Max-Q not needed.
The membrane keyboard is decent. Actuation force is ~55g, key travel is ~1.6mm. There is slight mushiness when pressing the keys though. Arrow keys are half sized and keys at the entire bottom row are slightly taller. Numpad is cramped and there’s a max fan button at top right of the keyboard. You can set keyboard lighting via included software: Control Center. Note that it has only zone lighting.
The clickpad has metallic surface (same with the finishing in A and C cover). There are bronze coloured lines surrounding the clickpad. It uses Precision driver and has a smooth surface. It’s stretched to the right and looks more aligned to the center, though I wish it could be a bit taller. The L/R clicks requires low-moderate force to be clicked and the clicks are silent. It feels tactile and high quality.
2. Display, Audio, Battery
The 15.6 inch display is a 144Hz IPS panel – BOE0804. Fast pace movements looks smooth as expected, though I can feel that there is minimal ghosting – not a big issue though. It gets bright, colours are vibrant, and contrast is excellent. It has quite thin bezels.
The 2 down firing speakers (blocked entirely) has poor audio quality, even the bottom is lifted. There’s no audio software to it which is weird. There is some bass, but volume is tiny and mids+highs are imbalanced and lacking.
There is a 60.5Wh battery installed, however there is no Optimus (common in Quanta barebones).
3. Thermals
The cooling design consists of 2 medium sized shared heatpipes on CPU+GPU (one doesn’t stretch to GPU fan) and 1 individual heatpipe for both CPU and GPU. There are 4 exhaust vents in total (rear and sides), though there isn’t much hot air that is pushed out from sides.
Before going into the results, I need to address 2 issues I've found during thermal testing:
1. It has poor airflow due to short rubber foot. From my testing, temps can drop as much as 9C for both CPU and GPU in CSGO. For all the thermal testing below (except CSGO), I decided not to lift up the bottom to see what the stock thermals are. Expect cooler temps when lifted.
Undervolt profile: CPU core+cache -100mv. I undervolted GPU in one of the test. Blue highlighted part is the undervolted result.
CPU - Aida64 FPU (62W)
89-92C, 2.98-2.99GHz
89-92C, ~3.25GHz
GPU - Unigine Heaven (extreme profile)
71-72C, ~1635MHz, ~115W
(will hit 87C at the beginning few minutes - refer to the issue mentioned above)
FPU + Heaven (extreme) with max fans (7200 RPM)
CPU: ~93C, 3.0-3.1GHz, 54W without thermal throttling
In this review we’ll take a look on Illegear’s new Laguna SE. 2070MP GPU in a thin and light chassis – can it cool well? We’ll find out.
Main specs:
- i7-9750H
- RTX 2070 8GB
- 16GB 2666MHz RAM (single channel)
- 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
- 144Hz IPS
- Intel 9560
Based on Quanta NLCA chassis (slightly modified design)
Product page:
https://store.illegear.com/extreme-performance/203-illegear-laguna-se.html
1. Build quality, input devices
Build quality is good-excellent. Most of the laptop is made of aluminium which feels premium - double layer anodized aluminium body (metallic black with gold accent) according to Illegear.
Main specs:
- i7-9750H
- RTX 2070 8GB
- 16GB 2666MHz RAM (single channel)
- 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
- 144Hz IPS
- Intel 9560
Based on Quanta NLCA chassis (slightly modified design)
Product page:
https://store.illegear.com/extreme-performance/203-illegear-laguna-se.html
1. Build quality, input devices
Build quality is good-excellent. Most of the laptop is made of aluminium which feels premium - double layer anodized aluminium body (metallic black with gold accent) according to Illegear.
The aluminium lid has some flex when twisted, but it will be locked out at certain point. Applying force on the middle of the lid results in some flex. The lid has little to no wobbling due to the tight hinge, still you can open the lid with 1 hand. The aluminium keyboard deck has little flex on the middle part but that’s about it, other areas have no flex.
The membrane keyboard is decent. Actuation force is ~55g, key travel is ~1.6mm. There is slight mushiness when pressing the keys though. Arrow keys are half sized and keys at the entire bottom row are slightly taller. Numpad is cramped and there’s a max fan button at top right of the keyboard. You can set keyboard lighting via included software: Control Center. Note that it has only zone lighting.
The clickpad has metallic surface (same with the finishing in A and C cover). There are bronze coloured lines surrounding the clickpad. It uses Precision driver and has a smooth surface. It’s stretched to the right and looks more aligned to the center, though I wish it could be a bit taller. The L/R clicks requires low-moderate force to be clicked and the clicks are silent. It feels tactile and high quality.
2. Display, Audio, Battery
The 15.6 inch display is a 144Hz IPS panel – BOE0804. Fast pace movements looks smooth as expected, though I can feel that there is minimal ghosting – not a big issue though. It gets bright, colours are vibrant, and contrast is excellent. It has quite thin bezels.
The 2 down firing speakers (blocked entirely) has poor audio quality, even the bottom is lifted. There’s no audio software to it which is weird. There is some bass, but volume is tiny and mids+highs are imbalanced and lacking.
There is a 60.5Wh battery installed, however there is no Optimus (common in Quanta barebones).
3. Thermals
The cooling design consists of 2 medium sized shared heatpipes on CPU+GPU (one doesn’t stretch to GPU fan) and 1 individual heatpipe for both CPU and GPU. There are 4 exhaust vents in total (rear and sides), though there isn’t much hot air that is pushed out from sides.
1. It has poor airflow due to short rubber foot. From my testing, temps can drop as much as 9C for both CPU and GPU in CSGO. For all the thermal testing below (except CSGO), I decided not to lift up the bottom to see what the stock thermals are. Expect cooler temps when lifted.
2. Auto fan curve needs some tweaking – too silent. Even when CPU is thermal throttling, the fan still wouldn’t speed up (kept at 3000ish RPM range which is around 37-39dBA). Same goes to GPU – will only speed up to 5700-6000 RPM (around 52-54dBA) after hitting 87C throttling point. Worse still, there is no fan curve control in Control Center. You can enable max fans (7200 RPM), but it’s very loud.
Notes on thermal testing:
- Performance mode is used (more on that later)
- By default, CPU is not undervolted
- BIOS QP161
- PL1 62W, PL2 78W under Performance mode (never reach PL2 - weird)
- BD PROCHOT for CPU is 96C
- GPU driver tested is 436.15
- Test is conducted in an A/C room (~25C)
- Laptop is plugged in
- You cannot override CPU power limits, even with Throttlestop
Notes on thermal testing:
- Performance mode is used (more on that later)
- By default, CPU is not undervolted
- BIOS QP161
- PL1 62W, PL2 78W under Performance mode (never reach PL2 - weird)
- BD PROCHOT for CPU is 96C
- GPU driver tested is 436.15
- Test is conducted in an A/C room (~25C)
- Laptop is plugged in
- You cannot override CPU power limits, even with Throttlestop
Undervolt profile: CPU core+cache -100mv. I undervolted GPU in one of the test. Blue highlighted part is the undervolted result.
CPU - Aida64 FPU (62W)
89-92C, 2.98-2.99GHz
89-92C, ~3.25GHz
GPU - Unigine Heaven (extreme profile)
71-72C, ~1635MHz, ~115W
(will hit 87C at the beginning few minutes - refer to the issue mentioned above)
FPU + Heaven (extreme) with max fans (7200 RPM)
CPU: ~93C, 3.0-3.1GHz, 54W without thermal throttling
(CPU can be pushed to near 60W, but will thermal throttle)
GPU: Max 76C, ~1625MHz, ~115W
FPU + Heaven (extreme) with auto fans (5700-6000 RPM), PL1 45W
CPU: 92-93C
GPU: ~80C, 1620MHz@0.794V, ~105W
CSGO - 1080p highest settings (FXAA, VSync, Motion blur disabled)
GPU: Max 76C, ~1625MHz, ~115W
FPU + Heaven (extreme) with auto fans (5700-6000 RPM), PL1 45W
CPU: 92-93C
GPU: ~80C, 1620MHz@0.794V, ~105W
CSGO - 1080p highest settings (FXAA, VSync, Motion blur disabled)
Mirage, no bots. Auto fans (5700-6000 RPM), PL1 45W, bottom lifted
CPU: Max 87C, mostly 4GHz, 45W
GPU: Max 74C, 1700-1800+MHz, max 115W (running at max power draw for the test – will fluctuate depending on scene)
There is uneven core temp issue: ~12C difference.
The whole keyboard area, upper area of keyboard and right palm rest can get a bit hot while under load. This is expected since it uses metal body. Surprisingly, bottom cover is just a bit warm under full load.
There are 4 power profiles to choose from:
High performance (PL1 62W), Gaming (PL1 35W), Text mode, Power saving
In short - stick with high performance mode or gaming mode. When using high performance mode for gaming, it’s highly suggested to set PL1 manually to 45W.
The included power adapter is a 230W unit from Chicony. Take note that temps will be a little higher when running dual channel memory.
4. Miscellaneous
This laptop weights at ~2.2kg (for 2070 model) and has ~21mm thickness. The laptop is thin and light and compact for a 15 inch.
Ports (from left to right):
L: RJ45, USB A, micro SD, (hard disk and power indicator lights)
R: Headphone/mic, x2 USB A
Rear: A/C in (with indicator light), HDMI, mDP, USB C, Kensington lock
Fans do run while idling (cannot turn off) but it's very quiet.
There are 2 green lights at the sides of the bottom chassis - not sure what are they for but I guess they are just normal lights when switched on.
Conclusion
Let’s start with the good things first. This machine is definitely capable of cooling the power hungry 2070 GPU well (remember, no Max-Q here) despite its fairly thin chassis. This is partially helped with the very loud fans. Build quality feels premium - if I had to nitpick, I wish the rigidity could be improved to zero flex. The rest like input devices and display quality are decent, nothing special.
Now for the issues. Airflow is very lacking; however, this can be solved with an easy fix – lifting the bottom. What’s not easy to be fixed is the fan curve. No manual control of fan curve is still tolerable; however, the fan speed levels are poorly tuned. Only 3 stages of fan speed while under load - 3000ish RPM, 5700-6000 RPM and 7200 RPM (max fan - need to activate manually). CPU will thermal throttle constantly because fan speed just refuses to go up for unknown reason. Meanwhile, GPU will heat up until 87C, after that only the fans will start to spin up. For other issues: Having Optimus disabled is beneficial IMO, but there’s no option to turn on Optimus which kills battery life. Audio quality is poor – I wish that it has audio software provided but I found none in my review unit.
Pros:
- Good-excellent build quality
- Good thermals, nice to see a thin and light capable of handling heat from 2070 GPU well (but with issues, see below)
- Thin and light – portable gaming laptop
- 144Hz IPS panel
- Not too expensive for a 2070 laptop
- Decent input devices
- No Optimus – max GPU performance available
Cons:
- Poorly tuned fan curve – auto fan curve causing overheating, no manual control of fan curve
- Very loud max fan
- Poor airflow (easy fix)
- Poor audio quality
- No option to turn on Optimus
- For unknown reason CPU couldn’t reach PL2, even in short burst test – CPU performance is capped
Additional notes: The cooling solution is slightly different in 1660Ti/2060 model, as you can see below.
(1 shared heatpipe connected to GPU fan only instead of CPU fan only)
For now, I will only recommend the 2070 model since I haven't tested the 1660Ti/2060 model.
Thanks for reading!
CPU: Max 87C, mostly 4GHz, 45W
GPU: Max 74C, 1700-1800+MHz, max 115W (running at max power draw for the test – will fluctuate depending on scene)
There is uneven core temp issue: ~12C difference.
The whole keyboard area, upper area of keyboard and right palm rest can get a bit hot while under load. This is expected since it uses metal body. Surprisingly, bottom cover is just a bit warm under full load.
There are 4 power profiles to choose from:
High performance (PL1 62W), Gaming (PL1 35W), Text mode, Power saving
In short - stick with high performance mode or gaming mode. When using high performance mode for gaming, it’s highly suggested to set PL1 manually to 45W.
The included power adapter is a 230W unit from Chicony. Take note that temps will be a little higher when running dual channel memory.
4. Miscellaneous
This laptop weights at ~2.2kg (for 2070 model) and has ~21mm thickness. The laptop is thin and light and compact for a 15 inch.
Ports (from left to right):
L: RJ45, USB A, micro SD, (hard disk and power indicator lights)
R: Headphone/mic, x2 USB A
Rear: A/C in (with indicator light), HDMI, mDP, USB C, Kensington lock
Fans do run while idling (cannot turn off) but it's very quiet.
There are 2 green lights at the sides of the bottom chassis - not sure what are they for but I guess they are just normal lights when switched on.
Conclusion
Let’s start with the good things first. This machine is definitely capable of cooling the power hungry 2070 GPU well (remember, no Max-Q here) despite its fairly thin chassis. This is partially helped with the very loud fans. Build quality feels premium - if I had to nitpick, I wish the rigidity could be improved to zero flex. The rest like input devices and display quality are decent, nothing special.
Now for the issues. Airflow is very lacking; however, this can be solved with an easy fix – lifting the bottom. What’s not easy to be fixed is the fan curve. No manual control of fan curve is still tolerable; however, the fan speed levels are poorly tuned. Only 3 stages of fan speed while under load - 3000ish RPM, 5700-6000 RPM and 7200 RPM (max fan - need to activate manually). CPU will thermal throttle constantly because fan speed just refuses to go up for unknown reason. Meanwhile, GPU will heat up until 87C, after that only the fans will start to spin up. For other issues: Having Optimus disabled is beneficial IMO, but there’s no option to turn on Optimus which kills battery life. Audio quality is poor – I wish that it has audio software provided but I found none in my review unit.
Pros:
- Good-excellent build quality
- Good thermals, nice to see a thin and light capable of handling heat from 2070 GPU well (but with issues, see below)
- Thin and light – portable gaming laptop
- 144Hz IPS panel
- Not too expensive for a 2070 laptop
- Decent input devices
- No Optimus – max GPU performance available
Cons:
- Poorly tuned fan curve – auto fan curve causing overheating, no manual control of fan curve
- Very loud max fan
- Poor airflow (easy fix)
- Poor audio quality
- No option to turn on Optimus
- For unknown reason CPU couldn’t reach PL2, even in short burst test – CPU performance is capped
Additional notes: The cooling solution is slightly different in 1660Ti/2060 model, as you can see below.
(1 shared heatpipe connected to GPU fan only instead of CPU fan only)
For now, I will only recommend the 2070 model since I haven't tested the 1660Ti/2060 model.
Thanks for reading!
Gallery:
So, how about GTX 1660 TI model, does the result also the same as 2070 model?
ReplyDeleteI have yet to confirm whether there is difference in cooling solution between different GPUs. If there isn't a difference, temps will be slightly lower in theory.
DeleteSo in your opinion, illegear prodigy and laguna se, which one better?
DeleteBoth have their own pros and cons, but there are other models to consider as well
DeleteI have decided to take the i7 + 1660ti, a good deal I think and with a grizzly kyro repasted. I might limit the perfomance of the i7 tho to avoid melting of the internal hardwares. Is there any suggestion to further decrease the heat of the CPU for laguna se?
DeleteYou paid for full performance. Don't limit performance.
DeleteAre you open to other suggestions? (might want to discuss further in LYN forum PM)
Somehow I have yet to have an account in LYN forum. Let me do it and I'll PM you there
DeleteI have a budget about the price of illegear laguna SE, rm 5k. But I am considering if this is more worthy or Level 51 forge 15 pro.
ReplyDeleteI have been in dilemma for sometimes on which to get. May be can I get your opinion?
Currently the best deal is to customize Y7000 SE or Y540 with 2060 GPU from Lenovo website, use code LENXCIMB (20%) and Shopback (7%) for discounts
Delete