Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme (Clevo P750ZM) Notebook Review

Aside from the monstrous MSI GT80 making most of the headlines, one of the more significant announcements from CES this year regarding high-end DTRs was from Clevo, who have managed to ship out barebone laptop models with fully-fledged desktop Haswell CPUs as early as a month later with overclocking potential to boot. The Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme is one such model based on the Clevo P750ZM.
Eurocom is touting plenty of features with the 15.6-inch P5 Pro Extreme including the world's first laptop with a Z97 chipset and a socket LGA 1150, full overclocking support of Intel K series CPUs through specialized O/C BIOS, ability to change LCD panels, and pre-wired 3G/4G. We checked out a similar Clevo P751ZM chassis earlier in the year and we highly recommend scrolling through our previous review for more pictures and details on the chassis, keyboard, connectivity options, and other physical features. Compared to the earlier configuration, this Eurocom model is equipped with much more powerful internals including a 4 GHz i7-4790K CPU, GTX 980M GPU, and a high quality UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution IPS display.
Prices start at about $1500 USD for the base model and can go over $8000 USD if configured with Xeon processors and all five storage bays occupied with 1 TB SSD drives. Our in-house model retails for roughly $3500 as configured.
Display
A number of display options are available from Eurocom including matte or glossy, LED or WLED backlight, and FHD or QFHD selections. Special 17.3-inch screens are also available for the larger "model B" chassis, though options are limited to 1080p. Our particular unit is equipped with a 15.6-inch UHD glossy WLED screen from Sharp and, according to its LQ156D1JX01B model number, is the same panel as found on our Clevo P651SE review late last year. Font and images are extremely crisp as expected and we experienced no hardware issues regarding picture quality. Windows appears to scale its UI accordingly to prevent ant-sized fonts and icons.
Measured contrast is nearly 1000:1 and brightness is sufficiently high for even the most well-lit indoor conditions, though the occasional glare will occur with the glossy screen. Compared to other 15.6-inch gaming systems, the Eurocom is as bright as the Gigabyte P35X v3 and brighter than both the Alienware 15 and MSI GS60 4K.
Furthermore, the display is upgradeable, which means that the manufacturer has made it easier to access and detach the eDP connector than on other notebooks. It's not as easy as replacing RAM or storage drives, however, as additional disassembly is required and the proper procedures are unfortunately not detailed in Eurocom's own extensive user manual.
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Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 347.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 853:1 (Black: 0.407 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.49 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 4.65 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
58.49% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
64.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
89.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Color space coverage is about 78 percent and 58 percent of sRGB and AdobeRGB, respectively. While certainly better than the average 60 percent or below from mainstream notebooks, this falls short of the claimed 100 percent sRGB coverage from this particular Sharp WLED panel. When compared to competing 15.6-inch workstations like the Precision 4800 and ZBook 15 G2, color gamut is very similar with overlap reaching 90 percent.
For an even wider color range, the 17.3-inch AU Optronics display option is rated for 90 percent of the NTSC standard. Complete or near-complete (95 percent) coverage of the AdobeRGB standard is available on dedicated workstation models from Dell or HP.
Displays come pre-calibrated and our X-Rite spectrophotometer shows very accurate colors, RGB balance, and grayscale across the board. Color temperature is not overly cool as is common on cheaper TN displays and the 2.2 gamma is ideal for a display calibrated against the sRGB spectrum. In general, colors become less accurate the lower the saturation level, though only very minimally. Green and Teal tend to be represented most accurately while Orange colors are the least.
A workstation like this is not meant to be used outdoors for long periods of time. Instead, we recommend checking out the HP ZBook 15 Mobile for those interested in a lightweight workstation solution. The backlight on the Eurocom is bright, but not bright enough to overcome reflections and ambient lighting for comfortable viewing on a bright day. Working under shade is a necessity as a result.
Performance
Besides the Core i7-4790K CPU in our configuration, Eurocom also offers i7-4790, i5-4690K, i5-4460, and Xeon E3 class processors. Overclocking is available on CPUs with the K suffix as usual for Intel desktop cores. And just like a regular i7-4790K in a desktop, ours runs at a base speed of 4 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.4 GHz for four active cores. Power Saver mode will drop the CPU to 800 MHz and the GPU to just 135/162 MHz (core/memory).
It's worth noting the differences in TDP and raw clock rates between the i7-4790K and the i7-4940MX, which is one of the fastest mobile Haswell processors currently available. While the i7-4940MX is rated for a TDP of 57 W and a base clock of 3.1 GHz, the i7-4790K has a 50 percent larger power envelope at 88 W and a 30 percent faster base clock. This is a significant hurdle in terms of cooling and calls for a much more effective cooling solution than on past designs.
Access to the cooling system and other internals is fast and easy as we have now come to expect from the Clevo brand. A small panel on the underside protects three of the storage drives while a separate larger one sits over the rest of the components including the LGA1150 and MXM 3.0b slots.
Processor
The i7-4790K handily outperforms the high-end mobile models in our database as we had no throttlling or stability issues with our model during regular benchmarking. Multi-core CineBench R15 scores, for example, is almost 150 points higher than our ThinkPad W541 model and almost 200 points higher than an i7-4940MX. Single-core performance is about 10 percent faster than the i7-4980HQ in the mammoth MSI GT80 according to Super Pi 32M and just over 15 percent faster in multi-core performance according to wPrime 1024M.
Processor Overclocking
The "Extreme" models in the P5 Pro series are equipped with Eurocom's specialized unlocked BIOS for overclocking and are so far the only laptops in the world with such support out-of-the-box. The CPU multiplier and voltages for RAM can be adjusted at boot up.
In practice, the multiplier for all four active cores can only be adjusted 100 MHz above the default 4.4 GHz Turbo setting before needing to increase the default core voltage of 1.22 V. Any faster and the system will experience Watchdog errors. By increasing the core voltage by another 100 mV, we were able to comfortably move to 4.7 GHz. At 4.8 GHz, however, crashes became inevitable even after increasing core voltage and disabling core C-states.
What kind of performance gains can users expect? At 4.7 GHz, our CineBench R11.5 multi-core run finishes with 8.80 points vs. 9.40 points at the default 4.4 GHz (or 9.17 points at the default 4.4 GHz after a cold boot up). Gains are not very significant as core temperatures will quickly reach nearly 100 degrees C even at default Turbo Boost levels as detailed in our stress test section below. This is compared to 80 degrees C or lower for desktop CPUs under stress. Core clock will immediately drop to safer levels, so any overclocking will be short-lived.
System Performance
Just when we thought we topped out our benchmark database with the Eurocom X8 a few months ago, along comes the Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme to set yet another record. Our recorded PCMark 7 score of 7272 points is the current king and one of the very few to break 7000 points. Consequently, PCMark 8 scores are one the highest and are rivaled only by the barebones K73-5N with its similar i7-4790K CPU and Samsung 840 EVO SSD. For comparison, the recently reviewed Alienware 15 scored 5627 points and 3769 points in PCmark 7 and PCMark 8 Home, respectively.
The Windows Experience Index shows a balanced configuration amongst the major components. Subjectively, navigating and launching applications feel instantaneous from the RAID 0 SSDs.
» No benchmarks for this notebook found!
PCMark 7 Score | 7272 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 5505 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 5995 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 5567 points | |
Help |
Storage Devices
Clevo models have plenty of storage bays by tradition and this Eurocom model is no exception with its four bays (2x M.2 and 2X 2.5-inch SATA III) capable of RAID 0/1/5/10. This is one less bay than the Eurocom X3 models, however, due to the lack of an ODD bay. Users can configure M.2 SSDs up to 512 GB and SSD or HDD 2.5-inch solutions up to 2 TB each. Note that the SATA slots can accept both 7 mm and 9.5 mm drives.
Our 256 GB Micron M600 SSDs in RAID 0 exhibit one of the highest sequential read speeds at 957.2 MB/s according to Crystal Disk Mark. Similarly, our single 1 TB Samsung 850 PRO shows excellent transfer rates and one of the highest 4K read and write speeds. Certain Lite-On SSDs in RAID 0 (like the LMT-128M6M) outperform our Micron setup in both read and write, though only marginally by less than 10 percent. 3x RAID 0 systems can reach sequential read speeds nearing 1500 MB/s.
For our growing benchmark list of HDDs and SSDs, see our table here.
GPU Performance
Our model is equipped with an Nvidia GTX 980M NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980Mcomplete with 8 GB GDDR5 RAM. Base clock is rated at 1038 MHz plus boost with memory effectively at 1252.8 MHz. Outside of the GTX 980M, Eurocom can configure GTX 970M and GTX 965M options or Quadro K3100M/ K5100M for CAD-related work. Additional benchmarks and technical information on Nvidia's current consumer flagship GPU can be found on our dedicated GPU page here. Eurocom was also kind enough to provide for us a GTX 965M for benchmarking and testing. More benchmarks on this mid-range Maxwell card can be found on our dedicated page here.
Synthetic GPU benchmarks place the Eurocom alongside other notebooks equipped with the same GPU, such as the popular MSI GT72 and Gigabyte P35X V3. This suggests that the GPU in the Eurocom is in no way held back or artificially throttled in performance. Its 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Graphics score of 4336 points sits comfortably between the GTX 880M (2874 points) in the MSI GT70 and the desktop Radeon R9 290X (5388 points). Perhaps more notably, its 3DMark 11 score of 10948 points rivals the Radeon HD 8970M CrossFire found on our older Eurocom X7.
3DMark 06 Standard Score | 33205 points | |
3DMark 11 Performance | 10948 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 151973 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 25823 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 8341 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score | 4239 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
We criticized our Eurocom X8 model for coupling a GTX 980M SLI setup with a 1080p display when the graphics power is more than capable at higher resolutions. The UHD display in our model really puts the single GTX 980M to the test as most every game tested is able to run at 1080p60 Ultra or close to it without much issue. At UHD Ultra settings, however, we can see that the more recent and graphically intensive titles like Advanced Warfare, Dragon Age, and Thief will bring the system to its knees at just 20 FPS. F1 2014 is notable as it runs north of 60 FPS for one of the most crisp gaming experiences we've seen on a 15-inch laptop yet. But for most every other title, graphical embellishments must be tuned down for a more consistent 30 FPS or smoother gameplay at the native 4K resolution.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
Sleeping Dogs (2012) | 162.3 | 56.5 | ||
Guild Wars 2 (2012) | 81.7 | 68.4 | ||
Tomb Raider (2013) | 241.8 | 102.6 | ||
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) | 123 | 101.5 | ||
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 217.8 | 85.8 | ||
Metro: Last Light (2013) | 117.5 | 65 | ||
Thief (2014) | 101 | 62.5 | ||
GRID: Autosport (2014) | 157.6 | 93.6 | ||
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) | 90.7 | 66.6 | ||
Ryse: Son of Rome (2014) | 58 | 56.6 | ||
F1 2014 (2014) | 118 | 116 | ||
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) | 107.1 | 59.9 | ||
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) | 73 | 49.5 |
Title |
UHD (3840 x 2160) on Ultra settings |
Sleeping Dogs |
13.2 |
Guild Wars 2 |
44 |
Tomb Raider |
28.7 |
Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm |
51.2 |
Metro: Last Light |
21.5 |
Thief |
20.9 |
GRID: Autosport |
43.7 |
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor |
22.9 |
F1 2014 |
66 |
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare |
21.9 |
Dragon Age: Inquisition |
15.5 |
Tomb Raider | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW |
Guild Wars 2 | |
1920x1080 All Maximum / On AA:FX (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 Best Appearance Preset AA:FX (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1024x768 Best Performance Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW |
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | |
1920x1080 Ultra / Extreme AA:on (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM |
Metro: Last Light | |
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 Medium (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
1024x768 Low (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW |
Thief | |
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FXAA & Low SS AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
1024x768 Very Low Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW |
GRID: Autosport | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 |
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset (HD Package) (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1344x756 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1280x720 Lowest Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 |
F1 2014 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 |
Dragon Age: Inquisition | |
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality AA:2x MS (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
Schenker W504 | |
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
Schenker W504 | |
1366x768 Medium Graphics Quality (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
Schenker W504 | |
1024x768 Low Graphics Quality (sort by value) | |
MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | |
Schenker W504 |
Ryse: Son of Rome | |
1920x1080 Very High Texture Res. + High Graphics Quality (Motion Blur & Temporal AA On, Rest Off/Disabled) AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1920x1080 High Texture Res. + High Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1366x768 Medium Texture Res. + Normal Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:4x (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 | |
1024x768 Low Texture Res. + Low Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:2x (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Schenker W504 |
BioShock Infinite | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW | |
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value) | |
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW |
Sleeping Dogs | |
1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:Extreme (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:High (sort by value) | |
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | |
Clevo Clevo P157SM |
Stress Test
We stress the Eurocom first with Prime95 and the GPU-Z and HWiNFO monitoring tools active. With all CPU cores stressed, the i7-4790K can be observed operating at its maximum 4.4 GHz Turbo Boost for the first one to two minutes before dropping to a more comfortable 4.2 to 4.3 GHz range. Core temperatures jump very quickly to 97 degrees C. FurMark stress puts the GPU core at the 835.3 to 847.6 MHz range whilst memory remains constant at its 1252.8 MHz maximum. GPU temperature plateaus at about 70 Degrees C.
Full system stress with both Prime95 and FurMark puts the CPU in the 3.6 GHz to 3.9 GHz range and the GPU even lower to the 822.7 to 835.7 MHz range. In both cases, this is below the base 4 GHz and 1038 MHz speeds of the respective cores. CPU and GPU temperatures cap at 99 degrees C and 75 Degrees C, respectively, after half an hour of full stress. We observed no stability issues during this time.
For a more realistic stress setting, we run Unigine Heaven 4.0 to simulate gaming conditions. The GPU core runs consistently above its base 1038 MHz clock at the 1113 to 1126 MHz range and maintains a relatively low temperature of 65 Degrees C. Meanwhile, the CPU will fluctuate wildly with clock speeds as low as 1.0 GHz up to 4.6 GHz. This is adaptive according to the demands of the application and consequently keeps core temperature in check at the 60 to 70 degree C range. Gamers should have no worries about performance degradation from throttling with the Eurocom P5 Pro. We recommend checking out the Gigabyte P34W v3 to compare and contrast how an inadequate cooling system can affect gaming performance overtime.
Users should note that overall performance will drop rather significantly when running on batteries, even when on the High Performance profile. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries will return much lower CPU and GPU scores of just 6048 points and 6812 points, respectively, compared to 10578 points and 11209 points on mains. The CPU will run only up to 2.2 GHz and the GPU up to 810/799.2 MHz core/memory without outlet power. The GPU core will drop to the 600 MHz range much more frequently under battery power as well.
Emissions
System Noise
One would imagine that the demanding 88 W CPU and 100 W GPU would require quite the portable cooling solution, and you'd be right - The two 60 mm fans are accompanied by an almost ludicrous number of heat pipes. The CPU alone sits below five separate lengths of copper pipes compared to the usual two or three on most other gaming notebooks like the MSI GT72. Is fan noise equally as monstrous?
Surprisingly, fan noise is non-existent on Power Saver mode under typical processing conditions such as 1080p playback or browsing. This itself is noteworthy considering the power-hungry internals. At the same time, both fans will not hold back when the system demands it as fan noise jumps abruptly from a silent 29 dB(A) to 37 dB(A) with nothing in between when gaming or in High Performance mode. Continue gaming and fan noise will only increase to 45 dB(A), 47 dB(A), and finally 49 dB(A) if under the most extreme of conditions. In general, however, most gaming notebooks lie in the same mid-to-high 40 dB(A) range under load or even louder for very thin models like the GS60 or P34W v3. Thus, the Eurocom is not any louder than a more standard gaming notebook despite the more powerful components.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 28.1 / 28.2 / 28.3 dB(A) |
Load |
| 37.8 / 49.6 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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Temperature
Surface temperatures when idling are cool on the front palm rests, but noticeably warmer on the keyboard and towards the rear. There can be up to a 10 degrees C difference between the coolest and warmest spots on the top surface of the notebook, which is quite a steep gradient for an idling system. The Asus GL550 keeps a flatter temperature profile both on the front and back as does the thin MSI GS60 on the front, though at the same time these competing notebooks do not sport desktop-class processors and GTX 980M GPUs. Nonetheless, typing on the Eurocom will feel warmer than on most other notebooks even when word processing or browsing.
Under extreme stress for half an hour, certain quadrants will experience a rise in temperature while others will actually see a decrease. We ran our temperature test twice to double-check and sure enough the same phenomenon occurs in both trials. The keyboard feels cooler as do the touchpad and palm rests. Instead, much of the temperature rise happens on the bottom side of the notebook, especially towards the rear corners where the exhaust grilles are located. This assures maximum user comfort when gaming on a flat surface as heat exists the rear and the front surfaces remain cool. Such temperature profiles between the idling and stress conditions are uncommon on notebooks and the P5 Pro is rather unique in this category.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.8 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 38 °C / 100 F, ranging from 22.2 to 69.8 °C for the class Workstation.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.8 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 41.5 °C / 107 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.4 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 31.9 °C / 89 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.4 °C / 79.5 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (+1.4 °C / 2.5 F).
Speakers

The built-in 2 Watt Onkyo speakers provide relatively deep bass and very satisfying sound despite the lack of a proper subwoofer. Maximum volume is loud and quality does not decrease significantly at higher volumes. The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 software allows for many additional settings and adjustments and there are dedicated 7.1 channel outputs for external sound systems as needed.
The slightly larger Model B variant of the Clevo P751ZM includes a subwoofer on the bottom of the unit between the battery and the M.2 slot.
Battery Life
Runtimes in general are low largely due to the lack of Optimus and, of course, the fact that this system is running a desktop CPU on battery power. It's a fairly dense Li-Ion module by necessity at 82 Wh, which is comparable to the Alienware 15 (92 Wh) and much larger than on the Acer Aspire V15 Nitro (52.5 Wh), Gigabyte P35X v3 (75.81 Wh), and MSI GS60 (52 Wh). Users can expect a battery life of only about 2 hours for regular browser use.
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme | Alienware 15 | MSI GS60 2QE Ghost Pro 4K (2QEUi716SR51G) | Acer Aspire V15 Nitro VN7-591G-75TD | Asus GL550JK-CN391H | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 142% | 15% | 33% | 32% | |
Reader / Idle | 163 | 696 327% | 276 69% | 299 83% | |
WiFi | 136 | 266 96% | 184 35% | 181 33% | 201 48% |
Load | 89 | 91 2% | 36 -60% | 57 -36% |
Verdict
As a gaming laptop, the Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme offers an unmatched level of customization and is one of the fastest 15.6-inch gaming notebooks around, especially if you're out looking for one with UHD options. We have to commend Clevo for its powerful cooling solution here and Eurocom for offering an unlocked BIOS for overclocking. Native UHD gaming at buttery smooth Ultra settings, however, is still asking for a bit much from the GTX 980M as users will have to settle for 30 FPS at Medium settings instead for most of today's titles. Despite this, the larger MSI GT72 and Asus G751 are still good alternatives for their sturdier build quality even if they don't quite have the same level of accessibility as the Eurocom P5 Pro.
CPU performance is excellent for a laptop of course, but not all that much better than the i7-4980HQ in our MSI GT80. The i7-4790K is about about 10 to 20 percent faster in CPU benchmarks and whether or not this justifies having a full-fledged desktop CPU with lower battery life and higher power demands will be up to the buyer.
Meanwhile, overclocking benefits are not at the level of desktops... at least not yet. Since the P5 Pro Extreme cannot even maintain its default 4.4 GHz Turbo under stress, then any overclocking above 4.4 GHz will be short-lived and only good for short bursts.
The overclocking potential is an excellent start and we can see it becoming better in future iterations, but at this point it just feels like a check box feature to stand out from the crowd. Until then, the high levels of connectivity, customization, and performance will continue to be the reasons for most buyers to choose Eurocom over more fixed gaming notebooks.
(March 10, 2015 Update): Eurocom have released an update to the video BIOS that promises a boost to GPU performance of up to 15 percent. The update removes certain limitations on the BIOS, likely pertaining to the Nvidia overclocking lock. Our benchmarks and data do not reflect the new update.