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Asus GL552VW Xotic PC Edition Notebook Review

Mainstream update. The affordable ROG GL series gets Skylake, DDR4, USB Type-C, and other small changes to bring it up to speed. We check out the updated model and its performance gains with an overclocked GPU from Xotic PC.

Note: We reviewed a configuration from Xotic PC U.S. There can be differences compared to original manufacturer models in respect of the integrated components (memory, RAM, CPU, GPU, etc.) as well as their configurations. Components may have been overclocked. As a result, there can also be differences in terms of performance, emissions, and battery runtimes. The visual appearance of the devices can differ as well.

Unlike the flagship G series or ludicrously powerful GX series, the ROG GL series is the more affordable lineup for gamers on a budget. Models are available in 15.6-inch GL552 or 17.3-inch GL752 form factors and compete directly against mainstream gaming systems like the Acer Aspire Nitro V15 and V17, MSI GE and GP series, and the Lenovo Y50/Y70/Y700 series.

We last checked out the GL552 when it was equipped with the Core i7-4720HQ CPU and GTX 950M GPU. Our latest unit from Xotic PC has been updated to a Skylake i7-6700HQ CPU and GTX 960M GPU with USB Type-C and DDR4 RAM to bring the series up to speed to the latest generation of hardware.

See our previous review on the otherwise identical GL552 for more information on case quality and hardware features. We'll instead focus on the performance of our Xotic PC unit, which is where the system is at its best.

Asus GL552VW-DH74 (GL552 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 4 x 2.6 - 3.5 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1097 MHz, Memory: 5410 MHz, 353.84, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 1196.5 MHz, 14-14-14-35, Dual-Channel, DDR4
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, IPS, Name: LG Philips LP156WF6-SPB5, ID: LGD046F, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM170 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB, 500 GB 
, Secondary: HGST HTS721010A9E630
Soundcard
Intel Skylake PCH-H High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1x 3.5 mm earphones, 1x 3.5 mm microphone, Card Reader: 3-in-1 card reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
SlimtypeDVD A DA8A6SH
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 33 x 383.5 x 256.5 ( = 1.3 x 15.1 x 10.1 in)
Battery
48 Wh, 3200 mAh Lithium-Ion, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD camera
Primary Camera: 1.2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Cable tie, User's Guide, Warranty card, screen wipe, MSI Afterburner, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.595 kg ( = 91.54 oz / 5.72 pounds), Power Supply: 544 g ( = 19.19 oz / 1.2 pounds)
Price
1300 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The GL552 carries a major design overhaul compared to the previous GL551, though external features are largely similar between them. This includes the rounded corners and edges and use of smooth plastic with no aluminum surfaces. Unlike our previous test unit, however, the thick base is very rigid and attempting to twist it results in no creaking. Pushing down on the center of the keyboard will cause just minimal warping. The lid is comparatively weaker and more susceptible to twists and depressions with creaking present under moderate force. Its dual hinges are strong nonetheless and teeter very minimally when typing.

Xotic PC customizes the chassis with what appears to be a smooth and airtight vinyl layer over the outer lid. This protects the surface underneath, though it is not made to be easily peeled or removed.

In terms of size and weight, the GL552 is indeed bigger and heavier than many of its competitors. This is especially true when compared to pricier multimedia-centric notebooks like the XPS 15 9550 or ZenBook UX501 that were designed to be carried around. The large GL552 is less ideal for travel and work outside of the home.

383.5 mm / 15.1 inch 256.5 mm / 10.1 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.6 kg5.72 lbs387 mm / 15.2 inch 277 mm / 10.9 inch 25.95 mm / 1.022 inch 2.9 kg6.4 lbs383 mm / 15.1 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 29.9 mm / 1.177 inch 2.5 kg5.58 lbs383 mm / 15.1 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 29 mm / 1.142 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 2.3 kg4.96 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 24.6 mm / 0.969 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs385 mm / 15.2 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.3 kg5.05 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 259.9 mm / 10.2 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available interfaces are essentially identical to the older GL552JX with just one notable change: The legacy VGA port has been removed in favor of a USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1 port. Anyone hoping for integrated Thunderbolt 3 support will need to invest more on a higher-end gaming system where USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 2 ports are more common. Having just three USB Type-A ports is on the low side for a notebook this size with only two that actually provide USB 3.0 speeds. Most ports are also quite close to the front of the notebook where cables are more likely to take up valuable desk space.

Front: SD reader
Front: SD reader
Right: 3.5 mm earphones, 3.5 mm microphone, USB 2.0, Optical drive, Kensington Lock
Right: 3.5 mm earphones, 3.5 mm microphone, USB 2.0, Optical drive, Kensington Lock
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, HDMI-out, Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, HDMI-out, Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0

Communication

WLAN is provided by the gaming-centric Killer 1535 network adapter capable of theoretical transfer rates of up to 867 Mbps.  We experienced no connectivity issues or unintended drops during our time with the test unit.

Accessories

Included extras outside of the usual Warranty Card and User Guide are a cable tie and pouch that also doubles as a wipe. Asus offers generic and branded extras for its ROG series.

Maintenance

Only the two storage bays and two SODIMM slots are easily accessible on the GL552 via the removable hatch. This is practically an Asus tradition as accessibility to core motherboard components is always quite limited for ROG notebooks. The optical bay is not easily removable (unlike on most MSI models) and additional disassembly is required to replace the WLAN card or clean the system fan.

Warranty

The standard one-year OEM coverage from Asus applies. Owners can also receive one year of accidental damage protection by registering the notebook with the manufacturer. Extended warranty options are available up to three years.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The chiclet keys provide 1.8 mm of travel and multiple levels of Red backlight lighting. Auditory feedback is generally quiet while tactile feedback is firm with a clear pressure point. The keys themselves are matte and slightly rough in contrast to the smooth palm rests to reduce slipping and increase accuracy.

The system offers no dedicated macro or auxiliary keys as found on the current flagship G752 series.

Touchpad

The touchpad surface (10.5 x 7.3) offers a smooth and even glide with responsive multi-touch controls. The entirety of the surface can be used for cursor control including the bottom portion for mouse clicks. We experienced no latency or control issues with the touchpad.

Mouse clicks with the clickpad feel shallow in travel with a firm and loud click when pressed. Left and right clicks are even and become easier to press on the lower areas of the clickpad. The force required to input a click is somewhat light, so users may want to be careful to not push too firmly when using the touchpad for cursor movements.

Surfaces very prone to fingerprint buildup.
Surfaces very prone to fingerprint buildup.
Quiet keys with little clatter, satisfactory feedback
Quiet keys with little clatter, satisfactory feedback

Display

The 1080p matte display is crisp with no noise or grains that tend to occur more frequently on matte panels. Its average brightness of just over 300 nits is similar to pricier gaming notebooks and is more than sufficient for indoor use. The notebook exhibits excellent contrast as well. A quick search for its LG Philips LP156WF6-SPB5 panel name shows that the same high quality panel is also used on the Asus N552VX.

There is moderate backlight bleeding near the top corners of the screen on our test unit. The clouding here is significant enough that it is noticeable when watching movies, booting up the notebook, or playing games that include dimly lit scenes.

Noticeable bleeding near the top two corners
Noticeable bleeding near the top two corners
Subpixel array at 141 PPI
Subpixel array at 141 PPI
300.5
cd/m²
299.2
cd/m²
314.1
cd/m²
308.6
cd/m²
333
cd/m²
320.1
cd/m²
290.5
cd/m²
316.8
cd/m²
295.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 333 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 308.7 cd/m² Minimum: 18.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 333 cd/m²
Contrast: 835:1 (Black: 0.399 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.46 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.33 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
81.2% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
53.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.3
Asus GL552VW-DH74
15.60, 1920x1080
Asus N552VX-FY103T
15.60, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire V3-575G-5093
15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
15.60, 1920x1080
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
15.60, 3840x2160
Display
7%
-32%
7%
Display P3 Coverage
63.2
67.9
7%
39.82
-37%
64.3
2%
sRGB Coverage
81.5
87.7
8%
59.7
-27%
89.9
10%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
59.6
64
7%
41.16
-31%
65.4
10%
Response Times
13%
16%
16%
10%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48.8 ?(14.8, 34)
42 ?(18, 24)
14%
44 ?(22, 22)
10%
43 ?(21, 22)
12%
43.2 ?(18, 25.2)
11%
Response Time Black / White *
29.6 ?(5.2, 24.4)
26 ?(5, 21)
12%
23 ?(7, 16)
22%
24 ?(8, 16)
19%
27.2 ?(7.6, 19.6)
8%
PWM Frequency
1042 ?(90)
Screen
-1%
-50%
-69%
-19%
Brightness middle
333
336
1%
251
-25%
238
-29%
252.9
-24%
Brightness
309
304
-2%
239
-23%
221
-28%
250
-19%
Brightness Distribution
87
85
-2%
87
0%
84
-3%
89
2%
Black Level *
0.399
0.34
15%
0.42
-5%
0.49
-23%
0.5
-25%
Contrast
835
988
18%
598
-28%
486
-42%
506
-39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.46
5.26
-18%
9.68
-117%
11.19
-151%
5.22
-17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.41
10.49
-11%
14.83
-58%
19.6
-108%
8.33
11%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.33
4.26
-28%
11.13
-234%
11.53
-246%
6.74
-102%
Gamma
2.3 96%
2.35 94%
2.46 89%
2.41 91%
2.45 90%
CCT
6340 103%
6758 96%
12149 54%
13057 50%
6026 108%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
53.3
57
7%
74
39%
38
-29%
58.4
10%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
81.2
88
8%
60
-26%
89.7
10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
6% / 2%
-17% / -38%
-28% / -50%
-1% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

Color coverage is measured to be 53 percent and 81 percent of AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively. This is standard for high-end IPS panels whereas cheaper panels often cover less than 40 percent and 65 percent of AdobeRGB and sRGB, respectively, such as the panel used for the Lenovo Ideapad 500 15ACZ. It's worth noting that certain configurations of the GL552 come equipped with different panels to cover a wider color spectrum.

vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. Lenovo Ideapad 500 15ACZ
vs. Lenovo Ideapad 500 15ACZ
vs. Acer Aspire V5 591G
vs. Acer Aspire V5 591G

Further display measurements with an X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal accurate grayscale and colors without any calibration efforts. A quick calibration will improve these properties even further, especially in terms of RGB balance and grayscale by slightly increasing the color temperature. Colors still become increasingly inaccurate at higher saturation levels due to imperfect sRGB coverage.

Grayscale pre-calibration
Grayscale pre-calibration
Saturation Sweeps pre-calibration
Saturation Sweeps pre-calibration
ColorChecker pre-calibration
ColorChecker pre-calibration
Grayscale post calibration
Grayscale post calibration
Saturation Sweeps post calibration
Saturation Sweeps post calibration
ColorChecker post calibration
ColorChecker post calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
29.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5.2 ms rise
↘ 24.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 76 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
48.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.8 ms rise
↘ 34 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 82 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is average under shade due to the relatively bright backlight, matte panel to avoid reflections, and wide IPS angles. Direct sunlight will wash out onscreen content and can make prolonged use uncomfortable to the eyes. Viewing angles are very stable from all sides while the hinges allow for an angle of about 150 degrees.

Display under shade
Display under shade
Display under sunlight
Display under sunlight
 

Performance

Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz
Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz

Our test unit is equipped with a quad-core Core i7-6700HQ CPU and GTX 960M GPU with 4 GB GDDR5 VRAM. These are common specifications for higher-end mainstream gaming notebooks whereas flagship enthusiast models can often carry i7-6820HK and GTX 980M options. The Skylake core can run slower than 1000 MHz when idling on the Power Saver mode and as fast as 3.5 GHz for single-threaded processes when on High Performance. Similarly, the GPU will idle at just 135/202 MHz core/memory and can run as fast as 1097/1352 MHz core/memory plus Boost. Optimus is included for additional power-saving features with the integrated HD Graphics 530.

Two DDR4 SODIMM Kingston modules provide a total of 16 GB of RAM.

Processor

Raw CPU performance is nearly identical to the Broadwell i7-5700HQ due to the two processors having the same specifications aside from the slightly higher base clock rate of the i7-5700HQ (2.7 GHz vs. 2.6 GHz). The multi-core performance advantage of the Broadwell core is negligible in most cases, but it adds up over longer workloads such as on the wPrime benchmark where the i7-5700HQ finishes about 10 percent faster.

See our dedicated CPU page on the Core i7-6700HQ for more technical information and benchmarks.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
144 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
177 Points +23%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
173 Points +20%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
144 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
125 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
684 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
878 Points +28%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
875 Points +28%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
719 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
490 Points -28%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
1.64 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
1.97 Points +20%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
1.95 Points +19%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1.68 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
1.46 Points -11%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
7.52 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
9.7 Points +29%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
9.55 Points +27%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
7.96 Points +6%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
5.29 Points -30%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
5488 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
6604 Points +20%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
6541 Points +19%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5567 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
4999 Points -9%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
20141 Points
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
26040 Points +29%
Asus GX700
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
25765 Points +28%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
21681 Points +8%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
14329 Points -29%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
230.6 s *
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
178 s * +23%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
206.3 s * +11%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
323 s * -40%
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
575 s *
Eurocom Sky DLX7
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
463.8 s * +19%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
GeForce GTX 960M, 5700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
574 s * -0%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
569 s * +1%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6692
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
20141
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5488
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
15.09 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.52 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.64 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
18.7 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
684 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
144 Points
Help

System Performance

Results from PCMark 8 are better than expected as our test unit is able to edge out the similarly equipped Asus G501VW and Zenbook UX501. The small advantage may be attributed to the system's Turbo Boost performance when under stress and overclocked GPU memory.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
3855 Points
Asus G501VW-FY081T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung CM871 MZNLF128HCHP
3495 Points -9%
Asus N552VX-FY103T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
3452 Points -10%
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
3077 Points -20%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
Radeon R6 M340DX, A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2485 Points -36%
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
4916 Points
Asus G501VW-FY081T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung CM871 MZNLF128HCHP
4599 Points -6%
Asus N552VX-FY103T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
4503 Points -8%
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
3867 Points -21%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
Radeon R6 M340DX, A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
3290 Points -33%
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
4843 Points
Asus G501VW-FY081T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung CM871 MZNLF128HCHP
4445 Points -8%
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4357 Points -10%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
Radeon R6 M340DX, A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2991 Points -38%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3855 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4843 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4916 points
Help

Storage Devices

Two storage options are available via a 2.5-inch SATA III bay and a M.2 2280 slot. Transfer rates are limited to 6 Gb/s on both accounts, so systems with NVMe support like the Zenbook UX501 or XPS 15 9550 will run laps around the GL552 in terms of storage performance. RAID capabilities are not officially supported on the system.

The primary 500 GB Samsung SSD 850 EVO drive still performs very well for its class as it handily outperforms other SATA III SSDs as found on the Ideapad Y700 and MSI GE62. Sequential read speeds are more or less capped at 500 MB/s due to the limits of the controller. Meanwhile, the secondary 9.5 mm HGST HDD returns an average transfer rate of just under 102 MB/s according to HD Tune, which is typical of a 7200 RPM drive.

AS SSD Samsung SSD 850 EVO
AS SSD Samsung SSD 850 EVO
CDM Samsung SSD 850 EVO
CDM Samsung SSD 850 EVO
CDM HGST HDD
CDM HGST HDD
HD Tune HGST HDD
HD Tune HGST HDD
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
 
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
Asus GL552JX-CN154H
GeForce GTX 950M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV128MBF
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 15ISK 80NW
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2
MSI GE62-6QD16H11
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 250 GB
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
AS SSD
-10%
-23%
-29%
116%
91%
Copy Game MB/s
372.8
302
-19%
353.9
-5%
684
83%
805
116%
Copy Program MB/s
260.1
159.1
-39%
197.1
-24%
452
74%
325.3
25%
Copy ISO MB/s
401.6
295.6
-26%
391.6
-2%
1206
200%
1127
181%
Score Total
1058
1018
-4%
883
-17%
870
-18%
2588
145%
2410
128%
Score Write
418
386
-8%
251
-40%
268
-36%
619
48%
675
61%
Score Read
417
416
0%
421
1%
397
-5%
1312
215%
1180
183%
Access Time Write *
0.039
0.049
-26%
0.039
-0%
0.041
-5%
0.034
13%
0.035
10%
Access Time Read *
0.054
0.079
-46%
0.094
-74%
0.168
-211%
0.037
31%
0.038
30%
4K-64 Write
285.9
257.3
-10%
142.3
-50%
153.3
-46%
361.7
27%
513
79%
4K-64 Read
333.5
334.7
0%
337.5
1%
327.6
-2%
1075
222%
990
197%
4K Write
86
91.1
6%
94
9%
72.9
-15%
107.8
25%
105.4
23%
4K Read
33.31
29.5
-11%
34.29
3%
21.05
-37%
43.59
31%
31.86
-4%
Seq Write
463.5
378.7
-18%
151
-67%
449.1
-3%
1498
223%
570
23%
Seq Read
499.2
518
4%
492
-1%
500
0%
1944
289%
1579
216%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
Transfer Rate Minimum: 302 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 338.7 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 322.2 MB/s
Access Time: 0 ms
Burst Rate: 149 MB/s
CPU Usage: 3.4 %

GPU Performance

3DMark benchmarks show our system to be just a few percentage points ahead of the similarly equipped Acer Aspire V15 Nitro in all cases. This can be attributed to the overclocked memory at 5410 MHz compared to the standard 5010 MHz clock rate on the base GTX 960M. Nonetheless, the gap between our unit and other systems with the GTX 970M is very wide.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
6110 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
12364 Points +102%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
8932 Points +46%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
5635 Points -8%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
4596 Points -25%
1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
5779 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
12967 Points +124%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
9910 Points +71%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
5304 Points -8%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
4457 Points -23%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
4299 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
8793 Points +105%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
6565 Points +53%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
4008 Points -7%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
2866 Points -33%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
17983 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
27362 Points +52%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
20087 Points +12%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
16358 Points -9%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
14469 Points -20%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Combined (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
1791 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
3748 Points +109%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
2774 Points +55%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
1662 Points -7%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
1033 Points -42%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
9814 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
12752 Points +30%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
9628 Points -2%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
9690 Points -1%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
9499 Points -3%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
4645 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
9963 Points +114%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
7450 Points +60%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
4314 Points -7%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
3174 Points -32%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
31747 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
62938 Points +98%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
48597 Points +53%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
27075 Points -15%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
21500 Points -32%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
7144 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
9187 Points +29%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
6579 Points -8%
Acer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B512 M.2 512 GB
6858 Points -4%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
6747 Points -6%
3DMark 11 Performance
6110 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
84816 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
17983 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4299 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
2156 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The GTX 960M is a common GPU for dedicated gaming machines. Its performance in our Xotic PC machine is slightly above the average 960M GPU due to the aforementioned memory overclock. The GTX 970M still holds a healthy lead in all cases.

See our dedicated GPU page on the GTX 960M for more benchmarks and comparisons.

Rise of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
30.3 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
60.4 fps +99%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
44.6 fps +47%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
23.8 fps -21%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
20.19 (18min - 23max) fps -33%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
25.2 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
51.6 fps +105%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
37.1 fps +47%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
21.2 fps -16%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
16.32 (14min - 19max) fps -35%
BioShock Infinite
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
126.9 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
205.5 fps +62%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
133.1 fps +5%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
106.9 fps -16%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
59.4 fps -53%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
49.5 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
92.4 fps +87%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
69.7 fps +41%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
44.1 fps -11%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
27.29 fps -45%
Metro: Last Light
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
62.6 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
125.8 fps +101%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
55.7 fps -11%
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
34 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
70.6 fps +108%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
30.9 fps -9%
Thief
1366x768 High Preset AA:FXAA & Low SS AF:4x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
58.6 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
114.7 fps +96%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
51.2 fps -13%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
41 (31.4min - 51.6max) fps -30%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
30 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
65.4 fps +118%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
26.6 fps -11%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
20.5 (16.7min - 28max) fps -32%
Batman: Arkham Knight
1920x1080 High / On (Interactive Smoke & Paper Debris Off) AA:SM AF:8x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
36 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
76 fps +111%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
57 fps +58%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
39 fps +8%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
24 (19min - 35max) fps -33%
1920x1080 High / On AA:SM AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
25 fps
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700K, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
52 fps +108%
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
36 fps +44%
Dell XPS 15 9550 i7 FHD
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe 512 GB
19 fps -24%
Asus N752VX-GC131T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Lite-On CV1-8B256
24 (17min - 35max) fps -4%
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 138.3 126.9 49.5
Metro: Last Light (2013) 109.1 62.6 34
Thief (2014) 69.4 58.6 30
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 64 36 25
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 55.3 30.3 25.2

Stress Test

The system runs very well when under extreme stress. Clock rate is at its steady Turbo Boost maximum of 3.1 GHz when running Prime95 with an average CPU temperature of just under 80 C. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will limit CPU Turbo Boost potential while the GPU throttles slightly from its base clock of 1097 MHz to 1027 MHz. Maximum Turbo Boost is utilized only for a very limited time until core CPU temperature reaches 96 C. At this point, clock rates drop to 2.8 GHz to maintain a lower core temperature of 86 C.

Performance under Unigine Heaven is higher with constant CPU Turbo Boost and a steady GPU clock rate of 1262 MHz. Core temperatures are also typical at the low to mid 70 C range considering the GPU overclock. Users won't need to worry about throttling issues when gaming on the GL552.

Running on battery power will severely limit CPU and GPU power. A 3DMark 11 run on battery power resulted in a GPU and CPU of 1510 and 4294 points, respectively, compared to 5779 points and 9007 points when on mains.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Unigine Heaven stress
Unigine Heaven stress

CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (C) Average GPU Temperature (C)

Prime95 Stress

3.1 -- ~78 --

FurMark Stress

-- 1176 -- ~76

Prime95 + FurMark Stress

2.8 1027 ~86 ~79

Unigine Heaven Stress

3.2+ 1262 ~71 ~76

Emissions

System Noise

Fan noise (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Fan noise (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

Fan noise is always audible at around 33 dB(A) due in part to the reseller overclocking efforts. The good news, however, is that fan noise will not get that much louder when gaming since it is already quite active when the system is idling on desktop. We were able to record a steady fan noise of about 36.6 dB(A) when running Unigine Heaven and 44 dB(A) when running both Prime95+FurMark.

Our Xotic PC GL552 is not significantly louder or softer on average than many of its competitors. Fan noise when gaming is even slightly lower than the thinner ZenBook UX501. Its maximum load of 44 dB(A) will be very unlikely under normal circumstances unless if the system is running specific benchmarks or is overclocked further.

Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
Asus GL552JX-CN154H
GeForce GTX 950M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV128MBF
Asus N552VX-FY103T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
Acer Aspire V3-575G-5093
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
Radeon R6 M340DX, A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
Noise
5%
-1%
-4%
0%
4%
off / environment *
29.7
31.3
-5%
31.3
-5%
31.3
-5%
Idle Minimum *
33.2
30
10%
33.1
-0%
33.5
-1%
33.1
-0%
28.9
13%
Idle Average *
33.2
30
10%
33.2
-0%
34.8
-5%
33.3
-0%
28.9
13%
Idle Maximum *
33.3
31.3
6%
33.2
-0%
34.8
-5%
33.5
-1%
30.2
9%
Load Average *
36.6
36.9
-1%
37.7
-3%
41.4
-13%
38.9
-6%
41.8
-14%
Load Maximum *
44
44.7
-2%
43.4
1%
42
5%
38.9
12%
43.9
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
33.2 / 33.2 / 33.3 dB(A)
DVD
37 / dB(A)
Load
36.6 / 44 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)   environment noise: 29.7 dB(A)

Temperature

Surface temperatures are cool when idling with the exception of the front areas of the notebook where the storage drives are located. These spots can be over 33 C compared to 25 C on surfaces closer to the optical drive.

When under maximum load, we were able to record warm spots of over 45 C near the edges of the notebook closest to the ventilation grilles. These hot spots are not directly over the CPU or GPU because of the air gap that exists between the processors and the chassis. Unfortunately, this also means that the left side of the side of the keyboard will grow much warmer than the right when under high loads like gaming.

Competing models like the MSI GE62 can grow much warmer with an average approaching 50 C while the Ideapad Y700 15ISK is generally cooler with most of the heat production concentrated towards the rear of the notebook and away from the WASD keys.

Maximum load (Front)
Maximum load (Front)
Maximum load (Bottom)
Maximum load (Bottom)
Max. Load
 44.4 °C
112 F
44.2 °C
112 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
 45.6 °C
114 F
37.8 °C
100 F
27.2 °C
81 F
 
 31.2 °C
88 F
31.6 °C
89 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 35.2 °C = 95 F
24.6 °C
76 F
34.8 °C
95 F
41.6 °C
107 F
26.4 °C
80 F
33 °C
91 F
45.2 °C
113 F
29.4 °C
85 F
29.6 °C
85 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 45.2 °C = 113 F
Average: 32.2 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  47 °C = 117 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.2 °C / 95 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 45.6 °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 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.2 °C / 91.8 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-4.3 °C / -7.8 F).

Speakers

(Green: System idle, Pink: Pink noise, Gray: White noise)
(Green: System idle, Pink: Pink noise, Gray: White noise)

Sound quality from the stereo speakers located directly above the keyboard is average at best. There is a clear lack of bass despite what the size of the notebook may otherwise suggest and the maximum volume is lower than on other gaming notebooks. Playback at higher volume settings will not introduce static or rattling, but earphones are still recommended for a much better experience.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Power demand is high even when idling on desktop. Consequently, runtimes are quite short as shown in our battery life test results in the next section. We were able to measure a peak draw of about 114 W while the adapter itself is rated for a maximum output of 139 W.

Asus GL552VW-DH74
GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 500GB
Asus GL552JX-CN154H
GeForce GTX 950M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV128MBF
Asus N552VX-FY103T
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
Acer Aspire V3-575G-5093
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
Radeon R6 M340DX, A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
Asus Zenbook Pro UX501JW-FI218H
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, SanDisk SD7SN3Q128G1002
Power Consumption
35%
34%
56%
54%
13%
Idle Minimum *
15.9
6.2
61%
7
56%
6.2
61%
6.8
57%
15.6
2%
Idle Average *
20.3
10.3
49%
10.9
46%
9.5
53%
10.5
48%
20.5
-1%
Idle Maximum *
27.9
12.2
56%
12.9
54%
11
61%
11
61%
21.2
24%
Load Average *
79.4
77
3%
72
9%
36
55%
41.6
48%
75.8
5%
Load Maximum *
114.2
105
8%
109
5%
58
49%
51
55%
72.9
36%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.875 / 1.32 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 15.9 / 20.3 / 27.9 Watt
Load midlight 79.4 / 114.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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.

Battery Life

Runtimes are poor with our test unit at just over 2 hours under WLAN conditions (150 nit brightness, Balanced profile, integrated graphics active) compared to over double the battery life on the Asus N552 or Zenbook UX501 under similar conditions. This is a common occurrence on our Xotic PC test units due to the performance tinkering before shipment. Luckily, the internal 48 Wh battery is easily removable and replaceable from the rear, which is more than what we can say for most other gaming notebooks these days.

Charging will take approximately 2.5 hours from near zero to full capacity. The adapter is relatively small in size at about 16 x 7.5 x 3.5 cm.

Maximum runtime (Reader's Test)
Maximum runtime (Reader's Test)
Minimum runtime (Classic Test)
Minimum runtime (Classic Test)
WLAN runtime
WLAN runtime
Asus GL552VW-DH74
48 Wh
Asus GL552JX-CN154H
48 Wh
Asus N552VX-FY103T
44 Wh
Acer Aspire V3-575G-5093
37 Wh
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ACZ
32 Wh
Asus ZenBook Pro UX501VW-DS71T
96 Wh
Battery Runtime
50%
70%
99%
40%
185%
Reader / Idle
182
223
23%
357
96%
426
134%
365
101%
689
279%
WiFi v1.3
127
221
74%
268
111%
237
87%
183
44%
379
198%
Load
66
100
52%
68
3%
116
76%
49
-26%
117
77%
WiFi
237
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
3h 02min
WiFi Websurfing
2h 07min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 06min

Pros

+ high quality matte IPS display; accurate grayscale and colors
+ factory overclocked GPU; excellent gaming performance
+ good Turbo Boost performance under stress
+ 2x storage bays (M.2 + 2.5-inch SATA III)
+ accessible storage bays and RAM slots
+ bright backlight; great contrast
+ USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1
+ removable battery
+ no PWM

Cons

- most internal components not easily accessible
- high power consumption; short battery life
- no native Thunderbolt 3 support
- moderate backlight bleeding
- case is a fingerprint magnet
- system fan is never idle
- no NVMe support
- thick and heavy
- weak speakers

Verdict

In review: Asus GL552VW-DH74. Test model provided by Xotic PC.
In review: Asus GL552VW-DH74. Test model provided by Xotic PC.

Our analyses and conclusions are based on the conditions of the notebook out-of-the-box. Since Xotic PC units come overclocked and ready to go, our measurements related to temperatures, fan noise, performance, and battery life may be different from a stock GL552VW. Indeed, the raw GPU performance of our Xotic PC GL552VW is consistently ahead of other systems with a stock GTX 960M at the very tangible costs of louder fan noise, higher power draw, and shorter battery life. These drawbacks are less likely to bother users looking for a primary gaming notebook that's seldom used outside of mains.

Reasons to skip the Asus GL552 and opt in for the MSI GE62 include the smaller size and lighter weight of the latter without sacrificing case quality. The MSI notebook is also easier to troubleshoot and with sharper looks, though with a weaker cooling system and with warmer components under stress.

Weight and size are the biggest downsides of the GL552VW. If users can live with a mainly indoor gaming notebook, then the Asus offers an excellent 1080p IPS display, good overclocking headroom, and a rigid no-frills chassis. The cut corners and features are very apparent compared to costlier models like the Asus G752 or MSI GT72S.

Asus GL552VW-DH74 - 04/18/2016 v5.1(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
82%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
50 / 81 → 62%
Weight
59 / 10-66 → 88%
Battery
64%
Display
85%
Games Performance
84%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
88 / 95 → 93%
Noise
80 / 90 → 89%
Audio
64%
Average
76%
80%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus GL552VW Xotic PC Edition Notebook Review
Allen Ngo, 2016-03-27 (Update: 2020-06- 8)