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Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition (i5-7600K, 4K UHD, GTX 1080, MSI 16L13) Laptop Review

Notebook gaming with desktop Kaby Lake. A notebook equipped with a standard LGA 1151 socket may sound super-powerful, but the benefits are minimal compared to the drawbacks that entail.

Eurocom has updated its existing enthusiast-level Tornado F5 series from Skylake to Kaby Lake. We had published on the original Tornado F5 with the i7-6700K CPU, FHD display, and GTX 1070 GPU earlier this year and our latest configuration today is equipped with the i5-7600K CPU, 4K UHD display, and GTX 1080 GPU. Beyond these core differences, both SKUs share the same chassis, connectivity features, and input devices and we recommend checking out our original Tornado F5 review as nearly all of our comments still apply.

It's also worth keeping in mind that the Tornado F5 chassis is based off of the MSI GT62VR with heavily modified internals. Consequently, our comments on the external features of the GT62VR apply to the Tornado F5 as well. Does the inclusion of a desktop K-class processor bring any benefits to gamers compared to more "standard" options from Alienware, Asus, or MSI?

Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Processor
Intel Core i5-7600K 4 x 3.8 - 4.2 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1556 MHz, Memory: 10010 MHz, GDDR5X, 376.20
Memory
16 GB 
, PC4-21300, Kingston DDR4 SDRAM, 4x SODIMM
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, IPS, ID: SDC434B, Name: Samsung FL156FL02-101, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Z170 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe, 250 GB 
, Secondary: HGST HTS721010A9E630
Soundcard
NVIDIA GP104 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone, mic, line-in and S/PDIF, Card Reader: UHS-II card reader
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 39.8 x 390 x 266 ( = 1.57 x 15.35 x 10.47 in)
Battery
75.24 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2 W stereo, Sound Blaster X-FI MB3, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, GeForce Experience, Killer Network Manager, KLM, Magix Music Maker Silver, SCM, Silent Option, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
3.05 kg ( = 107.59 oz / 6.72 pounds), Power Supply: 1.26 kg ( = 44.45 oz / 2.78 pounds)
Price
2600 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

We won't dive too deeply on case quality as we've covered this on both the existing Tornado F5 and GT62VR pages. Our Tornado F5 Killer Edition test unit exhibits no unintended gaps or crevices between materials including around the edges of the screen where bezels can sometimes be uneven. The rear ventilation grilles are also thicker and more rigid than on the older Eurocom P7 Pro to prevent accidental chipping. The base is extremely resistant to twists and depressions even down the center of the keyboard where notebooks are usually weaker. Very slight creaking is noticeable only if attempting to twist the base with an impractical amount of force. The lid continues to be the weakest quality of the Tornado F5 as it warps and bends easily down its center and corners, respectively,

Footprint is small considering the powerful internals. The Alienware 15 and Acer Predator 15, for example, are longer in length due to their rear "jet engine" ventilation grilles. The Eurocom is also relatively light at 3.1 kg or about 200 g heavier than the GT62VR. The extra weight can be contributed to the heavier cooling system and implementation of the LGA 1151 and MXM 3.0 slots.

429 mm / 16.9 inch 309 mm / 12.2 inch 38 mm / 1.496 inch 4 kg8.8 lbs390 mm / 15.4 inch 266 mm / 10.5 inch 40 mm / 1.575 inch 2.9 kg6.39 lbs391 mm / 15.4 inch 300 mm / 11.8 inch 39 mm / 1.535 inch 3.7 kg8.2 lbs390 mm / 15.4 inch 266 mm / 10.5 inch 39.8 mm / 1.567 inch 3.1 kg6.72 lbs389 mm / 15.3 inch 305 mm / 12 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 3.5 kg7.82 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports include full-size DisplayPort 1.2 and the all-important USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 3. The HDMI port is version 2.0 for external monitor support up to 4K60 whereas some gaming notebooks are still shipping with version 1.4 including the GS63VR.

The fact that all three USB ports are on the right edge of the notebook is both an oversight and a huge inconvenience. The GT62VR chassis includes a fourth USB port on the left edge that the Tornado F5 has completely omitted.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: SD reader, 3x USB 3.0
Right: SD reader, 3x USB 3.0
Rear: Gigabit Ethernet, USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, mDP 1.2, AC adapter
Rear: Gigabit Ethernet, USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0, mDP 1.2, AC adapter
Left: Kensington Lock, 3.5 mm Headphone, Microphone, S/PDIF (digital), Line-in
Left: Kensington Lock, 3.5 mm Headphone, Microphone, S/PDIF (digital), Line-in

SD Card Reader

We're able to record an impressive read rate of just over 256 MB/s from the integrated UHS-II card reader compared to ~200 MB/s and ~90 MB/s on the GT72VR and Alienware 17 R3, respectively. Our Toshiba SD test card is rated for up to 260 MB/s, so we are essentially getting the full performance out of the card from the Eurocom machine. Transferring 1 GB worth of photos from the card to desktop will take about 6 seconds.

The card reader itself is spring loaded. A fully inserted SD card will protrude by only 2 to 3 mm.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
 
162.5 MB/s
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
 
125 MB/s -23%
Alienware 17 R3 (A17-9935)
 
78 MB/s -52%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
 
256.7 MB/s
MSI GT72VR 7RE-433
 
205 MB/s -20%
Alienware 17 R3 (A17-9935)
 
87 MB/s -66%

Communication

Our configuration is equipped with the same dual-band Intel 8265 M.2 2230 module as found on the recent HP Spectre x360 15. While we experienced no wireless issues, the Tornado F5 can also be configured with the Killer 1535 card for just $8 USD more. The Killer WLAN option comes with special software features that may appeal to enthusiasts and gamers as opposed to the barebone Intel offering. Bluetooth 4.0, 4.1, or 4.2 is integrated depending on the WLAN card.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
529 MBit/s +5%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
505 MBit/s
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
503 MBit/s 0%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
648 MBit/s +9%
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
625 MBit/s +5%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
594 MBit/s

Accessories

Eurocom throws in more extras than other gaming manufacturers including thermal paste, additional screws, and a Utilities/Drivers disc. We're hoping that the reseller will move on from DVDs to flash drives in the near future since not all systems are equipped with optical drives.

Maintenance

The bottom panel pops off without much effort to reveal core upgradeable components. The arrangement of the heat pipes in the Killer Edition has changed slightly from the GTX 1070-equipped Tornado F5. The physically larger LGA 1151 socket can also be observed on both Eurocom systems compared to the soldered HQ solution on the GT62VR. The M.2 WLAN card is hidden underneath the heat pipes and access to the last two SODIMM slots will require additional disassembly.

Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Tornado F5
Tornado F5
MSI GT62VR
MSI GT62VR

Warranty

The standard one-year limited warranty applies to new laptop purchases from Eurocom with options to extend up to two or three years. Some competing manufacturers like Gigabyte offer two-year warranty as standard instead of just one to draw in more buyers.

Input Devices

Keyboard and Touchpad

Users who have handled any MSI GT series notebook in the past should feel right at home with the keyboard and touchpad here on the Tornado F5. The keyboard keys are firm and do not wiggle or clatter in place with relatively quiet feedback due to the unyielding base. Typists who are accustomed to mechanical keyboards will find the Tornado F5 to be much quieter and softer. The keyboards on Aorus systems and the XPS 15 clatter more loudly in comparison.

Whereas most gaming notebooks have moved on to clickpads, we're pleased to see that this particular Tornado F5 chassis is sticking to the classic touchpad setup with dedicated mouse keys. This works much more smoothly and accurately for cursor control at the expense of a larger surface area. The rigid and matte touchpad surface is slightly textured against a brushed aluminum base and the mouse keys themselves are shallow in travel with a satisfyingly loud click when pressed.

Unbranded SteelSeries keyboard
Unbranded SteelSeries keyboard
Firm feedback with little clatter
Firm feedback with little clatter

Display

Display options for the Tornado F5 include 1080p TN 120 Hz/5 ms, 1080p IPS 60 Hz, and 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz. Our Killer Edition configuration uses the latter and results are mixed. Black levels (and thus contrast) are poorer when compared to the competition and this is directly due to the RGBW subpixel array. Manufacturers like HP have completely dropped the "faux-K" panel in favor of standard 4K UHD RGB on its latest Spectre x360 15 series because of the perceived drawbacks of squeezing in a dedicated white pixel. Subjectively, however, texts and images still appear crisp if not overly small on a 15.6-inch screen. There is a slight graininess to the matte panel that can be noticeable when displaying a bright white background. 

Uneven backlight bleeding occurs on the left and right edges of the screen. This is most noticeable during gameplay in dark in-game areas or during video playback with black borders. Very slight backlight bleeding is acceptable, but we're disappointed to see that many Eurocom and MSI systems are still shipping with this level of bleeding especially at this price range. Our first Tornado F5 SKU with the base 1080p IPS panel exhibited significantly less backlight bleeding issues.

Light-moderate backlight bleeding
Light-moderate backlight bleeding
Matte RGBW pixel array (282 PPI)
Matte RGBW pixel array (282 PPI)
288.5
cd/m²
304.2
cd/m²
273.5
cd/m²
283.6
cd/m²
305.8
cd/m²
276.7
cd/m²
257.3
cd/m²
281.9
cd/m²
268.1
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 305.8 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 282.2 cd/m² Minimum: 17.32 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 305.8 cd/m²
Contrast: 665:1 (Black: 0.46 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
75.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
47.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
51.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
75% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
49.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
IGZO IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Alienware 15 R3
HPJGK_B156HTN (AUO51ED), TN, 15.60, 1920x1080
Acer Predator 15 G9-593-765Q
LG Philips LP156WF6-SPP1 (LGD04D5), IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Eurocom Tornado F5
IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
69%
27%
19%
19%
Display P3 Coverage
49.9
89.7
80%
66
32%
63.6
27%
64.5
29%
sRGB Coverage
75
100
33%
90.5
21%
83.9
12%
83
11%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
51.5
100
94%
66.2
29%
61.3
19%
60.7
18%
Response Times
-36%
48%
13%
4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.8 ?(17.2, 21.6)
57.2 ?(27.2, 30)
-47%
25 ?(12, 13)
36%
35 ?(14, 21)
10%
33.6 ?(8.4, 25.2)
13%
Response Time Black / White *
29.6 ?(19.6, 10)
39.2 ?(23.6, 15.6)
-32%
12 ?(4, 8)
59%
25 ?(5, 20)
16%
31.2 ?(4.4, 26.8)
-5%
PWM Frequency
1351 ?(19)
962
-29%
Screen
-6%
-87%
2%
-15%
Brightness middle
305.8
370.1
21%
386
26%
273
-11%
315.8
3%
Brightness
282
356
26%
382
35%
267
-5%
310
10%
Brightness Distribution
84
87
4%
93
11%
83
-1%
90
7%
Black Level *
0.46
0.37
20%
0.39
15%
0.27
41%
0.33
28%
Contrast
665
1000
50%
990
49%
1011
52%
957
44%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.2
5.3
-2%
10.2
-96%
3.77
27%
5
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
11.9
9.9
17%
15.81
-33%
10.64
11%
10.1
15%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.1
4.6
-318%
11.28
-925%
2.48
-125%
4.2
-282%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.31 95%
2.23 99%
2.37 93%
2.12 104%
CCT
6732 97%
6284 103%
11383 57%
6854 95%
6107 106%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
47.3
88.3
87%
59
25%
55
16%
54.5
15%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
75.5
100
32%
90
19%
84
11%
83
10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
9% / 2%
-4% / -46%
11% / 7%
3% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is approximately 76 percent and 47 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards, respectively. This is narrower than on our earlier Tornado F5 with the FHD panel and nowhere near as wide as the 4K UHD IGZO panel found as found on the XPS 15. Response times are faster than on the IGZO panel and are not significantly different than on the Tornado F5 FHD configuration, so the gaming capabilities of this particular 4K UHD option have been given priority over color accuracy.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. Eurocom Tornado F5 (FHD)
vs. Eurocom Tornado F5 (FHD)

Further measurements with a X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal very accurate grayscale and RGB balance out of the box. We reran the same tests after calibration and the results were essentially identical. Eurocom offers pre-calibration services for buyers and so it's unsurprising that our own calibration efforts had minimal impact on the display.

The relatively average sRGB coverage mentioned above can be observed here as colors become measurably more inaccurate the higher the saturation level. This is hardly a concern for gamers, but professional digital artists may want to consider another notebook with wider gamut options.

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
29.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 10 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 76 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 21.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 1351 Hz ≤ 19 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 1351 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 19 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 1351 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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 limited to areas with lots of shade. A sunny, bright, or otherwise cloudy overcast day will instantly wash out onscreen texts and images. The matte screen, wide IPS viewing angles, and wide 170-degree hinges all help in reducing glare, but this can only compensate so much for the average backlight brightness. Slight shifts to contrast and colors are observed only if viewing from unrealistically sharp and obtuse angles.

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

Performance

Eurocom notebooks are some of the most customizable mobile systems available due to the versatility of a barebone chassis. The CPU in particular can be swapped out with any LGA 1151 CPU up to a 91 W TDP while the MXM 3.0 GPU can be swapped between any Quadro or GeForce card of up to 150 W. A multitude of RAM and storage options exist as well, though a factory unlocked BIOS for end-user overclocking will cost users another $100 USD. G-Sync comes standard across all SKUs at the expense of any Optimus options.

Processor

CPU performance from the quad-core i5-7600K is strong, but we can't help but feel somewhat disappointed. While single-threaded performance is good with a consistent Turbo Boost of 4.0 GHz (out of the rated maximum of 4.2 GHz), multi-threaded performance is weaker than even the older Haswell i7-5700HQ due to the lack of Hyper-Threading. The i7-5700HQ in the GT80 Titan outscores the i7-7600K by about 10 percent in CineBench R15 Multi-Thread, so the performance gap between the i5 and i7 families is well-defined. The fact that a 47 W Core i7 mobile CPU can outscore a 91 W Core i5 desktop CPU in multi-threaded workloads at base clock rates means laptop gamers may be better off with the lower-power solution.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15

Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop results in consistently lower scores than our initial score of 660 points. Scores hover in the 640 to 650 range due to the inability to maintain absolute maximum Turbo Boost for extended periods. Fortunately, this only represents a 5 percent decrease in CPU performance over time at most.

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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
191 Points +14%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
190 Points +13%
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
Intel Core i7-7820HK
184 Points +10%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
168 Points
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
160 Points -5%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
157 Points -7%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
143 Points -15%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
134 Points -20%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
125 Points -26%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
Intel Core i7-7820HK
899 Points +36%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
897 Points +36%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
874 Points +32%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
735 Points +11%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
724 Points +10%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
688 Points +4%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
678 Points +3%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
660 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
490 Points -26%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
2.19 Points +11%
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
Intel Core i7-7820HK
2.08 Points +5%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
2.05 Points +4%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
1.98 Points
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.78 Points -10%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
1.72 Points -13%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
1.67 Points -16%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.5 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
1.46 Points -26%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
Intel Core i7-7820HK
9.91 Points +29%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
9.78 Points +28%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
8.55 Points +11%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.14 Points +6%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
8.07 Points +5%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
7.94 Points +4%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
7.67 Points
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.47 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
5.29 Points -31%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
28189 Points +20%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
24773 Points +5%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
23815 Points +1%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
23585 Points
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
21755 Points -8%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
21671 Points -8%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
20111 Points -15%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
14329 Points -39%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
7222 Points +7%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
6898 Points +2%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
6730 Points
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
6434 Points -4%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5825 Points -13%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
5550 Points -18%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
5126 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
4999 Points -26%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
323 s * -27%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
259.5 s * -2%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
253.6 s *
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
214.9 s * +15%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
205.9 s * +19%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
176.3 s * +30%
3DMark
3840x2160 Fire Strike Ultra Physics
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
13677 Points +58%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
12803 Points +48%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
10483 Points +21%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
9454 Points +9%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
8639 Points
Fire Strike Extreme Physics
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
13694 Points +55%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
12790 Points +44%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
11466 Points +30%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
10392 Points +17%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
9332 Points +5%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
8854 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
6706 Points -24%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
13738 Points +55%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
Intel Core i7-6700K
12812 Points +45%
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
Intel Core i7-7820HK
12630 Points +43%
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
Intel Core i7-5700HQ
10793 Points +22%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
10398 Points +18%
i5-7600K Gigabyte Z270-Gaming K3
Intel Core i5-7600K
9292 Points +5%
Asus GL702VM-GC102D
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
9278 Points +5%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Intel Core i5-7600K
8839 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50
Intel Core i7-4700HQ
6713 Points -24%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6816
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
23585
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6730
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.67 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
81 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.98 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
168 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
139 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
660 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark 8 ranks our system in the same ballpark as other gaming notebooks if not slightly lower despite the high-power Kaby Lake desktop processor. Our original Tornado F5 configuration outscores this particular Tornado F5 Killer Edition due to the faster i7-7700K CPU and faster primary NVMe SSD.

We experienced no software or hardware related issues during our time with the Eurocom test unit.

PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0)
5662 Points +17%
Eurocom Tornado F5
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
5476 Points +14%
Alienware 15 R3
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
4966 Points +3%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
4821 Points
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11
3588 Points -26%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Eurocom Tornado F5
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
6515 Points +35%
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0)
5846 Points +21%
Alienware 15 R3
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
5299 Points +10%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
4831 Points
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11
4422 Points -8%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Eurocom Tornado F5
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
8593 Points +2%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
8420 Points
Alienware 15 R3
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7678 Points -9%
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11
5114 Points -39%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4821 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
8420 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4831 points
Help

Storage Devices

15-inch gaming notebooks are typically equipped with a single M.2 slot for fast SSD storage alongside a secondary 2.5-inch SATA III bay for additional storage. The Tornado F5 adds in one more M.2 slot for NVMe with RAID compatibility. The Samsung SSD 960 Evo in our test unit is slower than the Samsung SSD 960 Pro SSD in our initial Tornado F5 configuration especially in sequential read speeds according to CDM. Sequential write rates are still excellent for a NVMe SSD as it easily outpaces both the Lite-on CX2 in the XPS 15 and the SK Hynix PC300 in the Alienware 15. Meanwhile, the secondary 7200 RPM Toshiba HGST HDD returns a respectable average transfer rate of over 111 MB/s according to HD Tune.

See our growing list of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

M.2 NVMe SSD near bottom right corner
M.2 NVMe SSD near bottom right corner
2.5-inch SATA III bay near bottom left corner
2.5-inch SATA III bay near bottom left corner
HD Tune (Secondary HDD)
HD Tune (Secondary HDD)
AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM (Primary SSD)
CDM (Primary SSD)
CDM (Secondary HDD)
CDM (Secondary HDD)
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
 
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11
Alienware 15 R3
 
Eurocom Tornado F5
Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
MSI GT62VR 7RE-223
Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-7%
-31%
10%
-50%
Read Seq
1546
1684
9%
1123
-27%
2145
39%
521
-66%
Write Seq
1456
1106
-24%
429.2
-71%
1724
18%
422.8
-71%
Read 512
710
977
38%
833
17%
715
1%
462
-35%
Write 512
860
1119
30%
428.1
-50%
967
12%
286.9
-67%
Read 4k
58.8
45.14
-23%
37.8
-36%
55.9
-5%
38.55
-34%
Write 4k
174.1
134.1
-23%
122.9
-29%
180.6
4%
122.8
-29%
Read 4k QD32
711
509
-28%
542
-24%
744
5%
388.4
-45%
Write 4k QD32
579
398.1
-31%
429.8
-26%
634
9%
257.9
-55%
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
Sequential Read: 1546 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1456 MB/s
512K Read: 710 MB/s
512K Write: 860 MB/s
4K Read: 58.8 MB/s
4K Write: 174.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 711 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 579 MB/s

GPU Performance

3DMark results are essentially identical to our desktop GTX 1080 Founder's Edition reference card. In other words, the Tornado F5 offers the same raw graphics power as a loaded desktop without noticeable cut corners if assuming base clock rates. The all-mighty GTX 980M SLI in the older Eurocom X8 is about 10 to 15 percent slower than our much more efficient Tornado F5 configuration. The newly launched GTX 1080 Ti for desktops provides a 35 percent boost over the GTX 1080 according to Fire Strike.

See our review on the GTX 1080 for more technical details and benchmarks.

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
i7-6950X Asus X99-E
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (Desktop), i7-6950X
27736 Points +35%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K
21534 Points +5%
MSI GT73VR 6RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6820HK
21270 Points +4%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K
20532 Points
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
20268 Points -1%
Eurocom X8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4940MX
18400 Points -10%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K
17321 Points -16%
Asus FX502VM-AS73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
11633 Points -43%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
9608 Points -53%
3840x2160 Fire Strike Ultra Graphics
i7-6950X Asus X99-E
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (Desktop), i7-6950X
6812 Points +40%
MSI GT73VR 6RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6820HK
4941 Points +2%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K
4851 Points
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
4841 Points 0%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K
3996 Points -18%
Asus FX502VM-AS73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
2565 Points -47%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
2299 Points -53%
Fire Strike Extreme Graphics
i7-6950X Asus X99-E
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (Desktop), i7-6950X
13513 Points +36%
MSI GT73VR 6RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6820HK
10246 Points +3%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
9994 Points +1%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K
9927 Points
Eurocom X8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4940MX
8542 Points -14%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K
8168 Points -18%
Asus FX502VM-AS73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
5463 Points -45%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
4623 Points -53%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
i7-6950X Asus X99-E
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (Desktop), i7-6950X
38555 Points +43%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
29443 Points +10%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K
29426 Points +9%
MSI GT73VR 6RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6820HK
27685 Points +3%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K
26874 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K
23042 Points -14%
Eurocom X8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4940MX
22072 Points -18%
Asus FX502VM-AS73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
14732 Points -45%
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
12472 Points -54%
1280x720 Performance Combined
i7-6950X Asus X99-E
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (Desktop), i7-6950X
15985 Points +88%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K
11623 Points +37%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K
11463 Points +35%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K
11099 Points +30%
Asus FX502VM-AS73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
8967 Points +5%
MSI GT73VR 6RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6820HK
8705 Points +2%
Eurocom X8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M SLI, 4940MX
8693 Points +2%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K
8513 Points
Asus Strix GL502VY-DS71
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
8343 Points -2%
3DMark 11 Performance
17375 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
153604 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
22675 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
15116 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
8680 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Unsurprisingly, the GTX 1080 is a monster of a card for native 4K gaming. Most titles hover in the 50 to 60 FPS range when on 4K High settings where G-Sync works wonders. Users with external gaming monitors capable of 120/144 Hz refresh rates will still want to game in 1080p for those triple-digit frame rates.

The synthetic 3DMark benchmark results above translate well to real-world gaming conditions. The GTX 1080 Ti is able to pump out 30 to 40 percent higher frame rates than our Tornado F5 across all tested games. Otherwise, our Eurocom system is comparable to both our GTX 1080 desktop reference PC and other high-end notebooks with the GTX 1080 such as the the Eurocom Sky X7E2.

See our dedicated page on the GTX 1080 for more gaming benchmarks and comparisons.

The Witcher 3 - 3840x2160 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
72 (61min - 79max) fps +29%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
55.8 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
55 fps -1%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
50.4 fps -10%
Metal Gear Solid V - 3840x2160 High / On
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
60 (59min - 61max) fps 0%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
60 fps 0%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
60 fps
Fallout 4 - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:T AF:16x
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
74 (58min - 92max) fps +41%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
54.6 fps +4%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
54 (42min - 66max) fps +3%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
52.6 fps
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
42 fps -20%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
70.9 (63min - 78max) fps +41%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
68.4 (61min - 75max) fps +36%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
51.9 fps +3%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
50.2 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
50 fps 0%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
47.8 (43min - 54max) fps -5%
Gigabyte P57X v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Transcend MTS800 256GB M.2 (TS256GMTS800)
43 fps -14%
Ashes of the Singularity - 3840x2160 crazy
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
58.4 fps +32%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
44.2 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
41.6 fps -6%
Doom - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
99 fps +48%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
96 fps +43%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
66.9 fps
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
65.1 fps -3%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
56.5 fps -16%
Overwatch - 3840x2160 High (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:4x
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
143 (122min - 164max) fps +36%
Eurocom Sky X7E2
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 6700K, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e
109.7 fps +5%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
104.9 fps
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
104 (88min - 121max) fps -1%
Mafia 3 - 3840x2160 High Preset
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
36.7 (34min - 40max) fps +26%
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
29.1 fps
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0)
28.4 fps -2%
SCHENKER XMG U727 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
26.6 fps -9%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 256GB MZ7PD256HAFV-0Z000
25.9 (21min - 30max) fps -11%
low med. high ultra4K
Guild Wars 2 (2012) 90.5
BioShock Infinite (2013) 152.3
Metro: Last Light (2013) 110.2
Thief (2014) 115
The Witcher 3 (2015) 74.2 55.8
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 92 56
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) 60
Fallout 4 (2015) 52.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 112.2 50.2
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 65.9 44.2
Doom (2016) 66.9
Overwatch (2016) 104.9
Mafia 3 (2016) 95.1 29.1

Stress Test

The Eurocom system performs very well when under stress. The processor is able to maintain a Turbo Boost clock rate of 4.0 GHz no matter the condition including when under both Prime95 and FurMark stress. This alone is impressive considering that the system is able to house a fully-featured desktop K-class CPU without any major throttling issues. The CPU stabilizes at a high 92 C, however, so any overclocking headroom will be quite thin and this will only be warmer if configured with the faster i7-7700K. In comparison, the less powerful i7-7700HQ CPU in the 15-inch Asus FX502VM stabilizes at 87 C when under the same stressful conditions. It's not uncommon to find warmer core temperatures on Eurocom notebooks when compared to the competition.

Running on battery power will impact both the CPU and GPU. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 8031 and 8735 points, respectively, compared to 8381 and 26874 points when on mains.

CineBench R15 Loop stress
CineBench R15 Loop stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 4.0 -- 71 39
FurMark Stress -- 1405 69 77
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 4.0 1405 92 82
Witcher 3 stress 3.6 1734 65 80
Witcher 3 stress after 60 minutes
Witcher 3 stress after 60 minutes

We run Witcher 3 for one hour to stress the notebook under real-world gaming scenarios. When subjected to these conditions, the GPU is able to maintain a steady Boost clock rate of 1734 MHz and a warm core temperature of 80 C. The CPU remains steady at 3.6 GHz or 200 MHz below its base clock rate. CPU temperature is subsequently quite low for a gaming notebook under high load at 65 C. Frame rates stabilize quickly at about 73 FPS with very little variance throughout the hour-long test. We recorded no major throttling issues when under gaming stress.

01234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556575859606162636465666768697071727374757677787980Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

Emissions

System Noise

The dual fans are always active no matter the onscreen workload. We recorded a steady fan noise of 36 dB(A) simply from sitting idle for at least half an hour on Power Saver mode. Running 3DMark to simulate average load will bump fan noise up to 44 dB(A) and gaming load with Witcher 3 will be even louder at up to a recorded 49 dB(A). The Eurocom is undeniably louder than the GT62VR and most larger 17-inch gaming notebooks for that matter, so headphones are recommended when gaming. While this is to be expected considering the hardware inside a 15-inch chassis, the always-audible minimum fan noise is perhaps the more disappointing aspect.

Twin ~60 mm fans
Twin ~60 mm fans
Seven copper heat pipes
Seven copper heat pipes
Tornado F5 Killer Edition (White: Background, Red: System idle, Pink: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Tornado F5 Killer Edition (White: Background, Red: System idle, Pink: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Asus FX502VM (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Asus FX502VM (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Dell XPS 15 9560 (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
Dell XPS 15 9560 (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: Unigine Valley, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

Noise Level

Idle
36.1 / 36.1 / 36.1 dB(A)
Load
44.3 / 51.7 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: 28.8 dB(A)
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11
Alienware 15 R3
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Eurocom Tornado F5
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
MSI GT62VR 7RE-223
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
Noise
9%
-1%
3%
4%
off / environment *
28.8
28.4
1%
30
-4%
29.4
-2%
30
-4%
Idle Minimum *
36.1
29
20%
31
14%
33.3
8%
34
6%
Idle Average *
36.1
29
20%
32
11%
33.5
7%
35
3%
Idle Maximum *
36.1
32.2
11%
42
-16%
33.5
7%
36
-0%
Load Average *
44.3
47.1
-6%
49
-11%
44.2
-0%
40
10%
Load Maximum *
51.7
47.1
9%
50
3%
52.5
-2%
46
11%
Witcher 3 ultra *
52

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperatures are quite cool as far as gaming notebooks go. When gaming or under extreme stress, the center of the keyboard plateaus at about 36 C while the WASD keys and NumPad are much cooler in the low 30 C range. Our temperature maps below show that the hot spots are above the first row of keyboard keys and well away from the front palm rests. In comparison, the Alienware 15 will be warmer at up to the mid 40 C range while thinner 15-inch notebooks like the XPS 15 9560 or GS63VR can reach surface temperatures as high as 50 C when under similar load conditions.

The bottom surface of the Eurocom is also relatively cool due to the large ventilation grilles on the center and the wide air gaps between the maintenance plate and the rear heat pipes.

Witcher 3 load (top)
Witcher 3 load (top)
Witcher 3 load (bottom)
Witcher 3 load (bottom)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)
Max. Load
 39.4 °C
103 F
33.6 °C
92 F
38.6 °C
101 F
 
 32.2 °C
90 F
35.8 °C
96 F
31 °C
88 F
 
 26.6 °C
80 F
32.2 °C
90 F
28.2 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 39.4 °C = 103 F
Average: 33.1 °C = 92 F
43.4 °C
110 F
41.6 °C
107 F
48.6 °C
119 F
32 °C
90 F
33.2 °C
92 F
28.8 °C
84 F
25.8 °C
78 F
26 °C
79 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 48.6 °C = 119 F
Average: 33.9 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  43.4 °C = 110 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.1 °C / 92 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 48.6 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.1 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.2 °C / 90 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-3.3 °C / -6 F).

Speakers

Dedicated subwoofer could have been stronger
Dedicated subwoofer could have been stronger

We remeasured the stereo 2 W speakers with our microphone setup and results are essentially identical to our last Tornado F5 configuration, so users can expect reasonably loud volume with no reverberations and an average bass. Larger MSI models continue to have a wider range of reproducible frequencies. A dedicated DAC is not present to fully support studio-grade headphones.

Tornado F5 Killer Edition (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink Noise)
Tornado F5 Killer Edition (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink Noise)
Tornado F5
Tornado F5
HP Spectre x360 15 2017
HP Spectre x360 15 2017
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.937.52535.832.93133.133.64032345033.535.86331.534.7803131.71003132.712533.836.31602939.120027.843.625027.649.731527.751.940026.956.850028.759.263028.758.480029.659100028.364.8125024.960.616002455.1200024.362.4250024.361.6315023.256.5400023.257500023.352.1630023.253.680002354.11000022.947.21250022.947.5160002350.7SPL37.571N327.2median 24.9median 54.1Delta2.86.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseEurocom Tornado F5 Killer EditionApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (64.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (13.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 77% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 19% 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

Our Tornado F5 configuration is significantly more power hungry when idling compared to lesser-equipped 15-inch notebooks. The Alienware 15 and even our older Tornado F5 configuration can consume up to 33 percent and 25 percent less energy, respectively, when under the same idling loads. Running 3DMark 11 will demand about 190 W compared to 170 W on our first Tornado F5 with the GTX 1070.

Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will draw about 260 W from a large power adapter (~20 x 10 x 4.5 cm) rated for up to 330 W. In comparison, our last Tornado F5 SKU shipped with the smaller 230 W adapter. The healthy power overhead means the adapter is more than capable at running a fully-loaded configuration and shouldn't be a source for any throttling issues.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 1.15 / 1.45 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 28.4 / 32 / 33.5 Watt
Load midlight 190.9 / 259.4 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 Tornado F5 Killer Edition
i5-7600K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11, IGZO IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Alienware 15 R3
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, , TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Eurocom Tornado F5
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus G701VIK-BA049T
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Power Consumption
51%
31%
20%
6%
Idle Minimum *
28.4
11.9
58%
19
33%
21.2
25%
24
15%
Idle Average *
32
17.1
47%
23
28%
25.1
22%
31
3%
Idle Maximum *
33.5
17.3
48%
29
13%
26.3
21%
38
-13%
Load Average *
190.9
94.7
50%
85
55%
169.4
11%
98
49%
Load Maximum *
259.4
122
53%
192
26%
202.4
22%
320
-23%
Witcher 3 ultra *
104.8

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery life is not significantly different than our previous Tornado F5 configuration even after considering the updated CPU, GPU, and display resolution. Users can expect about 3.5 hours of real-world WLAN use compared to 4+ hours on less powerful gaming notebooks. The Eurocom clocks in at just over 4 hours even when set to its most conservative settings (Power Saver mode, minimum brightness setting, idling on desktop) due in part to its demanding K-class CPU. Traditional gaming systems with HQ-class processors and Optimus can last for 6 hours or more under similar Power Saver conditions. Battery capacity is not as large as on the Alienware 15 or the MacBook Pro 15.

Charging from near empty to full capacity will take 2 to 2.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 10min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 33min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 27min
Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition
i5-7600K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 75.24 Wh
Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD)
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 97 Wh
Alienware 15 R3
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 99 Wh
Eurocom Tornado F5
i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 75.24 Wh
MSI GT62VR 7RE-223
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 75 Wh
Battery Runtime
118%
31%
-2%
26%
Reader / Idle
250
831
232%
382
53%
291
16%
377
51%
WiFi v1.3
213
434
104%
264
24%
216
1%
246
15%
Load
87
103
18%
102
17%
67
-23%
98
13%

Pros

+ relatively cool surface temperatures when under load
+ upgradeable LGA 1151 CPU and MXM 3.0 GPU
+ accessible internals without voiding warranty
+ small footprint considering the hardware
+ no major performance throttling issues
+ USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt 3
+ strong base and build quality
+ RAID M.2 NVMe SSD support
+ overclockable CPU and GPU
+ fast SD reader

Cons

- core temperatures >90 C when under Prime95 stress on factory settings
- PWM on lower brightness settings; average display response times
- fans are always active; loud fan noise regardless of onscreen load
- lower contrast and narrower gamut on 4K UHD panel
- light-moderate backlight bleeding
- subwoofer could be stronger
- no USB ports on left edge
- no dedicated DAC
- short battery life
- lid flexes easily

Verdict

In review: Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition. Test model provided by Eurocom
In review: Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition. Test model provided by Eurocom

The Tornado F5 should be commended for incorporating an accessible LGA 1151 socket and MXM 3.0 slot onto a 15-inch chassis that is smaller and even lighter than many popular and less powerful alternatives. From this perspective, the system is not unlike the Razer Blade Pro - larger-than-life hardware in as compact of a chassis as possible. The fact that we can record no major throttling issues or hidden cut corners that directly affect performance is another notable accomplishment.

The usual drawbacks apply including the loud fans and poor battery life. While both are unsurprising, we feel that fan noise could be improved during low loads to make the notebook less distracting to use in quieter environments. The lid flexes more easily than we would like and the quality control on backlight bleeding could be better.

As for the 4K UHD display, there are definite pros and cons that don't make it an absolute recommendation. Color space is narrower and contrast is lower than even the base 1080p option. Additionally, users may even want to consider the third 1080p 120 Hz/5 ms option as the fast response times and doubled refresh rate make a world of difference in notebook gaming arguably more than a 4K UHD 60 Hz panel.

Perhaps the biggest reason why an enthusiast might prefer the Eurocom over an Asus, MSI, or Alienware is its modular components and support for desktop processors. The ability to easily upgrade and troubleshoot both the CPU and GPU is indubitably an attractive prospect, but its impact on gaming performance is marginal at best as most modern titles are GPU-bound. When a mobile i7-7700HQ can run the same titles just as well as an i5-7600K or i7-7700K at nearly half the TDP, it becomes harder to see the practical benefits of having a desktop CPU in a laptop from a purely gamer perspective.

The Tornado F5 is the most versatile 15-inch gaming notebook available if the accessible LGA 1151 socket and MXM 3.0 slot are of utmost importance. Otherwise, a more traditional gaming notebook with an equivalent soldered GPU can net users the same gaming results at likely lower prices.

Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition - 03/18/2017 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
61 / 81 → 75%
Weight
56 / 10-66 → 83%
Battery
72%
Display
87%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
97%
Temperature
92 / 95 → 96%
Noise
62 / 90 → 69%
Audio
75%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
76%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition (i5-7600K, 4K UHD, GTX 1080, MSI 16L13) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2017-03-19 (Update: 2017-03-19)