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Eurocom P7 Pro (Clevo P770ZM) Notebook Review

Now with the latest Broadwell-H CPU. Eurocom is one of the first resellers to incorporate the recently released Intel Core i7-5775C CPU into its product line. How does this desktop 65 W processor compare to the current mobile Broadwell champions?

Eurocom notebooks consistently top a good chunk of our database of literally thousands of other notebooks. The Clevo barebones are not just good platforms for the fastest processors, but are also well known for their ease of accessibility and upgradeability compared to competing brands.

The 17.3-inch Eurocom P7 Pro is based off of the latest 15.6-inch Clevo P750ZM design that we covered with the Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme. As mentioned in our previous review, these systems are built to handle LGA1150 socket desktop processors with overclocking potential to boot. The end result is a performance level above even the best gaming laptops that Alienware, Asus, or MSI currently have to offer. Let's see how far we can push this premier Eurocom gaming machine.

Eurocom P7 Pro
Processor
Intel Core i7-5775C 4 x 3.3 GHz, Broadwell, 3.3 GHz Intel Core i7-5775C
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1038 MHz, Memory: 5010 MHz, 344.91
Memory
16 GB 
, Corsair DDR3-2132, PC3-17000, 11-11-11-31
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, LP173WF4-SPD1, IPS, LG Philips, ID: LGD046C, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Z97
Storage
Samsung SSD SM951 512 GB MZHPV512HDGL, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Intel 9-series Chipset
Connections
5 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 eSata, Audio Connections: 1x 3.5 mm SPDIF, headphone, microphone, line-in
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 38 x 418 x 282 ( = 1.5 x 16.46 x 11.1 in)
Battery
82 Wh Lithium-Ion, 8-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2 MP
Additional features
Speakers: 2 Watt stereo + subwoofer, Keyboard: Beveled, Keyboard Light: yes, Device, Drivers, and Utilities disc, Concise User's Guide, Thermal paste, Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3, Flexikey, HotKey, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
3.85 kg ( = 135.8 oz / 8.49 pounds), Power Supply: 1.36 kg ( = 47.97 oz / 3 pounds)
Price
3100 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Clevo is moving away from the bulky, boxy, and boring look of its past models to something more modern, yet not too eccentric as to sacrifice any accessibility. The barebones manufacturer is still using heavy-duty ABS matte plastic to provide a more professional and rugged quality compared to aluminum alloy solutions that other gaming notebooks may use. The outer lid and palm rest surfaces are slightly rubberized for a more premium feel instead of just hard plastic. This does, however, attract fingerprints and grease much more easily. The bottom edges are tapered quite aggressively to make the notebook appear thinner than it actually is. Thus, its front edge is just 16 mm thick compared to the 38 mm rear.

Build quality is very good considering the size of the unit. The base is rigid with no twisting and no major warping when applying pressure on the center of the keyboard. The hinges are stiff up to its maximum ~135 degree angle with no rocking of the display when typing. Applying pressure on the center of the outer lid will still cause some slight warping as does twisting the display side-to-side, but the extent is largely minimal and not a cause for concern. The bezel is slightly smaller, yet it feels thicker than the thin plastic bezel of the Eurocom X7.

When compared to other popular 17.3-inch gaming notebooks, the Eurocom is thinner and smaller than both the MSI GT72 and the especially thick Asus ROG G751. A few notebooks do come in thinner, such as the Alienware 17 R2, but this Eurocom houses a much more demanding CPU and cooling system than the models listed here. In fact, the P7 Pro weighs about the same as the GT72 (3.85 kg vs 3.82 kg) despite the clear size difference between them.

428 mm / 16.9 inch 294 mm / 11.6 inch 48 mm / 1.89 inch 3.8 kg8.42 lbs416 mm / 16.4 inch 318 mm / 12.5 inch 53 mm / 2.09 inch 4.2 kg9.17 lbs430 mm / 16.9 inch 292 mm / 11.5 inch 34.4 mm / 1.354 inch 3.7 kg8.11 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 282 mm / 11.1 inch 38 mm / 1.496 inch 3.9 kg8.49 lbs413 mm / 16.3 inch 268 mm / 10.6 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.9 kg6.45 lbs417 mm / 16.4 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 3 kg6.5 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports include 5x USB 3.0 and 3x video-out options. With Optimus out of the way, users can utilize all three video-out ports for up to four displays at 3084 x 2160 resolutions. There is no built-in legacy support for VGA or a HDMI-in port. The larger Alienware models or the Asus G751 may carry some of these missing features.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: USB 3.0, 4x 3.5 mm headphone, microphone, SPDIF, Line-in, Kensington Lock
Right: USB 3.0, 4x 3.5 mm headphone, microphone, SPDIF, Line-in, Kensington Lock
Rear: HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, Power adapter
Rear: HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, Power adapter
Left: Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 3.0, 6-in-1 SD reader, USB 3.0/eSATA combo
Left: Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 3.0, 6-in-1 SD reader, USB 3.0/eSATA combo

Communication

WLAN includes an Intel 7265 for 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, and dual-band (2x2) connectivity up to 867 Mbps as standard. A Qualcomm Killer 1525 option is also available for more gaming-centric features and optimizations. We experienced no issues with our Intel M.2 module when connecting to a home network.

Maintenance

It's no surprise that key components are easily accessible from the bottom of the unit with just a Philips screwdriver. Aside from the 2x SODIMM slots (plus 2 more under the keyboard) and 2.5-inch SATA bays, the LGA 1150 socket supports 90 Watt processors up to a Core i7-4790K and the graphics card can be swapped with another MXM 3.0b-compatible unit. The ease of upgradeability and lack of soldered components make Clevo models much more attractive compared to other gaming notebooks.

Accessories

Out-of-the-box, Eurocom throws in a Quick Start booklet and Drivers and Utilities disc. Extras screws and some thermal paste are included as well. Carrying cases, VGA adapters, and other cables are available directly from the reseller.

A 230 Watt power adapter comes standard, though users can upgrade to a larger and more powerful 330 Watt adapter.

Warranty

The usual one-year warranty applies with options to extend up to two or three years for an additional $175 or $375, respectively.

Easy access to internals
Easy access to internals

Input Devices

Keyboard

Keyboards on Clevo models have remained largely identical between generations, so the one here is similar to the one on the Eurocom X7 despite the many hardware changes underneath. Its size (35.25 x 10.75 cm) and beveled layout continue to provide firm and quiet feedback not unlike that of the Alienware 17 R2. Unlike the Asus G751 and said Alienware, however, The Eurocom lacks a set of dedicated Macro keys and must rely on combination keys for such commands. Travel is also a bit shallow and nowhere near as deep as say the mechanical keyboard on the GT80.

Its Flexikey software allows users to easily set Macro commands, input recordings, and keyboard backlight colors. The backlight functions in particular are very wide with at least 256 colors for each of the three sections of the keyboard.

Touchpad

The slightly redesigned touchpad (10.75 x 6.25 cm) is rigid with no cursor issues and a smooth glide. Synaptics V7.5 lets users customize up to three finger gestures and other sensitivity settings. The dedicated mouse keys are even quieter than the keyboard keys with a deeper travel. The feedback is a little on the soft side and certainly not as firm as it could have been. Like the rest of the notebook, fingerprints will accumulate here very quickly.

Excellent keyboard with firm feedback. Unfortunately, no dedicated Macro keys.
Excellent keyboard with firm feedback. Unfortunately, no dedicated Macro keys.
Flexikey software with Macro, recording, and backlight options
Flexikey software with Macro, recording, and backlight options
Plethora of backlight colors and settings
Plethora of backlight colors and settings
Control Center allows for pre-set manual fan control settings
Control Center allows for pre-set manual fan control settings
Gaming options are similar to solutions from MSI, Gigabyte, and Asus
Gaming options are similar to solutions from MSI, Gigabyte, and Asus

Display

The 17.3-inch 1080p panel from LG Philips offers a rated brightness of 300 nits and a contrast ratio of about 700:1. Our own measurements confirm both with an average brightness of about 319 nits and a contrast ratio just above 800:1. The display is very clean on the Eurocom with no major screen-door effect or graininess that can be common on more inexpensive notebooks. This LP173WF4-SPD1 panel can also be found on a number of other 17.3-inch gaming notebooks including the Asus GL771, MSI GT70, and MSI GE72.

Compared to competing models, the P7 Pro is just as bright with contrast to match. The display on the Alienware 17 R2 is slightly better overall in terms of color accuracy and grayscale without the need for calibration.

324.5
cd/m²
317.3
cd/m²
322.6
cd/m²
328.3
cd/m²
335.4
cd/m²
315.9
cd/m²
315.1
cd/m²
320.6
cd/m²
293.7
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LP173WF4-SPD1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 335.4 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 319.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 335.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 873:1 (Black: 0.384 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.14 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.44 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
85.3% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
56.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
85.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.98
Eurocom P7 ProAlienware 17 R2Asus G751JY-T7009HMSI GT72-2QE32SR311BWGigabyte P37X
Display
-1%
-0%
-5%
3%
Display P3 Coverage
67.2
66.6
-1%
66.4
-1%
60.3
-10%
68.7
2%
sRGB Coverage
85.3
84.3
-1%
85.3
0%
84
-2%
87.9
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
62.4
61.6
-1%
62.1
0%
61.4
-2%
64
3%
Screen
6%
1%
-39%
-1%
Brightness middle
335.4
331
-1%
329
-2%
273
-19%
361.7
8%
Brightness
319
307
-4%
326
2%
259
-19%
347
9%
Brightness Distribution
88
84
-5%
93
6%
85
-3%
91
3%
Black Level *
0.384
0.3
22%
0.47
-22%
0.3
22%
0.734
-91%
Contrast
873
1103
26%
700
-20%
910
4%
493
-44%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.14
4.88
5%
3.95
23%
11.63
-126%
2.81
45%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.44
3.63
18%
3.36
24%
11.9
-168%
1.92
57%
Gamma
1.98 111%
2.17 101%
2.46 89%
2.56 86%
2.21 100%
CCT
6464 101%
6325 103%
5961 109%
15491 42%
6384 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
56.1
55
-2%
56
0%
54
-4%
57.95
3%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
85.3
84.2
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
3% / 5%
1% / 1%
-22% / -30%
1% / -0%

* ... smaller is better

Color coverage is 56 percent and 85 percent of AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively. This is good for an IPS display and is very similar to both the Razer Blade Pro and Alienware 17 R2. Cheap TN panels normally cover a little more than half of sRGB and even less of AdobeRGB. Eurocom does offer other display options including glossy and 90 percent NTSC panels. No resolutions above 1080p just yet, however.

vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. Alienware 17 R2
vs. Alienware 17 R2
vs. Razer Blade Pro
vs. Razer Blade Pro

Further measurements with an X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal generally accurate grayscale and colors across the tested saturation levels. A quick calibration improves grayscale dramatically with Gamma close to the ideal 2.2 for sRGB. Orange and Yellow hues are represented less accurately compared to other colors. The less-than-perfect sRGB coverage means colors become less accurate at higher saturation where targets begin to fall beyond the color space of the Eurocom panel.

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

Outdoor usability is just barely above average as the backlight will need to be much more powerful for comfortable viewing. The matte panel helps, but the screen will become quickly washed out even on an overcast day. Adjusting the display angle and setting the screen to maximum brightness will definitely help.

Viewing angles are excellent as expected from an IPS panel. Colors and brightness do not dramatically degrade even if viewing from extreme angles. 

Maximum brightness recommended for use outdoors
Maximum brightness recommended for use outdoors
Wide viewing angles from IPS panel
Wide viewing angles from IPS panel

Performance

Up to 3.7 GHz Turbo for a single core or 3.6 GHz for all cores
Up to 3.7 GHz Turbo for a single core or 3.6 GHz for all cores

The Eurocom P7 Pro is very configurable and the reseller naturally offers a wide range of high-end hardware options ranging from a Core i7-4790 to a Xeon E3-1281 and a GTX 965M to a Radeon R9 M290X. Unlocked processors are also available up to a Core i7-5775C. Our test unit is equipped with such a CPU and is one of the first notebooks to sport this particular Broadwell model.

When idling on Power Saver mode, the CPU and GPU will run at 800 MHz and 135/162 MHz core/memory, respectively. The lack of Optimus means the integrated Iris Pro Graphics 6200 is disabled in favor of raw dedicated GPU performance and the ability to utilize all video-out ports with no middleman.

RAM is supported up to 32 GB via 4x SODIMM slots. LatencyMon reports no dropout issues when wireless radios are active.

Processor

With a rated TDP of 65 W, the i7-5775C sits between the 47 W mobile i7-4980HQ and 88 W desktop i7-4790K in our Alienware 17 R2 and Eurocom P5 Pro, respectively. The smaller 14 nm die shrink and more consistent core clock rate both give the i7-5775C a small advantage over the i7-4980HQ in multi-core benchmarks by about 10 percent according to CineBench and 20 percent according to 3DMark Physics scores. Gains in single-core operations are much smaller, however, likely due to the ridiculously fast 4 GHz Turbo clock of the i7-4980HQ, which is higher than the default 3.7 GHz Turbo maximum on the i7-5775C.

The i7-4790K consistently outperforms the i7-5775C by at least 10 percent in raw CPU benchmarks like CineBench, Super Pi, and wPrime. 3DMark Physics scores are much closer to within just a few percentage points, so tangible performance gains while gaming are likely to be very marginal between these two desktop processors when paired with a GTX 980M. The very common i7-4710HQ and i7-4720HQ in almost all other high-end gaming notebooks fall behind by at least 15 percent and up to 30 percent in some cases.

CineBench R10 64-bit
CineBench R10 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15 64-bit
CineBench R15 64-bit
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
6839 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
29510 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
7756 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6823
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
22261
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5844
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
78.7 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.29 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.79 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
153.4 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
780 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
153 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
153 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
171 Points +12%
Alienware 17 R2
155 Points +1%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
136 Points -11%
Gigabyte P37X
133 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
780 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
873 Points +12%
Alienware 17 R2
670 Points -14%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
661 Points -15%
Gigabyte P37X
662 Points -15%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
1.79 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
2.07 Points +16%
Alienware 17 R2
1.74 Points -3%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
1.52 Points -15%
Gigabyte P37X
1.52 Points -15%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
8.29 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
9.4 Points +13%
Alienware 17 R2
7.28 Points -12%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
7.22 Points -13%
Gigabyte P37X
7.2 Points -13%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
7756 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
8911 Points +15%
Gigabyte P37X
6702 Points -14%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
29510 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
33974 Points +15%
Gigabyte P37X
25935 Points -12%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
196.7 s *
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
174.8 s * +11%
Gigabyte P37X
225.5 s * -15%
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
516 s *
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
437 s * +15%
Gigabyte P37X
564 s * -9%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance Physics (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
10077 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
10578 Points +5%
Alienware 17 R2
9244 Points -8%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
7980 Points -21%
Gigabyte P37X
7545 Points -25%
3DMark
Fire Strike Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
11899 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
12395 Points +4%
Gigabyte P37X
8134 Points -32%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
11862 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
12382 Points +4%
Alienware 17 R2
9636 Points -19%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
9190 Points -23%
Gigabyte P37X
8271 Points -30%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
8602 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
8811 Points +2%
Alienware 17 R2
5722 Points -33%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
6548 Points -24%
Gigabyte P37X
5991 Points -30%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
58400 Points
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme
59800 Points +2%
Gigabyte P37X
46027 Points -21%

Legend

 
Eurocom P7 Pro Intel Core i7-5775C, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, Samsung SSD SM951 512 GB MZHPV512HDGL
 
Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme Intel Core i7-4790K, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 2x Micron M600 MTFDDAV128MBF (RAID 0)
 
Alienware 17 R2 Intel Core i7-4980HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, Lite-On IT L8T-256L9G
 
Asus G751JY-T7009H Intel Core i7-4710HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
 
Gigabyte P37X Intel Core i7-4720HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 2x Lite-On LMT-128L9M (RAID 0)

* ... smaller is better

CPU Overclocking

Overclocking potential is vastly improved over the Core i7-4790K in our Eurocom P5 Pro Extreme. This is unsurprising given the lower TDP, lower base frequencies, and smaller lithography of the i7-5775C. We are able to overclock the CPU through the unlocked BIOS up to a steady 4.1 GHz for both single- and multi-core Turbo Boosts with great results from CineBench R15. Any higher, however, and system errors will begin creeping in before needing to alter CPU voltage to compensate. In comparison, our P5 Pro would crash from overclocking just 200 MHz above its base clock.

Overclock Delta (Multi-core/Single-core) CineBench R15 Multi-core score CineBench R15 Single-core score
+100/0 MHz 790 153
+200/100 MHz 816 158
+300/200 MHz 837 163
+400/300 MHz 854 165
+500/400 MHz 868 170

System Performance

The current king in our PCMark 7 database is the Eurocom Pro 5 Extreme with its final tally of 7272 points. Our P7 Pro clocks in at 7051 points, or just a couple hundred below our record holder. The high numbers can be partly attributed to the ridiculously fast PCIe x4 Samsung SSD, which also helps the notebook achieve high PCMark 8 numbers as well. Certain RAID 0 systems do score slightly higher than our Eurocom including the MSI GT72 (4x 256 GB Kingston SSDs) and larger MSI GT80 (4x 256 GB Toshiba SSDs).

PCMark 7
PCMark 7
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 7 Score
7051 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
5171 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5747 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5238 points
Help

Storage Devices

A total of four storage bays are available in the form of two PCIe x4 and x2 slots and two 2.5-inch SATA III bays with RAID 0/1 support. The included 512 GB Samsung SM951 SSD and PCIe x4 slot are becoming increasingly common on high-end gaming notebooks such as the Asus UX501 and G501 as the slot provides extremely fast transfer rates. CDM shows sequential read and write rates of about 1400 MB/s, which is already faster than many RAID 0 setups and almost three times as fast as a single SATA III SSD. Nontheless, read and write rates of smaller 4K blocks aren't as wide between PCIe x4 and SATA III. Our comparison table of HDDs and SSDs can be found on our dedicated page here.

Note that the system lacks an ODD slot where a fifth HDD or SDD can normally be equipped in lieu of disc drive. It is likely that Clevo will be phasing out the optical drive slot in favor of external USB solutions.

PCIe 4x slot with another PCIe 2x slot underneath
PCIe 4x slot with another PCIe 2x slot underneath
Dual 2.5-inch SATA III bays for additional storage
Dual 2.5-inch SATA III bays for additional storage
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark
AS SSD
AS SSD
AS SSD Copy
AS SSD Copy

GPU Performance

Synthetic GPU benchmark results are some of the highest we've seen for a notebook with a single graphics card. The final 3DMark 11 score of 11836 points is just a hair above the One K73-5N, which uses a fast desktop Core i7-4790K CPU paired with a GTX 980M. The Eurocom is also several hundred points higher than the Asus G751 in the same benchmark. 3DMark Fire strike scores are in the same ballpark as other high-end systems carrying GTX 980M or Radeon R9 M295X GPUs, such as in the 27-inch iMac Retina 5K.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark 06 Standard Score
26537 points
3DMark 11 Performance
11836 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
161287 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
26798 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
8514 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
4290 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Our gaming benchmarks with the GTX 980M are well-documented on our dedicated GPU page. Thus, users can find additional technical information and benchmarks across a variety of notebooks sporting the high-end Nvidia GPU here.

In short, our P7 Pro performs above average compared to other GTX 980M-equipped systems due to its ability to maintain very consistent Turbo Boost and GPU Boost speeds. Nonetheless, systems with GTX 970M SLI or GTX 980M SLI graphics will still outperform the P7 Pro.

Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Ryse: Son of Rome
Ryse: Son of Rome
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
low med. high ultra
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 171.8 58.4
Guild Wars 2 (2012) 75.8 70.6
Tomb Raider (2013) 248.4 104.3
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 171.5 111.8
BioShock Infinite (2013) 217.1 94.5
Metro: Last Light (2013) 124.2 67.9
Thief (2014) 78.8 49.8
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) 89.9 69.7
Ryse: Son of Rome (2014) 68.6 62.6
F1 2014 (2014) 120 120
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) 69.1 46.5
Battlefield Hardline (2015) 98 71.8
Metro: Last Light
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
67.9 fps
Eurocom X8
95 fps +40%
Aorus X7 Pro
79.2 fps +17%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
52.6 fps -23%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
32.2 fps -53%
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
124.2 fps
Eurocom X8
125 fps +1%
Aorus X7 Pro
112.1 fps -10%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
93.6 fps -25%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
61.9 fps -50%
1366x768 Medium (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
137 fps
1024x768 Low (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
139.7 fps
Sleeping Dogs
1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:Extreme (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
58.4 fps
Eurocom X8
109 fps +87%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
45.1 fps -23%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
24.3 fps -58%
1366x768 High Preset AA:High (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
171.8 fps
Eurocom X8
178 fps +4%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
133.2 fps -22%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
93.1 fps -46%
Guild Wars 2
1920x1080 All Maximum / On AA:FX (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
70.6 fps
Eurocom X8
64 fps -9%
Aorus X7 Pro
78.2 fps +11%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
51.7 fps -27%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
36 fps -49%
1366x768 Best Appearance Preset AA:FX (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
75.8 fps
Eurocom X8
69 fps -9%
Aorus X7 Pro
85.6 fps +13%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
60.6 fps -20%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
62.6 fps -17%
1024x768 Best Performance Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
160.7 fps
Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
104.3 fps
Eurocom X8
198 fps +90%
Aorus X7 Pro
156.5 fps +50%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
79.3 fps -24%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
50.8 fps -51%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
248.4 fps
Eurocom X8
435 fps +75%
Aorus X7 Pro
351.8 fps +42%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
186.1 fps -25%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
113.2 fps -54%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
465.4 fps
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
519 fps
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
1920x1080 Ultra / Extreme AA:on (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
111.8 fps
Eurocom X8
92 fps -18%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
79.3 fps -29%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
55.1 fps -51%
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
171.5 fps
Eurocom X8
141 fps -18%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
116.6 fps -32%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
127.8 fps -25%
BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
94.5 fps
Eurocom X8
145 fps +53%
Aorus X7 Pro
130.1 fps +38%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
72 fps -24%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
46.8 fps -50%
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
217.1 fps
Eurocom X8
212 fps -2%
Aorus X7 Pro
233.7 fps +8%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
154.7 fps -29%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
120 fps -45%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
273.1 fps
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
290.2 fps
Thief
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
49.8 fps
Eurocom X8
87 fps +75%
Aorus X7 Pro
86.8 fps +74%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
47.4 fps -5%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
28.3 fps -43%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FXAA & Low SS AF:4x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
78.8 fps
Eurocom X8
93 fps +18%
Aorus X7 Pro
115.1 fps +46%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
67.9 fps -14%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
54.1 fps -31%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
119.7 fps
1024x768 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
125.5 fps
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
1920x1080 Ultra Preset (HD Package) (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
69.7 fps
Aorus X7 Pro
89.9 fps +29%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
52.5 fps -25%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
31 fps -56%
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
89.9 fps
Aorus X7 Pro
105.2 fps +17%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
65.7 fps -27%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
40.1 fps -55%
1344x756 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
209.4 fps
1280x720 Lowest Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
268.9 fps
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 P7 Pro
62.6 fps
Eurocom X8
103 fps +65%
Aorus X7 Pro
61.1 fps -2%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
45.3 fps -28%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
28.2 fps -55%
1920x1080 High Texture Res. + High Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:8x (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
68.6 fps
Eurocom X8
111 fps +62%
Aorus X7 Pro
61.6 fps -10%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
48.8 fps -29%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
30.5 fps -56%
1366x768 Medium Texture Res. + Normal Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:4x (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
62.9 fps
1024x768 Low Texture Res. + Low Graphics Quality (Rest Off/Disabled) AF:2x (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
63.6 fps
F1 2014
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
120 fps
Eurocom X8
102 fps -15%
Aorus X7 Pro
118 fps -2%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
97 fps -19%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
94 fps -22%
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
120 fps
Eurocom X8
117 fps -2%
Aorus X7 Pro
118 fps -2%
Aorus X3 Plus v3
111 fps -7%
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015
113 fps -6%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
118 fps
1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value)
Aorus X7 Pro
118 fps
Dragon Age: Inquisition
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality AA:2x MS (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
46.5 fps
Eurocom X8
85 fps +83%
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
69.1 fps
Eurocom X8
119 fps +72%
Battlefield Hardline
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality (DX11) AA:4x MS (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
71.8 fps
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (DX11) (sort by value)
Eurocom P7 Pro
98 fps

Legend

 
Eurocom P7 Pro Intel Core i7-5775C, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, Samsung SSD SM951 512 GB MZHPV512HDGL
 
Eurocom X8 Intel Core i7-4940MX, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, Samsung SSD 840 EVO 120GB mSATA
 
Aorus X7 Pro Intel Core i7-4870HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M SLI, 2x Lite-On LMT-256L9M (RAID 0)
 
Aorus X3 Plus v3 Intel Core i7-4710HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 2x Lite-On LMT-256L9M (RAID 0)
 
Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2015 Intel Core i7-4720HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP

Stress Test

We stress the notebook with synthetic benchmarks to observe for any potential throttling or stability issues. With just Prime95 active, the Core i7-5775C in the Eurocom is able to maintain its maximum 3.6 GHz Turbo Boost for all four cores. The system fans will begin to operate near their maximum speeds once CPU temperature reaches 80 C. With just FurMark active, GPU core clock drops from 1037 MHz to a steady 834 to 847 MHz while memory clock remains flat at 1252 MHz.

Maximum CPU and GPU stress with both Prime95 and FurMark will cause the CPU to lose all Turbo Boost benefits after the first few minutes and remain stable in the 3.2 to 3.3 GHz range. Meanwhile, the GPU fluctuates between 810 to 835 MHz. If the Maximum Fan Speed option is enabled, then the CPU will gain back a bit of its Turbo Boost while GPU core temperature drops a few degrees. GPU temperature remains relatively low even under high stress despite the fact that it still throttles down to the 800 MHz range. A larger PSU may potentially benefit the P7 Pro in this regard.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Full stress
Full stress

Unigine Heaven more accurately represents gaming stress. Under these conditions, both the CPU and GPU are able to sustain high Boosts and at lower core temperatures. We also ran the Metro: Last Light benchmark ten consecutive times to observe for any drops in performance over time. The first run returned an average 67.7 FPS compared to the last run with an average of 67.4 FPS. This is very consistent, especially when compared to the GTX 980M in the thinner Gigabyte P37X under similar testing conditions.

Running on battery power will reduce both CPU and GPU performances dramatically. The CPU drops to a steady 1.9 GHz and the GPU to 670/405 MHz core/memory. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 5494 and 6851 points, respectively.

Unigine Heaven stress
Unigine Heaven stress
FPS results with Last Light...
FPS results with Last Light...
...stay consistent for all 10 consecutive runs
...stay consistent for all 10 consecutive runs
Steady CPU and GPU Speeds Under Stress

Core i7-5775C CPU (MHz) GeForce GTX 980M (MHz) CPU Temperature (C) GPU Temperature (C)
System Idle (Power Saver) 800 135 40 - 45 43
Prime95 stress 3600 - 75 - 80 -
FurMark stress - 834 - 847 - 65
Prime95 + FurMark stress 3200 - 3300 810 - 835 90 - 95 76
Prime95 + FurMark stress (Maximum Fan Speed) 3400 - 3500 810 - 835 90 - 95 71
Unigine Heaven stress 3700 1113 - 1126 65 - 70 67
Unigine Heaven stress (Battery Power) 1900 670 55 54

Emissions

System Noise

Like the smaller P5 Pro, the P7 Pro utilizes a similar cooling system consisting of six large copper heat pipes and dual 60 mm fans. The sheer size and length of the pipes make the cooling system of other gaming notebooks look puny in comparison.

With such a wide heat spread, the P7 Pro is silent when browsing or watching videos on Power Saver mode as the fans do not kick in until at least medium-level loads. Once this threshold is reached, such as when gaming or running other demanding software, the system fans jump abruptly from around 29 dB(A) to 38 dB(A) with really nothing in between. Fan noise when gaming will be in the 42 to 45 dB(A) range and can be as loud as 53 dB(A) if Maximum Fan Speed is enabled.

Compared to competing models from Alienware, MSI, or Asus, the Eurocom is surprising as it is able to remain silent for longer under low to medium loads even when the High Performance profile is active. This is impressive because of the higher TDP CPU and lack of Optimus support compared to most gaming notebooks. Still, fan noise when gaming is no different from other systems with GTX 970M/980M GPUs at the mid 40 dB(A) range. The exceptions are ultrathin gaming notebooks like the Aorus X7 or Gigabyte P37X where fans are more sensitive and can be as loud as 50 dB(A).

CPU fan is slightly smaller in thickness, but equal in diameter to the GPU fan
CPU fan is slightly smaller in thickness, but equal in diameter to the GPU fan
60 mm GPU fan
60 mm GPU fan

Noise Level

Idle
28.7 / 28.8 / 29.1 dB(A)
Load
42.4 / 53 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Surface temperature characteristics are excellent given the demanding hardware. Like many high-power gaming notebooks, Clevo has concentrated most of the produced heat towards the rear of the unit and away from the palm rests and keyboard keys. This leads to a notebook that is not overly warm on the hands during even the most stressful of computing tasks. Our measurements below were taken after 30 minutes of uninterrupted full stress conditions (Prime95 + FurMark). As shown, surface temperature increases most dramatically directly above the heat pipes.

Competing models like the Asus G751 and MSI GT72 show similar surface temperature development, though the Eurocom appears to be better at keeping the keyboard area a little cooler. In comparison, the Alienware 17 R2 is notorious for having a very warm keyboard while the ultrathin Gigabyte P37X can reach higher temperatures of over 60 C on the rear of the unit.

Bottom rear of notebook will become very warm, while front areas stay relatively cool
Bottom rear of notebook will become very warm, while front areas stay relatively cool
Max. Load
 36.8 °C
98 F
39.4 °C
103 F
34.4 °C
94 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
38.2 °C
101 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
 25.6 °C
78 F
25.6 °C
78 F
23.6 °C
74 F
 
Maximum: 39.4 °C = 103 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
44.4 °C
112 F
45.8 °C
114 F
47 °C
117 F
36.6 °C
98 F
46.4 °C
116 F
31.4 °C
89 F
24 °C
75 F
24.8 °C
77 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 36.2 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.4 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.1 °C / 90 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 39.4 °C / 103 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 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.1 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.6 °C / 79.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+2.3 °C / 4.1 F).

Speakers

Good performance for a 25 mm subwoofer
Good performance for a 25 mm subwoofer

The built-in 2 Watt stereo speakers and subwoofer provide very good sound quality. Maximum volume is very loud, but unfortunately loses a bit of balance at high settings, so external 7.1 or Optical solutions are recommended to fill a living room. The bass is great at medium volume settings with enough power to feel the notebook reverberate when watching movies and listening to music.

The Sound Blaster X-Fi3 software is still one of our favorites as its UI and options are better than the Dolby Digital interface found on many other gaming models.

Battery Life

Pairing a 65 W CPU with a 100 W GTX 980M and no Optimus will naturally lead to horrendous battery life. We were able to squeeze out just over 2.5 hours at the best of conditions when idling on minimum brightness on the Power Saver profile. Runtimes are shorter during WLAN or gaming use, but only by an hour or so at most.

Compared to competing 17.3-inch gaming models, the removable 82 Wh Li-Ion battery pack is slightly smaller in capacity. The battery for the Alienware 17 R2, for example, holds almost 20 percent more energy. Benefits from having Optimus are clearly seen in our comparison table below.

Minimum runtime (Classic Test)
Minimum runtime (Classic Test)
Maximum runtime (Reader's Test)
Maximum runtime (Reader's Test)
WLAN runtime
WLAN runtime
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
2h 39min
WiFi Websurfing
2h 23min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 37min
Eurocom P7 Pro
82 Wh
Asus G751JY-T7009H
88 Wh
Alienware 17 R2
96 Wh
MSI GT72-2QE32SR311BW
87 Wh
Gigabyte P37X
76 Wh
Battery Runtime
30%
181%
70%
63%
Reader / Idle
159
272
71%
729
358%
397
150%
332
109%
WiFi v1.3
143
237
66%
Load
97
85
-12%
100
3%
87
-10%
110
13%
WiFi
220
345
184

Pros

+ Extreme CPU, GPU, and SSD performance
+ Sufficient overclocking headroom
+ Wide expandability options
+ Standard LGA 1150 socket
+ MXM 3.0b slot
+ Efficient cooling system
+ 4x Storage bays with RAID 0/1
+ 3x video-out ports
+ Almost silent on low loads
+ TPM 2.0

Cons

- Short battery life
- No optical drive
- No higher resolution display options
- No Thunderbolt or VGA-out
- No dedicated Macro keys
- Gamut could be better
- Loud under load
- Heavy and pricey

Verdict

In Review: Eurocom P7 Pro. Test model provided by Eurocom.
In Review: Eurocom P7 Pro. Test model provided by Eurocom.

We can comfortably say that the Eurocom P7 Pro is the best 17.3-inch gaming notebook in terms of raw performance and features. You can't really find a notebook elsewhere with a standard LGA1150 socket, MXM 3.0b slot, and PCIe x4 expansion all in one package. Its respectable CPU overclocking potential, excellent Boost performance, and customizable fan controls are just gravy on an otherwise solid Clevo platform. Tinkerers and enthusiasts need not look elsewhere for end-user customization and expandability.

Meanwhile, the new Core i7-5775C outperforms the current i7-4980HQ mobile champion by a good margin in multi-core benchmarks and its wide overclocking headroom allows it to come quite close to the much more power-hungry Core i7-4790K.

There is room for improvement, such as adding dedicated Macro keys, additional legacy ports, and higher capacity battery options. The 1080p display is great, but it isn't as impressive as the rest of the notebook. The short battery life and loud fan noise when gaming are also obvious drawbacks for a system in this category. Even so, these are just minor complaints for an otherwise excellent, stable, and expensive gaming system.

We can comfortably say that the Eurocom P7 Pro is the best 17.3-inch gaming notebook in terms of raw performance and features.

Eurocom P7 Pro - 06/10/2015 v4(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
78 / 98 → 80%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
78 / 81 → 96%
Weight
51 / 10-66 → 73%
Battery
72%
Display
84%
Games Performance
99%
Application Performance
100%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 92%
Noise
82 / 90 → 91%
Audio
80%
Average
82%
88%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Allen Ngo, 2015-06-10 (Update: 2020-06- 8)