AVADirect Clevo M860TU Review

by Kevin O'Brien

The AVA Direct supplied Clevo M860TU notebook is a no-holds-barred gaming machine. This notebook offers options such as an NVIDIA 9800M-GT graphics card with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, a stunning WUXGA LCD, an IntelQX9300 quad core processor, DDR3 system memory, and all the other bells and whistles you would want from a portable gaming system. The main question everyone is asking about this system is how well does it perform under stress, and we can easily say that it blows away any other notebook we have had in our office to date.

Our AVADirect Clevo M860TU has the following configuration:

• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz T9600
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
• 15.4-inch WUXGA matte display
• Intel PM45 + ICH9M chipset
• 2GB DDR3-1066 RAM
• 2GB Intel Turbo Memory
• Nvidia GeForce 9800M-GT w/ 512MB GDDR3 video memory
• 320GB 5400RPM Western Digital WD3200BEVT hard drive
• Dual-layer 8X DVD burner
• 7-in-1 memory card reader
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300 + Bluetooth wireless
• 8-cell 14.4v 4400mAh Li-ion battery

Build and Design

The design of the Clevo M860TU is very laid back and modest for a gaming notebook. The trim is made up of black brushed metal sheets, which includes the top screen lid, palmrest, and area around the keyboard. The material feels very solid, although some areas do flex depending on the underlying structure. The brushed metal look helps keep fingerprints to a minimum, and even after a heavy week of use the notebook still looks very clean. If glossy notebooks drive you crazy, you would really love this finish.

Build quality is above average throughout most of the notebook, but there are a few areas that could be improved. The palmrest flexes somewhat on the right side above the optical drive, and the display cover flexes enough to let ripples appear on the LCD under moderate pressure. Fit and finish is very nice, with all panels coming together with even gaps and no distorted plastic bezels. Paint quality on the trim pieces is above average, with crisp lines and no uneven textures. The plastics used throughout the body and trim feel very solid and should hold up quite well over the life of the notebook.

Display

The 15.4” WUXGA panel on the Clevo M860TU notebook is beautiful. Colors are crisp and vibrant, contrast is wonderful, and black levels are very clean. Viewing angles are top notch, with a broad sweet spot spanning the entire distance horizontally. Vertical viewing angles are still great, keeping the colors true and undistorted until roughly 30 degrees down or 89 degrees up.

Backlight intensity is bright enough to be perfectly readable in an office environment. Sunlight readability should be fine as long as you are in a spot of shade, where you don’t have the glare shining directly on the screen.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on the M860TU is spacious and easy to type on for extended periods of time. Key action is smooth with a decent throw, and no noticeable wobble of the key surface. The broad palmrest is very comfortable for your wrists during extended type-a-thons and it stays fairly cool even during stressful activities. The layout seems almost small on a notebook of this size, where you would sometimes expect to see a full-size keyboard with keypad.

The Clevo M860TU is equipped with a Synaptics touchpad that has a matte finish. The surface allows your finger to easily move across it even if your fingers are sweating a bit. Sensitivity is excellent, with a broad adjustment range just in case you are the type of person who enjoys a heavy touch or a super soft touch. The touchpad buttons are part of the same touchpad surface, and give a soft click with shallow feedback.

System Performance

Performance with the Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor and NVIDIA 9800M-GT graphics card was amazing. Day to day applications opened almost as soon as you clicked on the icon, boot and shutdown times were extremely fast, and above all else this machine can game like it’s going out of style. We saw some of the highest synthetic benchmarks scores out of any notebook we have tested inside our office. This notebook could handle nearly everything we, including Crysis. With settings maxed, resolution at a full 1920x1200, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast ran at an impressive 60FPS. This notebook is just about as close as you can get to desktop performance without the 30lb case sitting next to you. For example, the PCMark Vantage 64-bit synthetic benchmark produced a score of 3,747 ... desktop performance.

Driver updates were also much needed for this system, and nearly doubled the graphics performance. Under the stock drivers that shipped with the system, 3dMark06 scored a head scratching 4670. For a system with such an impressive configuration we knew something must have been broken or badly configured. After a bit of tinkering we decided to update the drivers to the latest found on Laptop2Go, and the results were astonishing. 3dMark06 more than doubled up to 10,335, and game performance frame rates also nearly doubled. I am guessing stock drivers severely under-clocked the graphics card for a driver update to cause that much of a difference.

WPrime 32M comparison results

WPrime is a benchmark similar to Super Pi in that it forces the processor to do intense mathematical calculations, but the difference is this application is multi-threaded and represents dual core processors better. Lower numbers indicate better performance.

Notebook	Time
AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Windows Vista 64)	27.629s
Gateway P-171XL FX (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo X7900, Windows Vista)	30.359s
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.50GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300, Windows Vista)	31.108s
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Windows Vista)	42.085s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7400@ 2.16GHz, Windows XP)	41.40s
HP dv6000z (AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 @ 2.00GHz, Windows Vista)	38.913s
Sager 9260 (Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E6700@ 2.66GHz, Windows XP )	33.718s
Dell Precision M70 (Intel Pentium-M 780 @ 2.26GHz, Windows XP)	78.992s

PCMark05 comparison results:

PCMark05 represents the overall system performance of a notebook. Higher numbers indicate better performance.

Notebook	PCMark05 Score
AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB)	7,636 PCMarks
Gateway P-171XL FX (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo X7900, NVIDIA Go 8800M GTS)	7,749 PCMarks
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.50GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300, NVIDIA Go 8600M GT)	5,865 PCMarks
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA Go 8600M GT)	5,261 PCMarks
Dell Inspiron 1720 (2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT)	5,377 PCMarks
Dell Inspiron 1420 (2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS)	4,925 PCMarks
Sony VAIO FZ (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	3,377 PCMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS)	4,591 PCMarks
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	4,153 PCMarks
Lenovo 3000 V200 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	3,987 PCMarks
Lenovo T60 Widescreen (2.0GHz Intel T7200, ATI X1400 128MB)	4,189 PCMarks
Fujitsu N6410 (1.66GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400)	3,487 PCMarks
Alienware M7700 (AMD Athlon FX-60, Nvidia Go 7800GTX)	5,597 PCMarks

3DMark06 comparison results:

3DMark06 represents the overall graphics performance of a notebook. Higher numbers indicate better performance.

Notebook	3DMark06 Score
AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with updated drivers	10,335 3DMarks
AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with default drivers	4,670 3DMarks
Gateway P-171XL FX (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo X7900, NVIDIA Go 8800M GTS)	8,801 3DMarks
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.50GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300, NVIDIA Go 8600M GT)	3,775 3DMarks
Toshiba Qosmio G45 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA Go 8600M GT)	2,934 3DMarks
Dell Inspiron 1720 (2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT)	2,930 3DMarks
Dell Inspiron 1420 (2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,329 3DMarks
Sony VAIO FZ (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	532 3DMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,408 3DMarks
Asus F3sv-A1 (Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz, Nvidia 8600M GS 256MB)	2,344 3DMarks
Alienware Area 51 m5550 (2.33GHz Core 2 Duo, nVidia GeForce Go 7600 256MB	2,183 3DMarks
Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 (1.66 Core Duo, nVidia 7600Go 256 MB)	2,144 3DMarks
Asus A6J (1.83GHz Core Duo, ATI X1600 128MB)	1,819 3DMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	827 3DMarks
Sony VAIO SZ-110B in Speed Mode (Using Nvidia GeForce Go 7400)	794 3DMarks

HDtune results:

Audio

Speaker performance was well under what you would expect for a high performance gaming notebook. Bass and midrange were completely lacking, and overall the volume of the speakers seemed much lower to what I have come accustomed to. While watching a movie or listening to music on this laptop would be fine, it would be in the same realm as listening to the radio on your alarm clock. For the most enjoyment I turned to my trusty cans (headphones) which gave rich bass, high volume levels, and above all else a private listening environment. There are some settings like a classroom where the melodies of slaughtering opponents in a video game isn’t fully appreciated by those around you.

Ports and Features

Port selection on the Clevo M860TU is very nice with four USB ports, one mini Firewire jack, SPDIF digital audio output, headphone/mic, one shared eSATA connection, DVI/HDMI output, as well as LAN and a modem. The notebook also includes a ExpressCard/54 slot for expansion cards such as an external sound card, as well as an onboard multi-card reader. Now the sides aren’t exactly bursting with ports, so there is quite a bit of free real estate going around the perimeter, but I would still consider the assortment to be more than adequate.

Front: Headphone/Mic, SPDIF digital audio out, Firewire

Back: DVI, HDMI, eSATA, two USB, AC Power, Kensington lock slot

Left: Optical drive

Right: Expresscard/54, Multi-card reader, two USB, LAN, Modem

Battery and External Power

Battery life was not the best, but for a gaming notebook we couldn’t really ask for more. With Vista set to the “Balanced” profile, screen at 60% brightness, and wireless enabled and active, the Clevo M860TU averaged 2 hours and 5 minutes before the system alarm went crazy and it shut down. While a bigger battery could enhance the off-the-grid performance, it would add more weight to an already bulky 15.4” notebook.

My big complaint with the power system during my review was the design of the power plug, and its tendency to pull out of the AC jack under the weight of anything more than the cord itself. Many benchmarks were abruptly ended when the power cord came unplugged and the notebook switched power profiles. Once when I was not careful the notebook shut itself down as it ran out of juice on battery. Any sudden movement of the notebook, such as playing a game with it on your lap, can potentially unplug the system. You can argue this is a "feature" to help prevent the AC jack from being damaged if someone pulls on the cord, but it is an occasional inconvenience. My only temporary solution was to angle the notebook in my lap so the weight pressed against the plug and kept it securely plugged in.

Heat and Noise

Thermal performance of this notebook was above average and very up to the task of keeping the system under cool under stress. When idling around typing or surfing the web the system fan operated at a near silent speed, as there was not much heat energy to expel from the system. Although under load, the system kicked the fan up a notch or two, into a mini shopvac range. Airflow was great, but noise levels were well above any other notebook we have tested. Just make sure you understand this when you purchase the notebook, as you can’t have a powerful system such as this without a few compromises.

Conclusion

Overall the AVADirect Clevo M860TU is a great gaming notebook with tons of raw power, good looks, and average build quality. The loose AC power jack was more than just a minor annoyance, continuously disconnecting while the laptop was on my lap. The loud cooling fan was also an annoyance, but that was expected and perfectly normal for such a powerful gaming system. To date this is the fastest machine we have tested in our office for gaming, and is no doubt one of the best mobile gaming rigs on the market right now. If you have the cash it would be hard not to give this notebook two thumbs up.

Pros:

• Fastest gaming notebook we have ever tested
• Beautiful WUXGA screen
• More than two hours of battery life in a hardcore gaming rig
• Cool laid back design

Cons:

• Loose AC power jack that likes to disconnect when light pressure is applied
• Loud cooling system under stress

Pricing and Availability

The AVADirect Clevo M860TU is available via the AVADirect website in multiple custom configurations starting at $1,773.20 at the time of this writing.

 

does it have a

IntelQX9300 quad core processor

or a

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz T9600

u firsty say its quad but then list it as a 2.8 dueo...

what driver did u update 2 .. im using what ever came stock on my 9800m GT m860tu 2.5weeks ago.. are new ones out..my crysis performance is abit sluggish

 

eee,but i thought that we already had 8660's review?but still,excellent review! also

so it does support quad core?

 

The QX9300 is an optional item ("options such as").

 

Why would you use it on your lap?

 

AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with updated drivers
10,335 3DMarks
AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with default drivers
4,670 3DMarks

For real?! The default drivers suck that much?

Anyway, nice review. Wish you'd indicate the price in the review, though.

 

It's in the "Pricing and Availability" section at the end of the review.

 

>.> not sure why you guys reviewed the same model twice, the only feature that stands out for this reseller is the qx9300, but it wasn't even in the review unit.

 

^also the WUXGA display

 

hope u guys can re do this review with a quadcore..

still dif reviews from dif builder sorces makes sense esp on a popular unit like the m860tu/np8660.

but yes quadcore ... i plan on upgrading my 2.4 duel in my 8660 to a quadcore as soon as the quads are fast/cool enugh to make gaming sense. (or if say wow adds quadcore suport )

 

impressive, what else can i say. thanks for the review

 

4,670 3d marks. ****. anyway that probably should be 9670 and good review

 

I REALLY liked the way you used a broad spectrum of notebooks in the comparison tests. ( older CPU's , Vista & XP, same notebooks with different CPU's) OH , and how much was that lappy in the window?

 

Hendrix is the man.

 

I, for one, thank you!

Maybe I missed the last review. I think I want one.

 

@ jonhapimp : it is 10355

 

2 hours 5 mins... that better than my 1h 25mins on my Acer Ferrari 5005wlci...
AMDTL-60/2GBDDR2/X1600

 

The laptop was probably running in power saver mode for this test with the original drivers. The author said he had trouble with the power cord falling out while he was running benchmarks with the computer on his lap.

 

I ran the test probably 15 times over the span of the review before I updated the drivers. No chance the power cord slipped out for EVERY benchmark.

 

Well, Knowing your track record with electronics... J/K. I blame the vista driver gnomes!

 

Good review! looks like a really nice and well performing laptop, I wonder how the quad core processor would perform...

 

Thanks for such a nice review Kevin, can you please indicate the drivers to update for those interested in purchasing this laptop

 

99.99% sure its the video drivers.

 

Sounds more like an AVADirect advertisement to me, since I think it's been reviewed before.

 

Yeah the plug does come off the laptop pretty easily (I have the Eurocom version with the fan-less powerbrick). It doesn't fall off on it's own, but if you're moving it around on your lap or desk there's a pretty high chance of it happening.

The button on the dvd drive is also pretty sensitive I find..

Still, I love this machine. I get around 9k in 3dmark06, with 177.92 drivers in Vista 32bit [P8400, 4gb ram, 9800gt]

 

10300 is very impressive but do you think that 9800m GTS will get close to 10000 ?

I'm a little bit pissed off for them (mycizmo - and supposedly others) discontinuing GT version What do you think?

 

- That is good to know, thanks for the review. That 2.8GHz T9600 may be out of my price range, but, it's all good

 

Is the Eurocom adapter by any chance a 120W 20V 6A unit? Im surprised, is there actually a fan-ventilated powerbrick for such a modern laptop? All powerful Clevos my company has recieved have had the aforementioned specced fanless powerbricks.
I will soon have a chance to check out how a M570RU with 9800M GT stacks up to the M860TU.

 

Interesting difference of opinion on BQ b/w Kevin and Chaz.

 

Yeah, it's a 20V 6A (120W) Li Shin International Enterprise Corp AC Adapter (model 0227A20120). I was actually expecting mine to have a fan, cause some people who gave early impressions on their 860TUs (from Sager/Clevo forum here) have reported to have fans on theirs.

Fanless probably runs a bit hotter, but I'd prefer no moving parts in there (and not having to think about ventilation around the adapter) so I'm pretty happy about it.

 

This seems kind of overpriced and expensive compared to the gateway 7811. Am I missing something?

 

its a 15.4" with a 9800M GT.

the 9800M GT is faster than the 9800M GTS (found in the Gateway)

9800M GTS = 64 shaders
9800M GT = 96 shaders

The Gateway is very bang for the buck though, no doubt.... however its still a 17" system, which some people might feel is too large.
- that and Gateway notebooks have questionable service/support and A LOT of bloatware.

 

It's smaller and lighter. The Gateway can get away with what it does because it is 17 inch and pretty heavy. The premium price paid is for stuffing similar components into a 15 inch box (which means it is more difficult to cool).

 

your missing everything

 

Granted, but in the 7811 thread I saw someone saying that the "real" performance gain was marginal (like 1 or 2% if I remember right)

 

Yes, but $1000 seems a bit much for this markup. Furthermore, I went to avadirect and played around with their configurator. Configured their 17" model, and that came to $2200. Then gutting it down to 1GB RAM, No OS, 80G HD, No wireless, I could only get the 17" down to $1843. Then I tried "similar" with the 15 and came up with $2064, then "gutted" and came up with $1585.

 

The only thing that seems compelling to me is heating issues and build quality, but I am wondering just how much of that is subjective. Hell, I'd open up the gateway and put artic silver on the GPU myself for $1000.

Another good reason is that BB is a "store" where you can actually "return" things especially for something I would consider defective merchandise such as overheating computers.

 

Agreed. I was wondering about the same thing.

Actually, the Gateway doesn't come with A LOT of bloatware, it does come with some though, but a clean install fixes that up rather quick.

 

how much faster, in percentage ?