Question 1

Is the keyboard nice to type with?

Accepted Answer

Exceptionally nice sensitive 'feel' to the keyboard, but not backlight if that's what you are looking for.  The keyboard is a totally a delight to use.

My particular use though, for writing and video editing, requires two displays.  I use the laptop as a second display to my main 27" default display.  To do this, I am using a clunky MSFT ergonomic keyboard.  But you got me thinking! When my clunk keyboard wears out, I should really look for something as nice as the GIGABYTE keyboard!

Dave

Question 2

How is the matte screen? Does it have a grainy effect?

Accepted Answer

There is no "grainy effect" that my eyes can perceive, and I have good vision. The "grainyness" scale is probably orders of magnitude smaller than any detail the eye can resolve. That being said, any matte screen will appear a little bit dull compared to a glossy equivalent. If you're using the laptop in well lit places, it's a very good compromise. I would suggest going to a retail store to compare glossy vs matte LCD screens in general, as this is after all a matter of personal perception.

Question 3

I read David T's review and he stated he was able to upgrade to 16gig memory but I just want to make certain this is true because I am confused when looking at the tech specs and it states "Memory Spec 8x1". Also I noticed there is another similar model from Gigabyte that has a BD burner and an extra SSD...Would it be possible to update this to that as well in the future? Thanks.

Accepted Answer

You can indeed upgrade the capacity (to 16GB - 2x8GB) and speed (to 1866MHz) of the Memory. I recommend these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231709 This computer has three internal SATA slots. This model uses one for the 1TB HDD and one for the 128GB SSD. The "CF1" model that retails for $1899 places another 128GB SSD in the third slot and configures the two SSDs as a RAID 0 array. You can upgrade those three SATA slots to any configuration (RAID/NON-RAID, HDD/SSD) that you choose. You could "probably" upgrade the DVD-RW to the BD-RW of the "CF1" model by going through GIGABYTE or possibly the manufacturer of the BD-RW drive itself, but you can definitely get an external BD burner and save yourself the hassle. All in all, you're not going to get a better laptop for the money. Upgrade the memory and you have yourself a $1700 laptop that outperforms everything out there, including the more expensive "CF1 model" except for $4000-5000 custom built boutique laptops. This is the much better purchase, in my opinion.

Question 4

I am curious about battery life when not gaming. I will be using this to take notes in class as well, and need it to be able to last awhile.

Also, does it come with a blu-ray burner? The front page seems to say so but the specs pages say DVD super multi.

Accepted Answer

Battery life can be about 4-5 hours if you turn off wifi, decrease screen brightness, etc.  This model comes with the DVD-RW.  For the blu-ray burner, you have to buy the more expensive $1899 "CF1" model, but you could buy an external burner and upgrade the RAM on this model for about $50 less than that model will cost you. By upgrading to 1866MHz RAM, this route would be the faster option.

The only other difference is that model has a third SSD drive and configures the two SSDs in a RAID 0.  The only real reason the other model might be the better choice is if you HAVE to have all three of the upgrades (8GB more memory, blu-ray burner, and extra 128GB SSD).  Even then, you could make all those upgrades to this model and choose even better performing SSD drives for not that much more.

Question 5

Is the included SSD a 2.5' inch or mSATA drive? In other words, can I swap the existing drive out with an mSATA drive I have on hand if I were so inclined?

Accepted Answer

The SSDs are mSATA.

Question 6

What is the frequency and brand of the 8gb ram pre-installed? I would like to buy 8gb more ram which works in same frequency and if possible same brand.

Accepted Answer

It comes with DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) memory, but for the same price ($165), you could upgrade to 16GB of DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) and increase the performance even further. I HIGHLY recommend these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231709

Question 7

Is the HDMI 2.0 or...?

Accepted Answer

It has HDMI 1.4

Question 8

Is the battery easily detachable, will it run on just the power source without the battery?

Accepted Answer

Yes the battery is easily detachable. Also it will run on just the power source without the battery. However I do not recommend doing this because if for some reason the charging cable comes unplugged during use, the computer will instantly loose power and could cause damage to internal components due to now powering down properly. Just leave the battery in.

Question 9

Thank's Chris, I also don't see what speed RAM I could replace with...is there a max allowed? (1066 - 2133)

Accepted Answer

The fastest compatible RAM is DDR3 1866 (PC314900).

Question 10

Because its small.. would it work for perfect gaming since its GTX 880m? I want this because of its vents. I hate hot and big laptops, so will I be able to game awesomely?

Accepted Answer

It is definitely smaller for the power it packs.  In fact it is small enough where I am currently looking for a 15.6" laptop sleeve to carry it around in when I am not going to be gaming.  I used to own one of the 'big' gaming laptops and it was carried around in a backpack, it could not fit in a sleeve.

As far as heat, it does give out the heat, but the vents to a great job of keeping it cool although when gaming you can definitely hear the fans running.  Since this does have the 880m, it will absolutely play any game out there, even impossibly hard games like Metro 2033.  You will not be disappointed in the performance of this laptop.  Read my review...the only true weakness this computer has is the speakers.  They are sub-par for this high-end of a laptop.

Good Luck!
David

Brand	GIGABYTE
Model	P25Xv2-SP1

Color	Yellow
Operating System	Windows 8.1 64-Bit
CPU	Intel Core i7-4710MQ 2.5 GHz
Screen	15.6"
Memory	8GB DDR3L
Storage	1TB HDD + 128GB SSD
Optical Drive	12.7 mm Super Multi DVD RW
Graphics Card	NVIDIA Geforce GTX 880M
Video Memory	8GB GDDR5
Dimensions (W x D x H)	15.43" x 10.35" x 1.51"
Weight	6.39lbs (with ODD and 8-cell battery)

CPU Type	Intel Core i7 4th Gen
Processor Name	Intel Core i7-4710MQ
Number of Cores	Quad-core Processor
Turbo Frequency	Max Turbo Frequency 3.5 GHz
CPU L3 Cache	6 MB

Screen Size	15.6"
Wide Screen Support	Yes
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Panel	IPS
Display Features	Full HD Matte Display IPS

GPU/VPU	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M
Video Memory	8GB
Graphic Type	Dedicated Card

BenchmarksBenchmarks Information

GIGABYTE - 15.6" NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M - Intel Core i7-4710MQ - 8GB Memory - 128 GB SSD - Windows 8.1 64-Bit - Gaming Laptop - IPS (P25Xv2-SP1 )

Learn more about the GIGABYTE P25Xv2-SP1

Customer Reviews of the GIGABYTE P25Xv2-SP1

Warranty & Returns

Warranty, Returns, And Additional Information

Warranty

Return Policies

Manufacturer Contact Info

Optical Drive Type	DVD Super Multi
Optical Drive Spec	12.7 mm Super Multi DVD RW

LAN	10/100/1000Mbps
WLAN	802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0

Keyboard	Superior Backlit Keyboard
Backlit Keyboard	Backlit
Webcam	1.3MP Webcam

General
Style	Standard
Type	Gaming
Usage	Consumer

Item#: N82E16834233043