Benchmarks: Gaming
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Here's where the X9 needs to prove its worth. SLI is the key selling point, and the synthetic tests paint the multi-GPU configuration in a positive light. Performance in the Time Spy test is increased by almost 60 per cent over the single-GPU X7, lending credence to the implementation of a second GeForce GTX 1070. There's extra heat to contend with, yet the X9 just about manages to sneak past the 97 per cent pass mark in the Stress Test.
But make no mistake, dual GPUs continue to frustrate and delight in equal measure. We've chosen to benchmark a quartet of modern games at the laptop's native resolution, and our experience is split right down the middle.
On the one hand, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Middle-earth: Shadow of War both benefit from the second GPU, showing a performance increase of 77 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively, at the highest quality setting. On the other hand, F1 2017 and Total War: Warhammer II seem to completely ignore the second GPU, once again highlighting the fact that developer support for SLI is far from comprehensive.
It is also worth noting that we recorded a noticeable minimum framerate drop in the games in which SLI delivers a higher average fps, reinforcing the theory that while multiple GPUs can increase maximum performance, the gains can come at the expense of the overall experience due to increased micro-stuttering.
