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MagyarGigabyte P25X v2 Notebook Review
For the original German review, see here.
No doubt: with its huge equipment, the Gigabyte P25X v2 belongs to the upper class of the gaming notebooks. Despite the limited space, the Taiwanese manufacturer does not only include a large 1,000 GB HDD, but also two mSATA-SSDs with 128 GB each. 16 GB DDR3-RAM (2x 8 GB @ 933 MHz) is also impressive, and the Blu-ray burner can handle a couple of dozen formats.
The actual highlight is the matte full HD panel. Instead of a TN technology, as used in almost all notebooks, the P25X v2 uses an IPS display. Next to viewing angle stability, color rendering is better compared with many competitors. Similar holds for the performance. Due to the GeForce GTX 880M, the P25X v2 can also handle graphically intense games like Battlefield 4 with no problems. The entire package is topped off with an Intel quad-core processor. The Core i7-4810MQ clocks 300 MHz faster than the "standard model" Core i7-4710MQ/HQ.
The catch: the mentioned configuration costs around 2000 Euros (~$2627). If one wants to save some money and/or has an additional Windows license, then the version for 1,600 Euros (~$2100) is the right choice. Admittedly, this version has no Solid State Drive and only 8 GB of RAM, but due to the adequate maintenance possibilities, a later upgrade is still possible.
Case
on a bright yellow plastic lid, which might not be to everyone's taste (apparently, the notebook is also available in black). Due to the bright colors, finger prints are barely visible - despite the high-gloss finish.
It differs with the silver "chrome frame", which gets quickly dirty at the touch and tends to show reflections. In the opened state, the P25X v2 does not seem that dainty. The wrist rest, which is made of brushed aluminum, is just as black as the keyboard area and the display frame.
Speaking of the display frame: unfortunately, the quality does not live up to the notebook price. Compared to the P34G v2 and the P35W v2 there are various flaws in some details. It may be the uneven keyboard (especially at the right edge) or the loose display edging, which is especially apparent when opening the lid. Besides, there are a few general design flaws. The front brackets of the notebook are so small that the 15-inch notebook tends to slide. It is also a mystery to us why the left and right edges have to cover all ports (bad accessibility).
In terms of stability, the P25X v2 is mid-table. Admittedly, the chassis sags noticeably here and there (number pad, optical drive), in daily life, however, that barely bothers anyone, especially since the P25X v2, with a height of just four centimeters (~1.6 inches) and a weight of 2.8 kilograms (~6.2 pounds), is neither too thick nor too heavy for a high-end notebook. Other 15-inch gamers like the Clevo P150SM or the MSI GT60 are more bulky and uncomfortable to carry.
We think it is quite annoying that at higher pressure and twisting of the lid, a squeaking can be heard. That should not be the case within the 2000 Euros (~$2627) price range. Overall, chassis quality is only mediocre, which also reflects in the final score. If one likes it as flat as possible and still fast, the MSI GS60 (GTX 870M) or theLenovo Y50-70 (GTX 860M) should be considered. The latter only weighs 2.0-2.4 kg (~4.4-5.3 pounds) and has a maximum height of 2.5 centimeters (1-inch).
Connectivity
Interfaces
One should not expect a large amount of interfaces from the P25X v2. Gigabyte considers itself to be offering multimedia and integrates two USB-3.0-Ports, one eSATA/USB-2.0 combo, two audio jacks and analog and digital video output (VGA + HDMI). A Kensington lock, a card reader and an RJ45 port should also come as no surprise. Considering the price, it is a pity that the manufacturer does not include a FireWire, DisplayPort and Thunderbolt.
The interface distribution can also be criticized. Since the Blu-ray drive is on the left and the back is meant for the battery (lifts the chassis by several millimeters), most ports are on the right. Users of a mouse are limited in their mobility when many cables are connected. Gigabyte should optimize the design of the interfaces in order to achieve a higher connectivity rating. Next to the Schenker XMG A504 and the One K56-4N, the MSI GT60 also offers more ports.
Wireless Communication
In terms of wireless adaptor, Gigabyte does not make a compromise. The Wireless-AC 7260 supports - as the name already suggests - the new ac-standard. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 are of course also available. Intel indicates a maximum speed of 867 Mbit/s (2.4 & 5.0 GHz). In our field test the Wireless-AC 7260 had a decent range. A connection could still be established over a distance of 10-15 meters (~33-49 feet) and even through several walls.
Maintenance
Gigabyte decided to use a dual-fan concept with four heat pipes which deal with the exhaust heat of the CPU and GPU. Once the maintenance lid is opened, only one part of the cooling system can be accessed (see pictures). If one wants to clean both fans, the entire chassis has to be disassembled. Thumbs up: the mSATA-SSDs and the 2.5-inch ducts can be easily reached . The internal memory and the wireless module can be replaced as well.
Software
Gigabyte is known for its practical software accessories. There is, for instance the Smart Manager, which enables access to several functions (volume, brightness, Wi-Fi adaptor, camera, energy-saver mode, touchpad, mouse speed...). For example, the fan activity can be adjusted via Fan Tweak,. As for the P35W v2 and the P34G v2, we performed all tests with the standard option "auto". The program Smart Update also falls under the category "nice". Outdated drivers are clearly shown to the user. Finally, Smart Backup serves as system backup (no recovery data medium).
Accessories
The P25X v2 is delivered with relatively many accessories. Gigabyte not only include a driver DVD, a manual and a warranty card, but also a cleaning cloth and two DVDs with CyberLink programs (PowerDVD 10 & Power2Go 7). While the 154 x 74 x 30 millimeter (~6 x 2.9 x 1.2 inches) adaptor weighs 640 grams (~1.4 pounds), the unusually formed battery has a mass of 456 grams (~1 pound).
Input Devices
Keyboard
The input devices do not have to hide behind the competition. Indeed, the keyboard does not reach the top level, but most users will be satisfied with the quality. It does not matter whether pressure point, key stroke or typing sound, the P25X v2 scores well in most disciplines, while some parts do not really seem well built and/or have a clattering sound.
As expected, Gigabyte relies on a Chiclet design with freestanding, rounded keys. Unlike the main block, the arrows and the keys of the number pad are only 12 millimeters wide instead of 15, but it is still sufficient. If you like to control the volume at the touch of a button, Gigabyte has implemented respective keys next to the power button. We liked the white illumination best which can be (de-)activated through Fn + space. With that, the 15-inch notebook can be easily used at night.
Touchpad
In order to ensure gamers trouble-free input, Gigabyte shifted the touchpad considerably to the right. Advantage: no unwanted camera panning shows up when playing games with the WASD keys. The hand lies solely on the wrist rest. In other ways the touchpad could convince us as well. Competitors can follow the example of the comfortably smooth surface and good precision. The multi-touch function is also a success. Contents can be comfortably zoomed or scrolled. The Synaptics v7.4 even supports scrolling at the touchpad edge (relatively narrow in the basic setting).
Dimensions are typical of a 15-inch notebook. 93 x 53 millimeters (~3.7 x 2.1 inches) are neither small nor huge. Mouse clicks are recognized by the notebook through a separate bar. Due to the design, resistance to pressure varies significantly from outward to inward.
Display
One of the biggest advantages of the P25X v2 is its high-contrast display. The LG Philips LP156WF4 is a 15.6-inch IPS panel, which is also used for the Gigabyte P35W v2. Even though brightness is a not perfect 80% (brightness gradient toward the right edge), the notebook has a top image quality. With 288 cd/m², brightness is slightly lower than for its 15-inch brother, but we could measure a better black level. The professional software CalMAN measured 0.27 instead of 0.35 cd/m², which leads to a contrast of around 1000:1. Such fluctuations could be related to the production.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 273 cd/m²
Contrast: 1011:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.25 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 2.17 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
83.9% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
55% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
61.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
83.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.57
Independent of that, the P25X v2 impresses with a balanced image which has a higher color fidelity and which seems more natural as compared to a TN panel. By means of the CalMAN screenshots the differences can be clearly seen. In comparison to a CMN N156HG (Clevo W355SS) or a LG Philips LP156WF1-TLF3 (Clevo P150SM) the IPS model performs better (no blue cast, higher brightness).
Taking everything into consideration, color rendering of the LG Philips LP156WF4-SPB1 of the Schenker M504 is better, but worse than for the Samsung 156HL01-102 of the Asus GL550JK (only GTX 850M). In terms of color space, the P25X v2 gains the lead with 84% sRGB (Correction 20.5.2015 due to a wrong sRGB-reference-profile) and 55% AdobeRGB.
Despite the not so excellent brightness, the 15-inch notebook can also be used outdoors. As typical of an anti-glare panel, the display barely reflects. Another advantage is the high viewing angle stability. TN models cannot keep up with that in the vertical range.
Performance
Processor
The Core i7-4810MQ is from the Intel Haswell Generation and is produced in a 22-nm process. 47 Watts TDP corresponds to the level of the smaller brother Core i7-4710MQ which is clocked with only 2.5-3.5 instead of 2.8-3.8 GHz. Both CPUs work with Hyperthreading, allowing each core to have a virtual counterpart. With that, the four-core models can treat up to eight threads in parallel.
It comes as no surprise that the P25X v2 supports Nvidia's Optimus technology. If the notebook has to deal with only simple tasks such as MS Office, video or browsing, the GeForce GTX 880M is not in use and the graphics unit of the processor works. Intel's HD Graphics 4600 is also capable of using DirectX 11, but due to its weak performance it is hardly suited for games.
Turbo Boost
As the results of the following benchmarks show, turbo mode does not always work up to its limit. According to Intel, the four-core processors could theoretically reach up to 3.8 GHz under single-core load and up to 3.7 GHz under multi-core load. In our test, clock pulse was between 3.6 and 3.7 GHz (with short drops to 3.2-3.3 GHz) or 3.1 and 3.3 GHz, so some 100 MHz below the data provided by the manufacturer. Due to the high graphics load, games are hardly affected. Even with limited turbo, the Core i7-4810MQ is still more than sufficiently fast.
CPU Performance
Despite the suboptimal clock speeds, the P25X v2 outperforms most gaming notebooks. With 146 points in the Single-CPU benchmark of the Cinebench R15, the test configuration computes around 20% faster than its Gigabyte colleagues P35W v2 (126 points @ Core i7-4710HQ) and P27G v2 (123 points @ Core i7-4710MQ). In the Multi-CPU test the gap is not that large. 631 points are a plus of around 7% (588 points @ P35W v2) and 5% (599 points @ P27G v2).
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| Gigabyte P35W v2 | |
| Gigabyte P27G v2 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| Gigabyte P35W v2 | |
| Gigabyte P27G v2 | |
| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| Gigabyte P34G v2 | |
| Gigabyte P35W v2 | |
| Gigabyte P27G v2 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| Gigabyte P34G v2 | |
| Gigabyte P35W v2 | |
| Gigabyte P27G v2 | |
Graphics Card
Nvidia's GeForce GTX 880M is a higher clocked version of the old GTX 780M. 954-993 MHz instead of 823-849 MHz corresponds to a performance increase of around 15%. An advantage of the doubled video memory (8 vs. 4 GB GDDR5) cannot be noticed in practice.
Otherwise, the GeForce GTX 880M is based on the Kepler architecture (28 nm). Within the gaming segment, the Maxwell, the direct successor, is so far only used for the GeForce GTX 850M and partly for the GeForce GTX 860M. Due to 1,536 unified shaders, the high-end GPU still offers a very appealing performance. For comparison: the GeForce GTX 870M (also Kepler) has only 1,344 execution units and a 192 instead of a 256-bit memory interface.
GPU Performance
How powerful the GeForce GTX 880M is, becomes apparent in our Fire Strike test of the 3DMark 2013. Our model achieved a GPU score of 6,044 points, a score that is still out of reach for most notebooks. Neither the MSI GT60-2PC81B (4,701 points @ GeForce GTX 870M) nor the Schenker XMG A504 (3,936 points @ GeForce GTX 860M) can touch the P25X v2. Only a high-end device with Radeon R9 M290X (5,294 points @ One K56-4N) can attempt be a threat to the GeForce GTX 880M.
In the Unigine Heaven 3.0 Benchmark the difference to the AMD counterpart increases. With 81.5 fps, Nvidia's deluxe chip is around 30% better than the Radeon R9 M290X (62 fps). With 64.4 fps, the GTX 870M does not fall back that drastically. A GeForce GTX 860M only achieves around 50 fps.
| Unigine Heaven 3.0 - 1920x1080 DX 11, Normal Tessellation, High Shaders AA:Off AF:Off (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| MSI GT60-2PC81B | |
| One K56-4N | |
| Schenker XMG A504 | |
| 3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| MSI GT60-2PC81B | |
| One K56-4N | |
| Schenker XMG A504 | |
| 3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| MSI GT60-2PC81B | |
| One K56-4N | |
| Schenker XMG A504 | |
| 3DMark Vantage - 1280x1024 P GPU no PhysX (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| MSI GT60-2PC81B | |
| One K56-4N | |
| Schenker XMG A504 | |
| 3DMark Vantage P Result | 27151 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 8234 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 118583 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 18199 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 5432 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Devices
Gigabyte equipped the P25X v2 with two mSATA SSDs of the brand Lit-on (LMT-128M6M), which are installed as a RAID-0 system. In comparison to a single SSD, sequential performance is almost twice as high.
While the Gigabyte P34G v2 achieves just 500 MB/sec in the read test of the AS SSD benchmark, and around 300 MB/sec in the write test, the P25X v2 levels off at 940 and 585 MB/sec, respectively. 4K files are only sometimes processed faster by the RAID-0 system. Seek times of 0.082 and 0.062 ms recalls the single SSD of the P34G v2 (0.092/0.063 ms). Regardless of whether RAID or not: there are hardly any differences in practice.
In addition to the mSATA duo, the P25X v2 also has a conventional mass storage. The HGST Travelstar 7K1000 has a capacity of 1,000 GB and runs at 7,200 rpm. A sequential reading rate of 150 MB/sec and a sequential writing rate of 143 MB/sec (CrystalDiskMark) point to a very fast model. Overall, writing capacity amounts to 1.256 terabytes (a bit less for the user).
System Performance
According to PCMark 7, the P25X v2 counts among the most efficient notebooks ever. More than 6,000 points have rarely been achieved in the past. The Schenker XMG P704 (Core i7-4910MQ, GeForce GTX 880M, Crucial M500) and the One K56-4N (Core i7-4700MQ, Radeon R9 M290X, Samsung 840 EVO) are of those few exceptions.
| PCMark 7 Score | 6328 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3669 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 4282 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4455 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
The GeForce GTX 880M has sufficient power to bring most games with maximum details and activated anti-aliasing magically on the screen. Even hardware killers like Crysis 3 or Far Cry 3 have been represented with over 30 fps in our ultra-setting.
Using the most current driver, it should be possible to play all new releases smoothly. The preinstalled Gigabyte Version 333.11 often limits the frame rate unnecessarily. Next to Watch Dogs and Risen 3, GRID: Autosport was also affected. The Schenker W504 scored better in the gaming articles. If no obstacles are put in the way of the GeForce GTX 880M, it can outperform the GTX 870M by 30% and the GTX 860M by 60%.
| Crysis 3 - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2xSM AF:16x (sort by value) | |
| Gigabyte P25X v2 | |
| MSI GT60-2PC81B | |
| One K56-4N | |
| Schenker XMG A504 | |
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| Far Cry 3 (2012) | 116.2 | 106.1 | 84.4 | 35.7 |
| Crysis 3 (2013) | 137.6 | 112.4 | 81.7 | 33.3 |
| Saints Row IV (2013) | 72.7 | 63.8 | 58 | 53.1 |
| Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013) | 104.4 | 88.5 | 71.1 | 46.8 |
| Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) | 59.9 | 59.8 | 59.8 | 59 |
| Watch Dogs (2014) | 62.5 | 53.1 | 39.5 | 29.3 |
| GRID: Autosport (2014) | 195.5 | 119.8 | 96.3 | 63.7 |
| Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) | 35.5 | 35.3 | 42.9 | 54.3 |
Emissions
System Noise
Noise generation is the Achilles tendon of most gaming notebooks. Except for the Asus G750, almost all high-end notebooks are loud under load. May it be the One K56-4N with 47-54 dB(A), the MSI GS60 with 47-51 dB(A) or the MSI GT60 with 48-57 dB(A). Gigabyte also has to be criticized in this context. 45-54 dB(A) in the 3DMark 06 benchmark and 54 dB(A) in the stress test are not beneficial for sensitive ears. Even with cranked up speakers, games are often drowned out (we advise to use a headset). The Blue-ray burner is also not really quiet when playing a movie. Almost all competitors remain below 40 dB(A).
In idle mode and for simple activities, the P25X v2 is significantly more quiet, where the fan reaches just 39 dB(A). On average, 33 dB(A) (HDD) or 34 dB(A) (dedicated fan whooshing) are acceptable for a gaming product. After a longer rest, the P25X v2 is even completely inaudible. Nevertheless, our test device showed a slight whistling now and then, which might be annoying for some users (cause could not be determined).
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 29.6 / 32.6 / 38.8 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 32.8 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 42.6 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 54 / 54.4 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
Chassis temperatures are neither too high nor too low. Just 30 °C (86 °F) in idle mode, and 43 °C (109.4 °F) under full load are rather ordinary. While thicker notebooks like the MSI GT60 or the One K56-4N remain in principle cooler, the MSI GS60 and the Gigabyte P35W v2 often generate higher values.
A maximum of 53 °C (127.4 °F) on the top and 57 °C (134.6 °F) on the bottom seem like a lot, but these temperatures are only generated at the rear of the P25W x2. The wrist rest remains usually cooler - even for 3D applications.
In gaming mode, the components are more stressed. Since the fans are very active, no critical temperatures need to be feared. It is a pity that there was a CPU and GPU throttling in the stress test that we performed with the tools FurMark and Prime95 (right image). But don't worry: as long as a game does not depend on a driver, the hardware can show off without any restrictions.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 53 °C / 127 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 56.5 °C / 134 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 37.1 °C / 98.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 29 °C / 84.2 F (-8.1 °C / -14.6 F).
Speakers
The sound system has a lot to offer. Four speakers, a subwoofer and Dolby Digital Plus support: nothing can go wrong, right? Well, sound is indeed acceptable, but still far away from the standard of an MSI GT60 or Asus GL550JK. As typical of a notebook, there is a lack of precise and powerful playback. Audio files, sound a little dull and tinny; not even the maximum volume can fix that. In general, the system should not be used without Dolby software.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
Even though the P25X v2 is composed of powerful components, a consumption similar to the P35W v2 (Core i7-4710HQ, GeForce GTX 870M) results when in idle mode. 10.3-28.9 can be only achieved with Nvidia's Optimus technology. Without graphics switching, consumption would be probably over 30 Watts. With an activated GeForce GTX 880M, the 15-inch notebook needs significantly more power. 118-149 Watts in the first scene of the 3DMark 06 are undercut by the P35W v2 by around 20% (103-127 Watts). Due to throttling, the maximum value cannot be directly compared.
| Off / Standby | 0.1 / 1 Watt |
| Idle | 10.3 / 17.2 / 28.9 Watt |
| Load |
134.1 / 186.7 Watt |
   
| |
Battery Life
An applause goes to the excellent battery life. Unlike the notebooks that we mentioned in the category "emissions", the P25X v2 does not finish the idle test after 4-6 hours, but - hold on - after 14 hours. 5.5 hours of browsing at 50% brightness and 5 hours DVD playback at maximum brightness are also good. This excellent performance is due to the high battery capacity: 86 Wh is not achieved by the competition (among the 15-inch gaming notebooks only the MSI GT60 can keep up).
Verdict
A high-end notebook for individualists. That or something like that could be the marketing slogan for the P25X v2. Optically the gaming notebooks polarizes like no other. To show up with a yellow notebook in public takes a lot of courage.
Gigabyte however, rewards this choice not only with high performance, but also in terms of display. Stable viewing angles, bold colors and a rich contrast: that's the way it should be. People who have once experienced the advantages of an IPS panel do not want to go back to the TN technology.
The combination of the extremely fast GeForce GTX 880M and the SSD-RAID, make daily life with Windows great fun (ignoring the poor 4.1-system). It is also surprising that the chassis does not increase significantly in size, despite the powerful hardware. The P25X v2 can be carried around relatively easily. Other advantages would be the illuminated keyboard, the good touchpad and the enormous battery life.
These last mentioned advantages can only partly console for the flaws in workmanship. For a 2,000 Euros (~$2627) product, one could definitely expect more quality (loose parts, jutting keyboard, sliding brackets...). Noise emissions do not put the 15-inch notebook in a good light either, where it should be noted that the competition is hardly better. All in all, the Gigabyte P25X v2 is a good, but not exemplary notebook.
