Introduction and Product Tour
If you’re looking for an enthusiast desktop replacement for a laptop, then the Origin PC EON15-X should be on your radar. It packs a desktop Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 and Intel Core i7-8700K into its 1.5-inch thick chassis. Its weight and price, however, may have you thinking twice.
Specifications
| Display | 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS, G-Sync |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700K |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X |
| Memory | 16GB DDR4-2800MHz |
| SSD | 512GB M.2 SSD |
| HDD | 2TB SSHD |
| Optical | N/A |
| Networking | Killer Wireless-AC 1535Killer E2400 LAN |
| Video Ports | HDMI 2.0Mini DisplayPort 1.4 x 2 |
| USB Ports | Thunderbolt 3 over Type-CUSB 3.1 Type-CUSB 3.0 x 3USB 2.0 |
| Audio | Integrated High-Definition Audio powered by Sound Blaster Xfi MB5 w/ external 7.1 supportAudio-in jack x 2Audio-out jack x 2 |
| Camera | Built-in 2.0M FHD Video Camera |
| Battery | 82Wh |
| Power Adapter | 330W |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
| Dimensions | 15.2 x 10.3 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight | 7.5 pounds |
| Other | Customizable backlit keyboard with three lighting zonesFingerprint readerMedia card readerKensington Lock |
| Price (as configured) | $3,512 |
Exterior
In typical, high-end gaming fashion, the Origin PC EON15-X looks like the type of system you would see at a LAN party. It’s big, robust, aggressive and everyone will know that it packs a ton of power as soon as you carry it into the room with you. However, its looks definitely aren’t for everyone.
The top cover features a rubberized surface in black. That material is a lot easier to clean smudges and stains from than metal surfaces and it gives the EON15-X a more premium feel than a typical matte or glossy plastic surface. On the other hand, the rubberized surface is more prone to scratches. The Origin PC logo is painted in the center, and two accented angles border the edges.
The deck uses the same rubberized finish as the top cover.
The bottom panel looks fairly plain. There are plenty of air intake cutouts for the cooling fans spread around the rear half of the panel. The only things that stand out are the rubber feet near the front and on the corners
The EON15-X is 15.2 inches long, 1.5 inches thick and weighs pounds lbs, so it’s bigger and heavier than many. With its size and components, the EON15-X is meant to be a desktop replacement that sees occasional travel at most, rather than something you carry daily.
You’ll find enough I/O ports to suit most of your needs, including VR headset support. On the left side you’ll find a Gigabit Ethernet port, Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C, two USB 3.0 ports and a multi-card reader. On the right there are two audio-in jacks, two audio-out jacks, a USB 2.0 port, another USB 3.0 port and a Kensington lock. Finally, the back features an HDMI port and two Mini DisplayPorts.
Display
The Origin PC EON15-X features a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080 matte IPS display with Nvidia G-Sync, which synchronizes the display and the GPU to prevent screen tearing. Our EON15-X’s display came pre-calibrated by Origin PC and has sharp contrasts and vibrant colors, although the calibration profile slightly dims the brightness.
Input Devices
The EON15-X contains a full-length keyboard with a number pad. The keys have a shallow concave that hugs on your fingertips, and the keycaps have a white translucent font for RGB lighting to shine through. However, we found key spacing to be rather cramped, and some keys such as “Right Shift” and “Num 0” are shortened, which can be uncomfortable to type with.
The touchpad is divided into one slate on the top plus left and right clicks on the bottom. The slate has a smooth matte finish which provides excellent tracking, but it has a slight amount of surface drag. The left and right buttons have a satisfying bumpy feedback.
On the top left of the touchpad you’ll find a fingerprint scanner, which you can use to log in with Windows Hello.
Interior
Upgrading the EON15-X’s internals is simple thanks to the bottom cover’s compartmentalization. On the left are two switches keeping the 82Wh lithium ion battery in place; unlocking it will pop the battery right out.
To the right, you’ll find a plate secured to the bottom panel with two screws. Removing them lets you slide the plate forward, revealing an M.2 slot on the left and two SATA slots in the middle and on the right.
A third plate spans the entire rear half on the bottom panel. Remove one screw in the middle and four screws in the rear to take the panel off. Underneath, you’ll find another M.2 slot on the left and two DDR4 memory slots on the right. Two more memory slots are hidden on the other side of the motherboard, and will require more disassembly to access. The rest of the interior consists of the EON15-X’s cooling solution.
MORE: Best Gaming Laptops
MORE: Gaming Laptop Previews
MORE: All Laptop Content