Clevo has started to advertise its Clevo X270 notebook with Intel's range-topping Arc Alchemist A770M graphics processor, as noted by @9550pro. The company calls the machine 'the first Intel CPU + GPU gaming laptop' and, judging by its configuration, positions it for demanding gamers, which may imply the somewhat competitive performance of the graphics processor.

Clevo's X270 is a 17.3-inch gaming notebook powered by Intel's 12th Gen Core 'Alder Lake-H' processor and the company's flagship Arc Alchemist A770M mobile GPU that is cooled down using a dual-fan cooling system featuring seven heat pipes and liquid metal. In addition, the machine comes with a premium Mini LED display panel from AU Optronics and has all the I/O ports that one comes to expect from a gaming PC (Ethernet, two TB4 ports, mDP, HDMI, USB 3.2 Gen 2, 3.5-mm audio, etc.).

Clevo did not publish performance numbers for the machine. Still, it would be illogical for the company to equip a gaming laptop with mediocre performance with a rather expensive monitor, so we can make some guesses about what to expect from Clevo's X270.

Perhaps, the most important thing about the gaming notebook is that it comes from Clevo. Clevo may not be a household name, but this manufacturer produces barebones laptops for well-known brands like Alienware, Eurocom, Gigabyte, Maingear, MSI, Sager, Schenker, XMG, and Xotic PC, to name a few.

We do not know which of these gaming PC brands will use the Clevo X270 design with Intel's Alder Lake-H and Arc Alchemist A770M discrete mobile GPU, but the chances are that at least some of Clevo's over 35 clients will use this configuration are pretty high.

Another thing that remains to be seen is how much Clevo's X270 and products on its base will cost. AUO's 17.3-inch panel is certainly not cheap, so we are talking about a premium product here. Still, since Intel is interested in capturing discrete GPU market share, it may offer its top-of-the-range Arc Alchemist A770M at a very competitive price.

Eurocom has introduced its Nightsky RX315 laptop with a 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel that features desktop-grade performance yet weighs only around 4.4 pounds. The Nightsky RX315 will be one of the industry's first desktop replacement machines to get an OLED screen. Furthermore, it will also be one of a few machines on the market that offers both Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3080 and an OLED display. 

The Eurocom Nightsky RX315 laptop is indeed a pretty interesting PC that comes in a titanium black aluminum alloy chassis that is only 20 mm (0.8 inch) thick and packs Intel's eight-core Core i7-11800H 'Tiger Lake' processor. You also get a choice of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3070 (8GB GDDR6) or GeForce RTX 3080 (16GB GDDR6) GPU with Max-Q configuration that are cooled down with individual blowers to ensure proper airflow.  

Despite its relatively compact dimensions, the system can be equipped with up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 memory using two SO-DIMMs, and up to 16TB of M.2 NVMe SSDs via a PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 x4 interface (when higher-capacity M.2 drives are available, the laptop will accommodate even more storage).

The key selling point of the Eurocom Nightsky RX315 laptop is, of course, its display. Introduced in early 2019, Samsung's 15.6-inch 4K OLED panels for laptops feature rather decent specifications (brightness ranging from 0.0005 to 600 nits, a dynamic contrast ratio of 120,000:1, 60Hz, 100% DCI-P3, VESA DisplayHDR True Black, etc.), so owners of the Nightsky RX315 notebook know what to expect. Furthermore, Eurocom can calibrate the display to provide maximum color accuracy for $74. 

"Our technicians can also calibrate this impressive display to offer perfect color reproduction right out of the box," said Mark Bialic, the head of Eurocom. "As many of our customers are leading designers, engineers, and digital content creators, having a perfectly calibrated display is essential." 

Meanwhile, if someone wants a 240 Hz LCD panel instead, the manufacturer also offers a Full-HD IGZO option. Meanwhile, since the GPUs have four display controllers, the Nightsky RX315 can also drive three external monitors.

Since the Eurocom Nightsky RX315 is essentially a workstation, it includes Wi-Fi, a GbE port, three display outputs (HDMI, mDP, TB4), a Thunderbolt 4 connector, three USB 3.2 ports, a 6-in-1 card reader, a 1MP webcam, a SoundBlasterX Pro Gaming 360 audio subsystem, and two 3.5-mm audio jacks (controlled by the Realtec ALC1220 codec and supporting S/P DIF over one of the jacks). To boost the machine's security, Eurocom equips it with a fingerprint scanner and a TPM 2.0 module. 

Pricing of the Eurocom Nightsky RX315 with a 15.6-inch OLED display starts at $2,799 without Windows. The beefiest configuration will retail for around $11,000.

Laptop manufacturer Eurocom has created a new 15.6-inch notebook called the Nightsky ARX315 that houses a full-blown Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core desktop chip and can be equipped with either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 or RTX 3070 mobile GPU. With the 5950X and RTX 3070 included, pricing starts at $2,683.

Eurocom built the ARX315 with a thick 1.3-inch housing and the necessary cooling to handle the desktop-class processor. A heatsink made entirely of copper and cools the CPU, GPU and power delivery systems. Connecting all four heatsinks together are six heat pipes in total, with two large fans cooling the laptop down.

If you find the 5950X has too many cores for your liking, the ARX315 can also be outfitted with an 8-core Ryzen 7 5800X or 12-core Ryzen 9 5950X CPU depending on your needs.

The exterior of the chassis is colored in a stealthy matte black finish, accented by four exhaust ports that house the copper heatsinks that are visible to the naked eye. The laptop also comes with a LED-backlit keyboard (with 15 color options) and a 240Hz matt display (the resolution is unknown).

Along the right of the laptop are a mic/headphone jack, another microphone jack (yes two jacks), and a single USB 3.0 port. At the rear, there is a USB Type-C port, full HDMI port, mini DisplayPort, and AC power. To the left, you get a Kensington lock RJ-45 ethernet port, dual USB 3.2 ports and a MicroSD card reader.

For storage and memory, you get a good selection of options including dual M.2 NVMe 2280 slots and a single 7mm SSD/HDD hard drive slot for bulkier storage solutions. Sandwiched between the M.2 slots and hard drive slot are two DDR4 SODIMM slots capable of running up to 64GB of 3200Hz DDR4 memory.

This laptop is optimal for power users and professionals who need a desktop replacement capable of quickly crunching through big CPU workloads. Just keep in mind that laptops housing desktop components typically are best suited to desk duty plugged into the wall. Battery life with these notebooks is generally terrible and is best left for times where you only need to be on battery for a short period of time.

If you don’t fear heavy laptops and prioritize performance over mobility, there's a new Eurocom you may want to consider. As spotted by Anandtech, the company is integrating Intel’s latest gaming chip, the Core i9-9900KS into its notebooks.

More specifically, those models are its X4C and X7C notebooks. We’re curious how much of the time Eurocom’s machines will be able to keep these chips at their boost speeds. Reportedly, Eurocom will also be offering the units with de-lidded CPUs and better cooling setups, claiming that the’ll be able to overclock the chips even further – in a laptop.

The X4C and X7C notebooks are fully-customizable notebooks that come with 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch displays, respectively. They can be configured to hold heaps of memory, up to RTX 2080 graphics cards (or Quadro P5000 cards in the X7C model), and up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory. There is also room for multiple storage devices with RAID setups, and more. The main catch is that they’re heavy, weighing in at 7.5 pounds for the X4C and 8.6 pounds for the X7C, and they’re both about 1.5 to 1.6 inches thick.

Pricing for the units starts at $2,187 for the X4C, whereas the X7C weirdly goes for $21 less at $2,166. Adding the 5 GHz Intel Coffee lake chip adds $333 to the price over the standard Intel Core i7-9700K.

Eurocom’s latest behemoth “Mobile Supercomputer” isn’t using an X-series Intel chipset, but the company still wants users to know it’s the fastest product on the market: For the Sky X7C, we’re talking support for the 8C/16T Intel Core i9-9900K, two NVMe and two 2.5” drives, and an RTX 2080, after all…

The large cooling and extra drive space required a similarly large chassis, so Eurocom selected its 17.3-inch version (based on display dimensions) with a 16.7 x 11.8 x 1.6-inch shell (418 x 295 x 39.9mm). Weighing in at a mere 8.6 pounds (3.9kg, which we assume is without certain options), it relies on at least a 330W adapter that weighs an additional 2.9 pounds: Eurocom’s special 780W ventilated AC adapter is available to those who want to avoid power throttling, and it weighs scantly more at 3.1 pounds (1.38kg).

The sky’s the limit when it comes to connectivity, too, with one of the unit’s two Type-C ports offering full Thunderbolt 3 capability along with two Mini DisplayPort 1.3 outputs.

When you’re dealing with a chassis this large, you might as well equip it with the best display possible. Starting off with a 9700K/RTX 2070/1080P configuration, adding a couple hundred dollars each for the 9900K/RTX 2080/4k panel and finishing the build off with a couple 2TB NVMe SSDs and a couple 8TB SATA SSDs, the $2,166 starting price quickly topped $15,000 using Eurocom’s configurator. Of course that includes the $125 fee to unlock firmware, in case you want to overclock, but it doesn’t include the power adapter upgrade. And if you think that’s pricey, the cost for upgrading to Nvidia Quadro graphics will make you weep.

The Sky X7C, along with this week’s updates, is available today at the company’s web store.

Eurocom has taken the wraps off the Tornado F7W, the brand's latest high-end mobile workstation powered by an Intel Core i9-9900K octa-core processor and Nvidia Quadro P5200 graphics.

The Tornado F7W is a heavy-duty mobile workstation with a black, aluminium alloy exterior and backlit keyboard. It's equipped with a 17.3-inch matte screen, and Eurocom offers two display options. The Full HD (FHD) option ($3,499 / £2,399) features a TN panel (Chi Mei N173HHE-G32) with a 120Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time and coverage of 94 percent of the NTSC color gamut. The more expensive UHD option ($3,669 / £2,516) employs an IPS panel (AUO B173ZAN01.0 I) with a 60HZ refresh rate, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 100 percent coverage of the Adobe sRGB color gamut and 400 nits of brightness (contrast and brightness for the TN panel were not readily available).

Eurocom touts the Tornado F7W as a fully upgradeable laptop. It features a LGA1151 socket for housing modern desktop processors and a modular Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM) 3.1 design for workstation-grade Quadro graphics cards. The laptop is based on the Intel C246 chipset and, therefore, supports a wide range of Coffee Lake processors, such as the recently launched Intel Core i9-9900K and Core i7-9700K processors, as well as the previous generation of Core 8000-series chips. Processor support extends to the hexa-core Xeon E-2176G and E-2186G parts as well.

Being a workstation in nature, the Tornado F7W is only available with Nvidia Quadro graphics options. Sorry, gamers. The laptop utilizes MXM 3.1 modules, which are 82 x 105mm in size. Consumers can outfit the Tornado F7W with a Nvidia Quadro P5200, P420 or P3200 graphics card.

Samsung's 16Gb advancement has paved the way for high-density 32GB SO-DIMM modules. Equipped with four DDR4 SO-DIMM memory slots, the Tornado F7W can accommodate up to 128GB of memory with speeds up to 2,666MHz. There is only a handful of laptops on the market that are designed to support ECC (error-correcting code) and non-ECC memory, and the Eurocom's Tornado F7W is one of them.

The Tornado F7W mobile workstation is equipped with three M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slots and two 2.5-inch SATA III bays, so consumers can have up to five physical drives and scale up to 22TB of storage space. There is support for RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 configurations with conventional 2.5-inch SSDs and RAID 0, 1 and 5 configurations with NVMe SSDs. The Tornado F7W comes with a Thunderbolt 3.0 port, five USB 3.1 ports, one Mini DisplayPort 1.2 and one HDMI 2.0 port. As a result, the laptop can output video up to four displays for enhanced productivity. 

According to Eurocom, the Tornado F7W is also rich in security features. Consumers have access to a Smartcard reader, TPM 2.0 module, fingerprint scanner and BIOS disk encryption for data protection. Eurocom even offers an "anti-hacking package," which basically removes the laptop's webcam, microphone and wireless connectivity.

The Tornado F7W is available for purchase at Eurocom's website. The base configuration starts at $3,499 (£2,399).

Eurocom, famous for producing heavily engineered laptops, is planning to update its Sky X4C, X7C and X9C laptops to support Intel's upcoming Core i9-9900K processor, 128GB of memory and possibly Turing-based graphics cards.

One of the most common topics that comes up in the laptops versus desktop debate is upgradability. People don't like investing thousands of dollars on a high-performance laptop only to see it become outdated in two or three years. Eurocom has always been a firm believer of providing its customers with products that are upgrade-friendly.

Eurocom's updated Sky X4C, X7C and X9C laptops feature a LGA1151-based socket (just like the one that you would find on a conventional motherboard). As a result, they will support Intel's soon-to-be-released Core i9-9900K and Core i7-9700K processors based on the Coffee Lake microarchitecture and manufactured on Intel's 14nm++ process. The Intel Core i9-9900K is an octa-core processor with hyper-threading operating with a 3.5GHz base clock and a 5GHz single-core boost clock. According to various internet leaks, the Intel Core i7-9700K is also an octa-core chip but without hyper-threading. It's expected to feature a 3.6GHz base clock and a 4.9GHz boost clock on a single core. Both models will reportedly come with Intel's UHD Graphics 630 integrated graphics that functions at 350MHz with a burst frequency in the range of 1.2GHz.

The Sky C line of laptops will also incorporate a second-generation Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM 3) that will allow users to easily swap out the graphics card for one of their choice. Eurocom's newsletter detailing the upcoming laptops makes reference to supporting next-generation Nvidia MXM3 upgradeable GPUs. It's probably not a coincidence that Nvidia announced its GeForce RTX 20 Series of graphics cards on Monday, and Eurocom sent out its newsletter today. But only time will tell if the these modules include 20-series cards, and when they will arrive. 

The Sky X4C is Eurocom's 15.6-inch offering and has capacity for a single graphics card. The company also offers the 17.3-inch Sky X7C for consumers who need more landscape space. And for the hardcore enthusiasts, there's also the 17.3-inch Sky X9C that houses up to two graphics cards in an SLI configuration.

All three models will be available around October 2018, which also suggests that Intel could launch the Core i9-9900K and Core i7-9700K processors around the same time.

Updated, 3/12/2018, 2:00pm PT: More clues about the Z390 chipset's potentially imminent launch arrived via AIDA64, a "system information, diagnostics, and benchmarking solution" regularly used to test pre-release hardware. The software was updated to add "motherboard specific sensor info for MSI B360/H310/H370/Z390-Series." That could mean that MSI is preparing to launch a board equipped with the Z390 chipset.

Original article, 9/19/2017, 3:40pm PT:

We are obviously on the cusp of Intel's Coffee Lake release, and we already know the processors are coming with Socket 1151 (the same as the existing Kaby Lake era processors) but will require a new 300-series chipset. However, if the latest leaks/rumors are to be believed, the initial wave of Z370 motherboards will be followed shortly by yet another new chipset.

A leaked Intel roadmap claiming a Z390 chipset will come in the second half of next year recently made news, but as with all leaks, we have to take the information with a shovel full of salt. However, a purported Eurocom representative claimed the company is readying products that support a new chipset: Z390. Eurocom is a boutique laptop manufacturer that specializes in high-performance products.

The post on the NotebookReview forums claims that the company is skipping the forthcoming Z370 in favor of the Z390 chipset. The post also claimed that the Z390 motherboards support 8C/16T processors and will arrive in the second half of 2018.

Whether or not the claimed eight-core models would utilize Intel's 10nm process, which is slated to appear with the company's Ice Lake processors, is an open question. Cramming in two more cores with Coffee Lake is quite the feat with 14nm technology, be it 14nm+ or 14nm++, but doubling core counts with the same process is unlikely due to thermal and power constraints. That implies the eight-core processors will feature Ice Lake's 10nm+ process, but the leaked roadmap specifically refers to the Z390 chipset for "Coffee Lake-S" processors.

Intel's 8th Generation lineup includes the 14nm+ Kaby Lake-R (refresh), 14nm++ Coffee Lake, and 10nm Cannon Lake processors, which might explain the need for another new chipset. Intel's disclosures indicate the company is moving forward with a new rollout strategy as the competition intensifies, so it will likely be some time until we have the complete picture of the company's plans. We can expect more info to come forward during the pending Coffee Lake launch.

Introduction & Product Tour

Shortly after Nvidia announced its new Max-Q technology, Asus sent us the ROG Zephyrus featuring the GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design. There were many things we liked about it: it had a sleek and sexy design with just the right amount of gamer accents. It had enough performance to handle almost all modern games at FHD resolution. It also featured one of the best laptop displays we've tested thus far.

Unfortunately, Max-Q's potential comes with a handful of trade-offs. The reduced power consumption doesn't play do it any favors at higher resolutions compared to other GTX 1080-based laptops. The Zephyrus' slim form factor also introduced thermal cooling and battery life challenges.

Today, we're taking another look at the Zephyrus, this time with the GTX 1070 Max-Q.

Specifications

Product Tour

Aesthetics and packaging are identical to the GTX 1080 version, which you can read about here. We'll jump straight into the benchmarks.

This Asus ROG Zephyrus features a 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ, Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q design, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. It has a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) anti-glare IPS display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, which is complemented by G-Sync technology. Given its size, the Zephyrus doesn't feature a 1TB HDD, which is standard in most high-end gaming laptops.

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Synthetic Benchmarks

This wouldn't be a proper comparison if we didn't place the GTX 1070 Max-Q version against its high-end sibling—you'll be able to see what the extra horsepower gets you and whether it's worth the step up in price (about $400). The Asus ROG Zephyrus we previously tested contains a Core i7-7700HQ, a GTX 1080 Max-Q, 24GB of DDR4-2400 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. The displays are the same.

For a better head-to-head comparison, we've included the Eurocom Q5. Like the Zephyrus (GTX 1070), the Q5 features a Core i7-7700HQ, a GTX 1070 Max-Q, and 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory. Its display is a FHD anti-glare TN panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it has a larger 512GB M.2 SSD. Measuring 0.74” thin and weighing 4.2lbs, the Eurocom Q5 is lighter than the Zephyrus, but slightly thicker.

Our comparison roundup brings in a traditional GTX 1070 by way of the MSI GE63VR Raider. This unit contains a Core i7-7700HQ, 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. Unlike the three Max-Q laptops, the Raider has enough space to support a 1TB 7200RPM HDD. It features an FHD matte display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Finally, we've included the Acer Predator Helios 300, which has a Core i7-7700HQ, a GTX 1060, 16GB of DDR4-2133 memory, and a 256GB M.2 SSD. Its display is a FHD matte IPS with a 60Hz refresh rate. The Helios specifications aren't particularly interesting, but it offers impressive performance at a fair price; we gave the Helios our Editor's Choice award due to its outstanding value.

3DMark

3DMark's graphical benchmarks are useful because they give us a preview of the type of gaming performance we can expect. The Zephyrus (GTX 1070) and Eurocom Q5 go head to head throughout. They perform considerably better than the Acer Helios, but fall short of the MSI Raider, whose GTX 1070 doesn't have Max-Q's power restrictions.

Cinebench R15

Cinebench features CPU-focused single and multi-core rendering tests as well as an OpenGL shading test, which grants a slight edge to systems with apt GPU horsepower.

All of the systems in this roundup feature an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, so performance differences are negligible at best. The only major difference is in OpenGL shading, where the MSI Raider's GTX 1070 and Zephyrus' GTX 1080 Max-Q take the spotlight.

CompuBench

CompuBench has a variety of workloads to choose from. We use the platform-based Video Processing test and a GPU-heavy Bitcoin Mining test. Video Processing scores between the GTX 1070-based laptops are virtually identical, Max-Q or otherwise. Meanwhile, the Acer Helios's GTX 1060 bottlenecks the VidProc results, scoring 15% lower than the Zephyrus (GTX 1070), whereas the stronger Zephyrus scores 12% higher thanks to its GTX 1080 Max-Q. The Bitcoin Mining scores illustrate even wider performance gaps, with the MSI Raider performing 22% faster than the Zephyrus (GTX 1070).

IOMeter

We perform an IOmeter test on each laptop’s primary drive to measure basic random and sequential read and write speeds.Both iterations of the Zephyrus contain a 512GB Samsung SM961. The Eurocom Q5 features a 512GB Samsung 960 Pro. The MSI Raider contains a 512GB Samsung PM 871. The Acer Helios is the outlier with its 256GB Micron 1100.

The Zephyrus laptops have the same SSD, so the relatively even random and sequential speeds are to be expected. The Q5's 960 Pro delivers considerably better write speeds across the board. Meanwhile, the Raider and Helios SSDs deliver mediocre speeds.

PCMark 8

PCMark 8 hosts home, creative, and office workloads, but if you have Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative installed, you can utilize PCMark’s specialized Office and Creative tests, which will give you a better approximation of a system’s performance. Given their identical CPUs, the Zephyrus (GTX 1070), Eurocom Q5, MSI Raider, and Acer Helios all deliver similar Adobe Creative and Microsoft Office scores. It isn't until you step up to a stronger GPU, such as the GTX 1080, that we see a performance boost. These differences are minor, however.

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Gaming Benchmarks

Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation's workload is light, so you don't need a lot of GPU horsepower to get great performance here. The Asus ROG Zephyrus (GTX 1070) and Eurocom Q5 deliver similar performance, the MSI Raider performs 8% faster, and the Zephyrus (GTX 1080) sits on top.

Ashes of the Singularity

Ashes of the Singularity presents an intensive, platform-based workload. The Zephyrus (GTX 1070) delivers 45 FPS, and the finishing order is essentially what you'd expect.

DiRT Rally

DiRT Rally isn't as taxing as Ashes of the Singularity. Any decently equipped laptop can maintain great performance at maximum settings, with the Acer Helios scoring just within reach of 60 FPS. The GTX 1070 Max-Q systems easily surpass this threshold. A traditional GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 Max-Q perform better still, outscoring the Zephyrus (GTX 1070) by 15% and 22%, respectively.

Grand Theft Auto V

The GTX 1070 Max-Q offers compelling performance in Grand Theft Auto V, delivering close to 60 FPS or higher in the majority of GTA V's punishing benchmark scenes.

GRID Autosport

GRID Autosport isn't particularly taxing, so any mid-range laptop can deliver outstanding performance here. The Zephyrus (GTX 1070) scores fall between those of the MSI Raider and Acer Helios, which is to be expected. However, the performance differences between the three are quite slim. You might even consider the Helios over the Zephyrus here, because GRID's engine grants a slight edge to GPUs with high clock rates. The GTX 1060 has a maximum boost clock of 1608 MHz, whereas the GTX 1070 Max-Q's maximum boost clock is 1379 MHz.

We logged the GTX 1070 Max-Q's clock rate during GRID. It averages 1336 MHz and maxes out at 1341 MHz, thus performing well under its maximum rated boost clock. On the other hand, the Eurocom Q5's GTX 1070 Max-Q runs at its full potential, which helps it outperform even the MSI Raider.

Hitman

Hitman offers another platform-based workload. The resulting scores illustrate the Zephyrus (GTX 1070), Eurocom Q5, and MSI Raider all delivering between 86 and 88 FPS—a negligible difference. Meanwhile, the Zephyrus (GTX 1080) outperforms the GTX 1070-based laptops by about 11%. The Acer Helios delivers 16% less performance, which still lands it well above 60 FPS.

Metro: Last Light Redux

We use Metro because it was once a punishing title, but the GTX 1070 Max-Q laptops provide just enough performance to hit the 60 FPS threshold, whereas the less powerful Acer Helios falls behind by 22%. In GPU-reliant titles like Metro, every ounce of power is valuable, especially when you have a display with a high refresh rate. The Zephyrus (GTX 1080) offers considerably higher frame rates—recall that its max boost is 1468 MHz.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider is the new gold standard in graphical intensity, bringing even GTX 1080-based laptops to their knees. The Zephyrus (GTX 1070) struggles to keep up, scoring well under 50 FPS. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider, whose GTX 1070 doesn't have any of Max-Q's restrictions, barely maintains 50 FPS. Even the Zephyrus (GTX 1080) still falls under the 60 FPS threshold. If you intend to play heavy titles such as RotTR, you're better offer sticking with an unrestricted GPU, despite Max-Q's thinner size and less demanding power requirements. Or dial back the settings.

The Division

The Division is thankfully much easier to render than the previous two titles. A GTX 1070 Max-Q does the trick. The GTX 1060 in the Acer Helios performs more than 20% slower than the Zephyrus (GTX 1070), and sits well under 60 FPS.

Thief

Our final gaming benchmark is Thief. Any mid-range gaming laptop will deliver over 60 FPS, so the next milestone to aim for is 120 FPS. The GTX 1070-based laptops will score anywhere between 87 and 97 FPS, which will require a fair bit of tweaking to match a 120Hz monitor. The GTX 1080 Max-Q comes a bit closer, with the competing Zephyrus surpassing 100 FPS.

Alternatively, you can save yourself quite a bit of money by stepping down to a GTX 1060-based laptop; you would still experience well over 60 FPS. Many GTX 1060 laptops, such as the Acer Helios, only have a 60Hz refresh rate.

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Battery, Thermal & Display Testing

Battery Test - Tomb Raider 2013 Battery Rundown

To test battery life, we set each laptop’s battery profile to Balanced while running Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark at the lowest detail preset. The frame rate is locked at 30 FPS through GeForce Experience’s Battery Boost to limit the strain on the battery. Meanwhile, a script running in the background monitors and time stamps the system’s battery percentage. The laptops are set to hibernate once battery levels reach 5%. We test the battery life at 200 nits.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus features a 4-cell, 50Wh lithium ion battery—the same one used in the GTX 1080 Max-Q iteration of the Zephyrus; we found it to be inadequate for the 1080 GPU's needs, even with Max-Q's efficiency. This time around, the 50Wh battery only needs to cater to a GTX 1070 Max-Q, so battery life should be better, right? Yes. The less power-hungry GTX 1070 Max-Q increases the Zephyrus battery life by about 11 minutes. Better, but not much in the grand scheme.

The Eurocom Q5 delivers five more minutes of game time thanks to its larger 60Wh battery. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider has a similar sized battery (51Wh) as the Zephyrus, but its non-Max-Q GTX 1070 consumes more power, thus dragging it down by five minutes.

Thermal Testing

Normally, we use our Optris PI 640 infrared camera to measure the laptop’s thermals. We had trouble accessing the cooling system in the Zephyrus interior, so instead we logged its temperatures using GPU-Z. For more information about how we test, be sure to check out our Measurement Science article.

Another benefit of this GPU is less heat generation. While the Zephyrus cooling solution adequately cooled the GTX 1080 Max-Q, it wouldn't hurt for it to run a bit cooler. This time around it does, never exceeding 70° C. In fact, it runs more than 10° C cooler than the GTX 1080 Max-Q's maximum temperature.

Display Testing

We used the SpectraCal C6 Colorimeter to measure the Zephyrus display. Be sure to check out our Display Testing Explained article for a full description of our test methodology.

The Zephyrus has several color profiles to choose from in ROG Gaming Center. We used the default sRGB profile during our testing.

Asus uses the same display panels on its Zephyrus models, so don't expect drastic differences. In this case, that's a good thing, as the previously reviewed Zephyrus exhibited outstanding performance all around. The contrasts are just as great with a high minimum contrast ratio of 1220.2:1. Similarly, the maximum contrast ratio is an outstanding 1244.8:1.

The display also has impeccable RGB balance. From minimum brightness, you'll notice the blue levels are slightly higher than red and green levels; blues slowly rise while reds and greens fall. However, once we reach maximum brightness, the blue levels are significantly higher than optimal.

Grayscale accuracy is intricately tied to RGB levels, and in this case you'll only notice grayscale errors at 100% brightness, where red and green levels are recessed and blue levels are overemphasized. Grayscale accuracy is measured in DeltaE 2000, with values lower than 3 being imperceptible. From 90% brightness and below, you won't notice the grayscale errors. The average DeltaE 2000 is an incredibly low 1.769.

Gamma is a measure of a display's saturation, with a gamma point of 2.2 representing a well-saturated display. The gamma point chart illustrates a rather straight line, meaning that saturation doesn't shift much while changing display brightness. However, the gamma point hovers slightly below 2.2, resulting in minor undersaturation.

Like grayscale accuracy, overall color accuracy is measured using DeltaE 2000. There are relatively few color errors, especially at lower brightness. However, as we raise the brightness, several errors rear their heads, notably greens, cyans, magentas, yellows, and especially blues. This is only noticeable at maximum brightness, and the average color accuracy measures a Delta E2000 of 3.4115. Quite good.

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Price Analysis & Conclusion

When we initially tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus, we were excited to see how well Nvidia's new Max-Q technology was implemented. The thought of a gaming laptop consuming less power, generating less heat, and packaged in a smaller footprint while sacrificing 85-90% performance seemed like a compelling trade-off. The GTX 1080 Max-Q certainly delivered, but the Zephyrus itself appeared to hold back the GPU's potential. Revisiting the Zephyrus with a GTX 1070 puts Max-Q back into perspective.

The Zephyrus delivered outstanding performance in synthetic tests, battling Eurocom's Q5 with its GTX 1070 Max-Q, while slightly underperforming  the MSI GE63VR Raider (its GTX 1070 doesn't have the Max-Q restrictions). The Zephyrus (GTX 1070) also features an incredibly fast Samsung SM961, granting it the read and write speeds we would expect from a high-end laptop. The only downside is the lack of HDD storage.

In a few cases, the GTX 1070 Max-Q kept its promise by delivering 85-90% of a regular GTX 1070's performance. A few notable examples of this are Grand Theft Auto V, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and The Division, which are some of our most demanding benchmark titles. In fact, we didn't find an instance where the Zephyrus' (GTX 1070) gaming performance dipped below 85% of the MSI Raider's output. Rather, we found the GTX 1070 Max-Q delivering more than 90% of the MSI Raider's performance in all other titles. This bodes well for gamers looking for outstanding performance without the extra bulk.

One of the complaints we had about the GTX 1080 (Max-Q) version of the Zephyrus was its battery life. This time around, the 50Wh battery has a less demanding GPU, thus extending the Zephyrus battery life by about 10 minutes.

Cooling is paramount in a thin-and-light gaming laptop. The GTX 1080 introduced quite a bit of heat in the Zephyrus' thin chassis, but the cooling solution has a much easier time dealing with a GTX 1070. What we didn't expect was how well the Zephyrus does here against the MSI Raider, whose thicker chassis accommodates a larger cooling solution.

The previously tested Zephyrus exhibited outstanding display qualities, and the GTX 1070 Max-Q version is no different. It has crisp contrasts and impeccable grayscale accuracy. Similarly, color accuracy is outstanding. The display's biggest issue is a slight under-saturation.

The GTX 1070 Max-Q version of the Zephyrus retails for $2,300, which is a fair price (comparatively) to pay considering its slim form factor. At the time of this writing, however, the Zephyrus can be found for as low as $1,950, considerably more affordable than its $2,700 GTX 1080 Max-Q variant. The Eurocom Q5 configuration we reviewed was also around this price range, although its base model sits at around $1,740 and features less memory and no M.2 SSD. A base model MSI GE63VR Raider with a GTX 1070 will set you back $1,800, making the Zephyrus $200 more expensive (at its lowest price). That's the premium you pay for the size trade-off.

The improved battery life, stellar display, improved cooling, and excellent performance make this the best Max-Q laptop we've tested.

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Introduction & Product Tour

Nvidia first revealed Max-Q back in May, teasing 85-90% GPU efficiency in thinner and lighter laptops. The first such laptop we reviewed was the Asus ROG Zephyrus, which featured an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q design, and it delivered on all fronts. We’ve been itching to test another Max-Q laptop ever since.

Today we’ll be looking at the Eurocom Q5, a 0.74” gaming laptop featuring a GTX 1070 with Max-Q design.

Specifications

Packaging

The Eurocom Q5 is based off the Clevo P957HP6, so you can expect Clevo’s generic brown “Notebook Computer” packaging. There’s a white plastic handle at the top of the box for easy carrying.

Inside, you’ll find the Q5 wrapped in plastic and three blocks of protective closed-cell foam. Adjacent to the foam blocks, you’ll find a box containing the Q5’s 180W adapter and an AC power cord. That’s it. No extra booklets or manuals. Just the laptop and its power accessories. The Q5’s manual can be found on Eurocom’s website.

The Q5’s packaging is as generic as you can get. This isn’t a negative, per se. However, competing Clevo resellers like Origin PC trek the extra mile by using their own branded packaging and extras (like posters). Our review of the Origin PC EON17-SLX illustrates the impressive unboxing experience.

Exterior

Luckily, the monotony ends with the packaging. When we finally got our hands on the Q5, we couldn’t help but feel astonished. The Q5 features an elegant black titanium-aluminum alloy construction that’s light yet sturdy. The lid has tastefully placed angular accents running from the hinge to the top of the lid. There’s a decorative plastic strip spanning between where the lid accents meet the top edge of the lid, complementing the Q5’s aggressive aesthetic. Perhaps most impressive is the lid’s lighting effects. In the very middle, there’s a translucent red plastic insignia, and there are two perforated strips located next to the angled accents. When the system is powered, the insignia and perforations emit a red light.

The interior area surrounding the input devices is also constructed out of titanium-aluminum alloy, which is pleasant to the touch but attracts fingerprints and smudges rather easily. Fortunately, the surface is easy to clean, at least compared to brushed-aluminum and rubberized plastic, which competing manufacturers tend to implement.

On the bottom left, beneath the keyboard, there are logo stickers highlighting a few of the Q5’s features, while the bottom right has a painted SoundBlasterX logo. At the very top of the interior surface, you’ll find three red accents, adding much needed color to the almost entirely black surface. The middle red accent acts as the Q5’s power button, and it has a power logo in the dead center. When the system is powered, a white LED turns on beneath the power button.

There are perforations dotted in and around the two red accents surrounding the power button; these perforations act as the Q5’s speakers, and are placed in the best possible position for audio clarity. The speakers can reach maximum volume without experiencing much distortion. Hopefully, laptop manufacturers will notice this and implement top-facing speakers in future models.

The Q5’s 15.6” display has a relatively standard bezel as far as gaming laptops go. Unlike the rest of the chassis, the bezels are constructed out of plastic, but this area isn’t as critical. The side bezels are 0.6875”, while the top bezel measures 0.875”. The bottom bezel is the longest, measuring 0.9375”. There are two small rubber feet on the side bezels and three long rubber feet on the top and bottom bezels. These separate the display from the interior surface when the lid is closed. The top bezel houses the 2.0 megapixel Full HD (1920x1080) webcam. Finally, Eurocom’s logo is printed on the bottom bezel in white.

The Q5’s entire chassis is almost entirely constructed out of titanium-aluminum alloy, so the edges are merely continuations of the lid and interior surface, wrapped around into shape. The front edge is plain, and only contains LED indicators for power/connectivity, charging, disk usage, and airplane mode. The Q5 is 0.74” thin, so the RJ-45 LAN port on the right edge has a small clamp that only opens when you plug in an Ethernet cable. Meanwhile, the left edge features ventilation for the Q5’s CPU. Finally, the rear edge is where things get interesting. You’ll find a red accent layer spanning nearly the entire length of the rear exhaust, giving some life to the mostly black color scheme. The exhausts vents aren’t perfectly symmetrical; right side vents feature fewer cutouts, because they only have to accommodate the CPU, whereas the left side vents are fully exposed for the Max-Q GPU.

The bottom panel looks by far the most aggressive. It’s littered with air intake cutouts, which occupy nearly half of the panel’s surface area. In between the intake cutouts, there is an angled accent spanning the length of the panel. Despite all of the cutouts, the metal construction remains robust and doesn’t fall victim to flexing. The bottom panel has three rubber feet to keep the Q5 stable; there are two small feet near the front corners and one large foot near the rear edge. The rear foot is basically one large strip of rubber, and only the far left and right sides of the foot make contact with your desk. Still, the large rubber foot is impressive to look at, and even more pleasing to feel.

The Q5’s hinges are connected to the display’s bezels, so they’re constructed out of plastic. If you look closely enough, you’ll find that the hinges feature a knurled design, perhaps to set the plastic construction apart from the rest of the metal build. The hinges are smooth and offer a fairly standard 135° of motion, which is unfortunate considering many thin and light laptops can extend at least 180°. Still, the Q5 is a gaming laptop first and foremost, so this isn’t a major issue.

The Eurocom Q5 has quite a few I/O ports for a thin and light laptop. On the left, you’ll find the DC power-in, an HDMI port, two mini DisplayPorts, two USB 3.1 Type-C ports, and two USB 3.0 ports. The right I/O features a microphone jack, a combination headphone/SPDIF jack, two card readers, the RJ-45 LAN port, and a Kensington lock.

Display

The Q5’s display is a 15.6” Full HD (1920x1080) TN display with a 5ms response time and a 120Hz refresh rate. Eurocom also offers 60Hz IPS models in either FHD or Ultra HD (3840x2160). Unfortunately, there are no models with G-Sync.

Additional displays can be connected via HDMI 2.0 or the two DisplayPorts.

Input Devices

The Q5 features the same full-length keyboard you’ll find on all Clevo models. The keys are well spaced and feature a satisfying bumpy actuation, making for a comfortable typing experience. The keys have a translucent white font that allows the backlighting to peer through keycaps without excessive backlight bleed. The WASD keys feature a white border around the font.

The function row has a number of predetermined functions: F1 toggles touchpad functionality; F2 switches between displays; F3, F5, and F6 adjust audio; F7 opens the Project menu; F8 and F9 adjust display brightness; F10 toggles the webcam; F11 toggles Airplane mode; F12 puts the Q5 to sleep. Additionally, you can open the ComboKeys software by pressing “Fn + /” and adjust backlight levels with “Fn and *,” “Fn and -,” and “Fn and +.”

The touchpad is incredibly accurate and comfortable to use. Its surface is distinctively grainier than the rest of the titanium-aluminum construction, which is great because you won’t experience much surface drag from oil buildup. The left and right buttons are separated from the rest of the touchpad, so you won’t experience uneven touchpad depth, which tends to plague gaming laptops. The left and right buttons have a satisfying bumpy feedback. On the top left of the touchpad, you’ll find a fingerprint sensor, which can be used to log in to your Windows profile. The sensor works almost immediately, which will save you a few seconds when signing in.

Interior

The bottom panel is secured to the chassis with 11 screws. Once those are removed, you can easily pop off the panel from the rear edge, giving you access to the interchangeable components. On the far right, you'll find a SATA slot, which you can slip a HDD into. Near the front edge, you’ll find the Q5’s 60 Wh battery. Right next to it is an M.2 2280 slot. A separate M.2 2242 slot is located just above the battery, below the GPU exhaust fans. Next to the M.2 2280 slot, you’ll find the Killer Wireless-AC 1535, which handles wireless connectivity. Above that rests two DDR4 memory slots.

The Q5’s cooling solution is split into two portions. On the right is the CPU heat sink, which has two heat pipes leading to the exhaust fan on the top right. The GPU’s cooling spans nearly the entire length of the Q5, with the GPU heat sink in the middle and three heat pipes drawing heat towards two exhaust fans on the left side of the Q5. Normally, the cooling solution is combined, with heat pipes being shared between the CPU and GPU. We’ll see whether the separated pipes produce better thermal conditions.

Software

Pressing “Fn + /” will launch ComboKeys, which is pre-loaded on most Clevo systems. From here, you can create macros, track statistics, and adjust backlight settings. The keyboard is split into three sections: left, middle, and right. The lights can be adjusted to any color in the RGB spectrum. Additionally, there are special settings, such as breathing, color cycling, and a left-to-right wave effect.

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Synthetic Benchmarks

The Eurocom Q5 is the second laptop we’ve tested with Nvidia’s Max-Q technology. It also comes with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, a GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. Its display is a Full HD (1920x1080) anti-glare TN panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Measuring 0.74” thin and weighing 4.2lbs, the Eurocom Q5 is the thinnest and lightest GTX 1070-based laptop we've tested, thanks in no small part to Max-Q. Let’s hope that the thinner profile doesn’t impede its performance dramatically.

Now for the competition.

The best point of comparison is undoubtedly a full-fledged GTX 1070, so we’re including the recently reviewed MSI GE63VR Raider. It also features an i7-7700HQ, but comes with 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 512GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200 RPM HDD. It has a FHD 120Hz matte display with a 3ms response time. We expect the Eurocom Q5 to provide at least 85% of the Raider's performance. The Raider is much thicker, and therefore has a more robust cooling system; if the Q5 falls down on controlling heat, that performance gap could be wider.

The second laptop in our comparison is the Asus ROG Zephyrus, which features a GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design. It contains an i7-7700HQ, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. Its display is a 15.6” FHD anti-glare IPS panel with G-Sync and a 120Hz refresh rate. As the first Max-Q laptop we tested, we were pleased to find that the Zephyrus delivered similar performance to a fully-fledged GTX 1080-based laptop. However, it lacked processing power, because GTX 1080-equipped laptops tend to use overclockable CPUs, and it suffered from thermal throttling in particularly demanding titles.

To fulfill the role of the traditional high-end gaming laptop, we’re throwing the Aorux X7 DT v7 into the mix. It’s equipped with an overclockable Core i7-7820HK, a GTX 1080, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 512GB M.2 SSD for the operating system, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for additional storage. The Aorus has a 17.3” display with a 5ms response time, a 120Hz refresh rate, and G-Sync, but it stands out because it’s one of the few gaming laptops on the market with Quad HD (2560x1440) resolution.

Finally, we’ve included the recently reviewed Acer Predator Helios 300, which we awarded with an Editor’s Choice for its excellent performance and low price. The GTX 1060-based Helios features an i7-7700HQ, 16GB of DDR4-2133 memory, and a 256GB M.2 SSD as its only storage source. It features a 15.6” FHD display. The Helios doesn’t have any extraneous features, which is part of its charm; it’s gaming value in its purest form.

3DMark

3DMark’s game-like workloads give us a sneak peak of our roundup’s gaming results.

The Eurocom Q5 slightly underperforms the MSI GE63VR Raider, which is to be expected. We see the Q5 fall behind the Raider across the board, but it doesn’t dip as low as the Acer Predator Helios 300. The charts create an almost perfect staircase effect, with the Max-Q GTX 1070 falling cleanly between the GTX 1060 and GTX 1070, and the Max-Q GTX 1080 between the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070.

Cinebench R15

Cinebench measures CPU prowess, particularly the benchmark's single and multi-core tests. On the other hand, the OpenGL shading test is platform-based, with a slight preference for GPU strength.

Starting off with CPU-based benchmarks, the Q5 matches the Raider, Zephyrus, Helios, and even X7 in single core performance. However, the X7 takes the lead in multi-core performance thanks to its more robust i7-7820HK CPU. Things get interesting with OpenGL performance. The Q5 doesn’t perform as well as the Raider, as expected. But we also see the Zephyrus fall behind the Raider, despite the former’s GTX 1080.

CompuBench

CompuBench features a handful of benchmarks. We use the platform-based Video Processing test and GPU-based Bitcoin Mining test.

We witness a perfect staircase effect yet again, this time in both workloads. The Q5’s less powerful Max-Q GTX 1070 provides a two-point reduction compared to the Raider. It takes a more considerable hit in the Bitcoin Mining score (a 19% reduction).

IOMeter

We perform an IOmeter test on each laptop’s primary drive to measure basic random and sequential read and write speeds. Most of the laptops in this roundup contain Samsung SSDs: the Q5 has a 512GB 960 Pro, the Raider has a 512GB PM871, and the X7 and Zephyrus both have 512GB SM951s. The outlier is the Helios, which contains a 256GB Micron 1100.

The Q5’s 960 Pro SSD dominates across the board. In our 4K random (QD2) tests, it matches the SM951s in read speeds, but far exceeds them in write speeds. We see similar results in 128K sequential read and write speeds. The Q5 will load application-based tasks and large files with unprecedented speed.

PCMark 8

To approximate a system’s common workday performance, we use PCMark 8’s Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative tests. The tasks are platform-based, so systems with powerful CPUs will perform the best.

The Eurocom Q5 lands in fourth place yet again, but the margins between the Q5, Raider, and Helios are rather insignificant; you shouldn’t experience a noticeable performance difference in real world usage. However, the GTX 1080-based laptops perform significantly better, with the Aorus X7 DT v7 in particular outscoring the Q5’s Microsoft Office score by several hundred points, thanks to its i7-7820HK CPU.

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Gaming Benchmarks

Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation is our first gaming benchmark, and the Eurocom Q5 sits where we'd expect it to. However, our 3DMark results appear to misrepresent the GTX 1070 Max-Q’s actual gaming performance, at least in this title. Rather than a perfect staircase in our charts, the Q5 keeps up with the MSI GE63VR Raider’s GTX 1070 admirably, performing only about 6% slower and outperforming the Predator Helios by nearly 20%.

Ashes of the Singularity

Ashes of the Singularity is much more demanding than Alien: Isolation, and our charts illustrate the staircase effect once again. The culprit is the Eurocom GPU’s thermal throttling. We measured the GTX 1070 Max-Q’s average temperature (74°C) and boost clock rate (1377 MHz) during this benchmark, and even though it's running at near maximum efficiency, it still doesn’t deliver as much performance as the MSI Raider.

Note: A typical GTX 1070 boost clock rate is 1645 MHz; Max-Q specifications tout 1379 MHz as the boost clock rate.

As a result, the Q5’s frame rate falls around 13% below that of the MSI Raider, bringing it well under 50 FPS. You’ll have to make substantial graphical setting compromises to bring the frame rate back up to a smooth 60 FPS. Fortunately, the GTX 1070 Max-Q still outperforms the GTX 1060 by about 18%.

DiRT Rally

We looked at some of the GPU data during our DiRT Rally benchmark again, and we saw the Eurocom Max-Q GTX 1070 temps at around 74°C with a boost clock of 1382 MHz, which is slightly higher than Nvidia’s 1379 MHz rating. Despite this, the Eurocom Q5 underperforms the MSI Raider laptop by nearly 17%, or 11 FPS.

Fortunately for the Q5, the performance degradation doesn’t pull the frame rate below 60 FPS. The GTX 1060 drags down the Predator Helios, which runs nearly 20% slower than the Q5, or around 13 FPS.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most demanding games in our suite, so you would expect a Max-Q 1070 GPU with a lower maximum boost clock than a regular mobile 1070 GPU to perform much slower. Although the GTX 1070 Max-Q exhibits an average temperature of 71°C for the duration of the benchmark, and an average boost clock of 1359 MHz, well under Nvidia’s max boost clock rating, frame rate-wise, the Q5 keeps up with the MSI Raider on nearly all accounts, and even exceeds the latter during the infamous Vinewood Sign scene. We no longer have the MSI Raider at our disposal to examine if it was similarly throttled due to thermal limitations, but this would seem a logical explanation.

However, the GTX 1070, Max-Q or otherwise, still doesn’t deliver an ideal 60 FPS average. Only a GTX 1080 is capable of doing so, and you’ll need at least the X7 (or the Zephyrus, if form factor matters to you) to meet this demand.

GRID Autosport

GRID Autosport is much easier to run than most of the games in our suite, so weren’t expecting the GTX 1070 Max-Q to face any bottlenecking problems. What we weren’t expecting was the Q5 to outperform the MSI Raider; the GTX 1070 Max-Q delivers nearly 4 FPS more than the Raider, or about 4% additional performance.

The Q5 runs just a frame shy of the Zephyrus, despite the latter's GTX 1080 Max-Q. Our GPU-Z log found the GTX 1070 Max-Q running at its maximum boost clock of 1379 MHz, whereas the GTX 1080 Max-Q is running at 1413 MHz, much lower than its maximum boost clock of 1468 MHz. Considering the Zephyrus’s thinner form factor and restrictive cooling, it’s not surprising that it would experience thermal throttling.

Hitman

Hitman is slightly more intense than GRID Autosport. This time, the Q5 only sits a frame behind the MSI Raider. The Zephyrus performs about 10 FPS better than the GTX 1070-based laptops, or about 11% faster. GPU-Z reports the GTX 1070’s (Max-Q) clock rate at 1363 MHz, slightly under its maximum boost clock, so the Q5 isn’t struggling to deliver its peak performance.

On the lower end of the scale, the Helios performs around 15 FPS slower, which is a 17% performance gap for the 1060 GPU. The performance difference isn’t a bad trade off if you’re looking to save several hundred dollars; the Helios still delivers over 60 FPS on average.

Metro: Last Light Redux

Metro: Last Light Redux is where things start to get hectic. Metro has always pushed even the strongest systems to their knees. These days, anything better than a GTX 1070 offers enough horsepower. The GTX 1070 Max-Q struggles a bit, only barely maintaining 60 FPS, whereas the Raider finishes with a little breathing room to spare.

The GTX 1070 Max-Q is running at 1381 MHz during this game, so even at full efficiency, you’ll still experience a performance deficit against a traditional GTX 1070. In this case, you’re better off going with normal GTX 1070, which should have adequate cooling and save you a few hundred dollars.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider raises the graphical bar up a notch, and in turn increases the demand on your GPU. None of the laptops in this roundup, save the Aorus, are capable of maintaining at least 60 FPS here. The Q5 takes a massive 26% performance hit in comparison to the Raider’s traditional GTX 1070. This leaves it only about five frames faster than the Acer Helios. Even the Zephyrus and its GTX 1080 Max-Q falls below the 60 FPS mark. A standard GTX 1080 is absolutely necessary if you want smooth gameplay in RotTR at maximum settings.

The Division

The Division isn’t nearly as strenuous as RotTR, so most high-end gaming laptops will achieve excellent performance here. The Q5’s performance lands between the Raider and the Helios; the Q5 is about 18% slower than the Raider, but 17% faster than the Helios. What’s notable is that the Q5 just barely maintains 60 FPS, whereas the Helios dips below 60. The Raider’s standard GTX 1070 delivers only a couple of frames less than a GTX 1080 Max-Q. If you plan on playing similar titles, the best value proposition would be to avoid a Max-Q laptop, although you'll sacrifice that slim form factor.

Thief

We end our gaming benchmarks with Thief, which has a platform-based workload similar to GRID. You don’t need a powerful GPU to run Thief adequately, so if you want to save some money, you can opt for a GTX 1060-based laptop like the Helios. Most gaming laptops come with either 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rates; the Q5, for instance, has a TN panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, none of the laptops in our roundup can reach 120 FPS. The most you can expect at maximum settings is 115 FPS from a GTX 1080-based laptop such as the Aorus. Drastic graphical tweaks are necessary for the Q5 to reach 120 FPS.

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Battery, Thermal & Display Testing

Battery Test - Tomb Raider 2013 Battery Rundown

To test battery life, we set each laptop’s battery profile to Balanced while running Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark at the lowest detail preset. The frame rate is locked at 30 FPS through GeForce Experience’s Battery Boost to limit the strain on the battery. Meanwhile, a script running in the background monitors and time stamps the system’s battery percentage. The laptops are set to hibernate once battery levels reach 5%. We test the battery life at 200 nits.

The Eurocom Q5 features a 4-cell 60Wh battery, which is adequate for a Max-Q GTX 1070’s needs. The battery provides the Q5 about 10 minutes of extra game time over the MSI GE63VR Raider, which has a fully fledged GTX 1070 and a smaller 51Wh battery. With the Q5’s slim design, you can’t really ask for more battery life; a larger battery means a thicker laptop, which defeats the purpose of Max-Q. In comparison, the Asus ROG Zephyrus contains a more power hungry GTX 1080 (albeit of Max-Q design) and a smaller 50Wh battery, so it delivers around 16 minutes less.

Unfortunately, the Q5 doesn’t outperform the Acer Predator Helios or Aorus X7 DT v7. The former features a smaller 48Wh battery, but the GTX 1060 doesn’t draw nearly as much power as the Q5’s GTX 1070; the Acer’s GPU and battery pairing are perfect, delivering nearly two hours of gameplay. The Aorus laptop has a power hungry GTX 1080, offset by an impressive 94.24Wh battery, providing it similar longevity.

Thermal Testing

We use our Optris PI 640 infrared camera to measure the laptop’s thermals. We also take the average and maximum temperature from GPU-Z’s thermal log. For more information about how we test, be sure to check out our Measurement Science article.

Our initial impressions from the Optris imaging were alarming: the temperatures appear to be normal when the system is idling, with the CPU heatsink producing the most heat. However, after a 15 minute Furmark stress test, the GPU’s cooling system heats up considerably. Its heat pipes take the brunt of the attack, pulling most of the heat away from the GPU heat sink and emitting a toasty 84°C. The GPU heat sink, while warm, is well within a safe operating temperature of 78°C. The separated cooling system keeps the CPU’s temperatures quite cool, with temperatures hovering in the mid 50s (Celsius).

According to our GPU-Z log, the GTX 1070 experiences an average temperature of 73.23° C, and maxes out at 77°C. The Q5 doesn’t run as cool as the Helios 300 or the Raider, but both are considerably thicker, and thus have more adequate cooling. The Zephyrus runs hotter, but is also thinner and contains a GTX 1080 with Max-Q. The Aorus runs slightly hotter still.

Display Testing

We used the SpectraCal C6 Colorimeter to measure the Eurocom Q5's display, testing with its default X-Rite Pantone Color calibration. Be sure to check out our Display Testing Explained article for a full description of our test methodology.

The Q5 features a TN panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is great if you prioritize your gaming experience over color accuracy. The first thing you’ll notice is the poor contrast. The Q5 has has a decent minimum white luminance of 33.5744, but its minimum black luminance is 0.0606, which results in a poor minimum contrast ratio of 554:1, the lowest in our comparison set. Similarly, the Q5’s display has an excellent maximum white luminance of 396.4182, but a high maximum black luminance of 0.6558. The resulting maximum contrast ratio is 604.5:1. The low contrasts are noticeable in the display’s incredibly flat image.

The RGB levels are unbalanced as well. They begin slightly unbalanced, with a slightly low red level and a high blue level to match; as brightness is increased to 10%, the blue level continues to rise while the red level falls. Things get drastic from 20% brightness onward, with a sharp plummet in reds and greens while blues skyrocket. This creates a noticeably blue tint on screen.

The overemphasized blue levels disrupt the display’s grayscale accuracy considerably. Ideally, a display should aim for a DeltaE 200 value of three or lower, at which point the grayscale errors aren’t noticeable. However, the Q5’s display has an average DeltaE 2000 of 11.7791, perhaps one of the worst we’ve seen. You’ll notice the grayscale inaccuracy anywhere above 20% brightness.

A well-saturated display should have an average gamma of around 2.2. Anything above that will be over-saturated, and the opposite is true if the gamma is lower than 2.2 The Q5’s display exhibits severe under-saturation, with an average gamma of 1.9312. The gamma point chart illustrates the gamma levels dipping from 0% to 10% brightness and rising again between 90% and 100% brightness, creating a valley of under-saturation in between.

Color accuracy is determined by DeltaE 2000, and values below three mean that the inaccuracies are unnoticeable. Unfortunately, the Q5 exhibits poor color accuracy, with an average DeltaE 2000 of 9.192. Practically every color is misrepresented on the Q5’s display. This is somewhat forgivable (to some) because of the snappy 120Hz refresh rate. Gamers who value a higher refresh rate may not be too concerned with the display’s issues, but anyone looking to use the Q5 for more than fast-paced gaming should consider one of the IPS models instead.

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Price Analysis & Conclusion

With the advent of Nvidia’s Max-Q Design GPUs, laptop manufacturers got the tools to make thinner and lighter laptops with only a minimal reduction in performance. The Eurocom Q5 is a noteworthy example, closing in on excellence if it weren't for its price, but more on that later.

The Eurocom Q5 doesn’t exactly top any of our benchmarks, but we pitted it against a formidable competitive cast. The GTX 1070 Max-Q is basically a traditional GTX 1070 with less power draw and a lower clock rate, after all. The Q5 trails the MSI GE63VR Raider, which has a full-fledged GTX 1070, but not by much. Across the board, the GTX 1070 Max-Q lands squarely between that laptop with its regular GTX 1070 and the Acer Predator Helios 300, with its GTX 1060. Where the Q5 stands out from the crowd is with its 512GB Samsung 960 Pro, which provides impressive read and write speeds at QD2.

We’re happy to report that the Q5 doesn’t trail the MSI Raider by much in a majority of the games in our suite. In some cases, such as Grand Theft Auto V or Hitman, the performance difference falls within one frame, and in GRID Autosport the Q5 maintains a higher frame rate. In many cases we also found that the GTX 1070 Max-Q’s clock rate doesn’t reach its maximum boost frequency. In fact, the GPU only reaches its maximum boost clock in particularly GPU-intensive titles, such as Rise of the Tomb Raider or The Division; the reduced power draw diminishes performance significantly in such titles.

The Eurocom Q5 performs within an acceptable thermal window, which is crucial considering how thin its chassis is designed. Our Optris thermal images illustrate rather high temperatures ranging from 78°C on the GPU heatsink up to 84°C on the heat pipes. The GPU-Z log depicts the GPU diode’s actual temperatures, with an average of around 73°C, or well within safe operating temperatures. The Asus Zephyrus and Aorus X7 run hotter than the Q5, and rightfully so: the Zephyrus has a GTX 1080 Max-Q and more restrictive cooling, whereas the Aorus has a standard GTX 1080 that generates even more heat. The Raider and Helios run cooler for similar reasons: the Raider has a wider chassis, and therefore better cooling, while the Helios runs a less demanding GTX 1060. To sum up, the Q5 runs exactly as hot as we expected it to.

Max-Q Design GPUs are capable of achieving most of a conventional GPU’s performance within a smaller power envelope, so theoretically, a Max-Q laptop will last last longer than a traditional gaming laptop. In practice, this isn’t necessarily the case, because laptop manufacturers offer models with varying battery sizes. Capacity is king. At the very least, the Eurocom Q5 delivers well over an hour of uninterrupted playtime thanks to its 60Wh battery. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider is left with a regular GTX 1070 and a smaller 51Wh battery, so it's no surprise that it doesn’t stack up against the Q5. The laptops that last longer—the Aorus and Acer—do so because they have adequately sized batteries for their intended GPUs.

Our biggest technical criticism of the Q5 is its display. TN panels are notorious for having poor contrast, unbalanced RGB levels, and inaccurate grayscale and color accuracy. Unfortunately, the Q5’s TN display is no exception. The Q5 has a particularly poor grayscale DeltaE 2000 of 11.7791, among the worst scores we've seen. On the other hand, the Q5’s fast 120Hz refresh rate makes for a smooth gaming experience, given the Q5 can push frame rates close to 120 FPS. This only occurs in a few games in our benchmark suite, but we also test at the highest possible settings. And yet, in most cases, not only will reducing your settings to reach 120 FPS diminish the visual fidelity, the inaccurate TN display will hinder your images further.

The Q5’s build quality is undoubtedly one of its strongest selling points. Many thin-and-light laptops come to market with some sort of vulnerability here, like flimsy panels or poor construction. The Q5’s titanium aluminum alloy construction has virtually no weak points, and yet the laptop remains light and portable. The understated design has just the right amount of aggressive angles and lighting to invoke a gamer aesthetic without being gaudy.

The Q5 configuration that Eurocom sent us costs $2,729, which is an unreasonable amount to ask, considering it only has a GTX 1070 (albeit Max-Q). In fact, the Q5 even costs more than the Zephyrus configuration (with a 1080 GPU) we previously tested, at $2,700. The Aorus only costs about $170 more than the Q5 and blows it out of the water in nearly every performance metric. Furthermore, the Helios 300 costs less than half the price of the Q5 while offering competitive performance.

But this is largely the result of vendor markups. According to Eurocom’s configuration page, the 512GB Samsung 960 Pro tacks on $666. Also, our configuration doesn’t include an HDD. By default, the Q5 has a 500GB 7200 RPM Hitachi Z7K500 hard drive; removing the hard drive adds $11 to the final cost. Upgraded memory will cost a premium as well; 16GB of DDR4 RAM adds at least $163. Furthermore, the 120Hz TN panel drives the cost up by $150. This means that you can purchase a Q5 with a GTX 1070 Max-Q for as little as $1,740, nearly $1,000 less than the configuration we were sent. We recommend choosing your desired display through Eurocom’s configurator and upgrading the memory and SSD yourself. This approach will net you the same performance as our configuration while saving you several hundred dollars.

And that would be worthwhile, because otherwise the Eurocom Q5 is an attractive laptop with excellent build quality and performance.

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Introduction & Product Tour

When shopping for a gaming laptop, it’s easy get lost among the offerings from big-name vendors like Asus, Gigabyte, Alienware, and MSI. But you can find companies like Eurocom unveiling interesting and powerful offerings, like the Tornado F5. Equipped with a desktop Intel Core i7-7700K processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080, the Tornado hopes to—ahem—blow away the high-end laptop competition.

Specifications

Packaging

Eurocom initially sent us a Tornado F5 unit a few months ago. The packaging was rather generic, and we found cosmetic damage on the unit during our initial inspection. The source of the damage wasn't clear, but it could have been that the original packaging's restrictive dimensions. The Tornado F5 is quite thick, and it didn't seem like the box it arrived in was the right one.

We notified Eurocom about this issue, and the company responded by sending us an unscathed unit with updated packaging. The new packaging is still rather plain, but it's much thicker and the interior foam lining is much more robust. If this is the final packaging, we doubt you'll have any issues. The box has a plastic handle for easy carrying. Inside, you'll find the unit wrapped in plastic lining and four foam slabs. You'll also find a separate accessories box containing the driver disc, quick start guide, and thermal pads on the top, an AC power cord on the right, and the 330W power adapter on the left. In the middle, you'll find two slabs of foam that appear to be placeholders for different accessories.

Exterior

The top cover of the Tornado F5 features a black brushed-metal finish that will inevitably attract fingerprints, smudges, oils, and all sorts of debris unless you keep it clean. On the lip of the lid, the metal surface is interrupted by plastic bar. Otherwise, the cover is blank. There’s nothing wrong with this, but the lack of embellishments enhance the blemishes.

The brushed-metal surface finds its way inside, surrounding the area around the input devices, where the smudge issue is exacerbated. This is the trade-off. The surface is aesthetically appealing. The metal is also cool and crisp to the touch, which only entices you to touch it more. On the top right-hand corner there are three Quick Launch buttons that maximize the fan levels, turn the display off, and adjust the keyboard backlighting. To the right of the Quick Launch buttons you’ll find the power button.

Next to the four buttons are a group of small perforations cut across the brushed-metal surface, creating a speaker grille. The placement of these speakers is optimal, because the audio faces directly toward you, unobstructed. Many manufacturers place laptop speakers on the front lip, which gets blocked by your hands while typing or using the trackpad. We hope to see more laptop makers place speakers above the keyboard in the future.

The bezel is plastic and measures 1.875" thick on the sides, 1.0625" thick on the top, and 1.125" thick on the bottom. Rubber feet on each side of the bezel prevent the display from making contact with the rest of the laptop (two on the sides, two on the bottom, and four on the top). In the center of the top bezel is a 2MP webcam, the camera’s LED indicator, and a built-in microphone. Finally, the company logo is painted in white on the bottom of the bezel.

The edges of the Tornado employ a different kind of plastic construction compared to the bezel. The front and side edges curve inward to make the Tornado appear thinner when viewed from the top. The side edges don’t have much in the way of aesthetics, whereas the front and rear edges are more ornate. In the front, you’ll find the status indicator LEDs in the center. Several ridges are indented forward on the left and right; in between these indentations is a contrasting smooth surface. On the back, you’ll find two large exhaust ports bearing the traditional gamer aesthetic, although the Tornado F5’s all-black coloration makes this more subtle than its more ostentatious contemporaries.

The edge surface is grainier, and upon initial inspection feels just as sturdy as the metal surfaces on the lid and surrounding the input devices. The damage we initially found was a large crack on the rear edge, right on top of the exhaust port, but considering how sturdy the construction feels, we believe that this may have been a fault in the packaging. Eurocom remedied this with updated packaging.

The hinge assembly is also made of plastic, but the surface is smooth, similar to the bezel. There are two small hinges, one on each side of the laptop, which provide the display with nearly 180° of motion, which is impressive for a laptop this large; typically, we would find this level of flexibility on thin-and-light laptops. The hinge does a decent job of keeping the display steady against bumps and shaking.

The bottom panel bears a similar aesthetic to the rear exhaust ports. It has just enough gamer flare to breathe much-needed life into the bland background, but it doesn’t do so in ridiculous fashion. A large grille is cut throughout the bottom to intake cold air. Six feet keep the Tornado F5 stable: four rubber feet on each of the corners, one rubber foot near the rear edge, and one plastic foot in the middle of the intake grille. On the left, you'll find a grille for the subwoofer, which complements the Tornado F5's already excellent speakers.

The construction is the same as the edges, meaning it features the same grainy surface. A moderate amount of pressure will flex the bottom panel. Perhaps if there weren’t as many intake grilles, or if the grilles were more spread out, the bottom panel’s rigidity wouldn’t be at risk, but the trade-off in rigidity would compromise cooling, so we'll call this a win.

On the left side, you’ll find inputs for headphone, microphone, S/PDIF, and line-in, as well as a lone Kensington lock on the far left. On the right side, you’ll find three USB 3.0 ports and a 6-in-1 card reader. Finally, the rear ports include an RJ-45 LAN port, Thunderbolt 3 over Type-C, HDMI 2.0, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, and a the DC power in. The Tornado F5 is “VR Ready,” meaning it has all the ports necessary to support either an HTC Vive or an Oculus Rift.

Display

Our configuration of the Eurcom Tornado F5 features a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) matte IPS display running at 60 Hz. The GeForce GTX 1080 seems like overkill at FHD, although we also found the same with MSI's GT73VR Titan Pro, which also uses a GTX 1080. Other variants include a UHD (3840x2160) 60 Hz IPS display and a FHD 120 Hz TN display. Additional displays can be connected via Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, and DisplayPort 1.2.

Input Devices

Several of the function row keys have predetermined functions: F2 shows screen options, F3 locks the trackpad, F4 and F7 open user defined programs, F5 will cycle through different power saving profiles, F6 toggles the webcam, F10 activates airplane mode, and F12 puts the system to sleep. There are additional functions on the bottom row and number pad: Up and Down keys adjust brightness, Left and Right adjust volume, 0 mutes the speakers, and “-” and “+” adjust backlighting intensity.

The keys feature three levels of brightness. Lighting can be adjusted over three zones: left, middle, and right. Using the Quick Launch backlighting button will either turn off the middle and right zone, or turn the lighting off completely. The keys feature RGB lighting, which can be adjusted using the downloadable KLM software.

On the other hand, the trackpad leaves much to be desired. Tracking is fairly accurate, but the matte texture has a slight amount of surface drag when making fine movements. You’re better off using a gaming mouse. The trackpad isn’t clickable, and instead employs separate left and right click buttons below it. The buttons have a crisp, tactile response, but they don’t make up for the trackpad’s performance.

Interior

Accessing the interior is as easy as removing six screws and detaching the bottom panel. Immediately, you'll see the Tornado F5's hefty cooling solution, which takes up the entire back half of the system, and then some. If you want to access the i7-7700K and replace it with another Kaby Lake CPU, you can do so by removing the cooling solution. This requires removing three screws from each of the exhaust fans, four screws from the GPU heat sink, three from the heat pipes, and unfastening four large screws from the CPU heat sink (these screws cannot be totally removed). Thermal pads are attached to the CPU heat sink to cool the inductors and MOSFETs. Additionally, you can access the GPU by removing a hex-head screw.

Once the cooling solution is out of the way, you get a better view of the internals. There are two memory slots to the right of the CPU holding 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory. Below, you'll find the Killer Wireless AC-1535, which is responsible for the Tornado F5's networking capabilities. On the top right corner is the M.2 SSD slot, and on the top left corner is a 2.5" SATA slot, occupied by an HDD. Beneath the SATA slot is the 75.24Wh, 8-cell lithium ion battery.

Software

To take advantage of the keyboard and Quick Launch functionality, you’ll have to visit Eurocom’s website and download the Hotkey folder under the driver page. Inside the folder, you’ll find various applications that will let you use the function keys and Quick Launch buttons. If these applications look familiar to you, it’s because they’re the same applications used on MSI’s gaming systems.

Included in the folder is the SCM (System Control Manager), and as you might’ve guessed, it functions as a central hub for the Tornado F5. From here you can adjust network settings, brightness and volume, ECO power profiles, and the display. There's a Shortcut Manager that lets you create and cycle through keyboard shortcut profiles. Sizing Options adjusts the size of objects and text on your screen. Silent Option adjusts the fan profile.

For cosmetic changes, you’ll need to install the KLM software. With it, you can choose your preferred RGB lighting setup from the following effects: Breathing slowly pulses the lights on and off; Audio makes the lights dance to whatever audio you’re playing; Wave adjusts the color from left to right in a wave effect; Gaming turns off the right side of the keyboard; Dual Color creates a breathe-like effect with lights pulsating between two different colors; Normal keeps the lights static. You can even set the keyboard to either Wave or Breathing when the Tornado F5 is asleep.

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Synthetic Benchmarks

The Eurocom Tornado F5 features the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080, the strongest GPU available for a laptop. It also boasts a desktop processor, the Intel Core i7-7700K. That's a powerful combination on paper. These are buffeted by 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 250GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for additional storage. You get a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) IPS display with a matte coating.

For comparison purposes, the Tornado F5’s main contender is the Aorus X7 DT v7, which also comes equipped with a GTX 1080. The main difference between the two will be the X7’s mobile i7-7820HK, which is overclockable, but doesn’t have the computational power of the i7-7700K. The rest of its components are fairly standard: 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 256GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD. What makes the Aorus unique is its 17.3” Quad HD (2560x1440) display with a 120Hz refresh rate and G-Sync support.

There’s only so much performance you can squeeze out of a single GPU, so the next logical step is two GPUs. The MSI GT73VR Titan SLI features two GTX 1070s. It also contains an i7-7820HK, 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, two 256GB M.2 SSDs running RAID 0, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD for additional storage. It has a 17.3” Ultra HD (3840x2160) matte IPS display with G-Sync. The Titan SLI will highlight the benefits of a second GPU as well as the drawbacks.

What’s better than two GTX 1070s? Two GTX 1080s, of course! The Origin PC EON17-SLX delivers just that, along with a desktop i7-7700K CPU, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 512GB M.2 SSD, and a 1TB 7200RPM HDD. Similar to the Titan, the EON17-SLX features a 17.3” UHD IPS display with G-Sync technology.

Finally, we’ve thrown the MSI GE63VR Raider into the fray. The Raider is packing an i7-7700HQ CPU, a GTX 1070, 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 512GB M.2 SSD, and an additional 1TB 7200RPM HDD. Like the Eurocom, it has a 15.6” FHD display, but the similarities end there. The Raider’s display has a 120Hz refresh rate and it doesn’t use an IPS panel. Performance-wise, this should be the least powerful system in our comparisons. We're including this just for comparison purposes, as we typically do, so that you can gauge exactly where the upgraded components of our system under review come into play and where they are potentially not worth the extra cost.

3DMark

3DMark lets us approximate a gaming laptop’s graphical performance. The Eurocom Tornado F5 delivers a higher combined score in the standard Fire Strike benchmark. However, higher resolutions benefit from additional GPU horsepower, so the MSI GT73VR Titan SLI surpasses the Tornado F5 in Fire Strike Extreme, Fire Strike Ultra, and Time Spy. Still, the Eurocom’s more powerful CPU helps it maintain a steady victory over the Aorus X7 DT v7.

Cinebench R15

Cinebench features three tests. The single and multi-core tests are, as you might’ve guessed, CPU based. The OpenGL shading test leans on the GPU. (Note: There's no SLI support in Cinebench.) The Tornado F5’s single and multi-core scores far exceed the mobile processor-based competition (20-23% faster single core performance and 16-17% faster multi-core performance compared with laptops sporting 7820HKs). The Eurocom’s greatest competition in Cinebench is the Origin PC EON17-SLX, which provides similar scores thanks to its i7-7700K.

CompuBench

The CompuBench Bitcoin Mining test is more GPU-dependent, so the Eurocom unit doesn’t outperform the X7 by nearly as much as it does in Cinebench. The Tornado F5 performs about 8% better in Video Processing, but only about 3% better in Bitcoin Mining. CompuBench tests don’t support multi-GPU setups. As a result, the Eurocom laptop performs better than the Origin PC, whose second GTX 1080 essentially goes to waste.

IOMeter

We perform an IOmeter test on each laptop’s primary drive to measure random and sequential speeds. The Tornado F5 features a 250GB Samsung 960 EVO SSD, the X7 features a 512GB Samsung SM951, the EON17-SLX contains a 512GB Samsung 960 Pro, the Titan SLI has two 256GB Samsung SM951s running in RAID 0, and the Raider contains a Samsung PM871. This is yet another battle of the Samsung SSDs.

The Eurocom’s 960 EVO just about matches the Titan SLI’s RAID 0 array in 4K random speeds, with slightly lower read speeds and slightly higher write speeds. The Origin PC’s 960 Pro delivers similar 4K random speeds, while the Aorus’ SM951 falls behind slightly. Rest assured, all of these laptops are ideal for handling application-based tasks. However, the 960 EVO of the Tornado F5 doesn’t quite stack up in 128K sequential speeds, so you might notice a small delay when accessing large files. This still isn’t as bad as the Raider’s meek PM871.

PCMark 8

PCMark 8 features workloads that use the Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative suites to gauge a system’s performance more accurately than Futuremark’s standard home, office, and creative workloads. These tests are best handled by a powerful CPU, so the Eurocom delivers splendid performance in both suites, and only definitely loses to the EON17-SLX. While the scores paint a favorable picture for the Eurocom laptop, you shouldn’t experience a noticeable performance problem with any of the laptops in this comparison set.

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Gaming Benchmarks

Alien: Isolation

At Full HD, just about any high-end system can run Alien: Isolation with frame rates in the 100s, and the Eurocom Tornado F5 is no exception. It sits at third place, beating the Aorus X7 DT v7 by a few frames and falling behind the MSI GT73VR Titan SLI 4K by nearly the same margin. The less powerful, but still formidable MSI GE63VR Raider comes close to 200 FPS.

Alien: Isolation is an ideal candidate for 4K gaming. At UHD, both the Tornado’s and X7’s frame rates drop into the 70s. Unfortunately, the Tornado is restricted to a FHD display, so you’ll need an external monitor to enjoy smooth 4K gaming.

Ashes of the Singularity

[NOTE: We didn't test the MSI GT73VR Titan SLI with multi-GPU support in Ashes of the Singularity, so its score is omitted from the results.]

Unfortunately, Ashes of the Singularity imposes stricter requirements. Still, the Eurocom’s desktop processor pulls the Tornado’s frame rate a tad over 60 FPS, whereas the X7’s mobile processor delivers 6% less performance. Meanwhile, the Raider trails behind by nearly 23%, so you'll need to reduce more settings to surpass 60 FPS in this game.

At UHD, the i7-7700K makes an inconsequential difference. And even the GTX 1080 doesn’t provide enough performance to reach 60 FPS here. Running a dual GPU setup like the Origin PC EON17-SLX brings you much closer, but you’ll still need to reduce your settings to break that 60 FPS threshold.

Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is relatively easy to run at FHD, so you’ll find performance bottlenecked (if at all) by the CPU rather than the GPU. The Eurocom delivers outstanding performance at 170 FPS, while the X7 trails behind by 4%.

The next logical step is to raise the resolution, and even at UHD the Eurocom enjoys well over 60 FPS. Only the EON17-SLX delivers enough to drive a 120 Hz display, however.

DiRT Rally

In DiRT Rally, the Eurocom laptop takes a back seat yet again to the dual GPU laptops, whose frame rates easily break 100. The desktop i7-7700K processor affords the Tornado F5 roughly 10% additional performance over the Aorus and its i7-7820HK. The GE63VR Raider doesn’t deliver nearly as much performance, but still surpasses 60+ FPS. If pure value is your main concern, then you’re overshooting with the Eurocom.

When we run the benchmark at UHD, the impressive frame rate drops to the low 30s, or just above playable levels. Unfortunately, the Tornado F5’s desktop processor provides no tangible performance benefit at UHD.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V has a variety of benchmark scenes, some of which are relatively easy to render, and others that stress systems that don’t have adequate GPU power. The desktop processor of the Tornado F5 offers a 4% improvement over the Aorus, which in most cases amounts to less than a handful of frames. Almost across the board, the Eurocom and Aorus deliver more than 60 FPS, except during the Vinewood Sign scene.

It’s best not to delve into higher resolutions in this system-punishing game; the frame rate falls well below 30 FPS in all test scenes, and even a multi-GPU laptop like the Titan SLI has trouble maintaining 30 FPS consistently. You’ll need at least two GTX 1080s to seriously consider 4K in GTA V.

GRID Autosport

Performance in GRID Autosport is mostly platform-based, so the Tornado F5 enjoys a high frame rate, surpassing that of the Titan SLI, despite the latter’s dual GTX 1070s. The Eurocom even gives the EON17-SLX a run for its money, performing just 8% slower (the Origin also sports a desktop-class CPU). Also, the GE63VR Raider still delivers respectable performance.

Raising the resolution to UHD only imposes a 27% frame rate tax on the Eurocom, so you can maximize GRID Autosport’s settings without worry. However, GPU strength is better appreciated at higher resolutions, so the Titan SLI surpasses the Tornado F5 with an 11% lead.

Hitman

Hitman is Eurocom’s chance to shine because the game doesn’t support multi-GPU configurations, so the MSI and Origin PC laptops are effectively left with a single card in this benchmark. The Tornado F5 defeats the Titan SLI by 19% and matches the EON17-SLX’s performance.

At UHD, both the Tornado F5 and EON17-SLX frame rates are halved to just over 60 FPS. Their desktop processors make all the difference at this resolution. By comparison, the Aorus outputs just 2 FPS shy of the 60 FPS mark.

Metro: Last Light Redux

Metro: Last Light Redux is GPU-bound, so whatever gains the i7-7700K has to offer are lost. As such, both the Eurocom and Aorus deliver virtually identical performance. Despite being a graphics-bound title, Metro: Last Lightis relatively easy to run, and even the MSI Raider maintains over 60 FPS. However, if you’re aiming to game smoothly on a 120Hz display, you’ll need at least two GTX 1070s.

Metro’s UHD tax is quite steep, so the Eurocom laptop's performance falls by over 75%, well into slideshow territory. Even the Titan SLI struggles to maintain 30 FPS, and stepping up to a dual GTX 1080 system only improves matters by about 6 FPS.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider is another game that demands ample GPU horsepower above all. Thus, despite Eurocom's desktop-class processor, it only outperforms the Aorus X7 laptop by less than a frame. Both outclass the GTX 1070-equipped MSI Raider.

You're best off playing RoTR at FHD, however, because UHD (at our max settings) will drive both the Tornado and the Aorus well below 30 FPS.

The Division

The Division is another GPU-heavy title, although it isn't as demanding as Rise of the Tomb Raider. You won't see a major performance difference between systems with matching GPUs. In fact, the i7-7700K-based Eurocom falls behind the i7-7820K-based Aorus by about 4%. You'll finder greater gains by upgrading to a stronger GPU; the Eurocom outscores Raider by more than 15%.

At UHD, the GTX 1080-based laptops are at least capable of playable frame rates, and performance can be improved considerably by reducing anti-aliasing.

Thief

To conclude our gaming benchmarks, we have Thief, which isn’t incredibly demanding, and taxes the overall platform. As such, our Tornado F5 outperforms the Titan SLI by a sliver due to the latter’s weaker processor. Interestingly, the MSI Raider only scores 18% lower than the Eurocom, so if you don’t plan on playing games much more demanding than Thief, you can save a few bucks.

If you want to raise the resolution, however, even a desktop-like configuration such as the Eurocom won’t cut it at maximum settings; you either need to drop your settings or step up to a dual-graphics configuration.

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Battery, Thermal & Display Testing

Battery Test - Tomb Raider 2013 Battery Rundown

To test battery life, we set each laptop’s battery profile to Balanced while running Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark at the lowest detail preset. The frame rate is locked at 30 FPS through GeForce Experience’s Battery Boost to limit the strain on the battery. Meanwhile, a script running in the background monitors and time stamps the system’s battery percentage. The laptops are set to hibernate once battery levels reach 5%. We test the battery life at 200 nits.

In the past, we’ve found that high-powered systems such as the Origin PC EON17-SLX have less than stellar battery life. Unfortunately, this is the case with Eurocom Tornado F5, whose hefty configuration comes at the expense of its longevity. At a full charge, the Tornado F5 barely delivers an hour of game time, making it the lowest scoring single GPU laptop in terms of battery life.

Perhaps this has more to do with the battery capacity than the components. The Tornado F5 has an 8-cell 75.24Wh, while the EON17-SLX has an 89Wh battery. Normally, these batteries would offer adequate power for a standard gaming laptop, but they’re not enough for laptops with desktop processors and powerful GPUs. The MSI GT73VR Titan SLI suffers the same fate, providing power to two GTX 1070s with a 74.25Wh battery. For comparison, the Aorus X7 DT v7 contains a 94.24Wh battery. We wonder why other manufacturers don't go this route.

Thermal Testing

We used our Optris PI 640 infrared camera to measure the laptop’s thermals. For more information about how we test, be sure to check out our Measurement Science article.

Heat dissipation is a major concern in gaming laptops, especially ones with high-end components. At idle, the Tornado F5's cooling solution hovers between 33°C and 43°C; comparatively, we usually see idle temperatures a bit higher. After running a 15 minute Furmark Torture test, the temperature rises to 77.5°C at its highest on the CPU heat sink, but never above that. Our AIDA64 GPU log depicts a maximum temperature of 70°C, which is well within the acceptable range for a laptop.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Titan SLI, Tornado F5, and EON17-SLX receive top marks in thermals thanks to their bulky builds and robust cooling solutions. Meanwhile, the X7 and Raider run a bit hotter because of their size constrictions. The GTX 1080 is incredibly powerful, and therefore generates more heat, and although the X7 doesn’t have to struggle with a desktop processor, its cooling solution is packed into a smaller chassis.

Display Testing

We used the SpectraCal C6 Colorimeter to measure the Eurocom Tornado F5's display. Be sure to check out our Display Testing Explained article for a full description of our test methodology.

At minimum brightness, the Eurocom’s display exhibits a decently low black luminance, but the white luminance needs to be brighter. As a result, the minimum contrast ratio sits at 869.3:1, which isn’t bad, but images can look a little flat. At maximum brightness, white luminance is adequately high, but the black luminance is also too high, again resulting in a decent contrast ratio of 882.4. Again, images are a bit flatter than those of the competition.

RGB levels are similar to what we find on many other laptop displays; the levels begin balanced, but that changes as brightness is raised. In particular, red levels rise while green and blue drop. At maximum brightness, however, the blue level spikes above the optimal value, and with the high red level that creates a purple-ish tint. 

Gamma levels fluctuate wildly, starting balanced and quickly rising past 2.4 between 15% and 30% brightness. Meanwhile, the gamma drops below 2.2 at 40% brightness and only recovers at 100% brightness. You’ll deal with a bit of oversaturation at low brightness and undersaturation at high brightness. Despite this, the gamma average comes close to 2.2

Inaccuracies in grayscale are virtually unnoticeable until 70% brightness, where they increase dramatically. The resulting grayscale DeltaE 2000 is 3.5546, which is decent and will only bother the most discerning eyes.

The display's overall average color error sits at 3.9477, which isn't bad. The ideal target dE 2000 is 3. At just under 4, we begin to see a bit of discoloration, particularly in greens, yellows, and cyans. Still, only the most critical viewers will be annoyed. Once again, the Eurocom lands in the middle of the road; the laptops it beats—the Titan SLI and the EON17-SLX—are notoriously inaccurate. The ones it loses to—the Raider and the X7—are some of the best we've seen. 

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Price Analysis & Conclusion

The Eurocom Tornado F5 is the second laptop we've reviewed that features a desktop processor. Our expectations were high, and sure enough, the Tornado F5 performed splendidly, especially during CPU-based benchmarks, like 3DMark Physics, Cinebench, and PCMark. On the storage front, the Tornado F5's Samsung 960 EVO held second place 4K random speeds, although it didn't quite match the EON17-SLX's 512GB Samsung 960 Pro in 128K sequential speeds.

The Tornado F5 is no slouch on gaming, either. Pairing the Tornado F5's GTX 1080 GPU with an i7-7700K provides a formidable portable gaming system. The Tornado particularly stood out in titles like Bioshock Infinite, GRID Autosport, Hitman, and Thief, and did well in punishing titles like Rise of the Tomb Raider.

As powerful as the desktop processor is, it's also power-hungry, so don't expect the Tornado F5's battery to last very long. In fact, it barely delivered an hour during our Tomb Raider battery rundown, only ranking it above the multi-GPU laptops. Obviously, this limits its true portability.

Meanwhile, we were pleased to find that the Eurocom Tornado F5 didn't experience any cooling problems and actually maintained decent temperatures under load. However, at maximum load the fans create much more noise than you would find in a desktop. Maybe that's why it's called Tornado.

The Tornado F5's display is good all around, but it lacks the wow factor that some displays have, such as those in the Aorus X7 or MSI Raider.

At first glance, the Eurocom doesn't appear to have weak spots structurally, but our first delivery of the laptop arrived with large cracks in the chassis, specifically on the hinge and one of the rear exhaust grilles. This didn't impede our testing. We don't think you'll have to worry about daily wear and tear, but a bad fall might damage the chassis in a similar manner. The brushed metal surfaces offer a good amount of rigidity, but the numerous vents on the bottom cover weaken things a bit.

At $3,100, the Eurocom Tornado F5 is the most affordable high end (read: GTX 1080-based) laptops we've tested. Still, $3,100 is quite the price tag for a laptop. The closest competitor we've tested is the Aorus X7, which costs $2,900. The extra $200 (for the Tornado F5) gets you desktop-class performance and a lightning-fast Samsung 960 EVO. For $300 more, you can get the MSI Titan SLI.

If the bottom line is desktop performance in a mobile package, and you value performance more than extraneous bells and whistles, the Eurocom Tornado F5 will serve you handsomely. We're withholding an overall recommendation, however, primarily because of its poor battery life. At this price, we expect a bit more.

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Eurocom announced that it has updated its Tornado F5 desktop-replacement gaming laptop with a new optional BIOS that unlocks overclocking capabilities in the mobile powerhouse.

Similar to many other high-end laptop vendors, Eurocom rebrands gaming notebooks manufactured by Clevo. These shells are usually given the reseller’s personal touch with their choice of CPU, storage, and memory (and, of course, a logo). However, many of those vendors keep the stock BIOS, which is incapable of overclocking, even with K-series (unlocked) CPUs. This creates a problem for consumers purchasing a high-powered desktop-replacement laptop with the expressed interest of overclocking, and the discrepancy is somewhat misleading (what do you mean I can’t overclock my K-series CPU?).

Eurocom is now offering an unlocked BIOS for the Z170 chipset in its 15.6” Tornado F5 so that users can claim the full potential of unlocked Intel 7th generation (Kaby Lake) processors, including the Intel Core i5-7600K and i7-7700K. Similarly, you can also configure the F5 with older 6th generation (Skylake) CPUs. The Tornado F5 also features up to 64GB (4 x 16GB) of DDR4 memory (with speeds up to 3,200MHz), and it can accommodate up to three storage drives (two M.2 SSDs and one 2.5” drive).

It also supports up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, and you can choose between a 1920 x 1080 (in 60Hz or 120Hz) or 3840 x 2160 display (both featuring Nvidia G-Sync).

You can customize your own Tornado F5 gaming laptop at Eurcom’s website, with configurations starting at $1,450. The unlocked BIOS is optional, and it will be offered for free until the middle of April. After the deal expires, the unlocked BIOS will cost a cool $100.

Eurocom launched a powerful AC/DC adapter that promises high efficiency while also delivering up to 780W of power. This should make the power brick perfect for gaming laptops with high-end graphics cards, which have increased power demands.

According to Eurocom, this adapter was developed to power the high performance laptops in which this company specializes, such as the Sky X9E2 and Sky X7E2. A variety of other laptops can also be powered by this AC adapter, including all Clevo and MSI notebooks that use the four-conductor DIN-type connector. The same adapter can also feed workstations, desktops, small form factor PCs and servers that need an external power source and don't use an embedded PSU, in order to reduce heat at their internals. Finally, Eurocom plans to offer in the future a variety of removable cords with different connections at the system-end to make it compatible with a wide range of laptops.

The adapter's chassis is made of metal, which helps dissipate heat faster. This is crucial for such a high power adapter. An LED display at the front side of the brick provides real-time information about the amps, volts, and wattage being utilized. The adapter uses a digital circuit in order to offer this kind of information. Lastly, the adapter features a power switch, which will surely come handy.

Eurocom provides a photo with the adapter's top cover removed, which offers a quick peek at its parts. You can also find a short video here showing the adapter's internals.

With a quick look, we notice the beefy heat sinks, the couple of coolers, and the quite large bulk cap. The orange component right beside the bulk cap looks to be a MOV, which protects against spikes and surges coming from the mains network. The transient filter looks good, with two X caps accompanied by at least a couple of Y ones, and two CM chokes. There is also an NTC thermistor and the corresponding bypass relay, for inrush current protection. As we expected, an LLC resonant converter is used for increased efficiency.

So far users with power hungry laptops were forced to use a dual 330W adapter, so having access to an even more powerful, single power brick will be a blessing. The only downside is the eye-watering price of this product, which costs $475. Apparently very high power density adapters don't come cheap.

Eurocom announced a new version of its 15-inch thin and light gaming laptop, the Sky MX5 R2. The updated notebook features a mobile GTX 1070 graphics module with default configurations starting at just under $1,500 if you can do without an operating system.

The Eurocom Sky MX5 R2 features an Intel Core i7-6700HQ, up to 64GB of memory, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 8GB graphics module. Two M.2 slots and two 2.5-inch bays can accommodate a plethora of storage options, including up to 512GB M.2 NVMe SSDs, 1TB M.2 SATA SSDs, 2TB SATA SSDs, 2TB HDDs, and 1TB SSHDs.

The MX5 R2 can be equipped with a 1920x1080 IPS display with G-Sync onboard, but it can also be configured with a 4K (3840x2160) PLS G-Sync panel. You can also choose a 4K panel (glossy or matte) without Nvidia’s variable refresh rate technology. The MX5 R2 also sports enterprise level features including a TPM 2.0 module, a Kensington lock, and support for 3G/4G/LTE modules via an M.2 3042 slot.

You can configure your own Sky MX5 R2 now at Eurocom's website, with configurations starting as low as $1,500. That version doesn't come with an operating system preinstalled, though. You won’t find many GTX 1070 laptops priced this low, but you also don’t see too many vendors offering laptops without an operating system, either.

Eurocom unveiled a new 15.6-inch gaming laptop that supports 4G LTE connectivity, and you can equip it with new Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs.

The Sky X4E2 is the expected upgrade to the previously available Sky X4E, which featured Maxwell-based (900-series) and Quadro GPU options. The CPU, display resolution, networking and storage options are the same as before (up to an Intel Core i7-6700K, FHD or UHD displays, wireless modules from Intel, Realtek, and Killer, and a variety of 2.5-inch and M.2 storage options), but the new Sky X4E2 adds G-Sync to the mix for select displays. It also offers increased memory speeds (up to 3,000 Mhz) and, of course, the new Pascal-based GTX 1060 and 1070.

The new X4E2’s features support for 3G, 4G and LTE modules via an M.2 3042 slot, allowing users to connect to the internet virtually anywhere you can get a carrier signal. You won’t find too many gamers chomping at this bit (because LTE mobile gaming isn’t ideal), but it could be useful for architects and engineers that require a powerful laptop with on-the-go connectivity. Furthermore, a TPM 2.0 module and fingerprint reader also make the Sky X4E2 a compelling enterprise deployment option.

You can configure your own Sky X4E2 laptop at Eurocom’s website, starting around $1,650. You can even choose to include an operating system or get the PC shipped without one.

Mobile Pascal is upon us, and Eurocom is throwing two contenders into the gaming laptop arena. These systems will include everything from the comparatively modest GTX 1060 to SLI GTX 1080 desktop replacements.

Targeting The Sweet Spot: Tornado F5

Potential customers looking for a system within the $1,700 price range might want to consider the Tornado F5, the more modestly equipped of Eurocom’s two Pascal systems. The Tornado F5 features up to a 6th generation (Skylake) Intel i7-6700K processor and is available in both GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 flavors. The Tornado F5 features a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 matte IPS display that can be calibrated by Eurocom for an additional $74.

Demolishing Desktops: Sky X9E2

Stepping into the big leagues is the Eurocom Sky X9E2. A base model starts with a GTX 1070, but it may be upgraded to a single GTX 1080, two GTX 1070s in SLI or even two GTX 1080s in SLI. The Sky X9E2 will also include Skylake processors of up to an Intel Core i7-6700K. While the Sky X9E2’s 17.6-inch is available in FHD, its raw graphical performance is much better suited for a 4K IPS display, which is available for an additional $353. Like the Tornado F5, the Sky X9E2’s display may also be calibrated for an additional cost.

Pricing And Availability

The Sky X9E2 and Tornado F5 gaming laptops with Nvidia Pascal GPUs are available on Eurocom’s website. The Tornado F5’s base model is available for $1,666, and the Sky X9E2 is available starting at $2,499, with SLI GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 versions costing $3,241 and $4,089 respectively.

Eurocom, a company which makes some of the most powerful laptops available, announced a new developer program meant to help VR developers attain the hardware they need, at a slight discount.

Eurocom is offering the SKY DLX7 and SKY X9 desktop replacement laptops to qualified developers at a 10% discount. These devices offer desktop Intel Skylake processors and desktop class Nvidia GTX 980 graphics cards, which is more than enough performance to meet the needs of anyone looking for a portable VR system.

To qualify for the discount, Eurocom is asking for a one-paragraph outline of the work you are doing in VR development, along with links to your work, website or portfolio.

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Eurocom announced that one of its flagship laptops, the Sky X9, is receiving a mobile workstation variant. The Sky X9, which contains a desktop Skylake processor, DDR4 memory and 4K IPS display, is in every sense a desktop replacement. Similarly, the Sky X9W offers the same level of upgradability and customizability.

The X9W may be configured with Intel’s Skylake i5-6600L, i7-6700 or i7-6700K. Potential buyers may choose between a matte Full HD (1080p) IPS display or a similar Ultra HD (4K) display. The baseline X9W is configured with 16 GB of DDR4-2133 memory, but for those opting for a 4K display, this might not be enough. In that case, the X9W supports up to 64 GB of DDR4-2400 memory. Working with 4K content isn’t exactly storage-friendly either, so the X9 also supports up to 5 TB of SSD storage.

The Sky X9 and Sky X9W are nearly identical, but the latter sets itself apart from its predecessor by swapping out the gaming-oriented GTX980M for an Nvidia workstation GPU. Eurocom’s baseline Sky X9W is equipped with a 4 GB Quadro M3000M, which you can upgrade to the heftier, 8 GB Quadro M5000M for an additional $1,379. The X9W’s mobile workstation processor is aimed at workloads such as CAD applications, which your typical gaming processor cannot handle adequately.

The features present in the Sky X9 carry over to the X9W, such as support for four external monitors through two DisplayPort 1.2 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, and either HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 over USB Type-C. Networking is handled via a WLAN/Bluetooth M.2 2230 card and two Killer E2400 Ethernet ports with support for Killer Doubleshot Pro. The laptop is kept secure using a Trusted Platform 2.0 module, fingerprint scanner and Kensington lock.

The Eurocom Sky X9W is available on Eurocom’s website starting at $2,930.

Alexander Quejado is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware and Tom's IT Pro. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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Eurocom released a new laptop with a special twist. The Sky X9 gaming laptop takes advantage of high-end Intel and Nvidia desktop hardware to give performance-hungry enthusiasts the power of a much larger PC inside of a mobile package.

At the heart of the new laptop, Eurocom placed a desktop Intel Core i7-6700K. Although the system will likely experience difficulties maintaining the 4.2 GHz turbo speed of the i7-6700K, the 4 GHz base frequency is already significantly higher than any mobile Skylake CPU and should provide a sizable increase in performance.

The system uses an Intel Z170 chipset and is thus theoretically capable of overclocking, too.

To try and avoid overheating, the laptop contains three fans used to cool specific pieces of hardware. Although this amount of cooling is considerably less than you would expect inside of a normal desktop, it is also quite a bit more than the typical laptop and may prove capable of efficiently cooling the hardware.

"We have put a desktop graphics card into a laptop, giving our customers amazing desktop 980 performance in a laptop. Users now have 980 desktop graphics performance combined with Intel Skylake desktop CPU performance," Mark Bialic, Eurocom President.

In addition to the desktop CPU, Eurocom also installed a desktop Nvidia GeForce GTX 980. Eurocom didn't deviate from the specs Nvidia sets either, giving the system a full GM204 Maxwell chip with 2048 CUDA cores. Eurocom improved on one aspect of the desktop GTX 980's reference specs, though, in that it includes 8 GB of GDDR5 clocked at 7 GHz. To date, all desktop GTX 980 graphics cards have only contained 4 GB of vRAM. This extra RAM will help the system perform better when gaming at ultra high resolutions.

The system is going to need this beefy hardware, too, as it can optionally support a 4K (3840 x 2160) 17.3-inch display with G-Sync support. The Nvidia GTX 980 is one of the few high-end graphics cards that have proven to capably run games at 4K, and assuming thermal throttling isn't a major issue, users should be able to play games at 4K with decent settings. The other display option is a standard 1080p panel, although we can't imagine someone buying a laptop with such impressive hardware and wanting to stay at 1080p.

For storage, the laptop can hold up to two 2.5-inch drives and two PCI-e SSDs simultaneously, with RAID 0/1/5/10 support. Up to 64 GB of DDR4 is also supported.

The system is available now, with a starting price of $2,543.

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This week during Computex 2015, Eurocom introduced two new laptops built with the socket LGA1150 and the Intel Z97 chipset. Supporting fourth and fifth generation Intel processors, the Eurocom P7 Pro sports a 17.3 inch screen, whereas the Eurocom P5 Pro offers a 15.6 inch screen. Both are ideal for the professional and the gamer, as the processor selection spans from the Intel Core i5 to the Intel Xeon CPU.

For starters, the Eurocom P7 Pro supports Intel processors up to the Xeon E3-1281 v3 chip. On the GPU front, Eurocom provides options for both the gamer and professional with Nvidia-based GeForce GTX graphics (980M, 970M, 965M) or Quadro-based graphics (K5100M, K3100M and K1100M). These power the laptop's 17.3 inch screen, which has a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Cooling is handled by high-quality VGA and CPU heatsinks.

For storage, the laptop is built to handle four physical drives: two M.2 slots for SSDs and two SATA 3 slots for 9.5 mm hard drives or SSDs. Supported storage technologies include RAID 0/1/5/10, Rapid Start Technology and Intel Smart Response Technology. Even more, the laptop supports up to 32 GB of DDR3L RAM thanks to four 204-pin SODIMM sockets.

Here are the base specs:

Next we have the Eurocom P5 Pro, which enables overclocking if customers have the unlocked Intel Core i7-4790K processor installed. The big selling point with this laptop is in its screen, which measures 15.6 inches and can be configured with 3840 x 2160, 2880 x 1620, or 1920 x 1080 resolutions. Backing this screen are the same Nvidia GPUs offered for the Eurocom P7 Pro.

For customers who are always on the go, the Eurocom P5 Pro can be configured with 3G and 4G wireless modules via an M.2 slot. Like the P7 Pro, this laptop provides four slots for SSDs and HDDs, and four 204-pin SODIMM sockets for up to 32 GB of DDR3L RAM. Both also include a built-in fingerprint reader for added security and a backlit keyboard.

Here's the base specs for this laptop:

Available now, pricing for the Eurocom P7 Pro starts at $1,726 whereas the Eurocom P5 Pro has a starting price of $1,545. Keep in mind that these laptops don't include an operating system, so customers will have to factor in the OS during the configuration or install an operating system after receiving the device.

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Want an Ultrabook with loads of memory? How about 32 GB worth? That's what Eurocom is promising with the new Armadillo 2 Ultrabook, as this device sports two memory slots supporting up to 16 GB each. Perfect for digital artists and CAD operators who need lots of RAM to handle high-resolution files, the Ultrabook also packs a fifth-generation Intel processor, integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500 and a starting price of $908.

Note that this base price doesn't include an operating system. Customers can pre-install their own, or they can purchase a platform for an added fee, including Windows 8.1 64-bit ($90), Windows 8.1 Professional 64-bit ($117), Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit ($105) or Windows 7 Professional 64-bit ($150).

Here is the Armadillo 2's base configuration:

"The Eurocom Armadillo 2 supports Intel Platform Trust Technology (Intel PTT), which is a new platform functionality for credential storage and key management used by Windows 8.1 to enhance security, encryption, authentication process for disk encryption and lower IT costs," the company said in a press release.

As with Eurocom's other laptops, customers can configure this Ultrabook with a number of additional options. For instance, customers can choose to have an mSATA Crucial or Samsung SSD installed. Want more than 8 GB of RAM? 32 GB worth of memory will set you back an extra $1,118 (2 x 16 GB DDR3L-1800 PC-12800). Heck, just one 16 GB DDR3L-1600 memory stick will cost $491.

Unfortunately, customers can't upgrade the processor. However, there are other cool features that can be thrown into the mix, such as an external optical drive, an internal or external TV tuner, and software such as Office 2013 Home and Business Edition ($226), Office 2013 Home and Student Edition ($145) or Office 2013 Professional Edition ($390).

The new Ultrabook sports a brushed aluminum chassis, which was inspired by the "tough, rugged little Armadillo." There's also a large touchpad measuring 4.09 x 2.32 inches and an A4-sized backlit keyboard. Also packed into this Ultrabook are two 2-watt speakers, a two-microphone array, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, gigabit Ethernet, a microphone jack and an audio jack. The overall dimensions are 13.38 x 9.44 x 0.82 inches (WxDxH).

To configure and purchase the Armadillo 2 Ultrabook, head here.

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Eurocom launched the Shark 4, an ultraportable laptop crammed with Nvidia graphics, an optional Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor, and an optical drive. All of this is packed into a chassis that, according to Eurocom, measures just 1.1 inches thick when the screen is closed.

The Shark 4 laptop has a 15.6-inch LED-lit IPS screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Backing this screen is an Intel Core i7-4710HQ (2.50 GHz, 3.5 GHz), Nvidia's GeForce GTX 960M GPU, and 8 GB of DDR3L-1600 memory. There's also a 500 GB 7200 RPM hard drive and a possible second drive if the customer doesn't want the 8x DVD burner.

In addition to those features, there's a backlit keyboard, a 6-in-1 card reader, Wireless N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, a 2MP webcam and a 6-cell Smart Li-on Battery Pack. There's even a built-in fingerprint reader and an embedded TPM 2.0 security chip for data encryption. The laptop can also handle LTE or a UMTS/HSPA+ M.2 3042 card module via an M.2 slot.

The Shark 4 does not come with an operating system by default, which explains why this setup has such a relatively low price tag. For those who want an operating system pre-installed, you're out of luck. However, the lowest option is the 64-bit version of Windows 8.1 on DVD for a mere $90. The most expensive is Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit for $177, also on disc.

Customers can opt for the aforementioned Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor for an added $64. The GPU can't be modified, but customers can upgrade to 16 GB of DDR3L-2133 Corsair Vengeance memory for a meaty $336. The choices for adding a second hard drive are huge, costing up to $999 for a 1 TB SSD.

If you don't want another hard drive, you can splurge for a Blu-ray optical drive. For an extra $55, you can get yourself a better Wi-Fi option in the form of Wireless AC and Bluetooth 4.1.

Needless to say, the upgrade options aren't endless, but there's plenty to choose from that will possibly take a huge bite out of your wallet... pun intended.

"The Eurocom Shark 4 is another impressive addition to our line of thin and light upgradeable, ultraportable laptops designed to offer high levels of performance in addition to sleek and classy designs as well as ultra-portability and ease of use," said Mark Bialic, Eurocom President, in a press release.

To configure and purchase the Shark 4, head here. The starting price for this laptop is $863.

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If there is someone who is good at packing a heap of power into laptops, it's Eurocom. The company's newest addition, the 13.3-inch Eurocom M4, is no exception.

Starting with the basics, the notebook can come spec'd with up to an Intel Core I7-4940MX CPU, 16 GB of DDR3-1866 memory, Nvidia GTX 960M graphics, and an IPS display with a resolution of up to 3200 x 1800.

For base specifications, you can roll with an Intel Core i5-4210M processor, 8 GB of DDR3-1600 memory, and Nvidia GTX 765M or GTX 860M graphics. The lowest-resolution display available is a 1080p model.

All of the combinations feature Nvidia's Optimus technology, which allows for switching between the on-die Intel HD graphics and the Nvidia GPU, picking between the two on a per-application basis in order to deliver either better battery life or more performance.

For storage, the laptop can accommodate a single 9.5 mm-thick 2.5" drive along with two mSATA drives, which is an ideal combination for storing both large amounts of data on the hard drive and having high-speed storage for the OS and applications. A TPM 1.2 chip can store your cryptographic keys for security purposes.

"The EUROCOM M4 is the culmination of all of our experience in putting the most powerful computer components in the world into small form factor laptops," said Eurocom President Mark Bialic. "The M4 is a very slight 13.3" ultraportable but has the power of a mobile supercomputer."

I/O connectivity consists of three USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, HDMI 1.4 out, VGA, gigabit Ethernet, and headphone and microphone jacks. The battery is said to last about five hours, although if you start gaming, leave the brightness all the way up, and light up the backlit keyboard, that five-hour mark will certainly be a pipe dream.

To accommodate all this power, the laptop is a little thicker than most modern laptops at 1.28", and it weighs 2.0 kg.

Of course, pricing for these laptops won't be what you'd call friendly, and if you're looking at an entry-level model, you're almost certainly better off looking elsewhere. If you want as much power as possible in the form factor, however, the Eurocom M4 may be worth considering. You can configure the M4 here.

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Eurocom announced a pair of high-performance notebooks, the 15.6-inch P5 Pro and the 17.3-inch P7 Pro, both of which boast desktop Intel processors and 4K display options. Eurocom said the laptops are "fully upgradeable and configurable." Indeed, there are plenty of customization options, and depending on what you choose, you could have yourself either a wicked gaming machine or a powerful mobile workstation.

The main differentiator there concerns the graphics. On both machines, you can opt for Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M, 970M or 965M GPUs -- or roll with Quadro K5100M, K3100M or K1100M graphics.

They feature Intel Core-i7 4700 desktop CPUs, too (although Eurocom did not specify which SKUs, exactly), as well as up to 32 GB of DDR3L-2133 MHz RAM. The notebooks can house up to four physical drives (4.5 TB total) with two M.2 ports and two SATA 6 Gbps ports, and it offers RAID 0/1/5/10 support.

There are "high performance, high quality" copper heatsinks, with no fewer than 7 heat pipes, dissipating heat for the CPU and GPU.

The 15.6-inch model offers a 4K (3840 x 2160) option as well as a Full HD matte option; for some reason, the 17.3-inch unit only has the 1920 x 1080 resolution, although you can opt for either a matte or a glossy display. Both support up to three total displays.

There's a 6-in-1 card reader slot in addition to four USB 3.0 ports (one of which is powered), an eSATA/USB 3.0 combo port, headphone and mic jacks, S/PDIF, a line-in port, and a LAN port. For connecting external displays, the P5 Pro and P7 Pro offer two DisplayPort 1.2 ports and one HDMI. 

There are two 2 W built-in speakers backed by Sound Blaster X-FI MB3, which also enables 7.1-channel output.

The keyboard is full-sized and backlit, with a numpad and special WASD Gaming keys. The touchpad supports multi-gesture capabilities and scrolling. 

The chassis itself is actually all Heavy Duty ABS plastic, which we suppose could be construed as a positive or a negative, but the whole shebang weighs in at 7.48 lbs (P5 Pro) and 8.6 lbs (P7 Pro).

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Looking for a computer this holiday season that doesn't have the bulk of a desktop tower? Eurocom launched on Wednesday the Uno 4, an all-in-one (AIO) desktop solution with a 21.5-inch multi-touch screen, a built-in battery and a carrying handle. This hardware mixture doesn't mean it can be lugged around like a tablet, but rather to make moving the AIO easier from one setting to another.

According to the hardware specifications, this customizable AIO includes the Intel Core i5-4210M (2.60 GHz, 3.20 GHz) by default, but customers can choose up to an Intel Core i7-4910MQ (2.90 GHz, 3.90 GHz), which is one of three additional processor choices. This setup also comes with a mere 4 GB of DDR3-1600 memory, but customers can opt to add up to 16 GB for an additional $240.

The specifications also show that this AIO solution's screen is LED-lit and provides a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Other ingredients include a 2MP webcam able to shoot 1920 x 1080 video at 30 fps, two USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0 ports, a built-in DVD burner (Blu-ray burner is $110 extra), Wireless N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, a built-in ExpressCard/54 slot, a 9-in-1 card reader and more.

On the storage front, the AIO PC comes packed with a 500 GB 7200 RPM Hitachi Z7K500 hard drive by default. There are 18 additional storage options to choose from, and customers can also choose to add a second drive and even a third if customers don't want an internal optical drive. Options include hard drives, SSDs and hybrid storage. (Hybrid storage combines flash storage with the typical platter-based hard drive storage, up to 5 TB.)

As for the battery, Eurocom promises up to 6 hours of backup power. The idea here is to provide the AIO with power in case the electricity goes out. This detail also allows the user to move the AIO to other places in the house or business without having to shut down the device. Honestly, this should be a standard feature for all AIO PCs and desktops.

The company reports that this AIO is optimized for Windows 8.1, but the device doesn't ship with an operating system. For an extra $91, customers can add the 64-bit version of Windows 8.1. Other OS options include Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows Server 2008 R2.

All in all, this AIO has decent specs for both consumers and businesses alike. This solution leans more towards the latter, but there's no reason why consumers can't scoop up this AIO for a home office. The Uno 4 includes a Trusted Platform Module and a Kensington Lock to keep the AIO and its user's data secure.

The new Eurocom Uno 4 has a starting price of $1,008 and can be configured and purchased here.

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On Tuesday, Eurocom released the M5 Pro, a laptop that combines the power of a gaming notebook with a slim ultra-portable form factor. Part of the ingredients include an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M (4 GB DDR5) GPU or a GTX 970M (3 GB DDR5) GPU, depending on your budget.

According to the specifications, the new M5 Pro features a 15.6-inch IPS LED-lit screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. For an additional $183, customers can spice up the laptop with an IPS screen sporting a 3840 x 2160 resolution. In both cases, the screen is backed by an Intel Core i7-4710HQ CPU clocked up to 3.5 GHz and an integrated HD 4600 Graphics GPU. The GeForce GTX 970M is the default discrete GPU in the base configuration.

The base specs also show that the laptop includes a 2MP webcam for taking 1920 x 1080 videos at 30 frames per second, an integrated fingerprint reader, an embedded Trusted Platform Module security chip (v1.2), 8 GB of DDR3-1600 memory (4 slots upgradable to 32 GB), and a 500 GB SATA 3 7200 RPM hard drive. There are a plethora of storage options including two internal M.2 slots and a place for a second HDD, SSD or hybrid drive. Essentially, this laptop can handle up to four drives.

The new laptop ships with Wireless N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, but customers can be upgraded to the newer Wireless AC. There's also a built-in 9-in-1 card reader and an option to add an external optical drive. The laptop ships without an operating system, but Eurocom provides several Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 options.

"An Aluminum Alloy Chassis is used to offer a durable, rugged yet classy look while offering a very lightweight and strong 2.6 kg case that is just one inch thick," the press release said. "The aluminum also provides heat sink qualities, which allowed Eurocom to put such high performance Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M and 970M graphics and other components inside the M5 Pro."

For gamers who like to play in the dark, the laptop comes packed with a full-size keyboard that has an adjustable, white illumination. Ports include three USB 3.0, one eSATA/USB 3.0 combo port, two mini DisplayPort connectors, one HDMI output, an Ethernet port, audio out and microphone in jacks, and one S/PDIF port. All of this is powered by a 4-cell Polymer 60 WH battery, providing up to 3.3 hours on a single charge.

The Eurocom M5 Pro is available to purchase now with a starting price of $1,375.

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This week, Eurocom introduced two all-in-one desktop computers: the 19-inch Uno 2.1 and the 21.5-inch Uno 3.0, the latter of which includes an optional 6-cell 62.16WH internal battery. They're available now with starting prices of $825 (2.1) and $917 (3.0).

According to the company, the Uno 3.0 has a maximum power draw of only 120 watts using a 100-250 V auto-switching external AC adapter. The Uno 2.1 has a maximum power draw of 90 watts using an auto- switching 110-240 V AC adapter. By comparison, the traditional desktop averages between 200 watts and 600 watts, the company reports.

On the security front, both PCs use Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 from Infineon Technologies to ensure that passwords, certificates and keys don't fall into the wrong hands. Both AIOs also have an integrated Kensington Lock Slot so that the PCs can be locked to a secure object. They also have VESA mounts for attaching them to tables, walls, desks and so on.

The specs show that the two Uno computers are thin and lightweight, with the Uno 3.0 measuring 21.08(W) x 1.96(D) x 14.8(H) inches and weighing 16.5 pounds, and the 2.1 model measuring 17.7(W) x 12.2(H) x 2.1~6.0(D) inches and weighing 14.7 pounds.

As previously stated, the Uno 3.0 features the integrated battery pack so that users don't lose their work if the electricity suddenly goes out or there's an unstable incoming electrical current. This battery backup can keep users working for up to 60 minutes, giving them enough time to save their work or find another working electrical outlet.

Eurocom provides a list of specs for each below, but both units can be configured and purchased by heading here.

EUROCOM Uno 3 Specifications:
• Display: 21.5-inch (546.1 mm); FHD 1920 x 1080 pixels; backlight LED with High Brightness and High Contrast; VESA Mount; optional Multi-Touch   (10 points)
• All-in-One Design:
- Easy to move around (carrying handle)
- Standard VESA Mounting (for wall, medical cart mounting, etc.)
- Internal Battery
- Adjustable Stand Design (from 95 to 143 degrees)
• Display Technology: 21.5-inch (546.1 mm diagonal); FHD 1920 x 1080; Matte (Non-Glare); LED Backlight; Color Depth 16.7M; Luminance:     250cd/m2; Contrast Ratio 1:1000; Gamut/NTSC 72%
• Processor: Intel H61 chipset; supports i7 37xxS and i5 35xxS/34xxS series processors; Ivy Bridge; LGA1155; up to i7-3770S; 65W
• VGA Technology: Intel HD Graphics HD4000 or HD2500 depending on CPU used; up to 1.7 GB of Dynamic Video Memory
• Memory: up to 16 GB; SODIMM; 204-pin; DDR3-1333/1600; 2 RAM slots; built-in 9-in-1 Card Reader
• Storage: 2x HDD/SSD; SATA 6 Gb/s (1x 2.5-inch HDD; 1x 3.5-inch)
• Optical Drive: Blu-Ray Burner, DVD-RW or 3rd HDD/SSD
• Expansion: ExpressCard 34/54 slot
• Ports: 4x USB 2.0; 2x USB 3.0; 1x HDMI 1.4a out; 1x HDMI input; 1x Headphone Jack; 1x Microphone Jack; 1x RJ45/LAN; 2x RS232 (Serial); 2x PS/2
• Security: TPM 1.2; Kensington Lock
• Power: 120W 100-250 V Auto-switching external AC Adapter; optional 6-cells 62.16WH internal battery
• Dimensions: 21.08 x 1.96 x 14.8 inch / 527 x 49 x 370 mm (W x D x H)
• Weight: 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg

EUROCOM Uno 2.1 Specifications:
• Display: 19-inch (482.6 mm) WXGA+ 1440 x 900 pixels; LED Backlit; optional Multi-Touch; VESA Mount
• Weight/Dimensions: 6.7 kg / 14.7 lbs; W x D x H 450 x 312 x 53.5~15 1mm / 18 x 12.5 x 2.1~6.0 inches
• VESA Mount: Standard VESA MIS-D 100 (100 mm x 100 mm) with adjustable height
• Power: 90 Watts; Auto Switching 110-240 V AC Adapter
• Chipset: Intel HM76 Express Chipset
• Memory: up to 16 GB of DDR3-1600; Dual-Channel; 2 RAM sockets
• Storage: up to 4.5 TB of storage; supports 3 physical drives + mSATA
• Optical Drive: DVD-RW, Blu-Ray RW or 3rd HDD
• Communication: 10/100/1000 LAN on-board; Bluetooth and WLAN available
• Expansion: ExpressCard slot 54/34 slot
• I/O Ports: 2x Serial RS232; VGA; 3x USB 3.0; 2x USB 2.0; eSATA; RJ-45 LAN; Headphone Jack; Microphone Jack; Built-in Microphone and 2 Speakers
• Card Reader: 9-in-1 Card Reader: MMC/RSMMC; SD/mini SD/SDHC/SDXC compatible; MS/MS Pro/MS Duo

Eurocom launched on Thursday a new thin and light notebook focused on the gamer and business consumer. Called the Electra 2, this configurable notebook has a starting price of $825, and is available to purchase now. Highlights include Trusted Platform Module 1.2 hardware data encryption, Nvidia GeForce GTX 850M graphics and more.

"At Eurocom we consider both performance and security as something that goes hand in hand. Both of those requirements are critical even in entry level systems. Users must be provided a means to secure their hardware by encrypting all the files and personal information they have,” said Mark Bialic Eurocom, President.

According to the base specs, the laptop sports a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LED-lit screen backed by up to an Intel Core i7-4940MX "Haswell" Processor Extreme Edition, Intel HD Graphics 4600, and an on-board Nvidia GeForce GTX 850M "Maxwell" GPU with 2 GB of DDR3 VRAM.

The base specs also show two dual channel SODIMM sockets with up to 16 GB of DDR3L-1600/1866 RAM, and up to 3.6 TB of storage. This capacity includes three physical SATA 3 (6 Gb/s) drives, or 2x mSATA3 + 1x HDD/SSD (via ODD bay). Customers can choose to have a Blu-ray burner or a DVD burner.

As for ports, there is a USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports (1x powered AC/DC), an eSATA port (USB 3.0 combo), HDMI 1.4a out, and a VGA/CRT port for an external display. Connectivity includes Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth and Wireless AC. The laptop measures 14.96 x 10.2 x 1.07 inches, and has a 62.16 WH battery promising up to 300 minutes.

"The integrate TPM 1.2 from Infineon Technologies ensures that digital certificates, passwords and keys are made more secure from software attacks and physical theft," states the PR. "TPM provides the ability for a computing system to run applications more secure and allows secured remote access to perform electronic transactions and communication more safely."

To configure and purchase this laptop, head here.

Getting A Bead On Mobile Graphics Performance

Sometimes it's hard to know how a mobile graphics processor will perform based on its name alone. Both AMD and Nvidia refer to their mobile solutions using branding very similar to their desktop parts. To help us nail down expectations of its fastest laptop GPUs, Nvidia sent over ten grand worth of Origin PC notebooks armed with GeForce GTX 780M, GeForce GTX 770M, and GeForce 765M cards. 

I also wanted a bit of relativity, though. So I called up the folks at Eurocom for something comparable based on AMD's top-end graphics processor.

Origin PC recently unveiled its Genesis and Millennium cases, which were custom-designed for the company's gaming-oriented desktop PCs. Fortunately for us, though, Origin's Eon17-S uses Clevo’s P177SM chassis, which meant that Eurocom could send over a comparable system with a Radeon HD 8970M-based module with the same cooling system. An identical thermal solution is one more way we can give you benchmark results that are truly apples-to-apples.

Comparing Mobile GPUs

GPU-Z reports lower clock rates for Nvidia’s mobile GeForce modules than the manufacturer specifies, though that's likely a result of running at lower idle frequencies. Similarly, we had to load down the Radeon module with a 3D task to get its clock settings to show up at all.

A quick look at the GeForce GTX 780M’s specifications shows that it's derived from the same GK104 GPU used for several of Nvidia's desktop-oriented cards. Naturally, the company uses lower core and memory clock rates to bring wattage down to levels that are manageable in the confines of a notebook chassis. 

In case you're not familiar with the name of Nvidia's GeForce GTX 760 Ti in the chart below, it's an OEM-rebrand of the GeForce GTX 670.

AMD’s Radeon HD 8970M is also the product of recycled naming, though more severely. Once upon a time, this exact configuration was called the Radeon HD 7970M, though it was based on the desktop Radeon HD 7870. AMD makes big cuts in power consumption by underclocking the Pitcairn GPU sitting on its flagship notebook module.

Benchmarking Configurations

Using the stats reported by GPU-Z, this is how our hardware and software is being benchmarked. We had to make a couple of small changes to Eurocom's notebook as it was delivered, though we didn't have to mess with its cooling system. We’re relying on both Origin PC's and Eurocom’s best assembly efforts to show off the highest possible performance from each piece of hardware.

The top two GPUs in this line-up are capable of pushing playable performance at far higher resolutions than the 1920x1080 supported by each notebook’s panel. We’ve also seen a couple gamers tie their notebooks to larger displays. Fortunately, all four GPUs are able to fully implement the P177SM’s DisplayPort outputs.

StarTech's MDP2DVID DisplayPort-to-dual-link DVI adapter supplies the bandwidth to feed our aging Dell 30" screen its native 2560x1600 resolution. DisplayPort-enabled QHD monitors might be more modern, but QHD is still a step down in resolution from this behemoth.

Results: F1 2012 And Tomb Raider

F1 2012 and Tomb Raider are the only two games in today’s test suite not endowed with an FPS-over-time graph, so this unlikely pair gets shoved together here.

The first test, F1 2012, is primarily bottlenecked by system memory at its High Quality preset, though the Radeon HD 8970M appears to suffer from a little of its own overhead, dragging the score a bit lower. But the fact that every GPU achieves high frame rates alleviates my concern over that discrepancy.

The GeForce GTX 765M falls behind in F1 2012 with Ultra quality applied, though a check through our logs shows it never dropped below 38 FPS, which is still smooth.

Tomb Raider is a more GPU-limited title. However, our logs reveal that the GeForce GTX 765M’s 27.2 FPS at 2560x1600 only drops to a 22.6 FPS minimum. That's still pretty playable. High Quality mode is easy for these GPUs.

Stepping up to Ultimate Quality is far tougher. The GeForce GTX 765M falls below a 20-FPS minimum, even at our lowest resolution. The GeForce GTX 780M and Radeon HD 8970M play through to the notebook panel’s native 1920x1080.

Results: Arma 3

Arma 3’s Standard quality preset is light enough to allow all high-end mobile GPUs to play through 2560x1600. But the task gets far more difficult at the game's Ultra preset.

The GeForce GTX 770M achieves smooth frame rates at the Ultra quality level up until 1600x900; Nvidia's GeForce GTX 765M can’t quite manage to sustain playable levels even at that entry point, though.

Results: Battlefield 4

Battlefield 4’s High Quality preset shouldn’t present any problem for modern gaming graphics cards. Shoot, we’re frequently forced to use three displays to push below its 200-FPS cap using desktop hardware. Notebooks are a different story, though; the GeForce GTX 770M and 765M struggle to achieve playability beyond panel's native 1920x1080 resolution. Fortunately, that the highest you'd expect a gaming laptop to go. Smooth performance hooked up to an external display is just icing on the cake.

The GeForce GTX 765M drops out of the race before hitting 1920x1080 using Battlefield 4's Ultra setting, and the 770M is pushed to its limit at that same resolution. Although the GeForce GTX 780M wins out over AMD's Radeon HD 8970M at each resolution in our average frame rate chart, the minimum frame rate numbers show Nvidia's mobile flagship dipping a little lower.

Results: Far Cry 3

Even with many of the game’s advanced visual features disabled in High Quality mode, the GeForce GTX 765M can't quite exceed the notebook panel’s native 1080p resolution in Far Cry 3. Fortunately for that GK106-based part, our FPS-over-time charts emphasize 1920x1080.

Far Cry 3 looks great at its Ultra Quality mode, but you’ll want something faster than the GeForce GTX 765M to get there. Shoot straight for the GeForce GTX 780M if you want to push past 1920x1080 using an external display (though even then, you're just barely above 20 FPS on average).

Results: Metro: Last Light

Metro: Last Light is somewhat of a conundrum for me, since it looks great even at the Low-detail preset that allows integrated graphics solutions to survive. Making small improvements to image quality requires large upgrades in GPU capability, to the point that even a GeForce GTX 780M is unable to push playable frame rates at 2560x1600 and Medium Quality. Then again, the Metro games are known for their ability to throttle even high-end desktop hardware.

A look at the frame rates over time shows the problem for more mainstream GPUs at 1920x1080. The GeForce GTX 780M and Radeon HD 8970M barely pass the playability mark at 1920x1080.

No single notebook GPU is viable at this game’s High Quality setting, at least not without lightening up on a few of its more demanding features. Although the GeForce GTX 780M posts a reasonably strong 38.6 FPS average, it drops as low as 15 FPS in the most taxing sequences.

Results: 3DMark

With all of our real-world testing out of the way, results from 3DMark are interesting only insofar as they confirm or contest the numbers already generated.

Nvidia's GeForce GTX 780M keeps ahead of AMD's Radeon HD 8970M, which is what we saw in the games. At least the scaling approximately concurs with what the real-world numbers indicated.

Power And Heat

One of the challenges we run into with battery testing is that it's an imprecise science, very workload-dependent and varying over time as the lithium-ion battery ages.

Then again, this isn't a Clevo P177SM notebook review; it’s a graphics comparison. So while it's important to know that these systems sport 76.96 watt-hour batteries, gamers considering each of these modules will be more interested in how much heat they dissipate.

AMD's Radeon HD 8970M doesn’t properly report temperatures below a certain threshold, so we can only see how hot it gets under load.

All four notebooks use thermal fan controls to lock temperature between 60° and 70° Celsius, and none of them are forced to spin their coolers up to correspondingly-annoying noise levels.

Overall Performance And Efficiency

As we might have expected, the order of graphics module performance matches the order of their price. Nvidia’s best asset is the performance of its GeForce GTX 780M, while AMD shoots instead for high-end value by offering a 33% lower price for its 13% lower performance.

While the performance chart uses a 100% baseline, efficiency can’t exceed 100%. The below chart is zeroed-out by subtracting 100% from those calculations.

Besides pricing for better value, the Radeon HD 8970M is also more efficient than the range of mobile GPUs from Nvidia that we tested today.

But GPUs don’t run themselves, and platform price has a larger impact on overall value than what you'll pay for any individual module. All four test systems employ Intel’s Core i7-4930MX CPU, for example, which most builders list as a $900+ upgrade from this notebook’s baseline processor. What’s the true value of the cheaper cards?

Can The Fastest Mobile GPU Also Help Maximize Value?

Today's tests show that Nvidia has the fastest single-GPU notebook solution in its GeForce GTX 780M. The catch is that getting it into your mobile platform adds about $750 to its price (as much as an actual GeForce GTX 780 Ti, the fastest desktop graphics card you can buy). That’s pretty steep, even by high-end-gaming standards, particularly when you compare it to AMD's second-place Radeon HD 8970M at around $500.

Then again, when you factor in the cost of an entire, expensive gaming-oriented notebook, Nvidia's GPU improves gaming performance by 13% compared to the competition's best effort, so it could even walk away with a value win.

If you start with a $2180 notebook (sans graphics module), the expensive GeForce GTX 780M appears to offer the best gaming value, in spite of its price tag. But how does it look on its own?

If we consider only the price of adding the GPU to a theoretically free notebook, value is inversely proportional to price. Comparing the two charts above, Nvidia's GeForce GTX 770M and 765M could present the best value in a lower-end notebook, but not the behemoth benchmarked today.

Mobile gamers who prefer high resolutions and demanding quality settings in the latest titles need a top-model GeForce or Radeon GPU to hit the minimum frame rate levels for a playable experience. Running a few more calculations, the value parity between Nvidia's GeForce GTX 780M and AMD's Radeon HD 8970M happens when you drop them both into a roughly $1450 platform. That'd be equivalent to downgrading these test machines from Intel's Core i7-4930MX to the Core i7-4800MQ.

Add in the price of the graphics module, and those same calculations show that a fan of AMD's hardware can justify going with the Radeon HD 8970M’s second-place finish if they're looking at a system priced below $1950. The GeForce GTX 780M’s higher price secures a value win when the total system cost is over $2200. If you're in between, don't feel obligated to go either way. The decision narrows to whichever company's value-adds (like GeForce Experience, PhysX support, or Mantle support) are most important to you.

Meet Eurocom's Panther 5D

With its home base in Ontario, Canada, Eurocom offers a wide variety of notebook systems that span from very portable to very fast. The Panther 5D is the company's statement piece on the performance you cram into an ultra-high-end mobile platform with a 17.3", 120 Hz, stereoscopic-capable display.

Part of driving that large panel with its fast refresh involves two GPUs working in tandem. And keeping those graphics processors fed with data, not bottlenecked, requires a big, beefy CPU. Eurocom goes so far as to drop a desktop Core i7 in there. In order to ensure the potent configuration stays cool, the Panther 5D is built into a large chassis with cooling and power delivery that you've probably never seen before. The system also offers a ton of I/O options.

Truly, the Panther's focus is on the most breakneck speed possible in an enclosure that can still be called mobile. It's performance above all else.

This thing is aimed at content creators, gamers, coders; basically, anyone who needs the power of a workstation, but doesn't necessarily want to be tied down to the same desk every day can use it. Configure it with a Xeon processor and up to two Quadro graphics modules. Or go the route we did with a Core i7 and two GeForce GTX GPUs. In both cases, you end up with the alacrity of a desktop in a package you can pick up and move to your next job site or LAN party.

Building One Bad Mobile Monster

Most of Eurocom’s systems are highly customizable. The company prides itself on providing the highest-quality parts there are, and its online configurator often gives you the option to choose between specific brands. In the Panther 5D, you don’t just add a hard disk. Rather, you choose up to four mechanical or solid-state drives, and then decide if you want storage from Samsung, Crucial, Intel, Seagate, or Hitachi. From there, you can set the drives up in a variety of RAID arrays, or just as a JBOD setup. This flexibility extends to the display panel, networking hardware, power, optical storage, and so on.

When we ordered our review unit, Eurocom was offering the Panther 5D with up to eight-core Xeons and Sandy Bridge-E-based Core i7s. Now, you can go so far as to equip the laptop with 12-core Ivy Bridge-EP-based Xeons, yielding 24 logical cores in a 150 W processor package. In fact, the lowest-power processor you're able to drop into the Panther is Intel's Xeon E5-2620 v2, a six-core, 80 W model. With support for CPUs dissipating as much as three times as much thermal energy as the fastest mobile chips, Eurocom's system must employ one of the most elaborate cooling subsystems of any notebook we've reviewed. Its power demands have to be satisfied with two adapters.

The Panther 5D also has two slots for a pair of MXM-B graphics modules, and you're able to choose between several Quadro and GeForce GPUs. Our test system came with a pair of GeForce GTX 680M cards running in SLI mode. Although the system's graphics cards are specified to draw 100 W, each is supplied with up to 125. Each graphics module has its own independent cooling fan, as well as heat sinks for the processor and GDDR5 memory.

Just between the Core i7-3970X and GeForce GTX 680Ms in our review unit, we're looking at up to 350 W, extending to 400 W with some graphics overclocking. Add in the motherboard, storage, and display, and we're closer to 450 W. From a notebook. That's more than twice what we've seen from other so-called high-end laptops. If the Panther 5D can keep all of that hardware cool and fed with ample power, it should deliver performance in excess of anything we've seen.

Not surprisingly, this machine wasn't built to offer hours of battery life. Even at idle, the desktop-oriented CPU and platform controller hub draw a lot more power than their mobile counterparts. Even with a 78 Wh battery, the Panther only runs for about an hour away from a wall socket. It's more sensible to think of the system's battery as a built-in UPS instead.

Our sample is rounded out with 32 GB of Samsung DDR3 memory at 1600 MT/s. The primary storage target includes three Crucial 256 GB m4 drives in RAID 5 (Eurocom no longer offers the m4; it was replaced by the M500). The 120 Hz 17.3” screen is anti-reflective and includes a set of Nvidia's 3D Vision glasses. Sound is supplied by a Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 solution. Wireless networking comes from the Atheros Killer series, which includes QoS software for prioritizing gaming traffic. We also got a Blu-ray writer, webcam, and surround sound speakers. Although the default adapter is a 300 W supply, our setup is naturally more power hungry, necessitating the dual-330 W option for an extra $300.

Given its beefy chassis, there's plenty of room for I/O on the Panther 5D. Display outputs include DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI-D. The Panther 5D also packs three USB 3.0 ports, as well as two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800, and e-SATA. You also get separate gold-plated jacks for headphones/mic/audio-in/audio-out, as well as a TOSLINK optical audio output. Finally, there is built-in GbE, ExpressCard connectivity, and SD storage compatibility. 

Eurocom likes to call the Panther 5D a mobile supercomputer. That's a bold statement about a design full of top-tier parts, intended to outrun every other mobile machine available. It's time to put the company's claim to the test.

Exterior Design And Features

The overall layout of the Panther 5D is fairly standard for a notebook computer. You quickly notice that it is a large system, but the size and weight are manageable if you are used to 17” notebooks. There are tons of ports along both sides of the system. Parts quality and construction are excellent. Overall polish is great as well.

With its lid closed, the Panther 5D is thicker than most systems, but easily fits in a large Targus backpack. The machine is easy to pick up and move around.

On the front-left, we find the ExpressCard and SD combo card slots.

Power indicators grace the machine's front-right.

Analog and digital audio I/O, two USB 2.0 ports, the subwoofer, and a Kensington lock port line the Panther 5D's right side.

Taking a closer look at the audio I/O, we find four channels of analog output, a mic input, and a headphone jack. There's also the TOSLINK port for up to six channels of digital output.

The back of the Panther 5D is dominated by ventilation. In the middle, there's the AC adapter plug.

Turning the machine to its left side reveals DVI-D display output, GbE, HDMI output, DisplayPort, USB 3.0, a USB 3.0/eSATA combo port, FireWire 800, and another USB 3.0 port. Under the USB ports there's a Blu-ray writer.

The lid on the Panther 5D is beveled with a brushed metallic finish. In the center is a glass-like strip with Eurocom's logo inset in the middle. The screen hinges are beefy and strong.

This is the screen opened as far as it'll go.

And here's the system closed, from the back. It's large, but is still very professional-looking.

The bottom of the Panther 5D shows off a clear focus on system cooling. The four feet at the corners are oversized, keeping the bottom of the chassis clear of whatever surface it sits on. Large circular intakes for CPU and GPU cooling dominate the bottom of the enclosure. The closed compartment to the bottom-left is the battery. The main hard drive bay is in the bottom-middle, and it's also well-ventilated.

The battery is secured by three screws. Again, it helps to think of this power source as a UPS, rather than a true enabler of mobile computing. Screwing the battery in, rather than clipping it, minimizes the chance it'd get removed accidentally.

A 78.44 Wh rating defines the battery's energy, while 5300 mAh represents its charge capacity.

There's a third drive bay under the battery.

Now That's Different: Power Adapters

Power can be supplied to the Panther 5D in different ways. As mentioned, Eurocom's default configuration is a single 300 W AC adapter. However, as you add higher-end hardware to the machine, it can quickly be made to need more than that. Our sample came with a pair of 330 W power supplies, each connected through a converter box that is in turn attached to the notebook. Of course, this is more complex than most other laptops, but it's the only way to get 660 W into the Panther 5D.

Each adapter is a 330 W Delta unit.

Compared to the 240 W Flextronic power adapters common on many Dell and Alienware machines, the 330 W version on the left is almost twice as thick.

At least its footprint is roughly the same.

Each 330 W adapter plugs into the converter box. The status of each attached power supply is displayed via LEDs on the top of the converter box.

This is what the converter box looks like with both power adapters connected.

And here are the two plugs for the adapters on the converter.

The converter feeds into the chassis' single input.

Here is how the connection to the machine usually looks. With all of the fans for the Panther 5D exhausting to the rear of the unit, it is best to keep the area behind the system clear.

The Keyboard, Trackpad, And Stereoscopic Glasses

The Panther 5D’s keyboard and trackpad layout is typical of most laptops. The keyboard includes a full number pad. The touchpad is close to centered with the keyboard, and sits slightly to the left on the palm rest.

The palm rest itself is clad in the same brushed metal as the exterior cover, giving it a sturdy feel.

Keys on the keyboard feature a rubberized texture, and convey excellent tactile feedback when they're pressed. It's easy to type quickly and accurately. This is probably inevitable, given the notebook's size and substance, but the Panther 5D's keyboard is one of the best I've used.

The Panther 5D's three-button touchpad has an integrated UPEK TouchStrip fingerprint reader. Its touchpad is inset into the metal palmrest with a blue back-lit strip, and it has a textured surface that effectively supports multi-gesture and scrolling functions.

There's a very large power button to the right of the keyboard.

Here's a close-up of the brushed metal palmrest.

Above the keyboard, you'll find touch sensors for adjusting (even muting) the volume, controlling wireless networking, and activating the webcam. Each touch sensor also shows the status of that function.

An IR emitter just below the screen is used to sync the Panther 5D's 120 Hz display with Nvidia's 3D Vision glasses.

The glasses have their own built-in IR receiver. I never lost sync with the Panther 5D unless I was trying to.

This is how everything looks together.

Size Comparison: Panther 5D Vs. R17x Vs. M6700 Covet

We have access to several other 17” notebooks for comparison. One of our favorites is the original Alienware R17x, which has gone through several iterations and is consequently widely-used. It is a prime example of a large notebook built exclusively for high-end gaming. We do not  use the Alienware for design or style comparisons; it simply a large gaming machine that people will have likely seen in real life. We are using the R17x to help people get an idea of how large the system being reviewed is.

The Alienware has a slightly smaller footprint than Eurocom's Panther 5D.

The Panther 5D is thicker than the Alienware, too. I never thought I would be able to call the original R17x relatively thin.

Our second comparison system is Dell's M6700 Covet mobile workstation. Like the Panther 5D, the M6700 is a mobile workstation with a 17” chassis. The Dell has a single graphics module and a mobile quad-core processor.

Eurocom's Panther 5D has a slightly larger footprint than the more conventional Dell mobile workstation.

The keyboards and touchpads are similar sizes.

Again, Eurocom's Panther is a good bit thicker than the M6700.

Size Comparison: ...To Guitars?

The whole idea behind Eurocom's Panther 5D is uncompromising performance. As a guitarist, I understand this idea in terms of uncompromised tone. There are many guitars that are less heavy and bulky than a Gibson Les Paul, but for me, the sound of the guitar is worth the extra effort required to play it for a couple of hours during a show. To many, the performance is all that matters.

I have two reasons for including size comparisons between the Panther 5D and guitars. First, it may be easier to see one of the these guitars in person than it would be to run across a Eurocom Panther or one of the comparison notebooks. Second, we see parallels between not sacrificing performance for something a little easier to carry around. As a bonus, comparing guitars to a notebook computer is a weird enough idea to have fun with.

We are not trying to endorse or recommend any of these guitars. They are simply the tools that the author owns and uses to make music.

Compared to a Fender Nashville American B-Bender Tele, the Panther 5D is a little thicker. The metal B-Bender system adds extra weight to the Tele, but with that weight comes new options for playing music.

With Eurocom's notebook placed next to a late 60s Gibson Les Paul Custom, the thickness is close to the same. The weight of the guitar is close to the Panther 5D.

The thickness of a mid 90s Gibson Les Paul Standard body looks very close to the Panther 5D. Once you add the hardware though, the guitar is thicker.

Moving up to a Mid 80s Gibson ES-175, the Panther 5D is finally dwarfed by a larger guitar. The ES-175 is subject to several trade-offs like a large body and susceptibility to feedback at high volumes. Then again, the ES-175 can produce some amazing tones that are worth the effort.

Bundled Software

The Panther 5D ships from Eurocom with very little bundled software, which we typically like. Almost everything that's installed supports the machine's hardware components. The AuthenTec TrueSuite handles fingerswipe logins and encryption. The BisonCam software is used by the Panther’s webcam. The Realtek and Sound Blaster software controls the Panther’s audio options. The Bigfoot Killer Network manager allows for in-depth management of the Atheros wireless card.

Even though the Panther 5D comes with ArcSoft's TotalMedia Extreme entertainment software, it was not preinstalled. Eurocom leaves it up to you whether you want add-ons or not. 

The Atheros Killer Network Manager allows network traffic to be prioritized for gaming or video streaming.

The Sound Blaster software gives you lots of control over the Panther 5D's audio options.

The THX TruStudio Pro software, which is part of Creative's suite, facilitates additional options for home theater-oriented audio processing.

Creative's Sound Blaster Console enables interesting options for altering how you sound over a microphone.

The system also includes Rapture3D software to help control game audio. Similar functionality can also be found in the Sound Blaster software.

Configuration of audio inputs and outputs is done in the Realtek HD Audio Manager.

Panther 5D Teardown

We start with the Panther 5D flipped upside down. We've established that the bottom-left compartment houses the battery. The bottom-center section, which is ventilated, covers one hard drive cage. And the upper two-thirds of the system is covered by a large panel with four fan intakes.

Yanking the battery necessitates removing those slotted screws. A coin will suffice in the field. A screwdriver is your best bet in the lab.

We run across the Panther 5D's first SSD under the system's battery.

Once the other drive compartment's cover is off, we see the cage holding SSDs two and three.

Here is a closer look at the hard drive cover. You can see that it's well-ventilated. Also note the bar on the left side. It holds the hard drive ribbon connector firmly in place when the cover is installed. 

Now we're above the system with its battery and storage cover removed. The aforementioned ribbon connector is clearly visible.

We have to remove four screws to free the hard drive cage. The quartet of fasteners is decoupled from the chassis by rubber grommets to help isolate mechanical disks you might install from physical shock.

This is the cage, removed. Our Panther 5D came with two drives installed, and plenty of space between them. You shouldn't have any trouble with mechanical storage running hot.

Moving on to the third drive under the battery, it's mounted in a sled that also employs rubber mounts to help cushion the drive. The sled is secured through slots in the chassis. It then slides forward to lock into place when there's a drive installed. In case that mechanism isn't enough, four screws reinforce the configuration.

Here is another look at the rubber-lined mounts.

This is a shot of the vacant drive bay. We have the cage out and to the side.

Opening up the larger flap, we see extensive shielding and reinforcement. We also get our first glimpse at the real extent of the cooling necessary to make a 150 W CPU and two 100 W GPUs work in a mobile platform.

This is how the fans and heat sinks line up with the rear exhaust vents.

Peering in from the front corner, we see the hard drive connector under the battery's mount.

These are the two fans and corresponding heat sinks that make up Eurocom's CPU cooler.

And here are the CPU coolers from above.

Moving on, this is one of the GPU fans covering a heat sink from above.

With all of the fans unfastened, there's a veritable copper mine hidden inside the Panther 5D. The size difference between the normal CPU fan (center-right) and the "full-power" CPU fan (far-right) is interesting. When that second fan spins up, you know it.

Looking in from the front, we see the CPU heat sink on the left and both GPU heat sinks on the right. There's just so much copper.

These are the two GPU thermal solutions from above. That heat pipe and sink on the bottom-left cover Intel's X79 Express PCH.

If you look closely from the back of the Panther 5D, you can see the heat sinks through the plastic grating.

A closer look at one of the graphics module heat sinks reveals two heat pipes over the GPU and one over its GDDR5 memory.

This is a more detailed shot of the CPU heat sink on the right.

And here's the one on the left. Four heat pipes connect them. Curved chassis dividers direct air to the back of the machine.

As you know, the X79 platform supports four channels of memory. Two of this system's four slots can be found just under the outer CPU fan.

The CPU fans have small foam rings around their intakes, which help ensure that all of the air going through the cooling system is fresh, rather than recirculated from inside the chassis.

Let's get the fans back in place, though.

Now the Panther 5D's thickness makes a lot more sense!

Test System And Benchmark Suite

Synthetic and game tests are performed on the MSI GT70 Dragon Edition 2, Eurocom Panther 5D, and Alienware M18x. The Dragon uses Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 780M mobile GPU, while the M18x employs the previous-generation GTX 680M. Eurocom's Panther 5D employs a desktop processor and a pair of GeForce GTX 680M modules running in SLI. All comparison machines utilize DDR3 or DDR3L-1600 RAM, and their CPUs and GPUs run at factory clock rates. The MSI GT70 Dragon Edition 2 uses a GPU clock rate 75 MHz higher than stock and 500 MT/s-higher memory.

The productivity-oriented benchmarks are run on comparison machines with Intel's Core i7-3940XM (Ivy Bridge) and Core i7-4930MX (Haswell) quad-core processors. The -3940XM is in Dell's Precision M6700 Covet Edition. The -4930MX is in MSI's GT70 Dragon Edition 2, which is slightly overclocked to let the CPU run at 4.1 GHz in its most aggressive Turbo Boost mode. 

All of these tests are run on an optimized image of Windows 8 loaded on a 180 GB Intel SSD 520 drive that we install ourselves. Compression tests are run on a RAM drive to minimize the impact of storage hardware on each machine.

Benchmark Suite

A Note on FPS

We realize that playable frame rates can be debated on a per-game and per-vendor basis, which is why I'm simply listing averages. As long as we're getting smooth gameplay, I tend to choose higher-quality visuals over higher frame rates. After all, we want to see all of the work that game designers put into making a game visually appealing. Typically, we find that 20 FPS is the absolute minimum we’re willing to call acceptable, with 30 FPS a more ideal minimum. In multi-player games, we favor higher frame rates and low lag.

Display Testing Methodology

Display testing and calibration is carried out using Datacolor’s Spyder4Elite calibration system, which we walked through in Display Calibration 101: Step-By-Step With Datacolor's Spyder4Elite. The system consists of a full-spectrum, seven-color sensor. All of the measurements and charts are generated by the Spyder4Elite software. The only changes are a quick crop to make the images easier to read.

Results: 3DMark

With the latest version of 3DMark now available, 3DMark 11 and Vantage are showing their age more than ever. However, they still offer unique insights into system performance, allowing us to make comparisons to older hardware you might still own.

The pair of GeForce GTX 680Ms in SLI is much faster than Nvidia’s current flagship mobile graphics processor. Improvements to the GeForce GTX 780M are evident, though. Performance is up roughly 25% compared to the single 680M in Alienware's machine.

Looking at Physics performance, the desktop processor in Eurocom's Panther 5D is 20% faster than both mobile CPUs. Intel's newer -4930MX comes out ahead of the -3940XM, but the difference is only around 7%.

As expected, Eurocom's Panther 5D registers the highest CPU score. But the difference between two GeForce GTX 680Ms in SLI and one 780 is only about 16%, and that's smaller than we expected.

3DMark Vantage lowers the number of advanced rendering features, allowing the GeForce GTX 780M to pull further ahead in the GPU test compared to one 680M. An issue with the MSI Dragon Edition 2’s CPU score bottlenecks that system's overall outcome.

Results: Real-World Productivity And Media Apps

The six-core Core i7-3970X desktop processor is faster than the mobile platforms in threaded tests. But single-threaded benchmarks leave all three CPUs mostly sitting idle. The Panther 5D's Sandy Bridge-E architecture typically comes out on top, but not by much. The Ivy Bridge-based Core i7 in Dell's M6700 comes much closer to the GT70's Core i7-4930MX than we expected. Then again, each Extreme Edition processor has the same base and maximum Turbo Boost clock rates. Small design tweaks are really all that separate them. 

Our Premeire Pro CS6 test shows how quickly each CPU can encode an H.264-based 720p video file.

Given tons of cache, a clock rate advantage with all of its cores fully loaded, and a lot more thermal headroom, the six-core desktop CPU in Eurocom's Panther 5D destroys both mobile quad-core processors.

Demonstrating a difference of roughly 1%, Dell's Precision M6700 is once again very close to the speed of MSI's Dragon. This is essentially the difference between Ivy Bridge and Haswell.

As with Premiere Pro, IPC and clock rate both play a role in defining the performance seen in Photoshop. In this threaded workload, the Panther 5D is once again significantly faster than either mobile processor.

Photoshop CS6 only gives us two seconds between the Ivy Bridge- and Haswell-based mobile quad-core chips. That'd hardly be a good reason to upgrade.

The Panther 5D comes out on top once again in our well-threaded HandBrake benchmark. The -3940XM is a little further behind the Core i7-4930MX, and it’s possible that the shorter test allows the GT70's Haswell-based processor to hit a higher Turbo Boost frequency.

Moving on to Cinebench, the multi-core result reflects all four cores fully taxed, while the single-core number allows each processor to hit its maximum Turbo Boost clock rate.

A high 4.1 GHz Turbo Boost ceiling lets the MSI GT70's Core i7-4930MX to outperform everything else. It's 4% faster than the -3940XM in the M6700 and 5% faster than the Panther 5D’s i7-3970X desktop CPU, which is based on a two-generation-old architecture.

Swapping over to Cinebench’s multi-core metric, the Panther 5D puts its six cores to use and jumps far ahead. The -4930MX is fastest by virtue of its Haswell architecture, but not by much. A 4% advantage in single-core processing falls to just over 2% in the multi-core test.

Further exploring single-threaded performance, we turn our attention to the iTunes benchmark.

We see clear gains from the GT70's overclocked -4930MX. Results reflect clock rate differences and the small IPC throughput advantage of Haswell over Ivy Bridge.

The Panther 5D’s 5 idle cores do little to help it compete against the pair of mobile processors. This test is all about single-core Turbo Boost and architectural efficiency.

Single-threaded performance in the LAME audio encoding test further highlights the architectural advantage that MSI's GT70 Dragon Edition 2 holds over our comparison machines. Once again, results are right in line with the small tweaks and a slight Turbo Boost overclock.

The Panther 5D's single-threaded performance could quickly move ahead of the two mobile processors with overclocking. Its Core i7-3970X is unlocked, and the included power adapters certainly have headroom to spare. Eurocom doesn't ship its setup overclocked though, so we left the frequencies as we found them.

Productivity-oriented apps demonstrate the benefit of two additional CPU cores, a beefy shared L3 cache, and a desktop-oriented power ceiling, specifically in threaded workloads. The Panther 5D is easily faster than any notebook based on a mobile Intel processor. Being able to render 3D objects 28.5% and encode video 25% faster means that you can complete a day’s work in less than six hours instead of eight. You can then spend those two hours getting even more done. Professionals paid per project certainly understand how increased productivity can quickly cover the cost of a pricey machine like the Panther.

Results: Battlefield 3, BioShock Infinite, CoD: Black Ops II, And Crysis 3

Battlefield 3

Benchmark settings for Battlefield 3 are the same as those in Battlefield 3 Performance: 30+ Graphics Cards, Benchmarked.

The single-player component of Battlefield 3 shows that the two GeForce GTX 680Ms in Eurocom's Panther 5D easily outperform the other mobile machines. MSI's GT70 Dragon Edition 2, with its GeForce GTX 780M, is still capable of excellent performance with maxed-out settings, as is the Alienware machine's single GeForce GTX 680M. But the scaling of SLI is such that you can easily enjoy this title, maxed out, at the panel's native resolution. That bodes well for doing the same in Battlefield 4, also at Ultra settings.

There's no real reason to do this, aside from thoroughness, but taking the detail settings down to High quality yields a slight increase in average frame rates.

By the time we hit this game's Medium quality preset, the Panther 5D slams into Battlefield's 200 FPS ceiling at the lowest tested resolution. The single GeForce GTX 780M in MSI's GT70 almost gets there, topping out at 190 FPS.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Benchmark settings for Call of Duty: Black Ops II are the same as those in Call Of Duty: Black Ops II Graphics Performance, Benchmarked.

Once again, the Panther 5D delivers the fastest performance, and there's no real need to go any further. A built-in SLI profile makes it easy to hit almost 100 FPS on average at 1920x1080 using the game's most demanding quality settings.

The GT70 Dragon Edition 2 has no problems with performance in Black Ops II. The GK104-based 780M is notably faster the 680M, which centers on the same GPU, but includes fewer active CUDA cores.

Using Medium-quality details, the platform starts to impede measured frame rates.

Stepping down to Low details, a processor bottleneck limits the performance of Nvidia's most modern mobile graphics chips. The Eurocom system's six-core desktop-class processor hits its wall just over 180 FPS.

Crysis 3

All three of these systems can play Crysis, but some manage the feat better than others. Eurocom's configuration doesn't seem to scale quite as well as we've seen two GK104 GPUs perform in the past, but still manages to drive the highest frame rates with a pair of GeForce GTX 680Ms.

Dropping below 60 FPS means that 3D Vision isn't going to look as good as it could, since the effective frame rate will fall below 30 FPS. While the glasses can be used at 40 Hz, that's not optimal.

In comparison, one GeForce GTX 780M approaches the two 680Ms at 1920x1080, averaging almost 40 FPS.

Dropping back to the High detail preset suggests that these platforms might be more processor-bound than we thought. At 1600x900 and 1366x768, the two fastest setups demonstrate identical frame rates.

Shifting down another notch, all three machines are completely platform-bound. The six-core desktop processor in the Eurocom Panther allows for almost 30% higher FPS. The Core i7-3940XM and -4930MX are essentially even in this situation.

Results: DiRT: Showdown, Hitman: Absolution, And Sniper Elite V2

DiRT: Showdown

DiRT: Showdown's built-in benchmark is very tough on both the CPU and GPU. It also exacted the highest continuous AC load of any game drawing 433 W from the wall on Eurocom's Panther.

Even with all of the quality settings maxed out, each notebook delivers playable average frame rates. Eurocom's two GeForce GTX 680Ms in SLI maintain the top position, but again the benefit of two cards isn't as pronounced next to the 780M's compelling performance. In fact, the GeForce GTX 780M enjoys a nice 20% improvement over a single GeForce GTX 680M.

We know DiRT to be both CPU- and memory-bound, so as we start relaxing the graphics load, those bottlenecks begin showing up.

At Medium quality settings, Eurocom's machine is completely platform-bound. MSI's GT70 exhibits the same symptoms, but still manages to stay a few FPS ahead of Alienware's system on average.

Hitman: Absolution

Hitman: Absolution is the opposite of Sniper Elite V2 when it comes to resource utilization. In the game's built-in benchmark, thousands of NPCs are animated throughout the scene. The GPU may end up waiting for the CPU to finish.

In the Ultra quality benchmark, both the MSI and Eurocom machines are CPU-limited. Alienware's sample trails behind, but is able to pull slightly ahead of MSI at 1366x768.

Since we tested the Panther 5D, Nvidia has made driver improvements to Hitman: Absolution's performance. The notebook should be able to cross the 60 FPS threshold, though it's likely that Nvidia will never show spectacularly in this AMD-sponsored title.

Taking the quality down a notch improves the Panther 5D and Alienware scores, but not as much for MSI's GT70. The Alienware system, with its single GeForce GTX 680M and Core i7-3940XM, manages to pull ahead of both comparison machines at 1366x768.

At Medium quality, the Alienware pulls ahead of MSI in all screen resolutions, and ahead of the Eurocom in two of them. This is largely academic, since no one with any of these systems would be playing at reduced quality or at a resolution of 1366x768.

Sniper Elite V2

The built-in benchmark for Sniper Elite V2 places a light load on our CPUs, but serves up a punishing GPU workload. These benchmarks are a good way to demonstrate the graphics capabilities of each machine.

With the game maxed-out at the Ultra quality preset, each card delivers playable frame rates at every setting. Since Eurocom's Panther 5D achieves more than twice the speed of a single GeForce GTX 680 (in Alienware's machine), the desktop-class CPU must be conferring some benefit to the final result.

Scaling back to the High quality preset changes very little about the placing of these three mobile platforms.

Dropping to Medium quality allows each configuration to speed up further, though only Alienware's M18x R2 benefits. The other platforms were already averaging more than 60 FPS.

Although the benchmark results at Low quality settings are a little higher, the Panther 5D was already playable at the highest detail settings. That's where you'd find us playing this game.

Results: Tomb Raider, Total War: Shogun 2, And WoW: Mists Of Pandaria

Tomb Raider

The built-in benchmark for Tomb Raider shows that the Eurocom Panther 5D leverages SLI to remain far ahead at every resolution. Alienware's single GeForce GTX 680M falls shy of an average 30 FPS at the Ultimate preset; you'd probably want to drop back to High for an optimal experience. Meanwhile, the MSI’s overclocked GeForce GTX 780M manages a more comfortable 42 FPS at 1920x1080. That's probably good enough to enjoy the TressFX option at Ultimate, though you could certainly drop to Ultra and still get great visuals.

Total War: Shogun 2

None of these machines have any problems playing Shogun 2 at its highest settings. What's more, we get a good sense of how the GeForce GTX 680M, factory-overclocked 780M, and two 680Ms in SLI scale.

Disabling anti-aliasing yields a massive performance increase for the single-GPU configurations. Two 680Ms in SLI don't get as much of a boost. Then again, it wasn't really needed; the first graph showed Eurocom's Panther 5D to be plenty playable.

Dropping to 720p relieves enough of the graphics workload that the factory-overclocked 780M in MSI's GT70 almost catches Eurocom's more potent SLI-enabled platform. That's a platform bottleneck for you.

World Of Warcraft: Mist Of Pandaria

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria offers a lush expansion with detailed new worlds. One of the most demanding sections of the game is in Honeydew Village. Placing a character directly in-between the guards of the entrance to the city when it’s raining in-game, then panning the camera just above the grassy hill beside them brings a very high number of moving objects into view. It is one of the worst-case scenarios that we’ve found in the game.

There are a ton of moving components in our test sequence. Each machine delivers excellent frame rates, with only the Eurocom platform showing signs of an outright processor bottleneck.

The best-looking settings are plenty playable, so there's no real reason to drop to Blizzard's High preset. If you do, however, performance shoots up palpably. The Panther 5D is again processor-bound, of course.

Once again, the Panther 5D's SLI setup is bottlenecked. It takes a GeForce GTX 780M to cause Intel's fastest Haswell-based mobile processor to show up as limiter in this game. The lower-end GeForce GTX 680M in Alienware's M18x still scales when it's paired to an Ivy Bridge-based CPU.

In all of our gaming tests, the Panther 5D solidly outperforms the other two notebooks with one GPU and mobile processors. The fact that several of the games we tested were CPU-bound, even backed by a six-core desktop CPU, demonstrates the Panther 5D's advantage over other mobile platforms. Really, you'd need to hook this thing up to a QHD or larger display to tax its graphics subsystem.

Testing For Thermal Throttling

System Throttling

Running Prime95 and FurMark at the same time places a very high load on any system, with both the CPU and GPU drawing maximum power while also generating maximum heat. The Panther 5D's CPU is rated for up to 150 W and the each of the GPUs are at least 100 W. Add in 25-50 W for the desktop platform components and you're looking at 400 W or more. Obviously, that's significantly more power than most notebooks draw, and the reason why Eurocom needs to offer dual power adapters. If the system can't get more than 400 W from its supplies, or isn't able to dissipate that amount of heat efficiently, it will throttle the CPU, GPU, or both in order to honor its thermal and electrical specifications.

Synthetic Heat Run

In order to really push the Panther 5D to its limits, we fully load its Core i7-3970X CPU and both GeForce GTX 680M GPUs. The goal is to tax the machine until its internal and external temperatures plateau. The only reason to end a run early is a hardware failure.

In the chart above, you can see the load and temperatures for the CPU and both GPUs.

The CPU took 12 minutes to heat up both of its big copper sinks enough that the fans were spinning at their highest rotational speeds. You can see the slight dip between the 12- and 14-minute mark where the amount of air being drawn in momentarily pulled temps down a bit.

At the 60-minute mark, I shut down FurMark to alleviate the GPU load, dropping them to idle. The CPU temps were unaffected. It was not until I also shut down Prime95 at 65 minutes that the thermals started to relax.

The two CPU fans are on the right half of the computer. When they both kick in, the amount of air they move is startling the first time you feel it.

After close to 20 minutes, the CPU hit 90 °C and throttled down to 3.4 GHz. It stayed at that clock rate for most of the remaining run.

You can see the CPU's clock rate through our run in the chart above.

The first GPU is located next to the GPU, and it sits in the middle of the machine. Its air intake is third from the left. Cooling that graphics processor is naturally a little more difficult, so its temperatures were a few degrees higher than the second GPU, situated all the way to the right.

With that said, neither GPU ran particularly hot during our test, even though they were both fully-loaded for an hour. In the 70-minute graph, you can see a slight dip in their temperatures, which was caused by lifting the machine to measure heat on the desktop under it.

Both GPUs maintained their minimum clock rate during testing.

We saw power drawn from the wall peak at 464 W. Allowing for 10% losses at the power adapters, this means that the Panther 5D was dissipating more than 400 W. Even the power adapters themselves heat up quite a bit. It's naturally important to keep everything around Eurocom's machine well-ventilated if it's under a demanding load.

Then again, we didn't see temperatures spike so high in any real-world workload we through at the Panther 5D.

Battery Life and Power Draw

Unlike most notebook systems, the Eurocom Panther 5D is really meant to run from AC power. Its battery is more of a UPS that gives you time to shut down elegantly in the event of a power loss.

Battery Life

Even with 74 Wh of energy, the battery in the Eurocom 5D is quickly depleted by the desktop CPU and dual GPUs driving its performance.

With a fully-charged battery, we were able to get about an hour of run time performing office-oriented tasks. Watching video or running more demanding apps dropped longevity by another 15 to 20%. Encoding video with the CPU, rendering 3D models with GPU acceleration, or gaming all drain the battery in less than 30 minutes.

AC Power Draw

By necessity, Eurocom's Panther 5D has one of the most robust systems for supplying AC power available on any notebook. Its pair of 330 W power supplies converge through a custom connector to feed the LGA 2011-based desktop platform and the 100 W GPUs that are attached. Even without overclocking, we regularly saw power use exceeding 425 W with peaks over 460 W.

With the system off and the battery charging, 40 W is drawn at the wall. Firing up the system and sitting idle at the desktop typically results in 110 W of consumption from the wall. Fully loading the CPU demonstrates 284 W of power use. Loading both GPUs draws 323 W.

Utilizing one GeForce GTX 680M, the system pulls more than 350 W with a CPU and GPU load applied. With both 680M’s running in SLI, working hard on a demanding game, the Panther reports close to 400 W from the wall. It maxes out at 464 W without overclocking.

If one adapter fails, you could maintain the performance of a CPU- or GPU-heavy load. With both subsystems taxed, you need both adapters.

Storage And Audio Performance

Storage Performance

Our Panther 5D sample shipped with a trio of 256 GB Crucial m4s configured in RAID 5, giving us a decent balance between performance, capacity, and data protection.

We measured respectable sequential read speeds from the array, though writes aren't particularly impressive. This could be hampered over time since you don't get the benefit of TRIM, forcing you to instead rely on Crucial's own garbage collection routines.

The Panther 5D offers a great deal of flexibility for storage configurations. Dialing in the right combination of performance and data protection is as simple as making changes in the notebook's firmware, or simply ordering from Eurocom with the arrangement you plan to use.

Audio Performance

Audio fed to external amplifiers via the analog headphone jack sounded very good. The optical digital output works well if you have an external DAC. Additionally, I didn't have any trouble hooking up to a receiver via HDMI. There wasn't any buzzing or popping to report from the analog outputs, either.

I set up multi-channel output through the analog jacks, HDMI output, and TOSLINK interface without any issues.

Testing Through Headphones

As part of my usual testing routine, I like to listen to music through multiple sets of headphones. Through the very sensitive Etymotic HF3 in-ear buds, there was no unwanted noise to report, and music playback sounded good. Audio quality was also good from the slightly bass-heavy Bowers and Wilkins C5 earphones. I also had good experiences with the very detailed and slightly bass-shy Shure SE425.

Additionally, I auditioned a couple of pairs of traditional over-the-ear headphones. The 32-ohm Grado SR125s sounded good. With Sennheiser's HD 600s plugged in, the headphone output drove the difficult 300-ohm load to solid listening levels.

Music through Sennheiser's HD 600s was neutral, detailed, and had a wonderful sense of rhythm and pace. I found myself listening to entire albums played back from the Panther 5D’s headphone jack instead of my normal dedicated amplifier. With all of the software processing disabled, I found the Panther 5D to be nothing short of excellent.

With all of the audio hardware I tried, there was very little distortion, no background noise, and no hiss. I got an excellent sense of detail with wide stereo separation. The overall tonal balance was great. The low bass had a strong impact without being bloated. Above all, the sound straight out of the Panther was involving.

In short, the Panther 5D probably has the best headphone output of any notebook I have ever used.

If you do need to tweak the sound, the equalizer in the Sound Blaster Console is excellent.

We were less enthused with the Sound Blaster headphone optimizer. The software appears to crossfeed audio to make headphones sound more like listening to speakers in a room. Unfortunately, the effect takes away from the excellent performance of the Panther’s built-in headphone amp.

Built-In Speakers

Unfortunately, the built in speakers sound like they come from a clock radio. They seem much better tuned for vocals than music. The subwoofer does help with upper bass, but not as much as we've heard from other systems. Even with extensive tweaking using the bundled software, the built-in speakers cannot compare to other high-end laptops. Game sound effects, movie vocals, and teleconferencing are fine; the lack of low bass and high treble detract from the impact of sound, but dialog is at least very clear.

The Panther 5D offers a ton of analog and digital audio I/O, along with the software to adjust those connections. While the notebook's built-in speakers leave us unimpressed, its headphone output is excellent.

Display Performance

Brightness, Contrast, And White Point

The maximum brightness of the Panther 5D’s Samsung panel is 377.4 cd/m2. This is brighter than many notebook screens, but close to 10% dimmer than the panel’s 400 cd/m² published spec. Measured contrast is excellent. In my experience, the screen exhibits bright colors and deep blacks, and my measurements back that up. 

A white point of 6500 K is considered neutral and close to the color of midday sun. If a screen measures below 6500 K, it takes on a warmer appearance that leans towards reds and oranges. If a screen measures above 6500 K, it is said to have a cooler appearance that favors the color blue. Cooler color temperatures are common in a retail environment because they make screens stand out next to other displays.

The Samsung panel's white point shifts from 6500 K at 25% brightness to 6900 K at full brightness. This shift towards a cooler white point as the screen becomes brighter means that calibration curves need to be created for each brightness level for the most accurate colors.

Viewing Angles

The screen has excellent viewing angles for a TN-based panel. Tilt the screen far forward and the colors shift to blue, tilt it far back and colors shift towards red. Side viewing angles are excellent, allowing several people to look at the display without a debilitating loss of quality.

Uniformity

Luminance uniformity is excellent on the bottom and middle sections of the screen, and merely good up top (the corners measure 15% and 14% dimmer than the center of the screen). This effect is visible on large swaths of single colors, but typically not noticeable in normal use. And the discrepancy is consistent across brightness settings.

Of course, the uniformity of this specific panel may not represent all of Samsung's 120 Hz panels. This is but one sample, and we know that there's variance from one display to the next.

Color uniformity is again excellent in the center and lower sections, but not as much in the top corners. Once you get past a Delta E value of four, the differences are apparent. At full brightness, this panel's top corners report Delta E values of 4.4 and 5.0. The fact that the rest of the screen is so neutral may make those shifts stand out more.

Taking brightness down to 50% significantly improves the panel's uniformity. Most readings drop under one, while the top corners duck in under a Delta E of three.

Our main reservation here is that you'll want to game with the brightness cranked way up if you're using Nvidia's 3D Vision glasses, since they take a huge chunk out of perceived luminance.

Gamma

The Panther 5D's gamma measurement comes close to the reference 2.2 curve.

Display Performance, Continued

Color Gamut

The Samsung panel covers 95% of the sRGB color gamut in the middle of the screen. In the above image, the measured performance of the Panther’s panel is shown as a green triangle, and the reference sRGB color gamut is the red triangle. AdobeRGB is purple. The display completely covers red and blue, slightly missing sRGB in deep greens. This is a very good color gamut that is only limited by the WLED backlightling.

Color Accuracy

The average Delta E reading is a very good 1.22. Almost all of the grey patches are less than 1.5, so black and white photos should look very neutral on the screen.

Most colors stay pretty close to a Delta E of one. The only major departure from the reference color is the teal blue patch. This spike is typical of WLED-backlit TN-based screens, and we see a similar result on most panels of this design. Calibrated to remove the slightly blue white balance, the screen should serve as an excellent tool for color photo and video editing.

Monitor Rating

This is the rating generated by the Spyder4Elite monitor profiling software.

Calibration

The images above are photos of the Panther 5D's screen after (top) and before (bottom) calibration with the Spyder4Elite system. Depending on the monitor you're using to read this review, you should see some pretty significant differences between the top and bottom. Un-calibrated, the screen has a blue tint common to WLED panels, reflecting its native white point of 6900 K at full brightness.

And here's the correction applied to the Panther's Samsung panel. The bottom blue line shows the target 2.2 curve that the software was calibrating to. The middle blue line shows the blue channel being pulled down in intensity to pare back the panel’s white point to a more neutral 6500 K. The red and green channels are left mostly unchanged, with a slight bump in midtones.

After calibration, the screen curves are very close to the target. After all of the display performance discussion, a calibration yields excellent results.

Prior to calibration, the panel’s brightness measured 370 cd/m2. Removing the slight blue tint takes that measurement down to 365.4. There is also some slight tweaking to the gamma curve.

Eurocom's Panther 5D offers excellent brightness, contrast, and calibrated color accuracy. Thanks to a 120 Hz refresh, fast action looks smooth as well (in fact, this is necessary for 3D Vision support). We measured 95% of the sRGB color gamut, which is very good. Color and luminance uniformity in the top corners of the panel affected overall performance somewhat, but the screen still looks good. Although it doesn't match the performance of the best IPS panels, Samsung's display is a good example of TN-based technology.

Unparalleled Speed; Clear Compromises

Performance above all else was Eurocom’s mantra as it put this thing together. It had to be. The Panther 5D is a solid machine that delivers speed in games and threaded desktop apps that you won't find from any other notebook. Although, calling this a mobile platform is somewhat of a misnomer. Yes, you can pick it up and move it from one room to the next. But flip the lid as your plane lifts off and you won't even make it to beverage service before it cuts out on you.

With that said, despite its power-hungry contents, the Panther 5D never crashed on us and it never showed any signs of getting overwhelmed by dissipating hundreds of watts of power. Thanks to a 150 W Core i7-3970X CPU, general-purpose processing far exceeded the capabilities of any laptop with a mobile processor. Its two GeForce GTX 680M graphics modules sliced through every game we threw at them. A native 1920x1080 screen just isn't large enough to tax a pair of GK104s rendering cooperatively. This machine doesn't do well on battery power, but plugged into the wall, it's a true gaming and productivity beast.

There would only be a couple of ways to extract more performance from this setup: either upgrade the GTX 680Ms to GeForce GTX 780Ms, or drop in one of the new Ivy Bridge-EP-based Xeon E5s with up to 12 physical cores. The step up wouldn't be cheap, but yeah, talk about turning the dial to 11.

Content creators, engineers, and other professionals who need big performance wherever they go can rely on the Panther. It demonstrated the stability to be a dependable tool, and it is fast enough to get real work done quickly. In fact, the Panther's performance could end up paying for the procurement costs quickly by giving contract workers better productivity, translating into more billable projects in the same number of hours. It's a complete desktop workstation that fits in a large backpack. And Eurocom is quick to point out that the CPUs, GPUs, memory, and storage are all readily upgradable, saving you from buying a new system if you start small and scale up down the road.

Gamers should also be impressed. It's not often that we run across a notebook that begs to be hooked up to an external display just to tax its graphics modules. We had the Panther 5D set up for a group of enthusiasts, and it received a lot of attention. It was naturally faster than every notebook in the room, but its specs also outmoded most power users' desktop rigs, too. The big hexa-core CPU largely uncorks the performance of two GTX 680Ms in SLI, which is where those huge average frame rates come from (ideal when you're using 3D Vision, too).

Now, we can already predict how the comments for this story are going to look. There will be those who understand where a platform like this makes legitimate sense, whether for desktop-like performance or for making money on the go. Those are the folks Eurocom has in mind when it does something like announce its Panther 5SE mobile server (a concept that still seems strange to us, but is just one step removed from this very similar mobile workstation). It's all about performance and adaptability above all else.

Then there will be the critics who see this system's size, its inelegant dual power adapter setup, its battery life, or even just its price tag and conclude that it doesn't do anything for them. These folks aren't going to be entirely wrong, either. The Panther 5D is undoubtedly a very niche offering for a very specific customer. It's aimed at a narrow group that needs maximum performance in a portable. People outside the target demographic will see overkill.

We used the Panther for a variety of tasks over a couple of months. During the day we worked with video production, photo editing, and software testing. The Panther was great at chewing through hours of sequential video data. After hours, there was a lot more gaming going on. There's a lot to like about the system's headphone output, too. At the end of the day, Eurocom's configuration never let us down in a task that demanded maximum speed. And while its weaknesses are apparent, it does everything else exceedingly well.

Though Eurocom’s Scorpius notebooks may be stretching the definitions of what can be considered a mobile device, the fact that it offers a 17.3” display and enough processing power to put an average gaming desktop to shame, makes it quite an accomplishment that it has a starting weight of 3.9 kg and measures just 419 x 286 x 49.77 mm.

Eurocom offers the Scorpius mobile workstations as either the standard Scorpius P370EM or the Scorpius 3D, which as the name suggests, includes a 120 Hz 3D screen. Both models offer an extensive array of configuration options, a backlit keyboard with seven programmable colors, built-in subwoofer, support for dual GPUs, 32 GB of DDR3 RAM and processors up to the Intel Core i7-3940XM Extreme.

Eurocom president Mark Bialic boasts, "The Eurocom Scorpius redefines the gold standard for mobile CAD and 3D design. For heavy duty rendering where the utmost accuracy is required, ECC memory is supported by the Nvidia Quadro K5000M graphics module. The supported Nvidia Quadro cards offer OpenGL quad buffered stereo support, for a smooth experience working with complex 3D models."

The Eurocom Scorpius P370EM and Scorpius 3D have a starting price of $2,201 and $2,293, respectively, and are backed with a one-year manufacturer warranty. Unsurprisingly, users who plan to equip the notebook with the aforementioned quad-core CPU, 32 GB of RAM and a pair of graphics cards, should expect to see a sticker price closer to the $4,000 or $5,000 mark.

The Eurocom Uno 3.0 was designed to allow companies to "deploy more efficient computing infrastructure for their employees than traditional desktop systems" and offers a number of interesting features that could make it an attractive option for corporate customers.

First, it features a 21.5" matte LED backlit display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 that can optionally be equipped with a multi-touch capable touchscreen. The system is based on an Intel HM61 chipset with an LGA1155 socket that supports a range of Ivy Bridge Core processors, up to the i7-3770S.

The AIO PC has two SODIMMNS with support for a maximum of 16 GB of DDR3 RAM, two SATA 6 Gb/s connectors and a plethora of ports, including two RS-232 serial connectors that are frequently used in the point of sale hardware such as thermal printers, receipt printers, barcode scanners and cash registers.

The Uno 3.0 is also billed as a "small form factor" device that measures 527 x 49 x 370 mm (W x D x H), weighs 7.5 kg, and can be mounted "nearly anywhere for ultimate convenience" due to its VESA mount and adjustable stand. It also features an "energy efficient" design with a maximum power draw of only 120 W and even offers the option of an integrated 6-cell 62.16 WH backup battery that will provide up to 70 minutes of charge when the AC power is disconnected.

Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback

Can Xotic PC Provide More Value?

The gaming notebook market is divided between tier-one manufacturers, customer-direct distributors, and boutique builders. The biggest reason to buy from one of the first two options is a warranty on hardware that comes straight from the hands that built your machine. Most of them last from one to three years, and many can be extended right at the point of sale.

Custom notebook builders generally offer a larger range of component and software options, add-on peripherals, chassis customization, and enhanced technical support. Often, that comes at a price premium that enthusiasts are reluctant to pay. Yet, not every builder charges the same rate for its bespoke services.

Xotic PC is out to offer its customers the best of the custom-built market at the smallest markup possible, going so far as to add lifetime labor to the phone support offered by most of its competitors. Power users still get the manufacturer’s full range of warranty options, too.

Today we see if Xotic PC can really deliver on its value promises.

AMD's Radeon HD 7970M, Exposed

We already examined Clevo’s P150EM in Eurocom Racer 2.0 Review: Intel's Ivy Bridge Meets Nvidia's Kepler, though Sager, a distributor of Clevo's whitebook designs, renames it to the NP9150 before it gets to Xotic PC. Aside from the logos, it’s the same chassis.

Opening up the machine reveals very similar cooling to what we saw on Nvidia's GeForce GTX 660M. The Radeon HD 7970M has the same basic cooler design as the GeForce, but with custom-matched contact surfaces.

The Radeon HD 7970 GPU is composed of nearly three billion transistors, and it takes up much of the graphics module's real estate, even in light of TSMC's 28 nm manufacturing process. But isn't AMD's Radeon HD 7970 supposed to have 4.3 billion transistors?

The Radeon HD HD 7970M obviously doesn't boast the Tahiti core with which its model name is most commonly associated. Rather, it's a more power-optimized version of the same Pitcairn GPU found in the desktop Radeon HD 7870. It’s not all bad that AMD chose a smaller die for its flagship mobile GPU, we just wish it had picked a more appropriate name. At least they’re both current-generation parts based on a 28 nm node.

By comparison, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 675M isn’t even part of the same generation. Its GeForce GTX 560 Ti (based on the Fermi architecture at 40 nm) was a top value in its day, but even that card was replaced long ago by a more-powerful 448-core version. We’d like to come down harder on AMD for its naming tomfoolery, but Nvidia is the guiltier party in this specific case.

System And Benchmark Configurations

We have no clue why Eurocom chose a three-module memory configuration for its dual-channel notebook, and we certainly wouldn’t have asked Xotic PC to do the same for comparison purposes. These two configurations are otherwise well-matched, except for the graphics modules that are the focus of today's comparison.

Even though the same motherboard and CPU is used by both systems, changes in memory configuration and GPU overhead caused us to include a mid-sized battery of non-gaming applications in today’s benchmark suite.

Benchmark Results: Battlefield 3 And Metro 2033

Xotic PC’s custom-configured NP9150 starts with a huge lead over the higher-priced Racer 2.0 with its GeForce GTX 675M in Battlefield 3, obliterating the more closely price-matched configuration with a GeForce GTX 660M build in the process.

This leadership remains strong through our Ultra quality preset testing. Only the Radeon HD 7970M-based system is able to push a playable frame rate.

Metro 2033 scales a little differently than Battlefield 3. Even the Radeon HD 7970M-equipped NP9150 needs lower resolutions to get through the game with a depth-of-field filter enabled.

Xotic PC continues to demonstrate big leads at every Metro 2033 setting, but only the title's High preset is completely playable at the screen’s 1920x1080 native resolution.

Benchmark Results: DiRT3, StarCraft II, And Skyrim

AMD's architectures have a history of affecting CPU scaling in certain games. We've seen this in a few of our older system builds, but occasionally in other graphics comparisons. We certainly didn’t expect this issue to affect a notebook employing Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture, even though the mobile models are slower than the desktop versions.

Paired with AMD's Radeon HD 7970M, the Core i7-3820QM limits DiRT 3 to around 73 FPS. Higher detail levels shift enough of the workload to the GPU that it becomes our bottleneck, and that’s where Xotic PC’s custom-configured NP9150 excels.

Xotic PC’s Radeon HD 7970M continues its overall dominance through our Skyrim tests.

StarCraft II is Xotic PC’s gaming coup de grace, having overtaken its competitor in a broad majority of 3D benchmarks.

Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding

The bottlenecks that we mentioned on the previous page should only affect 3D applications that push very low GPU loads. Productivity and content creation applications aren't affected.

The trend in audio and video encoding performance appears to favor Xotic PC’s NP9150 configuration, despite their similar CPUs. We can think of one possible reason for this: Eurocom built its notebook using three 4 GB modules, while Xotic PC used four. It makes most sense to install memory in pairs, since the mainstream-oriented Ivy Bridge architecture has a dual-channel controller.

Benchmark Results: Productivity

Adobe Photoshop shows both notebooks performing comparably, which doesn't surprise us since they leverage the same processor and motherboard. Xotic PC’s four-DIMM memory array, which operates in a true dual-channel mode, provides no benefit here. Though, even a single channel of DDR3-1600 is probably adequate for most programs.

Autodesk 3ds Max and ABBYY FineReader appear to benefit from Xotic PC’s memory configuration, though none of our compression benchmarks are affected.

Power Consumption And Battery Life

Apart from their graphics modules, the Xotic PC NP9150 and Eurocom Racer 2.0 are nearly identical.

Desktop enthusiasts might wonder how AMD's Radeon HD 7970M and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 675M happen to have similar power requirements, and the easy answer is that both are designed to fit into the same chassis. Any power consumed is dissipated as heat, and both modules are designed to operate under similar cooling capabilities.

Battery Eater Pro shows that the NP9150 takes a little less time to discharge, and a little more time to charge. Since the same battery model is used by both machines, it's possible that the NP9150’s battery may have been used before, though it's hard to say for sure.

We also tried a little gaming on battery power, and discovered that the Xotic PC machine's performance dropped by about two-thirds when it was unplugged. That loss is completely correctable through configurable power settings, and the specific option we needed to change is also shown in AMD's Catalyst Control Center.

Changing the PowerPlay battery-use setting to “Maximize Performance” brought back all of the expected 3D performance, but also significantly shortened the length of our gaming experience. The NP9150 with a Radeon HD 7970M is roughly tied with the Racer 2.0's GeForce GTX 675M in game time at approximately 25 minutes. Meanwhile, the Kepler-based GeForce GTX 660M extended our session to around 43 minutes, though its performance is also quite a bit slower.

Average Performance, Efficiency, And Value

Xotic PC promised us better gaming performance at a lower price compared to its competition. We were the ones to specifically ask for the same CPU and SSD so we could focus on comparing AMD's and Nvidia's current-gen graphics modules. The crew at Xotic PC did (wisely) add a fourth memory module, however, and that change slightly boosts the performance of our encoding and productivity applications.

A huge speed-up in gaming performance will be partially reduced in our efficiency chart, since that measurement uses the average of all benchmarks and power tests.

Since the previous GeForce GTX 675M-equipped configuration set the performance mark that Xotic PC was hoping to beat, we also used it as the basis of our efficiency evaluation. An average performance gain of 11% combines with an average power savings of 6% to give Xotic PC an average efficiency increase of 17%

Priced nearly 8% less than its competition, the NP9150 also generates a huge 21% value lead.

Did AMD's Mobile Graphics Lead Xotic PC To Victory?

Xotic PC is determined to undercut its largest competitors, and it did this time around by pairing a higher-cost GPU with a lower final price. The company did this without dropping customer support, by including limited lifetime labor and a free telephone hotline with the same one-year basic component coverage as its competition, and still offering two- and three-year service upgrades similar to those available from other vendors in the industry.

But we picked this setup for a gaming value shootout against another boutique builder, and we wanted to know how each configuration stacked up at the panel’s native 1920x1080 resolution.

When you buy it with AMD's Radeon HD 7970M, the Xotic PC NP9150 provides around 56% more gaming value than its GeForce GTX 675M competitor. Much (if not most) of this credit goes to AMD. We recalculated the NP9150's value using the GeForce GTX 675’s $100-lower price and 28%-lower performance, and showed that its lead would have dropped to only 14%.

Indeed, AMD helped lead Xotic PC to gaming performance and much larger value victories. Though the company's processors continue to struggle balancing performance and power, AMD’s graphics guys have recently found relatively smooth sailing from the isles of Tahiti to Pitcairn.

By now you’re probably wondering, “but what about Nvidia's GeForce GTX 680M?” We asked the same question, but came up empty-handed in our search for hardware. Price was probably part of the problem, since the GeForce GTX 680M costs about $245 more than the Radeon HD 7970M. We think Xotic PC was looking for the big value score, and our research shows the company probably made the best choice.

Portability remains a notebook’s killer feature, so we’re moving forward to test an even more compact gaming notebook, in spite of our curiosity about the GeForce GTX 680M. Perhaps the next model after that will have Nvidia’s flagship mobile GPU?

Update: Taking AMD To Task On Enduro

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s difficult to keep up with everything that goes on in technology. While our eyes are turned to the latest tablet, a new SSD, or an upcoming processor, a bit of news surfaces, causes a brief stir, and disappears again. For anyone affected, a misbehaving piece of hardware remains a thorn that everyone is expected to be aware of. So, we understand the frustration when a vendor is allowed to get away with slow support for a high-end (expensive) component.

In the case of AMD’s Radeon HD 7970M, GPU underutilization issues were simply something we hadn’t seen before. They certainly didn’t hamper Thomas in today’s story.

But what you should expect out of us is that, when an issue does come up, we’ll be on top of it. And when readers started linking to forum posts about a problem with AMD’s newest flagship and its Enduro switching technology, we jumped.

On a phone call with company representatives earlier today, AMD admitted that its current implementation is indeed affected by a driver bug that prevents the hardware from being fed data fast enough, causing it to go underutilized, particularly at high frame rates. This is specific to Enduro-equipped configurations because the Radeon GPU is operating through integrated graphics, utilizing the PCI Express bus as a display engine. As a result, there’s a balance issue between data coming in and data going out you wouldn’t see from a notebook equipped only with discrete graphics.

Alienware’s M17x can be made to work around this problem. How? The notebook has a hardware-based multiplexer that, after a reboot, can turn off Enduro and make the Radeon HD 7970M a standalone GPU.

Why didn’t the issue come up in our story to begin with? Two reasons. First, if you look at our gaming benchmark results, there are only a couple of instances where the Radeon HD 7970M doesn’t scale quite as we’d expect, and those are in games already known to be fairly platform-bound. This could have easily been attributed to the Core i7-3820QM. Second, by AMD’s own admission, the degree of underutilization is most pronounced at low resolutions and high frame rates, but can affect frame rates from anywhere between 10 to 35%. Our emphasis is on higher resolutions and more demanding settings.

Now, what’s being done on AMD’s part to fix all of this?

According to the company, it has a hotfix that will go live first—purportedly in October. I’m working to get readers access to an early build earlier than that, but AMD is naturally apprehensive about the potential support ramifications of this. Representatives claim that the fixed driver will alleviate the bottleneck entirely, and the only performance hit you’ll be able to measure will be the expected 1 to 5% attributable to going through integrated graphics.

So, there we have it. An issue does exist, AMD is aware of it, a fix should be showing up in less than a month that rectifies the bug, and we’re working to get you early access. Of course, as we see in the benchmarks, even with the bug affecting performance, AMD’s Radeon HD 7970M has little trouble distinguishing itself.

And by the way, if you’re encountering weak performance on a 64-player map in Battlefield 3, consider that the workload is more CPU-bound than anything, and that a stock-clocked mobile processor is probably your weak point, not the GPU. We do read the comments, after all. ;)

Cheers,
Chris Angelini

Could This Be Mobile Gaming…Unleashed?

It's pretty common for us to hear hardware manufacturers throw the word "gaming" in the description for their products. "Unleashed" is less telling, but also relatively popular. Usually, though, those terms are tacked onto desktop-oriented components.

Unfortunately, when you try to stick too many high-octane parts into a mobile machine, you end up spending more time tethered to a wall. And it's hard to use a word like unleashed when there's literally a leash keeping you from moving around freely. 

Portable gaming machines generally fall into two categories: those that work well on the road but constrain gaming to unacceptably low levels, and those that serve up playable frame rates without any realistic expectation of mobility. In the past, we've had a hard time getting excited about either of those two extremes.

There's good news, though. Powerful hardware continues getting more efficient. That means higher performance and less power consumption. And so we're presented with Eurocom’s Racer 2.0 platform.

A starting price of only $1500 gets you an Ivy Bridge-based processor and a Kepler-based GPU. Eurocom added a few extras to our review unit to make it a true performance-oriented powerhouse priced just north of two grand.

Alright, so, the final price of our Racer 2.0-based system is actually more than $2100. But that includes a superfluous 4 GB memory module that adds $110 to the price. We wouldn't recommend that configuration to most buyers. Intel's Ivy Bridge platform only requires two modules to satisfy the dual-channel memory controller. Eight gigabytes is more than enough for most desktops, and it's even harder to justify extra memory with a notebook's lighter application load.

Putting that $110 expense aside, Eurocom’s Racer 2.0 delivers on portability in heft, too. We're tired of seeing companies advertise the purportedly low weight of their portable workstations by conveniently neglecting to add in the power bricks. Eurocom gives us a combined weight just under nine pounds for its Racer, and that pleases us. We can carry nine pounds even while running between gates at the airport.

A New Graphics Module And Base Platform

GeForce GTX 660M: A Chip Off Of The Old GK104

When Nvidia first announced that it planned to adapt its Kepler architecture for the mobile space, many enthusiasts wondered how. More specifically, just how far would the mobile version be removed from the GPU we came to praise in the GeForce GTX 680 and 670?

Possessing roughly one-third of the transistors found in GK104, the GTX 660M’s GK107 matches most closely the specifications of Nvidia’s familiar and fabulously-cheap GeForce GT 640.

But why do we have a Fermi-based product in that chart?

Based on the GeForce GTX 560 Ti, Nvidia's GeForce GTX 675M is nothing other than a renamed GTX 580M. Adding benchmark results from that older solution in this review lets you jump back to some of our previous coverage in order to draw broader comparisons of platform performance.

As you can see in the shot above, GK107 (on the right) is downright diminutive compared to GF114 (on the left).

HM77 Express: Panther On A Diet

The HM77 Express looks a lot like any other of Intel's Panther Point chipsets (even the high-flying Z77 Express, which received mild enthusiasm based on its handful of advancements compared to Z68 Express).

And yet, a quick look at Intel’s site shows that the HM77 Express is 104 mm² smaller than either the desktop-specific Z77 or H77 Express Platform Controller Hubs. Rated at 4.1 W, it's also up to 37% more efficient. I can see how careful binning might help Intel define two different chipset classes able to run at lower voltages. But it's more difficult to figure out where Intel was able to shave off 104 mm² of silicon.

The HM77 Express-based features to look out for in Eurocom’s notebook include its integrated USB 3.0 ports and support for three display outputs. Integrated USB 3.0 allows Eurocom to eliminate the two-port add-in controller found in its first-gen Racer notebook, while simultaneously increasing the number of ports. A trio of display outputs allows you to put monitors on each side of the notebook’s panel for better productivity, even if the high resolutions inherent to Nvidia's Surround technology are too demanding for gaming with a notebook-specific GPU.

No discussion of platform evolution would be complete without mentioning Intel’s latest Ivy Bridge architecture, though we have covered its benefits extensively. With a more efficiency-driven spin given to our mobile Ivy-Bridge review, we’re focusing today’s Core i7-3820QM on real-world capabilities.

Eurcoms Racer 2.0 Notebook, In Detail

Eurocom’s newest middleweight chassis looks strikingly similar to its previous version, but subtle hints that this one is different abound. Looking past the LED-backlit keyboard, for example, we find that the third USB port is now blue.

The new color tells us that, like its neighbors, the third port is now USB 3.0-compliant. It’s not just blue though, as it is also combined with one of the chipset’s SATA 3Gb/s ports to provide eSATA. FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, and a 9-in-1 memory card interface are also on the left edge.

On the other side, you get one USB 2.0 port, an optical drive, three audio jacks, and an S/PDIF connector.

Now that it’s supported by Intel's chipset, DisplayPort costs Eurocom little to implement on the Racer 2.0. It joins HDMI and DVI outputs on the notebook’s rear edge.

We’d like to note that the Racer 2.0 does not support dual-link DVI, though it does support VGA. Dual-link monitors are forced down to 1280x800, so users with only DVI and HDMI inputs on their monitors should nix plans to buy a 30” display and settle for 1080p (1920x1080) or below. If you do buy a DisplayPort adapter for higher resolutions, it has to be a pricier active variety. Those certainly aren't cheap.

The Racer 2.0 we received included Eurocom’s entry-level notebook bag with shoulder strap ($25), the power supply, a manual, and support disks. The battery is packed separately, as shown.

Inside Eurocom's Racer 2.0

Two covers on the bottom of the Racer hide a single drive bay and the main system components. The drive bay cover also hides the optical drive’s security tab.

Eurocom wants its buyers to experience the ultra-fast launch times enabled by SSDs, and so it equipped this system with Intel’s 120 GB SSD 520. Other options range from a 500 GB Seagate Momentus 7200.4 ($200 cheaper) to a 600 GB Intel SSD 320 ($800 higher).

Eurocom also offers an upgrade from the base 8x DVD burner to a 6x Blu-ray burner for $120. If you need more hard drive space, the company will also remove the optical drive altogether and replace it with an empty 2.5” hard drive tray, charging you $50 in the process.

A base approximately 1” thick leaves too little space to put components under the cooling fans. So, the Racer 2.0’s motherboard is cut around the fans. That also means you don't have to remove the fans in order to access the CPU or graphics module. Once you factor in the notebook's lid and feet to its dimensions, thickness climbs to nearly 2”.

Eurocom shipped us its Racer 2.0 with an older GeForce GTX 675M graphics module, adding the GeForce GTX 660M for additional performance analysis. The company can also sell you an upgrade kit for your existing mobile platform, though you'd need to call Eurocom directly to ask about availability, pricing, and compatibility.

A more powerful 180 W FSP power adapter charges a 76.96 Wh battery carried over from the previous Racer notebook.

Test Settings And Benchmarks

Now that Intel’s more mainstream family of Core i7s ships at the same clock rates as its previous-generation Extreme model, we think it’s a great time to look for added value from the Ivy Bridge design. Unfortunately, our two samples didn't include a common GPU. That part can’t be helped, since we no longer have access to either the older P150HM or its Radeon HD 6990M support kit.

Rather than dwell on the reasons why notebook vendors like Eurocom aren't able to leave us with long-term loaners for multi-generational component-level comparisons, we're taking the opportunity to see if Intel's slightly more powerful Ivy Bridge architecture is able to reach performance parity with the Gulftown-based Core i7-990X. We already had the data, and including it would be easy.

Benchmark Results: Productivity

Our Eurocom Racer 2.0 sample came with new graphics and a new processor. Before we move on to games, we wanted to see how that updated processor architecture influences overall performance, and that has a big impact on our office-oriented applications.

The Ivy Bridge-based Core i7 chip in Eurocom's Racer 2.0 gives it a 4% advantage over the P150HM’s Sandy Bridge-based design. Photoshop proves its threaded alacrity by putting the X7200 and its six-core CPU on top.

Ivy Bridge's advantage over Sandy Bridge climbs to around 6% in 3ds Max, while the hexa-core X7200 holds its larger lead.

Our file compression suite appears poorly threaded, with 7-Zip having the most noticeable performance change. The Racer 2.0 edges out the P150HM.

The Racer 2.0’s advantage over its predecessor climbs again in ABBYY's FineReader to around 7%. While the desktop-based X7200 maintains its top position, the margin of victory shrinks.

Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding

Both iTunes and Lame are single-threaded, responding to both clock rate and IPC. As a result, the Racer 2.0’s architectural advancements allow it to shine, while the X7200’s more aged architecture suffers a noticeable defeat. After all, neither applications knows what to do with six cores.

HandBrake and MainConcept both respond favorably to added cores, leveraging the Core i7-990X's six cores fully. But MainConcept gives the Racer 2.0’s more modern architecture a larger boost over its P150HM predecessor.

Benchmark Results: DiRT 3, Metro 2033, And StarCraft II

From our more productivity-oriented benchmarks, we know to expect at most an 8% performance improvement from the Racer 2.0’s Ivy Bridge-based processor compared to Sandy Bridge.

We also know from experience that CPU performance has its biggest gaming impact at the lowest resolutions and detail settings, where the GPU is too lightly loaded to become a bottleneck. We’ll look for an impact attributable to the GPU as resolution and detail levels increase.

DiRT 3 presents somewhat of a problem for our analysis in that the GeForce GTX 675M appears most advantageous at the low resolutions where CPU bottlenecks should occur.

Crank up the detail levels, though, and the GeForce GTX 675M appears to be an equal to AMD's Radeon HD 6990M.The GeForce GTX 660M hinders the Racer 2.0 moderately at our highest quality settings, regardless of resolution.

The GeForce GTX 660M stumbles in Metro 2033, requiring 1600x900 at our lower detail settings to retain relatively smooth game play. The 675M pushes the Racer 2.0’s capability to 1920x1080 at the same detail levels, but the game really favors AMD graphics.

All configurations play StarCraft II proficiently, though the GeForce GTX 675M is notably better than its older competition. Regardless of its lower model number, the GeForce GTX 660M is more than sufficient for this title.

Power, Battery Life, And Efficiency

Our power consumption numbers serve up big surprises from the smallest, most modern Eurocom configuration. The Racer 2.0 consumes only 88 W during 3DMark’s first demanding test.

Those power numbers don’t translate directly to Battery Eater Pro, simply because this version of the program utilizes Intel’s integrated HD Graphics 4000 engine rather than the discrete modules. Identical power consumption with the discrete modules idle allows both Racer 2.0 configurations to reach the same 1 hour 23 minute run time.

The Racer 2.0 is so easy on the battery, in fact, that we are finally able to play games while completely unplugged. The GeForce GTX 660M’s miserly nature gives us 44 minutes of play time in Battlefield 3, while the GeForce GTX 675M dropped that time to around 29 minutes. Those are both adequate numbers for getting in a quick game on the road. But the GeForce GTX 660M actually gives us enough for a quick game and enough battery left over to remain productive.

Better CPU performance allows the Racer 2.0 and its GeForce GTX 660M to nearly match the P150HM in average performance, while its far lower power consumption gives it a 33% efficiency advantage. Upgrading the Racer 2.0 to GeForce GTX 675M graphics demonstrates an average performance gain over the P150HM that almost perfectly reflects CPU improvements. That is to say the GeForce GTX 675M and Radeon HD 6990M appear roughly equal in our specific benchmark set.

Do Core i7 And GeForce GTX 660M Make Sense?

We're gamers, but when we end up liking a notebook, it's usually because it's actually portable. Yes, it's fun to benchmark the highest-end graphics modules and desktop-class processors in systems that get dubbed "mobile workstations." But at the end of the day, such hardware combinations are not totally practical.

Our opinion is often at odds with high-end builders like Eurocom, who really prefer to show of the capabilities of their desktop-replacement notebooks. Fortunately, we were able to convince the company to send over a mid-sized, mid-priced configuration for today’s analysis.

Comparing the Racer 2.0’s baseline GeForce GTX 660M graphics module to the GTX 675M, the less expensive GPU demonstrates better overall value. That’s in spite of the fact that, at only $165, the GeForce GTX 675M upgrade adds less than 8% to the system’s total price. Heck, upgrading from a one-year warranty to three-year coverage costs more than that ($271)!

But those numbers come from a benchmark set where only one-third of the overall performance summary comes from games. There were a couple of instances where the GeForce GTX 660M required a drop to 1600x900, while the GTX 675M played smoothly to 1920x1080. A value chart based on 1920x1080 performance adds a little perspective:

Even with its Ivy Bridge-based CPU, the GeForce GTX 660M’s high-end gaming value falls slightly behind the older Radeon HD 6990M-equipped configuration. Of course, Ivy Bridge helps catapult GeForce GTX 675M ahead of AMD's older flagship.

Given that this is a portable gaming machine, you might think that we'd be driven toward the more expensive configuration. But the number we have stuck in our heads is 44. As in, 44 minutes of Battlefield 3 that we were able to play using Nvidia's more efficient Kepler architecture without having to plug into a wall. Some enthusiasts might be unwilling to drop their gaming resolution to 1600x900, but we’d gladly make that sacrifice in exchange for 48% more play time on the road.

Is There Such Thing As A $2000 Portable Gaming Monster?

We grow weary of choosing between super-heavy performance notebooks and wimpy business-oriented laptops. AMD recently pushed out its Radeon HD 6990M, which drops the Mobility designator in an unfortunate move that makes it more likely to confuse customers who can't imagine there could be much difference between a desktop Radeon HD 6990 and a mobile Radeon HD 6990M.

Despite the horrible naming that both AMD and Nvidia continue employing, the 6990M really did impress us in GeForce GTX 580M SLI Vs. Radeon HD 6990M CrossFire by demonstrating remarkable performance and efficiency.

A flurry of testing on our end revealed that the second module wasn’t even really needed in most 1080p gaming scenarios. And the low power consumption of a single 6990M module lead us to guess that it'd be a truly potent solution in a more portable package. Eurocom listened and sent us an example of the form factor we really wanted to see.

The strikingly familiar Eurocom Racer was delivered to our lab in an effort to prove the worth of AMD's Radeon HD 6990M in the $2000 portable gaming market, complete with Intel’s super-fast Core i7-2620M processor. Truly, it'd see more action in that space compared to the workstation segment, where mobile modules in CrossFire and desktop-class CPUs push price tags in excess of five and six thousand dollars.

Instead of the configuration we requested, however, Eurocom decided to instead outfit our sample with a quad-core Core i7-2960XM, which pushed the price up by $731. We're sure a handful of games will benefit from the quicker CPU, but that steep upgrade price certainly narrows the potential audience. If you're in the market for a mobile system for around two grand, we still think that scaling back to the CPU we originally planned to test is a smart idea.

While we're on the subject of portability, because a single Radeon HD 6990M has only modest cooling requirements, Eurocom is able to build the Racer into an easily-transportable 6.8-pound unit. Unfortunately, you'll still need to haul around a 2.4-pound power brick to keep the battery charged, especially if you plan to game on the go. While the complete 9.2-pound unit isn't excessively heavy, we'd certainly consider carrying it around part of an exercise routine.

Upgrading to a Killer Wireless-N 1103 Wi-Fi module ($27 more than the Intel 6230 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo card) and DDR3-1600 memory ($37 more than equal-capacity DDR3-1333) would have kept our configuration under that magic $2000 price point, if not for the budget-busting CPU. Two- and three-year warranty extensions could prove even more valuable at $150 and $268, respectively.

Eurcom's Racer, From The Outside

eSATA, HDMI, and power connectors sit alongside the Racer’s DVI-I output, which supplements its 15.6” non-glare LED display. If you can tolerate background reflections in the name of higher contrast ratios, you can upgrade to a glossy screen for an additional fee.

Gigabit Ethernet, dual USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 connector, and IEEE-1394a are all made available next to a flash media drive on the Racer’s left edge.

To the user’s right are an optical drive, analog and digital audio jacks, and a second USB 2.0 port. Our Racer came equipped with the baseline 8x DVD rewriter, though Blu-ray writers and combo drives are available optionally.

The Racer retains the smooth front edge we like to see. Older solutions often ejected the optical drive tray into a user’s lap when bumped.

Under The Racer's Hood

Unlike some of Eurocom’s larger models, the Racer’s battery can be removed without any tools whatsoever.

A single 2.5” hard drive bay and mini PCIe slot are found beneath the Racer’s cover, in front of its main platform compartment.

The graphics module’s GPU and DRAM coolers are separate, but depend on the same cooling fan on the Racer’s right side. The CPU cooler is nearly as large and on the left, but it uses a smaller fan.

In minimizing the amount of space consumed by the motherboard, Eurocom is able to fit larger fans into this compact form factor.

Based on the P150HM chassis, the Racer’s 76.96 watt-hour battery has nearly the capacity as its X7200-based big-brother. That’s a good indicator of improved battery life as you check email or surf the Web. However, when it comes to enabling gaming for any significant period of time, an AC adapter is still very much necessary.

When it comes to portability, the 150 W power adapter is the Racer’s only detractor. At 2.4 pounds, seven inches long, and 1.7” thick, it makes up over a quarter the weight of the entire system, while eating up substantial space in your tote bag.

Test Settings And Benchmarks

With new benchmarks in our suite and no smaller notebooks to compare, we pit Eurocom’s Racer against one of the company's own X7200-based offerings. This should provide an excellent demonstration of the more portable machine's added efficiency, while addressing doubts about its performance.

Other parts of the larger notebook were equalized to the best possible extent. However, disabling the X58 platform's triple-channel memory configuration would heave created a false parity, since that is a built-in feature. Note that the same memory runs at a slower data rate on the X58-based machine due to Intel's official specifications. That lower data rate enables better timings, though.

Benchmark Results: 3D Games

Since dual-module graphics arrays are available on Eurocom's larger X7200 platform, we decided to include CrossFire-based numbers in our performance charts. The performance advantage made available by two GPUs isn’t completely fair to the smaller machine, however, since you simply cannot cram two graphics modules in the more compact form factor. So, we left its data at the bottom of each chart as a point of comparison.

Eurocom's Racer blows right past the desktop-oriented Core i7-990X in both DiRT 3 and Metro 2033 with a single GPU installed in both machines. CrossFire is mandatory in order to make the highest Metro 2033 settings playable, however, since the 6990M is nothing more than a reduced-power version of AMD's desktop Radeon HD 6870 graphics processor.

StarCraft II is choked up by the CPUs in both systems. This postulation becomes even more demonstrable when a second GPU is added. The X7200’s Core i7-990X desktop processor barely edges past the Racer’s energy-saving notebook chip.

Benchmark Results: Non-Gaming Applications

We could have made this a gaming comparison, but that would have partly ignored the rationale behind Eurocom’s quad-core notebook processor upgrade. We still wish the company would have included the dual-core chip as a reduced-cost reference point, because we still think the $700+ upsell is exorbitant.

The Racer doesn’t exactly crush the competition in single-threaded audio conversion apps, but it’s nice to see the low-power CPU edge past its high-energy rival, quantifying the advantages of Sandy Bridge over last-generation's Gulftown design.

Higher scores are bad news in our timed benchmarks, and the Core i7-990X’s two additional cores give it a big advantage in both of our video conversion tests, despite the fact that they don't leverage the superior Sandy Bridge architecture.

Adobe Photoshop, ABBYY FineReader, and 3ds Max again show why some users will always choose more cores over a better architecture. Fortunately, Sandy Bridge-E means that decision is no longer necessary, though we haven't seen Intel's server-oriented design find its way into notebooks yet. If you really need what amounts to a mobile workstation, platforms like that are available through vendors like Eurocom.

None of our compression apps, aside from 7-Zip to a very small extent, demonstrate the ability to exploit the Core i7-990X's extra cores, making up for some of the Racer's losses in the other charts on this page.

Power, Battery Life, And Efficiency

With its sleep settings disabled, the Eurocom Racer’s Core i7-2960XM pulls less than half of the idle power seen from the X7200’s Core i7-990X. Although its power advantage drops below 50% under a full load, the mobile processor still looks great in comparison.

Battery conditioning alters Battery Eater Pro run times slightly, so expect a margin of error a few minutes in either direction. What we can see is that the second GPU in our X7200 CrossFire configuration idles down almost completely in this test.

With nearly as much battery power available and hardware that exacts roughly half of the power consumption, it's no surprise to see Eurocom's Racer run almost twice as long on a charge compared to the X7200.

Incidentally, its smaller adapter also takes longer to charge the attached battery compared to the X7200.

A slight lead in game performance brings the Racer up to 90% its heavier competition's average performance.

The addition of CrossFire requires just enough CPU overhead to reduce the X7200’s productivity performance by around 2%.

A modest reduction in performance combines with a big advantage in power consumption to give the Racer a 67% lead over Eurocom's X7200. Game performance improvements favoring the two-GPU CrossFire configuration boost X7200 overall efficiency by a far smaller amount.

When A Smaller Notebook Makes More Sense

The main reason we asked for Eurocom’s Racer was to test its Radeon HD 6990M graphics module in a less-expensive, more-portable package than the workstation we reviewed previously. When we achieved similar gaming performance compared to the Core i7-990X-based X7200 rocking a single GPU, we knew we had achieved exactly what we wanted to see. The prices for our performance-per-dollar chart were updated Christmas week.

No good deed goes unpunished, though, and a 10% average performance loss in our productivity suite moving from the Core i7-990X to the mobile Sandy Bridge-based part diminished the overall value chart slightly.

Both notebooks include 1920x1080 displays, and all three configurations are capable of playing most games at moderately high quality settings using that resolution.

Based on the desktop Radeon HD 6870, AMD's Radeon HD 6990M proves itself to be an almost-perfect notebook-oriented GPU by combining moderately-high performance with moderately-low power consumption. While it can’t outperform the power-hungry GeForce GTX 580M in most games, the graphics chip does let Eurocom build one of the few portable gaming rigs we wouldn’t mind carrying around. Our only reservation in making a full-fledged recommendation favoring the Racer has to do with its price. Had we been able to compare this notebook sporting Intel's quad-core processor to a dual-core model, we think you would have been even more impressed with the configuration's value.

Flagship Mobile Graphics Go Head-To-Head

A thick arm, a fat wallet, and a little technical knowledge are all that stands between you and portable gaming paradise. System builder and hardware co-developer Eurocom makes it that easy to get a top-end gaming configuration, with a bit of help from its chassis and GPU partners.

Central to its efforts, the aged Panther 2 chassis now houses Intel’s desktop-class (130 W) Core i7-990X hexa-core processor, in addition to a pair of MXM-based graphics cards.

At this point, we could frankly start recycling photos and go into a full description of the Panther 2, a machine that has garnered more than its share of attention in various Tom’s Hardware notebook reviews if we include its X7200 siblings.

But rather than rewrite previously-published information, today’s article focuses on the things that make this Panther 2 special: namely, its ability to accommodate incredibly powerful dual-card mobile graphics configurations. Below is the configuration that first arrived in our lab.

Since today’s article compares the latest mobile GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD, Eurocom also included a pair of GeForce GTX 580M graphics cards. That’s a $581 upgrade for most buyers, yet it barely compares to the sexy $1755 hard drive upgrade already installed in the configuration that showed up at our door. If you were really worried about pinching pennies on this thing, you could cut the price by $268 and choose a one-year warranty instead. 

Moreover, if you really want to switch graphics modules around, you'll need the different GPU heat sinks. All of these parts arrived separately so that we could experience the upgrade process available to any owner of an X7200-based chassis. Eurocom even sells alternative upgrade components if you own a Dell or HP notebook, for example, and would like to upgrade.

From High-End Desktop To Elite Notebook

Eurocom chose to arm our test mule with Intel's Core i7-990X, if only to show that the Panther is capable of accommodating the fastest (and most power-hungry) processor available. There are, of course, a few drawbacks to showboating with such a potent piece of hardware (mainly, heat and power use). However, this desktop replacement chassis is intended to run primarily from an AC outlet anyway.

Even as the chassis designer somehow found room for a 130 W CPU, desktop-class 240 W graphics cards are still beyond the power and thermal capacity of any notebook. And this is where AMD and Nvidia’s model numbering gets confusing, if not downright disingenuous. We've complained about this before, and we'll do it again. Both organizations like to name their fastest mobile parts as if they were equivalent to their fastest desktop products. Of course, they're not even close.

Here's one of the most egregious examples: while the desktop Radeon HD 6990 uses a pair of "Cayman” GPUs, the Radeon HD 6990M’s single “Blackcomb XT” graphics processor shares more in common with the company's mainstream Barts part at the heart of Radeon HD 6870 and 6850 cards. A quick look at the specs shows why.

Small differences aside, two Radeon HD 6970s go into a single desktop-class Radeon HD 6990. Meanwhile, the Radeon HD 6990M is nothing more than a power-optimized, underclocked Radeon HD 6870.

Similarly, the former mobile flagship (Radeon HD 6970M) was based on the desktop Radeon HD 6850. Sorry guys, Cayman’s thermal envelope is still too great for notebook use.

Nvidia is guilty of overstating the size of its package, too. Its GeForce GTX 580M’s GF114 GPU looks strikingly similar to the GeForce GTX 560 Ti’s GF114. And, in this case, they even use the same name. Let’s take a look at how it compares to the desktop GeForce GTX 580.

Both AMD and Nvidia base their high-end notebook GPUs on upper-mainstream desktop parts, as neither is capable of producing a high-end desktop GPU at low power. The days of notebook GPUs based on desktop parts bearing similar names flew out the window when dual-slot graphics coolers become mandatory on desktop cards. But there's still that problem when a buyer compares a compact desktop with a GeForce GTX 560 Ti to a desktop-replacement notebook with GeForce GTX 580M and he doesn't know the GeForce GTX 560 Ti is actually the more-powerful part.

This time around, AMD's misrepresentation is the more serious. Its Radeon HD 6990 is already a hot, loud beast on the desktop. We're not sure the idea of that in a mobile platform is even attractive.

Installing New Mobile Graphics Cards

Before we move on to the upgrade process, here's an older shot that should give you a feel for what's happening inside the X7200 chassis.

One of the three hard drive bays is found above the battery, while the other two are adjacent to it. Eurocom offers a custom-manufactured bracket to support a fourth hard drive in the optical drive bay.

The CPU and chipset share one complete cooler, while each graphics card gets a cooler of its own. Today’s conversion did not require the removal of the CPU cooler.

Hardware swaps don’t get much easier than this, with four screws holding each fan to its heatsink and four screws holding each heatsink to its graphics module.

With the heatsinks out of the way, we find two screws holding each graphics module in place. Removing these two screws allows each module to be tipped upward, away from the motherboard, and pulled from its slot.

Note that even though MXM standards were originally developed by Nvidia, Eurocom worked extensively with AMD to develop these Radeon HD 6990M parts in the appropriate format.

Though the heatsinks appear almost identical, differences in the height of certain voltage regulator components compelled Eurocom to modify the version intended to mount to the AMD boards. Eurocom includes two of the Nvidia-specific sinks in its GeForce GTX 580M upgrade kit. Also included are replacement screws, the GeForce GTX 580M modules themselves, and the mandatory SLI bridge.

The SLI bridge wraps around the back of the left (master) card, its ends clipping to the white connectors on the right edge of each card using push-on connectors.

Assembly is the reverse of disassembly.

Test Settings And Benchmarks

Recent desktop replacement notebooks had relied on Intel’s previous Core i7-980X CPU, but today’s tests system uses the Core i7-990X. Our charts will reflect this change. We’ve also eliminated our synthetic benchmarks, partly to negate the impact of today’s faster drive configuration.

A few of our benchmarks have also been updated. Though our primary focus will be on (unchanged) graphics tests, a handful of our productivity and encoding benchmarks indicate the performance difference between Intel’s Core i7-980X and its newer Core i7-990X.

Benchmark Results: Crysis

We know that Metro 2033 is pretty much the new Crysis when it comes to taxing the graphics capabilities of a gaming system. We also know that it doesn’t run at acceptably-high settings on either our mobile CrossFire or SLI configurations. We checked; the system would stall when anti-aliasing was enabled with either graphics set. That leaves us with Crysis as the perennial standard.

A single previous-generation card produces excellent visual quality at low resolutions, but most quality-oriented gamers are going to want to use the panel’s native 1920x1080 resolution. Moreover, processing overhead actually hurts the CrossFire configuration’s frame rates at 1280x720.

If you like High quality details, you’re probably going to need SLI or CrossFire to run 1680x1050. The charts begin to show the results we'd expect now that GPU performance is the greatest bottleneck.

All tested CrossFire and SLI configurations are adequate for playing Crysis at Very High details, 4x AA and 1920x1080 pixels. The newer cards show tangible benefits, but Nvidia’s dwindling performance leadership fails to offset its far higher price.

Benchmark Results: F1 2010

F1 2010 goes fairly easy on desktop graphics, but we must keep in mind that the top mobile parts are underclocked versions of upper-mid-range desktop models.

Our lowest settings appear to suffer from system bottlenecks and processing overhead at 1280x720. A higher resolution is needed to determine which combination of graphics cards is better.

While the GeForce GTX 580M SLI configuration leads the Radeon HD 6990M CrossFire at our lower 1680x1050 settings, the HD 6990M CrossFire solution posts far-more-impressive performance when quality is increased.

The HD 6990M CrossFire solution is the definitive leader in F1 2010 mobile gaming quality at this notebook's native resolution.

Benchmark Results: Just Cause 2

We finally find a game that’s so GPU-dependant that the scale looks normal at 1280x720 in Just Cause 2.

The Radeon HD 6990M CrossFire solution has a significant performance lead from the start, though again we’re most interested in the results of our panel’s native 1920x1080 resolution.

CrossFire leadership continues through 1680x1050, pushing far higher frame rates than most users need to qualify the game as "playable".

Though much of its lead has evaporated by the time we reach 1920x1080, the HD 6990M CrossFire solution is still ahead. That's even more significant when we consider that this is the less-expensive solution.

Benchmark Results: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat

CoP Benchmark loves Nvidia hardware (despite the fact that this was one of those games showcased by AMD for its DirectX 10.1 and 11 support), and the results are consistent through all resolutions.

A single Radeon HD 6970M tied to a slower Core i7-980X processor is the only solution not able to reach our target 40 FPS in this test's Ultra preset. And yet, some of the test scenes turn in scores far below the average, hurting the experience even on better solutions such as the single GTX 580M and single HD 6990M.

SLI rules the day, while CrossFire is good enough.

Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding

The reappearance of Lame MP3 came after our previous notebook reviews. However, we can still see that Intel's Core i7-990X completes our movie soundtrack transcode around four seconds faster than the Core i7-980X in iTunes. Both apps are single-threaded, demonstrating similar scaling properties.

Our iPad-format tests were also started after we’d already returned the Core i7-980X systems to their builders. While graphics overhead could impact these benchmarks, it’s too low in 2D mode to yield noticeable differences.

HandBrake and MainConcept continue to show negligible differences in non-graphics performance that might have been attributed to a change in graphics cards.

Benchmark Results: Productivity

Though the new system’s processor is 133 MHz faster, the differences between systems in Adobe Photoshop are miniscule.

Changes in our other productivity-oriented benchmarks prevent comparisons between the Core i7-980X and i7-990X. But at least we see that graphics card overhead has minimal impact on these programs. Besides, we already know a 133 MHz delta is rather insignificant.

Power Consumption And Battery Life

With different CPUs and hard drives in the old and new systems, we can only say that the Radeon HD 6990M appears to draw more power than the Radeon HD 6970M at full load. The evidence is a little more convincing when we say Nvidia's GeForce GTX 580M draws more full-load power than its GTX 485M predecessor.

It's easier to compare systems that employ the same CPU and drives.

The Radeon HD 6990M draws around 14% less power than the GeForce 580M in 3D mode, while the GeForce GTX 580M has lower power consumption in 2D mode. SLI and CrossFire change the picture slightly at idle, though Nvidia's GeForce combination is still super-thirsty at full load.

Battery Eater Pro applies a minimal 3D load that appears  minor enough to keep Nvidia's cards from running at full blast, adding several minutes to overall battery life. While desktop replacement notebooks are not intended to run off-the-wall for extended periods, it’s nice to know that you’ll be able to check your email while taking a coffee break.

Radeon HD 6990M Or GeForce GTX 580M?

An examination of the latest mobile graphics processors was the primary impetus for today’s test, so let’s look at a quick summary of gaming benchmark results.

It'd be easy for Nvidia to claim the superiority of its cards in SLI, given the results of the games we tested. Both its GeForce GTX 580M and 485M dual-GPU configurations beat AMD's Radeon HD 6990M in CrossFire. But that chart includes all resolutions, and we know that most gamers (especially the ones dropping more than seven grand) prefer to play at the display panel’s native resolution.

Limiting our selection to 1920x1080 results doesn’t really help AMD either. Yet, we do know of at least one place where Radeons can win.

Desktop gamers usually point and laugh when we start pointing out the efficiency differences between cards. But then again, desktop users don’t need to worry as much about heat. AMD’s GPUs use less power, in part because they’re slightly weaker on-average. However, they also produce more work per watt than the competition. Moreover, the Radeon HD 6990M costs less than the GeForce GTX 580M.

Eurocom deserves credit for stepping beyond the comfort zone of competing system builders and figuring out how to get two Radeon HD 6990Ms working in a rig able to support a pair of GeForce GTX 580Ms. However, it'd seem that the Nvidia cards are the better match for such an over-the-top mobile workstation. The AMD boards, based on their power and performance profile, would likely be better suited in a smaller, lighter, less expensive machine. The Radeon HD 6990M is the "more mobile" solution tested today in a "less mobile" platform.

The price difference between Nvidia's GeForce GTX 580M and AMD's Radeon HD 6990M is also very significant. It just so happens that thousands of dollars of upgrades to this notebook (which we appreciate; they help squash the potential of system bottlenecks when we run benchmarks) make a large price delta look less painful than it actually is. Value leadership favoring AMD's new flagship would have been more noticeable in a $2000 build than it is in a $7000 build.

Thus, while the GeForce GTX 580M SLI holds performance leadership in a greater number of today's games, we look forward to smaller-sized, lighter-priced gaming notebooks that might be able to demonstrate the comparative value of AMD’s flagship Radeon HD 6990M in both single-GPU and CrossFire configurations.

Better? Faster? Cheaper?

Always ready to scrap, Nvidia was quick to respond to AMD's Mobility Radeon HD 6970 In CrossFire On Eurocom's Panther by pointing to lower-cost vendors selling dual-module versions of its solution at a lower price. It was finally time for us to put the whole “AMD vs. Nvidia” mobile performance supremacy debate to rest, at least when it comes to this generation of cards.

With the sole goal of testing both performance and value claims, AVADirect supplied a configuration identical to its competitor’s except for three items: the HDMI input device included by Eurcom was removed, the Bluetooth feature removed by Eurocom was replaced, and the pair of GeForce GTX 485 graphics modules in SLI would take the place of the previously-tested Radeon HD 6970 CrossFire solution.

AVADirect’s GeForce GTX 485M-based solution is several hundred dollars cheaper than its competitor’s offering based on Radeon HD 6970M, in spite of its identical processor, memory, operating system, and storage. Even the Bluetooth module AVADirect supplied is priced similarly to the HDMI input modules supplied by its competitor (according to that competitor’s price sheet), making today’s system appear a better value than the one previously reviewed. Our benchmarks will reveal whether that apparent increase in value rings true.

Taking It To The Limit, One More Time

Gamers might be better served by Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge-based mobile processors, but Clevo’s LGA 1366-based X7200 remains the only chassis capable of supporting Nvidia’s hottest graphics modules in SLI. Capable of holding both Core i7 and Xeon processors with up to six physical cores, AVADirect equipped this workstation-class notebook with an enthusiast-class Core i7-980X Extreme.

Regular visitors will notice the recycled images. Nothing has changed about the X7200 since last year’s introduction, though AVADirect made the thoughtful move to include a second power supply with today’s configuration.

Remembering that each of these 300 W power units is larger and heavier than a traditional facing brick, we were happy to find that the second power adapter is only required under unrealistically-extreme use scenarios (such as using FurMark and eleven threads of Prime95 simultaneously).

We’ve even discussed how the GeForce GTX 485M’s specs resemble those of an underclocked GTX 560 Ti, though we’re told it uses the older GF104 core with power-optimized BIOS and software. This power-saving design compares favorably to AMD’s Barts-based Radeon HD 6970M, at least on a specifications sheet.