First Look: MSI Creator Pro X17 laptop

As a travel and landscape photographer, having a powerful laptop that can do it all whilst on the go, is essential to my workflow.

The MSI Creator Pro X17-A12UMS (I'll just call it the X-17 from here on) is designed for creators who need to be able to work from just about anywhere, without sacrificing performance. This 17-inch flagship laptop boasts an impressive list of features that enable even the most power-hungry users to detach from their desktop computers. 

The laptop is powered by Intel’s 12th Gen i9-12900HX Processor, which has 16 cores with a max turbo frequency of 5 GHz. It is also equipped with the NVIDIA RTX A5500 16GB GPU, making it possible to run even the most demanding software whilst on the move.

The X17 comes preconfigured with 2TB of SSD storage and 64GB of RAM. Just like a desktop computer, this can be expanded up to 128GB using the 4x DDR5 slots on the motherboard. Prices start at an RRP of $5,499.

There are a total of 4x M.2 SSD slots, which can also be used for expandable storage.Additionally, the large 99.9Whr battery allows for extended usage time, especially in Super Battery mode.

The X17 carries certification from leading Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) like Adobe, Autodesk, Dassault and more. Creators who use software from these providers in their daily workflow can be assured a professional and optimal user experience from the computer.

One of the most visually striking features of the Creator Pro is its 17.3” UHS 120Hz, IPS screen which has 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Out of the box, the screen comes factory calibrated and with the MSI True Colour app, the screen can be calibrated using select third-party devices for continued accuracy.

In my experience, editing images on smaller laptops with 13” or 14” screens often lacks the necessary screen space for precise local adjustments. Thanks to the 17.3” screen, this is the first laptop that I’ve used where I haven’t felt the need to connect the computer to an external display.

However, this large screen comes at a sacrifice to form factor and weight, limiting its portability. Weighing in at 3.3kg, this isn’t a laptop that is going to be comfortable to use on an aeroplane.

Nevertheless, the larger form factor has allowed MSI to include a very impressive active cooling system. High-performance CPUs and GPUs generate a lot of heat and without an effective cooling system, the computer will slow down and limit its performance to protect components from overheating in a process known as thermal throttling.

Equipped with MSI’s Cooler Boost Titan system, this quad fan design ensures efficient heat dissipation even when pushing the computer to its limits.

The Creator Pro X17 has a great selection of I/O ports to accommodate a wide variety of workflows. It features 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 1x SD Express Card Reader, a HDMI 2.1 port that supports 8K 60Hz or 4K 120Hz, a Mini-DisplayPort and a 2.5gbE ethernet port.

Although a full-sized display port would have been preferable, this variety of I/O connections eliminates the need for carrying a bag of adapters or relying on USB hubs. In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of Thunderbolt 4 ports is the ability to connect a laptop to an array of peripheral devices with just one cable.

In testing the Creator Pro with a CalDigit TS4 Dock, the computer connected seamlessly to a total of 10 devices including a secondary screen, speakers, hard drives, Wacom tablet, ethernet, keyboard and mouse.

Additionally, the Creator Pro comes equipped with Wi-Fi6E and Bluetooth 5.2, allowing for faster speeds, newer security protocols, and lower latency for those who have access to Wi-Fi 6 routers.

The laptop comes preinstalled with the MSI Center Pro app, a one-stop shop for customising and tweaking everything from the keyboard's RGB lights, to the performance and cooling settings of the computer. User scenarios allow for a tailored experience, enabling creators to prioritise performance or battery life.

On silent or super battery modes, the speed of the computer drops fairly substantially. However, balance and high-performance modes make full use of the computer's high-end CPU and GPU.

In these modes, the fans will turn on to minimise thermal throttling, however, when the fans reach full speed, they are noisy. But if you need maximum output, high-performance mode with Cooler Boost is the way to go.

As a stills photographer, I was eager to see how the Creator Pro X17 handles industry-standard programs such as Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop when working with large, 61-megapixel raw files. With the Creator Pro in high-performance mode with Cooler Boost, it was able to quickly import and render 1:1 previews.

Even a 9-image HDR Photo merge barely pushed the CPU utilisation beyond 40%. The new AI Denoise and Enhance feature fully utilised the NVIDIA GPU's capacity and could promptly process and convert these changes into a new DNG file. Similarly, the computer had no trouble handling large file-size, multi-layered projects in Photoshop.

Overall, the computer provided a smooth and seamless experience, handling demanding processes with ease and rendering tasks efficiently.

The MSI Creator Pro X17-A12UMS is undoubtedly a high-performance machine, capable of handling even the most resource-intensive tasks and programs.

With ISV certification from industry-leading brands and a wide array of I/O ports to cater for differing workflows, this makes it an ideal option for creators and working professionals who need a portable, no-compromise alternative to a high-end desktop computer.