The Turbo Button Returns With the MSI GX733

Kiddies might not recall the turbo buttons that graced the front face of desktop PCs long ago, but I sure do. This button was an on/off switch that sped up and slowed down the CPU by adjusting its clock speed. I never found a use for a turbo button in the 'off' position, as I liked the PC to run as fast as possible all the time.

It's a different story if you're using a laptop or netbook. You'll want to save power if you're on the road by slowing down the CPU and turning off certain features. Doing so is usually accomplished through software or a few keystroke combinations. In their new GX 733 desktop replacement notebook, MSI has re-packaged and re-branded this functionality into one convenient button: THE TURBO BUTTON.

First off, you should only press this Turbo Button when you have the GX733 connected to a power outlet. Otherwise, you'll drain battery power faster than an Xbox 360 controller. It'll increase the speed of the CPU -- to what we don't yet know. After cutting through the marketing lingo, the specs aren't bad, but the gaming features are what caught my eye.

The W, A, S and D keys are "especially highlighted." I'm not sure if that means they're back lit, or just cast in a glowing tritium. Which makes me more curious; are the other keys back lit at all? I just finished testing anAlienware M17 desktop replacement notebook, and the entire keyboard was back lit in a pleasing and helpful blue. The GX733 also has a built-in 4.1 speaker setup, and a full 10-key pad.

Other specs include:

• AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Processor


• Up to 4GB of DDR2


• 17" WideUXGA display


• ATI Mobility Radeon HD4670 with 512MB RAM


• Up to 500GB SATA 3Gb/s hard drive


• DVD Super Multi drive with Blu-ray


• Card reader, web cam


• Gigabit LAN, Bluetooth, WiFi-N


• 3 USB ports


• 1 HDMI port


• 1 PCI Express slot


• 6 or 9-cell battery

Here's the full press release. No word yet on availability or pricing. Check back here next week for my Alienware M17 desktop replacement review, and a couple HP desktop computer reviews.

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