review Archives - Page 3 of 4

February 9, 2023

MSI Titan GT77 HX review: Intel’s most powerful laptop chip, tested

Okay, now this is just ridiculous.

For those of you just tuning in, Intel announced an absolutely monstrous mobile processor back in January — the Core i9-13980HX with 5.6Ghz of turbo frequency, 157 watts of maximum turbo power, and 24 cores (eight performance, 16 efficiency). It is, on paper, the most powerful laptop CPU in history. So, naturally, I had to get my hands on one.

I’m writing this to you live from the MSI Titan GT77 HX. This is an absurd device. It’s got a 17.3 inch 144Hz Mini LED screen. Inside are a GeForce RTX 4090, 2TB of storage, and 64GB of memory. If anything can display Intel’s flagship processor at its finest, it’ll be this gigantic thing. Micro Center currently has it listed for, you know, just $4,699.99, a very reasonable and normal price to pay for a computer.

But let me tell you — I deeply envy the 11 people who are going to buy this because the chip inside it is an absolute beast. And here’s what’s most surprising: The battery life, while not what I would call “good,” was better than I expected it to be.

How we rate and review products

Benchmark results

These are some of the best gaming results you’ll see from any laptop. In particular, I want to draw your attention to that CS:GO score. CS:GO score is a particularly CPU-heavy title, and this laptop scored higher than I’ve ever seen a laptop score on that before by a solid margin. I mean, 574 frames per second is just hilarious.

The MSI Titan GT77 HX facing away from the camera.

It looks similar to the GE models but bigger.

The MSI Titan GT77 HX keyboard seen from above.

The arrow keys are on the small side, but they worked fine for me.

To see how much this CPU is adding to the conversation, you can compare the Titan to the recently announced Razer Blade 16. The model of that laptop I just reviewed includes the same 4090 GPU with a very slightly less powerful Core i9-13950HX. The Titan displayed some form of increase on most settings that we ran.

The touchpad is quite roomy, but it picks up fingerprints.

On Cinebench, the Titan scored a 2,098 on single core and a 28,479 on multicore. Those are far and away the highest scores I’ve ever seen from any machine, laptop, or desktop that I’ve ever run that test on. So if you were waiting for confirmation, this chip is a monster.

How that raw power translates to the real world will depend on your use case. The Titan took two minutes and 53 seconds on our 4K video export test and scored an 1,124 on PugetBench for Premiere Pro. Those are fine results, but they show how gaming-oriented the system is. If you want a device primarily for video work — and I’m not sure I ever expected to be typing this sentence in my life — you will actually save money by going for a 64GB / 2TB MacBook Pro with M2 Max, which did better on our Premiere tests.

The back left vent of the MSI Titan GT77 HX. — *It’s not quite as garrish as the bright LED strips that you see on some big gaming laptops (hello, Asus ROG).*

And then the biggest surprise of the day. Battery life: surprisingly okay. I averaged five hours and seven minutes to a charge using this device as my primary driver, which entailed working in around 20 Chrome tabs, very light photo work, and some occasional Spotify streaming overtop. You know what? I’ll take it.

I’d expected this device’s battery life to be around nine minutes, so five hours well exceeds my expectations. The Titan’s size allows for a massive 99.9Whr battery, of course, but I’m still happy to see that the 16 efficiency cores built into this CPU seem to be pulling their weight. (This was done with the RTX 4090 GPU disabled, of course — I wouldn’t expect you’ll get this result with that chip running at full speed.)

The vents on the back of the MSI Titan GT77 HX. — *It’s fairly subtle, right?*

The ports on the right side of the MSI Titan GT77 HX. — *There aren’t ports on the back of this like you’ll find on some 17 inchers.*

The chip and its power are the main attraction of the Titan GT77 HX, but if you’re curious about the laptop itself, here are a few things to know about it.

I’m obsessed with this keyboard. The Titan has a Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile mechanical keyboard with two-piece keycap structure and “cross-point contact system.” I do not exaggerate when I say that it is my favorite laptop keyboard I’ve ever used. The keys have a perfect actuation point with just the right amount of click. I easily hit my normal typing speeds with an accuracy rate that I don’t think I’ve ever achieved on a typing test before. I’d love to have a keyboard like this in my daily process, and I wish more manufacturers went for it. I’m typing this now on a Razer Blade, having recently moved over from the Titan, and I just feel sad. One caveat: the arrow keys and number pad don’t use mechanical switches, which may feel inconsistent during gaming.
It’s flashy and bold. If you’re looking for a product that people will turn to stare at as they walk by, this is the one. The keyboard, back vents, and lid logo are all full of RGB. It’s also a large device, at just over 0.9 inches thick and 7.3 pounds. In today’s laptop market, that’s about as thick and heavy as they come. Carry this anywhere, and people will notice, is what I’m saying. Oh, and the 330W adapter is truly gigantic — like, the size and weight of a hefty book. (It only charged the Titan up to 49 percent in 60 minutes, which was slower than I’d hoped, considering the size.)
The display is a dream. The 144Hz 4K Mini LED screen on my test model is exceptional. It achieved a whopping 885 nits of brightness, which means you shouldn’t have issues seeing your games in any indoor or outdoor setting. I only needed to keep it between 20 and 30 percent brightness during my day-to-day work. Given that many prominent gaming laptops are… not the brightest, that’s an impressive spec to see. Between that brightness, the deep blacks and vivid colors that the Mini LED provides, the 144Hz refresh rate, and the 4K resolution, this is undoubtedly one of the best screens — if not the best screen — that you can get on a gaming laptop right now.
The chassis is solid. Build quality is excellent, with very little flex in the keyboard or screen. It has all the ports you need, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, ethernet, and an SD card reader.

The MSI dragon on the lid of the Titan GT77 HX. — *The familiar MSI logo remains, though it now changes color.*

MSI TITAN GT77 HX SPECS (AS TESTED)

Intel 13th Gen Core i9-13980HX
64GB (32GB*2) DDR5
GeForce RTX 4090 / 16GB GDDR6
2TB SSD
17.3-inch UHD (3840 x 1260) Mini LED panel, 144Hz refresh rate
IR HD webcam (30fps @ 720p)
15.63 x 13 x 0.91 inches (397 x 330 x 23mm), 7.28 pounds (3.3kg)
Four-cell, Li-Polymer, 99.9Whr
330W power brick
Three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, one SD Express memory card reader, one audio combo jack, one RJ45, one HDMI (8K @ 60Hz / 4K @ 120Hz), two Thunderbolt 4 / DP / USB Type-C, one Mini DisplayPort, one DC-in
Cherry Mechanical Per-Key RGB gaming keyboard by SteelSeries
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1690, Bluetooth v5.2

There are two downsides to note. For one, it’s a fingerprint magnet (though the smudges are easier to wipe off than they tend to be on Razer Blades). It’s also quite loud. I mean, I don’t imagine that anyone’s buying a laptop that’s literally called the “Titan” and expecting it to be subdued and stealthy. But yes, to confirm, the GT77 HX’s fans are quite audible when running at full speed.

Finally, I do have to come back to the price here. When a device is several hundred dollars more expensive than a similar MacBook Pro (a laptop widely critiqued as an inaccessible luxury), giving buying advice about it feels almost unnecessary. Rather, we can view this device as a fantasy — a look at gaming technology at its marvelous, once unattainable peak.

If you’re looking for a 17 incher with a high-resolution screen and cool-looking lights but find the Titan a bit out of your price range, a 4K version of Alienware’s x17 is currently going for well over $1,000 less than this Titan unit. Those looking for something more compact might instead try the UHD 144Hz Razer Blade 17 (currently $3,499.99), which has a colorful (but more subdued) keyboard. These are still expensive laptops, to be sure, but they’re quite a bit closer to the ground.

Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge

January 25, 2023

Gigabyte G7 KE in review: Affordable gaming laptop with a powerful RTX 3060

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

4572 (1938.92^min – 4572^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} +47{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3101 – 4117, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

3101 (2775.37^min – 3100.52^max) MB/s ∼68{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(834 – 5568, n=178, last 2 years) Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

2168 (2101.77^min – 2167.68^max) MB/s ∼47{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -30{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

2110 (2094.85^min – 2110.13^max) MB/s ∼46{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -32{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

1780 (1752.32^min – 1780.06^max) MB/s ∼39{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -43{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

1780 (1752.32^min – 1780.06^max) MB/s ∼39{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -43{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

4434 (4418.88^min – 4433.95^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} +61{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(2200 – 4236, n=4) Average of class Gaming
(399 – 7889, n=177, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

2816 (2640.28^min – 2815.85^max) MB/s ∼64{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} +2{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

2749 (2612.84^min – 2749.11^max) MB/s ∼62{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2643 (2559.24^min – 2642.87^max) MB/s ∼60{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -4{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2643 (2559.24^min – 2642.87^max) MB/s ∼60{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -4{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

1607 (1584.61^min – 1607.26^max) MB/s ∼36{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -42{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

7032 (6100.58^min – 7031.96^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(6921 – 7034, n=4) Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

6792 (6372.24^min – 6792.05^max) MB/s ∼97{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -3{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(1620 – 13195, n=178, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

3556 (3378.88^min – 3555.93^max) MB/s ∼51{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -49{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

3515 (2963.07^min – 3514.83^max) MB/s ∼50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

3515 (2963.07^min – 3514.83^max) MB/s ∼50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

2660 (2328.47^min – 2659.74^max) MB/s ∼38{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -62{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

5091 (5070.42^min – 5091.14^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} +41{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3611 – 4852, n=4) Average of class Gaming
(86.2 – 10261, n=178, last 2 years) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

3613 (3580.5^min – 3612.97^max) MB/s ∼71{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

3012 (2669.05^min – 3012.29^max) MB/s ∼59{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -17{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

3012 (2669.05^min – 3012.29^max) MB/s ∼59{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -17{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

2914 (2673.66^min – 2913.62^max) MB/s ∼57{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -19{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

1671 (1644.73^min – 1670.81^max) MB/s ∼33{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -54{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

90.4 (89.34^min – 90.39^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} +18{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(74.1 – 88.8, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

76.7 (73.36^min – 76.74^max) MB/s ∼85{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

72.3 (71.34^min – 72.26^max) MB/s ∼80{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -6{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

68.3 (67.74^min – 68.3^max) MB/s ∼76{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -11{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(23.3 – 97.4, n=178, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

32.6 (30.94^min – 32.64^max) MB/s ∼36{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -57{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

32.6 (30.94^min – 32.64^max) MB/s ∼36{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -57{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

391 (373.18^min – 391.21^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(319 – 391, n=4) Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

236 (235.61^min – 236.11^max) MB/s ∼60{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -40{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

216 (185.22^min – 215.93^max) MB/s ∼55{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -45{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

216 (185.22^min – 215.93^max) MB/s ∼55{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -45{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(66.6 – 421, n=177, last 2 years) Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

194.3 (188.32^min – 194.33^max) MB/s ∼50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -50{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

189.2 (186.1^min – 189.17^max) MB/s ∼48{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -52{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3551 – 3582, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

3551 (3544.16^min – 3551.38^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

2780 (2665.55^min – 2779.85^max) MB/s ∼78{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -22{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(310 – 4483, n=177, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2214 (2192.88^min – 2214.37^max) MB/s ∼62{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -38{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2214 (2192.88^min – 2214.37^max) MB/s ∼62{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -38{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

2182 (2150.23^min – 2182.03^max) MB/s ∼61{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -39{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

474 (463.36^min – 474.33^max) MB/s ∼13{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -87{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3570 – 3604, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

3576 (3480.8^min – 3575.55^max) MB/s ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2307 (2258.85^min – 2307.29^max) MB/s ∼64{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -35{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N

2307 (2258.85^min – 2307.29^max) MB/s ∼64{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -35{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ

2249 (2140.07^min – 2249.23^max) MB/s ∼63{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -37{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average of class Gaming
(288 – 4383, n=177, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N

1620 (1542.86^min – 1619.93^max) MB/s ∼45{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -55{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8

609 (579.43^min – 608.79^max) MB/s ∼17{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -83{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(8837 – 9279, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average of class Gaming
(910 – 9510, n=169, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3468 – 3629, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average of class Gaming
(389 – 3629, n=169, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3621 – 3996, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average of class Gaming
(338 – 4522, n=169, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(4541 – 5715, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average of class Gaming
(925 – 9971, n=169, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(3162 – 3806, n=4) Average of class Gaming
(308 – 8590, n=169, last 2 years) HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(94 – 108, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Average of class Gaming
(20 – 108, n=169, last 2 years) Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(256 – 325, n=4) Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Average of class Gaming
(18 – 364, n=169, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(2909 – 2963, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Average of class Gaming
(216 – 2963, n=169, last 2 years) Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(2915 – 3371, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Average of class Gaming
(243 – 4008, n=169, last 2 years) Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10 Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(0.048 – 0.094, n=4) Average of class Gaming
(0.022 – 0.23, n=164, last 2 years) Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Average of class Gaming
(0.012 – 0.425, n=169, last 2 years)

0.05922 ms * ∼100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} -394{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1}

Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX707Z-HX011W
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd2146ng
SK Hynix BC711 512GB HFM512GD3GX013N Acer Nitro 5 AN517-55-738R
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ Average Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10
(0.012 – 0.014, n=4) Gigabyte G7 KE
Gigabyte AG470S1TB-SI B10

* … smaller is better

November 25, 2022

Brockhampton: The Family/TM albums review – plenty to unpick in the first, but better flows in the second

rockhampton under no circumstances played by the policies, so it’s easy to understand that the Texan hip hop collective’s farewell should really be as messy and bewildering as their all also quick existence. They proudly named on their own a “boy band” and included a net designer, a photographer, an Irishman, and most extraordinarily for American rap, an out homosexual man amongst their 13 whole-time associates. Between 2017 and 2019 they unveiled five albums, setting out their stall as America’s quickest-going, most exciting new group.

But herding that many folks towards a singular creative vision would seem to have been much too a great deal for lead member Kevin Abstract. The band introduced an indefinite hiatus in January, performed a final competition set at Coachella in April, and set a date for a farewell album, The Family members (★★★), for previous weekend.

As ever, matters turned extra intricate than that. There was one a lot more gig previous Saturday in Los Angeles, this week there have been 3 dwell radio displays titled I Pass up the Band By now, and the working day after The Spouse and children they released a ultimate-ultimate album, referred to as TM (★★★★). The latter is the position to go to hear the complete collective trading verses. Summary, Matt Champion, Merlyn Wooden and Dom McLennon all acquire a thrilling spin close to the jerky guitar and alien synths of New Shoes. There is extra singing here and a more peaceful come to feel, even when the beats get off on the romantic R&B of Guy on the Moon. The piano chords get looser and looser until a excellent climax on Crucify Me.

Brockhampton

The Spouse and children, nonetheless, is the area to go for the total Brockhampton tale, albeit from one particular man’s standpoint. Abstract’s is pretty a lot the only voice on the report, environment himself up currently for the highest profile solo profession. The melodic pop of All That appears fondly at the group’s early days before taking a horrible change in the next verse: “Too a lot trauma for me to be at my highest/I skipped Ameer so me and Dom saved battling,” he raps, referring to Ameer Vann’s departure from the band pursuing sexual abuse allegations (which he denied).

Over the Seventies soul of the title keep track of he seems disappointed with his bandmates and reminds himself: “Kevin don’t forget about you are by itself.” However, by the time we get to a remaining track, merely titled Brockhampton, he has encouraging things to say to all of them. There’s a lot of intrigue in this article for gossipy supporters to dissect, but for people who simply just want to listen to a terrific group in great movement, TM is the better bet.

Dilemma Almost everything/RCA

November 16, 2022

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: this gaming laptop is a great choice for creatives

Gaming laptops aren’t just for gamers! Their powerful processors and graphics cards, along with their large screens, also make them a good choice for anyone using creative software, for tasks like image and video editing, graphic design work, film-making animation and 3D modelling. Yes, they tend to be expensive, but if you can get your work done faster, then surely you’re going to save cash overall. As they say, time is money…

Origin has a great reputation, both for the quality of its hardware and the high standards of its customer service. The specs for this laptop compare favourably against some of the best gaming laptops (opens in new tab) as well as the best laptops for CAD (opens in new tab), so I was keen to get my hands on the latest iteration of its flagship gaming laptop, the Origin EVO17-S (2022), and put it through its paces. Read on to find out what I thought of it, and whether I’d recommend it to both gamers and users of creative software.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Pricing

The base model of the Origin EVO17-S (2022) costs $2,499, but at the time of writing, the company’s website was offering a $200 discount, bringing the total price down to $2,299. That gets you 16GB RAM, an i7 12700H processor, an RTX3070Ti graphics card and a 17.3-inch 1080p screen with a 144Hz refresh rate.

If you want to upgrade to an RTX3080Ti card (which is covered in our guide to the best graphics cards), that adds $500 to the price. Alternatively, you can add the RTX3080Ti, change the screen to QHD, and upgrade the processor to an i9 12900H, all for an extra $800. Finally, if you want to bump up the RAM from 16GB to 32GB, that will cost you an extra $121. Or you can spend an extra $400 to bring it up to 64GB.

Assuming the $200 discount is still valid when you read this, then, the best-specced version of the Origin EVO17-S (2022) will cost you $3,499. Finally, Origin will add a custom design to your laptop’s lid using HD UV printing, for an additional $65. This is the model I was sent for review.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Size and weight

Evo17-S laptop on desk

(Image credit: Tom May)

As you might expect from a powerful gaming laptop with a 17.3-inch screen, the Origin EVO17-S (2022) is pretty big and bulky. It measures 15.5 inches (39.7cm) high by 10.2 inches (26cm) wide, so will fit in an average laptop bag, but only just. That said, it’s pretty thin, with a depth of just 0.78 inches (2cm); not far off the 0.66 inches (1.68cm) of the 16-inch MacBook Pro. And while at 6lbs (2.72kg) it’s heavier than that MacBook’s 4.7lbs (2.1kg), it’s still fairly portable.

Put it this way: this wouldn’t be our first choice for a commuting laptop if your train gets crowded and you need to work standing up. But if you’re mainly going to be using it at home, it’s a good size and weight for something this powerful.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Design and build

Seeking a gaming laptop that looks like a gaming laptop? The Origin EVO17-S (2022) fits the bill nicely. For starters, if you stretch to the extra $65 for a custom neuron print, you can have your favourite gaming character (or whatever) adorn the lid. Origin did a nice design for us that incorporated the Creative Bloq logo, and it looks very smart indeed.

Inside, the chassis looks fairly standard and has none of the sleek metallic looks of an Apple or Surface laptop. On the plus side, though, I’ve found it doesn’t show fingerprints up like on other laptops. Even better, the Origin EVO17-S easily passes the ‘open with one hand’ test, with zero wobble.

The centrepiece of the Origin EVO17-S (2022)’s design is a large, multicoloured, backlit keyboard. This is split into four zones, and you can vary the colour of each zone, as well as set up mini-animations or make the whole keyboard flash, should you wish to induce an epileptic fit.

Backlit colours on laptops are something some people will love and others will hate, of course. (Personally, I love them.) My guess is that you’ll already know which camp you fall into.

Evo17-s laptop keyboard

(Image credit: Tom May)

The rectangular keys here are very stylish, with sharp, straight corners and printed with characters that are suitably sci-fi-esque. And they function well, too, with a nice level of travel and a satisfying click.

Best of all, there’s a number pad: something I’ve found shockingly absent on even some expensive laptops. If you want, you can disable this, along with the function keys, to help make gaming smoother. The large (3 x 5 inches) touchpad is very nice too.

Possibly our favourite thing about this design is the inclusion of a ‘performance’ button next to the power button. This makes it easy to switch between Gaming, Turbo and Office modes. With other laptops, you have to fiddle about in the settings to change modes; this is a far more user-friendly experience.

Another area where the design of this laptop excels is around the edges. There’s a fun lightbar at the front, which has 23 customisable zones, while the left and right-hand sides pack in a ton of ports (take that, MacBook!). Also, the power cable plugs in at the back, which is so much more ergonomic than having it on the side.

Rear view of Origin Evo17-S laptop

(Image credit: Tom May)

There are three other ports here, too, which helpfully stops your desktop becoming a tangle of wires. There are also four 2.5 inch-long ventilation strips along the sides and on the back, providing some useful cooling in a non-intrusive way.

Finally, just above the main screen is a webcam, which offers full HD (1080p) resolution. There’s no privacy shutter for this, but the camera can at least be locked digitally.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Display and speakers

My review model of the Origin EVO17-S boasts a QHD resolution screen (2560 x 1440), which I found quite delightful. It’s nice and big (17.3 inches in diameter), bright (up to 395 nits) and colourful (achieving 98{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} sRGB and 71{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} AdobeRGB colour spaces).

No, it’s not 4K, but if gaming is your passion then I’d say that’s not a problem. To be frank, in my experience, graphics cards and broadband connections aren’t quite up to the job of 4K gaming yet, so QHD is a much better middle-ground to inhabit.

This configuration of the laptop is also 240Hz, which makes for buttery-smooth frame rates on games, especially if you drop the resolution down to 1080p. For example, I got up to 157fps at QHD and 144 fps in Grand Theft Auto 5; and 93/84 fps respectively in Red Dead Redemption. I did detect a little backlight bleed on a few dark game scenes, but this wasn’t a major issue.

Origin evo17-s laptop

(Image credit: Tom May)

Much less impressive than the screen were the built-in speakers. They do a decent enough job for both movies and games, and go plenty loud, but the sound is a little flat and the bass a little hollow.

Again, it’s not a dealbreaker, but for a laptop this price I’d expected sound that was fuller, richer and deeper. So if you were to use this as your main entertainment centre (and the screen is certainly big enough), you’d probably want to plug in some external speakers.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Connectivity

As I noted earlier, the Origin EVO17-S (2022) isn’t quite thin enough to be considered an ultrabook. But those extra few millimetres go a long way, allowing it to pack in a huge array of connectivity options.

The MacBook Pro, in comparison, is so short on slots you’ll need to buy a docking station if you want to connect a lot of peripherals. So that’s one area where the Origin EVO17-S (2022)’s higher price starts to seem justified.

Here’s exactly what you get. On the left are a Kensington lock, a USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 port, and two audio jacks, which are dedicated to microphones and headphones respectively. On the right side, you’ll find an SD card reader and two USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports.

Origin evo17-s laptop

(Image credit: Tom May)

On the back, meanwhile, are a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, which offers Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities, along with the ability to charge the laptop, along with an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ45 Ethernet Jack, and a power port.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Performance

With an i9 Intel processor, an RTX 3080Ti graphics card and 64GB RAM, I was confident this laptop would be an impressive performer, and I was happy to be proved right. The Origin EVO17-S (2022) has been a fast, responsive, smooth and efficient performer throughout my time using it. And just to confirm this isn’t just in my head, my benchmark tests returned some impressive results:

Geekbench 5: Single Core 1910, Multicore 12843
Cinebench R23: Single Core 1931, Multicore 16301
Crystal DiskMark: 6597 MB/s read speed; 4938MB/s write speed

This laptop has also coped well with even the most demanding creative software I’ve thrown at it, not once slowing down or crashing. You know you’re onto a winner when, for example, Photoshop opens in a matter of seconds, barely enough to read one or two of its long list of credits. In my benchmark tests, the Origin EVO17-S achieved the following PugetBench scores, all of which are pretty decent.

Photoshop: 1076
After Effects: 989
Premiere Pro: 805

The only thing to add is that the fan noise is noticeably loud when this laptop does anything particularly intensive. It also gets quite warm, especially when playing AAA games, so I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who uses a laptop primarily on their lap, rather than on a desk.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Battery life

One of the big drawbacks on a powerful laptop like the Origin EVO17-S (2022) is that it eats up battery life. I managed just two hours and 11 minutes doing a mixture of word processing, browsing and watching YouTube clips; about a quarter of what I typically get out of my day-to-day computer (Dell Latitude 1940).

The Origin EVO17-S isn’t a great choice for watching video on long journeys, either. My review model lasted for six hours and three minutes showing TV shows downloaded from Netflix, which isn’t bad. But this compares poorly with, say, the 19 hours and 10 minutes I recently got out of a $100 Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet under the same conditions.

Limited battery life is pretty normal in a laptop this high-powered, of course. And when you see the size and feel the weight of the power brick it comes with, you won’t be very surprised either. But it is something worth considering if you commonly need to use a laptop away from a socket.

Origin EVO17-S (2022) review: Should I buy one?

Origin evo17-s laptop

(Image credit: Tom May)

Overall, the Origin EVO17-S is a fantastic laptop with a lot to offer. It’s the perfect choice for anyone who wants to play premium games or use powerful creative software and wants a big screen to see everything in detail. No, it’s not cheap, but if you can afford one, you do get excellent bang for your buck.

This laptop’s closest competitor is the Razer Blade 17, which costs between $2,899.99 and $4,099.99 at the time of writing, making it around $600 more expensive for broadly equivalent specs. That’s largely because the Razer Blade 17 has a superior cooling system, which minimises CPU throttling. That leads to better gaming framerates and less fan noise, making it the better laptop for gaming overall. I’d argue, though, that the lower-priced Origin EVO17-S offers better value, hitting the sweet spot in terms of price to performance. So I’d say it’s a better bet for anyone other than the most obsessive gamers.

What if you’re not bothered about gaming, or only play the odd title now and again? I’d say that while this is a very nice laptop, it’s probably overkill, in terms of both price and size, for most non-gamers. The main exception is creative professionals using resource-intensive software.

The lovely big screen and impressive processing power make it a great choice for using tools like Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere Pro, while not having to deal with the bulk and expense of a desktop computer. So if you’re a heavy user of premium software for photo editing, digital art and illustration, graphic design, animation or 3D modelling, it’s a great option… especially if you like to play games too.

November 14, 2022

Origin EVO16-S (2022) gaming laptop review

Origin EVO16-S specs

Screen size: 16.1-inch
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Refresh rate: 144Hz
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
GPU: Radeon RX 6650 M XT
Memory: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
I/O: 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x 3.5 microphone jack, 1x RJ45 LAN port, 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Type-C
Battery: 80W
Weight: 5lbs
Price: $1,799

Origin’s latest slim EVO16-S gaming laptop squeezes itself in between other heavy hitters in the same price range. It’s a little more expensive than laptops like the Acer Predator Helios 300 (opens in new tab) and the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (opens in new tab), and it doesn’t perform significantly better than them. But the differences are minimal and for a 1080p laptop with an AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, the EVO16-S offers a sweet spot if your gaming habits don’t require a higher resolution and refresh rate.

Although the 6650M XT and the Ryzen 7 6800H keep the EVO16-S fed when it comes to gaming performance, its 1080p 144Hz screen doesn’t have a tremendous appetite. If this laptop were equipped with a 1440p panel or touted a 165Hz or 240Hz refresh rate, the graphs below would tell a different story. The EVO16-S isn’t strapped with anything absurd or overkill; it’s a gaming laptop for someone that isn’t quite sure what they want.

My EVO16-S review unit costs around $1,920. Instead of the basic 16GB of RAM, mine has 32GB, and it also has a 1TB SSD. It’s a steep price for an AMD-based laptop that mirrors the other options out there with Intel’s Core i7 12700H and Nvidia’s RTX 3060. If you cut the RAM and SSD in half, you can get the price down to around $1,500. For me, that’s the only price that this laptop makes sense as an alternative—that is, if you’re not desperate for a better screen.

I don’t see the need for anything over 1080p and 144Hz on a mid-size laptop unless you specifically play the sorts of games that demand it. I play an embarrassing amount of Overwatch 2 (opens in new tab) with a 4K 144Hz monitor on my desktop setup. The swap back to 1080p at the same refresh rate on the EVO16-S wasn’t as big of a downgrade as I expected. Not only did the game run fine on medium and high settings, but the smaller screen size eased the transition. I had more trouble adjusting to the laptop’s membrane keyboard than the experience of looking at it.

Image 1 of 7

Origin EVO16-S performance — (Image credit: Future)

Knock down a few graphics settings and you could easily play a variety of games on it.

The EVO16-S turns down high specs to get a lot out of its modest setup. The RX 6650M XT got real close to 144 fps in many of the games I tested, like Hitman 3, F1 2020, Overwatch 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (opens in new tab). Knock down a few graphics settings and you could easily play a variety of games like that. AMD’s FreeSync Premium helps smooth out inconsistencies in the fps too.

The RX 6650M XT can’t quite match the power of a good Nvidia RTX 3060 when it comes to ray tracing. In my Metro Exodus RTX test, it couldn’t get close to 60 fps, clocking in at an average of 48 fps. It’s not a great look against cheaper laptops with better screens on them, but I also can’t imagine the person that wants impressive ray tracing performance out of a laptop at this price. EVO16-S owners are opting into the ray tracing off and FSR on lifestyle. If you want more, you’re going to have to spend more.

The EVO16-S’ Ryzen 7 6800H also stumbles when compared to Intel’s Core i7 12700H. In the Hitman 3 Dartmoor test, the EVO16-S came in at a slightly lower average frame rate. You can see a similar difference in the Cinebench R20 scores too. The Ryzen CPU can’t quite keep up, which will probably have a noticeable impact on processor-hungry open world and strategy games. Given the EVO16-S’ strengths in everything else though, I don’t think this is a deal breaker.

Image 1 of 3

My unit’s 32GB of DDR5 memory was also in step with the competition. In the SiSoft Sandra test, it came in at 42 GB/s. The EVO16-S is no slouch when it comes to multitasking, but I still think you could drop it to 16GB to save some money.

The 1TB Gen4 Samsung NVMe SSD in the EVO16-S is also neck and neck with similar laptops. The Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker benchmark results put it at around 11 seconds. I didn’t run into any egregiously long load times in my tests either. Like the RAM situation, I think you could cut this down to 512GB and not miss out on much.

Like most of Origin’s gaming laptops and desktops, the EVO16-S has a clean look. Origin lets you customize the outside with various patterns for an extra fee, but I wouldn’t bother. The stock black style is what I’d prefer out of a laptop. The other, tech-y and futuristic color schemes are way too much for me. Leave it to the full size RGB backlit keyboard and RGB strips on the front edges to accentuate it. My only small gripe with the keyboard situation is the squished right Shift key that never quite feels right under my finger, but I could see that going away the more I use it.

Image 1 of 4

EVO16-S performance — (Image credit: Future)

As an everyday laptop, the EVO16-S is a breeze to use. All my tests didn’t send the fans into overdrive. At its worst, the CPU hit 93°C (the GPU stabilized around 80°C). Unlike the last Origin laptop (opens in new tab) I reviewed, the EVO16-S kept pretty quiet for the entirety of my time with it. Battery life wasn’t an issue either. It nearly hit an hour and 30 minutes in the PCMark10 test with its 80W battery. That’s about what you’d expect from something of this power. I could easily squeeze in a few matches of Overwatch 2, pause for a break, and play a few more without it yelling at me for juice.

The EVO16-S’ dual USB 3.2 Type-A and USB 3.2 Type-C ports, serviceable speaker quality, light weight (around 5lbs) make it a well-equipped, versatile gaming laptop. The $1,900 build that I have is hard to recommend, however. At that price, it starts to fall short of cheaper, more powerful laptops. But if you can sacrifice storage or RAM and don’t see yourself trying to push high refresh rates on a 1440p screen for some game you’re hoping to go pro in, it’s a smart choice.

The EVO16-S is the laptop if you want to actually treat it like a laptop and not some sort of desktop replacement. It’s for playing a variety of games at respectable settings and a little more if you’ve got a power outlet nearby. If you can go with the $1,500 configuration (opens in new tab), the EVO16-S is an impressive laptop that puts its strengths in maximizing what it’s working with, namely its 1080p screen. If you’ve not been spoiled by 4K or have your dreams running in 240Hz, this laptop will serve you well.

Image 1 of 7

Origin EVO16-S gaming laptop — (Image credit: Future)

November 8, 2022

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE review: The best gaming laptop to buy this year

ASUS has produced capable desktop and laptop PCs for gamers for years and today we’re looking at the latest gaming notebook from the company. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE has a big battery, a big screen, and big performance. It’s also incredibly expensive so we’re going to take a look to see if this laptop is worth buying for a portable gaming station.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Price, availability, specs

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

ASUS supplied Windows Central with a review sample of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE. This unit has the Intel Core i9-12950HX processor with eight performance and efficiency cores and a total of 16 threads. For notebooks, this is about as good as you can get without going too overboard. This is the flagship CPU for this laptop with the lesser capable Core i9-12900H also available.

For graphics, we’re looking at either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080, or RTX 3080 Ti. In our review sample, the laptop had the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Finally, RAM comes in either 16GB or 32GB of DDR5. We had 32GB, allowing us to push the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE to its limit and see how powerful this laptop is.

This notebook is expensive, even if you configure it with the baseline specifications. Starting at $2,399, it’s simply out of reach for many gamers. The model we tested is available for $3,599, but this laptop has considerably more performance than many gaming desktop PCs out there.

Here’s a look at the specs contained inside our review unit.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Specification	ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE (2022)
OS	Windows 11 Pro
Processor	Intel Core i9-12950HX
	8 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 16 threads
RAM	32GB DDR5-4800
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Storage	2TB M.2 NVMe SSD
Display	17-inches, IPS, 16:9
	WQHD (2560 x 1440), 240Hz, 100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} DCI-P3, 3ms,
Ports	One HDMI 2.1, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP, G-Sync), one RJ45 LAN, one Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Audio	Quad speaker array, Smart Amp Technology, Dolby Atmos
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Triple band) 2*2, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera	–
Battery	90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
Dimensions	395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm
	(15.55 x 11.10 x 0.92 ~ 1.11 inches)
Weight	3.00 Kg (6.61 lbs)
Color	Black

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Design & features

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

As soon as you’ve unboxed the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE, you can immediately tell you’re in for quite the ride. This looks and feels like a powerful gaming laptop. I’m not the biggest fan of the usual ASUS design language for its laptops, but the Scar 17 SE is stunning. There are countless small details, such as the hidden graphics on the lid that are revealed with the included UV light.

The ROG logo on the same lid lights up, as expected. RGB lighting can be easily made obnoxious, but thankfully ASUS used it sparingly. The keyboard also has per-key lighting, and there’s a small LED strip that wraps around the base of the notebook. When turned on, it looks the part when placed in a gamer setup. Interestingly, ASUS made part of the keyboard translucent, revealing some of the insides.

While the keyboard is a joy to type on, and there’s a full Numpad layout for those who enjoy playing EVE Online, it’s not using mechanical switches. The touchpad is massive and has more than enough real estate for general use. It’s highly likely that a mouse will be connected to one of the available USB ports for serious gaming, anyway.

Image 1 of 8

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE — (Image credit: Future)

Moving up the laptop and we have the glorious 17-inch QHD display with a resolution of 2560×1440. Our unit has a refresh rate of 240Hz though a Full HD version of the panel is available with a 360Hz refresh rate if you prefer smoother gameplay over visuals. Either way, this is a winner. It’s gorgeous.

What isn’t going to bring home awards is the webcam … or lack thereof. If you enjoy making calls with friends and family or fancy some streaming on the side, you’re going to require an external webcam. It’s just strange to see a laptop released in 2022 without a webcam.

Next up is the I/O and there’s plenty to go around. We’ve got a single HDMI 2.1 port on the rear joined by the DC input, RJ45 LAN, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP, G-Sync), and one Thunderbolt 4. The left side has two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack. The right side has the ROG Keystone port for profiles and other security features.

Image 1 of 4

Speakers are never going to be exceptional on a gaming laptop, but ASUS managed to pull off some great-sounding audio. It’s not going to blow you away, especially with heavy bass tracks or explosions in-game, but it’s decent enough if you don’t own a pair of cans. The laptop itself is relatively thin but on the heavy side thanks to all the internal components.

It measures in at 3.00kg (6.61 lbs) and the dimensions are 395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm. It’s not huge but will require some desk space for the 17-inch panel (and this allows ASUS to pack some serious cooling for the CPU and GPU).

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Display

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

The screen is incredibly important on gaming or creator laptops. Thankfully, the panel used by ASUS for the ROG Strix Scar 17 SE is a beauty. We tested the QHD 240Hz screen with a response time of just 3ms. It’s not particularly great at color accuracy, scoring just shy of 80{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} for Adobe RGB, but you won’t notice when playing your favorite titles.

Image 1 of 4

Brightness isn’t spectacular, maxing out at around 300 nits. Minimum brightness was recorded at 15 nits. All ASUS displays for this laptop have a matte finish, which avoids bright lights from affecting your gameplay. They’re also non-touch, not that this is a primary factor for most people choosing a gaming laptop.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Gaming

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

Where do we begin? One should have high expectations of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE thanks to what’s contained within the compact chassis. The Intel Core i9-12950HX and RTX 3080 Ti are no joke and ASUS didn’t pull any punches with the included 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Simply put: this laptop is an absolute beast running PC games.

Like other gaming laptops, ASUS includes its own command suite that lets you quickly manage settings, including the current power profile. This also affects display brightness, cooling, and other parts of the system. We performed all tests with performance modes enabled (not turbo) and everything else on default to emulate what you can expect out of the box.

Image 1 of 3

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE 2022 Benchmarks — (Image credit: Future)

The laptop performed well in synthetic benchmarks, again thanks to the impressive CPU and GPU combo. ASUS has to take some credit too as the laptop runs incredibly cool all things considered. There’s a fair amount of power draining the battery (or power grid) and the cooling solution handles the heat output well.

There are a total of four exhaust vents and ASUS is using two of the latest Arc Flow Fans with 84 curved blades. The noise output is recorded and monitored by the software suite and you can expect to see anything between 20-40dB depending on profile and workload.

We recorded temperatures as high as 87C and 83C in games for the CPU and GPU, respectively. How ASUS designed the cooling system prevents the keyboard and palm rests from feeling too warm to the touch. To put it into perspective, the CPU and GPU are capable of drawing up to 230W.

Far Cry 5: 121 FPS
Red Dead Redemption: 79 FPS / 92 FPS (DLSS)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 158 FPS / 184 FPS (DLSS)

And when you do eventually fire up some games, you’ll have nothing but smiles to go around. The numbers paint a positive story, but you have to sit in front of this beautiful 17-inch IPS display to truly appreciate what’s on offer.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Performance & battery

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

Overall system performance is excellent. The Intel Core i9-12950HX is exceptionally good at running Windows software and playing the latest games. Whether you need to game or work (or both!) on the same machine, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE will be able to handle most workloads.

Image 1 of 4

As is with many laptops out there, gaming on battery reduces how much you can expect to enjoy from the CPU and GPU. Results will still be astounding for such a slim machine, but you will notice a downgrade in overall system performance compared to when tethered to an outlet.

The battery may be a massive 90WHr unit but the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE can zap through it in just over an hour in a demanding PC game. For general use, however, including media consumption, you can expect to see upwards of five hours depending on power settings.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Competition

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (Gen 7)

(Image credit: Windows Central)

We’re obviously going to consider the mighty Razer Blade 17 as a competitor to the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE. It’s one of the best gaming laptops even if ASUS manages to undercut it, thanks to the 1440p display (compared to the UHD-touting Razer Blades). The performance will be about the same, though ASUS makes use of some seriously good cooling here.

The Lenovo Legion 7i (6th Gen) (and the newer Legion 71 (7th Gen)) is also a solid option for those seeking ultimate power. ASUS has the upper hand with better in-game results, but it’s also considerably more expensive than the Lenovo review unit we tested. It all comes down to looks, price, and cooling as components usually perform similarly. ASUS manages to find a good balance between the three.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Should you buy?

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE

(Image credit: Future)

Who it’s for …

Those who want the performance of a gaming desktop but in a laptop form factor.
Those who don’t mind splashing out upwards of $4,000 on a new laptop.
Those who don’t find themselves playing much away from an available outlet.
Those who want to play the latest games at 1440p and decent settings.

Who it isn’t for …

Those who do not have more than $2,000 to spare for a portable gaming PC.
Those who already have a decent enough desktop gaming PC.
Those who don’t play the most demanding PC games and can get away with something less powerful.

The sheer raw power included with this laptop is incredible. Having an Intel Core i9 and RTX 3080 Ti combo in a laptop bag is something that would continue to put a smile on one’s face, especially when setting up shop with friends at LAN events. There’s ample connectivity (including RJ45) which makes this quite the compelling purchase for anyone looking for a new gaming PC.

For gaming on the go, it’s let down by just how capable the internals are. The GPU and CPU will happily drain the 90WHr battery in an hour or so when gaming. It’s a slightly better story with about five hours of general use between charging. Still, this should be considered if you actually plan on using the notebook for work or long periods of time away from home and/or the office.

When this machine truly comes to life is when it’s hooked up to an outlet with performance modes enabled. You’ll be able to crank up visual settings in most games and enjoy a stable frame rate on the glorious 1440p IPS panel. Sure, it’s expensive and the money could be better spent on more sensible purchases, but this is about as good as you’ll get for a gaming laptop in 2022.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE