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Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Clevo P775DM3) Notebook Review

Too hot to handle. We revisit the Clevo P775DM1 as the Eurocom Sky X7E2 with an unlocked LGA 1151 CPU and the fastest Pascal GPU to date. Core temperatures and fan noise are both quite high as expected when such high TDP components are involved.

Clevo barebones are some of the most powerful and versatile systems as far as gaming and professional notebooks are concerned. Most newer models now offer standard desktop LGA sockets and MXM 3.0 slots for more end-user customization than what other big name gaming manufacturers currently offer. This advantage alone should appeal to enthusiasts who intend to frequently tinker and upgrade core components.

Our latest 17.3-inch model comes from Eurocom as the Sky X7E2. The system utilizes the Clevo P775DM3 Eurocom Sky DLX7 (Clevo P775DM1) Notebook Reviewchassis that is visually similar to last year's Eurocom Sky DLX7 based on the Clevo P775DM1, albeit with some important internal differences relating to the cooling solution. We recommend checking out our existing review page on the P775DM1 as nearly all of our comments apply here on the Sky X7E2. Can a system this size sufficiently run a 91 W TDP CPU and a ~150 W TDP GPU without any compromises?

Recent 17.3-inch Clevo reviews:

Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Sky Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700K 4 x 4 - 4.2 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1582 MHz, Memory: 10010 MHz, GDDR5X, 373.7
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR4, PC4-19200, 1300 MHz, 14-14-14-35, Dual-Channel, 4x SODIMM
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, IPS, Name: AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0, ID: AUO109B, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Z170 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e, 512 GB 
, 2x M.2 2280, 2x 2.5-inch SATA III
Soundcard
NVIDIA GP104 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 4x (Microphone, Headphones, Line-in, Line-out), Card Reader: SDXC UHS-II reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Qualcomm/Atheros e2400 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 39.9 x 418 x 295 ( = 1.57 x 16.46 x 11.61 in)
Battery
89 Wh Lithium-Ion, removeable
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: FHD
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2 W stereo + subwoofer, ESS Sabre HiFi Audio DAC, Keyboard: Beveled, Keyboard Light: yes, 4x Electronics pads, Flexikey, GPU Overclock, CPU Memory OC, Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5, Control Center v5, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
4.167 kg ( = 146.99 oz / 9.19 pounds), Power Supply: 1.4 kg ( = 49.38 oz / 3.09 pounds)
Price
3000 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

We've already discussed case quality on our existing review page of the Sky DLX7 and we will go over it again just briefly here. Workmanship is excellent from top to bottom with no defects between material transitions on our particular test unit. The plastic base is rigid with no creaking and only very minimal flexing when applying pressure around the keyboard. The lid flexes and warps more easily than the base as to be expected, but not by any worrying degree.

Our main complaints carry over from our previous Clevo P775DM1 test unit in that the rear horizontal ventilation grilles can easily snap and bend in addition to the noticeable gap between the inner display bezel and bottom edge of the screen (as pictured below). This latter issue occurs on MSI notebooks as well, so Eurocom is not alone in this regard.

In terms of size and weight, the Sky X7E2 is heavier than a handful of 17-inch competitors by a few hundred grams with the recent Lenovo Y900 being a notable exception. Configure the Eurocom with some 2.5-inch HDDs, however, and the weight will be about the same. The chassis is thicker than most save for the recently released MSI GT73VR.

Narrow horizontal speaker grilles bend easily
Narrow horizontal speaker grilles bend easily
Notable gap between display edge and bezel
Notable gap between display edge and bezel
428 mm / 16.9 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 49 mm / 1.929 inch 4.1 kg8.97 lbs429.3 mm / 16.9 inch 309.9 mm / 12.2 inch 38.1 mm / 1.5 inch 3.9 kg8.54 lbs430 mm / 16.9 inch 292 mm / 11.5 inch 34 mm / 1.339 inch 3.7 kg8.18 lbs427 mm / 16.8 inch 318 mm / 12.5 inch 36 mm / 1.417 inch 4.4 kg9.7 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 295 mm / 11.6 inch 39.9 mm / 1.571 inch 4.2 kg9.19 lbs408 mm / 16.1 inch 295.5 mm / 11.6 inch 26.6 mm / 1.047 inch 4 kg8.88 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports include 4x USB 3.0 with 2x USB Type-C on the left edge of which only one supports Thunderbolt 3. All video-out ports are located on the rear including the HDMI 2.0 port whereas most other gaming systems are still shipping with HDMI 1.4 or older. This means that the Eurocom is able to output at up to 4K and at 60 FPS to pair up nicely with the powerful GTX 1080.

We would have liked to see a VGA port like on some Aorus notebooks or even more USB 3.0 ports like on the GT72VR. The Alienware 17 sports a Graphics Amplifier port for supporting desktop graphics cards.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: Line-in, Line-out, Microphone-in, headphones/SPDIF, 2x USB 3.0, Kensington Lock
Right: Line-in, Line-out, Microphone-in, headphones/SPDIF, 2x USB 3.0, Kensington Lock
Rear: HDMI 2.0, 2x mDP 1.3, AC adapter
Rear: HDMI 2.0, 2x mDP 1.3, AC adapter
Left: Gigabit RJ-45, 2x USB 3.1 Type-C + Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB 3.0
Left: Gigabit RJ-45, 2x USB 3.1 Type-C + Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB 3.0

Software

Newer Clevo barebones now carry a software suite for toggling system settings and overclocking components including the CPU, GPU, and RAM. The overclocking utility is more visually appealing than MSI Afterburner while being just as easy to use. The downside is that there is no single compact window with settings for both the CPU and GPU, so the desktop or taskbar can become cluttered with multiple overclocking utilities open.

FlexiKey hasn't changed since its introduction to combat MSI's Dragon Center software. The intuitive software offers easy access to power settings and fan controls, though it includes no toggling of preset color settings like sRGB or AdobeRGB unlike on the MSI equivalent.

FlexiKey Home
FlexiKey Home
Fan Speed controls
Fan Speed controls
RGB backlight controls
RGB backlight controls
CPU and RAM overclock utility
CPU and RAM overclock utility
GPU overclock utility
GPU overclock utility
Macro key customization
Macro key customization

SD Card Reader

The SDXC card reader is capable of read rates of at least 257 MB/s to be one of the fastest in our database so far. Note that our Toshiba Exceria Pro UHS-II SD test card is rated for a read rate of 260 MB/s, so the reader is essentially able to utilize the maximum performance out of our test card. Transferring 1 GB of photos from the SD card to desktop takes less than 6 seconds.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus G701VO-CS74K
 
175.6 MB/s 0%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
 
175.6 MB/s
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
 
155 MB/s -12%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Eurocom Sky X7E2
 
256.9 MB/s
Asus G701VO-CS74K
 
239 MB/s -7%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
 
196 MB/s -24%

Communication

WLAN is provided by a Killer 1535 module capable of theoretical transfer rates of up to 867 Mbps. A real-world test with Jperf settings as shown below results in transfer rates of just under 550 Mbps when standing one meter away from our Linksys E8500 test router. Like other gaming systems with the same Killer WLAN card, the Sky X7E2 ships with the Killer Network Manager software for quick toggling of settings and program network priorities.

Jperf (Client)
Jperf (Client)
Jperf (Server)
Jperf (Server)
Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m 512KB
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
549 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
518 MBit/s -6%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
462 MBit/s -16%
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m 512KB
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
546 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
532 MBit/s -3%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
470.2 MBit/s -14%

Accessories

Eurocom throws in a wider range of extras compared to what others have available. This includes thermal paste, spare screws, drivers disc, manual, and padding cubes for when installing secondary 2.5-inch drives.

Maintenance

Serviceability is almost always easy on a Clevo barebones. The two bottom panels can be removed with a standard Philips screwdriver and, unlike on MSI G series systems, are only held in place by just a couple of screws.

Users have easy access to the MXM 3.0 slot, LGA 1151 socket, 2x SODIMM slots, 3x storage bays, and removable battery. Additional disassembly is required to access to the last M.2 2280 storage slot, M.2 2230 WLAN slot, and the last two SODIMM slots. Note the difference in cooling between the Sky X7E2 (P775DM3) and the Sky DLX7 (P775DM1); the latter Eurocom system is a few hundred grams heavier than the X7E2 due in part to this small difference.

Warranty

The standard one-year limited warranty applies with every new purchase compared to two years from most major gaming notebook manufacturers like Gigabyte and MSI. Users who want two or three years of coverage from Eurocom will have to pony up $146 and $313 USD, respectively.

Eurocom Sky X7E2
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Eurocom Sky DLX7
Eurocom Sky DLX7

Input Devices

Keyboard & Touchpad

No changes have been made to the keyboard and touchpad since our last outing with the Clevo P775DM1 chassis. The keys clatter slightly louder when compared to competing 17-inch notebooks like the Asus G701/752 series or Alienware 17, but travel and feedback are both firm due to the solid foundation underneath. The beveled layout can feel cramped to users who may be more accustomed to the common chiclet layout since the latter provides more space between keys.

We would like to see dedicated Macro keys or auxiliary keys to better cater to the gaming crowd in the future. Additionally, individually-lit keys are becoming more common on gaming-centric notebooks like the Razer Blade Stealth and Aorus series, so we expect to see the same from Clevo on future revisions. The Sky X7E2 offers "only" three levels of RGB backlight brightness split across three different regions of the keyboard.

No major changes to Eurocom keyboard
No major changes to Eurocom keyboard
Fingerprint reader on corner of touchpad
Fingerprint reader on corner of touchpad

Display

Eurocom joins a growing number of gaming notebook manufacturers including Aorus and MSI in offering 120 Hz display options. Users have the option between a standard FHD IPS 60 Hz panel, 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz panel, FHD IPS 120 Hz panel, or a QHD TN 120 Hz/5 ms panel. The panels each sport different response times, contrast ratios, and gamuts as well, so users ought to pick the panel that best suits their daily needs.

Our test unit is equipped with the matte 4K UHD option that advertises 1000:1 contrast ratio, complete AdobeRGB coverage, and a 400 nit display backlight. Measurements with our own equipment paint a slightly different picture with a 91 percent coverage of AdobeRGB and an average backlight brightness of about 330 nits. Contrast ratio is otherwise as advertised according to our X-Rite spectrophotometer. A quick search on its AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 panel shows it to be a common find on other Clevo barebones and even on some competing 17-inch gaming notebooks including the Alienware 17 R3 and the MSI GT73VR.

There is a slight graininess to our 4K UHD panel that becomes more apparent when on maximum brightness while displaying a white background. This phenomenon is common on matte panels compared to glossy, but it seems to be more noticeable here on the Eurocom than on the recent GT72VR. Otherwise, text is extremely crisp and colors are noticeably brighter and deeper compared to budget panels on cheaper notebooks. Slight backlight bleeding is noticeable around the edges and corners when displaying a dark background on our specific test unit. Fortunately, it's not severe enough to be a distraction when gaming or watching movies.

Minor bleeding around edges
Minor bleeding around edges
Subpixel array (255 PPI)
Subpixel array (255 PPI)
340
cd/m²
328.2
cd/m²
308.9
cd/m²
353.1
cd/m²
332.6
cd/m²
324.2
cd/m²
340.1
cd/m²
327.1
cd/m²
309.3
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 353.1 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 329.3 cd/m² Minimum: 16.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 332.6 cd/m²
Contrast: 1059:1 (Black: 0.314 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.94 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.27 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
91% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
99.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Eurocom Sky X7E2
IPS, 17.30, 3840x2160
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), TN, 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus G701VO-CS74K
IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
17.30, 1920x1080
Alienware 17 R3 (A17-9935)
CV69H_173WF4 (LGD0459), IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Display
-3%
-23%
-24%
-26%
Display P3 Coverage
86.6
91.2
5%
68.8
-21%
67.4
-22%
66.9
-23%
sRGB Coverage
100
100
0%
87.7
-12%
86.3
-14%
83.9
-16%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
99.2
84.9
-14%
64.1
-35%
63.2
-36%
61.4
-38%
Response Times
38%
-15%
-23%
-13%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
28 ?(10, 18)
26 ?(12, 14)
7%
29.2 ?(11.6, 17.6)
-4%
34.8 ?(14, 20.8)
-24%
33 ?(13, 20)
-18%
Response Time Black / White *
21.2 ?(5.2, 16)
6.8 ?(4.2, 2.6)
68%
26.4 ?(5.2, 21.2)
-25%
25.6 ?(4.8, 20.8)
-21%
23 ?(5, 18)
-8%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-18%
1%
-2%
-7%
Brightness middle
332.6
314
-6%
368.1
11%
344.9
4%
360
8%
Brightness
329
294
-11%
349
6%
329
0%
336
2%
Brightness Distribution
87
89
2%
86
-1%
86
-1%
90
3%
Black Level *
0.314
0.23
27%
0.365
-16%
0.349
-11%
0.44
-40%
Contrast
1059
1365
29%
1008
-5%
988
-7%
818
-23%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.94
9.74
-64%
4.16
30%
4.49
24%
4.76
20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.6
15.71
-83%
8.7
-1%
8.72
-1%
10.8
-26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.27
9.58
-53%
3.86
38%
4.63
26%
3.69
41%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.5 88%
2.19 100%
2.11 104%
2.24 98%
CCT
6704 97%
11854 55%
6892 94%
6905 94%
6091 107%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
91
76
-16%
57.6
-37%
56.7
-38%
55
-40%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
100
0%
87.6
-12%
86.4
-14%
84
-16%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
6% / -7%
-12% / -6%
-16% / -9%
-15% / -12%

* ... smaller is better

It's not uncommon for Eurocom to offer wide color gamut options and the panel on our unit is capable of much deeper and more accurate colors than what most of the competition can provide. This isn't as vital to the gaming experience as response times or black levels, but digital artists can appreciate the larger color space.

vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. MSI GT73VR
vs. MSI GT73VR
vs. Lenovo Y900
vs. Lenovo Y900

Colors and grayscale out of the box are average. A quick calibration against the sRGB standard greatly improves both grayscale and RGB balance, though additional calibration is required to get more accurate colors at higher saturation levels.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after 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
21.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5.2 ms rise
↘ 16 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 41 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 10 ms rise
↘ 18 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better 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 at best. The backlight was not designed to overcome direct sunlight or overcast, but it's sufficient for working under shade if outdoor use is unavoidable. The hinges open up to a maximum of about 140 degrees while the matte IPS panel both reduces glare and allows for wider viewing angles.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Most Clevo barebones are extremely versatile when it comes to configurable components. Eurocom offers multiple CPU and GPU choices with optional G-Sync for all display types. RAM and storage options are even wider with 4x SODIMM slots and 4x storage bays to work with. Our test model is equipped with the highest CPU and GPU option available: The Core i7-6700K and the GeForce GTX 1080. Such a combination should show us just how well the P775DM3 can handle high TDP components that are uncommonly found together in notebooks.

Optimus is not included even if the user chooses to opt out of G-Sync.

Processor

CPU performance according to CineBench benchmarks is nearly identical to the DogHouse Mobius SS that utilizes a Clevo chassis with the same Core i7-6700K desktop CPU. Users can expect a multi-core performance boost of about 20 to 30 percent over the much more common i7-6700HQ or the overclockable i7-6820HK found on most other gaming notebooks. The power envelope of the i7-6700K is over twice that of the i7-6700HQ, however, so the higher speeds come at the cost of significantly higher power consumption.

See our dedicated CPU page on the Core i7-6700K for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

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
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
166 Points +4%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
160 Points
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
144 Points -10%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
139 Points -13%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
136 Points -15%
Asus GL550JK-CN391H
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
134 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
874 Points
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
865 Points -1%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
719 Points -18%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
710 Points -19%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
669 Points -23%
Asus GL550JK-CN391H
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
642 Points -27%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
1.91 Points +11%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
1.75 Points +2%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
1.72 Points
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
1.68 Points -2%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.59 Points -8%
Asus GL550JK-CN391H
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
1.49 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
9.56 Points +12%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
8.55 Points
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
7.96 Points -7%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
7.72 Points -10%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.4 Points -13%
Asus GL550JK-CN391H
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
6.99 Points -18%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
26150 Points +10%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
23815 Points
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
21681 Points -9%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
21335 Points -10%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
20059 Points -16%
Rendering Single 32Bit
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
6487 Points +1%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
6434 Points
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
5697 Points -11%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
5567 Points -13%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
5055 Points -21%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
233.1 s * -13%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
224.8 s * -9%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
206.3 s * -0%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
205.9 s *
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
178.5 s * +13%
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
636 s * -31%
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
574 s * -18%
EVGA SC17
Intel Core i7-6820HK
569 s * -17%
DogHouse Systems Mobius SS
Intel Core i7-6700K
498.3 s * -3%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
484.6 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
15726
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
23815
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6434
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
84.8 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.55 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.72 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
135.3 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
874 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
160 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank the Sky X7E2 in the same ballpark as competing 17-inch gaming notebooks if not slightly slower in some cases.

While the system is subjectively very fast when multi-tasking and launching applications, we experienced a number of crashes that required cold reboots. These all occurred when gaming or when waking from sleep and Eurocom has pinpointed the issue to the graphics driver. Our tests were performed on driver 372.70, which was the latest from Nvidia at the time of review.

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
Asus G701VO-CS74K
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
5160 Points +13%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0)
5034 Points +10%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2
4952 Points +8%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4579 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus G701VO-CS74K
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
5653 Points +17%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2
5533 Points +15%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0)
5186 Points +8%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4816 Points
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
8576 Points
Asus G701VO-CS74K
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
7460 Points -13%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2
6609 Points -23%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4579 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
8576 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4816 points
Help

Storage Devices

A total of four internal storage bays are available (2x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 RAID 0/1, 2x 2.5-inch SATA III RAID 0/1). The SATA III bays can support both 7 mm and 9.5 mm drives whereas most thinner notebooks can only hold 7 mm SSDs or HDDs.

Our test model comes equipped with the same 512 GB Samsung SM951 NVMe SSD that can also be found on other high-end gaming notebooks with read and write rates above 1500 MB/s. Having two of these in RAID 0 can deliver sequential read and write rates of around 3000 MB/s and 2500 MB/s, respectively.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

2x SODIMM slots with two more requiring additional disassembly
2x SODIMM slots with two more requiring additional disassembly
3x accessible storage drives with one more requiring additional disassembly
3x accessible storage drives with one more requiring additional disassembly
AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM
CDM
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0)
Asus G701VO-CS74K
2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
SanDisk SD8SN8U1T001122
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
35%
22%
-15%
-62%
Read Seq
1673
3285
96%
3067
83%
1559
-7%
469.8
-72%
Write Seq
1576
2560
62%
2434
54%
1254
-20%
435.2
-72%
Read 512
1180
1775
50%
1582
34%
850
-28%
312.6
-74%
Write 512
1561
2327
49%
2255
44%
1228
-21%
367.3
-76%
Read 4k
51.5
52.2
1%
47.25
-8%
49.32
-4%
28.21
-45%
Write 4k
144
153.1
6%
110.7
-23%
140.3
-3%
59
-59%
Read 4k QD32
694
627
-10%
584
-16%
539
-22%
339.7
-51%
Write 4k QD32
422.1
527
25%
463.3
10%
345.3
-18%
225.6
-47%
Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
Sequential Read: 1673 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1576 MB/s
512K Read: 1180 MB/s
512K Write: 1561 MB/s
4K Read: 51.5 MB/s
4K Write: 144 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 694 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 422.1 MB/s

GPU Performance

The GTX 1080 is a powerhouse of a GPU. Surprisingly, 3DMark Fire Strike benchmarks place our Eurocom test unit consistently ahead of even our GTX 1080 Founder's Edition for desktop systems and it also edges out our MSI GT80 Titan with GTX 980M SLI graphics. Users can expect a raw performance boost of about 70 percent when moving up from a single GTX 980 or about 120 to 130 percent when moving up from a GTX 980M. It's been repeated ad nauseum around the web, but the Pascal series is a true generational leap over the previous Maxwell series.

See our dedicated GPU page on the GTX 1080 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons and our GTX 1080 review for more in-depth performance details.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Eurocom Sky X7E2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K
21781 Points
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
20268 Points -7%
MSI GT80-2QES32SR311BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4980HQ
19121 Points -12%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK
17498 Points -20%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK
13018 Points -40%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
11957 Points -45%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
9608 Points -56%
3840x2160 Fire Strike Ultra Graphics
Eurocom Sky X7E2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K
5120 Points
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
4841 Points -5%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK
4067 Points -21%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK
3009 Points -41%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
2592 Points -49%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
2299 Points -55%
Fire Strike Extreme Graphics
Eurocom Sky X7E2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K
10382 Points
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
9994 Points -4%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK
6123 Points -41%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
5541 Points -47%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
4623 Points -55%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
29443 Points +4%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K
28321 Points
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK
23586 Points -17%
MSI GT80-2QES32SR311BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4980HQ
21901 Points -23%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK
16946 Points -40%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
12731 Points -55%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
12472 Points -56%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
11623 Points +12%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K
10419 Points
MSI GT80-2QES32SR311BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4980HQ
10313 Points -1%
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK
10000 Points -4%
Asus G701VO-CS74K
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK
9017 Points -13%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
8343 Points -20%
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ
8338 Points -20%
3DMark 11 Performance
19921 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
181296 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
30410 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
17160 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
9473 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The GTX 1070 and 1080 were both designed for 4K gaming and the 1080 itself is able to play most titles at or above 60 FPS on High to Extreme graphics settings. Performance matches our reference desktop with the GTX 1080 and offers boosts of about 30 percent and 80 percent when compared to the GTX 1070 and GTX 1060, respectively, according to Rise of the Tomb Raider. Our 4K comparison benchmarks are still very sparse and we'll continue to populate our database with more data points as notebooks sporting GTX 10 GPUs and 4K screens become more common.

Gaming in 1080p is a walk in the park for the GTX 1080. Unless if 120 FPS or 144 FPS is desired for ultra smooth and responsive gameplay, then we recommend enabling supersampling for a crisper picture when gaming on external 1080p monitors.

Rise of the Tomb Raider - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
51.9 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
50 fps -4%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
47.8 (43min - 54max) fps -8%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1070 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
38.9 (35min - 44max) fps -25%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
29.3 fps -44%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
27 fps -48%
Fallout 4 - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:T AF:16x
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
54.6 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
54 (42min - 66max) fps -1%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1070 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
45.2 (35min - 55max) fps -17%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
32.2 fps -41%
Doom - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
65.1 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
56.5 fps -13%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1070 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
48.6 (42min - 60max) fps -25%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
34.2 fps -47%
Overwatch - 3840x2160 High (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:4x
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
109.7 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
104 (88min - 121max) fps -5%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1070 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
85.5 (74min - 98max) fps -22%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
61.1 fps -44%
Batman: Arkham Knight - 3840x2160 High / On (Interactive Smoke & Paper Debris Off) AA:SM AF:8x
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
58 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop), 6700K
32 fps -45%
low med. high ultra4K
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 147.8
Guild Wars 2 (2012) 83
BioShock Infinite (2013) 168.7
Metro: Last Light (2013) 131.6
Thief (2014) 125.5
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 105 58
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) 60 60
Fallout 4 (2015) 133.7 54.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 119.4 51.9
Doom (2016) 144.2 65.1
Overwatch (2016) 203.2 109.7

Stress Test

We stress the notebook with Prime95 and FurMark to observe for any hardware instability of throttling issues. While such extreme loads are unrepresentative of real-world use, they give us an idea on how the system performs at 100 percent utilization and what overclocking headroom is available.

Our last Eurocom system would crash when subjected to extreme stress due to the high core temperatures and the X7E2 is right on the fence with CPU and GPU temperatures averaging in the mid-to-high 90 C and 80 C ranges, respectively. Bear in mind that most processors are rated for safe operation at up to about 105 C and that notebook components generally run warmer than on desktops. Nonetheless, most gaming notebooks run significantly cooler than the Eurocom under similar loads including the Asus G701VO and the MSI GT73VR.

Minor throttling occurs when running Prime95 with core clock rates occasionally dropping down to 3.9 GHz from its base 4.0 GHz clock rate. Thus, Turbo Boost is not sustainable when under very high loads. Heavier CPU throttling occurs when running both Prime95 and FurMark.

Running Unigine Valley is a better representation of gaming loads. While the GPU appears wholly capable of maintaining GPU Boost speeds in the 1750 to 1800 MHz range, it still runs warmer than we would like at a steady 85 C. The CPU runs even warmer as it fluctuates in the 90 C range with slightly variable core clock rates.

Running on battery power will throttle both the CPU and GPU. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 7066 and 6899 points, respectively, compared to 10626 and 28321 points when connected to mains.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Unigine Valley stress
Unigine Valley stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.9 - 4.0 -- 91 --
FurMark Stress -- 1531 -- 85
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 3.4 - 3.6 1519 99 87
Unigine Valley Stress 3.7+ 1785 92 - 98 85

Emissions

System Noise

We're surprised to see just five heat pipes and two ~60 mm fans considering that the CPU and GPU inside are both very demanding. The Sky DLX7 and GT73VR, for example, utilize larger and more heat pipes compared to the X7E2.

Fan noise spans a wide spectrum from silent to strikingly loud. Both fans are very sensitive to onscreen loads and even to active power settings, so we highly recommend using Power Saver mode when browsing or watching movies to both maintain low fan noise and reduce pulsing. Setting the system to Balanced or High Performance will automatically bump fan noise to as loud as 35 dB(A) even when simply idling on desktop. The fans pulsate more frequently here compared to competing Asus and MSI models on the default settings.

Gaming will bump fan noise to a steady 49 dB(A) to make the X7E2 one of the loudest 17-inch gaming notebooks available. In comparison, most 17-inch gaming models remain in the low to mid 40 dB(A) range while superthin solutions tend to stabilize in the high 40 dB(A) range under similar loads. Maximum load with Prime95 and FurMark will result in an even higher fan noise of about 55 dB(A). Headphones are highly recommended when gaming on the X7E2.

it's worth noting that while the fans on the Eurocom can be loud, they spin at slightly lower frequencies compared to the Gigabyte P57X v6 and especially the thin GS73VR. The lower-pitched fans are comparatively less annoying assuming equal or similar decibel readings.

Manual fan controls are available via the Control Center software and they are more customizable compared to what MSI or Gigabyte/Aorus offer on their own gaming notebooks. Users can configure fan activity in response to user-defined temperature ceilings whereas MSI and Gigabyte have elementary preset options.

Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Gigabyte P57X v6 (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Gigabyte P57X v6 (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
MSI GS73VR (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
MSI GS73VR (Gray: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Heaven, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

Noise Level

Idle
28.9 / 30.6 / 35.7 dB(A)
Load
49 / 55 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: 28.9 dB(A)
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0)
Asus G701VO-CS74K
GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 6820HK, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0)
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U1T001122
Noise
3%
4%
-3%
6%
off / environment *
28.9
30
-4%
29.1
-1%
28.8
-0%
28.6
1%
Idle Minimum *
28.9
32
-11%
29.1
-1%
29.4
-2%
30.8
-7%
Idle Average *
30.6
33
-8%
31.9
-4%
32.4
-6%
30.8
-1%
Idle Maximum *
35.7
35
2%
31.9
11%
48
-34%
32
10%
Load Average *
49
35
29%
46
6%
42.5
13%
37.2
24%
Load Maximum *
55
49
11%
47.5
14%
48.5
12%
51.5
6%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperature is noticeably warmer towards the center of the X7E2 than around its edges no matter the onscreen load. The palm rests remain relatively cool when gaming while the center of the keyboard becomes much warmer at over 50 C when under extreme loads due to the positioning of the processors and heat pipes underneath. Some competing gaming notebooks like the Lenovo Y900 alleviate this issue by designing the cooling system in such a way that the hot spots are above the first row of keyboard keys where users' hands are less likely to touch. The WASD and NumPad keys also become warm under gaming loads, but never to uncomfortable levels.

Maximum load (Top)
Maximum load (Top)
Maximum load (Bottom)
Maximum load (Bottom)
Max. Load
 51.2 °C
124 F
45 °C
113 F
39.8 °C
104 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
53.8 °C
129 F
38.6 °C
101 F
 
 30.8 °C
87 F
33.8 °C
93 F
30.8 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 53.8 °C = 129 F
Average: 40.3 °C = 105 F
57.6 °C
136 F
48 °C
118 F
55 °C
131 F
37.8 °C
100 F
42.2 °C
108 F
37.6 °C
100 F
33.2 °C
92 F
34 °C
93 F
32 °C
90 F
Maximum: 57.6 °C = 136 F
Average: 41.9 °C = 107 F
Power Supply (max.)  55.6 °C = 132 F | Room Temperature 25 °C = 77 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.3 °C / 105 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 53.8 °C / 129 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 57.6 °C / 136 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.8 °C / 92.8 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-4.9 °C / -8.8 F).

Speakers

The stereo 2.2 W Onkyo speakers and 2.5 W subwoofer provide excellent sound quality at its default settings (despite the opinion of our previous reviewer of the Clevo P775DM1). Sounds are very balanced across a wide range of frequencies with the expected sharp dip at about 125 Hz as shown by our graph below. We can notice no static during music or movie playback, but slight reverberations from the subwoofer can be felt on the palm rests and keyboard surface. Maximum volume is slightly softer than most competing 17-inch gaming notebooks.

The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5 software includes a range of preset profiles and equalizer settings geared towards gaming. Scout Mode, for example, amplifies in-game noises from a distance so that the player can more easily hear.

Audio outputs include 7.1, S/PDIF, line-in, and standard headphone options. The same ESS Sabre HiFi Audio DAC chip found on high-end MSI systems is present here on the X7E2 to support high-impedance studio headphones.

Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
MSI GT72VR (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
MSI GT72VR (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
Lenovo Y900 (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
Lenovo Y900 (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.136.92534.934.83134.235.54032.134.45032.133.36331.732.58031.732.310030.734.812529.737.916029.253.320028.856.925027.253.931526.154.940025.154.750024.453.563023.755.880022.759.1100022.656.1125022.558.2160022.154.5200021.953.2250021.757.8315021.858.5400021.460.2500021.460.4630021.559.3800021.455.31000021.552.71250021.553.31600021.445.8SPL34.669.6N2.327.1median 22.5median 54.9Delta1.63.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseEurocom Sky X7E2Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Eurocom Sky X7E2 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 39% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 22% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 73% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Sky X7E2 is one of the most demanding 17-inch notebooks we've tested with a maximum recorded power draw of about 330 W when under extreme stress or about 260 W when under gaming loads. Both its CPU and GPU aren't exactly power efficient, either, so the Eurocom draws slightly more power than its closest competitors when idling or during very low loads. The deltas are significant at well over 100 W even when compared to the powerful MSI GT73VR with the i7-6820HK and GTX 1070.

The large power adapter itself (20 x 10 x 4.5 cm) is rated for a maximum of 330 W, so there is very little headroom (if any) when subjecting the system to extreme loads. In comparison, most gaming notebooks have power adapters rated for 10 to 20 percent higher than the maximum draw of the system. We don't recommend overclocking the X7E2 unless if it is configured with less demanding CPU or GPU options than what we have on hand. The system supports 2x 330 W AC adapters for a higher ceiling of 660 W, but core temperatures are still too high on our configuration for comfortable overclocking.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.34 / 1.42 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 34.3 / 42.9 / 43.5 Watt
Load midlight 258 / 329.8 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.
Eurocom Sky X7E2
6700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0), TN, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus G701VO-CS74K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL (RAID 0), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
6820HK, GeForce GTX 980M, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256 m.2, , 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GT80S 6QF
6820HK, GeForce GTX 980 SLI (Laptop), 2x Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL (RAID 0), Super PLS, 1920x1080, 18.40
Power Consumption
26%
30%
39%
-17%
Idle Minimum *
34.3
31
10%
28.2
18%
24.3
29%
44
-28%
Idle Average *
42.9
35
18%
32
25%
29.6
31%
53
-24%
Idle Maximum *
43.5
40
8%
32.6
25%
29.9
31%
62
-43%
Load Average *
258
106
59%
162.2
37%
110.1
57%
163
37%
Load Maximum *
329.8
218
34%
173.5
47%
171.4
48%
411
-25%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Powering a notebook with a Core i7-6700K CPU and GTX 1080 GPU on batteries can only get you so far. Expect just under two hours of real-world WLAN use despite the relatively high capacity 89 Wh battery. Competing 17-inch gaming notebooks can last for about twice as long under the same conditions, though most do not carry deskop-class CPUs with LGA 1155 sockets. The battery for the Sky X7E2 is removable for easy swapping.

Charging from near empty to full capacity will take about 2.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
2h 17min
WiFi Websurfing
1h 44min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 23min
Eurocom Sky X7E2
6700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 89 Wh
MSI GT73VR-6RE16SR451
6820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 75.2 Wh
Asus G701VO-CS74K
6820HK, GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop), 93 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad Y900
6820HK, GeForce GTX 980M, 90 Wh
MSI GT72VR 6RD-063US
6700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 83 Wh
Battery Runtime
66%
59%
119%
87%
Reader / Idle
137
290
112%
242
77%
349
155%
323
136%
WiFi v1.3
104
206
98%
202
94%
248
138%
221
113%
Load
83
72
-13%
89
7%
136
64%
93
12%

Pros

+ wide display options; 120 Hz/5 ms and FHD/UHD with AdobeRGB coverage
+ extreme performance from Core i7-6700K and GTX 1080
+ wide upgrade options; LGA 1151 and MXM 3.0b
+ balanced sound quality from speakers
+ easy-to-use overclocking software
+ Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI 2.0
+ 4x storage bays; RAID 0/1
+ ESS Sabre HiFI Audio DAC
+ no major throttling issues
+ strong build quality
+ easy serviceability

Cons

- Additional disassembly required to access 1x M.2 2232, 1x M.2 2280, and 2x SODIMM
- 330 W AC adapter is just barely enough for our configuration
- no dedicated Macro keys or individually lit keys
- very high core temperatures when gaming
- loud fan noise

Verdict

In review: Eurocom Sky X7E2. Test model provided by Eurocom
In review: Eurocom Sky X7E2. Test model provided by Eurocom

The Core i7-6700K and GTX 1080 are some of the most powerful consumer processors available and they are generally not offered together from other gaming notebook manufacturers. While the accessible LGA 1151 socket and MXM 3.0 slot help distinguish Clevo barebones from the ocean of competitors, our configured CPU and GPU prove to be a bit too much for the P775DM3 chassis to handle. No matter how you spin it, a core temperature higher than 90 C when gaming at stock speeds is enough to get any gamer feeling uneasy. Even if users have no qualms about the high running temperatures, fan noise is still noticeably louder than 17-inch alternatives that carry weaker hardware. Combine this with a maximum power demand that essentially reaches the capacity of the 330 W power adapter and you have a configuration that feels limited by the P775DM3 chassis.

Fortunately, the system shows no signs of major throttling when gaming as CPU and GPU benchmarks are where we expect them to be for the i7-6700K and GTX 1080, respectively. This is enough to make the Sky X7E2 one of the fastest 17-inch gaming notebooks available not accounting for systems with GTX 10 SLI options. The extreme components come at the real cost of heat and noise and users may want to consider a lower-specced configuration that would be more appropriate for the cooling solution of this particular barebones.

Operating temperatures and fan noise are uncomfortably high when gaming. If users can look past this, then the Sky X7E2 offers one of the most powerful gaming experiences available on a notebook this size. Otherwise, users may want to consider the Sky DLX7 or MSI GT73VR for their larger cooling systems.

Eurocom Sky X7E2 - 10/03/2016 v5.1(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
80 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
62 / 81 → 76%
Weight
48 / 10-66 → 68%
Battery
58%
Display
86%
Games Performance
100%
Application Performance
95%
Temperature
86 / 95 → 90%
Noise
68 / 90 → 76%
Audio
75%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
75%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Eurocom Sky X7E2 (Clevo P775DM3) Notebook Review
Allen Ngo, 2016-10- 3 (Update: 2020-06- 8)