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Review Eurocom X3 (Clevo P157SM) Notebook

Ultimate Haswell. Equipped with some of the fastest mobile Haswell and Kepler chipsets currently available, the Eurocom X3 shows no mercy when it comes to application and gaming performance. We take a closer look at the hardware and its performance advantages over the previous Intel and Nvidia generations.

Our last scrutiny on a Eurocom model was the 15.6-inch Racer 2.0 based on the Clevo P150EM barebones late last year. Equipped with AMD’s top of the line Pitcairn GPU, the entire package had a shaky launch due to a few Radeon driver issues, but the hardware itself was nonetheless impressive on its own right. Eurocom’s updated lineup this year coincides with the launch of both Haswell and Nvidia's Kepler refresh and, as is typical for a high-end reseller, includes some of the most powerful silicon from both manufacturers.

The Eurocom X3 is similar in size to the Racer 2.0, but makes use of a newer Clevo P157SM barebones housing a more powerful Core i7-4930MX quad-core CPU paired with both 16 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 780M GPU. We reviewed the chassis in great detail earlier this month equipped with a different set of hardware features, but it was only a pre-production model due to limited availability. Since the Eurocom X3 shares many hardware similarities, we focus instead on the hardware performance benefits that this newer model provides compared to the Racer 2.0 and other DTRs equipped with first generation Kepler GPUs. For more information on the case, connectivity and input devices, please see our review on the preliminary K56-3N2 model.

Case

Compared to our pre-production K56-3N2 unit, the final Eurocom model sports the same high quality construction and rubberized surfaces for a more luxury feel than the Clevo P150EM. Other minute upgrades include sharper-looking edges and corners and more stylized vent grilles that remind us of the slick Asus ROG notebooks. Certain areas that do not have the new rubberized surface treatment, such as the inner display bezel, side edges and belly, feel rigid nonetheless with little to negligible warping under applied pressure. It’s still a boxy chassis compared to the heavy stylized Maingear or Alienware notebooks, but that is to be expected from a barebones unit made for easy end-user maintenance and troubleshooting.

One minor complaint is the new rectangular speaker grilles that look rather lackluster in design. Both grilles are also protected by slits of glossy covering, which are thin enough to bend when pressed. Compared to sleeker speaker designs as found on many MSI-based barebones, the speakers here appear much more unremarkable. Fortunately, the wobbly display that we experienced on the K56-3N2 is much less severe on the Eurocom equivalent. The small hinges are very stiff with no noticeable screen vibrations whilst typing on a solid surface.

Chassis based on the Clevo P157SM
Chassis based on the Clevo P157SM
Rubberized matte surface returns
Rubberized matte surface returns
Lid opened at maximum angle
Lid opened at maximum angle

Input Devices

Keyboard

The differences between keyboards on Clevo barebones are minor as most are beveled with raised rectangular keys and have a similar layout and overall feel. We especially like that the left- and right-hand edges of the backlit keyboard are close to the sides of the notebook for additional space. The directional keys, for example, are thankfully the same size as the QWERTY keys, but the Enter key could be a bit too small for some. Travel also feels shallow for a DTR, though this is made up for by the solid yet quiet feedback of the keys.

Touchpad

Whereas the keyboard has remained relatively unchanged compared to the Racer 2.0, the lightly rubberized touchpad (10 cm x 6 cm) and click keys have been slightly redesigned with a less boxy look. The touchpad itself is smooth and responsive with no warping if pressed firmly. The click keys are similar, but with a shallower travel than what one may expect from a thick notebook. Also noteworthy is the auditory click, which is different in tone between the left and right keys. Feedback is satisfactory all around, though we would have liked a deeper travel for the keys in general. 

Similar beveled keyboard as the Racer 2.0
Similar beveled keyboard as the Racer 2.0
Redesigned touchpad
Redesigned touchpad
No undersized numpad or arrow keys
No undersized numpad or arrow keys

Display

The 1080p display is nothing short of amazing and in fact uses the same Lenovo B156HW01 V4 panel as found on the high-end MSI MS-16F2 barebones and ThinkPad W530 workstation. Subjectively, texts are crisp, colors look deep and the screen is free from the screen door effect that can often be found on budget notebooks.

An X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2 was used to directly measure screen brightness across nine quadrants. With an average of about 242 nits, the display nearly matches and essentially confirms our measurements on the similar One K56-3N2 notebook. For a matte display meant mainly for indoor use, this maximum brightness is sufficient for comfortable viewing, though many Ultrabooks do have much higher brightness levels in order to improve outdoor visibility. Compared to other gaming notebooks, the original Racer 2.0 is only slightly dimmer while the recently released 17.3-inch MSI GT70H is much brighter at over 300 nits.

250
cd/m²
242.3
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
246.3
cd/m²
260.1
cd/m²
232.4
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
244.7
cd/m²
226.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Lenovo B156HW01 V4 tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 260.1 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 241.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 260.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 591:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)88.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
97.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
80.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4

Color space reproduction nearly covers the AdobeRGB standard at about 95 percent. This is very similar to the display of the Eurocom Racer 2.0, rivals that of the similar ThinkPad W530 and is much wider than the gaming-centrc MSI GT70H, which makes the Eurocom a better choice for professional digital artists.

Further display analyses were performed with the CALMAN 5 software. When out-of-the-box and uncalibrated, the Eurocom was already able to show good color and gamma levels, though the overly cool color temperature threw off a bit of the display’s accuracy. Results post calibration with the X-Rite i1Display 2 lowered the color temperature to a much more reasonable 6580K for both a more accurate grayscale and saturated color reproduction.

X3 vs. AdobeRGB
X3 vs. AdobeRGB
X3 vs. MSI GT70H
X3 vs. MSI GT70H
X3 vs. Eurocom Racer 2.0
X3 vs. Eurocom Racer 2.0
X3 vs. ThinkPad W530
X3 vs. ThinkPad W530
Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Color before calibration
Color before calibration
Saturation before calibration
Saturation before calibration
Grayscale post calibration
Grayscale post calibration
Color post calibration
Color post calibration
Saturation post calibration
Saturation post calibration
Good visibility outdoors when under shade
Good visibility outdoors when under shade

Outdoor use is, of course, not recommended with a DTR. If unavoidable, the X3 can be used rather comfortably when under shade on a flat surface and at maximum screen brightness. Battery life is expected to take a large hit under these conditions and its large power adapter should definitely be within reach throughout the day. Fortunately, maximum brightness will not artificially drop if running on batteries.

Viewing angles Eurocom X3
Viewing angles Eurocom X3

Viewing angle stability is wider than budget TN displays with much less intense color inversions at lower angles. Viewing at an angle below the center normal still suffers from major color shifting due to the inherent panel technology as IPS panel options are still a rarity in this class of high-end DTRs.

Performance

3.9 GHz maximum Turbo Boost attainable with 1 active core
3.9 GHz maximum Turbo Boost attainable with 1 active core

The launch of the Eurocom X3 comes just in time after the arrival of both Intel’s Haswell and Nvidia’s Kepler refresh. As a result, the notebook houses some of the most high-end hardware options for a 15.6-inch DTR including a Core i7-4700MQ, i7-4800MQ, i7-4900MQ and i7-4930MX CPU options with an Nvidia GTX 765M, GTX 770M or GTX 780M. Whereas Haswell represents significant on-die changes from its previous “tock” generation, the GeForce 700M series is a simple rebrand before the inevitable Maxwell successor. More information on the Haswell architecture can be found in our full review here.

The model in review houses the top models from both sets: the i7-4930MX and GTX 780M rated at 3.0 GHz and 823/1250 MHz core/memory, respectively. In the X3, this CPU will idle at 800 MHz (similar to IVB cores) and the GPU at 135/162 MHz for power-saving purposes. Optimus is included alongside the integrated Intel HD 4600 GPU, but all performance benchmarks below will focus on the discrete Nvidia solution instead. More information on the HD 4600 can be found in our full review here.

RAM is provided by four 4 GB PC3-12800 removable modules, all of which are accessible via an easily removable hatch below the notebook and underneath the keyboard. More pictures of the internals can be seen in our review of the K56-3N2.

A quick run with DPC Latency Checker returned no recurring high latency peaks. This is perhaps unsurprising considering that Eurocom products are usually installed with clean operating systems; a separate disc with drivers is provided for manual installation of auxiliary features and functions.

System information Eurocom X3

Processor

Performance from the i7-4930MX CPU is similar to that of the desktop Ivy Bridge i7-3770K in CineBench benchmarks. Compared to mobile processors, the CPU is similar to the i7-3940XM, the fastest quad-core Ivy Bridge processor currently available. This is to be expected as both cores share the same Turbo Boost clock rates and L1 through L3 cache sizes. Despite the architectural improvements, however, the Haswell core in the X3 shows only small benchmark performance benefits when compared directly to the i7-3940XM. Multi-thread wPrime results in particular are slower for the i7-4930MX than the i7-3940MX (240 seconds vs. 219 seconds) while Super Pi and CineBench R10 results are only slightly better.

CineBench R10 64-bit
CineBench R10 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5508
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
20341
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
11664
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
7320 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
27273 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
12270 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.73 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.62 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
72.9 fps
Help

System Performance

Final PCMark 7 score is among the highest
Final PCMark 7 score is among the highest

PCMark 7 and PCMark Vantage were used to assess system performance. At 6053 and 21909 points, respectively, the X3 outclasses the recently reviewed MSI GT70H (5310 points) and the Acer Aspire S5-391 (5949 points) with 2x Lite-On SSDs in RAID 0 formation. The latter is worth mentioning as PCMark 7 tends to favor systems with dedicated SSDs over mechanical drives, and the Eurocom still comes out on top with only a single SSD. We have tested very few notebooks that were able to crack the 6000 mark in PCMark 7 - the Dell Precision M6700 and Schenker XMG P703 being the most notable. Anything above this range speaks volumes about general application performance and system responsiveness.

7.7
Windows 7 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
7.7
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
7.8
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
7.7
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
7.7
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
7.9
PCMark Vantage Result
21909 points
PCMark 7 Score
6053 points
Help

Storage Devices

The X3 is capable of housing up to five internal drives: 2x 7mm or 9.5 mm SATA III drives, 2x mSATA SATA III drives and 1x ODD SATA II drive with RAID 0/1/5/10 support. This alone is impressive for a 15.6-inch barebones where up to two or three simultaneous drives are much more common. Due to space constraints, the second mSATA bay is hidden underneath the first HDD bay while the second HDD bay is hidden underneath the ODD SATA II drive. Note that an optical drive occupies the ODD bay by default and must be swapped out in order to insert a hard drive.

Our review model is equipped with two drives: a primary mSATA 120 GB Crucial CT120M500SSD3 and a secondary 7200 RPM 1 TB Hitachi Travelstar HGST HTS721010A9E630. Both drives return very fast benchmark numbers; the HDD in particular averages 106.7 MB/s transfer rates on HD Tune, which is one of the fastest 9.5 mm 1 TB drives we have tested.

Similarly, the Crucial SSD is near the top of the list in terms of sequential read speed alongside the high-end Lite-On LMT-128M3M and ADATA XM11. Sequential write speeds (137.5 MB/s) could be a bit better as many Samsung and Intel 320/520 Series of SSDs return slightly higher numbers in Crystal Disk Mark, though real-world performance will be subjectively similar. The ability to easily enable RAID 1 between the already superfast SSDs or HDDs will surely appeal to power users.

For more benchmarks and comparisons between HDD and SSD models, see our growing list here.

mSATA drive adjacent to battery and CPU fan
mSATA drive adjacent to battery and CPU fan
Additional drive bay underneath the 2.5-inch drive
Additional drive bay underneath the 2.5-inch drive
Modular optical drive can be swapped for another storage drive
Modular optical drive can be swapped for another storage drive
Hitachi HDD on CDM
Hitachi HDD on CDM
Hitachi HDD on HD Tune
Hitachi HDD on HD Tune
Corsair SSD on ATTO
Corsair SSD on ATTO
Crucial M500 120 GB CT120M500SSD3
Transfer Rate Minimum: 166.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 430.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 347.4 MB/s
Access Time: 0.1 ms
Burst Rate: 97.4 MB/s
CPU Usage: -1 %

Gaming Performance

Tomb Raider and Guild Wars 2 show some of the biggest improvements in frame rates from a GTX 680M
Tomb Raider and Guild Wars 2 show some of the biggest improvements in frame rates from a GTX 680M
Other titles with more advanced features like FXAA, SSAA and HDAO still run great at 30 FPS or slightly higher
Other titles with more advanced features like FXAA, SSAA and HDAO still run great at 30 FPS or slightly higher

Compared to the previous GTX 680M record holder, the GTX 780M crams in more unified shaders (1536 cores vs. 1344 cores) operating at higher maximum frequencies (823 MHz vs. 720 MHz) with GPU Boost 2.0. Even though the core architecture remains essentially identical, performance in both synthetic benchmarks and games has increased noticeably.

3DMark Fire Strike Extreme returns a final score of 2344 points, almost 20 percent higher than the iBuyPower Valkyrie CZ-17 with its GTX 680M under the same benchmark. Similarly, final 3DMark 11 scores for the X3 are over 25 percent higher over the Valkyrie (7900 vs. 5804 points). A dedicated desktop GTX 680 or systems with dual GTX 680M graphics like the Clevo P370EM still come out substantially higher (9946 points and 9255 points in 3DMark 11, respectively), but the GTX 780M is so far unmatched for a single consumer-oriented mobile GPU setup.

Gaming performance is equally remarkable; all games tested can be played smoothly on High or Ultra settings at 1080p resolution. Even Guild Wars 2 and its bandwidth-heavy supersampling AA was not enough to substantially cut down frame rates, which was a smooth 50 FPS compared to 34 FPS on the 680M-equipped Valkyrie CZ-17 and 32 FPS on the Radeon HD 7970M-equipped XMG P502. Certain titles like Sleeping Dogs, Crysis 3 or the Metro 2033 series utilize more advanced display techniques than other games and will run closer to 30 FPS on average at maximum settings. It’s certainly outstanding for a simple Kepler refresh at the cost of high fan noise as detailed in the next section.

For more information, comparisons and benchmarks on the GTX 780M, see our full review of the GPU here.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
27795 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
27543 points
3DMark 11 Performance
7900 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
88679 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
19208 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4786 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
2344 points
Help
low med. high ultra
Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) 233 108
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 94 66
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 102 31
Guild Wars 2 (2012) 57 50
Dishonored (2012) 128 126
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) 170 106
Tomb Raider (2013) 155 66
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 110 74
BioShock Infinite (2013) 150 46
Metro: Last Light (2013) 70 37

Emissions

System Noise

45 mm CPU fan is quiet only when system is idle
45 mm CPU fan is quiet only when system is idle
60 mm GPU fan kicks in very quickly under load
60 mm GPU fan kicks in very quickly under load

The X3 utilizes two discrete system fans - one larger 60 mm GPU fan and a smaller 45 mm CPU fan – each with their own rear exhaust vent. Certain barebones only utilize a single fan and connected heatsink assembly, such as the MSI-based Maingear Nomad 15, with varying results.

When idling, the Eurocom can be as low as 33.7 dB(A), which is only noticeably audible under quiet ambient conditions. This is impressive considering the horsepower inside, but system noise will easily bump up to the very audible 40 dB(A) range under even very light loads and will remain steady at this noise level.

Medium to high workloads will increase fan noise to 45.3 dB(A) and 52.8 dB(A) if the discrete GPU is under stress or gaming. If left under maximum stress, a high of 57.4 dB(A) was measured from the system, or louder than similarly sized systems like the Racer 2.0, MSI GT60 or Nomad 15. Generally, users can expect unavoidable fan noise during use, which is common amongst DTRs.

Noise Level

Idle
33.7 / 33.8 / 33.9 dB(A)
DVD
44.4 / 45.8 dB(A)
Load
41.1 / 57.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Surface temperatures on the X3 remain reasonably low ranging from low to mid 30 degrees C when idling or under light loads. While this may be partly attributed to the somewhat loud system fans, this also ensures comfortable hands during everyday use. The usual rear hot spots are almost not identifiable under these conditions as well. The palm rests in particular do not change much at all in terms of surface temperatures even when under higher loads, likely due to the design choice of exhausting almost all heat through the rear only and positioning the copper heat pipes further away from the front.

When stressed under maximum CPU and GPU loads for over an hour, clear hot spots can be easily recognized. The bottom corner closest to the GPU was as hot as 55 degrees C according to our measurements, or a full 10 degrees warmer than the corresponding CPU side and its smaller fan and heatsink assembly. Overall temperatures here are much higher than the similar K56-3N2 and Ivy Bridge/Radeon equipped Racer 2.0 notebooks, but most users will never experience such high levels as our test is generally unrepresentative of everyday or even gaming use.

Max. Load
 40.2 °C
104 F
45.8 °C
114 F
38.8 °C
102 F
 
 37.6 °C
100 F
43.8 °C
111 F
37.2 °C
99 F
 
 28.8 °C
84 F
38.2 °C
101 F
30 °C
86 F
 
Maximum: 45.8 °C = 114 F
Average: 37.8 °C = 100 F
55 °C
131 F
49.6 °C
121 F
45 °C
113 F
35.6 °C
96 F
50.2 °C
122 F
36 °C
97 F
30.8 °C
87 F
39.8 °C
104 F
30.2 °C
86 F
Maximum: 55 °C = 131 F
Average: 41.4 °C = 107 F
Power Supply (max.)  62.6 °C = 145 F | Room Temperature 25.2 °C = 77 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.8 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.8 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 55 °C / 131 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 38.2 °C / 100.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-9.3 °C / -16.8 F).

Stress Test

We utilize Prime95 and FurMark to stress the CPU and discrete GPU, respectively, with CPU-Z, GPU-Z and HWiNFO monitoring tools. With only Prime95 active, the CPU cores were observed to be operating at a steady 3.3 to 3.5 GHz range with no drops or sudden throttles. Note that this range is below the rated 3.7 GHz maximum Turbo Boost for all active cores, but still around 300 to 500 MHz faster than its base 3.0 GHz clock rate. Core temperatures also rose very quickly to over 85 degrees C within the first 10 seconds accompanied by an increasingly louder system fan.

With only FurMark active, the GTX 780M was observed to be operating at its 770.8 MHz core clock, but slowly dropped to a more stable 692.4 MHz. Memory clock remained steady at 1250 MHz throughout while GPU temperature hovered close to 80 degrees C.

With both Prime95 and FurMark active simultaneously for over an hour, the CPU clocked a bit lower at a steady 3.2 to 3.4 GHz while the GPU was able to operate at a steady 692.4 MHz throughout the entire duration. CPU and GPU temperatures reached a very hot but expected 94 and 87 degrees C maximum, respectively, by the end of the test. Neither processing cores were observed to throttle, though users should keep in mind that the high 94 degrees temperature is quite close to the 100 degrees thermal operating limit of the Haswell processor. A quick 3DMark 11 run immediately following the stress test returned no reductions in both final and CPU scores, which confirm no throttling issues for even intense everyday workloads.

If running on batteries, both CPU and GPU performances drop significantly, even when running on the High Performance profile. The CPU operates only up to 1.8 GHz for all cores while the GPU similarly maxes out at 405/400 MHz. A 3DMark 06 run on batteries returned much lower numbers with a final score of 14027 points and 3780 points for the CPU. These scores are essentially halved compared to an available AC supply, which returned 27795 points and 7119 points in the same test.

3.7 GHz Turbo Boost unsustainable under maximum CPU load
3.7 GHz Turbo Boost unsustainable under maximum CPU load
GTX 780M drops to 692.4 MHz under maximum GPU load
GTX 780M drops to 692.4 MHz under maximum GPU load
CPU steady at 3.2 - 3.3 GHz under maximum system stress
CPU steady at 3.2 - 3.3 GHz under maximum system stress

Speakers

2.5 W subwoofer next to GPU fan
2.5 W subwoofer next to GPU fan

The 2.2 W stereo speakers plus 2.5 W subwoofer sound great and are similar in size to the Racer 2.0, but underwhelm for the price and when compared to the competition. Like our pre-production review model, sound quality has a slight tinny attribute despite the active subwoofer. The X3 speakers do perform better at louder volumes compared to other notebooks of the same size where unbalanced sounds, static or rattling may occur due to unwanted vibrations. 

Battery Life

Like the Racer 2.0 and K56-3N2, the Eurocom X3 comes with a dense 8-cell 5200 mAh 76.96 Whr battery and no other available capacities. Performing the same Reader’s Test and Classic Test as on the K56-3N2 returned similar runtimes as expected, if not slightly lower overall. When under general WLAN use with the occasional videos at 150 cd/m2 brightness, users can expect a solid 3 hours of runtime before needing to shutdown. Enabling the dGPU can potentially knock battery life down by almost 2 hours if under heavy processing loads.

Average runtime on the X3 compares favorably against the Pitcairn-based Racer 2.0 and is more or less comparable to the similarly specced Clevo P150SM. The Nomad 15 and its high-end IVB and GTX 680M components managed to last about an hour longer under the same WLAN test. Generally speaking, we have yet to record significantly longer battery life advantages from mobile Haswell and high-end GTX 700M systems, so users should still expect similar runtimes compared to barebones with previous generation hardware.

Minimum runtime
Minimum runtime
Maximum runtime
Maximum runtime
WLAN runtime
WLAN runtime
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 45min
WiFi Surfing
3h 12min
DVD
3h 29min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 06min

Verdict

Eurocom X3
Eurocom X3

We can spend all day complaining about the size, fan noise and battery life of the Eurocom X3, but such qualities may not be exactly what the target audience is most concerned about. Raw performance is where it’s at and the X3 does its best to satiate eager performance-hunters in need of a 15.6-inch barebones model with a high-end Haswell-compatible chipset and an MXM 3.0 bay for an equally high-end GPU. Additional improvements, such as the ability to connect up to five internal storage drives and Eurocom’s 3-year warranty options may persuade users who might be considering more pre-baked solutions from DTR competitors and resellers like MSI, Alienware, or Maingear. Internally, the X3 is quite similar to the previous generation Racer 2.0 with slight modifications both inside and out for a sleeker feel without sacrificing case quality. This is certainly welcomed as Clevo barebones tend to lack the aggressive styling that said competitors above usually have and exploit.

A notable negative is the system’s reduced performance when running on batteries. Even when on high performance mode, both the CPU and GPU will operate at reduced speeds below their base frequencies. However, this will have no ill effects if word processing or browsing and we expect most users will have the notebook plugged to a nearby outlet regardless.

The second negative is the inability of this particular Haswell CPU to maintain its rated maximum 3.7 GHz Turbo Boost for all four active cores. Sustaining maximum Turbo Boost for any CPU is not easy for notebooks due to heat, stability issues, TDP limits or other power bottlenecks as many other high-end DTRs face the same issues. Still, the X3 was able to maintain 3.2 to 3.5 GHz Turbo Boost clock speeds without issues in our tests, handily above its base 3.0 GHz clock. The GPU would operate under its rated 770.8 MHz core clock too, but performance and benchmark numbers are nonetheless appreciably higher than much of the competition.

The Eurocom X3 and its related new Clevo shells are already a great start for the new Haswell and Kepler generation. None of the updates offer radical upgrades or surprising departures that the few enthusiasts may have been waiting for, but they are nonetheless an expected step up in terms of raw performance and numbers.

In Comparison

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
1920x1080 Ultra / Extreme AA:on (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
74 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
67 fps
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
110 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
79 fps
1366x768 Medium (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
91 fps
Guild Wars 2
1920x1080 All Maximum / On AA:FX (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
50 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
34 fps
Schenker XMG P502
32.5 fps
1366x768 Best Appearance Preset AA:FX (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
57 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
43 fps
Sleeping Dogs
1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:Extreme (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
31 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
27 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
22.6 fps
Schenker XMG P502
29.1 fps
1366x768 High Preset AA:High (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
102 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
81 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
79.4 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:Normal (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
98 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
108.5 fps
Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
66 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
47 fps
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
155 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
119 fps
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
179 fps
BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
46 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
45 fps
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
150 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
111 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
126 fps
Deus Ex Human Revolution
1920x1080 DX11, Soft Shadows, SSAO High, DOF: High, Post Processing, Tessellation AA:ML AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
108 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
86 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
136.9 fps
1366x768 DX11, Shadows, SSAO, DOF: Normal, Post Processing, Tessellation AA:Simple Edge AF:4x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
233 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
165 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
283.4 fps
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:8x AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
66 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
52 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
87.2 fps
Schenker XMG P502
59.3 fps
1366x768 High Preset AA:8x AF:8x (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
94 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
72 fps
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro
127.7 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:4x (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
88 fps
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
1920x1080 (Extra) High / On, FXAA AA:4xMS (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
106 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
72 fps
Schenker XMG P502
75.8 fps
1366x768 High / On, FXAA AA:2xMS (sort by value)
Eurocom X3
170 fps
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
101 fps
1366x768 Medium / Off (sort by value)
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17
145 fps

Legend

 
Eurocom X3 Intel Core i7-4930MX, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M, Crucial M500 120 GB CT120M500SSD3
 
Ibuypower Valkyrie CZ 17 Intel Core i7-3630QM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M, Intel SSD 335 SSDSC2CT180A4
 
SCHENKER XMG P722 Pro Intel Core i7-3820QM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M SLI, Corsair Neutron GTX SSD
 
Schenker XMG P502 Intel Core i7-3610QM, AMD Radeon HD 7970M, Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003-1AC154
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In Review: Eurocom X3
In Review: Eurocom X3

Specifications

Eurocom X3 (X Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 823 MHz, Memory: 1250 MHz, 80.04.92.00.02, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 800 MHz Dual-Channel 11-11-11-28
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, Lenovo B156HW01 V4, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM87 (Lynx Point)
Storage
Crucial M500 120 GB CT120M500SSD3, 120 GB 
, Secondary 1 TB Hitachi Travelstar HGST HTS721010A9E630
Soundcard
Intel Lynx Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Firewire, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 eSata, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone, microphone, S/PDIF and Line-in; 7.1 Surround output capable, Card Reader: 9-in-1 MMC/RSMMC/SD/miniSD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/MS Duo, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
MATSHITA BD-MLT UJ260
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 45 x 375 x 268 ( = 1.77 x 14.76 x 10.55 in)
Battery
77 Wh Lithium-Ion, 5200 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2 MP 1080p30 w/ Samsung HD sensor
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2.2 W + 1x 2.5 W subwoofer, Keyboard: Beveled, Keyboard Light: yes, User's guide, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Drivers and utilities disk, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
3.49 kg ( = 123.11 oz / 7.69 pounds), Power Supply: 1.02 kg ( = 35.98 oz / 2.25 pounds)
Price
2435 USD

 

Eurocom X3 based on the Clevo P157SM barebones
Eurocom X3 based on the Clevo P157SM barebones
Structurally similar to the previous Racer 2.0, but with minor improvements throughout
Structurally similar to the previous Racer 2.0, but with minor improvements throughout
Front 2.2 W speakers look dull in appearance
Front 2.2 W speakers look dull in appearance
Hinges are small, but strong enough to hold the display taut
Hinges are small, but strong enough to hold the display taut
High quality matte screen covers nearly 95 percent of adobeRGB
High quality matte screen covers nearly 95 percent of adobeRGB
Backlit beveled keyboard
Backlit beveled keyboard
Panels underneath are easily removable
Panels underneath are easily removable
Like the Racer 2.0, the X3 allows easy access to nearly all components
Like the Racer 2.0, the X3 allows easy access to nearly all components
Heat sinks are as close to the rear as possible for better exhaust and cooling
Heat sinks are as close to the rear as possible for better exhaust and cooling
8-cell battery provides 5200 mAh of power
8-cell battery provides 5200 mAh of power
Large power adapter (17 x 8 x 3.5 cm) outputs 19 V
Large power adapter (17 x 8 x 3.5 cm) outputs 19 V
Pre-installed Windows 7 is free from bloatware, but auxiliary drivers are provided via installation discs
Pre-installed Windows 7 is free from bloatware, but auxiliary drivers are provided via installation discs

Similar Laptops

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

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GeForce GTX 780M, Core i7 4700MQ

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Review Alienware 17 (Haswell) Notebook
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Review Update Asus G750JH-T4080H Notebook
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Review MSI GT70H-80M4811B Notebook
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Review Schenker XMG P703 (Clevo P177SM) Notebook
GeForce GTX 780M, Core i7 4900MQ, 17.30", 3.92 kg

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight

Eurocom Raptor X17 laptop review: The MSI and Asus ROG alternative
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, Raptor Lake-HX i9-13900HX, 17.30", 3.471 kg

Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Excellent system performance
+Noticeable gains in gaming performance and frame rates
+No throttling under high loads
+High quality display
+Easily accessible internals and troubleshooting
+2x mSATA, 2x 2.5-inch, and 1x ODD storage options
+No pre-installed bloatware
+3-year warranty options
 

Cons

-Loud system fans during medium to high loads
-Unable to sustain maximum 3.7 GHz CPU Turbo Boost
-Reduced CPU and GPU performance when running on batteries
-Average sound quality for the price
-Average battery life

Shortcut

What we like

Extreme system performance, accurate display and easy access to all internals will appeal to any enthusiast or hardcore user. Expandability and numerous storage options give the X3 long legs.

What we'd like to see

Lower system noise during gaming or high load.

What surprises us

Easily one of the fastest notebooks with a single SSD and discrete GPU we have tested.

The competition

Acer Aspire V3-772G

Asus G750JX

Eurocom Racer 2.0

iBuyPower Valkyrie CZ-17

One K56-3N2

Schenker W503

Rating

Eurocom X3 - 06/24/2013 v3(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
84%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
74%
Connectivity
88%
Weight
67%
Battery
80%
Display
85%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
100%
Temperature
80%
Noise
66%
Add Points
85%
Average
83%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average
Allen Ngo, 2013-06-24 (Update: 2013-07-10)