New 17" laptops

[harrymason260]

Does pc specialist laptops is reliable? I'm looking to invest in laptop which last for me at least 4 5 year?

I'm coming up to a year with my first PCS laptop (17.3" Viper) It's been used literally ever day 7+hrs due to working from home + graphics/imaging processing at weekends. The only disappointing thing has been faded graphics on the keyboard, performed faultlessly otherwise. a sample of one isn't a guarantee but I hope it helps.

 

[Thegrey]

I'm coming up to a year with my first PCS laptop (17.3" Viper) It's been used literally ever day 7+hrs due to working from home + graphics/imaging processing at weekends. The only disappointing thing has been faded graphics on the keyboard, performed faultlessly otherwise. a sample of one isn't a guarantee but I hope it helps.

Any information helps, thank you for sharing it.

 

[Thegrey]

This is my first laptop from PCS (Clevo manufacturer) and I chose to opt for the 2 years warranty, just in case. Still didn't need to send it back for repairs, all the issues I had were software-based and I was able to solve with the help of ppl here on the forum.

I would not recommend chassis from the TongFang manufacturer, as it seems that most of the hardware or BIOS complaints (harder to solve) here on the forum were from owners of TongFang chassis. If you have doubts whether a specific chassis is tongfang or clevo, just post here and we can help you to find out.

Hi again, it looks like a new laptop just appeared on website which is 17.3" recoil IV is this has a clevo chassis? And I think this one is upgradable cpu and gpu.

 

[Macco26]

This is not a very new laptop, it's being offered with past gen RTX 2070 series. However yes, it's a Desktop replacement, with Socketable Intel CPU, but don't know if GPU is replaceable, maybe yes, in the form of MXM module. It's definitely a Clevo.

I do know, however, that a new DTR with Clevo are being renewed in the course of the 2021, they are just waiting Rocket Lake-S CPU to introduce the newer version (of course with RTX 30 series GPU). Expect it in a couple of months, like around 2nd quarter.

 

[FerrariVie]

This is not a very new laptop, it's being offered with past gen RTX 2070 series. However yes, it's a Desktop replacement, with Socketable Intel CPU, but don't know if GPU is replaceable, maybe yes, in the form of MXM module. It's definitely a Clevo.

I do know, however, that a new DTR with Clevo are being renewed in the course of the 2021, they are just waiting Rocket Lake-S CPU to introduce the newer version (of course with RTX 30 series GPU). Expect it in a couple of months, like around 2nd quarter.

While I agree, I do think that a 2080 super in a DTR form factor is still a beast and is probably going to perform better than the 3070 max-q. The only problem is the price, it gets quite expensive on that configuration.

 

[Macco26]

This is true, but I don't like much how NVIDIA treats its old-gen. Like now they are adding for example NVIDIA Broadcast, then other features, and leaves old gen in the waters. Same for Dynamic Boost 2.0, Resizable Bar, or Whisper Mode 2.0. I mean. They of course like to sell newer cards, but it's a bit shady they always keep newest features outside of the drivers for old gens.
So, at comparable price and TGP, I'd always lean toward the next gen, so to be covered 1-2 years extra.

However sure: 2080 Super beats the hell out of a 3070 max-Q. But who gets Max-Q unless choose for a very thin laptop? My suggestion was to wait for RKL-S CPU + 3070 Max-P or 3080 Max-P in next DTR; that chassis should push the 3080 at 200W fairly well. They're around the corner (well, probably will require some more cash, though..)

 

[FerrariVie]

This is true, but I don't like much how NVIDIA treats its old-gen. Like now they are adding for example NVIDIA Broadcast, then other features, and leaves old gen in the waters. Same for Dynamic Boost 2.0, Resizable Bar, or Whisper Mode 2.0. I mean. They of course like to sell newer cards, but it's a bit shady they always keep newest features outside of the drivers for old gens.
So, at comparable price and TGP, I'd always lean toward the next gen, so to be covered 1-2 years extra.

That is indeed true. While I understand that things like dynamic boost and resizable BAR should very likely require some extra hardware component, there is no reason why they shouldn't make Broadcast available to GTX 10 or GTX16 series, as that is purely a software feature. I do use it and find the image quality to be a lot better than without using it, not to mention the microphone's noise reduction.

 

[Macco26]

Devil's advocate here. They say those software features are using AI code running thorugh their Tensor Cores, hence RTX only.
But in general I don't like how those manufacturers forget their past generation as soon as next gen comes in. hence my advice to pick the newest gen if it does not cost way too much.

 

[Thegrey]

This is true, but I don't like much how NVIDIA treats its old-gen. Like now they are adding for example NVIDIA Broadcast, then other features, and leaves old gen in the waters. Same for Dynamic Boost 2.0, Resizable Bar, or Whisper Mode 2.0. I mean. They of course like to sell newer cards, but it's a bit shady they always keep newest features outside of the drivers for old gens.
So, at comparable price and TGP, I'd always lean toward the next gen, so to be covered 1-2 years extra.

However sure: 2080 Super beats the hell out of a 3070 max-Q. But who gets Max-Q unless choose for a very thin laptop? My suggestion was to wait for RKL-S CPU + 3070 Max-P or 3080 Max-P in next DTR; that chassis should push the 3080 at 200W fairly well. They're around the corner (well, probably will require some more cash, though..)

I think I will take your advice and wait for few more months for 30 series video cards in DTR.
Thank you

 

[Sonic1506]

What's wrong with TongFang? Can someone explain in simple terms?

 

[Macco26]

Some people in this forum had cases in the past generation of unreliable battery operations which PCS said couldn't be fixed, and some keyboard engravings not very durable.
I am saying this as a guy which pre-ordered a Tongfang myself, as I want to check if new generation got bumped in reliability vs what other people "suffered". Also because in any other community I've seen around the world, Tongfang has been pretty well received, so.. they can't be all that bad.

 

[Sonic1506]

Some people in this forum had cases in the past generation of unreliable battery operations which PCS said couldn't be fixed, and some keyboard engravings not very durable.
I am saying this as a guy which pre-ordered a Tongfang myself, as I want to check if new generation got bumped in reliability vs what other people "suffered". Also because in any other community I've seen around the world, Tongfang has been pretty well received, so.. they can't be all that bad.

Keyboard engravings, in my opinion, isn't really anything huge or worth fretting about and IMO other variables come into play. A colleague of mine had a HP laptop and within 6 months half the keys had faded. Another colleague, same laptop, same length of time elapsed, the keys are fine.

What do you mean unreliable battery operations? I.e. it didn't work for a long time away from being plugged in?

 

[Bhuna50]

What's wrong with TongFang? Can someone explain in simple terms?

I currently suffer from the degrading keyboard and its going back shortly for a new keyboard. The rate this has deteriorated (started day two and in less than 6 weeks, the Shift keys have disappeared, the M and O keys fading badly and the gaming ones A, S, D, C, W, E are almost all gone = not acceptable in my opinion.) has put me off from recommending them at the moment, however if the new keyboard, when fitted, does not suffer them same, then Im happy to put that down to just being a glitch.

Re the poor performance on battery, there is a thread somewhere if you search.

I will be honest and say though its a fantastic laptop and I have had no problems with it other than the keyboard and am pleased with its performance.

 

[FerrariVie]

Last year there were also some cases of screens falling from the frame, but that seems to have stopped for a while now.

This is the post that @andjef796 was talking about:

Vyper 17 Slow on Battery

Hi guys, I got my Vyper 17 with RTX 2070 super. Everything runs good but when I use it on battery it runs really slow to the point that I get some freeze moment when browsing. The battery also only last about an hour doing light browsing on the web. Are there any other Vyper 17 owner that can...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

I currently suffer from the degrading keyboard and its going back shortly for a new keyboard. The rate this has deteriorated (started day two and in less than 6 weeks, the Shift keys have disappeared, the M and O keys fading badly and the gaming ones A, S, D, C, W, E are almost all gone = not acceptable in my opinion.) has put me off from recommending them at the moment, however if the new keyboard, when fitted, does not suffer them same, then Im happy to put that down to just being a glitch.

Re the poor performance on battery, there is a thread somewhere if you search.

I will be honest and say though its a fantastic laptop and I have had no problems with it other than the keyboard and am pleased with its performance.

Would you mind sharing a current picture of your keyboard?

 

[Bhuna50]

Last year there were also some cases of screens falling from the frame, but that seems to have stopped for a while now.

This is the post that @andjef796 was talking about:

Vyper 17 Slow on Battery

Hi guys, I got my Vyper 17 with RTX 2070 super. Everything runs good but when I use it on battery it runs really slow to the point that I get some freeze moment when browsing. The battery also only last about an hour doing light browsing on the web. Are there any other Vyper 17 owner that can...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Would you mind sharing a current picture of your keyboard?

They look worse in person than pics make out but hopefully you can see it’s getting bad:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sonic1506]

I currently suffer from the degrading keyboard and its going back shortly for a new keyboard. The rate this has deteriorated (started day two and in less than 6 weeks, the Shift keys have disappeared, the M and O keys fading badly and the gaming ones A, S, D, C, W, E are almost all gone = not acceptable in my opinion.) has put me off from recommending them at the moment, however if the new keyboard, when fitted, does not suffer them same, then Im happy to put that down to just being a glitch.

Re the poor performance on battery, there is a thread somewhere if you search.

I will be honest and say though its a fantastic laptop and I have had no problems with it other than the keyboard and am pleased with its performance.

what sort of material would you say is on the keyboard? Is it something rubbery or does it feel like hard wearing plastic?

 

[Bhuna50]

what sort of material would you say is on the keyboard? Is it something rubbery or does it feel like hard wearing plastic?

I'm c..p at things like this - lol.

I would say the keys themselves are a clearish plastic so you can see the LED lighting, but then they have some form of black with white lettering smooth coating to them - presumably printed. The plastic of the key itself is very sturdy and the keys themselves depress / release very cleanly and typing is easy - its just this coating that is the main issue.

I was tempted to just buy some keyboard stickers, but its a brand new laptop so its going back for a new keyboard to see what happens next.

 

[Macco26]

@andjef796 Are this keyboard keys in the pictures from the Vyper? I assumed it was like this, with no plastic between the keys:

The Ionico should be like this.
Anyway it could very well be painted in the same bad manner. Hope not.

 

[Bhuna50]

I don’t know sorry. I have Optimus Pro. Not sure what Vyper looked like.

Keys look similar though but I like your font and they look a bit more centrally lettered. Mine had some off centre printed letters.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Macco26]

Those I put was the first keyboard I googled for by looking for Vyper 17. So the same chassis of Vyper is Ionico. Yours 2021 refresh should be the Elimina Pro I believe.