GIGABYTE P34W v5 Review

👤by David Mitchelson Comments 📅21-12-15
Conclusion

We’ve looked at many notebooks at Vortez but this is the first time we’ve examined a mobile unit from GIGABYTE. Following many days of testing and first-hand experience we’re quite impressed by what P34W v5 has to offer.

By this notebook adopting understated aesthetics, those who prefer a simplistic and discreet theme will favour the design which has been implemented. It’s quite unusual to see a gaming notebook lack an aggressive, bulky approach and also see an absence of flashy LEDs. From a build quality standpoint P34W v5 embodies class – the chassis is robust and feels sturdy.

As far as functionality goes, this notebook carries with it numerous ports which include USB 3.0, USB 3.1 type C and some useful video outputs including HDMI 2.0 – providing up to 4K @ 60Hz.

Inside P34W v5 there is a strong lineup of renowned hardware. At the very heart of this notebook we have the newly released Intel Core i7-6700HQ and since we have Intel Skylake and the HM170 chipset there is support for an array of innovation by way of 16GB DDR4 and 128GB M.2 NVMe SSD. Both these components enhance overall performance in a range of different tasks and have rather a significant effect on a mobile device like P34W v5.

One of the key advantages in P34W v5’s favour is its footprint. This notebook is slim and compact, yet it still packs in a powerful core specification. Having a 14” screen we’d have assumed GIGABYTE to set a maximum resolution of 1080p but instead they’ve permitted 3K. Having a native resolution of 2560x1440 pushes the limits of the GTX 970M and gamers who want to enjoy medium-high settings at such a resolution will unfortunately have to compromise on FPS performance. In this regard we’d have preferred GIGABYTE to stick with 1920x1080 – this resolution scales perfectly on a 14” display and will allow the detail presets to be maxed out without to compromise on performance. P34W v5 is punching above its weight by using such a hi-resolution display.


This notebook is marketed as having up to 7 hours of battery life but it’s important to note: this figure is only idle usage. In our battery uptime test we charged P34W v5 to maximum, detached the charging unit and left Heaven 4.0 on a loop – this obviously represents intensive usage and could be likened to a long gaming session. The result left us with just 1 and a half hours of usage until all of the life drained out of the notebook.

After observing the temperatures of the CPU and GPU after fully loading P34W v5 we have to say the recordings are quite high, as such the cooling fans operate at their maximum RPM when the system is performing demanding tasks such as video editing or playing games. In turn, this results in a considerable amount of noise as shown in our video review.

Arriving with a price-tag of £1399 GBP / $1600 USD, P34W v5 is quite a large sum of money for a mobile device of such size but we do have to remember the core specifications. This notebook is very capable for its size and it of course arrives with 2 years’ warranty which is surely an attractive perk too.

GIGABYTE’s P34W v5 is jam-packed with the latest cutting edge technology. This slim, lightweight notebook is a great companion for the avid gamer who is on-the-go.

VIDEO REVIEW - VORTEZ TV


Pros
+ Sleek, professional design
+ Slim and compact
+ Lightweight and portable
+ Skylake-powered
+ Comes with 16GB DDR4
+ Primary NVMe M.2 SSD
+ USB 3.1 Type C
+ Card slot reader
+ HDMI 2.0 port
+ LED backlit keyboard

Cons
- Native resolution outside of specifications capabilities
- Gets rather hot under load
- Quite noisy when performing demanding tasks

Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.

9 pages « < 6 7 8 9

Comments