Out of the many GTX 1060 laptops out there, the EVGA SC15 stands out for being quite portable with its sleek design. The laptop houses some pretty serious specs and can easily compete with other gaming laptops in the same price bracket.
Design
Laptops like the 17 inch Alienware 17, MSI GT73VR, or Asus G752VS have that rigidity feel which isn’t found on most 15 inches laptops yet the EVGA SC15 has the same kind of feel attached to it. At the same time, it happens to be still thin like the MSI GS63VR, Gigabyte P55, or Asus FX502.
The chassis is made from aluminum and offers quite a smooth appearance to it, and except the rubber footing everything is built using it. The surface is in matte, with a bit of texture to it. In case you need the most premium looking 15-inch laptop, then this is the one.
The weight is 2.9 kg, which might seem a bit more for a 15-inch laptop, but only because it houses more specs. To support the display which can be rotated about 140 degrees, the hinges seem to be durable with them being so thick, that they catch an eye.
Ports
As you would expect from a premium gaming machine, this laptop boasts a plethora of ports. There is the usual USB 3.0 Type-A port along with a couple of video-out ports. The good thing is that the EVGA SC15 has an HDMI 2.0b and mDP 1.4 instead of the older HDMI 1.4 and mDP 1.2 ones on the MSI GS63VR.
To put it simply, there is a USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.0b, mDP 1.4, Gigabit Ethernet, AC adapter, and a Kensington Lock on the right side. While on the left, there is a 3.5 mm audio, 3.5 mm microphone, and a couple of USB 3.0 ports. Sadly, there isn’t a single SD card reader.
Accessories
You aren’t just getting a laptop but a couple of other things too. Without any additional cost, you are looking at a wired Torq X10 gaming mouse, USB Type-C to USB 3.0 Type-A adapter, leather palm rest pad, and a user guide. Surely, these freebies aren’t what companies usually offer.
Warranty
There is a base two-year standard warranty.
Keyboard
The keyboard has a shorter travel as compared to the GS63VR, yet courtesy stronger tactile feedback, the key press is firm and loud, thus making for an excellent typing experience. Though, for this, you might want to get accustomed to the keyboard which may require some time. There is a dedicated numpad too for all that punching in on numbers. It should be noted that the Power Button is positioned in a manner (just around the Page Down key), such that it may result in unintentional shutdowns.
The keyboard has 4 RGB Backlight zones which can be customized according to five brightness settings, coupled with some preset configurations.
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TouchPad
The Touchpad isn’t really that spacious with measuring just 10.5 x 6 cm, though it makes up for this by offering a smooth gliding experience and being equally responsive.
Display
The Display sadly isn’t available at a 4k resolution so you will have to make do with an edge to edge 1080 matte display. The display supports Nvidia’s G-Sync technology and has a good refresh rate of 120 Hz. The average response time is just about par for this display, and with the matte surface being thicker than usual, the display quality isn’t that good. The laptop covers 89 percent of the sRGB gamut.
Battery
The EVGA SC15 does consume a lot of power even when idle, mainly because of its heavier specifications. Since the battery is just 62 Wh, it lasts for just under 3 hours when continuously tested on WLAN usage. Yes, gaming laptops experience shorter battery life, but that is mainly on 4k displays. The short battery life might be a deal breaker for some. Furthermore, it takes nearly 2 hours to charge the battery to full.
Prices and Configurations
There is only one model of EVGA SC15 available for a price tag of $1900. For this price, you are getting an Intel i7-7700HQ CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Laptop), 16 GB of RAM, and FHD 120 Hz G-Sync. For storage purposes, there is Toshiba NVMe 256 GB SSD coupled with a 1 TB Seagate Hard Disk Drive.
Our Verdict
For a laptop with a GTX 1060 GPU, the laptop delivers nearly everything. Considering that the fan noise isn’t that much, and the build quality is great while being thin at the same time, perhaps spending $1,900 on this laptop isn’t a bad idea at all. But it’s available in a very good discounted price; only $1,399 on Amazon these days. Check out!
