Review Asus G75VX-T4020H Notebook

The heavy 4.2 kilogram (~9.26 pound) casing makes a topnotch impression. The above-average quality impression is owed particularly to the keyboard's silver metal tray, which provides a nice contrast to the rest of the laptop. Asus uses black plastic for the display lid and wrist rest as usual. Owing to the soft rubber coating, the surfaces feature a very nice feel.

Since the manufacturer does not use any high-gloss parts, the G75VX proves to be quite resistant to smudge. Only greasy fingers leave ugly marks. Particularly MSI (GE60, GX60, etc.) should take an example from this. There is not much room for complaint in terms of workmanship. Almost all parts exhibit a clean transition. Only Alienware provides a comparable quality standard in the gaming sector.

The exclusive design is another unique selling point. The distinctive shape, which is characterized by unique fan outputs and beveled sides, has been continuously modernized since the G73. However, the streamlined looks have drawbacks. Transportation is a bit inconvenient due to the laptop's varying height (3.5 cm/~1.4 inches) and the suboptimal weight distribution (the chassis gets heavier towards the rear).

The bulky rear has regrettably been the reason that the G75VX does not fit in every 17-inch case. Not many gamers reach a depth of 32 centimeters (~12.6 inches). Even the dual-CPU P370EM barebone (Schenker XMG P722 & Deviltech HellMachine) are approximately three centimeters (~1.18 inches) shorter. Thus, if you are frequently on the move, you should prefer another laptop.

The base unit scores well, at least in terms of stability. Except for the touchpad, the G75VX even defies higher force. Asus however could still improve the lid. The rubber surface dents extremely in the center. Both hands are needed for opening the lid due to the tightly pulled hinges.

As expected, the manufacturer installs loads of software on the laptop. Among the preinstalled programs, we find familiar Asus tools such as Power4Gear Hybrid (additional energy-saving modes), Splendid (optional image enhancements), Live Update (updates a few software components) and USB Charger Plus (takes care of recharging external USB devices). A multimedia player from CyberLink hides behind the arcane ASUSDVD, which can also play Blu-Ray disks.

A somewhat outdated ForceWare 306.14 GPU driver runs in our device. The official Nvidia drivers cannot yet be installed (status: 2012/12/12). Aggravating: Owing to Microsoft's license policy, the casing's bottom does not exhibit a Windows 8 key. The hard disk neither includes a system recovery or a tool for creating such DVDs. An OEM data carrier is not added in the G75VX's box either. At least Microsoft's new operating system has its own recovery feature (see right picture).

Processor

Unsurprisingly, Asus opted for the Core i7-3630QM. The fast 2.4 - 3.4 GHz quad-core processor comes from Intel's latest Ivy Bridge generation and is built in a modern 22nm process like its Core i3 and Core i5 family members.

1.4 billion transistors and a six MB L3 cache correspond to the 100 MHz lower clocked Core i7-3610QM. The high-end model can simulate four virtual cores via Hyperthreading. Thus eight parallel threads are possible on four physical cores. Turbo Boost is responsible for automatic overclocking.

Buyers who were expecting to find Nvidia's Optimus technology in the G75VX will regrettably be disappointed. Asus does not implement graphics switching in its newest model either. The processor-integrated HD Graphics 4000 chip is always disabled. The reason for this is that manufacturers have to connect the screen with the dedicated graphics card in order to offer 3D capable models and Optimus does not yet support 3D Vision. The screen is usually connected to the integrated graphics unit in laptops with GPU switching. Asus likely shies away from the higher development and production effort at the expense of battery runtime.

Asus finally uses an energy-efficient Kepler model as the graphics card. The GeForce GTX 670MX is a high-end GPU from Nvidia and is built in a modern 28 nm process (Fermi generation: 40 nm). 960 Unified Shaders and 3072 MB of GDDR5 VRAM are quite lush. However, the specifications cannot compete with Nvidia's premium model.

The GeForce GTX 680M encompasses 40% more arithmetic units (1344 CUDA cores) and a large 4096 MB video memory that is connected with 256 rather than 192 bits. The clock rates also differ. Instead of 720/1800 MHz (core/memory), the GTX 670MX is only clocked with 600 and 1400 MHz respectively. Even the old GTX 670M Fermi model ran with a slightly higher 620/1500 MHz. Can the G75VX nevertheless excel its precursor?

Seagate's Momentus XT ST750LX003 is a hybrid hard disk that fuses a conventional magnetic storage (750 GB @7200 rpm) and a modern flash memory (8 GB).

As the practical test shows, the SSH technology does have advantages. In contrast to conventional HDDs, installation, boot, load and transfer times are partly noticeably shorter. It sometimes almost seemed as if a full-blown SSD was installed under the hood.

The emphasis is on "almost" here because, despite the above-average performance, Windows would seem even swifter with a real solid state drive. Since the second hard disk slot is unoccupied, it is possible to upgrade the storage capacity whenever you like.

The SSH does not show any weakness in the CrystalDiskMark test. Most HDDs cannot achieve a sequential read rate of 124 MB/s and a sequential write speed of 120 MB/s. Samsung's 1000 GB Spinpoint M8 (Asus G75VW-T1040V) is one of the few exceptions.

The GTX 670MX's gaming performance is rather mixed. First the good news: Undemanding games are no problem for the Kepler GPU even in the native resolution. Half of the tested games managed our ultra-setting (maximum details, multiple anti-aliasing) with over 30 fps. These included some audience favorites, such as Dishonored, Skyrim, Borderlands 2 and Black OPS 2.

The bad news: Computing-intensive tracks only run smoothly in reduced settings. In particular, blockbusters released in late 2012 like Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed III, Hitman: Absolution and Need for Speed: Most Wanted have high requirements on the G75VX. The graphics card is not ideal for Guild Wars 2, Sleeping Dogs and Battlefield 3 either. 

The user occasionally has to be satisfied with 1600x900 pixels (the screen interpolates quite well), high details and 2x anti-aliasing. However, users willing to accept compromises should be adequately equipped for the next 1 - 2 years.

The GTX 670MX surpasses its GeForce GTX 660M Kepler brother by approximately 15%. The GTX 675M (+20%) and GTX 675MX (+35%) are no threat for the graphics card - unlike in the synthetic DirectX 11 benchmarks. Surprisingly: The older GTX 670M performs on the same level.

System Noise

The 17-incher inherits one of the biggest assets of the G range: The relatively low noise development. 42 dB (A) during full load might sound like a lot, but most gaming laptops surpass this rate in "normal" 3D applications (including games). The G75VX's fans spin with merely 37 dB (A) in 3DMark 06. Even weaker premium laptops, such as the One K73-2O, easily reach over 40 dB (A) here.

However, the manufacturer could still improve the characteristics. Firstly, the speed sometimes makes an inconsistent impression (slight rattle). Secondly, the fan produces a fairly high noise during load. The cooling seemed louder than our measurements displayed. The fan noise would have to be a bit lower in pitch in order to achieve a very good rating in this category.

The optical drive does not work flawlessly either. The Blu-Ray player sometimes reached 39 dB (A) when playing a disk. An annoying whir joins the very audible base noise, but disappears after a while. The hard disk's constant noise is audible in idle use. Like the G75VW-T1040V proves, the 17-incher runs quieter with an SSD.

Asus' laptop is first-rate in terms of temperature development. While other casings reach temperatures of over 30 °C (86 °F) only in idle (e.g. Toshiba's Qosmio X870), the G75VX stays remarkably cool even in extreme conditions. Around 28 °C (82.4 °F) after one hour of stress testing and 25 °C (77 °F) after two hours of idling is proof of excellent cooling. The surfaces on the G75VW got a few degrees warmer (higher room temperature).

The components are also within acceptable range. The GPU's maximum temperature of 70 °C (158 °F) and the hard disk's maximum of 31 °C (87.8 °F) do not give reason for complaint. Merely the Core i7-3630QM steps a bit out of line with up to 90 °C (194 °F). Since the laptop will rarely be put under such a load in routine use, this rate is not alarming.

To make it short: The Kepler architecture extracts roughly 30-60 minutes more runtime from the battery. The G75VX lasted for almost five hours in the Battery Eaters Reader's test, which we perform using the minimum brightness level. The G75VW only managed about four hours.

The runtime of 3 vs. 2.5 hours in wireless Internet browsing is also noticeably longer. The 17-incher now played a DVD for 2.5 hours rather than two hours. The Battery Eater's Classic test (maximum brightness) did not exhibit any major difference: 70 - 80 minutes are rather ordinary.

Although the gaming performance and the AUO screen are a step back, we would recommend the new G75 model. Compared with the G75VW, the G75VX is not only cooler and more energy-efficient, but also bids longer battery runtimes.

Nvidia has done a great job with the Kepler architecture. The GeForce GTX 670MX proves to be a well-designed premium graphics card that represents a good compromise of power consumption, speed and waste heat - despite its moderate future prospects. Intel's Ivy Bridge generation reaped in enough praise in the past. The fast hybrid hard disk is another bonus point.

However, the laptop is especially convincing outside its pure performance. For example, its high-quality and well-crafted casing would be named here. The rubberized lid and metal keyboard tray convey a good quality impression. Owing to the backlight, the device can even be used at night without problems.

The potent cooling construction has a negative effect on weight and dimensions, but in return, it ensures a moderate noise development. The matte Full HD screen only scores with its brightness. Viewing angles, black value and contrast are not worthy of reference. The omitted graphics switching also prevents a higher rating.

Overall, we deem the G75VX to nevertheless be a balanced total package. Quality-oriented gamers can buy without hesitating.