The Highest-End Notebooks, 2009
by Jarred Walton on October 14, 2009 3:10 AM ESTGaming Performance
Here are the complete gaming results, using 1680x1050 as the baseline for comparison with other laptops. We're including the ASUS W90Vp (Core 2 Q9000 @ 2.20GHz with 4870X2), Clevo D901C (Core 2 E6850 with 8800M GTX SLI), and a desktop system (Q6600 @ 3.30GHz with 4870X2) as a point of reference.
We include the native resolution results for each LCD as well, which means HD+ (1600x900) for the W870CU, 1080p (1920x1080) for the M980NU, and WUXGA (1920x1200) for the D900F. In some cases, we run into CPU limitations; this will be apparent when both 1680x1050 and the native resolution deliver similar results. This is most likely to occur with the M980NU SLI configuration, but it may be present elsewhere. 1680x1050 has 22.5% more pixels than 1600x900, 1920x1080 has 17.5% more pixels than 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 has 30.6% more pixels than 1680x1050. If we are purely limited by the number of pixels the GPU(s) can render, we will see similar scaling to these percentages. Most of the time, other factors such as GPU memory bandwidth, GPU geometry, and CPU performance will also influence the frame rates.
Gaming performance is about what you would expect for the most part, with the Eurocom M980NU taking top honors among the notebooks in the majority of games. However, there are definitely games where we are CPU limited with GTX 280M SLI. Assassin's Creed is the most obvious example, showing essentially no difference between SLI and single GPU mode, other than a slight increase in performance with SLI at 1680x1050. Call of Duty: World at War doesn't appear to scale very well with SLI at present -- whether this is a CPU limitation or a lack of updated SLI profiles isn't entirely clear. Crysis also appears to be running into CPU limitations, particularly at medium detail settings. Far Cry 2 with SLI could benefit from a faster CPU, and so could Mass Effect, Oblivion, and Race Driver: GRID.
On the other side of the table, we have games that scale extremely well with SLI. Dark Athena is almost completely GPU limited, along with Empire: Total War, F.E.A.R 2, and STALKER: Clear Sky. One of the interesting points is that the HD+ resolution on the W870CU is beneficial in several titles, with performance scaling almost linearly with the decrease in resolution. Any of the GPU limited titles we just mentioned should fall into this category.
On a final note, it's interesting to compare performance between the desktop system and these gaming laptops. We have to account for the fact that we are comparing ATI and NVIDIA hardware, which can definitely influence the results, but a system that now qualifies as a "midrange desktop" still comes out on top in the vast majority of these games. The only place where the desktop doesn't lead is in CPU limited titles (Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Crysis, and Far Cry 2), while in other titles the lead is substantial. Something the results don't show is how much easier it is to get updated drivers for the desktop. NVIDIA is doing better now with mobile reference drivers coming out quarterly, and sometimes even more frequently, but you can easily find updated desktop drivers every month for ATI cards, and just about as often for NVIDIA cards if you're willing to use beta drivers. It's possible to install unofficial beta drivers on laptops, but our experience is that performance often drops dramatically since they don't have all of the mobile hardware optimizations in place -- and don't even bother with unofficial drivers on SLI notebooks.
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7Enigma - Thursday, October 15, 2009 - link
Not to mention a person buying one of these expensive monsters probably doesn't think twice about having a spare (or 2) extra charged batteries lying around. Another $100-200 for double/triple the battery life at little extra inconvenience turns these rigs from "only near a power outlet" to "1-2 hours of heavy work".Everyone complains about the pitiful life on a single charge, but DTR's more than any other laptop probably fit into the multiple battery pack club as what's an extra couple pounds when it's already a pig?
Pirks - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
If you haul this mATX in your car, not on foot, then you won't feel the difference.JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
The two areas where these sort of systems make the most sense are:1) Businesses where they want to have a mobile workstation. Yes, companies do use stuff like this. I've heard examples of construction and oil companies that can fly out and stay at a site, doing all the computer work locally using something like a D900F. It's far easier to pack that around and plug in than to pack mouse + keyboard + mATX + LCD.
2) People with very limited space that move around frequently. The prime example for this is military personnel. I've heard from quite a few that say, "I wish I could get a desktop, but it's just not practical in the military." Still, you really need to be a dedicated gamer to plunk down $2500+ on a notebook that will be slower than $1500 desktops, and it can't be upgraded (outside of RAM and HDD).
I'm sure there are a few other instances where these sort of systems make sense, but for typical users I'd strongly recommend a moderate laptop and a desktop if possible.
Marcel17 - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
Yeah , thanks for the review but you shouldn't have...Myself , Ill gust replace my aging inspiron 8600 with a sweet 16 ,XPS 16 that is once it's available with W7 , I guess another month or two .
InternetGeek - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
Are you guys aware that the 3 laptops you're reviewing in this article are actually made by Clevo themselves? AVADirect and Eurocomm sell Clevo laptops made to order.InternetGeek - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
Not at all. I like Clevo laptops, but I would call out the fact you're reviewing products coming from the same manufacturer a bit more strongly and not as a fact about just one of the companies. They deserve credit for the job they do. But as you guys used to do with GPUs, that is tell us who's using the reference design and who isn't, I think you should do the same with these laptops.I liked the part in which you contrast the different platforms. One uses more desktop parts, the other uses more mobile parts. That was good. Same as with SLI. It really doesn't make sense for a laptop to use SLI given the limited resolutions they run at.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
Page 2: TITLE: "AVADirect Clevo D900F Specifications""Unlike some companies, AVADirect doesn't try to hide the fact that they are using 'whitebook' notebook/laptop designs -- the name of the ODM is visible in each of their laptops. We appreciate the fact that they are willing to disclose what sort of chassis they use."
So yes, I am fully aware of who makes the base notebook chassis. I would have called it a Clevo roundup, but Clevo isn't the company actually sending these systems for review so I give credit AVADirect and Eurocom. Does it matter that they're Clevo units? Like any ODM, Clevo has good designs and bad designs, so I review the product rather than the source company.
rmlarsen - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
Nobody would buy these ugly behemoths except for a very small number of users with specialized needs, (e.g. engineers needing to run simulators or CAD programs in the field). I cannot understand how you serve your readers by continuing this article series. Maybe you have become a little too cozy with Clevo? Or you are letting your own fascination with the biggest-most-bad-ass-computing-machine-in-a-lug-able-box-with-monitor cloud your judgment of what is worthy of publication?And while I am ranting, please no more articles about almost identical Atom & Intel 945 based netbooks.
You are really diluting the authority of Anandtech's (mostly excellent) reviews with these semi-irrelevant articles.
-RML
JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - link
AnandTech, as you might have noticed, covers more than just CPUs, GPUs, and motherboards. I agree that few people are interested in buying these, but they do represent a market and I think it's useful to at least periodically look at the high-end DTR segment. I'm pretty much done with $3000+ notebooks for a while (just need to finish one other review), but as the mobile reviewer it's actually my job to review... laptops and notebooks and netbooks.So, if you don't want me to review Atom netbooks, or Intel 945 laptops, that just eliminated about 90% of the mobile market. How exactly does a review like this dilute AnandTech? Do you disagree with the commentary (i.e. these are expensive systems that we don't recommend for most people, but yes they're the fastest notebooks)?
I'd be more than happy to hear suggestions on what you want me to review in the mobile segment. Keep in mind that actually acquiring the laptops is often more difficult than writing the review, sadly. I spend a fair amount of time just trying to get new laptops sent my way, and several companies that I'd like to review haven't shown any interest. As such, I'm working to grow the mobile section in any way I can, including putting together roundups of Clevo based notebooks on occasion.
5150Joker - Saturday, November 7, 2009 - link
I very much appreciate the fact that you wrote the article. Don't let these idiots make you think otherwise. There is a large market out there for these gaming laptops and contrary to what the uninformed people posting here think, they're not nearly as heavy as they think. I ordered a W860 a few days ago and it weighs 7 lbs yet it comes packed with an i820qm, 4 gb ddr3, gtx 280m gpu and a beautiful display.