Why it matters to you
PC gamers looking for a high-powered laptop have a new overclock-friendly option from EVGA packing GTX 1080 graphics.
There is a new gaming laptop in town from graphics card and motherboard maker EVGA. It is the latest entry in the SC17 laptop family, packing a 17.3-inch screen, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, and Intel’s seventh-generation Core i7-7820HK unlocked processor. The new model joins EVGA’s three other configurations based on the GTX 1070 and GTX 980M graphics chips starting at $2,300.
Here are the hardware specifications:
Display Size:
17.3 inches
Display Type:
In-Plane Switching with G-Sync
Display Resolution:
3,840 x 2,160
Processor:
Intel Core i7-7820HK
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X)
Memory:
32GB DDR4 at 2,666MHz (2x 16GB)
Storage:
1x 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD (PCI Express)
1x 1TB 7,200RPM HDD (SATA 3)
Audio:
Realtek ALC 255 Stereo
Connectivity:
Dual-band Intel AC-8265 (Up to 867Mbps)
Bluetooth 4.2
Ports:
3x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x HDMI 2.0b
2x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
1x Gigabit Ethernet port
1x Microphone jack
1x Headphone jack
Webcam:
1,920 x 1,080 with integrated digital mic
Inputs:
Full-size backlit (white) keyboard with number pad
Synaptics Clickpad 1.5
Dimensions:
16 (W) x 11.6 (L) x 1.3 (H) inches
Weight:
8.9 pounds
Operating System:
Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
Price:
$3,000
As the specs show, the laptop is fully loaded for $3,000. The screen is based on in-plane switching (IPS) technology, which is becoming the standard due to its brilliant colors and wide viewing angles. By contrast, the older twisted nematic (TN) technology has a higher brightness and faster response time, and it is typically associated with gaming. But TN panels are seemingly taking a back seat as IPS technology matures and slowly becomes the current standard.
The SC17 laptop’s display also supports Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. This will synchronize the frame output of a GeForce graphics chip with the refresh rate of the panel to prevent visual screen tearing and stuttering. Without G-Sync, you will see these artifacts because the number of times the display refreshes each second does not match the fluctuating rate of the frames generated each second by the graphics chip.
In staying with the display theme, G-Sync supports one external monitor along with the built-in panel. The monitor can have a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution at 60Hz, or a 2,048 x 1,080 resolution at 120Hz. Outside of the laptop’s three obvious video outputs, the Thunderbolt 3 port can also be used for an external display supporting a resolution up to 4,096 x 2,160 at 60Hz. Note that the processor can only handle three displays at one time.
As for the processor, it is a four-core chip with a base speed of 2.90GHz and a maximum turbo speed of 3.90GHz. Intel’s CPU is unlocked in the SC17 laptop, thus EVGA provides plenty of tools for overclocking the hardware. These include a graphics-rich BIOS providing full control over the hardware, and EVGA’s PrecisionX Mobile tool for Windows tuning. EVGA Express OC relies on the up/down arrow keys to easily overclock or downclock the components.
“A Clear CMOS button directly on the chassis helps you recover from an unstable overclock, and custom fan curve control keeps your laptop cool and quiet. This is the world’s first true overclocking laptop,” the company adds.
Head here to grab EVGA’s new $3,000 gaming laptop.