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

Features
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.

Benchmark Results: DiRT 2 And S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat

A pair of GeForce GTX 480M graphics modules in SLI completely obliterates the lesser mobile solutions in DiRT 2, while the CrossFire configuration begins to lead a single GTX 480M as resolutions are increased. The CrossFire result is particularly significant to value seekers, since two Mobility Radeon HD 5870 modules reportedly cost less than a single GeForce GTX 480M.

The M17x continues to scale nicely with increased resolutions when compared to somewhat-costly single GTX 480M solutions, but MALIBAL’s upscale SLI configuration destroys it.

Given its moderately-high price, the M17x looks like it might be a high-end value in the Call of Pripyat benchmark, even as it falls behind MALIBAL’s flagship Nine X7200.

FPS drops so low using Call of Pripyat benchmark’s “Ultra” preset and 4x AA that we had to peek at minimum FPS to determine playability. The MALIBAL Nine X7200 survives with a minimum FPS of 22.4, while the M17x fall to 17.2. Making matters worse for the M17x is that its 1920x1200 pixel panel would have produced even lower “native resolution” frame rates, due to its higher pixel count.

We would have preferred more pixels and enough graphics power to fill them.

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