Nexoc M514 (Clevo WA50SJQ) Notebook Review
For the original German review, see here.
Nexoc is a German notebook retailer that specializes in the distribution of gaming and multimedia systems. The M514 belongs – as the first letter already suggests – to the latter group. Contrary to bigger manufacturers (Acer, Asus), you can configure the devices comprehensively according to your preferences.
This is a good thing since the basic configuration of the M514 for 876 Euros (~$946) is not very well-equipped. 4 GB DDR3-RAM is not really up to date, just like an Intel Pentium 3560M clocked at 2.4 GHz (no Turbo Boost). We would recommend at least 8 GB memory as well as a Core i5. Our review unit is powered by the price-performance tip Core i5-4210M with a maximum clock of 3.2 GHz for the two cores.
If you want a snappy operating system (Windows can be installed for an additional charge) you should also get a Solid State Drive. The 15-inch chassis not only has a 2.5-inch tray for conventional storage solutions, but it also has an mSATA slot. Nexoc only uses SSDs from Samsung (840 or 850), which is certainly not a bad decision.
In addition, you get a wireless adaptor from Intel. Both the Wireless-AC 3160 as well as the Wireless-AC 7260 offer brand-new technology. Furthermore we should mention the optical drive. Many multimedia notebooks cannot play DVDs anymore due to space limitations.
You can easily configure a Nexoc M514 for more than 1,000 Euros (~$1080) and our review unit (see spec sheet on the right) even retails for 1,372 Euros (~$1481). For this price you already get more powerful notebooks with a GeForce GTX 860M, like the Acer V 15 Nitro or Lenovo Y50-70, for example. Other devices with the GTX 850M are usually noticeably less expensive. Examples would be the Acer Aspire V5-573G-54218G1Taii for 800 Euros (~$863) and the HP Envy 15-k010ng or Asus N551JK-CN166H, respectively, for 1,000 Euros (~$1080). However, some devices only have a ULV CPU or a conventional hard drive.
Case
The chassis is not from Nexoc but provided by the manufacturer Clevo. Internally, the WA50SJQ chassis is very similar to the W650SJ that we already reviewed, but the two notebooks have a completely different design. While the Schenker M504 uses very dark colors, the Nexoc M514 has a light gray case. Both the cover and the palm rest also have nice patterns.
The biggest highlight in our opinion is the choice of materials. Instead of plastic, some surfaces are made of aluminum, which means the WA50SJQ leaves a more sophisticated impression than the W650SJ, even though the build quality is on a similar level (acceptable gaps). The dimensions of the two devices are very similar as well: The footprint of the Nexoc M514 is bigger with a depth of 26.1 vs. 25.2 centimeters, but the chassis is also a bit thinner in return.
Despite the textured surface, the device does not appear too playful; Clevo is able to keep a somewhat understated design. We do have to criticize the hinges (vibrations result in a bouncing lid) and the slightly loose battery. We would call the stability of the base unit decent.
Connectivity
Ports
The port variety is similar to typical multimedia devices. Two stereo jacks (headphones + microphone) are provided by many rivals, just like a RJ45 port, an HDMI output as well as a slot for a Kensington lock. Analog VGA ports are more and more replaced by digital ports like DisplayPorts. The manufacturer deserves praise for the combined eSATA/USB 3.0 port, which is only available on a few notebooks. The Nexoc M514 has a total of four USB ports (3x 3.0).
Clevo should improve the port layout in the future. Most of the ports are at the front area of the sides, which means the space at the side is limited for both left and right-handers and there can be collisions with attached cables when you use a mouse. However, this is a common problem for many all-round notebooks (Asus N551JK, HP Envy 15, etc.). Acer's Aspire V5-573G, for example, shows a better solution with many ports at the back.
Communication
Wireless connections of our review unit are handled by the Wireless-AC 3160 adaptor from Intel. Similar to the more expensive sibling Wireless-AC 7260, the WLAN module supports the standards 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac as well as Bluetooth 4.0, but the transfer rates are a bit lower: Instead of up to 867 Mbps the Wireless-AC 3160 "only" reaches up to 433 Mbps. Both adaptors support 5 GHz networks (otherwise 2.4 GHz). Our Nexoc M514 did not leave a very good impression in terms of the range. The office of the author has a distance of around 10-15 meters to the router (several walls) and we could rarely establish a connection; most notebooks usually manage 3 out of 5 bars.
Maintenance
The maintainability does not leave anything to be desired. Hardly any notebook can be opened and cleaned that comfortably. You just have to loosen two screws before you can remove the bottom cover. In return, you get unrestricted access to all components. Even the cooling solution is completely accessible. It is also no problem to renew the thermal compound of the CPU and GPU. By the way, you can only replace the CPU if there are any defects; the graphics card is soldered onto the motherboard. Great: Clevo does not integrate the battery into the chassis but puts it at the back.
Software
Similar to the German barebone rivals Schenker Technologies and One, Nexoc is also very restrained in respect to the installed software. Our review unit is only preloaded with 18 applications and tools (including a trial version of Office 365). Bloatware is no problem for the multimedia notebook.
Accessories
In the box you will find two driver DVDs (Windows 7 + Windows 8) and a quick-start guide. A power adaptor is obviously provided as well. It has a nominal output of 120 Watts and is not too heavy with 436 grams (14.5 x 7.5 x 2.5 centimeters). The notebook itself, including the battery and the HDD, weighs 2.45 kilograms.
Warranty
Nexoc grants a warranty of two years, which can be extended to three years for 68 Euros (~$73). An optional 72-hour service (12 months, 20 Euros, ~$21) and a pickup service (24 months, 26 Euros, ~$28) are available as well.
Input Devices
Keyboard
The keyboard is definitely a matter of taste. Clevo have been using the integrated chiclet model for a couple of years now. While the layout does not cause any criticism, the acoustics could be better. The input is pretty clattery in the area around the optical drive in particular.
The typing experience is not perfect, either. Some keys tend to get stuck under pressure, which results in a strange noise and it does not really improve the quality impression, especially since users expect a reliable input device. It is also unfortunate that Clevo waives a background illumination. But the keyboard also has its advantages; the dedicated numeric keypad and the large arrow keys improve the comfort.
Touchpad
The mouse replacement is a so-called ClickPad that does not have dedicated buttons. All inputs can instead be triggered directly via touchpad surface. This works well with cursor movements, but clicks and drag & drop inputs can test your patience since the cursor often jumps around or the system does not recognize inputs reliably. The mechanics are pretty clattery as well and the stability is not perfect, either. It is possible to push the touchpad of the Nexoc M514 down quite a bit in the upper corners.
Thanks to the multi-touch support and the very smooth finish (10.5 x 6.5 centimeters) it is still sufficient for an "average" rating. As usual, it is possible to zoom and scroll with two fingers. A scroll bar at the edge is pretty handy as well. All things considered, we prefer the mouse replacement of the Schenker M504.
Display
While the majority of notebooks use a TN panel with limited viewing angles, Nexoc equips the M514 with an IPS display. The AU Optronics B156HAN01.2 was already used for the Schenker XMG P505 as well as the Schenker XMG U505.
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Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 291 cd/m²
Contrast: 1039:1 (Black: 0.28 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.09 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.87
ΔE Greyscale 3.71 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
58% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
If you ignore the brightness distribution (clouding), the 15-inch model does not reveal any drawbacks. Besides the pretty rich black value (0.28 cd/m²), other positive aspects are the contrast ratio in particular: More than 1,000:1 is hardly managed by any multimedia notebook, and it does not matter if you compare it to an IPS panel (~850:1 @Asus N551JK-CN166H) or a TN product (~460:1 @HP Envy 15-k010ng). The brightness of almost 280 cd/m² meets our expectations as well.
Thanks to the anti-reflective surface it is no problem to use the 15-inch device outdoors. The M514 is also well-suited for picture and video experts who do not require the full color space (79% sRGB, 58% Adobe RGB). The screenshots above show that the AU Optronics B156HAN01.2 creates a balanced picture with surprisingly accurate colors.
| Nexoc M514 | Acer Aspire V5 | HP Envy 15 | Asus N551JK | Schenker M504 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -2% | -22% | 5% | -22% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 65.7 | 63.4 -4% | 49.35 -25% | 67.3 2% | 52.8 -20% |
| sRGB Coverage | 90.2 | 89.7 -1% | 71.8 -20% | 96.7 7% | 69.1 -23% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 65.7 | 64.6 -2% | 51.1 -22% | 69.4 6% | 51.1 -22% |
| Screen | -16% | -79% | -28% | -29% | |
| Brightness middle | 291 | 326 12% | 343 18% | 323 11% | 307 5% |
| Brightness | 284 | 306 8% | 330 16% | 312 10% | 296 4% |
| Brightness Distribution | 85 | 87 2% | 84 -1% | 83 -2% | 90 6% |
| Black Level * | 0.28 | 0.56 -100% | 0.75 -168% | 0.38 -36% | 0.33 -18% |
| Contrast | 1039 | 582 -44% | 457 -56% | 850 -18% | 930 -10% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.09 | 3.2 -4% | 9.72 -215% | 7.4 -139% | 6.98 -126% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.71 | 3.65 2% | 11.24 -203% | 6.24 -68% | 6.63 -79% |
| Gamma | 2.38 92% | 2.29 96% | 2.3 96% | 2.98 74% | 2.46 89% |
| CCT | 6287 103% | 6685 97% | 11010 59% | 8098 80% | 6471 100% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 58 | 58 0% | 46 -21% | 69 19% | 50 -14% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -9% /
-12% | -51% /
-63% | -12% /
-19% | -26% /
-27% |
* ... smaller is better
Another advantage is the viewing-angle stability. Even unfavorable horizontal shifts do not result in visible distortions. The situation is also pretty good vertically – despite some weaknesses from an angle above or below.
Performance
Processor
Even though some games actually benefit from a quad-core CPU (Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Unity, etc.), a dual-core model is sufficient for the Nexoc M514 since the GeForce GTX 850 will be the limiting factor in the majority of cases.
While the Pentium 3560M does not support Hyper-Threading, both the Core i3 and Core i5 chips can execute up to four threads simultaneously. The tested Core i5-4210M with 3 MB L3 cache is between the entry-level CPU (2 MB) and the Core i7-series (6-8 MB). However, the manufacturing process is identical: Intel's Haswell generation is based on a 22 nm process.
The GeForce GTX 850M is not the only chip that handles the graphics calculations. Simple tasks (documents, browser, etc.) do not need the Nvidia chip and are handled by the integrated processor GPU. All models except for the Pentium 3560M are equipped with the HD Graphics 4600.
Turbo Boost
The CPU overclocking can be fully utilized in the case of the Nexoc M514 and we were able to measure 3.2 GHz in the single-core tests and 3.1 GHz in the multi-core tests, which are also the maximum values for the Core i5-4210M. There can be occasional throttling in the Unigine Heaven benchmark 3.0, but the CPU always ran above its standard clock in the stress test with the tools FurMark and Prime.
CPU Performance
Thanks to the 37-Watt CPU, the Nexoc M514 can surpass many all-round notebooks. 3.37 points in the Cinebench R11.5 multi-core test is almost 20% ahead of the HP Envy 15-k010ng (2.79 points @Core i7-4510U) and 40% ahead of the Acer Aspire V5-573G (2.41 points @Core i5-4210U). The Schenker M504 (3.56 points @Core i5-4310M) and the Asus N551JK-CN166H (3.5 points @Core i5-4200H) are a bit faster because of the higher clocks. Still, you won't notice any huge differences in practice. Even the frugal ULV-CPUs are usually powerful enough for many tasks and the storage solution actually has a much bigger impact on the Windows experience.
| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
Graphics
The GeForce GTX 850M is currently one of the most successful mainstream products. This is, however, not surprising when you consider the combination of moderate power consumption and decent performance.
The number of shaders (640) is similar to the Maxwell version of the GTX 860M, but Nvidia reduces the clock of the mainstream chip a bit. Instead of 1029-1097 MHz (core) and 2500 MHz (VRAM), the GTX 850M only reaches 902-1085 and 2000 MHz, respectively. The main difference is the type of video memory. There is actually a GDDR5-VRAM version of the GTX 850M, but the majority of manufacturers use the DDR3 version, where the 128-bit interface is a bigger limitation. 2048 MB VRAM is also a bit small in the long run.
The GTX 850M is at least significantly faster than the cheaper sibling. Considering 384 shaders and a 64-bit interface, gamers should avoid the GeForce 840M.
As expected, the graphics performance is similar to other notebooks with the GTX 850M. A total score of 4,286 points in 3DMark 11 for the Nexoc M514 is on a level with the Asus N551JK (4,255 points) and the Schenker M504 (4,270 points), whereas the Acer Aspire V5-573G and the HP Envy 15 fall behind by around 11% because of their frugal CPUs. Unigine Heaven 3.0 did not reveal any surprises, either. 1920x1080 pixels and normal tessellation result in 40.0 fps on average; the Schenker M504 was pretty much identical (40.2 fps).
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 4286 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 79720 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 9502 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 2676 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark 11 | |
| 1280x720 Performance (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| 3DMark | |
| 1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
| Unigine Heaven 3.0 - 1920x1080 DX 11, Normal Tessellation, High Shaders AA:Off AF:Off (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Schenker M504 | |
Storage Solution
Our review unit is equipped with the 250 GB version of the Samsung SSD 840 EVO, which leaves a very good impression. Not every Solid State Drive can keep up with a sequential reading performance of 513 MB/s and a sequential writing performance of 470 MB/s. Small files are no problem for the mSATA drive, either. You also get low access times: 0.061 ms (Read) and 0.035 ms (Write) indicate modern technology.
Nexoc also includes a conventional hard drive for the M514. Seagate's ST500LT012-1DG142 manages almost 110 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark despite the average capacity (500 GB), which is pretty good for a drive with 5,400 revolutions per minute.
System Performance
The system performance can definitely live up to the expectations of multimedia users. The Nexoc M514 beats all the rivals with a PCMark 7 score of 5,451 points; Acer Aspire V5-573G and the Asus N551JK are more than 20% lower. Even notebooks that have SSDs instead of HDDs have a hard time in a direct comparison.
| PCMark 7 Score | 5451 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3426 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3861 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4071 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value) | |
| Nexoc M514 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 | |
| HP Envy 15 | |
| Asus N551JK | |
| Schenker M504 | |
Gaming Performance
The GeForce GTX 850M is only suited for occasional gaming sessions when you look at all the benchmarks. Yes, some titles can actually be played smoothly with maximum details and 1920x1080 pixels (FIFA 15, Alien: Isolation, F1 2014, etc.), but more demanding titles like Ryse: Son of Rome, Assassin's Creed Unity and Far Cry 4 soon become too much for the components, which means you will have to live with 1600x900 or 1366x768 pixels and medium details.
"Real" gaming starts with the GeForce GTX 860, but enthusiasts should even look for a GTX 970M or GTX 980M. Still, the GTX 850M is a great all-round chip, especially since the Maxwell generation is very efficient (power consumption, heat, etc.).
One comment on the GPU driver: The preloaded version 332.60 has already been available for a couple of months at the time of the review. Dragon Age: Inquisition refused to start because of this.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fifa 15 (2014) | 149.3 | 121.6 | 90.7 | |
| Alien: Isolation (2014) | 105.6 | 81.6 | 43.5 | 30.1 |
| Ryse: Son of Rome (2014) | 52.7 | 39.7 | 19.2 | 17.9 |
| The Evil Within (2014) | 68.1 | 46.9 | 27.1 | |
| F1 2014 (2014) | 115 | 93 | 85 | 67 |
| Civilization: Beyond Earth (2014) | 68.6 | 53.3 | 35.3 | 31.1 |
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) | 68.8 | 51.9 | 36.7 | 20.9 |
| Assassin's Creed Unity (2014) | 32.2 | 28.6 | 17.7 | 7.8 |
| Far Cry 4 (2014) | 57.2 | 50.7 | 25.8 | 20.9 |
| The Crew (2014) | 52.7 | 42.8 | 29.4 | 17.9 |
Emissions
System Noise
One of the biggest drawbacks turns out to be the noise development. While the HP Envy 15 and the Asus N551JK reach 42 dB(A) on average in 3DMark06, we can measure between 45 and 49 dB(A) for the Nexoc M514, which is clearly perceptible without headphones and also annoying for many users. The Schenker M504 is also a bit quieter (~47 dB(A)) thanks to its slightly thicker construction. The best notebook among the comparison devices is the Acer Aspire V5-573G, where we could only measure 40 dB(A) even under maximum load.
The noise development is not perfect while idling, either. Both the fan and the HDD are deactivated after a while, but the system can sometimes be pretty loud (35-45 dB(A)). Barebone manufacturer Clevo should definitely improve the fan control. Some rivals are clearly superior right now.
| Nexoc M514 | Acer Aspire V5 | HP Envy 15 | Asus N551JK | Schenker M504 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 16% | 13% | 8% | 7% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 29.6 | 30 -1% | 29.7 -0% | 32.1 -8% | 29.5 -0% |
| Idle Average * | 30.8 | 30 3% | 31 -1% | 32.9 -7% | 31 -1% |
| Idle Maximum * | 44.8 | 30.6 32% | 31 31% | 33.7 25% | 31.8 29% |
| Load Average * | 49.3 | 39.7 19% | 41.8 15% | 42 15% | 47.4 4% |
| Load Maximum * | 53.4 | 40 25% | 43 19% | 44.8 16% | 53 1% |
* ... smaller is better
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 29.6 / 30.8 / 44.8 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 30.8 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 36.8 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 49.3 / 53.4 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
The temperatures are not first-class, either. The cooling solution is at the left side of the case, so the warming of the M514 is very uneven. Up to 48 °C at the top (WASD area) and up to 54 °C at the bottom (fan exhaust) are only reached under maximum load, but you still have to live with increased temperatures during 3D tasks. Except for the Acer Aspire V5-573G, all the rivals are more than 10% cooler.
There is not that much criticism for the Nexoc while idling. Almost 29 °C at the top and 27 °C at the bottom are no problem at all. Only the palm rest could be a bit cooler for our taste.
The temperatures in the stress test show that the hardware is working at its limits. After maximum load for one hour, the Core i5-4210M levels off at 90 °C (according to CPUID HWMonitor). The GeForce GTX 850M did not get quite that warm with 78 °C – despite the maximum Turbo utilization.
| Nexoc M514 | Acer Aspire V5 | HP Envy 15 | Asus N551JK | Schenker M504 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 2% | 17% | 22% | 10% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 47.8 | 52.3 -9% | 44.2 8% | 39.4 18% | 39.4 18% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 53.9 | 50.2 7% | 43 20% | 37.6 30% | 41.2 24% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 34.6 | 31.3 10% | 28.2 18% | 28.7 17% | 34.2 1% |
| Idle Bottom * | 34.1 | 33.9 1% | 27.3 20% | 26.1 23% | 35.9 -5% |
* ... smaller is better
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47.8 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 53.9 °C / 129 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.3 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 45.2 °C / 113.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-16.4 °C / -29.6 F).
Speakers
Unfortunately, the sound system cannot keep up with the quality of the display. You will probably be disappointed with the stereo speakers, even if your expectations were not that high to begin with. Music, movies and games also do not sound very balanced because of the missing subwoofer. The precision is not very good, either, and the maximum volume is only sufficient for smaller rooms.
In short: We definitely recommend external speakers or a headset. You should adjust the Sound Blaster Cinema 2 software if you have to use the notebook speakers. We do not know why the application was not preinstalled on our review unit.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The power consumption is much lower compared to a real gaming notebook. 54-71 Watts in the first sequence of 3DMark06 and up to 96 Watts during our stress test are no problem for the power adaptor. If you do not stress the device and Nvidia's Optimus technology switches to the HD Graphics 4600, the 15-inch notebook only consumes 8-17 Watts. All in all, the results remind us of the Asus N55JK. Even more frugal are the Acer Aspire V5-573G and the HP Envy 15 (both ULV processors).
| Nexoc M514 | Acer Aspire V5 | HP Envy 15 | Asus N551JK | Schenker M504 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 9% | 25% | -0% | -17% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 8.3 | 7.2 13% | 5.3 36% | 8.6 -4% | 11.2 -35% |
| Idle Average * | 12.6 | 11.3 10% | 9.8 22% | 12 5% | 15.2 -21% |
| Idle Maximum * | 16.5 | 17.4 -5% | 9.9 40% | 13 21% | 17.2 -4% |
| Load Average * | 63 | 54 14% | 60.4 4% | 72.2 -15% | 72.6 -15% |
| Load Maximum * | 96.2 | 85.9 11% | 72.1 25% | 104 -8% | 106.4 -11% |
* ... smaller is better
| Off / Standby | 0.1 / 1.4 Watt |
| Idle | 8.3 / 12.6 / 16.5 Watt |
| Load |
63 / 96.2 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC 940 | |
Battery Runtime
The battery runtimes do not have to hide behind the rivals. 2.5 hours in the Battery Eater Classic Test for the Nexoc M514 is more than twice as long as the HP Envy 15 and the Asus N551JK.
The Reader's Test, which simulates an ideal scenario, only determines an average result. More than 5 hours is managed by all comparison devices. The Acer Aspire V5-573G even lasts for more than 10 hours. Watching a DVD with the maximum brightness is possible for around 4 hours. A wireless web browsing session lasts for around 4.5 hours (medium brightness).
| Nexoc M514 | Acer Aspire V5 | HP Envy 15 | Asus N551JK | Schenker M504 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 41% | 0% | -5% | -6% | |
| Reader / Idle | 316 | 624 97% | 507 60% | 436 38% | 316 0% |
| WiFi | 278 | 346 24% | 249 -10% | 271 -3% | 244 -12% |
| Load | 154 | 159 3% | 77 -50% | 76 -51% | 146 -5% |
Verdict
Despite some drawbacks in respect to the input devices, the port variety and the fan behavior, the Nexoc M514 still gets an overall rating of 79%. The high-contrast IPS panel and the powerful mainstream hardware result in a real 15-inch all-rounder. A weight of 2.45 kilograms also ensures stress-free transport. In combination with the matte display surface you get good outdoor capabilities.
Another advantage is the comfortable maintenance; it is no problem to open the device and you can remove the battery from the outside. If you are looking for a nice design that is not too playful, the WA50SJQ chassis is the right choice.
In the end it is not enough for a top position among multimedia notebooks. With a quieter fan and a better sound, the rating would have at least been on a level with the Acer Aspire V5-573G (82%) or HP Envy 15 (81%), respectively.
Note: The Clevo homepage already indicates that the chassis will be available with the GTX 960M soon.
