iBuyPower Valkyrie CZ-17 Gaming Notebook Review
Introduction
Given all the frenzy around ultrabooks, Microsoft's Surface, and the low power potential of future chips like Haswell, you might think that desktop replacement-class laptops had fallen out of favor with modern laptop manufacturers. iBuyPower's CZ-17 "Valkyrie" is proof that they haven't -- and while its size and weight won't appeal to road warriors or anyone who needs a svelte portable, it packs a number of significant features into its chassis, at a price that won't break the bank. It also makes a few compromises along the way; we'll show you where they are.
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| Processor Options Dimensions Weight Display System Memory Graphics Battery AC Adapter Hard Drive Options Wireless Connectivity Sound Webcam Ports and Connectors Operating System Pricing |
Intel Core i7 3610QM (2.3GHz w/Turbo Boost to 3.3GHz, 6MB L3 cache) Height: 2.2" / Width: 11.3" / Depth: 16.9" 6.9lbs (with 9-cell battery) 17.3" HD (1920x1080) MATTE 8GB DDR3 1333MHz (2x DIMM sockets) Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M 4GB 48Whr batter: 6-Cell (built-in). Up to 7 hours (usage) and 10 days (standby) battery life claimed. 65W AC Adapter 750 GB 7200 RPM HDD (Many other options available) Atheros KilerNIC 802.11b/g/n Unspecified speakers. 3.0 Megapixel Webcame Mic / Headphone / Line-in / Line-out jacks (Audio) 2x USB 2.0 3x USB 3.0 4-in-1 Card Reader Gigabit LAN Windows 7 Home Premium w/ Windows 8 Upgrade Option $1459 (As Configured) |
The spec sheet gives you a good idea of where iBuyPower has focused its attention. The Valkyrie CZ-17 uses a 17" 1920x1080 panel with a matte finish. If you hate glossy panels, this alone should put the system on your radar. 1080p panels are tough to find at this price point -- Dell's 17" Inspirons all use a 1600x900 resolution; Alienware's cheapest MX-17 starts at $1649 for a 1920x1080 panel -- and theirs is still a glossy.
Wireless Ethernet is courtesy of Atheros' KilerNIC, there's multiple USB 3.0 ports, and the system doesn't skimp on RAM or GPU power. The GTX 675M is a rebadged GTX 580M, but as we'll see, it's more than capable of powering a system of this type.
