It's telling that the very first thing I did with this new Windows 8 version of the Origin EON17-SLX desktop replacement gaming laptop was to try and swipe past the Windows 8 lock screen with my finger.
Origin EON17-SLX
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
But, unlike the majority of Windows 8 laptops we've tested and reviewed so far, this is not a touch-screen laptop. Instead, it's essentially the same EON17 you'd have been able to buy prior to the October launch of Microsoft's new operating system, just with Windows 8 included as the default (the company says that most customers still opt for Windows 7 at this point). As such, you'll probably spend a good deal of time in the classic desktop view, from which games may be easier to launch, and where expert users will find more of the tools and settings they'll want to experiment with to maximize performance.
This very high-end configuration includes an overclocked Intel Extreme Core i7-3940XM Quad-Core CPU, dual overclocked Nvidia GeForce GTX 680M graphics cards, and a combination of two 120GB solid-state drives (SSDs) and a 1TB hard-disk drive for storage, all of which adds up to $4,522. The inclusion of the three hard drives means no built-in optical drive, but you can add an external Blu-ray writer and CyberLink's PowerDVD 12 Ultra software for about $140.
This is without a doubt one of the most powerful laptops to ever cross the threshold of the CNET Labs, and it easilly handled any PC game I threw at it. It's expensive, to be sure, even if you dial down the customization options to the $1,888 starting point, which brings me back to my primary longstanding complaint about nearly every boutique gaming laptop -- almost all are built into a slightly customized version of a Clevo 17-inch laptop chassis (Clevo is a Taiwanese manufacturer that makes generic laptops that other computer companies tweak and rebrand as their own), or some other similar outer shell.
It's functional, but also looks like a laptop from several years ago, before the massive 2011-2012 shift to thinner, lighter laptops across the board. It doesn't look like you something you spent $4,000 on. You end up with a real powerhouse laptop that falls down on design, but adds value through Origin's hand-assembling and testing process, optional overclocking, and excellent service and support, far beyond what mainstream PC makers can offer.
It's a fantastic gaming machine -- especially important with this being such a great year for high-end PC gaming -- but as Doctor Zira said in "Planet of the Apes" to Charlton Heston's character: "All right, but you're so damned ugly."