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Topjoy Falcon Convertible Review (Preproduction Model)

Mini laptop. The Topjoy Falcon currently listed on Kickstarter is a mini convertible with Windows 10 and an actively cooled Gemini-Lake quad-core processor. We used a preproduction model from Topjoy for our review, running it through most of our test series. Find out about the advantages and disadvantages of the minicomputer in our review.

Topjoy has just successfully completed its Kickstarter campaign to finance the Falcon convertible. Currently, two models with differing SSD size are offered. We had the larger model with a 256 GB SATA SSD in our test. 

Compared to other small mini-PCs, Topjoy aims to offer a significant performance advantage with the actively cooled Pentium N5000, 8 GB of RAM, and a SATA SSD. There is also the option of a pressure-sensitive active pen. Topjoy itself compares the Falcon to the smaller GDP Pocket 2 that offers a Core M3 and eMMC, and the new Surface GO (see our test) with a Pentium Gold and eMMC. Both have a faster CPU but slower storage.

An interesting detail: According to the Kickstarter campaign, the Falcon not only supports Windows 10 (which was installed on our test unit) but also Ubuntu.

Topjoy Falcon
Processor
Intel Pentium Silver N5000 4 x 1.1 - 2.7 GHz, Gemini Lake
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-2400 single channel
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 275 PPI, Multitouch, native pen support, AUO17D8, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Gemini Lake
Storage
FORESEE 256GB, 256 GB 
, 214 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC269
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: Earphones
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 20 x 200 x 130 ( = 0.79 x 7.87 x 5.12 in)
Battery
22 Wh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 8 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Island, Keyboard Light: yes
Released
10/25/2018
Weight
680 g ( = 23.99 oz / 1.5 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
859 Dollar
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

According to Topjoy, the case is made from an aluminum-magnesium alloy. After an easy removal of the bottom plate, you can see that it really is a milled unibody case, which also explains its good stability. Neither the display nor the rest of the main body of the case can be twisted and leave an excellent impression. Currently, the display is still slightly too heavy, causing it to become a little top-heavy and tippy from a 50 ° angle. While Topjoy wants to correct this in the production model, it is questionable whether this might go at the expense of the stability. With Gorilla Glass 4 and a sturdy aluminum back, you can probably only save some weight in the lid.

The hinge itself supports 360 ° turning of the display to flip it on the back, turning the Falcon into a thick small tablet. The hinge leaves a good-quality impression and is relatively hard to move.

The design is kept comparatively simple and does not use any visual accents. Overall, we really like the design and selection of materials.

The Chinese mini-notebook belongs to the smallest Windows notebooks we ever tested, at least in terms of its footprint. However, while the footprint is significantly smaller when compared to a MacBook 12, the notebook is a full 50% thicker.

Size Comparison

280.5 mm / 11 inch 196.5 mm / 7.74 inch 13.1 mm / 0.516 inch 920 g2.03 lbs235 mm / 9.25 inch 170.6 mm / 6.72 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 470 g1.036 lbs245 mm / 9.65 inch 175 mm / 6.89 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 523 g1.153 lbs240 mm / 9.45 inch 169.5 mm / 6.67 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 469 g1.034 lbs227.8 mm / 8.97 inch 150.1 mm / 5.91 inch 12.5 mm / 0.4921 inch 550 g1.213 lbs200 mm / 7.87 inch 130 mm / 5.12 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 680 g1.499 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connections

As customary in small subnotebooks, the ports are rather sparse. The USB-C port is also used for charging and is set too deep into the body of the preproduction model, so that it can only be used with the included charging cable. However, this is supposed to change in the production model. Particularly in small and mobile devices, a modern USB-C connection with power delivery is an excellent design decision, since it enables external batteries and smartphone chargers. Unfortunately, the HDMI port was implemented as a mini-HDMI connection, forcing you to bring the corresponding cable.

USB-C (probably Gen.1) with charging function, mini-HDMI, audio port, USB 3.0 (Type-A)
USB-C (probably Gen.1) with charging function, mini-HDMI, audio port, USB 3.0 (Type-A)

Communication

WLAN antenna inside a small slot
WLAN antenna

The built-in WLAN module comes from Intel and belongs to the entry-level. A sub-optimal placement of the WLAN antenna has some effects in our test, resulting in a weak reception and lower range than other test units with the Intel 3165 WLAN. Here, the small unibody aluminum case shows its disadvantages.

Maintenance

It is very easy to get to the insides of the tiny mini-notebook. The bottom aluminum plate is secured with six small Phillips screws. As soon as you have removed them, you can take off the plate without any trouble. You do not need a prying tool or any force - perfect! Inside, you can access the screwed-in and easily removable battery and the fan. However, you cannot reach the SSD directly, since it is probably on the other side of the motherboard.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Due to the small case size, Topjoy was unable to build in a full keyboard. Instead, a combination of keys of various sizes and a changed layout was used. This initially makes touch-typing impossible, and you would be better off using a two-finger typing system. Particularly the large offset of the key rows feels unusual in the beginning. The keys themselves are set tightly in the case and offer a clearly defined pressure point and sufficiently large stroke. In the production model, the keyboard should also offer a backlight, but currently you can only see the charging light shining through on the right side.

Touchpad

Instead of a touchpad, Topjoy has built a small optical sensor into the center of the space key. This should be considered more of an emergency measure, since its precision was not the best in our test. The main input sources should be the pen and touchscreen. In our test, the touchscreen was sufficiently accurate; but at a 1920x1200 resolution, Windows operation becomes a little tiresome. The optional active pen represents a good solution. However, in our preproduction unit, this was not very accurate yet and could not be perfectly calibrated even with the on-board Windows 10 methods.

Display

The built-in IPS touchscreen offers a relatively high resolution of 1920x1200 pixels in a merely 8-inch diagonal. Subjectively, it leaves a good impression. In our preproduction model, a panel from AUO with the AUO17D8 label was used. Unfortunately, this offers a maximum brightness of barely 270 cd/m2, so it is less suitable for outdoor usage. However, Topjoy is planning to use a different display with a brightness of up to 400 cd/m2. In our test unit, the usage of PWM even at 100% brightness was striking. This means that even with this panel, a slightly higher maximum brightness should be possible. The color reproduction was relatively good.

The laminated display is protected by Gorilla Glass 4 in front. While this protects the display, it also results in a very reflective surface, which is unfortunately customary for touchscreens.

ColorChecker (uncalibrated)
ColorChecker (uncalibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated with i1Pro)
ColorChecker (calibrated with i1Pro)
Colorspace (uncalibrated)
Colorspace (uncalibrated)
Grayscale (uncalibrated)
Grayscale (uncalibrated)
Frequency spectrum
Frequency spectrum
279
cd/m²
265
cd/m²
252
cd/m²
287
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
285
cd/m²
261
cd/m²
263
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO17D8 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 287 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 269.1 cd/m² Minimum: 32.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 266 cd/m²
Contrast: 782:1 (Black: 0.34 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.7
ΔE Greyscale 3.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.19
Topjoy Falcon
AUO17D8, , 1920x1200, 8.00
Toshiba Satellite Click Mini L9W-B-102
PVO, , 1920x1200, 8.90
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Sharp SHP14A6, , 1800x1200, 10.00
Chuwi LapBook SE
1920x1080, 13.30
Display
Display P3 Coverage
42.94
66.5
65
sRGB Coverage
64.4
97.5
94.8
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
44.4
67.5
66.5
Response Times
138%
4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
37 ?(17, 20)
44 ?(22, 22)
-19%
39.2 ?(19.2, 20)
-6%
Response Time Black / White *
33.6 ?(20, 13.6)
25.6 ?(11.6, 14)
24%
27.7 ?(14.8, 12.9)
18%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(100, 266)
1020 ?(99)
410%
200 ?(29)
0%
Screen
-22%
53%
-36%
Brightness middle
266
207
-22%
456
71%
227
-15%
Brightness
269
205
-24%
426
58%
210
-22%
Brightness Distribution
88
89
1%
88
0%
89
1%
Black Level *
0.34
0.14
59%
0.31
9%
0.44
-29%
Contrast
782
1479
89%
1471
88%
516
-34%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.6
7.98
-122%
1.3
64%
6.6
-83%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.2
3
63%
12.2
-49%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.7
1.1
59%
1.9
30%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.6
8.36
-132%
1.4
61%
7.9
-119%
Gamma
2.19 100%
2.21 100%
2.24 98%
2.16 102%
CCT
6442 101%
7768 84%
6687 97%
8879 73%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
41
62.3
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
64
96.8
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-22% / -22%
96% / 74%
-16% / -26%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
33.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 13.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 89 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
37 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 47 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 200 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting
≤ 266 cd/m² brightness

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % (266 cd/m²) and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

Flickering occurs even at high brightness setting and may have an effect on the user during everyday use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

A particularity of the small mini-notebook is the actively cooled Intel Pentium Silver N5000. With four cores and a Turbo boost of up to 2.7 GHz, the processor offers a relatively high performance considering the power consumption. In combination with a SATA SSD instead of slow eMMC storage, Topjoy promises a good performance in the entry-level device.

Processor

Thanks to the active cooling, the processor can produce its full performance and even maintain a stable performance during longer-lasting load.

0153045607590105120135150165180195210225240Tooltip
Topjoy Falcon Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø222 (221.28-228.02)
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø232 (230.48-237.35)
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø230 (228.26-236.29)
Chuwi LapBook SE Intel Celeron N4100, Intel Celeron N4100: Ø157.8 (150.45-161.13)
Eve-Tech Eve V m3 Intel Core m3-7Y30, Intel Core m3-7Y30: Ø238 (227.93-249.83)
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003 Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y, Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y: Ø162.9 (162.13-163.67)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (68.6 - 287, n=64, last 2 years)
229 Points +194%
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
Intel Core m3-7Y30
105 Points +35%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
91 Points +17%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
90 Points +15%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
78 Points
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000
  (73 - 80, n=12)
77.5 Points -1%
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
77 Points -1%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
73 Points -6%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Celeron N4100
69.8 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
65 Points -17%
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
Intel Atom Z3795
38 Points -51%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (110.1 - 2889, n=66, last 2 years)
1554 Points +573%
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
Intel Core m3-7Y30
250 (227.93min - 249.83max) Points +8%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000
  (210 - 284, n=12)
240 Points +4%
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
237 Points +3%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
236 Points +2%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
231 (221.28min - 228.02max) Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
218 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
164 Points -29%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Celeron N4100
161 (150.45min - 161.13max) Points -30%
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
Intel Atom Z3795
118 Points -49%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
78 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
18.22 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
231 Points
Help

System Performance

Thanks to the SATA SSD and the relatively fast N5000, the system performance is good for an entry-level device. In the PCMark tests, the Topjoy positions itself at the level of the other N5000 notebooks. While there still remains some respectful distance to the devices that are based on the Core m3, the small devices based on dual-cores and eMMC (such as the Surface Go entry-level version) can be left significantly behind.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (4404 - 5830, n=3, last 2 years)
4890 Points +121%
Apple MacBook 12 2017
HD Graphics 615, m3-7Y32, Apple SSD AP0256
3078 Points +39%
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
HD Graphics 615, m3-7Y30, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW128G7
2685 Points +21%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points +15%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
2216 Points
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2201 Points -1%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (1933 - 2393, n=9)
2186 Points -1%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
2141 Points -3%
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3795, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1139 Points -49%
Toshiba Satellite Click Mini L9W-B-102
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
911 Points -59%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y, 64 GB eMMC Flash
741 Points -67%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (2921 - 6089, n=3, last 2 years)
4045 Points +30%
Apple MacBook 12 2017
HD Graphics 615, m3-7Y32, Apple SSD AP0256
3946 Points +26%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points +14%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (3120 - 3606, n=8)
3283 Points +5%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3259 Points +4%
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3125 Points 0%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
3122 Points
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3795, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1227 Points -61%
Toshiba Satellite Click Mini L9W-B-102
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1008 Points -68%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2216 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2672 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3122 points
PCMark 10 Score
1990 points
Help

Storage Solution

Our test unit uses a FORSEE SSD with 256 GB, a model that is widespread in China. This offers an average performance for a SATA SSD but is much faster than the usual eMMCs and HDDs in entry-level devices.

Topjoy Falcon
FORESEE 256GB
Average FORESEE 256GB
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
Sequential Read
Sequential Write
512K Read
512K Write
4K Read
4K Write
4K QD32 Read
4K QD32 Write
FORESEE 256GB
Sequential Read: 472.2MB/s
Sequential Write: 431.4MB/s
4K Read: 12.06MB/s
4K Write: 26.05MB/s
4K-64 Read: 87.9MB/s
4K-64 Write: 188MB/s
Access Time Read: 0.23ms
Access Time Write: 0.444ms
Copy ISO: 474MB/s
Copy Program: 150MB/s
Copy Game: 344MB/s
Score Read: 147Points
Score Write: 257Points
Score Total: 482Points

Graphics Card

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 605 is only recommended for non-demanding graphics tasks. While the Falcon does not show any weaknesses compared to other UHD 605 GPUs, it is still only sufficient for non-demanding games such as Team Fortress 2 or Counter Strike: GO in ugly graphics settings.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Convertible
  (471 - 40768, n=64, last 2 years)
7541 Points +916%
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel Core m3-7Y30
1384 (1376min - 1390max) Points +87%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
1257 Points +69%
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
757 Points +2%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
742 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (588 - 902, n=13)
701 Points -6%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
626 Points -16%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
612 Points -18%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
482 Points -35%
3DMark - 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (2965 - 154219, n=50, last 2 years)
31444 Points +601%
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel Core m3-7Y30
7138 (7124min - 7152max) Points +59%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
6602 Points +47%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
4485 Points
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
4200 Points -6%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (2874 - 4485, n=10)
3518 Points -22%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
3349 Points -25%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
3261 Points -27%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
2826 Points -37%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
4171 points
3DMark 11 Performance
824 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3723 points
Help
World of Warships - 1366x768 Low Preset AF:Trilinear
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, i5-8250U
89.2 fps +261%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, R3 2200U
67.3 fps +172%
Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N-566U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
66.7 (39min - 89max) fps +170%
Lenovo IdeaPad V110-15IKB 80TH001SGE
Intel HD Graphics 610, Pentium 4415U
47.3 fps +91%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y
AMD Radeon R4 (Stoney Ridge), A6-9220
30 fps +21%
Lenovo Ideapad 320-17AST-80XW0013GE
AMD Radeon R2 (Stoney Ridge), E2-9000
25.5 fps +3%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000
24.7 (11min - 35max) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (22.7 - 24.7, n=2)
23.7 fps -4%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000
22.7 fps -8%
Lenovo Tablet 10-20L3000KGE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100
20 fps -19%
low med. high ultraQHD4K
GTA V (2015) 11.7 9.29
World of Warships (2015) 24.7
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 5.15
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 9.1 6 5.5
World of Tanks enCore (2018) 53 8.9
Dirt Rally 2.0 (2019) 11 (too slow)
Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) 6.5
League of Legends (2019) 49.8 39 26.6 24.9 23.6 15
F1 2019 (2019) 8.2
Hearthstone (2020) 31.1

Emissions

Noise Emissions

Without any load, the integrated fan remains turned off, keeping the Convertible almost completely silent. We can only hear a very faint coil whining when copying data. During CPU or GPU load, the small fan starts running and makes quite a ruckus at up to 47 dB. However, in the production model, you are supposed to be able to turn this off (probably quickly leading to some thermal throttling instead).

Temperature

Thanks to the fan, the aluminum case remains comfortably cool even under heavy load. We measure a maximum of 35 °C (95 °F) at the hot spot on the bottom after longer-lasting full load.

Max. Load
 30 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
31 °C
88 F
 
 27 °C
81 F
30 °C
86 F
31 °C
88 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
29 °C
84 F
30 °C
86 F
 
Maximum: 31 °C = 88 F
Average: 29.6 °C = 85 F
32 °C
90 F
33 °C
91 F
28 °C
82 F
32 °C
90 F
31 °C
88 F
28 °C
82 F
32 °C
90 F
31 °C
88 F
29 °C
84 F
Maximum: 33 °C = 91 F
Average: 30.7 °C = 87 F
Power Supply (max.)  32 °C = 90 F | Room Temperature 19 °C = 66 F | Fluke 62 Mini + Fluke t3000 FC
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.6 °C / 85 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 31 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30 °C / 86 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-1.9 °C / -3.4 F).

Speakers

The built-in stereo speakers are located on the left and right sides of the notebook. They are not particularly loud and produce no bass. While the highs are distorted at maximum volume, the quality is sufficient for non-demanding YouTube watching. However, for listening to music you should use the audio port, which produced a good sound quality without additional noise in our test with high-quality AKG K701 headphones.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.335.12532.931.83131.8324036.535.15032.428.9633328.98036.328.810048.32712561.52716052.924.820060.92425062.822.731563.32240069.521.250067.82163074.82080075.919.4100072.718.912507117.7160070.117.820006917.6250071.817.6315068.117.6400071.417.6500073.717.6630070.417.5800071.617.61000071.617.61250069.617.41600059.717.5SPL83.630.6N62.51.5median 69.6median 17.8Delta4.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

In terms of the power consumption, there is no unusual behavior. Without load, the notebook is very energy-efficient, but under extreme load there is a brief spike of up to 20 watts due to the SoC boost.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.6 / 1.73 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.5 / 4 / 4.1 Watt
Load midlight 8.1 / 19.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Topjoy Falcon
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, FORESEE 256GB, IPS, 1920x1200, 8.00
Toshiba Satellite Click Mini L9W-B-102
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1920x1200, 8.90
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 64 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1800x1200, 10.00
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
Z3795, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 128 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1920x1080, 8.30
Chuwi LapBook SE
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, SanDisk DF4032, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
 
Average of class Convertible
 
Power Consumption
11%
-50%
-51%
-47%
-26%
-216%
Idle Minimum *
2.5
1.8
28%
2.88
-15%
4.9
-96%
2.7
-8%
2.8 ?(1.9 - 3.8, n=13)
-12%
5.48 ?(1.6 - 16.6, n=60, last 2 years)
-119%
Idle Average *
4
3.2
20%
4.8
-20%
7.4
-85%
6.3
-58%
5.01 ?(3.5 - 6.5, n=13)
-25%
8.27 ?(3.8 - 20.7, n=60, last 2 years)
-107%
Idle Maximum *
4.1
4.4
-7%
7.5
-83%
7.5
-83%
7.6
-85%
5.65 ?(3.9 - 7.5, n=13)
-38%
10.5 ?(4.7 - 29.9, n=60, last 2 years)
-156%
Load Average *
8.1
10.8
-33%
16.9
-109%
11.8
-46%
12.6
-56%
13.3 ?(8.1 - 15.8, n=13)
-64%
46 ?(7.6 - 101.3, n=60, last 2 years)
-468%
Load Maximum *
19.6
10.6
46%
23.8
-21%
8.9
55%
24.6
-26%
17.5 ?(13.2 - 23.5, n=13)
11%
65 ?(10.5 - 155.7, n=60, last 2 years)
-232%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Topjoy advertises 8 hours of battery life for the Falcon. In the WLAN surf test with 150 cd/m2 of brightness (50% in our test unit) the device lasted a little longer than 5.5 hours. This is below-average for a convertible and not even a top-value compared to other devices with a similarly sized battery. However, this might also be due to our test unit being a preproduction unit. Update: Windows reports a too high Wh value for the battery, according to Topjoy its 22 Wh.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
5h 37min
Topjoy Falcon
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 22 Wh
Toshiba Satellite Click Mini L9W-B-102
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 39 Wh
Apple MacBook 12 2017
m3-7Y32, HD Graphics 615, 41.4 Wh
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 28 Wh
Fujitsu Stylistic V535
Z3795, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 17.7 Wh
Chuwi LapBook SE
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, 37 Wh
Lenovo Ideapad D330-10IGM
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 39 Wh
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 53.9 Wh
Eve-Tech Eve V m3
m3-7Y30, HD Graphics 615, 48 Wh
Average of class Convertible
 
Battery Runtime
78%
60%
33%
-25%
32%
103%
120%
65%
WiFi v1.3
337
600
78%
540
60%
448
33%
252
-25%
444
32%
684
103%
740
120%
557 ?(329 - 876, n=63, last 2 years)
65%
Reader / Idle
1066
771
1138 ?(680 - 1667, n=25, last 2 years)
Load
251
180
347
121.2 ?(53 - 219, n=46, last 2 years)
H.264
384
564
607
731 ?(542 - 999, n=15, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ Robust case
+ Small size
+ Stable CPU performance thanks to a fan
+ Case remains cool under load

Cons

- Keyboard and trackpoint take some getting used to
- Pen not calibrated accurately
- PWM in the current preproduction model
- Weak WLAN reception

The Topjoy Falcon is a small convertible with a high-quality case. While in terms of the input devices, you need to make some significant concessions in parts, the performance of the Gemini-Lake quad-core remains without blame, thanks also to the integrated fan. In terms of the display, Topjoy still intends to make some improvements and use a model with higher brightness. This would have been our main complaint about the built-in AUO panel (in addition to the PWM usage up to 100% brightness). We really recommend the optional active pen, since it helps considerably in the operation of the small screen.

Overall, the Falcon is a very interesting concept, but it still needs some tuning in its current state. For the reduced Kickstarter price starting at $399 (~350 Euros), you could get a practical second notebook for the road at an affordable price. However, you would need to trust that Topjoy will still do its homework. 

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Topjoy Falcon Convertible Review (Preproduction Model)
Klaus Hinum, 2018-10-28 (Update: 2019-08- 4)