The Bottom Line
CyberPower's Xplorer X7-7700 is a good all around desktop replacement laptop. It doesn't excel in any one particular area of computing such as size, graphics or storage. Instead, the system is built to be relatively affordable and useful for just about anything. The addition of multiple color options can create a fairly unique laptop at extra cost.
Pros
* Good Balance Between Performance And Power
* Available With Multiple Color Options (With Extra Cost)
Cons
* Uses Slower DDR2 Memory Instead of DDR3
* Base Hard Drive Size Is Smaller Than Average
Description
* Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 Dual Core Mobile Processor
* 4GB PC2-6400 DDR3 Memory
* 250GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
* 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
* 17" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Wide LCD With 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
* NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT Graphics With 512MB Memory
* v.92 56 Kbps Modem, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth 2.0
* Four USB 2.0, FireWire, eSATAm, HDMI, ExpressCard/54, 4-in-1 Card Reader
* 15.6" x 11" x 1.4" @ 8.0 lbs.
* Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Guide Review - CyberPower Xplorer X7-7700 17-inch Desktop Replacement Laptop PC
CyberPower's Xplorer X7-7700 is actually just a build that uses the MSI MS-1722 whitebook chassis design for a customized computer. This isn't a bad thing per say as it does give users some flexibility in what they can select when buying the system. Just remember that it is also possible to purchase the base chassis on your own and build the system exactly the way you want.
In terms of performance, the Xplorer X7-7700 is mixed. The base Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 processor is a good mix between performance and power consumption. It is equivalent in speed to a T9400 processor but running with a lower overall power draw. The system falls behind many newer systems in the memory performance because of its reliance on the older but less expensive DDR2 memory standard compared to DDR3 memory.
The base configuration of the Xplorer X7-7700 is a bit below average for storage. Most desktop replacements are now featuring 320GB hard drives running at a desktop spin rate. CyberPower instead uses a 250GB hard drive running at the slower 5400rpm notebook spin rate. At least they offer options to upgrade this to a larger, higher performance drives or solid state drives for those not too worried about space or cost. The hard drive upgrades are definitely worth the slightly increased cost.
For its graphics, the Xplorer X7-7700 is more of a mid-ranged system. It uses a lower 1680x1050 resolution on the 17-inch display screen that is easier to read compared to 1920x1200 displays that have more detail. The NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics is certainly capable of playing PC games and is matched well with the display resolution. There are other systems for similar prices with higher performance graphics.