Review Clevo P570WM Barebones Notebook
The bulky desktop replacement from the German barebone specialist Schenker (mysn.de) is aimed at a fairly small target group: gaming fans who a) want extreme performance, b) are laptop devotees and c) have a large budget.
The term "laptop" in relation to the XMG U702 (Clevo P570WM Barebones) is rather daring. The powerful desktop replacement has a height of over seven centimeters and - depending on the equipment - a weight of just below six kilograms. The gaming machine also plays in its own price league.
It is easy to reach a price of over 5000 Euros (~$6499) when you play around in the configurator on the homepage. As usual, Schenker offers the device with various CPUs, HDDs and SSDs. The working memory (four slots for a maximum of 32 GB DDR3 RAM), the optical drive and the Wi-Fi module can also be configured. An operating system is only installed on request and includes a recovery data carrier. Before we look at the details, a few important notes:
- The test model was a prototype, so not quite final.
- The final version will sport an XMG logo on the lid rather than a tribal design as shown above.
- The processor is an engineering sample. However, the results should be transferable to the standard products.
- The Turbo Boost function was sometimes enabled incorrectly, but could be resolved by rebooting.
- The integrated solid state drives could not make use of the RAID mode since a corresponding driver was missing.
- The 3D sensor in the lower display bezel had no functionality. Perhaps a special version with shutter glasses and a 120 Hz screen will be available in the future.
Case
The XMG U702 is based on the latest P570WM barebone from Clevo, at least theoretically, because the 17-inch chassis is not completely new. If you looked for a strong desktop replacement a few months or year ago, you may have come across the precursor.
The X7200 barebone (Schenker XMG U700) and the P570WM are almost like two peas in a pod. At first glance, Clevo has only updated the interfaces and replaced the old chiclet keyboard with a backlit model. However, bigger modifications are found under the hood (more about that later).
Otherwise, the P570WM has adopted the familiar assets and drawbacks. As mentioned in the intro, the high-end machine is not only extremely bulky, it is also extremely heavy. Even the large P370EM barebone, which also features a dual GPU system (and Schenker lists as XMG P722 PRO), looks fragile in a direct comparison. Besides the height (54 vs. 73 mm), the weight (4.3 vs. 6.0 kg) is much lower.
In terms of looks, Clevo based the desktop replacement on the 17-inch P170EM (Schenker XMG P702 PRO). The lid and wrist rest of both laptops are coated with a thin metal plate. Clevo speaks of an alloy. Although the chassis developer fits a few barebones with a matte display bezel (e.g. Schenker's XMG A722), the P570WM sports a glossy frame that easily scratches and magically attracts dust and fingerprints. We do not understand why Clevo sticks to this obvious drawback despite the criticism.
Apart from that, the P570WM makes a quite good impression. Although the casing quality does not quite achieve the level of Alienware products (M14x R2, M17x R4, etc.), the workmanship is very satisfactory. The laptop's black surfaces mostly have flush transitions.
The buyer should not have high expectations on design. Due to the immense size and the basic shape, the high-end machine makes a pretty bulky and unhandy impression. Just the touch-sensitive plastic stripe (only responds sporadically) and the many light elements provide a degree of individuality.
Unsurprisingly, the huge base unit comes with high stability. The majority of the casing does not yield even under higher pressure. A small exception is the lid that can be warped quite obviously with two hands. However, this fact is hardly noticed in practical use. It is great that the base unit does not lift when opened due to the above-average weight. Basically, the casing absolutely justifies the purchase price.
Speaking about justice, two gigantic 300 watt PSUs are included for the P570WM in order to provide the desktop CPU and both GeForce graphics cards with power. Both weigh 1.6 kilograms and have a size of roughly 21 x 11 x 5 centimeters. The dual-GPU contender, Alienware's M18x R2 (mobile CPU) is satisfied with a single 330 watt model. Schenker's XMG P722 PRO also runs with a single power supply unit.
Connectivity
Interfaces
The generous connectivity belongs to the XMG U702's biggest strengths. While most gaming notebooks supply four USB ports at most, the P570WM barebone sports five USB ports (3x 3.0 & 2x 2.0). Four audio jacks (microphone, headphone, line-in, S/PDIF) and three digital video outputs (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI) must also be praised. eSATA and FireWire are also installed. In addition to that, there is a Kensington lock, RJ45 Gigabit LAN port, a 9in1 card reader and an ExpressCard slot. The antenna input of the old model has fallen victim to cutbacks.
Like in the X7200 barebone, the optical drive is located below many interfaces, which is not ideal. The interface positioning is naturally a matter of taste. We would have placed the audio jacks much further to the back.
Security and other Equipment
A fingerprint reader and a TPM 1.2 module are installed as security features. As stated by the manufacturer, the webcam has a resolution of 2.0 megapixels.
Wireless Communication
According to Qualcomm Atheros, the Killer Wireless-N 1202 installed in the test device is specially designed for gamers' needs. The Stream Detect technology is to prioritize latency-sensitive network traffic, which particularly supports online games. The half-size Mini-PCIe (2.4 & 5.0 GHz support) provides Bluetooth 4.0 in addition to Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n. The transmission rates are touted with up to 300 Mbit/s. Wi-Fi direct facilitates connections with corresponding devices.
Maintenance
As typical for Clevo, the laptop offers many upgrade and maintenance possibilities. All innards can be accessed after removing the base plates. The four fans for the graphics card, processor and working memory can all be unscrewed. While a hard drive cage alongside two SATA III slots are found underneath the smaller maintenance cover, the battery hides the third HDD or SSD slot.
Software
Annoying bloatware is not installed on the XMG U702. As expected, Schenker delivers a clean operating system void of superfluous ballast. Overclockers and hardware pros are exactly right in Intel's "Extreme Tuning Utility". The convenient tool includes many settings and information (see picture).
Accessories
Two 300 watt PSUs, a 530 gram heavy lithium ion battery, a driver DVD and a cleaning cloth were all the accessories included for the test device. However, we believe that Clevo will at least also add a manual in the final version.
Warranty
The basic warranty period is 24 months including pick-up & return service. The warranty period can be extended to 36 - 48 months for an additional 100 Euros (~$129) and 200 Euros (~$258).
Input Devices
Keyboard
The keyboard particularly stands out with its homogeneous illumination. It is possible to select different colors and modes in the preinstalled software. The intensity is quick and easy to adapt via a key combination. The three-zone illumination places itself between Asus' 17-inch G75V or Samsung's 700G7C contender with one zone and Alienware's 17x R4 with four zones.
There is not much reason for complaint in the other areas either. The beveled keys are decently sized with a usable area of 14 x 14 millimeters. We would classify the typing feel as above-average (crisp pressure point), although the keyboard is not the quietest of its kind. The full-blown number pad is another plus point. The old chiclet counterpart only had three rather than four columns. We only have criticism on the layout: the relocated ><| key and the single-rowed enter will not appeal to every buyer.
Touchpad
The 90 x 47 millimeter touchpad is also impressive. Thanks to multi-touch support, it is possible to easily scroll through and zoom in on documents, websites and other content. The gestures mostly worked flawlessly in the test. Conventional scrolling at the touchpad's edge is also available.
Generally, the touchpad offers a decent accuracy. Clevo installs an illuminated strip above the rather clattery buttons so that the mouse replacement can be found in the dark. The lowered design and the elegant silver bezel suffice for that during the day. The textured surface reminds us of the W150ER barebone (Schenker XMG A502), but it is fortunately not quite as rough.
Display
The screen's specs look rather unassuming on paper: 1920x1080 pixels are just as common as the 16:9 ratio in the high-end field. However, we were quickly proved wrong the first time we turned it on.
Should the installed B173HW01-V4 screen (AUO149D) find its way into final production, trained eyes will immediately recognize the large color space. While "normal" screens only manage the sRGB gamut, the XMG U702 nearly covers the entire AdobeRGB space. The colors look a lot stronger and more saturated than on a mainstream screen. The screen's glare-type surface naturally contributes to that.
The problem here is that most applications and games are not made for such a big color spectrum. It often seems as though a color cast overlays the picture (e.g. red). So basically, the screen is not ideal for classic multimedia use. It is more apt for professional image and video editing that uses the corresponding software. Since Clevo tends to occasionally swap the screen models, it is quite possible that another screen will be installed in the laptop series.
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Brightness Distribution: 77 %
Center on Battery: 256 cd/m²
Contrast: 595:1 (Black: 0.43 cd/m²)88.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
96.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
80% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
However, the quality impression is not only dependent on the color spectrum. Other factors, such as brightness, also play a role. The screen is on an average and acceptable rate for indoors with a brightness of nearly 230 cd/m². In return, the black value reaps in a good score. Approximately 0.4 cd/m² ensures a satisfactory reproduction of dark movie and game scenes. The contrast is also good; our test device managed roughly 600:1 in the screen's center.
As can be seen well on the pictures, the 17-inch laptop does not feel comfortable in outdoor use. Intense reflections occur depending on the day's brightness and light incidence and limit the usability considerably. The user has to choose the right place indoors as well. In the writer's opinion, Clevo should have preferably opted for a nice non-glare model (e.g. Asus' G75VW).
The viewing angles of the wide-gamut screen are above-average. Except for a reddish hue, the picture remains stable even from larger angles horizontally. Although the brightness changes a lot faster vertically, the XMG U702 easily outperforms most contenders. In case you are asking why the screen is "only" rated with 80%, we penalize glare screens with a 7% deduction due to their high susceptibility for reflections.
Performance
Processor
The P570WM barebone is powered by a desktop CPU (X79 motherboard) in order to ensure a high as possible performance. Although the name might indicate it, the Core i7-3960X top model does not come from the latest Ivy Bridge generation built in a 22 nm structure width. It is a member of the Sandy Bridge E range that was introduced in late 2011 and which is still manufactured in a 32 nm process.
Most CPUs can only dream of the Core i7-3960X's specs. A 15 MB L3 cache and 2.27 billion transistors are just as gigantic as six cores and 12 parallel threads (Hyper Threading technology). The well-known Turbo Boost function is also on the feature list. The default clock is increased from 3.3 GHz to a maximum of 3.9 GHz providing that the cooling allows it.
For comparison: the fast 3.0 - 3.9 GHz Core i7-3940XM (currently Intel's strongest laptop processor) has to be satisfied with an eight MB L3 cache, 1.4 billion transistors, four cores and eight parallel threads. A decisive advantage of the mobile CPU is its much lower power consumption. While the laptop CPU is specified with a TDP of 55 watts, Intel states a more than twice as high 130 watts for the Core i7-3960X. The processor is not called "Extreme Edition" for nothing. The word "extreme" also applies to the price: Intel charges just under 1000 Euros (~$1300) for it.
The hexa-core will only make sense to the fewest users. We would recommend one of the less powerful models. By the way, the E range does not sport an on-board graphics.
Turbo Boost
The screenshots below illustrate that the high-end CPU cannot exhaust its full potential. Regardless whether single or multi-core load, the processor settles to 3.6 GHz, so exactly 50% below the maximum Turbo. At least the Core i7-3960X never throttles - not even during full load.
CPU Performance
The limited overclocking is very noticeable in the speed measurements. Although the hexa-core achieved an excellent result of 1.46 points in Cinebench R11.5 single-core rendering, it lags behind the Core i7-3940XM counterpart by almost 10% (1.63 points @ One M73-2N). Owing to the higher core count, the desktop CPU relentlessly takes the lead in multi-core rendering. 10.5 to 7.46 points is a plus of approx. 40%.
Cinebench R11.5 | |
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Core i7-3960X | |
Core i7-3940XM | |
Core i7-3630QM | |
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Core i7-3960X | |
Core i7-3940XM | |
Core i7-3630QM |
Graphics Card
Clevo and Schenker do not make any compromises when it comes to the graphics acceleration either. Buyers who have the financial means can purchase the XMG U702 with a wickedly expensive SLI combo, consisting of two GTX 680M cards.
The GeForce GTX 680M is Nvidia's premium model after the recently announced GTX 680MX and, like all Kepler GPUs (GTX 660M, GTX 670MX, GTX 675MX etc.), is manufactured in a cutting-edge 28-nm process.
The DirectX 11.1 capable high-end model contains 1344 Shader units, 3.54 billion transistors and a 4096 MB and fast 1800 MHz GDDR5 video memory (256 bit interface). The core clocks with 720 MHz.
It is too bad that the GTX 680M does not feature the GPU boost technology (Nvidia's answer to Intel's Turbo Boost). The biggest drawback of the premium GPU is its high power consumption. A TDP of 100 watts is quite a lot in the laptop field. Moreover, it should not be kept secret that the peer Radeon HD 7970M is much cheaper, particularly as a dual-GPU array.
Note: the standardly installed Nvidia 306.68 driver was updated to the latest Beta ForceWare 310.54 for the benchmarks.
GPU Performance
The performance of the GeForce GTX 680M SLI is naturally top rate. The scores of the DirectX 11 benchmarks are likely the most interesting results, for example, 3DMark 11 (1280x720). With a GPU score of 10921 points, the SLI array surpasses a single GTX 680M by almost 80% (6025 points @ Schenker XMG P702 PRO) and settles just behind the Radeon HD 7970M CrossFire (11109 points @ Alienware M18x R2).
The differences are a bit bigger in Unigine Heaven 2.1 benchmark (1280x1024, high, default tessellation). The GTX 680M SLI is roughly 10% below the main contender from AMD with 138.3 to 151.3 fps. A single GTX 680M only calculates about half as fast (74.2 fps).
Unigine Heaven 3.0 - 1920x1080 DX 11, Normal Tessellation, High Shaders AA:Off AF:Off (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM | |
Radeon HD 7970M / Core i7-3610Qm |
3DMark 03 Standard | 108856 points | |
3DMark 05 Standard | 32809 points | |
3DMark 06 Standard Score | 27437 points | |
3DMark Vantage P Result | 36739 points | |
3DMark 11 Performance | 10292 points | |
Help |
Storage Solution
We really cannot complain about a lack of storage. Schenker installs two 500 GB SSDs and a 1000 GB HDD in the test device. A very promising Samsung 840 MZ-7TD500, which is the heir to the popular 830 range, was used as the solid state drive in order to meet the high-end claim.
The benchmark results indicate that Samsung has done an almost perfect job with the new generation. For example, the AS SSD benchmark recorded a sequential read and write speed of just below 520 and 300 MB/s (primary drive). Not every SSD accomplishes that. The 512 GB version of OCZ's Octane remains below 500 MB/s, but its write rate is a good one-third faster (~400 MB/s).
The access time of the seven millimeter slim SATA III model also proves to be excellent with 0.07 ms (read) and 0.05 ms (write). The OCZ rivals achieve an equally good 0.06 and 0.09 ms.
The used HDD is a SATA II Seagate Momentus ST1000LM024 drive with a height of 9.5 millimeters. Despite its rather low speed of 5400 rpm, it provides a relatively good performance. The HDD's sequential read and write speed of just below 114 MB/s defeats Toshiba's MQ01ABD100 terabyte rival by about 10% (~104 MB/s @ Nexoc M507II).
System Performance
The overall performance is also impressive throughout. Most laptops do not achieve roughly 21000 points in PCMark Vantage and 5000 points in PCMark 7. Ordinary all-round devices, such as Toshiba's Satellite L850-153, exhibit rates around 7000 and 2000 points. The scores would likely be even higher with enabled RAID.
PCMark Vantage Result | 20956 points | |
PCMark 7 Score | 5002 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
To make it short: an SLI array comprised of two GTX 680M GPUs can render every up-to-date game smoothly in maximum details alongside quality enhancements. Even demanding games, such as Medal of Honor: Warfighter, will usually run with a high, two-digit if not three-digit frame rate. A single GTX 680M is surpassed by approximately 40% (see chart).
Since Nvidia provides a good driver support and new SLI profiles are updated automatically, the common dual-GPU issues are kept within limits. Nevertheless, we did notice a few irregularities during the gaming benchmarks:
- Although the frame rate was actually high enough, some games seemed to stutter (e.g. FIFA 13).
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted was rendered slower than on a single GPU when high details and 1920x1080 pixels were used.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - 1920x1080 (Extra) High / On, FXAA AA:4xMS (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - 1920x1080 High / On (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
Medal of Honor: Warfighter - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS AF:16x (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
Fifa 13 - 1920x1080 High AA:4xMS (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
Borderlands 2 - 1920x1080 (Ultra) High / On (PhysX low) AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
F1 2012 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
Guild Wars 2 - 1920x1080 All Maximum / On AA:FX (sort by value) | |
GeForce GTX 680M SLI / Core i7-3960X | |
GeForce GTX 680M / Core i7-3610QM |
low | med. | high | ultra | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Guild Wars 2 (2012) | 94.7 | 52.5 | 51.9 | |
F1 2012 (2012) | 173 | 141 | 134 | 109 |
Borderlands 2 (2012) | 160 | 134.2 | 131.7 | 114.5 |
Fifa 13 (2012) | 455.5 | 419.9 | 403.2 | 374 |
World of Tanks v8 (2012) | 118 | 92.7 | 82.6 | 59 |
Dishonored (2012) | 130 | 130 | 129.9 | 130 |
Medal of Honor: Warfighter (2012) | 194.1 | 179.7 | 161.2 | 80.2 |
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) | 60 | 60 | 58.6 | 47.7 |
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) | 230.8 | 194.4 | 145.1 | 108.1 |
Hitman: Absolution (2012) | 85.8 | 78.8 | 70.6 | 44.1 |
Assassin´s Creed III (2012) | 81.2 | 78.6 | 47.6 |
Emissions
System Noise
The noise development is literally the XMG U702's weak point. The cooling system has a tough job despite four fans and many heat pipes. This is already noticed on the Windows Desktop: the 17-inch device is as loud as many other laptops during load with just below 38 dB (measured at a distance of 15 centimeters). Basic tasks, such as Office or internet, are accompanied by a very audible noise.
It really gets down to business when a CPU or GPU-heavy program is started. The laptop's noise was extremely present with an average of 48 dB in 3DMark 06. Games turn into an ordeal without headphones or (external) speakers turned up to a high volume. 57 dB is also unusual during full load. Noise-sensitive users should avoid this desktop replacement. Although the less expensive XMG P722 PRO dual GPU model is not silent, its system noise is much lower. The noise naturally varies depending on the hardware.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 37.5 / 38 / 38.5 dB(A) |
DVD |
| 39.8 / dB(A) |
Load |
| 48.1 / 56.6 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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min: , med: , max: Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) |
Temperature
We found the temperatures more appealing. While the bottom reached just below 32 °C during idle mode, we measured an acceptable rate of approximately 30 °C on the top.
The temperatures increase extremely during computing-intensive tasks. The XMG U702 presented an average of 45 °C on the top and 42 °C on the bottom in the 60 minute stress test. We even measured over 50 °C in some areas. Fortunately, the laptop does not get quite as hot in gaming use.
The components had a really hard time during full load. CPUID HWMonitor recorded approx. 90 °C from the Core i7-3960X. The primary GPU reached approx. 83 °C and the secondary GPU approx. 64 °C. Both SSDs worried us a bit. A maximum temperature of 59 °C is quite high.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 51.5 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 40.5 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 50.3 °C / 123 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.3 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 33.9 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 39.2 °C / 102.6 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-10.3 °C / -18.6 F).
Speakers
Those hoping for a full sound matching such a huge laptop will be disappointed. We were particularly surprised about the low volume. Depending on the audio and video source, we had to sit right in front of the laptop to reasonably enjoy the media.
That is too bad, because the basic requirements are actually perfect: Clevo touts the laptop with an X-Fi certified sound chip and THX technology. Their positive qualities are subjectively audible (higher range and dynamics). The Sound Blaster Console (right picture) is also a nice gimmick due to the many settings.
Nevertheless, all the features do not change anything about the fact that the sound is only average in total. The high-end machine does not stand a chance against MSI's GT70. The P370EM barebone scores better in this category. Note: although the P570WM features a 5.1 system, the speakers default setting was 2.0. However, since the sound sooner deteriorates when 5.1 is enabled, you should stick to 2.0.
Battery Life
Power Consumption
A look at the power consumption will likely cause nausea among some readers. 67-83 watts in idle mode and 200-230 watts in 3DMark 06 indicate a desktop PC rather than a laptop.
Alienware's M18x R2 (HD 7970M CF) and Schenker's XMG P722 PRO (GTX 680M SLI), among others, prove that dual GPU systems can be more power efficient. While the former device averagely consumed 161 watts in 3DMark 06, the latter only used 113 watts. This is no surprise because both laptops sport a mobile CPU. The XMG U702's power consumption was roughly twice as high during load. Almost 440 watts suggest that two smaller PSUs with 220 or 240 watts would have also been sufficient.
Off / Standby | 3.8 / 5.1 Watt |
Idle | 67 / 75.2 / 83.2 Watt |
Load |
218.5 / 439.8 Watt |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC 940 |
Battery Runtime
We almost feel sorry for the small 78 Wh battery. It takes hours to recharge it only to torture it with hungry components shortly afterwards. The system shut down just short of 20 minutes when the laptop was faced with maximum brightness and high load. That is a new low record. Approximately 70 minutes in idle use (minimum brightness) is also very meek.
Malicious tongues could now say that the battery only serves the casing's stability and as a power backup. But honestly, who needs a battery for this behemoth? All measurements were performed using SLI (temperature, consumption, runtime, etc.).
Verdict
There are not many options for enthusiastic gamers who are looking for a laptop sporting two graphics cards even in 2012. Apart from Alienware's M18x R2, there are only few devices. The barebone manufacturer Clevo has identified this market niche and offers two exciting 17-inch candidates with the P570WM (Schenker XMG U702) and P370EM (Schenker XMG P722).
We would recommend the latter laptop to Clevo fans after the tests. Compared with the P570WM, the P370EM is not only slimmer and lighter, but also scores with a longer battery runtime and a better sound. Other advantages are found in the power consumption, power supply and noise development.
Most users will hardly or not at all benefit from the XMG U702's unique selling point, namely the high-performance desktop CPU. It is mainly the graphics card that limits gaming performance. As to connectivity, input devices, screen quality and maintenance options, both laptops are on an equally good level.
Whether such a wickedly expensive acquisition is at all worthwhile is a personal decision. A conventional gaming PC is still a lot more affordable.