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Gaming Benchmarks
Alien: Isolation
The systems in our comparison are the cream of the crop, so it's no surprise that they can deliver high frame rates in a less taxing game like Alien: Isolation. The MSI GT73VR Titan SLI gains a noticeable 17 FPS performance boost over a single GTX 1070-based system like the EVGA SC17. Unfortunately, the performance gain is just slightly below that of a single GTX 1080, as evidenced by both the Titan Pro and Eurocom Tornado F5.
However, the roles are reversed at UHD, where the Titan SLI exceeds the Tornado F5, Titan Pro, and SC17 by 4%, 10%, and 22% respectively. It should be noted that even at UHD, all four of these systems deliver 60+ FPS, so if you don't need the extra power, a single GTX 1070-based laptop will be adequate.
Ashes of the Singularity
Ashes of the Singularity is much more demanding than Alien: Isolation, so only the most powerful systems can play it at high settings without hiccups. Despite this, the benchmark results illustrate a similar story in that the MSI Titan SLI's dual graphics setup provides a small boost in performance, but not to the extent of beating a single GTX 1080-equipped laptop (notably one with a desktop CPU). In fact, the performance gains only amount to 5% over the SC17, whereas the Tornado F5 and Titan Pro enjoy 10% and 16% higher frame rates, respectively. Once we raise the resolution to UHD, the results favor the Titan SLI, which squeaks out an extra frame compared to the laptops with the GTX 1080s.
Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock Infinite finally provides an example where the dual graphics setup isn't hindered. Here the Titan SLI takes a 14% lead over the Tornado F5, despite the latter possessing both a GTX 1080 and a desktop-class i7-7700K. The difference is highlighted even more at UHD, with the Titan SLI holding a 25% lead over the Tornado F5. Also note the EVGA SC17's performance, which dips below 60 FPS on average at UHD, whereas the GTX 1080 systems deliver more than enough frames.
DiRT Rally
Similarly, the MSI Titan SLI takes first place in DiRT Rally, although not by as big of a lead as it does in Bioshock Infinite. Here, the Titan SLI holds a 24% performance gain over the SC17 and only holds a 7-9% performance gain versus the GTX 1080 laptops. At UHD, the performance gap widens to 12-13% better than the GTX 1080s, and the Titan SLI builds a 22% gap against a single GTX 1070. The SLI configuration is the only laptop capable of delivering 40+ FPS at highest settings at this resolution.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V has several benchmark scenes that stress systems with a variety of effects and workloads. The Titan SLI outshines the competition in almost all of the scenes, particularly the infamously demanding Vinewood Sign scene, which renders quite a few distant landscapes and objects; the Titan SLI takes first place by a 19% margin and scores just shy of 60 FPS, while maintaining 60+ FPS in all of the other scenes at FHD.
At UHD, every gaming laptop we've tested so far dips well below unplayable frame rates, but the Titan SLI manages to maintain 30+ FPS in three out of five scenes.
GRID Autosport
GRID Autosport's demands a bit more of a balanced overall platform and therefore gives preference to the Eurocom laptop and its i7-7700K. However, the performance gap is only about five frames, and at 110+ FPS those frames means little. Fortunately, higher resolutions require more GPU horsepower, so the Titan SLI upends the Eurocom at UHD, this time with a 9% performance lead. It should be noted that the EVGA SC17 maintains 60+ FPS average at UHD, but the more powerful systems never dip below 60 FPS.
Hitman
During our Digital Storm Velox gaming desktop review we found that SLI negatively impacts performance in Hitman, and we encountered similar problems with the MSI Titan SLI. The Hitman benchmark consumed the resources of a single GTX 1070, and as you might imagine, performance suffers. At FHD, the Titan SLI scores about 8% lower than the similarly configured SC17 (minus one GPU, of course), while the two GTX 1080-based laptops perform much better. At UHD, the Titan SLI perform slightly better than the SC17 and can at least contend with the Titan Pro, but still not at the level you would expect from an SLI configuration.
Metro: Last Light Redux
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming....The Titan SLI doesn't suffer from poor SLI performance in Metro: Last Light Redux. If anything, it thrives thanks to the additional horsepower. The Titan takes a massive 24% lead, or about 28 additional frames, over the Eurocom and its GTX 1080. Meanwhile, the SC17 delivers 73.33 FPS, which is a 38% difference to the negative.
At UHD, the Titan SLI is the only system capable of delivering playable frame rates at high settings. In fact, it delivers just shy of double the average frame rate of the EVGA laptop, and at this high resolution, even 30 FPS is a welcome sight.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Rise of the Tomb Raider is an incredibly demanding game, even at just 1080p. Luckily, all of the systems in today's roundup are more than capable of delivering a good frame rate. Ideally, you want to maintain at least 60 FPS, and the dual GTX 1070 Titan SLI configuration is plenty capable. A GTX 1080 laptop is a viable option as well, although these fall behind the Titan SLI by a handful of frames. A single GTX 1070 laptop is an excellent choice for FHD, but you'll have to tweak a few settings to bring the average frame rate up to 60 FPS.
Unfortunately, not even the mighty dual graphics setup can handle RoTR at UHD. The frame rate dips below 30 FPS, so unless you dial back the graphics settings, you'll feel like you're watching a flip book.
The Division
The Division's engine relies heavily on GPU horsepower, but it isn't a VRAM hog like Rise of the Tomb Raider. All you really need is a GTX 1070-based laptop to maintain 60+ FPS at FHD. The SC17, the lowest end system in our roundup, is capable of this, and the overpowered Titan SLI is even more so. To better utilize the Titan SLI's resources, you need to raise the resolution to UHD. Here, The Division nearly brings the Titan SLI to its knees; it can't even maintain 40 FPS. Meanwhile, the GTX 1080-based laptops trail behind by a few FPS, but are still capable of a solid 30 FPS. Unfortunately, a singule GTX 1070 won't cut it at UHD.
Thief
Thief tops off our gaming benchmarks with a relatively light, platform-based workload. Because of this, the Eurocom Tornado F5 has an edge over our Titan SLI thanks to its desktop CPU, beating it by a fraction of a frame. Comparatively, the similarly equipped Titan Pro scores around 11% slower than the Titan SLI because of its mobile CPU. At FHD, you can't go wrong with any of the systems in this roundup, however; even the SC17 can be considered overkill.
When we ramp up the resolution, however, the MSI Titan SLI very clearly takes the lead. At UHD, the Titan SLI's additional GTX 1070 pushes the framerate well above 60 FPS, which none of the lower-spec'd systems are capable of. Even the Tornado F5 scores nearly 20 frames below the Titan SLI's average. Feel free to ramp up the settings to max here.
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