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The price of the Qosmio X870 renders it the preserve of hardcore gamers and 3D aficionados who require the kind of power this laptop can generate. And, power is the name of the game here.
With both the Ivy Bridge processor and Nvidia GPU firing, the results are astounding.
Graphics are crisply rendered on the 17.3-inch screen and the Blu-ray capability and stereoscopic 3D give this entertainment scope beyond just gaming.
This is a fully-featured entertainment machine and although we quibble at the battery life and 'Marmite' design, when it comes down to sheer performance, this has got most other gaming laptops truly beat.
We liked
As a gaming machine, this does exactly what it's supposed to. We could not only play Battlefield at full-detail settings, but also engage the 3D setting and blast away in a whole extra dimension.
We also liked that fact that Toshiba has upped each of the USB ports to USB 3.0 – a decision that lets us use the latest gaming peripherals at top speed to help improve the experience.
Special mention must also go to the 17.3-inch screen, managing to be crisp and bright enough to enjoy even with dimmed 3D specs on.
We disliked
In some cases, gaming machines can work well as standard desktop replacement devices.
But if you're not a gamer it's extremely unlikely you'll go anywhere near the Qosmio X870.
The overall design is likely to appeal to some, but not all, while battery life is atrocious. A few extra tweaks such as a deeper keyboard and added subwoofer could also have added greatly to this machine.
Final verdict
The Qosmio X870 is without doubt the best choice for anyone (with cash to burn) who needs the best gaming machine waiting for them at home.
However, the styling and price won't appeal to everyone and if you still want the 3D experience, albeit with slightly less power, then the Samsung Series 7 Gamer is a worthy alternative.
