The P270WM Discussion and Information Thread

Currently, the P270WM is not yet available for order.

This post houses all information known about the P270WM. I will try to keep this first post consistently updated with confirmed information. Unconfirmed information or rumors will not be placed in this first post, although you can find such information by perusing the pages of this thread.

Any information builders/resellers wish to share will be posted here. Additional details such as new compatible CPUs will also be posted here.

The source for all information posted in this first post can be found within the pages of this thread, and the old thread.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW

Images of the P270WM!!





A screenshot of the P270WM's internals via a program that is unknown to me.



Display information!

The display is a LGD02C5 -- the same one that is used in the P170HM3. Refer to the above screen capture.

A shot of the backlit keyboard in action + Information!

The keyboard lighting can do much of the same effects as Alienware's famed "AlienFX" keyboards can do, such as dancing, pulsating, and breathing.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full spec sheet:

P270WM
Specification

Processor Capability (These are desktop processors)
• Intel® Core™ i7-3960X Extreme Edition (32nm, 3.30GHz, DDR3-1600MHz, 15MB L3 cache, 6 cores/12 threads, unlocked multiplier, TDP: 130W)
• Intel® Core™ i7-3930K (32nm, 3.20GHz, DDR3-1600MHz, 12MB L3 cache, 6 cores/12 threads, unlocked multiplier, TDP: 130W)
• Intel® Core™ i7-3820 (32nm, 3.60GHz, DDR3-1600MHz, 10MB L3 cache, 4 cores/8 threads, TDP: 130W)

Note: The Core i7 3820 is still not yet available, although when it is available, a link to Intel's Ark will be placed accordingly​

Core Logic
• Desktop Intel® X79 Express Chipset

Display
• 17.3” (43.94cm) Full HD (1920x1080) 16:9 panel

Memory
• Four (Quad) channel DDR3
• Four 204 pins SO-DIMM sockets, support DDR3 1333/1600 MHz (Real operation frequency depends on processor)
• Expandable memory up to 16GB, depends on 2GB/4GB SO-DIMM module

Side note: You can install more than 16GB of memory, but it is unsupported by Clevo.​

Video Controller
• NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 580M (N12E-GTX2)

- 2GB GDDR5 Video RAM
- PCI Express x16 interface
- Microsoft DirectX® 11 compatible
- MXM 3.0 Type B
- Support HDCP
- HDMI 1.4a
- NVIDIA PhysX™
- GeForce CUDA™ technology
- Support SLi (2-way) technology​

• AMD Radeon HD 6990M

-Support CrossFireX (2-way) technology
-2GB GDDR5 Video RAM
-PCI Express x16 interface
- Microsoft DirectX® 11 compatible
- MXM 3.0 Type B​

Storage
• (Factory Option) One changeable 12.7mm(H) Super Multi /Blu-ray Combo/ Blu-ray Writer ODD, SATA interface
• Three changeable 2.5” 9.5 mm(H) HDD , SATA interface (RAID 0/1/5 support)

Audio
• High definition audio
• S/P DIF digital output
• Built in microphone
• Built in five speakers
• Built in one sub-woofer
• THX® TruStudio Pro™
• External 7.1 channel audio output supported by headphone, microphone, S/P DIF and Line-in jack.

Keyboard and Pointing Device
• Multilingual illuminated full-size island (chiclet) keyboard with number pad
• W/A/S/D gaming keys (they have direction arrows on them; W = up, S = down, A = left, and D = right)
• Built in touch pad with multi-touch and scrolling function
• Six touch sensor instant buttons: Volume up, Volume down, Mute, WLAN, BT, CCD
• Backlit keyboard with 7 different colors of backlight.

View attachment 73557 ​

I/O ports
• 3 x USB 3.0 ports (1 x powered USB port)
• 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• 1 x eSATA port (powered USB3.0 (AC/DC) combo)
• 1 x Mini IEEE 1394b port
• 1 x Display port 1.2
• 1 x DVI-I output port
• 1 x HDMI 1.4a output port
• 1 x Headphone jack
• 1 x Microphone jack
• 1 x S/P-DIF output jack
• 1 x Line-in jack
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN port
• 1 x DC-in jack

Card Reader
• 9-in-1 push-push card reader
- MMC / RSMMC
- SD / SDHC / SDXC / mini SD
- MS / MS Pro / MS Duo

Expansion Slot
• One ExpressCardTM(54/34) slot
• One MiniCard slot for WLAN Combo Half size Mini Card with PCIe and USB interface

Networking
• Built in 10/100/1000Mb Base-TX Ethernet LAN
• 2.0M pixels FHD video camera

Power Supply
• Full Range AC adapter 300W, AC in 100~240V, 50~60Hz, DC output 20V, 15A
• Removable Polymer smart Li-Ion battery pack, 78.44WH
• Battery life: 60 minutes (with GTX 580M single, 78.44WH battery)
• (Factory Option) Power converter box

Security
• Kensington® Lock
• Finger print reader

Chassis Design
• Alloy plate: P270WM

OS Support
• Windows® 7 (SP1)
-Side note: Linux should function, but it may take a while for driver support. You would be essentially on your own when using Linux with the P270WM.

Certificate
• Windows® 7 (64-bit) Logo
• HDMI Certificated Logo

Dimensions
• 419 (Width) x 286 (Depth) x 56.5~60.7 (Height) mm

Weight
• 5.5 Kg / 12.125 lbs

FAQ

What is the P270WM?

The P270WM is a 17" notebook made by Clevo that will use Intel's latest and greatest High-End Desktop (HEDT) platform which launched on November 14, 2011: Intel X79, also known as Sandy Bridge-E (" Extreme"). This chipset brings many performance gains (especially for professional applications), such as the integration of the north bridge into the CPU, and the addition of Quad Channel Memory.​

Is it compatible with Ivy Bridge-E?

The P270WM will be compatible with upcoming Ivy Bridge-E CPUs.​

Can I use Xeon E5 CPUs? In particular, the 8 cores / 16 threads monster CPU @ 3.1GHz (priced in the $2000 range)?

Since it's the same socket, it would fit, but it's not confirmed if the machine would POST if one was installed. We'll have to get back to you on that.​

Does it have a backlit keyboard?

Yes!!! The P270WM will be Clevo's very first consumer notebook that has a backlit keyboard. It will have 7 different colors for a backlight.​

Will it have a 120hz screen for 3D Vision?

Yes. The P270WM will be available with 3D LCD options, and any other screens such as the famous 90% gamut display will vary on your reseller.​

How big is its power supply, and how much wattage can it handle?

The P270WM's power supply unit (PSU) is the same as the X7200's PSU, so the wattage is still 300W with the ability to peak at 330W.​

If the PSU is identical to that of the X7200, will we have to daisy-chain PSUs when using an extreme configuration + overclocking?

Quite likely, yes.​

Is HDMI-In available?

Sadly, no. It's not even a factory option this time out.​

What about the chassis? Can you provide details?

The P270WM's chassis will be similar to that of the X7200 in that it will have the same spiffy blue lighting in certain places, the keyboard layout will likely also be identical (this time with a backlight!), and it will have the same touch-sensitive buttons for volume and such.​

Does it have a fingerprint reader?

Yes and no. It depends on your reseller. If a fingerprint reader is important to you, then you should ask your reseller if their model includes it.​

At launch, which graphics card configurations will be available?

The P270WM's GPU configurations will vary upon reseller, but the machine itself is confirmed to support the following:​

Green team (Nvidia): GTX 580M, GTX 560M, 2x GTX 580M in SLI, 2x GTX 560M in SLI.​

Red team (AMD/ATI): Radeon HD 6990M, 2x Radeon HD 6990M in CrossFire.​

IMPORTANT: So far, 3D support for the P270WM only functions if you join the green team (buy an Nvidia GPU set up).​

Will it support future GPUs, such as Nvidia's 600M (or 700M--depending on what Nvidia winds up naming it) series?

Yes, but that yes is tentative given that the MXM standardization can change without notice. Nvidia's 600M series on the high-end should be available somewhere around April.​

I have a spare GTX 460M (or something in the latest generation of mobile GPUs), can I use it in the P270WM to cut costs?

Yes! But!!! You will need a new VGA heatsink in order for it to install correctly. You should ask your reseller for further information.​

How many hard drives can I install in the P270WM?

Three (3). Potentially four if you skip the optical drive and use a hard drive caddy instead.​

What does the motherboard look like?

These are two pictures of the prototype motherboard @ CompuTex 2011:
​

How much more powerful is the P270WM vs the X7200?

Depends on what you do. If your main focus is heavy gaming, then the difference will likely be negligible (it'd certainly load things quicker though). However, if you are looking to do heavy CAD work, 3D rendering/modelling, animation, video editing, or anything that places an extreme demand on CPU performance, the P270WM will be up to 30% quicker than the X7200.​

When will the P270WM be released?

North America: Sager currently has it in PVT (Product Verification Testing), but have found a bug in the XTU software; therefore, it has been delayed to an unknown date.​

Europe: Unknown.​

Asia: Unknown.​

Australia: February sometime (Logical Blue One's approximation).​

How much will it cost?

Unconfirmed, but it will be expensive given that not only is it new, but it is extremely powerful as well. You should refer to customizing an X7200, and use that as a baseline: If you configure an X7200 to be around $3000, then the P270WM with the same type of configuration (let's call it an average config) would cost a few hundred dollars more (maybe ~$3300).​

X7200 people: If the P270WM's chassis is the same, but it has a backlit keyboard... Can I use the backlit keyboard in my X7200?

No. The X7200 does not have the appropriate power connector on the motherboard to power the lighting. Sorry.​

Side note: If you have some skills with a dremel and soddering, you could perhaps modify your X7200 to have a backlit keyboard, although any attempt at this would most certainly void your warranty.​

Cheers!

 

Good post, i've been following this laptop for awhile now, hope to hear more about it

 

Great post. +Rep.

 

Great post. I almost regret buying a P180HM last month. Then again the price will be quite expensive I'm guessing. +Rep.

 

Great post, thanks!
I am very satisfied with my X7200, but since new tech is always interesting, I will be reading everything regarding this machine
+1

 

Of course for those that know me I too have a special interest in this model.
_

 

If you don't need some kind of battery life and you don't move around much, maybe you should consider it. If you're still in that 30-day window where you can return your machine without question, I'd do it. Although if you need your lappy right now and can't live without it, then I wouldn't.

 

waiting for the p270wm3, but hope it dont lock the oc setting like p170hm3......though there is no oc support if putting xeon inside

 

P270WM
Specification

Processor Capability
• Intel® Core™ i7-3960X Processor (32nm, 3.30GHz, DDR3-1333MHz, 15MB L3 cache, TDP: 130W)
• Intel® Core™ i7-3930K Processor (32nm, 3.20GHz, DDR3-1333MHz, 12MB L3 cache, TDP: 130W)
• Intel® Core™ i7-3820 Processor (32nm, 3.60GHz, DDR3-1333MHz, 10MB L3 cache, TDP: 130W)
Core Logic
• Desktop Intel® X79 Express Chipset
Display
• 17.3” (43.94cm) FHD (1920x1080) 16:9 panel
Memory
• Four channel DDR3
• Four 204 pins SO-DIMM sockets, support DDR3 1333/1600 MHz (Real operation frequency depends on processor)
• Expandable memory up to 16GB, depends on 2GB/4GB SO-DIMM module
Video Controller
• NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 580M (N12E-GTX2)
- 2GB GDDR5 Video RAM
- Support PCIe x16
- Microsoft DirectX® 11 compatible
- MXM3.0 Type B
- Support HDCP
- HDMI 1.4a
- NVIDIA PhysX™
- GeForce CUDA™ technology
- Support SLi technology
Storage
• (Factory Option) One changeable 12.7mm(H) Super Multi /Blu-ray Combo/ Blu-ray Writer ODD, SATA interface
• Three changeable 2.5” 9.5 mm(H) HDD , SATA interface (RAID 0/1/5 support)
Audio
• High definition audio
• S/P DIF digital output
• Built in microphone
• Built in five speakers
• Built in one sub-woofer
• THX® TruStudio Pro™
• External 7.1CH audio output supported by headphone, microphone, S/P DIF and Line-in jack.
Keyboard and
Pointing Device
• Multi languages illuminated full size isolated keyboard with numeric pad
• W/A/S/D gaming key
• Built in touch pad with multi-gesture and scrolling function
• Six touch sensor instant buttons: Volume up, Volume down, Mute, WLAN, BT, CCD
I/O ports
• 3 x USB 3.0 ports (1 x powered USB port)
• 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• 1 x eSATA port (powered USB3.0 (AC/DC) combo)
• 1 x Mini IEEE 1394b port
• 1 x Display port 1.2
• 1 x DVI-I output port
• 1 x HDMI 1.4a output port
• 1 x Headphone jack
• 1 x Microphone jack
• 1 x S/P DIF output jack
• 1 x Line-in jack
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN port
• 1 x DC-in jack
Card Reader
• 9-in-1 push-push card reader
- MMC / RSMMC
- SD / SDHC / SDXC / mini SD
- MS / MS Pro / MS Duo
Slot•
• One ExpressCardTM(54/34) slot
• One MiniCard slot for WLAN Combo Half size Mini Card with PCIe and USB interface
Communication
• Built in 10/100/1000Mb Base-TX Ethernet LAN
• 2.0M pixels FHD video camera
Power Supply
• Full Range AC adapter 300W, AC in 100~240V, 50~60Hz, DC output 20V, 15A
• Removable Polymer smart Li-Ion battery pack, 78.44WH
• Battery life: 60 minutes (with GTX 580M single, 78.44WH battery)
• (Factory Option) Power converter box
Security
• Kensington® Lock
• Finger print
Other Design
• Alloy plate: P270WM
OS Support
• Windows® 7 (SP1)
Certificate
• Windows® 7 (64-bit) Logo
• HDMI Certificated Logo
Dimension
• 419(W) x 286(D) x 56.5~60.7(H) mm
Weight
• 5.5 Kg

Note:
Battery life may vary depending on applications and configuration.
The content is subject to change without notices. Other brand and product names are trademarks and/or register trademarks of their respective companies.

Other processors may be compatible, the list as shown above includes processors that have been tested and engineered and approved by Clevo for use in these machines as of 17/11/2011.

 

Same with memory, it is capable of 32GB 1333Mhz, but it is not engineered or tested or approved by Clevo at this stage.

Same with VGA, it is capable of other VGA cards but ditto.

 

I REALLY wanted 3D and dual 580's but settled on a P170HM3 instead of waiting. Once this comes out I will be extremely tempted to order one with nothing but the CPU, one 580m, and an extra heatsink so I can transfer the ram, SSD, HDD, and 580m from my laptop to it.

 

Since this is a SNB/IVB based CPU, is it safe to assume there is a SATA III (6Gbps) controller? Nothing is specific in the previous posts.

 

Yes, 6gbps SATA III Controller.

They don't mention it on specifications like that, because it is determind by the CHIPSET. IE x79 Chipset.

See here:

Intel® X79 Express Chipset

All 3 hard disks channels are SATA III 6gbps.

 

Wow! That's awesome!

And here is something to truly top it off: AnandTech - Intel to Add TRIM Support for RAID 0

Extreme speed at last!

 

AnandTech is a little bit behind the NBR users. If you're looking for TRIM pass-through in RAID-0 using Intel RST... it is close, but not here yet - http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...ades/625315-exciting-news-all-raid0-fans.html

 

What about the ODD bay? Is it SATA III or SATA II?

 

More than likely SATA II. I will ask for SATA placements, but I am not sure if this information is available yet.

 

Intel has reported SAS and VT-d issues with current x79 chipset, i wonder if the problem remains in the Clevo laptops as well...

 

My guess is it is SATA III, similar to the x7200's controller (ICHR10) which maintains 4 devices (the 3 drives plus optical).

I don't know if the P270WM SATA III controller is the same kind of layout, but it makes sense that if the main controller can work w/ 4 devices the 3 drives + optical would be mapped to that single controller.

 

Updated first post with full spec sheet and removed some questions from FAQ (they're answered in spec sheet).

Sorry I've been slacking. I've been busy, and then Batman: Arkham City was released...

 

Hey Guys,

On SATA placements, The primary drive bay will be SATAIII (Thats HDD 0 + 1) the other HDD bay (HDD 2) and the optical will all be SATAII. This isn't a Clevo implementation thing, its a X79 chipset thing. It only supports TWO sata III devices. Now even if Clevo put another controller on there that could do SATAIII you wouldn't be able to RAID across the two different controllers, so that is very very unlikely.

Hope that clears some stuff up.

 

I haven't really looked at the X79 specs. So, while I was right in that everything maps to the single controller, I was also wrong that the single controller can do SATA III x 4 ports. This will be something to consider if you are planning RAID 5 or RAID 1+0 on this machine.

Thanks for the update.

 

Yes! Backlit keyboard. Any idea if the keyboard layout will be redesign? Existing one is really unfriendly. I dropped plan to buy Clevo until today is only because of the poor keyboard.

 

You will adjust to the odd keyboard layout (mostly odd on the numeric keypad side). I know that it took me ~2 months (or more) to adjust to my D901C's keyboard layout. Now I just use it like a regular keyboard; so much so that it feels foreign not to have a 3-column numpad layout!

 

Possible delay to P270WM till Feb, pending impementation of better XTU ver 3.0.

 

Is it possible for the P270WM to be outfitted with a 17.3 IPS Screen?

 

It all depends on the connector.

 

I dont know what to tell you iieeann if you dropped the plan to buy just because of the keyboard just buy a wireless desktop guys! logitech mk710!! Its like $40!

 

too bad....

 

Yes Sager has confirmed this delay....

"(This) XTU issue is confirmed during PVT, how much further delay, or how soon can the issues be resolved is unknown at this time."

Also please note...

This is why Sager has no plan to release any detail of this item until we can confirm that Clevo is ready to send the product into production and ready for shipping.

So yes things can change. You never know.

-

 

Hmm should I wait for this or just go ahead and get me a P170HM.

 

see this in spec:

Other Design
• Alloy plate: P270WM

whats this? the backlit logo plate?

 

When it comes to raw power, the P270WM would laugh at the P170HM since the P270WM uses desktop processors, which know no boundaries in terms of power consumption. It also has the capability of dual graphics cards.

For battery life, the P170WM would be the one laughing. It's your choice: Battery Life + Portability vs Extreme Power + Less Mobility.

Also, I will update the first post with news of the delay. How unfortunate.

 

I dont care about battery life. I dont care a ton about the weight of it. I do take my laptop into work everyday but thats it really.

I am more concerned with time frame and price.

If it comes out in March I can wait that long, but if its May I would rather get the P170HM now and get this one later next year and just ebay my P170HM.

Also I worry the P270WM will be at an extreme premium price when it comes out because its new and it will go down in price by end of the year alot.

 

I would get the P270WM. The delay can't be that long. Clevo is quick to resolve problems with current products (the X7200's PSU woes were resolved in less than a month, I believe).

It should certainly be released by March. I don't see why it would be delayed for so long, unless there is also a catastrophic hardware malfunction plus the XTU issue.

Yes, the P270WM is going to cost a lot at launch, but the power and capability you are paying for is absolutely worth it. What other 'notebook' houses this much power? You could always low-ball the CPU (Core i7 3820) until Ivy Bridge-E CPUs are released, at which point you would jump on the rumored 8-core/16-thread monster CPU. Killer!

 

I believe that desktop processors belong in just that.... desktops. I'll be keeping my NP8150 for quite awhile.

I can just imagine the heat output on this laptop coming out... and the battery life...(forget about it)

 

I'll agree with laughable battery life, but I just look at it as a built-in UPS.

Heat output can't be that bad. On my D901C using a Core 2 Quad Q9650, it rarely gets warm unless I'm gaming or doing something CPU intensive. It's rather impressive, and Clevo has no doubt gained knowledge in cooling since that generation of CPUs. I'm not at all worried about heat output on the P270WM.

It would be interesting to see someone from XoticPC post a video on YouTube about the P270WM when it is released. I hope they make one that is just as long as the X7200 video that covers pretty much everything.

 

I have a M6500 now and it gets smoking hot. I am going to get some type of Pad Fan or whatever they are called for my new laptop.

I love the idea of carrying around basically a desktop in a laptop.

 

I guess "opinions vary."

If you're looking at the x7200 or P270WM, odds are you're not concerned about these two issues. The heat output is not bad on the x7200. But, is it comparable to my wife's Dell? Not even close.

BTW, what is the TDP of SNB/IVB? I don't believe it will be any worse than those of us with Xeon or OC'd i7-990X CPUs. Just as long as the CPU and other components don't burn up, and you have a power socket nearby - That is how the x7200'ers roll. Shouldn't be too different w/ the P270WM crowd.

If heat/battery/weight are a concern, then people should definitely move along as there's nothing here that will interest you.

 

The TDP of Sandy Bridge-E CPUs are all 130W, even for the Core i7 3820.

I can imagine that is the same for Ivy Bridge-E.

 

I do not care about anything but mobility and Quad Channel RAM for supreme bandwidth in Digital Audio Workstations.
THis will be used with another powerhouse in a 1U chassis known as the XITE-1.
18 powerful DSP chips from Analog Devices that are designed for realtime audio work, M$ is always getting in the way of real work.

 

That's pretty funny, my sister has one of those new DELLs with a 540M in it, they got it early this year. And every time I touch her machine, my old HP, or most anyone's other laptop, I complain about the heat and check to see if it's overheating, only to have everyone in the room inform me that it's quite normal. Then I direct them to touch my D900F in the middle of playing Battlefield 3 (at which point I find it decently warm) and they're amazed at the coolness. Is the X7200 a machine that puts out that much extra heat?

 

No. I don't believe so. Rather it's all relative.

I'm comparing a 17", Core i7-970, 3 HDDs, 12GB of RAM against a Dell Inspiron 15", Core i3, 1 5400 RPM HDD, 4GB of RAM.

For example, as I right this, I'm sitting in a room at 19.5C, the temp of the exhaust right at the back port of my x7200 is 29.4C. The Dell runs about 22C.

 

Well I'm on a 17" with a Core i7-950, 2 HDDs, 6GB RAM and an overvolted/overclocked 280M vs a similar inspiron 15" Core i5, 1 5400 RPM HDD and 4GB of RAM. But I was talking about the surface of the laptop where the handrests/keyboard/touchpad is, rather than the exhaust.

 

OIC. To be honest I've never noticed it from the top side.

I guess it is a tad warmer than ambient temperature by maybe by 1/2 C or so (after 4+ hours of use) , but nothing where I've felt I needed a sensor to monitor.

 

Mu dell M6500 cpu runs 60-64c during low loads and 70-75c during higher loads.

It pretty much bakes. I cant wait to replace it with a P270WM

 

There may be some differences in the refresh due to TDP of SNB/IVB CPUs, but if the case / cooling system remains virtually the same, I would expect the same footprint as the x7200.

Here are some posts about x7200 temps for comparison - http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...33-tempurature-analysis-comparison-x7200.html

 

The X7200 is no longer listed on Clevo's 17" and Above product page. The P270WM's time of reckoning is indeed coming soon!

See here: CLEVO - Series

 

I just hope that Clevo will not abandone P270WM project.

 

Huh? What would make you say that? The P270WM is most likely six to eight weeks away from announcement.