Performance
XMG's Core i7-4700HQ chip, which is the only option for this laptop, is plenty fast enough. As a basis for comparison, a desktop Core i5-4670 processor scores 6.10, meaning there's plenty of power on tap for demanding applications.
A fast SSD, speedy processor and efficiency of the HD 4600 graphics combine to offer a PCMark 7 score that wouldn't look out of place on a high-end desktop system. The SSD, benchmarked separately, scores over 500MB/s in the ATTO sequential-transfer test.
Sharing the same graphics as the PC Specialist Optimus - GeForce GTX 765M - a 3DMark score of 4,173 is decent for a system as thin as this. The real question is whether it can play games at the shipping 1,920x1,080 resolution.
As usual, we begin our gaming analysis by running Just Cause 2 at 1,366x768 with medium-quality settings. Modern-day laptops should pass this test with flying colours, and all of the comparison systems make light work of the challenge.
Native Gaming Performance (Average FPS) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Quality Settings | XMG C703 |
Gigabyte P34G |
GeForce GTX 765M |
GeForce GTX 760M |
||
| BioShock Infinite | 1,920x1,080, Medium Quality | 55.8 |
51.9 |
| 1,920x1,080, High Quality | 48.3 |
45.4 |
|
| 1,920x1,080, Max Quality | 28.8 |
26.4 |
|
| DiRT Showdown | 1,920x1,080, 4xMSAA, Medium Quality | 92.6 |
82.5 |
| 1,920x1,080, 4xMSAA, High Quality | 76.4 |
69.5 |
|
| 1,920x1,080, 4xMSAA, Ultra Quality | 29.4 |
25.6 |
|
To get a better idea of what the XMG C703 can do, we've tested two modern games - BioShock Infinite and DiRT Showdown - with varying degrees of image quality at the laptop's native 1,920x1,080 resolution. Overall performance is about 10 per cent better than a GeForce GTX 760M. It is reasonable to assume the laptop can play games at the native full-HD resolution when tasked with rendering at medium- or high-quality settings.
In our video rundown test - which entails looping a 720p movie clip with 50 per cent screen brightness and all wireless radios disabled - XMG's C703 benchmarks much like the others. We had hoped to see the laptop strut past the 5-hour barrier in this test.
A note on power consumption. The laptop chews through an 'impressive' 114W when running 3DMark 11 on the high-performance power profile, lending further weight to why the twin fans need to start spinning like proverbial dervishes. Play back a video, however, and the power consumption drops to 28W or so.