Smartphones may be touted as a replacement for notebook computers, however, a lot of people still prefer to do their office work, such as preparing reports or presentations, writing lengthy mails, and even playing computer games on conventional laptops. In sync with today’s consumer demands, these have become slim and light but are pretty fast and capable, aptly called ultrabooks. MSI, a leading Taiwanese tech brand, has introduced its PS42 laptop in the Indian market. This is the first laptop in the professional category by the brand; it is ideal for work and play.
Our review unit was the PS42 8RB, it retails for `99,990. The other variant is PS42 8M that carries a price tag of `77,990. Both the devices are available at MSI retail stores and on e-commerce sites such as Flipkart, Amazon and Paytm. Let us check out some of the key features and overall performance.
The first thing that will strike you about the PS42 8RB is that it’s ready for action anytime, anywhere. The machine is incredibly light at only 1.19kg, it comes in a full metal chassis which has a rich finish with metallic hair-brush texture. Slim and elegant, the PS42 is bound to get envious glances from cafes to boardrooms for its stylish design. Also, with the attractive bezel-less look, MSI is redefining the term “compact” by embedding the 14-inch full HD screen in a 13-inch chassis.
With the bezel at 5.7mm thickness, the screen to body ratio stands at an amazing 81%, thus ensuring that the visual experience is a joyful one. The vibrant audio and video experience has been enabled with True Colour 2.0 which provides next-to-perfect colour presentation, while the Nahimic 3 Audio presents an immersive 7.1 surround sound cinematic experience.
The heart of this Creator PC is brimming with power, as it stays true to MSI’s focus on developing high performance machines. Powered by the 8th Gen Intel Core i7 or i5 processor, the PS42 is also fitted with Nvidia GeForce MX150 discrete graphics to ensure long hours of playing games and photo and video editing.
MSI has addressed the issue of overheating which drains the battery quickly by introducing the dual exhausts thermal design. With enhanced power efficiency, the PS42 gives you upto 10 hours of on-the-go usage. However, I felt that the battery was a slight disappointment as it gave me only 7-8 hours of moderate usage, such as playing movies and songs from YouTube, browsing the Web, etc.
And to fulfill your diverse portability needs further, MSI has managed to pack in 4 USB ports (2x Type A, 2x Type C), an audio combo jack and a SD (XC/HC) card reader in this sleek machine. Take my word, you would be hard-pressed to find another high performance laptop, with as many ports, looking this good, at this size. To put it in subtle terms, the PS42 is a winning combination for its attractive design and powerful performance.
My takeaways: The PS42 8RB is thin and lightweight, ideal for professionals on the move. It has a good range of ports for business professionals, and the display is both sharp and vivid. The laptop’s island-style keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience. Performance-wise, it is very fast and does not stutter one bit, even when switching between tabs—the running of the machine is smooth as silk and it works like a breeze. In short, it is ideal for work and play.
