The path to Hell is paved with enemy mobs and tough boss monsters – in the case of Diablo IV, at least. As the latest entry in Activision Blizzard’s beloved dungeon crawler opens the gates of Sanctuary yet again, both longtime fans and newcomers have been banding together to defeat the forces of Lilith, and MSI wants this return to be done in style.
Enter the MSI Cyborg 15 A12V and MSI Raider GE68 HX 13V, each designed with different demands in mind. The former, weighing in at 1.98kg, packs a competent combination of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor into a more lightweight form factor, while the latter is a full-on 2.7kg gaming beast powered on a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an RTX 4070 graphics card.
These configurations far surpass the minimum requirements for Diablo IV, which demand an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX660 GPU, as well as the recommended specifications: an upgraded Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a GTX970 graphics card. But the hardware boost isn’t the only treat here, with the displays here also promising fluid, vibrant visuals.
Sporting a 15.6-inch FHD display (1,920 x 1,080), the MSI Cyborg 15 offers a 144Hz refresh rate and support for NVIDIA DLSS 3, the company’s latest ray-tracing technology that multiplies frame rates by up to four times and delivers crisp, high-quality images for smoother gameplay.
The gameplay experience is further elevated with the MSI Raider GE68, which brings a 16-inch QHD+ display (2,560 x 1,600), a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 240Hz refresh rate to the table.
Rounding out the MSI formula is its very own cooling system, designed to keep both laptops running cool at all times – even during the most GPU-intensive battles in Diablo IV at maximum settings.
Numbers don’t mean much, however, if there’s no indication of how well they translate to real world performance. Here’s where both devices are put to the test, with the MSI Cyborg 15 clocking an average of 137.4 FPS on medium settings, 138.3 FPS on high, and 98.7 FPS on ultra at 1080p resolution with DLSS performance set to ‘Balanced’.
For actual in-game tests at medium settings, dungeon runs were tested with Ruins of Eridu due to its high mob density. While the environment isn’t as elaborate as citadel dungeons, it gave a good idea of how the Cyborg 15 will hold up against the heat, with the FPS running steady during big fights hovering around 120 to 144 FPS. No visible stutter was present as well, allowing runs done on a hardcore character – where deaths are instant and permanent – to emerge unscathed.
The results in the open world were equally encouraging. Participating in the Helltide event, where players have to navigate the land while avoiding the overpowered elites roaming around, yielded a stable frame rate of 130 to 144 FPS.
The figures, recorded via MSI Afterburner, the company’s own graphics card software, puts the optimal Diablo IV experience at high settings at 1080p display, where the frame rate consistently stays in the 120 to 130 FPS range with better visuals than on medium. In comparison, the MSI Raider GE68 scored an average of 172.5 FPS on medium at 1660p resolution, 159.8 FPS on high, and 148.3 FPS on ultra at 1,600p resolution with DLSS performance set to ‘Balanced’.
Running the Ruins of Eridu yet again was an enjoyable experience due to its overall higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz (real-world tests recorded a highest of 230 Hz, though). As expected, the open world was a similarly smooth affair, with Helltide events proving to be a breeze.
Like its more wallet-friendly counterpart, playing at high settings comes recommended for the Raider GE68. It’s possible to bump up the resolution to 4K, though that would result in the slightly lower frame rates of 90+ FPS, which is still a pretty good showing for a gaming laptop.
The return to Hell feels great – and it can look that part, too, with both the MSI Cyborg 15 and MSI Raider GE68 bringing hardware prowess and visual mastery to the field. Priced at S$2,299 and S$4,099 respectively, the twin offering addresses different budget and user needs without compromising on performance. Playing Diablo IV on the go? The Cyborg 15 is your best bet. Going for the ultimate Diablo IV experience? The Raider GE68 says hi.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Natalie
