*** Official Clevo P950HP6/Sager NP8950 Owner's Lounge ***

Good luck on that, it could be that pressure was helping with the dodgy solder contact.

 

Nice. Fingers crossed that your troubles are finally over.

 

Hopefully, though getting a new one does mean a re-entry into the IPS/Silicone lottery, but that's to be expected lol.

It'll be good if I get a unit with minimal IPS bleed/glow and a decently underclockable i7 and no other major issues... but that might be a tad greedy considering that I'm already getting a new unit (which almost never happens here where I am, especially after the first week).

Fingers crossed.

 

Jeez what an adventure. Crossing my fingers for you!

 

The "Key 15" is in our "Schenker" range, specifcally so because Schenker is our sub brand for business machines, opposed to our XMG sub-brand which is geared towards privite customers and gamers. There is some overlap between the two sub-brands, in terms of the same chassis sometimes being found both as an XMG and Schenker branded model. But in the case of the Key 15, this is only in the Schenker business sub-brand.

From our tests, the CPU and GPU temperatures on load are a couple of degrees higher in the P955 opposed to the P950 with same specification. However, the c and d cover (keyboard surround and bottom cover are both cooler in the P955 (as shown on our thermal imaging tests) and also the P955 is quieter. Therefore there is some separation between the two models and we've positioned them in the sub-brands accordingly.

 

Hey- just got my P950 and i think i am in love. Great build quality and the performance. After replacing the paste and undervolting (-0.120 V) the CPU never breaks 80 C- impressive for such a thin laptop. The only thing that is kinda annoying is the timer for the backlit keyboard- it keeps turning of after 10 s, anyone know how to make it light up all the time?

 

You can turn off the timer somewhere in the Clevo Control Centre software. It is under "devices" if I'm not mistaken, and is called "keyboard sleep" or something.

IINM, can't check as I'm still waiting for my replacement unit lol.

 

Option should be available both on Control Center and the BIOS.

 

I'm curious though, if this is true does the CCC setting change the BIOS/UEFI flags? Or something similar?

Because if this is true, having Flexi Charge settings changeable through CCC would be kinda nice, even IF it would require a reboot to stick.

Having to take multiple trips up to UEFI (which is now no longer as simple as mashing F2 on POST anymore) to change Flexi Charge setting isn't all that fun lol. I mean, I like to keep it to 80-90 for power-tethered use but being able to change it back easily to 90-100 when it's gonna be used untethered would be rad.

Also, have been wondering is there any way we can change that "Style Note" logo at boot to at least the "normal" blue Windows logo or something?

 

No brand/store should be selling a laptop with a "Style Note" logo, that´s just being lazzy.
Access to the BIOS settings is something probably only CLEVO can do. They use a service layer for Control Center who moves info from CC to BIOS, not sure how hackable that is...
To be honest, the less CC does, the better.... specially if they increase process latency....

 

Well, apparently my local guys aren't high enough in the chain to be able to offer custom POST screen lol... OR, as you've said, they might just be lazy to do so.

That said, they ARE giving me a new replacement unit when most other retailers here where I am (big names included), normally just dodge and STUBBORNLY insist to "repair" the previous unit... so I can't knock them too much lol.

I do wonder if that's something I can do myself... say, if I were given access to the BIOS/EC update files? Maybe unzip and change an image file like with the previous gen BIOS update files.

As for CCC, well I digress. As it stands, CCC has already become an instrumental part in controlling certain system settings, which I do understand might be less then ideal.

However, it's still a feature worth considering IMHO (to be added in by Clevo), even if ONLY for convenience's sake.

Though, of course, not at the expense of everything else... as I have seen OEMs add interesting stuff into their Control software, only to break other (more important) features lol.

 

You would have to ask @Prema about how easy modifying the bios image is.

 

So yeah, just heard from my local guys again, and apparently now due to Disco Time having some stickers on it (protective vinyl on the palm rests to prevent scratching), they've decided to gut a new P950HR and transfer the entire insides into Disco Time... instead of just giving me a new chassis lock stock and barrel.

So, for all intents and purposes, I'll be getting a replacement unit... that isn't entirely "replaced".

I'm not sure how to respond to this really.

On one hand, it would probably BE like a new unit if the insides were (at least according to them) fully exchanged.

On the other hand, WTF would you do something like that? Sure it'll be "new" inside but heck it won't feel new to the customer recieving it - especially when he's been promised a "complete replacement unit".

Seriously, while it seems to be a very valid way of doing things technically... it still feels like a very bad move from a CS point of view. But hell, like I already implied in my previous posts, CS as a whole is pretty retarded here where I am to begin with, so this is probably par the course.

And yeah, legit or not as an excuse, I did put vinyl on the palm rests. And while I think it's ridiculous that they're choosing not to just rip it off (it leaves zero residue and does not stain the finish either)... it does technically mean that something "has been done" to the chassis.

Oh well, looks like I can't get away from Disco Time even if I tried.

 

Hmm... on the one hand, it saves you the trouble of putting the vinyl stickers on the new laptop (you bought them and put them there very carefully, so you should be pleased with that). On the other hand, if these guys broke something while building your old laptop which caused the Disco Lights 'enhancement', it is possible they'll break the new one as well.

 

Yeah, this probably sums very accurately my misgivings in regards to the whole thing.

I mean, well, I WOULD like a shiny new case of course - disregarding for a bit the additional future effort in re-applying my vinyl stickers - but what I am MORE afraid of is exactly THAT: The Possibility that something might go wrong AGAIN, even if it's not a Disco Time encore.

Also, considering Disco Time has ALREADY been taken apart and put together MULTIPLE TIMES in its short lifetime doesn't really bode well for the long-term integrity of the snap-together plastic parts (i.e. the display bazel and hinge housing piece).

Really, it's a laptop I have only spent less then a week of actual face time with since being delivered to me... while the rest of the time it's under repair. With that in mind I think some can understand my exasperation at they fact that they aren't simply giving me a brand new unit unconditionally now that we've clearly established that it's a lemon.

I KNOW there's no guarantee either that a brand spanking new unit might not show the same (or other unrelated) issues, but it's the feels man, the feels of getting a "new" unit. The feels that tells you that, "yeah this company cares for you, even at their expense".

The same feels that would convert normal people into zealots for the brand, into word of mouth machines that would elevate the said brand into something else, by recommending the brand readily to others.

And its here that they have, at least in my opinion, failed to meet my expectations. At least if they don't heed my complaints and insist on giving me a Disco Time "refurb".

Which will just make them JUST another brand selling Clevo barebones, but with nothing else special to them besides the slight cost advantage (sometimes), the ability to customise your orders and relatively competent service.

Rather then: "These guys are AMAZING, DO go buy from them".

To be completely fair, I do understand they're not Dell either (in terms of resources at their expense), so that's that. But yeah, it's a missed opportunity for CS goodwill really.

Really, really sorry for the endless venting guys... but this really has been a loooooooong road for me in acquiring (and keeping) my first ever Clevo lappy.

 

So I ordered a P950HP6 from HIDevolution, despite their model with a 1060 being more expensive than a 1070 Max-Q version from XoticPC, based on:
1. Prema BIOS
2. Better reputation for after-sales support
3. Processor delid/good TIM/etc

Well, after a bit of gaming, I decide I'd like it to run cooler/longer on battery, so I boot into BIOS to undervolt the CPU. Well, it's the most basic BIOS I've ever seen, just like SATA boot order and some Intel features-no sign of voltage/overclocking/etc settings.

Am I doing something wrong, or did HID forget to flash the Prema BIOS? The HID website clearly says:

"Clean install on your primary SSD or HDD with Custom Prema BIOS and all drivers updated - No bloatware"

TIA

 

Unfortunately, that's just placeholder text on HID's website... as I have read - right here on this thread itself - the local HID rep saying that there IS NO Perma BIOS for the P950 (of any version).

You CAN still undervolt with ThrottleStop, of course, but yeah the P950 BIOS is just your simple, basic, non-Perma Clevo BIOS at the moment... HID or otherwise.

 

Funny story folks.

After "discussing" with my local Clevo folks about giving me a full replacement anyway (rather than the "repair" job they were set on sticking me with), I ended up having to drop by their office yet again to discuss and finalise stuff.

And, this was when they busted out the "repaired" unit for me to test (just to show that it's "fine" probably)... and guess what started to happen the moment I pushed the power button?

Disco Time.

This time straight from the UEFI screen, and right in front of the reps at their office as well. Plus this is with new parts (motherboard, screen, screen flex) apparently all installed and tested already.

So yeah, no words.

Hopefully that's enough to convince them that Disco Time is as haunted as I say it is, and I absolutely need a brand spanking new unit to be rid of whatever evil spirit that has possesed it.

*lol*

But really, bad solder points on a new motherboard? Not that I had time to fully verify that the said parts were REALLY changed... but I'm wondering if a chassis defect could be the cause behind all this horror? Because that's about the only thing (besides my HDD and SSD) that wasn't changed.

 

Dream Machines also shows a Prema Bios & Vbios for the P950 https://dreammachines.pl/en/configurator/GS1060-15PL20 .. as a paid option. Which confused me as well because I was sure I read somewhere that @Prema didn't intend to make a Bios for that model.

 

Yes, at this point that seems to be the most reasonable explanation Time to look for a Clevo Exorcism Centre.

More seriously, though, I'm not sure how the chassis could generate such issue. Is it possible that there's a small batch of faulty mb or screen or flex or something, and that you happened to get a component from that batch twice?

That must be quite frustrating, I hope it gets solved soon :/

 

As of now there is no Mod for P95xx. Reason being that they are already pretty much operating at their limits, hence need a lot of fine-tuning and can't have all limits removed entirely as their bigger brothers. I also didn't know that they are now charging a hundred bucks for the mods, last time I checked it was 25...I really need to reevaluate my life.

 

I'll probably contact them tomorrow; I feel a bit jilted after reading all over the internet how HID is the best Clevo reseller (largely because of the Prema BIOS), only to find out I've been bait & switched (when I could have gotten a P950 with the 1070 Max-Q from XoticPC for less than what I paid for my 1060 from HID). But if a Prema BIOS update is forthcoming, then all is forgiven.

Thanks for chiming in. I think I speak for most buyers of thin-ish gaming laptops when I say we aren't usually after more raw performance (knowing that these laptops sit at their thermal limits when gaming), but flexibility to undervolt and select more intelligent fan curves in the BIOS. Control of memory timing/voltage from the BIOS would also be welcome. Thanks for your consideration.

 

TBH, ask the man himself. He's right there on top of you lol.

Though, as you can see from his responses, I don't think any mod is forthcoming (unless Prema changes his mind, that is).

As for HID, I do feel you need to contact them directly and try to get them to understand your predicament (which is as a result of their little placeholder text booboo). If their CS is as good as the Internets paints them to be, they'll do you right in one way or another.

If they don't though, you can always come here and vent like I have done for the past few pages lol (in regards to my own predicament, nothing to do with HID).

 

You can already use the bundled Clevo Control Center to set custom FAN tables, the RAM and undervolt the CPU. Or Intel XTU or the software Throttlestop.

 

Wait, meaning I don't have to use ThrottleStop to undervolt the CPU? Or is using TS still the better way of going about things compared to CCC (if CCC is capable of undervolting)?

And is this why CCC installs XTU services along with itself unless told NOT to so during installation?

 

OK, I must be blind; I see the custom fan curves in CCC, but nothing about CPU voltage?

 

You can use whatever you want and yes that's why it needs the XTU services in order to access the Intel hardware.

You have to click on the CPU/OC symbol or run the 'CPU_DRAM_OC.exe' from the hotkey folder manually

 

I don't see a CPU/OC symbol in CCC, and that executable just crashes on startup (even when run as administrator), with or without the tray program running. Sorry, I don't intend for you to do Clevo's support for them-I will investigate this further another time.

 

Then just use Intel XTU for now:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-

Here also the proper CCC for your model:

http://www.clevo.com.tw/en/e-services/download/ftpout_download.asp?sno=9475&no=2

 

With the smaller systems is usually finding that perfect voltage that gives you maximum performance for the smallest heat that it can sustain for extended periods of time.

 

Hmm, I've read a lot about this "maximum sustained performance" bit in terms of undervolting, though so far my own experiences with UV has simply been to lower voltages to lower temps and (to a lesser degree) power consumption.

Which leads me to the question, can you undervolt a proc to a point that it's NOT crashing (or otherwise showing weirdness when pushed through benches), and yet it's NOT performing 100% due to insufficient voltage?

 

Undervolting reduces power consumption which lowers the temperature and/or allows you to run the fans at a lower speed.
What I have read so far suggests that undervolting - if it works and is stable - has no effect on performance. If the CPU can run at the full speed at a lower voltage, you get lower power consumption for no performance loss.

Btw., nothing is showing me the current fan speed (RPM). OpenHardwareMonitor, hwinfo64 ... nothing. Haven't tried speedfan yet - that has never worked for me in the past, so I'm not holding my breath. Clevo CC lets me control the speed, but doesn't show me the RPM.

 

I think somebody mentioned somewhere that the latest OpenHardwareMonitor beta (or was it alpha) was capable of showing "some stuff" for the P950 that the stable ver could not.

Sorry, that particular post had to deal with CPU temps not fan RPM.

BTW, I was just surfing up in regards to gaming "stutter/bad fps issue" with Windows 10 CU and FCU, and I was wondering if you folks are having any such problems on your end with your P950s?

Because back when Disco Time was around (and sane), it was on W10 FCU and things didn't really feel all that bad for the games I had on it (Wolf2 and Wildlands primarily).

 

Hi, curious to know, is there anyone here that contemplating to get MSI GS63VR but went for P950HP6 instead? Can you share what makes you choose Clevo instead of that MSI.

I'm split choosing between these two and any feedback is appreciated to help me make my choice.

 

Here's a few comparison points, though most of the time it's rather subjective rather then outright A is better then B. Note that the below is presented in GS63 vs P950 format.

1) TN vs IPS ("good", 120hz wide-gamut TN, though for the P950, it also depends on your customised spec)

2) Flexi body vs flexi LCD lid (the lid on the GS is stronger, but the body less so)

3) TB3 vs extra IO ports (extra Type-C, extra DP on the P950)

4) Better behaved fans vs slightly better sustained temps (especially compared to the HP6 version)

6) Extra software "features" vs less software bloat (the MSI comes with a WHOLE lot of stuff)

7) Locked down specs vs customization (there are no MSI customization available here in my locality)

8) "Mediocre" vs "Good" aftersales/support (at least where I am, MSI isn't really a paragon of good customer service)

9) "Complicated" vs "simple" self-mantainance/upgrading (due to the GS63VR having that inverted motherboard... and those pesky void stickers)

So yeah, it's pretty subjective TBH.

Additionally, the P950 was cheaper then the GS63VR here, at comparable spec levels, so that did help steer me the Clevo way.

EDIT: Points edited as somewhere along the line, I myself mixed up the "vs" sides for a few points.

 

Good points.

For my own purposes, I don't care much about either its TN or IPS. Though, if it is within my budget, it doesn't harm to pick the one better. Coming from 2011 MBP which is still in pristine condition and working like I first bought it, I expect to get as close as possible in terms of build quality if not close so for #2 I think strong base is preferred.

TB3, I know its the next thing, similarly not too important to me. It is good if it is included but not as much as I disregard anything without it. I don't normally plug my laptop to an external screens nor that I plan to buy any eGPU. Temperature however, although it is known thin laptops with gaming gpu tends to be warm I do prefer the one that has better heat dissipation and good working fans. Read about P950 having fan that kick off irregularly at odd time even on idle. Has there any patch to that?

Bloatware or feature, don't care much as I can alway uninstall them as needed. #7 and #8, I guess I have to deal with it no matter which I choose, although I think you were to meant "mediocre vs good". As for #9, as long as both allows users to open to upgrade, I have no issues with it. Assembled and disassembled lot of desktops and laptops plus having an engineering background trying new challenges

So, reading back what I wrote, it is pretty much clear which should I choose. P950 it is.

Btw, @eiraku, I had a feeling you are from Malaysia?

 

Yeah, I actually DID mix a few points up (silly me). I have corrected them above, thanks for the heads up.

Unfortunately, in regards to the bolded part (allowing user upgrades), MSI actually doesn't "really" allow user upgrades the way my local Clevo folks do for the P950. That silly "void if tempered" sticker that comes with every MSI system seems to actually be taken seriously by the local MSI service center, unlike other brands that have similar "sticker" practices (though to be honest, not of a lot of them do anymore nowadays).

So yeah, there's no real "user upgrading" with the GS63VR over here lol.

BTW, I am actually from Malaysia as per your hunch, so do keep in mind that the above observation only really applies to my local situation and YMMV.

As for patches for the "irregular" fans, you need to check up with the local Clevo distros. The HP6 DOES NOT come with the same BIOS/EC (EC in particular is the one that influences fan curves) releases as the HR version (which I have) does, so I can't really help you much in this regard.

 

Be aware that from time to time they (Clevo/Sager/Eurocom....) offer the 120 Hz TN screen as a free upgrade. That's how I got mine for no extra cost. Tell your reseller which one you want if such an option becomes available when you buy.

Better picture quality - IPS
Better viewing angles - IPS (the TN screen has a sweet spot for the tilt - you have to tilt the lid just right)
Faster response time - TN
Faster refresh rate - TN

The 120 Hz TN is best if you play FPS/ racing kind of games with fast motion. IPS for photo editing, movies, etc.

 

Thanks to your explanation and a little bit more of looking and reading around, I've decided to go for the P950 gtx1060 instead of the 1070MQ mainly because I don't really need that much firepower. Rumours said that there will be CPU and GPU refresh for the P950 lineup here so maybe I'll get the 8th gen with mine. Would need to lurked more in the community forum for the irregular fan fix though.

As a 1070MQ user, would you think it is worth to go for it or 1060 would suffice for normal word, browsing, movies, a little bit of photoshop, a little bit of video editing and a little bit of AutoCAD?

Thanks for the heads up. No screen free upgrade as far as I can see from the reseller here in Malaysia, although I've already included 120Hz TN in my spec.

 

There's a LOT of rumours floating around in regards to Coffee Lake Mobile procs, but IMHO the most probable ETA for CFM would be around June-July, which is when Macbooks traditionally get their yearly refresh.

So, unless you can wait that long, it's still quite a while away.

As for the 1060 vs the 1070MQ, based on your probable use scenario even the 1060 might be overkill already lol.

HOWEVER, selecting that 120Hz screen does mean that you're gonna need a card that pushes FPSs high if you ever decide to game with it (considering the lack of INTERNAL G-Sync, not reaching/breaching 120fps means you're not gonna be able to take FULL advantage of the 120hz), and unfortunately neither the 1060 nor the 1070 could do this with more demanding recent games.

Of course, if all you're gonna play is DOTA 2 or CS:Go then this is probably irrelevant (you could probably push both to 120 even with the 1060 on FHD), but it's still something to keep in mind.

That said, 120hz screens are also twice as fast at refreshing so even if it tears with V-Sync unlocked with games that can't reach 120fps, it's only gonna do it for a fraction of a second (even less compared to a 60hz display) so it might not even be apparent unless you really look for it TBH.

 

No waiting game for me, if by Mid March still no Coffee Lake, I'll take the current offering. This will be mainly my travel laptop and will also will be my on the go gaming so I need it on my travel. I normally game on my desktop but would love to get back to gaming on the go hence the new gaming laptop.

 

How much is the price difference between the 1060 and the 1070? If it isn't too much, I'd say go for the 1070 and undervolt/ underclock it to 1060 performance levels, which should give you a much quieter laptop with great battery life while gaming.

If you care to go down that road, GeForce Experience has a battery mode which limits the FPS to as low as 30, which should be fine for your kind of stuff.

If raw power is not your thing and you want small and light, you could take a look at the Dell XPS15. It has a 1050. With very thin bezels on the 15.6" screen, the overall size is very close to that of a 14" laptop, and the weight is about 1.9 kg. Check out the prices in your country and decide. In my case the Dell XPS15 cost just a little less than the Eurocom Q5 (specs in my sig), so for me it was a no brainer, the only caveat being the size (the Q5 has massive bezels, so it is a full sized thin 15.6" laptop) and the weight (the Q5 weighs 2.2 kg).

 

So you've actually got the P957HR. Niceeee.

I actually *prefer* the red-heavy aggressive styling on the P957HR vs my P950HR (which is all we've got locally) and it seems that Eurocom's got their BIOS/EC releases a whole lot better sorted out (including that ONE intriguing post by the NBR Eurocom rep about an BIOS/EC variation in the works that completely bypasses the 1070MQ limitations at the expense of system fan noise levels), but getting a non-local machine does mean loooooong airlift RMA trips and personally I would rather avoid that, in case something does go wrong.

And, as my recent little "adventure" has probably proven, that was probably a good call on my part lol.

But man, the P957 really does look SHARP, especially the lid.

BTW, I've gotta report (and I'm actually not sure if I've posted this before) that I found a near perfect neoprene sleeve that almost form-fits the P950 series of any variation: the Capdase Prokeeper Slipin for the Macbook Pro 15.

That said, it fits alarmingly snugly in the beginning, though with a few days of use the neoprene stretches a bit for a slightly more comfortable fit.

Sadly enough I could only find the Grey Green one here where I am (and it was the the last one in stock too) and finding any more - even online - proved to be extremely hard, so YMMV.

 

Price difference is $328. I think I'll will 1060 be enough for my need for at least 3-4 years? I hope so. Been using MBP 2011 for 7 years without any problem. Besides, 1060 should be more than enough for 1080p.

Not sure I understand the logic of getting a 1070 laptop and underclock it to 1060 performance though, that means I'll get the same performance as a 1060 at higher price point?

Another question, if you are being offered to get your hand on same laptop with new 8th gen cpu, would you take it?

7th Gen P950HP6: $2217 (color tuned, upgraded nvme samsung 950, gaming mouse, thermal paste)($2099 after promo) - delivery within a week
8th Gen P950HP6: $2270 (without the above) - delivery february/march

 

Actually, the reason I got the 1070MQ instead of the 1060 was exactly that: that I KNEW the CPU GPU wasn't gonna be enough for my needs for the next 3 years if I didn't get the MQ.

Sure, that 10-15% over the '60 doesn't look like much on paper but considering that EVEN the 1070MQ could ONLY drive crazy unoptimised Wildlands and crazy demanding Witcher 3 up to around 50-55fps at Ultra settings on FHD... is pretty indicative of how it would hold up to future games.

I mean, I wanna be able to Cyberpunk '77 with playable frame rates AND for it to look decently pretty at the same time lol. But, I do concur that GPU needs are pretty YMMV and you may not play the kind of games I do, the way I do - so it depends.

As for Coffee Lake, I'd wait if I could, though TBH, I'd peg April-May to be a more reasonable "earliest" ETA of incoming mobile Coffee Lake (and June to be the latest simply because of the MBP refresh cycle as I said before) as there seem to not be enough leaks yet (like, absolutely nothing at CES) to support anything earlier than that.

That said, Intel could just be really, really good at not leaking info this time and they might just release in March lol. Stranger things have happened.

Oh well, I got my P950HR at a good chunk less then it goes for now so I can't complain much...

... except for the fact that my first one was a complete lemon ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . Here's hoping the second one will fare better lol.

 

You just made me think twice about getting 1070 instead. dammit.

 

We P950 folks don't exactly have the luxury of using a Volta card shoved into an eGPU later when the built in GPU goes obsolete now, do we - regardless of the bandwidth (and cost) inefficiencies of TB3 driven eGPUs to begin with.

HOWEVER, this doesn't detract from the fact that the P950HP6 is still an extremely good deal for what you pay for, if you don't mind SLIGHTLY lesser performance now and along the line for a FAT bundle of savings.

Because it's pretty much diminishing returns in action when you put the above in reverse for the P950HR - you get SLIGHTLY better performance (now and in the future) for a FAT bundle of cash.

So yeah, as always, it depends.

If you're fine (like me... and possibly anytimer as well) with diminishing returns, then by all means, hop up to the P950HR.

 

I think you meant GPU. Agree with your point, though. VR might be the next big thing in gaming. The 1050 doesn't support it; the 1060 does, barely. The 1070 gives you a bit more headroom - might not be great, but at least it will give you an idea of what it's about, so you can make an informed decision.

Actually, both 1060 and 1070MQ are good buys - the 1000 series is a significant jump in performance over the previous generation. Both support VR - you don't know which nextGen/ VR game/ application will catch your fancy in the years to come, so it is good to have that in reserve, so to speak - no one wants to shell out $$$ just for a game (e.g. I want to play The Last Of Us, but I won't buy a PS4 just for it - it is a Playstation exclusive - so my desire remains unfulfilled).

The logic behind undervolting/ underclocking a 1070MQ is to have a nearly silent system - the P957HR is certainly not silent under load. I use headphones while gaming/ watching movies, so I don't mind too much, but I know a few guys who would consider that a deal breaker. I hope to have a few days to spare next week which I'll spend in tweaking the settings, but with the default settings the fans are quite loud even under modest loads.

 

Thank you for all the advice given here. As CNY is near, I'm holding off my purchase as the reseller here normally has good deals going on the festive season. Even so, I'll definitely getting the 1070 version now. Thanks again.

 

So yeah, after so much drama and quite some time spent just wondering why I sunk my money into a laptop that wasn't in my hands 90% of the time... my replacement P950HR is FINALLY here:



Now setting up everything again... as I personally requested the unit to be delivered clean, just in case. Re-setting everything is gonna be a PITA though lol (considering how particular I am about setting up my computers), plus there's those HUGE game redownloads.

But, at least it's definitely a brand spanking new unit, which I have been able to confirm due to an entirely new Serial Number AND a few physical characteristics visible on Disco Time but not on this particular unit.

Finally, I'm glad to report that there has been zero issues with this particular P950... thus far anyway. Will be keeping a close eye throughout the upcoming week, hopefully it continues to behave well.