You can buy MSI’s top-of-the-line Creator 17 model for, which comes with a stunning display, an Intel Core i9-11900H CPU with eight cores, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB solid-state drive, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. The Mini LED monitor has an amazing 1,000 nits of brightness and a resolution of 4K (3,840 by 2,160 pixels). Lower-end models have a 4K screen with a faster refresh rate of 120Hz, which might be a better fit for content producers who like to play games for long periods of time. There are different Core i7 and Core i9 processors from Intel’s 11th Generation, as well as GeForce RTX 3060, 3070, and 3080 GPUs.
The Creator 17 looks more put together than most gaming computers from MSI. You won’t find any red accents, sculpted vents, or RGB lighting, but the cooling vents on the bottom are grouped in interesting geometric shapes. Even though the laptop has powerful parts, it stays cool and quiet. However, the bottom panel does get hot when doing a lot of graphics work for a long time. The computer, however, does not get warm. This big of a system probably won’t spend much time on your lap, so it’s better for your desk to heat up than the computer deck.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Specifications
- Laptop Class Desktop Replacement
- Processor Intel Core i9-11900H
- Processor Speed 2.5 GHz
- RAM (as Tested) 32 GB
- Boot Drive Type SSD
- Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 2 TB
Where to get MSI Creator 17 laptop?
In addition to the large, high-quality screen, the large chassis of the Creator 17 made it possible for MSI to add a lot of ports that have all but gone from many of its competitors. When we review a 17-inch laptop, we expect a port selection like this, but that’s not always the case. On the left side, there is a barrel port for power, a 2.5G ethernet port for networking, two USB Type-A ports, and an audio combo jack.
On the right side, you’ll find a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB Type-C port that supports DisplayPort, an HDMI 2.1 port, and, of course, an SD card slot. Aside from the great choice of ports, I thought the rest of MSI’s design choices were a bit more “hit or miss.” The keyboard is sturdy, but the keycaps are smaller than I’m used to and require more travel than most low-profile keyboards I’ve used. This makes my hands feel a little “mushy,” which makes it harder for me to type quickly.