Is That A Notebook? MALIBAL's Six-Core, Dual-GPU, Speed Demon

By Thomas Soderstrom
published

Combining top-end desktop and notebook components, the MALIBAL Nine X7200 is the workstation you can take with you. Today we see how it compares to our fastest “desktop replacement” notebook, and how well it stands up to a similarly-configured desktop PC.

Inside The Nine X7200

The MALIBAL Nine X7200’s Core i7-980X six-core, 12-thread desktop processor requires a great amount of cooling, which Clevo accomplishes with its twin-fan twin-radiator heat sink.

Each GeForce GTX 480M graphics module gets a separate cooler, differentiated from lesser designs by its added thickness.

Under those sinks are two enormous GF100 graphics processors and an equally-imposing desktop CPU socket. Three hard drives are supported above the system board, two in a double-drive cage and one in a basket under the battery.

MALIBAL loaded this X7200 with two Intel X25-M drives, using the ICH10R RAID controller in striping mode to achieve the highest level of performance with no loss in drive capacity.

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The power brick is actually a little larger than its namesake, the massive size responsible for outputting 300 W without the benefit of a cooling fan.

A super-thick, yet otherwise compact, battery boasts an enormous 7844 mWh capacity.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
86 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Darkerson
    Dear god, that thing is a beast...
    Reply
  • compton
    I'm not sure how awesome this is in practice. I'm sure someone out othere needs this, but that person would have to be blind to appreciate the asthetics.
    Reply
  • iam2thecrowe
    its more of a portable pc than a notebook. look at the power consumption. Even its own power adaptor cant keep up at max load.
    Reply
  • Darkerson
    In this case, its not really about looks, as much as its about "portable" brute strength. And it seems to have plenty of that...
    Reply
  • bombat1994
    this is why we cant have nice things,

    but seriously, the 480m is just a small 450
    Reply
  • thats actually really good performance from a top end system
    at most rates it is still fairly close to a desktop in price also
    Reply
  • maxiim
    This quite useless if you want all that power for gaming, you surely cant have it on the go with a battery provided....might as well build a with almost the same specs for less money.
    Reply
  • compton
    Its the same price as a base model Kia Rio just about. Kudos to them for the engineering needed to make this gear work in a mobile chassis. I may not be sold on the concept, or see the need of, but I hope they sell a ton of them. It is kinda cool just because its so powerful -- but for the price you could build or buy two highly specialized systems. It could be a mobile workstation or for AV production work on site instead of just for gaming. Clearly these ultra powerful 'notebooks' are a niche segment, but there are quite a few now. Someone must be buying them.
    Reply
  • sudeshc
    Not that impressive to me main reason for Lappy is portability and thats where this lacks i wounder even if under no load how much heat it would generate and also the battery wont last long..
    Reply
  • Crashman
    comptonIt could be a mobile workstation or for AV production work on site instead of just for gaming. Clearly these ultra powerful 'notebooks' are a niche segment, but there are quite a few now. Someone must be buying them.Actually, that's what the X7200 is! Tom's Hardware got the "gaming" version simply to show off its capabilities to enthusiasts, but the Quadro versions are equally viable (and likely more valuable) in their own respective markets.
    Reply