Ultrabooks, shmultrabooks. Mobile or otherwise, game enthusiasts recognise there is no alternative for a massive slab of expensive and strength-hungry hardware. Sure, the dividing line among pc and computer performance is thinning, but the singularity at which each converge remains to be visible.

As a result, Origin PC has applied a sincere tactic to furnish laptops hairier chests: cram in an honest to goodness computer CPU. Yep, Origin’s EON15-X packs a full-fledged “Devil’s Canyon” Intel Core i7 right into a (quite) modest 15-inch pc. We’ll talk info in just a moment, however recognise this: relative to its peers, the EON15-X’s performance is awesome.

The highest stop configurations, just like the one we received, pair an i7-4790K with a single GeForce 980M and a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) display. Other options include as much as 32GB RAM, 2 x m.2 SSDs and a pair of x 2.five-inch SSD or HDDs. The EON X comes in both 15-inch and 17-inch flavors. It need to be stated both fashions seem nearly equal in phrases of capabilities, performance specs and upgrade alternatives; but, the 17-X is a full pound heavier. The simplest motive you’ll need to spring for the 17-inch version is for a greater expansive display, but you may want to make do with 1080p.

If stuffing laptop-grade silicon into a pc blows your mind, let it be said Origin isn’t the simplest agency to gain this feat. For starters, Clevo/Sager and MSI come to thoughts. In fact, Origin works with Clevo to layout a lot of its laptops, the EON15-X blanketed. But hybrids like these are rare animals inside the notebook state, surviving in a gap unnoticed by means of the most important pc makers. Additionally, locating one as “portable” as the EON15-X makes this laptop all of the extra unusual.

First impressions

The crate. I loved the timber crate. It’s an additional $4 and definitely well worth it for the novelty, if not for the protection. The UPS driver who brought the computer honestly informed me, “I’ve brought applications for seven years... First time I’ve brought some thing like this”. This is a awesome first-affect before we even open the container.

In the field, I acquired the entirety you may count on plus some extras: an EON15-X computer (of path), a alternatively sizable 230-watt energy brick, a black neoprene sleeve case, a poster, a t-shirt, reinstallation media and a manual.

Design and Build Quality

Origin states its EON15-X is the thinnest and lightest pocket book of its type to feature an overclocked 4th gen Intel Core i7 desktop CPU. Neither “thin” nor “mild” are phrases you’re in all likelihood to partner with the EON15-X, however its length and weight are completely style-appropriate. Our config weighed in at 7.4 pounds with a median thickness of approximately 1.five-inches. By comparison, Origin’s previous and contemporary gen EON15-S (cellular CPUs) weigh 6.eight and 5.5 kilos, respectively.

Overall, EON15-X famous a easy, strong and thoughtful design. Build satisfactory is superb. We have a variety of plastic right here, however the frame and mechanical factors (e.g. Display hinges, buttons, switches) feel strong. The display lid is thin and well-knownshows some flex, however doesn’t experience perilous or reasonably-priced. The base is rock solid with big, non-slip pads on the bottom.

The palm relaxation functions a smooth matte finish which mitigates fingerprints even as providing a velvety experience. Any edges and corners which might be in contact along with your fingers and wrists are soft and/or rounded. There also are no scarcity of ports and they're positioned intelligently with the energy and video within the back, USB on each facets and not too near together.

The “gamer” aesthetic of the EON15-X is basically subdued. Origin opted for a small brand, easy traces and extensive unadorned surfaces. There aren’t any massive, lit-up alien faces or garish decals. Instead, the real purpose of this computer is betrayed usually through its size, angles, custom lighting and modestly stylized rear vents. It’s now not over the pinnacle, only a sincere gaming pc.

Hardware Overview and CPU Performance

Origin EON15-X
Starts at $1,665, $three,300 as tested

  • 15.6-inch 4K QFHD (3840 x 2160) Glossy Display
  • Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.5GHz (overclocked)
  • 16GB (8GB x 2) Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz DDR3
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M (8GB)
  • 480GB m.2. PCIe SSD + 1TB Seagate SSHD SATA
  • Full length keyboard w/ customizable backlight
  • 4 x USB three.0 (1 x powered, 1 x eSATA blend)
  • 2 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1 x HDMI-out (with HDCP)
  • Headphone, Mic, S/PDIF out, Line in, RJ-forty five LAN port
  • 802.11a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.zero
  • 6-in-1 Card reader
  • Fingerprint / Biometric reader
  • Windows eight.1 64-bit
  • Removable eight cellular Lithium-lon battery %, 82WH
  • 7.4 lbs, (W) 15.2" x (H) 1.forty" x (D) 10.31"

Origin's overview unit shipped with 4th-gen Intel Core i7-4790K. Origin also overclocked the element to 4.5GHz for us, that's a 500MHz bump over its stock clock of 4000MHz. When paired with a GeForce GTX 980M, that is very likely the fastest pc you’ve visible. I realize it’s the fastest computer WE have visible (spoiler alert!). In reality, the EON15-X might provide quite a few sub-$2000 gaming rigs a run for their cash.

Our config boasts the fastest CPU and GPU provided, 16GB RAM, 4K display panel, 1TB SSHD and a 480GB PCIe SSD. With all of the extras covered, our config runs an eye fixed-popping $three,300 plus tax.

For a little more context, the base config (i5-4460S, GTX 965M, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD) is $1,665, while one attuned to my very own tastes (i7-4690K, 980M, 16GB RAM, 480GB SSD) runs approximately $2,500.

It’s safe to say the inclusion of a excessive-cease desktop CPU is the defining assets of the EON15-X. You can also be aware this is an Intel “K” and not the hexacore “X” (think of the energy brick!).

Even amongst in addition named models, the computer vs. Cellular overall performance gap may be huge as computing device processors are always quicker. Another issue is the price of cell processors. If you need to match the overall performance of some thing like an i7-4790K the use of a mobile chip, you’d be looking at some thing just like the i7-4940MX which is ready four times as steeply-priced. Yikes.

Even our these days reviewed Alienware 15 with its i7-4710HQ (cell model) can’t keep pace with the EON15-X’s i7-4790K (computing device version). Cinebench and x264 encoding benchmarks both illustrate an throughout-the-board gain of approximately 20-25 percentage.

Considering the variables here (i.e. +500MHz overclock, Intel Core i7-4790K, laptop form aspect, GTX 980M), I absolutely expected CPU throttling to be an trouble. When a processor gets too hot (~one hundred°C in this situation), it'll down-clock to decrease frequencies to keep secure operation. It pleases me to document that the EON15-X confirmed no signs and symptoms of throttling while gaming.

For the maximum element, CPU temps hovered between eighty to ninety° Celsius whilst capturing matters. Intel’s thermal interface cloth upgrades on its Devil’s Canyon chips have to be helping a bit right here. Where throttling did emerge as an issue even though had been our artificial benchmarks.

During the most rigorous multi-threaded CPU assessments, the machine reduced gears from 4500MHz to to as “low” as 4290MHz. Mind you, that is nonetheless better than the i7-4790K’s actual default clock of 4000MHz, so it is hard to complain. Even so, this drop in performance is also pondered in our benchmark outcomes.

Upgradability

In terms of upgradability, Origin has made it as smooth as it gets for this form component. Two screws, a quick push of the lowest panel outward and presto -- you currently have get admission to to every user upgradeable element. Yes, the processor absolutely sits in a real LGA1150 computing device socket which makes replacements/improvements potential.

Also, the GPU is seated in an enterprise-preferred MXM slot making pictures enhancements technically possible as nicely. Both chips are smothered below a unified cooling gadget that's fully removable without diving down the rabbit hollow of computer base disassembly. Honestly, the EON15-X seems less complicated to upgrade than some computers, so any challenges you’ll face will probably be sourcing parts and ensuring compatibility.

Sound

The “Onkyo” sticky label pointers that Origin takes your audio seriously. Onkyo is a well-known sound organisation typically associated with audio receivers and domestic theater device. The audio system are contained inside a legitimate bar positioned simply underneath the display which factors directly in the direction of your ear holes. The resulting sound is crisp and loud, however in the long run light on bass. With the included optical SPDIF and Sound Blaster XFI EQ controls even though, rest confident that you may squeeze a few first rate sound into your desire of headphones or external audio system.

Display, Keyboard and Trackpad

With a glossy 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) display, the 15-inch EON-X boasts a pixel density of 283 PPI, a determine as soon as reserved for high-give up smartphones and drugs. Consequently, the resulting photograph is impressively sharp and designated. Inside our overview unit was a Samsung LTN156FL02 show. For the file, this is a TN panel, however ostensibly a excessive first-rate one. The identical panel additionally seems in some of Lenovo’s 4K-prepared gaming laptops along with the Y50.

The factory specs are: 270 nits (brightness), seven hundred:1 contrast ratio and a 72% shade gamut. Subjectively, blacks and assessment have been accurate, hues had been colourful and viewing angles have been respectable, particularly for TN. However, multimedia specialists might not discover the EON15-X’s colour accuracy and viewing angles as much as par with their precise desires.

Comparison: Origin EON15-X (270 nit TN panel) and Thinkpad T450s (three hundred nit IPS panel)

If there are any complaints about the display screen here, it’s (actually) nit-picking: Windows DPI scaling and very in all likelihood display screen brightness.

On the primary point, Windows’ DPI scaling implementation has vastly progressed because Windows eight.1 but remains imperfect. There’s usually “that software” which doesn’t work well, doesn’t paintings in any respect or sincerely ignores the Windows DPI scaler. It’s an irritation that with a bit of luck improves by the time Windows 10 is released, but for now, this is in reality the weight of being a 4K/UHD early adopter.

On the second one factor, the display screen brightness seemed a chunk underneath average. Although flawlessly ok for indoor lounging, I located myself double-checking the screen brightness in nicely-lit regions. A vibrant display is great factor to have for gaming, so I turned into amazed this turned into an difficulty in any respect. Overall although, the show’s visible nice is a fine and these are pretty small court cases.

Keyboard and trackpad

As an extended-time touch typist who has hacked away on many, many computer keyboards, I judge the EON15-X’s membrane keyboard to be “above common”. I deliver it right marks for being quiet, responsive, full-sized, robust and cushty. The keys are concave in form and feature a truthful amount of journey for a pc keyboard. It’s significantly one-of-a-kind in assessment to chiclet-fashion keyboards discovered on a few notebooks like Razer’s Blade however options do range.

My preference? Well, “chiclets” are gum, okay? Not keys. The keyboard backlighting is exceedingly customizable (any coloration across three different sections). Flexikey, the utility furnished to configure key lighting fixtures, is a pride to use. The equal application is also a effective macro-key editor, which remains useful regardless of the absence of committed macro keys.

The Synaptics trackpad is spacious with gentle-finish buttons which might be both quiet and fulfilling to click. Note that the mouse buttons are physically separate pad and not integrated into a few bizarre, large clickpad. Clickpads -- trackpads without a awesome buttons -- are something PC producers nevertheless warfare to enforce properly. When it comes to multi-touch, the EON15-X has all of the gestures you anticipate from a cutting-edge touchpad (e.g. One-finger tap, two-finger scroll, -finger right-click on, three-finger flick, pinch/zoom/rotate etc..). The trackpad labored perfectly and despite the fact that I may be a chunk ham-fisted, I experienced no troubles with sensitivity or palmcheck.