Vandaskuut
New member
Hi all, this is a my written opinion about the the Defiance II 14".
I'm not going in to benchmarks currently, but if you want to see them, let me know, I'll run some tests.
Spec Sheet
Chassis & Display Defiance Series: 14" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core Processor 6820HK (2.7GHz, 3.6GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM) 16GB HyperX IMPACT 2133MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970M - 3.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
Memory - Hard Disk NOT REQUIRED
M.2 SSD Drive 512GB SAMSUNG PM951 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 1050MB/R, 560MB/W)
Memory Card Reader Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
Power Cable 1 x European Power Lead & 180W AC Adaptor
Thermal Paste ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Def. Audio + MIC/Headphone + SoundBlaster X-Fi MB3
Bluetooth & Wireless GIGABIT LAN & KILLER™ WIRELESS-AC 1535 M.2 GAMING 802.11AC + BLUETOOTH 4.1
USB Options 4 x USB 3.0 PORTS AS STANDARD
Battery Defiance Series 3 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (45WH)
Keyboard Language 14" DEFIANCE SERIES BACKLIT BELGIAN KEYBOARD
Operating System NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language United Kingdom - English Language
DVD Recovery Media NO DVD RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty 3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery 2 - 6 DAY DELIVERY TO EUROPE (COUNTRY DEPENDANT)
Build Time Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Pricing Information
Price (excluding BTW) €1.132,23
Price €1.370,00
Introduction
I chose a rather high-end spec for the laptop, because I wanted to carry around some serious computing power, wherever I went.
It is 2016 however, and you don't need to drag around half an elephant's weight to have a decent laptop in your backpack.
Size and weight mattered to me, since this unit spends about as much time in a bag as it does on a desk.
This laptop was bought for personal entertainment and general workloads at college.
Pre-arrival
On the evening of Thursday the 11th of August, I ordered my Defiance II.
I paid by bank transfer. I'm from Belgium. This takes a while.
That while turned out to be a long while.
It took the payment 5 days to process. This isn't incomprehensible however...it simply takes this long sometimes.
If you're trying to get a laptop before your semester starts and you decide to order tonight, do not expect it to be there in time if your semester starts in under 7 working days. Be realistic.
Try to avoid using bank transfers.
I contacted PC Specialist after not getting any updates in regards to the payment, and they messaged me back a few hours after.
I got a very friendly message from Richard Dowds answering my question.
This was top-notch customer support.
You know that fresh-pc smell? That little high it gives you?
PC Specialist knows what kind of addict you are.
And they don't send you to rehab, no, they send you almost-hourly updates on what's happening to your unborn laptop-child.
-Hey, your payment's here.
-Hey, it's all built and stuff.
-Hey there, we tested it and stuff and it looks hella nice.
-Quality control looked okay. Shall we send it to you? One sec let's phone up DPD.
-Yeah we went ahead and got you this tracked id? You get GPS updates on where it is and there's a tracking facecam on the box so you can chat with the delivery guy.
Alright, that last bit was exaggerated. The DPD tracker however is a very nice and responsive tool that allows you to monitor where your packet is and is going.
After I was told that the laptop had been dispatched, I got an email concerning my choice of not buying a Windows license from them.
I didn't need a Windows license as I had one laying around anyways.
The email informed me that my laptop was coming with a test version of Windows, as they needed to make sure everything worked properly, and that I knew it did. (smart)
I formatted the drive, and started my own install. After Windows was finished, I had to install the drivers. I hate installing drivers. Everyone hates installing drivers. PC Specialist knows this. PC Specialist hooks a brother up.
I got another email informing me that there was a new link added to my PC Specialist account with all the drivers I'll be needing on my laptop
Post-arrival
When I got home after I knew the package had been delivered, I started the unboxing process.
My laptop box was packed up in a laptop-shipping-box. With plastic-air-protection-things in-between it. Great packaging.
Once I got to the laptop, installation discs etc aside, I started installing my own Windows.
After installing the drivers (thanks PC Specialist)
I ran some games, and I am honestly still stunned at how well they run.
The laptop doesn't go too loud, and the temperatures are as good as they'll get on a laptop.
I have a 5820k running in my tower, together with 2 980's and I must say, having this laptop to use at college, when I'm with friends, or if I'm just to lazy to get out of bed, is awesome.
Benchmarks can be provided, I just didn't feel like boring people with them.
Thank you, PC Specialist.
Photobooth
I'm not going in to benchmarks currently, but if you want to see them, let me know, I'll run some tests.
Spec Sheet
Chassis & Display Defiance Series: 14" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core Processor 6820HK (2.7GHz, 3.6GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM) 16GB HyperX IMPACT 2133MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970M - 3.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
Memory - Hard Disk NOT REQUIRED
M.2 SSD Drive 512GB SAMSUNG PM951 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 1050MB/R, 560MB/W)
Memory Card Reader Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
Power Cable 1 x European Power Lead & 180W AC Adaptor
Thermal Paste ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Def. Audio + MIC/Headphone + SoundBlaster X-Fi MB3
Bluetooth & Wireless GIGABIT LAN & KILLER™ WIRELESS-AC 1535 M.2 GAMING 802.11AC + BLUETOOTH 4.1
USB Options 4 x USB 3.0 PORTS AS STANDARD
Battery Defiance Series 3 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (45WH)
Keyboard Language 14" DEFIANCE SERIES BACKLIT BELGIAN KEYBOARD
Operating System NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language United Kingdom - English Language
DVD Recovery Media NO DVD RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Warranty 3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery 2 - 6 DAY DELIVERY TO EUROPE (COUNTRY DEPENDANT)
Build Time Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Pricing Information
Price (excluding BTW) €1.132,23
Price €1.370,00
Introduction
I chose a rather high-end spec for the laptop, because I wanted to carry around some serious computing power, wherever I went.
It is 2016 however, and you don't need to drag around half an elephant's weight to have a decent laptop in your backpack.
Size and weight mattered to me, since this unit spends about as much time in a bag as it does on a desk.
This laptop was bought for personal entertainment and general workloads at college.
Pre-arrival
On the evening of Thursday the 11th of August, I ordered my Defiance II.
I paid by bank transfer. I'm from Belgium. This takes a while.
That while turned out to be a long while.
It took the payment 5 days to process. This isn't incomprehensible however...it simply takes this long sometimes.
If you're trying to get a laptop before your semester starts and you decide to order tonight, do not expect it to be there in time if your semester starts in under 7 working days. Be realistic.
Try to avoid using bank transfers.
I contacted PC Specialist after not getting any updates in regards to the payment, and they messaged me back a few hours after.
I got a very friendly message from Richard Dowds answering my question.
This was top-notch customer support.
You know that fresh-pc smell? That little high it gives you?
PC Specialist knows what kind of addict you are.
And they don't send you to rehab, no, they send you almost-hourly updates on what's happening to your unborn laptop-child.
-Hey, your payment's here.
-Hey, it's all built and stuff.
-Hey there, we tested it and stuff and it looks hella nice.
-Quality control looked okay. Shall we send it to you? One sec let's phone up DPD.
-Yeah we went ahead and got you this tracked id? You get GPS updates on where it is and there's a tracking facecam on the box so you can chat with the delivery guy.
Alright, that last bit was exaggerated. The DPD tracker however is a very nice and responsive tool that allows you to monitor where your packet is and is going.
After I was told that the laptop had been dispatched, I got an email concerning my choice of not buying a Windows license from them.
I didn't need a Windows license as I had one laying around anyways.
The email informed me that my laptop was coming with a test version of Windows, as they needed to make sure everything worked properly, and that I knew it did. (smart)
I formatted the drive, and started my own install. After Windows was finished, I had to install the drivers. I hate installing drivers. Everyone hates installing drivers. PC Specialist knows this. PC Specialist hooks a brother up.
I got another email informing me that there was a new link added to my PC Specialist account with all the drivers I'll be needing on my laptop
Post-arrival
When I got home after I knew the package had been delivered, I started the unboxing process.
My laptop box was packed up in a laptop-shipping-box. With plastic-air-protection-things in-between it. Great packaging.
Once I got to the laptop, installation discs etc aside, I started installing my own Windows.
After installing the drivers (thanks PC Specialist)
I ran some games, and I am honestly still stunned at how well they run.
The laptop doesn't go too loud, and the temperatures are as good as they'll get on a laptop.
I have a 5820k running in my tower, together with 2 980's and I must say, having this laptop to use at college, when I'm with friends, or if I'm just to lazy to get out of bed, is awesome.
Benchmarks can be provided, I just didn't feel like boring people with them.
Thank you, PC Specialist.
Photobooth
Last edited: