Review One K56-3N2 (Clevo P157SM) Notebook

The case has been manufactured by the Taiwanese company Clevo. The P157SM barebone is distinctly different from its predecessor, appearing much more playful and MSI-like (see the GT60) than the plainer P150EM.

Not only is the keyboard backlit, but the touchpad as well. According to One, the final production run will possibly swap the tribal emblem for a different logo. Also a matter of taste is the glossy - and extremely fingerprint-prone - bar right above the keyboard. Another disadvantage: The speaker grilles do not really have a premium look to them. Thankfully, Clevo has chosen to ax the larger P177SM's annoying volume display - there is nothing but a few status LEDs between the speaker grilles.

Most similarities come into effect when looking at the choice of materials. Both devices are rubberized, especially on the lid and on the palm rest. According to our past experiences, these dark gray surfaces feel soft and pleasant, but they quickly become ugly when touched with greasy fingers. Still, laptops with glossy surfaces are even more sensitive.

Concerning stability, we are divided. On the one hand, we have the base unit which feels rather sturdy (with the exception of the vicinity of the optical drive), but then there is also a wobbly lid which can be twisted noticeably using two hands. To Clevo's defense: Few laptops fare better in this regard.

Despite this being a pre-production model, we permit ourselves to talk about its build quality. As usual with laptops made by One, overall quality is okay, although there are some small discrepancies. Most potential users should be content with the chassis.

Concerning contentment: Despite its high weight (~ 3.3 kilograms/~7.3 pounds) and the above-average height (close to 50 millimeters/~2 inches), the K56-3N2 is actually quite easy-to-transport. Considering its performance, the 15-inch laptop does not feel excessively large. One hint: People who prefer a simpler, sleeker design might be happier with the (more expensive) P150SM barebone.

Despite some minor flaws, we were actually quite satisfied with the keyboard. We especially liked the three distinct lighting zones which do not only offer several brightness levels but which are far more evenly lit than those of some of the K56's competitors (we are looking at you, Asus G75V!).

Pressing "Fn" and "/" at the same time starts a clean software interface which allows the user not only to choose different colors for each of the zones (a selection of blue, red, pink, green, cyan, yellow and white) but also to activate one of seven special modes. The color of the touchpad backlighting is determined by that of the middle zone.

The keyboard is quite pleasant to use. Feedback is neither too hard nor too soft - we actually think One might have hit the sweet spot here. The keys are amply sized (17 x 17 millimeters) although only 13 x 13 millimeters remain once the graded rims of this non-chiclet layout are taken into account.

On the right, a four-column numpad (with a half-sized "0" due to the normal-sized arrow keys) is located. Not everybody will be happy with the position of the ><|-key or the Fn key, which has migrated to the right. The unusual layout may actually be one of the biggest weaknesses of the K56's keyboard – something not made up for by the useful special keys in the F-row and the large palm rest.

One makes use of an Intel Haswell quad-core CPU, specifically a Core i7-4700MQ clocked at 2.4 to 3.4 GHz. This is 300 MHz less than its more expensive sibling, the Core i7-4800MQ running at 2.7 to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache size of 6 MB is the same with both models, but less than with the Core i7-4900MQ which sports 8 MB.

Similar to its predecessor, Haswell supports Hyperthreading, which assigns a virtual counterpart to each core, resulting in the CPU being recognized as an octa-core. Due to an integrated transformer, the thermal design power (TPD) has risen slightly to 47 Watts (from 45 Watts). As its predecessor, the Haswell has been manufactured using the 22nm-process.

Unsurprisingly, the P157SM comes with a graphics switching system, Nvidia's Optimus (which is more reliable than AMD's Enduro at the time of this writing). If necessary, the dedicated Nvidia GPU is used - otherwise, the system relies on the HD 4600 graphics card that is integrated in the CPU. The Nvidia control panel contains numerous options, ranging from profiles and a global preset ("manage 3D settings") to comfort functions and information panels ("desktop" menu).

Stuttering gameplay is usually caused by the Windows energy-saving plan, the configuration of Nvidia Optimus or the power adapter not being plugged in (the GeForce GTX 780M loses 50% of its speed while running on battery), not by the graphics card being too weak. To the left of the airplane symbol, a status LED always shows whether the Nvidia GPU is active.

Avid gamers with the necessary funds will be happy to hear that the GeForce GTX 780M is currently the fastest consumer laptop graphics card in the world. Thanks to 1536 shader units and a clock speed of 823 MHz (core) and 2500 MHz (memory), Nvidia's new flagship outperforms the GeForce GTX 680M with ease. The predecessor shipped with 1344 shader units (-12.5%), and clock speeds of 720 MHz and 1800 MHz (-12% / -28%).

Both graphics cards have 4096 MB of 256-bit GDDR5 memory at their disposal. The memory bandwidth has grown by 39% from 115.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 680M) to 160.0 GB/s (GeForce GTX 780M).

Another advantage of the newer model is its dynamic overclocking feature. Nvidia's new GPU boost technology takes into account the temperature of the GPU as well - and not just power consumption levels as with the GeForce 600-series. The GPU-Z tool shows a maximum clock speed of 849 MHz. The memory stays at 2500 MHz at all times. The GTX 780M's specifications are rather similar to those of the GeForce GTX 680MX which so far has solely been used in Apple's iMac.

A small hint: At the time of this writing, no official Nvidia drivers for the GTX 780M exist. Thus, the GeForce GTX 780M was not able to sprint ahead by much in many recent games such as BioShock Infinite due to the older ForceWare 311.27 used. Still, overall results as shown in the figure below should not change too much with better-suited drivers.

Due to its great value-for-money ratio, we have decided to test the model with a 500 GB Samsung SSD 840. The SATA-III model delivers a convincing performance, despite being slower at times than some of its competitors like the OCZ Vertex 4.

A sequential reading rate of 514 MB/s and a sequential writing rate of 331 MB/s come close to the results of the One K73-3N, which we have tested with the same SSD inside. The 840's access times were excellent: 0.08 and 0.04 ms (read/write).

The strengths of an SSD are immediately evident during actual usage, beating every HDD in existence (as well as hybrid models such as the Seagate Momentus XT). Everything profits from an increased responsiveness: Boot and load times, install speeds and data transfer rates.

To keep it short: In games, the GeForce GTX 780M is 30% faster than the GeForce GTX 680M and almost 40% faster than the GeForce GTX 770M. Even the main competitor, the AMD Radeon HD 7970M, is 20% slower.

Thanks to its first-class performance, most games run smoothly even with the most extreme settings. Only the most demanding games such as Far Cry 3 or Crysis 3 require us to scale down a bit concerning antialiasing and details.

Right now, the GeForce GTX 780M is probably the best graphics card for gamers. Whether the same will hold true for the upcoming Radeon HD 8970M, only time will tell. From what we have heard so far, it seems as if Nvidia is going to take the crown.

As can be seen in the figure below the verdict, a more expensive CPU model usually is not worth the premium. The Schenker XMG P703 with a Core i7-4900MQ is not necessarily faster than the K56.

While the noise emissions are too high, temperatures were actually fine when compared to other gaming laptops. After having been idle for two hours, the K56 was only 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 Fahrenheit) warm.

We measured 34 degrees (93.2 Fahrenheit) at the top and 33 degrees (91.4 Fahrenheit) below the base unit while the laptop had to cope with 3D games. Despite a significant temperature rise at the rear part of the device, this was still a very decent result. Even better: The front third never exceeded 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), leaving us with a comfortably cool palm rest.

Both CPU and GPU temperatures reach up to 90 degrees (194 Fahrenheit), but this should not pose any problems. The critical range starts between 95 and 100 degrees (203 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit). Also, the laptop usually remains noticeably cooler during games. Unfortunately, the core clock speed of the GeForce GTX 780M seems to be running with only 700 MHz during extreme conditions.

The sound system looks mighty fine on paper. Two high-quality speakers made by Onkyo, a subwoofer beneath the base unit and Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 technology: The 15-inch comes with a number of thrilling features.

Unfortunately, we were not as impressed during our actual tests as we had hoped to be. Despite sounding better than most other gaming laptops, the One K56-3N2 struggles to earn rave reviews.

As it is the case with many other laptops, audio content often sounds tinny, imbalanced or mushy. Still, the SBX Pro Studio technology (which can be found in the Sound Blaster software settings) is capable of tickling much out of the 2.1 system. The high maximum volume and the noticeable bass also help to set the 15-inch laptop apart from some of its competitors. It does not come close to the sound quality of an Asus N56VB or MSI GT60 , however.

Battery runtimes come to lie between 1.5 and 5 hours, depending on display brightness, GPU activity and overall stress levels. Almost 3 hours of DVD playback are as decent as 3.5 hours of browsing via Wi-Fi. When compared to other high-end laptops, such as the Samsung Series 7 770G7C or the Toshiba Qosmio X870-119 (which ship without Optimus technology), the One K56-3N2 puts up a good show.

More power in a 15-inch machine is hardly feasible. Yes, the One K56-3N2 is no lightweight laptop, coming in at 3.3 kilograms (~7.3 pounds), and it is not one of the slimmer ones, either, measuring almost 50 millimeters (~2 inches) thick.

Nevertheless, considering the performance of the GeForce GTX 780M, these shortcomings are quickly forgotten. Thanks to Nvidia’s new top model, the One K56-3N2 trumps most of its competitors, rendering almost all recent games smoothly even with maximum details and activated antialiasing. The previous high-end GPUs (the Radeon HD 7970M and the GeForce GTX 680M) required more compromises.

We also liked the fine Full HD display, the thoughtful selection and positioning of the One K56-3N2's ports and its low temperature levels. One of the major highlights is the maintenance-friendly design. Cleaning the fans is as easy as it is to upgrade its hard drive, its memory and other internal components.

The input devices, on the other hand, failed to impress us. While the keyboard was decent - despite its unusual layout - the touchpad felt half-baked. We were also not happy with the fan control system, which was still quite buggy. The most annoying issue next to the fans' always-present noise was their erratic behavior.

Apart from the laptop's loudness, no other glaring problems occurred. Overall, the One K56-3N2 remains a terrific desktop replacement laptop with brand-new high-end components.