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Gigabyte P57W-CF2 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £1345
inc VAT

The Gigabyte P57W doesn't disappoint when it comes to performance, but its screen and overall build quality could be better

Specifications

Processor: Quad-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ, RAM: 16GB, Dimensions: 421x290x25.4mm, Weight: 2.9kg, Screen size: 17.3in, Screen resolution: 1,920×1,080, Graphics adaptor: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M, Total storage: 256GB SSD, 1TB hard disk. 

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Performance and Battery Life

Under the hood, the P57W’s quad-core Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor is an impressive performer. This has a base clock speed of 2.6GHz but can Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz when there’s enough thermal headroom. Paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M graphics card, this laptop is more than capable of running the majority of today’s games, packing a real punch no matter what you throw at it.

Admittedly, the GTX 970M is the same chip Gigabyte used in last year’s P37W, so you might find it tends to struggle with the very latest titles when played at the highest graphics settings. For example, the graphically demanding Metro Last Light ran surprisingly well at 30.1fps at a 1,920×1,080 resolution on Ultra settings with SSAO turned on, but turn SSAO off and you’ll see the frame rate jump up to a much more playable 51.8fps.

Of course, with an HDMI 2.0 port at its disposal, the P57W is primed and ready for 4K gaming provided you have a compatible external monitor. Again, you’ll have to temper your expectations on graphics quality when playing games at this kind of resolution, but I managed a surprisingly good average of 30.2fps in Metro Last Light on Ultra graphics with the SSAO turned off. Turn SSAO back on and you’re looking at a much jerkier 22.3fps.

The P57W shouldn’t have any problem running older games, though, as our Dirt Showdown test produced an excellent 72fps at 1,920×1,080 on Ultra settings and 4x anti-aliasing. It is worth noting, though, that the Gigabyte P57W became quite warm during our game tests, with the fans kicking in quite loud as a result. This also meant the keyboard and palm rest heated up as well, making them slightly uncomfortable to use after prolonged periods.

However, for more general Windows tasks, the P57W’s i7-6700HQ processor proved more than capable of handling our demanding 4K CPU benchmarks. With an overall score of 93, it’s almost as quick as our reference Core i5-4670K desktop processor. However, it’s also the lowest score we’ve ever recorded for this particular processor, so you’re not getting as much speed as you might expect. The Acer Predator 17, for instance, scored 108, the Dell XPS 15 came in higher at 111, but the Chillblast Samurai came in higher still at 115.

The P57W’s battery life isn’t something you’d write home about, either, as it only lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes in our continuous video playback test with the screen brightness set to our standard measurement of 170cd/m2. The P37W, by comparison, achieved just under 5 hours under the same conditions. Of course, considering the size of the P57W, you’re probably not going to be moving this laptop very far away from your desk, and it’s certainly no worse than the battery life on the Acer Predator 17, so it’s not really that bad all things considered.

With a 1TB hard drive and 256GB SSD drive on board, there’s plenty of space for your files and media. The P57W also allows for more flexible choices with regards to storage options, as it comes with an easily swappable bay for additional HDD storage, which replaces the disc drive.

Display

However, the 17.3in, 1,920×1,080 IPS display on the P57W is arguably the laptop’s main downfall, as it didn’t exactly wow during testing. The screen is relatively bright at 329.2cd/m2, but this has a negative effect on black levels, which came in at a rather mediocre 0.32cd/m2. Likewise, with an sRGB colour gamut score of just 87.1%, it all adds up to make a rather dull and lifeless-looking display, with colours looking quite drab overall.

This lack of vibrancy is partly down to the fact the P57W’s display has a matt finish instead of a glossy one, which is great for combatting reflections, but less so for producing great-looking images. Still, its contrast ratio of 1,005:1 was pretty respectable, so at least you’ll see plenty of detail, even if the colours aren’t particularly rich.

Conclusion

All in all, the Gigabyte P57W is a perfectly commendable gaming laptop. Its GTX 970M is more than capable of handling most of today’s games, and its ability to venture beyond the realms of 1,920×1,080 gives it a unique advantage over its main competition. It’s also one of the subtler gaming laptops out there, which is a welcome change after the big, bulky designs of the Acer Predator 17 and Asus ROG GL552VW.

However, you’re also making a few compromises by choosing the P57W, as its day-to-day performance isn’t quite as good as it could be, and the sub-par accuracy of its display lets it down. As a result, those who don’t want to go down the Acer Predator route would be better off spending a little bit more to get the equally svelte Chillblast Samurai, as this is both faster and lighter than the P57W despite having the same internal components. Alternatively, those looking to save a bit of money should consider the Asus Vivobook Pro N552VW. This doesn’t have as fast a graphics card as the P57W, but it is roughly £300 less and comes with a 4K display as standard. 

Alternatively, check out our Best laptops and buying guide for a conclusive list of all the best gaming laptops to spend your money on this year. Buy Now from Amazon

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Core specs
ProcessorQuad-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ
RAM16GB
Memory slots (free)2 (0)
Max memory16GB
Dimensions421x290x25.4mm
Weight2.9kg
SoundRealtek HD Audio (3.5mm headphone and microphone port)
Pointing deviceTouchpad
Display
Screen size17.3in
Screen resolution1,920×1,080
TouchscreenNo
Graphics adaptorNvidia GeForce GTX 970M
Graphics outputsHDMI, Mini DisplayPort, VGA
Graphics memory3GB
Storage
Total storage256GB SSD, 1TB hard disk
Optical drive typeDVD-RW
Ports and expansion
USB ports3x USB3, 1x USB3.1
Bluetooth4.1
Networking1x 10/100/1000, 802.11ac
Memory card readerSD
Other portsNone
Miscellaneous
Operating systemWindows 10 Home
Operating system restore optionRestore partition
Buying information
Parts and labour warrantyTwo year RTB
Price inc VAT£1,277
Detailswww.gigabyte.us
Supplierwww.amazon.co.uk
Part number9wp57w005-TW-A-001

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