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Review Medion Erazer X6815 Notebook

Price-performance sensation. Medion has a really hot iron in its fire with the Erazer X6815. Which manufacturer still manages to fuse a Core i7-2630QM, a GeForce GT 555M, a Full HD display and a BluRay drive for 800 euros? As always, the devil is in the details, though.
Medion Erazer X6815

If you read at the Erazer X6815's (MD97824) specs and then look at the price, you'll likely first raise your eyebrows in disbelief and think: That's too good to be true!

At a price of 800 euros, the buyer is not only given a quad core processor from Intel's latest Sandy Bridge generation (Core i7-2630QM) and a DirectX 11 capable graphics card of the upper midrange (GeForce GT 555M), but also a Full HD screen with the matching BluRay drive (burns CDs & DVDs). A four GB DDR3 RAM and a 500 GB HDD join in. The 64bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium serves as the operating system.

Comparably equipped AND equally fast laptops are hardly found for this price - the user would have to accept compromises in at least one area. For example, the up to now price-performance tip, HP's dv6-Serie (Radeon HD 6770M) doesn't have a Full HD screen. We were thus very curious where Medion has unavoidably made cuts. You can find out if the Erazer X6815 is a recommendable bargain in this review.

Case

High-gloss finish
High-gloss finish

The case doesn't necessarily allow any conclusions about the potent interior. Medion relies on a black plastic case that neither makes a visibly nor qualitatively awe-inspiring impression. The high-gloss surfaces quickly soil. The notebook is covered with fingerprints and dust within the shortest time. If you don't take care when carrying it around, or while cleaning it, you'll also quickly have scratches on the material. Matt surfaces, alike the larger brother X6813, would definitely have been more viable.

In terms of workmanship, there's not much to criticize. The X6815 is well manufactured. Our test device didn't prove to have any sharp edges or irregular gaps. At least the base unit's stability appealed to us. The top can only be depressed evidently in the area of the touch-sensitive bar. In return, the lid isn't particularly rigid - a typical laptop dilemma. The hinges have to accept more complaint. Although the base unit hardly lifts when opened, surface vibrations cause the screen to teeter. A total weight of 2.7 kilograms and a notebook height of nearly four centimeters are more than acceptable in view of the given performance.

Connectivity

USB 3.0 performance: Transcend Store Jet TS500GSJ25D3 500 GB USB 3.0 HDD
USB 3.0 performance

Interfaces

Medion restricts itself to the most necessary in terms of connectivity. If you indubitably need an ExpressCard slot, an eSATA or FireWire port, you'll inevitably have to look around for an alternative.

But back to topic: In addition to the usual suspects, such as power socket, Kensington lock and VGA respectively HDMI out, the Erazer X6815 has four USB ports (2 of which are USB 3.0). Headsets or stereo speakers can be connected to the laptop via two audio ports.

We only liked the interface placement on the left. There is need for improvement on the right. Connected cables are sooner in the way when a mouse is used. The reason: the ports are located very far front.

Communication

There is no reason for complaint in view of communication options. Intel's favored wireless module, Centrino Wireless N 1030, contributes support for WLAN b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0. The RJ45 gigabit LAN port leads the way into the Web via cable.

Miscellaneous

The 15 incher can also serve with a microphone, a webcam (1.3 megapixels) and a fingerprint scanner.

Left: DC-in, RJ45, Gigabit LAN, 2 USB 2.0s, BluRay drive
Left: DC-in, RJ45, Gigabit LAN, 2 USB 2.0s, BluRay drive
Right: 2 audios, 2 USB 3.0s, HDMI, VGA, Kensington lock
Right: 2 audios, 2 USB 3.0s, HDMI, VGA, Kensington lock
Installed Software
Installed Software

Software

The laptop runs fairly sluggish due to the exaggerated software installation in its state of delivery. For one thing, the booting process takes quite a long time; for another, Windows 7 responds disappointingly slow immediately after the system start. It takes a while until the device levels to its normal speed. Meanwhile, the extensive software suite from Cyberlink is praiseworthy. BluRay disks can be played with the preinstalled PowerDVD 10.

Scope of Delivery

Regrettably, we can't say much about the scope of delivery since Medion only sent us a preliminary model without any supplies. Apart from the battery (6 cells) and the power adapter (120 watts), an application & support DVD is included in the retail version, according to the homepage.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The input devices aren't exactly the Erazer X6815's strength. We'd like to start with the keyboard that at least has a few positive aspects. You hardly hit the wrong key and quickly get used to it due to the chiclet design (separate keys) and the well-made layout. The size (15x14 millimeters) is also all right, with exception of the too small arrow keys.

In return, the cheap-sounding typing noise and the spongy typing feel are on the con side. Especially the stroke is rather unclear. The user will find a practical, touch-sensitive multimedia control above the keyboard (volume, forward, rewind, play, stop, etc.), which helps accepting the aforementioned flaws.

Touchpad

Medion has - to say the least - blundered with the touchpad. Since the touchpad, like the rest of the wrist-rest is made with a high-gloss finish, the fingers almost stick to the surface. It requires quite a bit of force to get the fingers moving. Good gliding traits look different.

But that's not all: The touchpad has apparently never heard anything about precision. The mouse cursor jumps around uncontrollably and frequently staggers. Not to mention the not functioning gestures (at least on our test model). Beyond that, the orientation is needlessly difficult. The 80x45 millimeter touchpad is only lowered on the right and left sides.

The mouse keys are also unsatisfactory due to their loud clicking noise. Short: Working with them isn't really fun without an external mouse. The disable option is still the best thing about the touchpad – piteous.

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display

In contrast to the majority of 15 inch laptops, the Erazer X6815 doesn't have a simple HD(+) display with a resolution of 1366x768 or 1600x900. It has a "real" Full HD screen. 1920x1080 pixels provide a crisp and focused picture, which is not least beneficial for BluRay playback. Matching to the entertainment claim, the screen is kept in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the graphics card has a bit of a hard time with the latest games. You will have to occasionally reduce the resolution in high details. The screen gives an acceptable performance in terms of interpolation.

177
cd/m²
184
cd/m²
208
cd/m²
184
cd/m²
196
cd/m²
211
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156HW01 V5 (AUO15ED) tested with Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 225 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 201.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Center on Battery: 162 cd/m²
Contrast: 181:1 (Black: 1.08 cd/m²)59.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
84.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)

The pure picture quality couldn't convince us as much. As in many other midrange notebooks, the black value is fairly high. The meter indicated 1.08 cd/m2. The rate would have to be lower than 0.4 cd/m2 to conjure up a saturated black on the screen. Especially those who consume media with several dark scenes at night (keyword: horror shooter) will likely be upset about the grayish presentation.

Consequently, the contrast turns out too low. 181:1 are easily topped by high-end screens (see e.g. the Schenker XMG A501). Although the sRGB color spectrum is reasonably covered, we are nevertheless a bit unhappy with the colors. Games and movies don't look as potent as you'd like. Meanwhile, the brightness is alright with an average of 201.9 cd/m2.

Medion Erazer X6815 vs. sRGB (grid)
Medion Erazer X6815 vs. sRGB (grid)
Medion Erazer X6815 vs. MacBook Pro 17 (grid)
Medion Erazer X6815 vs. MacBook Pro 17 (grid)
Medion Erazer X6815 vs. AdobeRGB (grid)
Medion Erazer X6815 vs. AdobeRGB (grid)

The laptop is hardly suitable for outdoor use. The glossy display surface partly provokes hefty reflections in direct sunlight. The user also has to look for an adequate place indoors to avoid annoying reflections.

Outdoors
Outdoors

Beyond that, there's unsurprisingly a hitch in the viewing angle stability. Slight deviations, particularly on the vertical plane, cause an obvious picture shift. The moderate viewing angles are adversely noticed especially when several people are gathered in front of the screen. You should best use an external monitor for a relaxed movie night.

Viewing angles: Medion Erazer X6815
Viewing angles: Medion Erazer X6815

Performance

Turbo Boost
Turbo Boost

Processor: Intel Core i7-2630QM

The processor is one of the most impressive components in the Erazer X6815. Medion namely bestows the 15 incher with a swift quad core. The Core i7-2630QM comes from Intel's efficient Sandy Bridge generation and is manufactured in a 32 nm procedure.

The processor is able to calculate eight threads at the same time thanks to Hyper Threading Technology (simulates four virtual cores). Gamers will primarily look forward to the Turbo Boost function, which enables the default clock of 2.00 GHz to be boosted to a maximum of 2.90 GHz. The six MB L3 cache and 995 million transistors (Core i5 range: 3 MB & 624 million) also deserve respect.

Moreover, Intel equips its Sandy Bridge CPUs with a small graphics chip called HD Graphics 3000. It enables notebook manufacturers to build in a manual or automatic graphics switching. The processor isn't particularly economical. Intel states the heat dissipation to be 45 watts.

System info CPUZ CPU
System info CrystalDiskMark
System info HDTune
System info HDTune
System info GPUZ
System info GPUZ
System info CPUZ RAM SPD
System info CPUZ RAM SPD
System info CPUZ RAM
System info CPUZ Mainboard
System info CPUZ Cache
DPC Latency
System information: Medion Erazer X6815

CPU Performance

The Core i7-2630QM's enormous power is not lastly seen in the pure CPU benchmarks. While its dual core brother, Core i5-2410M (HP dv7-6101eg), still performs on par in Cinebench R10 64bit's single core rendering (4551 to 4583), it lags pitilessly behind in multi core rendering. The quad core takes the lead by 71% with 16532 to 9660 points. The difference decreases slightly in the newer Cinebench 11.5. 4.40 to 2.61 points represents an advantage of 69%.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3647
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
13892
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5495
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
4583 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
16532 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
5607 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
32.82 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
4.4 Points
Help
HWiNFO
HWiNFO

Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GT 555M

An upper midrange model is responsible for the graphics acceleration. Nvidia cleverly bridges the gap between the midrange (GeForce GT 540M) and high-end sector (GeForce GTX 560M) with the GeForce GT 555M. The DirectX 11 capable graphics card represents a derivative of the Fermi architecture (GF106-chip) and is manufactured in a 40 nm procedure.

Among other things, a 590 MHz fast core, 144 unified shaders (1180 MHz) and a 2048 MB sized DDR3 video memory (900 MHz) belong to its features. Too bad: Medion has opted for the weakest GeForce GT 555M version. Unlike Dell's XPS 17 or Alienware's M14x, it only has a 128 instead of 192 bit memory bus. As we have previously determined in our review of Schenker's XMG A501, it is the cause of a more than 10% performance loss.

In view of the price, you can't reproach Medion for that at all, though. The GeForce GT 555M plays in the upper league in terms of features, anyway. Decoding high definition videos (PureVideo HD) is just as much supported as calculating physics effects (PhysX). In addition, surround sound can be transmitted via HDMI if desired.

Nvidia Optimus

We were overjoyed about the fact that Medion has implemented Nvidia's Optimus Technology. Optimus stands for an automatic graphics switching and enables either the CPU incorporated or the dedicated graphics card according to the present application. Advantage: The system consumes less power during undemanding tasks (= longer battery life). The power hungry GeForce is only enabled when its performance is really needed.

Drawback: There are a few 3D applications and games that Optimus (still) doesn't detect properly and run on the weak Intel graphics despite profile modification. Nevertheless, Optimus mostly works very reliably. Errors are sooner the exception than the rule. By the way, switching is lightning fast and without visible transition. If you are looking for convenience functions and intervention possibilities, you'll find them in Nvidia's control panel (right click on desktop).

5.9
Windows 7 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
7.4
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
5.9
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
6.9
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
6.9
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
5.9

GPU Performance

The graphics performance is above the notebook average. The GeForce GT 555M can notch up a score of 1123 points in 3DMark 11 (1280x720, performance preset). In comparison: The likely toughest opponent from AMD, the Radeon HD 6770M, achieved a 23% higher score of 1379 points in the review of the HP dv6-6008eg. Due to its cutting edge GDDR5 VRAM, the Radeon HD 6770M also calculates faster in Unigine Heaven 2.1 benchmark (1280x1024, high, default tessellation). However, the GeForce GT 555M is only defeated slightly with 16.6 to 16.9 fps.

3DMark 03 Standard
26478 points
3DMark 05 Standard
18607 points
3DMark 06 Standard Score
10568 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
5823 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1267 points
Help

HDD Performance

You shouldn't expect a strong hard disk in the Erazer X6815. The 500 GB Seagate ST9500325AS (5400 rpm) sooner belongs to the slower of its kind. A sequential read and write rate of about 65 MB/s (CrystalDiskMark) and an average access rate of 22.8 ms (HDTune) are rather meager. Fast rotating models with 7200 rpm frequently transfer data with a speed over 100 MB/s. Note: More than one hard disk doesn't fit into the case. You will first have to take out the old HDD if you are planning to switch to a solid state drive in the future.

Seagate Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS
Transfer Rate Minimum: 0.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 76.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 50 MB/s
Access Time: 22.8 ms
Burst Rate: 47.8 MB/s

System Performance

Core i7-2630QM and GeForce GT 555M provide a very good overall performance. PCMark Vantage confirms this: 7386 points compete with many high-end devices. The multimedia laptop, Acer Aspire 7750G-2634G50Bnkk (Radeon HD 6850M), also equipped with a Core i7-2630QM achieve a similar result (7402 points). The processor particularly supplies enough power for the next years to come. Four cores shouldn't find their limits so soon.

PCMark Vantage Result
7386 points
PCMark 7 Score
2159 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Wie wir testen - Leistung

We tested the gaming performance with three newer games.

Dirt 3

You can't simply turn up all options in the graphics menu to full in the race game Dirt 3. The Erazer X6815 answers to ultra details, 1920x1080 pixels, four times antialiasing with an unplayable 12.7 fps. Our second setting (1366x768, high, 2x AA) was rendered smoothly. The tool, Fraps, recorded an average of 48.3 fps in the built-in benchmark. AMDs price-performance hit, Radeon HD 6770M, settles to a similar level. HP's dv7-6101eg managed 46.3 fps (-4%).

Recommendation: 1600x900 | high | 2x AA

Dirt 3
 ResolutionSettingsValue
 1920x1080Ultra Preset, 4xAA, -AF12.7 fps
 1360x768High Preset, 2xAA, -AF48.3 fps
 1024x768Medium Preset, 0xAA, -AF79 fps
Dirt 3 - 1360x768 High Preset AA:2x AF:- (sort by value)
Medion Erazer X6815
GeForce GT 555M, 2630QM, Seagate Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS
48.3 fps
HP Pavilion dv7-6101eg
Radeon HD 6770M, 2410M, Toshiba MK6465GSX
46.3 fps -4%

Crysis 2

The graphically opulent first-person shooter makes the GeForce GT 555M work up a sweat. Crysis 2 stutters massively when using 1920x1080 pixels and the setting Extreme (version 1.2, no DX11). 12.3 fps are remote from a proper image buildup. The situation improves significantly with very high details and a resolution of 1366x768. 35 fps should be enough to satisfy a few users. AMD's Radeon HD 6770M feels even more comfortable with these settings: 40.8 fps (HP dv7-6101eg) equals a plus of respectable 17%.

Recommendation: 1366x768 | high

Crysis 2
 ResolutionSettingsValue
 1920x1080Extreme12.3 fps
 1366x768Very High35 fps
 1024x768High47.3 fps
Crysis 2 - 1366x768 Very High (sort by value)
Medion Erazer X6815
GeForce GT 555M, 2630QM, Seagate Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS
35 fps
HP Pavilion dv7-6101eg
Radeon HD 6770M, 2410M, Toshiba MK6465GSX
40.8 fps +17%

Starcraft 2

Finally, we'd like to take a brief look at Blizzard's successful real time strategy game, StarCraft 2. As in the previous games, the GeForce GT 555M is to weak for the maximum optics. The intro of the challenge "For the Swarm" stuttered a bit in 1920x1080 pixels and the setting ultra (22.6 fps). Meanwhile, high details and 1366x768 pixels lead to a smooth frame rate. 38.6 fps is 13% lower than the Radeon HD 6770M's result. HP's dv6-6008eg achieved an average of 44.6 fps.

Recommendation: 1600x900 | high

StarCraft 2
 ResolutionSettingsValue
 1920x1080ultra22.6 fps
 1360x768high38.6 fps
 1360x768medium55.8 fps
StarCraft 2 - 1360x768 high (sort by value)
Medion Erazer X6815
GeForce GT 555M, 2630QM, Seagate Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS
38.6 fps
HP Pavilion dv6-6008eg
Radeon HD 6770M, 2630QM, Hitachi Travelstar 7K500 HTS725050A9A364
44.6 fps +16%

Gaming Performance Verdict

The Erazer X6815 supplies an impressive gaming performance for a price of 800 euros. New games can also be enjoyed in high details when the resolution is reduced when need be. The graphics card even occasionally manages a two- or four-fold antialiasing. However, you can argue endlessly about the native resolution that Medion has opted for. 1600x900 pixels would have looked better with the GeForce GT 555M, in our opinion.

In any case, Nvidia stands up to the AMD competition valiantly. The GeForce GT 555M places itself overall just behind the Radeon HD 6770M, which can boast with a fast GDDR5 VRAM. The majority of laptops in this price range will have to be content with a considerably weaker graphics card than the GeForce GT 540M.

low med. high ultra
StarCraft 2 (2010) 55.8 38.6 22.6
Crysis 2 (2011) 47.3 35 12.3
Dirt 3 (2011) 79 48.3 12.7

Emissions

System Noise

The emissions are beyond any doubt in idle mode. The fan rotates along slowly when the notebook doesn't have much to do. The noise level is agreeably consistent. In contrast to other devices the speed doesn't constantly vary. The hard disk is also inconspicuous for the most part. In return, the case fan is very audible during 3D applications. However, the gaming mode is only disturbed minimally in quieter scenes. Overall, we would speak of a tolerable noise development.

Noise Level

Idle
33 / 33 / 33.1 dB(A)
HDD
33.2 dB(A)
DVD
35.9 / dB(A)
Load
41.3 / 46.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft SL-320 (15 cm distance)
Stress test (Furmark & Prime)
Stress test

Temperature

Simple tasks, such as Office or Internet, don't cause the case surfaces to heat up excessively. We were able to measure moderate 30°C on the base unit in idle mode. The hands don't get unpleasantly hot, and you can easily cope with the device for several hours. The temperature increases extremely in some areas during load. The fan's area reached up to 45°C.

It is fairly temperate inside the case. The graphics card and processor settled to about 70, respectively 80°C during our stress test (Furmark + Prime), according to HWMonitor - two absolutely safe rates. Unfortunately, the quad core processor occasionally clocked down to weak 800 MHz during full load. But the Erazer X6815 isn't the only device that shows this behavior. We observe CPU throttling more frequently at the moment.

Max. Load
 29.2 °C
85 F
34.8 °C
95 F
37.6 °C
100 F
 
 30.3 °C
87 F
38.6 °C
101 F
37.2 °C
99 F
 
 25.8 °C
78 F
36.7 °C
98 F
28.3 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 38.6 °C = 101 F
Average: 33.2 °C = 92 F
44.6 °C
112 F
30.1 °C
86 F
26.6 °C
80 F
35.3 °C
96 F
27.3 °C
81 F
25.6 °C
78 F
27.2 °C
81 F
24 °C
75 F
25.3 °C
78 F
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 29.6 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  51.6 °C = 125 F | Room Temperature 20.7 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.2 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.6 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.7 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.7 °C / 98.1 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-7.9 °C / -14.3 F).
Dolby Home Theater v4
Dolby Home Theater v4

Speakers

The built-in 2.1 system is fairly usable. Although the sound seems, typical for laptops, a bit dull and could use a bit more precision, the intensity and maximum volume make a below average impression. The sound partly looses a lot of its quality without Dolby Home Theater (see screenshot). The sound can be easily adapted to each situation with the three scenarios movies, music and games - ideal for inexperienced users. Excellent speakers are an exceptional thing in notebooks. The Dell XPS 15 is one of the rare exceptions in this field.

Battery Life

The 15 incher consumes fairly little power from the outlet in idle mode thanks to the graphics switching. 12.1 to 19.5 watts are almost equal with the HP dv6-6008eg's rates. As soon as the GeForce GT 555M is added during load, the consumption skyrockets massively. Our meter revealed 85.0 to 96.0 watts in maximum. Positive: the 120 watt adapter isn't exhausted.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.15 / 1.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 12.1 / 18.6 / 19.5 Watt
Load midlight 85 / 96 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC-940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Maximum battery life (Reader's Test)
Reader's Test
Minimum battery life (Classic Test)
Classic Test

The user has to come to terms with the rather poor battery life despite Optimus technology. The screen dims fairly fast during high load and with enabled Nvidia graphics card. The laptop turned itself off after only 56 minutes in BatteryEater's Classic test (maximum brightness & minimum energy saving options.

Long battery runtimes aren't possible even when you don't use the dedicated graphics card and select medium energy saving options. For example, we could only surf on the Internet wirelessly for about 2.5 hours. The battery life is first impressive with maximum energy saving options and minimum display brightness. The laptop managed almost five hours in the BatteryEater's Reader's test (simulated low load).

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 49min
WiFi Surfing
2h 24min
DVD
2h 16min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 56min

Verdict

Medion Erazer X6815 (MD97824)
Medion Erazer X6815 (MD97824)

All in all, the Erazer X6815 disappointed us in many ways. The case is well manufactured and the base unit shows good stability, but otherwise it proves to have various weaknesses. Among others, the poor variety of interfaces, the smudge and scratch sensitive surfaces and the spongy keyboard would be named here.

The touchpad is even a total flop due to its unsatisfactory gliding traits and the lack of precision, respectively reliability. Beyond that, the screen doesn't have a good picture quality. The atmosphere in games and movies suffer from the high black value, the low contrast and the modest viewing angles.

Nevertheless, Medion provides one thing that no one will offer so soon - namely the price-performance ratio. It's astounding how the manufacturer manages to produce such a swift notebook for 800 euros, which even has a BluRay drive and a Full HD display besides a quad core processor and an upper midrange graphics card. Entertainment fans and casual gamers are equally addressed. The user gets a portable and fairly future-proof all-round platform for a moderate price. Both USB 3.0 ports and the intelligent Optimus technology underline this claim.

To summarize: With the Erazer X6815, Medion sells an attractively priced multimedia laptop that won't really make anyone jump for joy in any single point, apart from the performance. If you want to get as much performance as possible for up to 800 euros, you may nevertheless consider buying it. The main competitors are more expensive, slower or inferiorly equipped.

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In Review: Medion Erazer X6815 (MD97824)
In Review: Medion Erazer X6815 (MD97824)

Specifications

Medion Erazer X6815 (Erazer X6815 Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 590 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, shader rate: 1180 MHz, DDR3-VRAM, ForceWare 267.43
Memory
4 GB 
, 2x 2048 MB DDR3-RAM (1333 MHz), 2 slots
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, AU Optronics B156HW01 V5 (AUO15ED), glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel HM65
Storage
Seagate Momentus 5400.6 ST9500325AS, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek ALC269 @ Intel Cougar Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: microphone, line-out (incl. S/PDIF), Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC,MMC,MS,MS Pro, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1030 (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 3.0
Optical drive
MATSHITA BD-CMB UJ141AF
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 38 x 385 x 262 ( = 1.5 x 15.16 x 10.31 in)
Battery
47 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4400 mAh, 6 Zellen
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1.3 Megapixel
Additional features
power adapter: 120 watts, Microsoft Office Starter 2010, CyberLink PowerDVD 10, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.7 kg ( = 95.24 oz / 5.95 pounds), Power Supply: 664 g ( = 23.42 oz / 1.46 pounds)
Price
799 Euro

 

Medion relies on a discreet black.
Medion relies on a discreet black.
Intel's wireless module supports WLAN and Bluetooth.
Intel's wireless module supports WLAN and Bluetooth.
You can see the processor and graphics card here.
You can see the processor and graphics card here.
Medion installs a fairly slow hard disk.
Medion installs a fairly slow hard disk.
The notebook weighs about 300 grams less without the battery.
The notebook weighs about 300 grams less without the battery.
47 Wh can't exactly be called lavish.
47 Wh can't exactly be called lavish.
A fingerprint scanner is located above the keyboard.
A fingerprint scanner is located above the keyboard.
A practical multimedia bar facilitates use.
A practical multimedia bar facilitates use.
Dust particles are soon collected in the key gaps.
Dust particles are soon collected in the key gaps.
Medion should have designed the arrow keys bigger.
Medion should have designed the arrow keys bigger.
The touchpad lacks good gliding traits.
The touchpad lacks good gliding traits.
Almost every device has a card reader.
Almost every device has a card reader.
Two cutting edge USB 3.0 ports are located on the right.
Two cutting edge USB 3.0 ports are located on the right.
The 15 incher can be secured against theft via a Kensington lock.
The 15 incher can be secured against theft via a Kensington lock.
We don't have much to complain about in regard to workmanship.
We don't have much to complain about in regard to workmanship.
Four GB of DDR3 RAM are perfectly adequate for the time being.
Four GB of DDR3 RAM are perfectly adequate for the time being.
The fan attracts a lot of attention during load.
The fan attracts a lot of attention during load.
Hard drive and memory can be replaced very easily.
Hard drive and memory can be replaced very easily.
The glossy surfaces attract fingerprints like a magnet.
The glossy surfaces attract fingerprints like a magnet.
If you don't take care, you'll soon have scratches on the sensitive plastic.
If you don't take care, you'll soon have scratches on the sensitive plastic.
The base plate is attached with three screws.
The base plate is attached with three screws.
The display reflects excessively in direct sunlight.
The display reflects excessively in direct sunlight.
As expected, the notebook weighs less than three kilograms.
As expected, the notebook weighs less than three kilograms.
The maximum opening angle might be too narrow for a few users.
The maximum opening angle might be too narrow for a few users.
The X6815 is nearly four centimeters high in the rear area.
The X6815 is nearly four centimeters high in the rear area.
Medion doesn't make big experiments in terms of design.
Medion doesn't make big experiments in terms of design.
A stylish logo emblazons the laptop's lid.
A stylish logo emblazons the laptop's lid.
The fan can be cleaned easily.
The fan can be cleaned easily.
The display bezel accommodates a webcam and a microphone.
The display bezel accommodates a webcam and a microphone.
Medion has built in a BluRay drive on the left.
Medion has built in a BluRay drive on the left.
Right-handers will likely be disturbed about the fan output's positioning.
Right-handers will likely be disturbed about the fan output's positioning.
The case doesn't have to be turned around to insert the battery.
The case doesn't have to be turned around to insert the battery.
The included 120 watt adapter is extremely long.
The included 120 watt adapter is extremely long.
low med. high ultra
StarCraft 2 55.8 38.6 22.6
Crysis 2 47.3 35 12.3
Dirt 3 79 48.3 12.7

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Price-performance ratio
+Very good performance
+Graphics switching
+Full HD resolution
+BluRay drive
+2 USB 3.0s
 

Cons

-Sticky, unreliable touchpad
-Sensitive high-gloss surfaces
-Poor connectivity
-CPU throttling during full load
-Spongy keyboard
-Weak display
-Slow HDD

Shortcut

What we like

The excellent price-performance ratio.

What we'd like to see

A matt case with better input devices.

What surprises us

What Medion manages to pack into a laptop for 800 euros.

The competition

15 or 17 inch all-rounders with a Sandy Bridge processor and an upper midrange graphics card, such as the HP dv6-6008eg, the HP dv7-6101eg, the Dell XPS 17-L702x or the Schenker XMG A501.

Rating

Medion Erazer X6815 - 08/13/2011 v2(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
78%
Keyboard
70%
Pointing Device
48%
Connectivity
72%
Weight
78%
Battery
73%
Display
66%
Games Performance
88%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
84%
Noise
76%
Add Points
76%
Average
75%
76%
Multimedia - Weighted Average
Florian Glaser, 2011-08-20 (Update: 2013-06- 6)