger and more noticeable dimming zones resulting from the wider scope of the screen. This issue is reminiscent of the subpar backlighting seen in recent mini LED desktop monitors.

In-game, the panel backlighting is not a concern, and it delivers vibrant visuals in HDR-compatible titles. However, the constant noise from the fans tends to overshadow any appreciation for the screen’s visual quality.

Ultimately, a significant part of my dissatisfaction with the MSI Titan GT77 HX stems from the feeling that it doesn’t exude a premium aura. For a price tag exceeding $5,000, I expect a laptop to exude an air of impeccable craftsmanship. While it has undoubtedly been engineered with care, it falls short of meeting my expectations of a truly premium device. It feels more like one of the many off-the-shelf Clevo chassis I’ve come across at Bob’s Gaming PCs and Lube, with the latest and greatest PC hardware crammed inside.

The excessive size, overwhelming performance, and extensive specifications fail to impress me. It’s easy to throw all of these elements into a laptop, but it’s an entirely different challenge to create a cohesive and complete package. Instead, the excessive features border on being vulgar rather than luxurious. At this point, I eagerly anticipate packing the MSI Titan GT77 HX back into its box and returning it to its origin.