I have just ordered the 13.3" Optimus V with an i7 4710MQ CPU.
I was looking for a relatively small laptop that would be used mainly for work (nothing really fancy, mainly MS Office), and some occasional GPU-intensive gaming (e.g. BF4, Thief, Watch Dogs, GTA V). Since I am finishing my dissertation (a lot of MS word and browsing in the library where I can't afford to annoy other researchers with some crazy fan noise) and I intend to use it in a professional setting (work meetings, office), fan noise is an important criterion for me.
So I was hesitating between the 13.3" Optimus and three other machines sold at comparable prices:
- Schenker XMG P304, which is basically the same as PC Specialist's 13.3" Optimus (Clevo W230SS chassis) but with the possibility to add an i7 4712MQ CPU. With 37W max TDP, the 4712MQ chip is supposed to be cooler than the 4710MQ offered by PC Specialist. Since the W230SS chassis is known for heat issues, the 4712MQ seemed like a better option.
- Asus ROG G750JM: With an i7 47100HQ and a GTX 860M, the G750JM is pretty comparable with the Optimus in terms of specs, but has the advantage of being extremely quiet and cool, even during load phases, which is not the case of the Optimus. The problem with the Asus is its size (17.3") and weight. I really didn't see myself moving around with a 10 lbs monster in my backpack.
- Gigabyte P34G v2: Not only is it ultra-thin, but with dual fan + exhaust, the temperature of the P34G v2's 4710HQ CPU never exceeds 91-92°C whereas all Optimus laptops easily reach the 99°C limit which is a bit worrying. The other element that draw me to the Gigabyte alternative is its Smart Cooling system, which supposedly allows to control fan speed, but according to several owners, even in Stealth Mode, the P34G V2 goes crazy every 5 minutes and does not remain quiet, while the Optimus' fan control software is more reliable: it allegedly remains silent on Silent Mode! Oh, and battery life sucks on P34G v2... Other disadvantage of the P34G v2: it came with the Kepler 860M, not the Maxwell one.
After having placed an order for the P34G v2, I finally decided to cancel and to give the Optimus -- which was my first choice -- a chance for the following reasons:
- Best screen (IPS rules!);
- Very decent battery life according to reviews (up to 4h30 in web browsing?);
- PC Specialist post-sale customer service sounds more reliable than Schenker according to reviews (even though I found the guys at Schenker more reactive and helpful)... we'll see! Anyway, PCS customer service is certainly far better than Gigabyte or Asus;
- Ability to replace/upgrade virtually any component by calling PC Specialist or through "My Account" section of their website;
- Build quality: First I like the W230ss design and it seems more solid than the Gigabyte alternative. It seemed better to opt for the solid, upgradable chassis. In terms of durability, W230ss is my first choice (well, the ROG seems better but, man, it's a bloody desktop, not a portable machine);
- The forum is a good place to get interesting info, and to find solutions to potential future technical problems, although I didn't receive much help when I posted about heat and fan noise (and PCS staff did not help either)...
- Possibility to pick a French Keyboard (easy to write in English on a French keyboard but impossible to write in French on a UK keyboard, and I frequently write in both languages) and an EU Power lead which I will take on trips on the continent and MENA;
- Saving £40 thanks to the free copy of Watch Dogs!
I am still a bit worried about fan noise and CPU temps which could undermine the laptop's durability, but for some reason I have a very good feeling about PC Specialist and their 13.3" Optimus, to the extent that I was willing to invest £920. I am probably gonna undervolt the CPU to alleviate the temp problem, but it would have been even greater if PCS offered a 4712MQ or 4702MQ CPU with the W230SS chassis... (Why not??? I know they have it and use it on another Clevo chassis)
So this is a bit of a bet and I hope the 13.3" Optimus will be up to the task! I will post a review as soon as I receive and test it.
By the way, can someone advise any cooling pad? Preferably powerful enough to cope with the Clevo's heat problems but thin enough to fit in a 15.6 backpack with my Optimus.
Specs:
Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 13.3" Matte Full HD LED IPS Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-4710MQ (2.50GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X IMPACT 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 860M - 2.0GB DDR5, 640 CUDA Cores - DirectX® 11
1st Hard Disk
500GB WD SCORPIO BLACK WD5000BPKX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 16MB CACHE (7200 rpm)
M.2 SSD Drive
120GB Kingston SSDNow mS200 mSATA (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Wireless/Wired Networking
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N-2230 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
13.3" Optimus Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (62.16WH)
Power Cable
1 x European Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
DVD Recovery Media
Windows 8.1 (64-bit) DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Keyboard Language
13.3" OPTIMUS SERIES BACKLIT FRENCH KEYBOARD
Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
FAST TRACK 3 WORKING DAY DISPATCH
Miscellaneous
FREE £90 IN-GAME VOUCHER with GTX 650 / 750 /7000M / 8000M Series GPUs
Miscellaneous
FREE WATCH DOGS with GTX 660 & 7 Series GPUs!
Quantity
1
I was looking for a relatively small laptop that would be used mainly for work (nothing really fancy, mainly MS Office), and some occasional GPU-intensive gaming (e.g. BF4, Thief, Watch Dogs, GTA V). Since I am finishing my dissertation (a lot of MS word and browsing in the library where I can't afford to annoy other researchers with some crazy fan noise) and I intend to use it in a professional setting (work meetings, office), fan noise is an important criterion for me.
So I was hesitating between the 13.3" Optimus and three other machines sold at comparable prices:
- Schenker XMG P304, which is basically the same as PC Specialist's 13.3" Optimus (Clevo W230SS chassis) but with the possibility to add an i7 4712MQ CPU. With 37W max TDP, the 4712MQ chip is supposed to be cooler than the 4710MQ offered by PC Specialist. Since the W230SS chassis is known for heat issues, the 4712MQ seemed like a better option.
- Asus ROG G750JM: With an i7 47100HQ and a GTX 860M, the G750JM is pretty comparable with the Optimus in terms of specs, but has the advantage of being extremely quiet and cool, even during load phases, which is not the case of the Optimus. The problem with the Asus is its size (17.3") and weight. I really didn't see myself moving around with a 10 lbs monster in my backpack.
- Gigabyte P34G v2: Not only is it ultra-thin, but with dual fan + exhaust, the temperature of the P34G v2's 4710HQ CPU never exceeds 91-92°C whereas all Optimus laptops easily reach the 99°C limit which is a bit worrying. The other element that draw me to the Gigabyte alternative is its Smart Cooling system, which supposedly allows to control fan speed, but according to several owners, even in Stealth Mode, the P34G V2 goes crazy every 5 minutes and does not remain quiet, while the Optimus' fan control software is more reliable: it allegedly remains silent on Silent Mode! Oh, and battery life sucks on P34G v2... Other disadvantage of the P34G v2: it came with the Kepler 860M, not the Maxwell one.
After having placed an order for the P34G v2, I finally decided to cancel and to give the Optimus -- which was my first choice -- a chance for the following reasons:
- Best screen (IPS rules!);
- Very decent battery life according to reviews (up to 4h30 in web browsing?);
- PC Specialist post-sale customer service sounds more reliable than Schenker according to reviews (even though I found the guys at Schenker more reactive and helpful)... we'll see! Anyway, PCS customer service is certainly far better than Gigabyte or Asus;
- Ability to replace/upgrade virtually any component by calling PC Specialist or through "My Account" section of their website;
- Build quality: First I like the W230ss design and it seems more solid than the Gigabyte alternative. It seemed better to opt for the solid, upgradable chassis. In terms of durability, W230ss is my first choice (well, the ROG seems better but, man, it's a bloody desktop, not a portable machine);
- The forum is a good place to get interesting info, and to find solutions to potential future technical problems, although I didn't receive much help when I posted about heat and fan noise (and PCS staff did not help either)...
- Possibility to pick a French Keyboard (easy to write in English on a French keyboard but impossible to write in French on a UK keyboard, and I frequently write in both languages) and an EU Power lead which I will take on trips on the continent and MENA;
- Saving £40 thanks to the free copy of Watch Dogs!
I am still a bit worried about fan noise and CPU temps which could undermine the laptop's durability, but for some reason I have a very good feeling about PC Specialist and their 13.3" Optimus, to the extent that I was willing to invest £920. I am probably gonna undervolt the CPU to alleviate the temp problem, but it would have been even greater if PCS offered a 4712MQ or 4702MQ CPU with the W230SS chassis... (Why not??? I know they have it and use it on another Clevo chassis)
So this is a bit of a bet and I hope the 13.3" Optimus will be up to the task! I will post a review as soon as I receive and test it.
By the way, can someone advise any cooling pad? Preferably powerful enough to cope with the Clevo's heat problems but thin enough to fit in a 15.6 backpack with my Optimus.
Specs:
Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 13.3" Matte Full HD LED IPS Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-4710MQ (2.50GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X IMPACT 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 860M - 2.0GB DDR5, 640 CUDA Cores - DirectX® 11
1st Hard Disk
500GB WD SCORPIO BLACK WD5000BPKX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 16MB CACHE (7200 rpm)
M.2 SSD Drive
120GB Kingston SSDNow mS200 mSATA (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Wireless/Wired Networking
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N-2230 (300Mbps) + BLUETOOTH
USB Options
3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD
Battery
13.3" Optimus Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (62.16WH)
Power Cable
1 x European Power Lead & 120W AC Adaptor
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
DVD Recovery Media
Windows 8.1 (64-bit) DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL
Keyboard Language
13.3" OPTIMUS SERIES BACKLIT FRENCH KEYBOARD
Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Insurance
1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
FAST TRACK 3 WORKING DAY DISPATCH
Miscellaneous
FREE £90 IN-GAME VOUCHER with GTX 650 / 750 /7000M / 8000M Series GPUs
Miscellaneous
FREE WATCH DOGS with GTX 660 & 7 Series GPUs!
Quantity
1
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