Overpowered i7 Laptops, gtx 1060 6GB (Insane DEALS). 15inch (16gb, $799) and 17inch (32GB, $999)

I will direct everyone to this video for anyone considering these...

You can literally buy a Dell G3 or G5 on Dell's outlet right now for $850 that has the same specs at this. So I would stay far far away from these if you value support of any kind. Not to mention that there are Lenovos and other brands that are close to this price point that will get you close to these spec.

I would rather spend an extra $200 eveb on another brand so I can have the piece of mind of getting a GTX1060 laptop that I can get support for...



Oh, and the sound that keyboard makes would drive me nuts after 2 seconds of using it.

 

so their brand name is Overpowered? huh that is kind of already setting off some alarms in my head

 

People complaining about the sound of the keyboard obviously never used or experienced a mechanical keyboard.

 

It's not the fact that it's a mechanical keyboard, but rather it's a mechanical keyboard on a laptop. I have a mechanical keyboard for my desktop, but I don't want one for my laptop... I will virtually never be able to take it anywhere. Can't type at the library, can't take the thing to school... for me it's stupid and unnecessary especially because if you are doing hardcore gaming on this you will likely be using an external keyboard but gaming on the go would just be a ear-ache.

 

So this laptop isn't for you, ok. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to steer people clear from it just because. I've owned the Dell G7 for maybe two weeks and got tired of the blue backlit keyboard and how hefty/chunky it was. I purchased an Asus GU501 and love it, but had this deal came up first i'd buy it with no hesitation.

 

I placed an order at walmart for the $999 version but i decided to pay with cash so I have 48 hours to mull on the decision... I figure that would be the best course of action considering I think they are going to sell out fast and i didn't want to make an immediate impulse buy lol.

 

I'm thinking these things will hit 699 by late Jan.

 

If Walmart keeps going with their OP brand, I'd imagine they have to clear out before the CES announcement for the 20xx mobile graphics is made in early January IIRC. Also it's the Holidays where most retail places make their money, so why not try to move things?

Seems to be a great deal if you can deal with the mechanical keys. I'm not a fan of mech keys on laptops because of reasons stated already - but also because mechanical keys need more room and usually = thicker chassis, which I'm not a fan of. Different strokes for different folks though so ... I already have my Aero 15x :-D

 

Do these laptops even have an ethernet port?

 

Yup. That was my exact thought process..

Yup they do.

 

I doubt that, they'll be sold out at $799.

The chassis was first used by Eluktronics, the wal-mart version just doesn't get any exposure. Anyone who doesn't browse the forums or marketplace but are knowledgeable about gaming pc's will know it's a steal at $799. For it to drop to $699 by January would be a miracle.

 

there's a good thread over at slickdeals on this laptop.


This was posted by another user on there:


Walmart Overpowered Gaming Laptop 15+ Quickie FAQ

1. What's the big deal?

The laptop here is a rebranded TongFang GK5CN6Z laptop. TongFang units, like similar units made by Sager, are barebones systems that are rebranded and minimally-customized by resellers. Here are a few examples of this laptop being sold by other vendors (you can Google/YouTube any one of these and find reviews):

A. Schenker XMG Neo 15
B. Monster Tulpar T5
C. PC Specialist Recoil II
D. Aftershock Apex-15R
E. Eluktronics Mech-15 G2
F. Origin EON15-S
G. Nextcore GK5CN6Z

And more. This list is not exhaustive. There is very little customization available with these barebones chassis, so the units generally only vary by storage (both NVME and Mechanical Drives), RAM (by manufacturer, quantity and timings), keyboard (in both blue and brown switches), aftermarket thermal solutions (quality of thermal paste, additional thermal padding, use of liquid metal, etc.), and in Surface Decals/Custom BIOS Features.

The vast majority of the core components of these barebones units do not change. This means that there is extraordinarily little for Walmart to screw up, and that other vendor's BIOS and gaming center software are usable on the OP 15+.

NOTE: If you don't want to read past here, or just find this TLDR in general, you should go to YouTube and check out Bob Of All Trades's teardown video, review, and commentary on this unit which will cover most/all of the below and more in a pretty entertaining fashion. You might also consider looking at NotebookCheck's reviews of a couple of the other vendor's units listed above. Information is out there and easily accessible.

2. Why is it so cheap?

Good question. Likely, it's this cheap because their desktop units just got hammered publicly (and quite brutally) by reviewers and they are dumping inventory. That doesn't spell good news for the future of the brand or for Walmart's direct support of the laptops. This bit is all just speculation.

The good news is that the laptops and the desktops are completely different beasts when it comes down to: 1. Who built them; 2. Value per dollar; 3. Long-term second- and third-party support. Recall what I said above – all of the software made by the other vendors is usable on the OP 15+. So even if Walmart drops support for the unit there will be plenty of forum-level community support on other forums and long-term support through the various other vendors that use the barebones chassis.

3. Did you buy one?

Yes, I've had it in house for a few days. I've already updated the BIS, EC, and gaming control software with updates from OP (downloaded from Notebook Review's Forums). I bought it at $999 and it was a very good deal relative to other TongFang GK5CN6Z models/15" thin and light laptops of the same caliber even then. At $799, it's even better.

4. What are the downsides?

As far I can see it, a few. First, the battery life is short. Second, the keyboard layout is a bit cramped and can be uncomfortable. Third, the touchpad isn't glass and it is pretty damn average. Fourth, the speakers are pretty damn quiet. Fifth, the fans can get quite loud under heavy load or under turbo. Sixth, the included SSD is generic and very slow by contemporary standards (still quick in practical use for day-to-day purposes, but don't expect a Samsung PM971 here because you're not getting that). Seventh, the RAM is also some generic Gold Key RAM (1 stick, 16GB, 2666) that is about as basic as it gets. Eighth, the battery life with the stock 3 Cell 4100mAh battery isn't great. Ninth, the edges of the chassis under the armrest are a bit unfinished and can get uncomfortable. The front corners can be a bit sharp too.

5. That's a lot of downsides. What are the upsides?

I'm glad you asked, Me. First, the screen is the same IPS 144hz LG panel used on a number of top tier thin and light 15" gaming laptops (the Gigabyte Aero 15x and the Razer Blade 15 2018, just to name two). For this type of device, it's very color accurate. My own unit has 98% SRGB, 70% NTSC, and 75% Adobe RGB color gamut coverage. Subjectively, colors vibrant without being too oversaturated and the contrast ratio is very good producing deep blacks. It's quite good. Second, the chassis is extremely durably built and rigid. There is no keyboard flex or display flex at all and even the plastics on the bottom are well built. Third, the unit is a thin and light gaming laptop weighting in at only 4.4 lbs. It really is quite small. Fourth, it uses a full 6GB non-MaxQ 1060 and has excellent performance. Thermals are very good for the form factor as well. Fifth, I like tactile keyboards and the brown switches on this are quite good in that respect, *if* you can get used to the compressed layout. Sixth, it has solid per key RGB, which is like having a laptop/Christmas tree combo. Seventh, and finally, I'm a right-to-repair guy. This unit is extremely expandable and upgradable and – even without TB3 – I expect this system will be usable for my purposes for quite some time to come. The battery is replicable, even with a larger capacity battery manufactured for other models (at the cost of the mechanical drive). It has two NVME slots. It's quite easy to open and work inside of the laptop (18 screws, no clips, and one warranty sticker that is the warranty equivalent of a 'beware of dog' sign).

6. Anything else?

The OP branding is stupid. And they put it in three spots on the system (lid, top left of the keyboard, and on the space bar. Buy your favorite novelty stickers and cover them up: Problem Solved.

 

I'm not steering anyone anywhere. All I am saying is that customer service for these is a huge mystery and I personally wouldn't take the chance. Also, for me I wouldn't want a loud keyboard for my use. It's important to keep things in mind especially when you see a good price for something like this and you order it and you don't think about the consequences for your particular use case. So yes for me it's no good... but I would advise people that the keyboard is louder than most standard laptop keyboards and warranty support is a big mystery.

 

I don't think Walmart is going anywhere any time soon, they might drop the house branded PCs, but they are still responsible for the support/warranty. It is also a barebones chassis that resellers pick how much RAM/CPU HDD/SDD to go inside of it, so updates should be from them as far as drivers BIOS etc. As for the KB, it's sold as a gaming laptop, not something for study or travel etc, there are many smaller, lighter and much longer battery life options out there for that use case. For gaming however, many people WANT a mechanical KB for the very reason you don't like it, tactile feedback and being able to hear the clicks.

Good points to make people aware, don't get me wrong, but the market this should be targeting, that should be a plus.

 

Getting one of the $800 units

 

noice!

 

Well I heard about a $500 unit the other day with a 1080p 144hz screen and a gtx 1050. With that gpu screen combo it should be renamed "underpowered". Why the heck would anyone want a high refresh screen with that gpu?

 

Not sure why anyone would complain either.

 

Customer : I want this laptop for $500.

Store Rep : Great it even comes with a 144hz screen!

Customer : Nevermind, the gpu is too weak i dont want this laptop anymore. Who's idea was this anyway, shame on them.

Store Rep : We do offer the 60hz screen but it will be the same price.

Customer : Sold.

 

They probably just bought a crap ton of the same case and screen combo and just put in whatever hardware needed to hit the price point they wanted. Makes more sense then buying different screens and not getting the same volume discount.

 

Also apparently you can bundle a free VR 2560x1440 headset with the order as well.. I canceled my 17' order and submitted an order with the VR headset included..



Early commented post.... ***Disregard***..... for moral reasons.. I suppose lol..

 

I'm torn on this system as it is an El Cheapo. I've watched a few reviews about it and the reviews are mostly on the negative side.

 

Let me guess, the keyboard noise?

 

Looks like a decent machine, really, and the fact that there are others using the same chassis/config and BIOS swaps can happen and it's fairly easy to open up and repair things, damn, this is one of those deals that I really hate missing out on yet once again.

 

The sounds mechanical keyboards make are annoying. I'd never use one for that reason alone.

 

If they're going to make it sound like the keyboard is using mechanical switches then it should just use mechanical switches. Otherwise, there is absolutely no excuse for it being loud.

 

TBH I bought and HP Voodoo- 6 core i7 and 1060 non max gtx. Pretty much the same specs but no 144hz screen. From what I can tell the walmart one is better in a couple ways - the screen - and the ability to add a second nvme? i paid 899 for mine a while back at microcenter.

 

I too have the 15" version but with the GTX1050. The keyboard is not THAT loud, but yes, more audible than other laptops for sure. It is nice to type on as a trade off though.

I also got 2 price adjustments, one when it went down by $100 and another when it went down again by another $100, and they gave me $100 then $200 so I basically got it for $400. This thing is nice for the price. Manages heat better than the M15 I tried, but definitely has other drawbacks.

The included SSD is slow, but I had a 950pro waiting, definitely much better. The PSU is cheap and overall it's definitely a cheaper feeling laptop. No Thunderbolt. But the weight and thickness is spot on, I don't think any extra space was used for the keyboard. Has lots of ports (both internal & external)... great for the price.