Origin EON17-S review

The EON17-S is by far one of the most customizable 17.3-inch laptop you can buy. Much more customizable than Alienware and MSI notebooks, or Asus's monstrous ROG G750JX, Origin allows buyers to hand pick almost all their components, down to the RAM manufacturer. There are only a few gaming boutiques, Falcon Northwest and Xotic PC, that offer the same service.

While the power inside each EON17-S will vary depending on how the user builds it, this is a solid platform with gorgeous yet restrained stylings, a good keyboard, and booming speakers. Users looking to drop over $2,500 for a gaming laptop should definitely consider Origin. Frankly, it's a better deal than the Alienware 17 or the MSI GS70 Stealth.

We liked

I might be partial to the EON17-S because of its Lamborghini intimations, but this is a machine that sets itself apart without being flamboyant about it. Save for the flared lines on the lid and illuminated trackpad, all the extra flourishes – from the massive vents around back to the built-in equalizer light – serve a purpose. Unlike the Alienware 17, the EON17-S can turn heads without being obnoxious, all the while being more affordable.

When equipped with a near top-end Haswell chip and the super punchy GTX 880M, the EON17-S delivered on-demand power that almost never faltered. Sure, the machine costs a staggering $2,601 (about £1,531, AU$2,764), but with that you can be confident in bumping a game's settings to max, knowing it won't buckle.

We disliked

The only disappointment here was the screen. It has a fast enough refresh rate and almost no perceptible lag for gaming, but the screen just lacks color depth. The real shame is the lack of popping colors can poorly present the graphical fidelity that the EON17-S' high-end parts can produce.

Final verdict

Hands down, the Origin EON17-S is a superior value in face of the competition, despite it's seemingly enormous price. If you lack the time or patience to pore over power supplies, cases, monitors and more, this is a solid starting point and a more mobile solution.

It will always be more cost-effective to build your own gaming PC, but the service and support that Origin provides is impossible to replicate going that route. Plus, the extra niceties included in that price, namely the bundled mouse, could leave you set with this gaming laptop for a while.

Throwing over $2,500 at a decked-out gaming laptop should not be done lightly. With that cash, you could build a banging Steam Machine down the line, plus a sharp HDTV screen. But ultimately, if you seek fuss-free PC gaming that you can easily cart around the house, the Origin EON17-S is one to beat.