Introduction:
The MSI CR610 is a notebook in the extreme low-budget end of the current notebook market. It’s target audience are those that just use their computers to check their mail, read the news online and use various office programs or similar and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a notebook.
Performance:
Granted this computer is not built to be a powerhouse, in fact it’s as cheap as you can get them, nonetheless I always like to have this section be a part of a review. Because even if you’re only using your computer to write reports in word and check your e-mail you’ll feel a difference between different models and prize ranges.
While I don’t tend to go for the cheapest of the cheap and thus admittedly don’t have much experience with the lower prize end of the notebook world I had to endure using a Compaq 15.6″ notebook for a while a year back, so at least I’ve got something to compare this notebook to.
My CR610 came with Windows 7 64-bit installed, I like the fact that they’ve switched over to 64-bit which allows for the system to regocnize more than ~3.5GB of RAM memory (even though this version only came with 2GB). The boot time (the time it takes to start up windows) is pretty bad, but I don’t feel that it’s any worse then other notebooks which use a 5400RPM harddrive (most of them).
A really nice feature to see that they’ve managed to squeeze in is an HDMI port, it really facilitates the usage of projectors at presentations, or simply to connect it to your HD TV to watch movies and other videos through your notebook, I didn’t have a chance to try it out but with hardware acceleration enabled (using the graphics card to relieve the processor) it should be able to output FULL HD (1080) movies to your HD TV.
They’ve also added an E-Sata port so that you can connect an external harddrive and transfer data at a lot higher speeds than via the more standard USB connection.
Trackpad and keyboard:
I dislike the keyboard layout, the MSI CR610 is a 15.6″ notebook yet they’ve squeezed in a numpad which means that they had to make room for it, how? By making the “standard” keyboard smaller and also changing the size and shape of the return (Enter) key and the right shift key. The return key and the shift key are very small compared to the standard Nordic layout keyboards. The shift button has been shortened to make room for the arrow keys and the enter key isn’t J shaped but rather more like the standard shift key (rectangular). The space between the keys is really small and they’re packed tightly together making it very easy to accidentally press multiple keys at the same time, making it very frustrating to type for a long time, perhaps you would get used to it with time but I really think MSI could’ve done a better job with the keyboard.
Granted a lot of people might have good use of the numpad and I am sure you get used to the minimalistic layout but I really feel like 15.6″ is too small to have a numpad alongside the standard keyboard. Also while you might get used to the keyboard on the CR610 you’ll probably feel really weird when you use a desktop or another laptop without the same layout.
The trackpad has a rather rugged surface which has become more popular in recent years. Personally I am torn on which I prefer as my current laptop has a smooth one and I really like that, but as with the keyboard I am sure it’s more about what you’re used to then actual preference (i.e you prefer what you’re used to, not because it’s necessarily better but simply because you’re used to it). The buttons on the other hand I really dislike, they’re really hard to push down and they make a very loud clicking sound. This is one part where the “budget” comes into the light, it really feels cheap but then again, it is.
There are “shortcut keys” on the top right side of the keyboard, near the power button. However these are very hard to press (probably done so on purpose so that you wouldn’t press them incidentally but they are simply too hard to press, you have to either use a nail or bend your finger sideways to press them. These buttons are for WIFI, power saving mode etc.
Aesthetics:
While it is at the absolute bottom budget-wise I think that it’s a good looking notebook, apart from the abundance of stickers which you see on almost every notebook. I’ve seen far worse looking ones that cost two or even three times the amount of the CR610. It’s got a piano black glossy finish on the lid and apart from the palm rest it’s pretty much all in black. The palm rest is grey metallic and is coated to be able to sustain continuous usage and it doesn’t attract fingerprints which is nice.
In short you wouldn’t have to feel ashamed using it during a business meeting or while sitting at a café having a coffee. It’s stylish yet doesn’t draw attention to it with it’s black finnish.
Specifics:
Full product name: MSI CR610-234NE
Hardware:
15.6” screen with a 1366×768 resolution, LED back-lit
AMD Athlon dual core M320 running at 2.1GHz
2GB DDR2 Ram
ATI Radeon HD4200 graphics card
250GB hard drive spinning at 5400rpm
Built in 1.3Megapixel webcam and microphone
6-cell Lithium-ion battery of 4400mAmps
Connectivity and I/O ports:
WLAN b/g/n
Ethernet 10/100/1000Mbit
3 USB 2.0 ports
VGA
HDMI
Card reader 4 in 1
DVD/RW SM
Express card
Conclusion:
The MSI CR610 notebook is as mentioned several times in this review, at the extreme budget end of the notebook spectrum. But apart from the cuts in hardware it doesn’t feel as cheap as the price tag would suggest. There are a couple of things that I’d dislike, like the numpad and the mouse buttons but apart from that I would say you are getting just what you paid for, not much more and nothing less. If you are looking for a notebook to check your e-mails, do some word processing and watch some streamed videos the CR610 is a good choice for you.
