New gaming notebook unveiled - AORUS X7

AORUS X7 SLI Benchmark - 3DMark Fire Strike - YouTube

 

I don't quite understand if these results are good or not. Is 6.95fps what you would expect for the combined test with 2x 765m in SLI?

 

I'm with you moviemarketing. Just posted the video I found so we could get some discussion going. I'm not really a big fan of graphics benchmarking tools. I don't think the 6.95 is fps. I think its a combined score for all the tests but I have no clue what its based on or what the average should be for two 765's in sli. Im also not familiar whith the last 4 versions of 3d mark so hopefully someone else will weigh in and inform us.

 

The reported combined test on the website is incorrect, it is correct on the 3DMark App though. I don't know why that is.

 

Have any of the reviews been able to confirm which LCD panel is being used yet? Been hoping it is this given that Gigabyte uses the 15.6" version of it in the P35K.

 

The review at Hexus.net mentioned it. It's the AUO B173HW02 V1

Details here: AUO B173HW02 V1 Overview - Panelook.com

Whether that is the only screen they offer or not we don't know. Clevo uses this screen and it's pretty nice, actually. 17" screens don't have as many options as 15" notebooks do, and if you notice while the contrast and viewing angles of the LG you noted are good, the response time is only 25ms vs 8ms of the AUO. There is an LG with 2ms response and 600:1 contrast, but viewing angles are still same as AUO, and it may also be more expensive.

 

My overclocked 670mx (and OC'd well above any 765m performance level) pulls about 3200 graphics score in firestrike, 5.64fps in combined test.
I'd say that bench is very nice for stock cards. The Aorus is shaping up to be quite awesome. Now I'd really like to see some well executed battery tests.
Is it confirmed that Optimus doesn't work with the machine?

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1645414

 

That's somewhat impressive, considering the form factor of this laptop. If it's only $1649 with those specifications, I may buy one. It would be pretty sweet to have as a student and light gamer. I'll be awaiting HTWingNut's review.

 

Still don't have my hands on it yet, been delayed. Will post as soon as available.

Beamed from my G2 Tricorder

 

ROFL don't know how you coulda missed that, but the unit tested by Hexus was £1,659 or $2700. It was already mentioned earlier in this thread that configurations of the X7 start at $2000 on up.

 

Above any 765M levels? Isn't the 765M the faster card when both are stock?

 

670MX is severely underclocked at stock but it's much faster than 765M when both are overclocked. It's like comparing a 650 Ti to a 660, or a 765M to a 770M.

 

Ah, I mistook that symbol for a dollar sign. I suppose my memory blanked on that one. Couldn't find the reference to that price anywhere earlier when I made my initial post. Thanks for the reminder, though.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KDHxT2tgfE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYqhC0kHHss&feature=youtu.be

 

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6fv4xCdruZ0" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

She's a beauty!

Please NO PM's! My INBOX IS FULL! and I don't have time to clean it up appropriately at the moment.

Just make requests for info that you want about it here in this thread. I will start a separate thread with the review as soon as ready. This laptop has to ship back on Wed Feb 12. My time was shortened because of delivery delays from customs and weather, and this laptop has to make its rounds to at least one other reviewer. I also have a full time job and a parent of two small kids, so please consider this, but will do my best to answer any and all critical questions.

I WILL COVER ALL THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS AS BEST I CAN IN THE REVIEW. This includes, general overview of the laptop, personal take on its appearance and value, measured dimensions and weight, battery life, screen characteristics, included software, a handful of artificial and gaming benchmarks and some gameplay (hopefully I can get videos done), measured FPS with frametimes for a few games as well.

I have already done some benchmarking and some battery life testing. I can say that a light browsing load test in SLI mode resulted in exactly 3 hours of battery life in Power Saver mode. I will be doing a couple more battery life tests over the next couple of days.

Temperatures are well under control, and Intel XTU is compatible for adjusting multipliers and core voltage. Dropping voltage resulted in a considerably less heat (like 5-8C less at load). It can exceed 95C in many cases if voltage or core clock is not managed, but so far it does not throttle. Speed maintains consistent 3.2GHz (3-4 core speed) even at 95-96C.

Thanks.

 

Awesome. Cooling system noise under gaming load would be nice to know

 

CONGRATS and I can't wait to read your findings.

 

What a beast of laptop! I like the two msata drives in raid, that is outstanding! 32GB of Ram is great, and the sli setup is of course, is awesome. I think the 2.5 HD is unnecessary as others stated. Should of just made the battery bigger. But of course I'm sure others want a lot of storage so that may just be a preference thing. Not liking the outlook of battery life and the high cpu temps.

Wingnut, I'm guessing you didn't change out the stock thermal paste correct? 95-96C seems awfully high unless your running prime 95 or something.

Also not digging some of the aesthetics, and I'm referring to the creases on that top cover. I think they should have taken a page out of the MacBook Pro in that regard, and tried to make it just smooth and solid all around. And while this is suppose to be an aluminum laptop, for some reason it looks all plastic. Not sure if it's just the video or what, but it looks all plastic. Probably due to the matte black color perhaps. I really think they should of copied the MacBook pro, and gave it the same kind of silver finish. Hopefully they have or will make a silver version, that way those creases won't be so pronounced.

 

Ah yes. That is a tough one to quantify. Ambient noise was about 25db, full fans was about 48db, but it really isn't that horrible. It's more quiet that my W230ST.

Like with other laptops, if you use Intel XTU to drop temps and clock speed a bit, the temps are manageable and under 90C with little to no affect to gaming performance, not to mention limiting FPS to 60 helps tremendously also. Aorus requested that no components be disassembled from the laptop, so I am unable to repaste to check if there is any improvement.

I'm not defending them, but as I've stated before, there is limited option for a quad core CPU, and they went with the lowest power one. It's either that or a dual core, and honestly I'd rather have a quad core running at 2.8GHz than a dual core at 3.5GHz. I know Intel offers a 37W quad core, but they cost more, have a more limited TDP, and don't run any cooler than the 47W quad core. Perhaps with Broadwell we will see cool running 37W quad cores which would be more suited to a machine like this (and the Blade and MSI). In the meantime I guess if users will have to manage the CPU themselves. I also didn't run the fans at full, which I guess I could check temps against that as well.

Yeah, that's personal preference I guess. I'm not real crazy about it, but I don't mind it. At least it's not overly in your face styling or lit up everywhere.



By the way here's the UEFI/BIOS if you're interested.

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MMpiUpSJGwA" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Thanks for the videos. BTW it's pronounced "or-us" not "ay-or-us." Named after an Egyptian god apparently.

Horus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I don't think anyone is too concerned about the pronunciation. But thanks nonetheless.

 

Thanks for the review, HT. I'm somewhat impressed with the performance of it, but there are many things I dislike about it. Here are a few of the key aspects that will prevent me from purchasing this machine:

• The price tag.
  For £1650 GBP ($2700 USD) you can get an Alienware 18 with 770M SLI, and everything is upgradeable. Not only machines in this price range perform better, they'll likely run much cooler and provide more stability for overclocking/gaming in general.
• Very limited upgradeability.
  As mentioned above, you are stuck with the 4700HQ and 765M SLI. This may be okay for some but not me.
• Heat.
  While I understand the system is very thin and portable, it's not really designed to combat temperatures. It's designed to run at "acceptable temperatures," not ideal temperatures. 95C+ while gaming is too hot, especially over extended periods of gaming. I would expect to see these temperatures during Prime95 or other benchmarks, but not gaming.

Bottom line: I don't think it's worth it. With the 800 series coming out, Maxwell at the end of the year, and many more things being released during 2014, why invest nearly $3,000 in old technology that is too hot and cannot be upgraded? This system is not for me.

P.S. These are my personal thoughts about the machine, speaking solely from a gamers perspective. I'm sure a lot of you disagree, and that's fine. We're all entitled to our own opinion.

 

I'm working on adjusting CPU speed and voltage and showing resulting temperatures. They are lower. But I understand your concerns. I am tempted to wait it out also and see if the update with Maxwell, and possibly a lower TDP/heat quad core Intel CPU with Broadwell. The 35W/37W quad cores they have now are just cut down TDP versions of the 47W versions.

 

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. If we can combat those high temperatures with custom profiles without sacrificing performance, it may be worth it to those who really want more portability.

Thanks again.

 

For many though, if they just buy the stock machine with which I believe will be a 128GB mSATA drive and 8GB RAM (2x4GB) for $2099, they likely already have RAM and/or SSD/HDD they will install themselves. For $2099 it's a better buy than the Razer Blade Pro or MSI GS70 considering the Razer costs more and the MSI comes with a single 765m and two RAM slots, although it is priced $400 less. Like Razer, I'm sure Aorus will be hunting for the proper price point. If they could offer this with 256GB mSATA + 8GB RAM for $1899 I think it would be a great bargain. In any case both MSI and Aorus blow Razer out of the water on pricing, so curious to see if Razer will break with their next laptop and drop pricing considerably to be more competitive.

 

No one considering the merits of the X7 is going to buy an AW18. It's literally twice the weight and physical size. If you want thin and light you have to pay for it is what I'm seeing these days.

I definitely see your points but the AW18 comparison is lost on me. This thing is strictly about cramming as much power into a thin and light 17" package as they can.

I'm paying close attention to these thin and lights with good gpu as I'm tired of lugging heavies around.

 

That was only an example of what you could purchase with the $2700. I'm not suggesting, "AW 18 vs Aorus X7 - fight to the death." They are very different machines, in terms of portability and form factor - no argument there. I'm basically saying there are many other options out there in this price range that would be better suited for the gamer. Gamers aren't considered solely with portability. Aorus is obviously trying to target both markets with a high price tag, and that's not going to be very attractive to most gamers out there, especially with the heat and inability to upgrade internal components that are already debatably obsolete.

If you're a gamer that doesn't care much for the price or anything I mentioned above (which were my personal feelings toward this system), then by all means, go for it. Personally, I feel this system will be nothing more than a $2700 paper weight in two years, assuming it lasts that long. You won't get a good deal trying to resell it.

EDIT: By the way, what HT said above about MSI and other products, I agree with him. I'd say this Aorus is better than its main competition, it's just priced a little higher than it should be.

 

@HTWingNut: If you experience high temperatures with the CPU, I sincerely hope you have repasted the CPU to find out if it is a bad factory paste or if it is normal. If you don`t do anything, it will be the VR-Zone review all over again.

 

He's not allowed to dissemble the components as he mentioned earlier so I guess we'll have the wait for the proper Cloudfire review..

 

Really? Oh well thats too bad.

I`m not on the review list, and I`m not looking to buy one either, so you won`t find a review from me I`m afraid...
Guess one would have to cross check different reviews as they are released then.

 

@HT: A quick audio review if possible? Curious as to how the side-facing speakers, as well as both a subwoofer and tweeter would make the audio sound.

 

I've seen the GS70 on Newegg for 1399$.

I still don't see the appeal of such a laptop, when (in my opinion) the P25W is much better. Better battery life, lighter, no SLI/Scaling issues, 32GB = unecessary for gaming, and (almost) HALF THE PRICE.

 

Are you seriously listing SLI as scaling issues? Even with SLI "issues", its way faster than a single GTX 770M.
Why are you comparing a 15.6" notebook with a 17.3" notebook and comparing the battery life? Wouldn`t it be more fair to compare it against say, P2742G a 17.3"? Which have 1 hour more battery life but much lower performance in games. Say you had that display size and the GTX 770M.

Better battery life or better gaming performance.

Pick your poison

 

Yes, it all depends on what you're looking for. For the base price $2100 you can buy a Sager 17" notebook with 780m and option for SLI for under $2000 (NP9380/P370SM3), but it's also twice as thick and weighs two pounds more, add another 2lbs or so if you go SLI. Not to mention the power supply brick is massive. It's not real portable. If my laptop primarily sat on my desk, I'd be inclined to go with an Alienware or a Sager.

But yes, it is a bit hard to justify the 765m with 800m series right around the corner, although we don't know anything about how they will perform with 20nm yet, and it may still be a good six months or so out. I tend to sell my laptop every 1.5-2 years anyhow, and take what I can get for it. But I think it will have better resale than what the Gen 1 Razer did with a measly 555m GPU and cost $2500+. The x7 at least has the power to crank through games at max or near max settings 60FPS+ and likely will hold its own for at least a couple years.

 

Here's a few videos of possible interest. Sorry for crappy video quality, it's all I have on me.

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DETIqIsY4yI" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GlKmSZrAxes" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/J3TMjq70iOA" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width='640' height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kBk3DIEy514" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width='640' height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vcYur8yiFRo" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Ha, I love that fan control feature. I wish all systems had this software... From what I can tell, the sound is quite impressive. Performance seems to match up similarly to a 780M, give or take a few FPS. It's a pretty impressive little machine, that Aorus X7. Hopefully it goes on sale soon, I would like to see what the prices will be like.

 

And here's an overview of the apps included:

<iframe width='640' height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UHw-4GqSxyM" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Great initial video a couple pages back HT! Thanks! Enjoy the new machine while you have it!

 

I've been lurking forever in this thread but just saw the videos, thanks for the comprehensive info HT. I think this may very well be the upgrade I'm looking for.

The dimensions seem fairly close to a 15.6 lappy which is a plus to me as I travel quite a bit. Speaking of, I already have a 15.6 bag that really works for me on the road, you wouldn't happen to happen to have a bag/case designed for a 15" laptop to see how (if) the X7 fits? Not a deal breaker if I have to get a new backpack, but it sure would be nice if I could just take the Y570 out and replace it with the Aorus.

 

One thing is that I checked the dimensions, and it is larger than what they have published.

Dimensions: Published: 392 x 263 x 22.9mm (15.4 x 10.4 x 0.9 inch) / Measured: 425 x 305 x 23.6mm (16.7 x 12.0 x 0.9 inch)
Weight: Published: 2.9kg (6.4 lbs) w/mSATA x 1 + SO-DIMM x 2 + Battery / Measured: 3.3kg (7.25 lbs) w/mSATA x 2 + SO-DIMM x 4 + HDD + Battery

Just using a tape measure for width and depth, so could be +/- 1mm but still much larger than what they show on the site.

Likely just an error on their part, but something to consider. I do have a 15" bag, and will see if it fits, I don't think so though.

 

Hey HTWingNut. Awesome videos you have made. Great work.

Looking forward to your review. Maybe you should ask Notebookreview if you can post the article on their front page to reach more people and maybe recieve more reputation beyond just this forum

 

If anyone wants to see the raw data for the performance, temps, and power numbers you can see it here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Am9DVMrm7CEfdE5OTE91clVVYVBMT3FwLUZVQ2JFWUE&usp=sharing

 

Those are some frightening CPU temps, but turning off the slave GPU seems to bring it back inline with the norm. Hmm...

 

I will run a few benches with the fan at full throttle and also with the CPU at 3GHz max and -80mV underclock too.

 

I agree with the "scary temps"

What is even scarier to me is you would think they would give this a good paste before sending out the review samples. For anyone interested in this machine i hope that is not the case.

 

Uhhhm, 89-96C? Seriously that cant be right.
Either that is one poor engineering job or that CPU have a horrible paste job. Which we wont know until another review comes along because apparantly HTWingNut was not allowed to repaste his unit..

Another thing I noticed is that the GPU #2 runs way higher than GPU #1. I guess that is because it shares most of the heat with the CPU?

 

Correct, it does share heatpipes with the CPU. Trust me I'd love to remove and repaste. Every time I've done that temps improved by at least 5C, usually more.

If I prop the back up and use max fans, temps with BF4 went down to 90C peak! I just propped up about 1/2". Drop the CPU speed to 3GHz max and Voltage to -80mV and it drops even more.

Edit: Just ran a 20 minute BF4 session, CPU @ 3GHz, -80mV, Propped back up, max fans, peak temp was 80C!

 

You got a drop from 90s to 80C with a CPU undervolt? That is amazing.
But in the end, a user shouldn`t have to do that. I didn`t mention repasting because you get marginally better results by being a little more careful when you do it compared to the factory. I was just wondering if they have done a horrible paste job. That you got a fluke from the factory. Because 90s in temp is scary stuff :/
Is the CPU temp controlling the fan speed or is it one of the GPUs? Did it run at full speed when you reached 90s on the CPU or did they seem a little passive?

Question: Why does all the heat go from CPU to GPU #2 and to fan? Why isnt it equally distributed across both fans?

 

This is apparently not a regular production sample, it is a marketing sample so this really is a "preview" of the laptop, as there may be some updates since this was produced.

There are several things you can do, and I don't have time to test them all but each of the following offered incremental improvements:

(1) Propping the laptop up at least 1/2" (12mm)
(2) Running max fans
(3) Reducing CPU clock speed
(4) Reducing CPU voltage

Or any combination thereof. Using all the above is where I reduced CPU temps to 80C. I tested another half dozen benchmarks with this config and they all dropped 15-20C at peak!

If you look at the heatpipes, the heatpipe starts at the CPU, crosses over the GPU and on to the fan, so the one GPU will get less effective cooling. There's also no fins to help dissipate heat. Just adding some thin fins would help immensely, but there's very little packaging space.