Currently, the Core i9 8950HK laptop is the top choice for gaming PCs, led by major brands. It’s hard to imagine that among domestic brands, the first to adopt this processor is a relatively unknown one called “Wukong”. At this point, you might ask: What exactly is the S17 Pro-8U? Can it live up to the title of “Light of Domestic Products”? This is precisely the topic of today’s discussion.
Core Configuration
Display: 17.3 inch 1920 × 1080 AHVA, 144Hz G-SYNC
Processor: Core i9 8950HK with six cores and twelve threads, 2.9-4.8GHz
Graphics Card: GTX 1070 8GB
Memory: 32GB DDR4-2666 Dual Channel
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCI-E SSD + 2TB HDD
Network: Gigabit Ethernet + Intel 9260 802.11ac Wireless + Bluetooth 5.0
Other: 2 × USB3.1 Gen2, 2 × USB3.0, full-speed Thunderbolt 3/USB3.1 Type-C Gen2, HDMI, 2 × Mini DP, 3.5mm audio input/output with S/PDIF, SD card reader
Weight: 3kg (including 66Wh battery), 230W adapter 890g
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Launch Price on May 17: 17999 yuan
Performance Testing
Cinebench R15 Single Core/Multi Core/Graphics: 201/1286/140.61fps
WinRAR Compression: 15815KB/s
AS SSD Average Read: 2553MB/s Average Write: 1946MB/s
Maximum Load Processor/Graphics Card Temperature: 88 °C/67 °C
Final Fantasy 15 1920×1080 High Effects: 6199 Points
Assassin’s Creed: Origins 1920 × 1080 Highest Effects: 61fps
Civilization 6 1920×1080 Highest Effects: 68fps
Far Cry 5 1920×1080 Highest Effects: 89fps
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds 1920 × 1080 High Effects: 137fps
Fully Unleashing the Performance of the Strongest Processor
Although the graphics card is the most critical hardware in gaming applications, those who have tinkered with gaming PCs will find that the processor is often the easiest part to become a bottleneck in performance. For instance, in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the more cores and higher frequency, the smoother the gaming experience. Therefore, if the focus is on esports, and the target market is high-end, it naturally requires the use of the strongest mobile processor available, the Core i9 8950HK. This processor has a base frequency of 2.9GHz (Core i7 8750H is 2.2GHz), 6 cores with a turbo boost of 4.3GHz (Core i7 8750H is 3.9GHz), and a single core can reach 4.8GHz (Core i7 8750H is 4.1GHz), making it undoubtedly the flagship of mobile processors.
However, many people mentioned in previous unboxing articles whether the Wukong S17 Pro-8U can fully utilize the Core i9 8950HK performance. In fact, in Cinebench R15 Multi-Core, it can reach nearly 1300 points (most Core i7 8750H results are around 1000-1100 ), with single-core exceeding 200 points, nearly matching the Core i7 8700K in desktop performance. Of course, under prolonged high load operation, due to the 45W TDP limit, the Core i9 8950HK performance will be lower than the Core i7 8700K, but it is evident that the Wukong S17 Pro-8U has already pushed the processor performance to a very high level, so concerns in this area can be put to rest.
Full HD + High Refresh Rate + G-SYNC, the Standard for Professional Esports
Strictly speaking, professional esports players value the monitor the most because their reflexes are extremely sharp, and the monitor response can even lag behind, causing performance issues. Therefore, high refresh rates, hardware synchronization technology, and not pursuing high resolutions or large sizes… these are the core design principles for esports monitors. Wukong has been promoting high refresh rate screens, and the previous generation products all featured 120Hz, but with the upgrade to the S17 Pro-8U, the refresh rate has reached 144Hz and supports NVIDIA G-SYNC hardware technology (this can be said to be a significant investment, as hardware costs are not low), bringing the benefit of eliminating screen tearing while increasing the frame rate limit to 144fps without experiencing drastic frame rate fluctuations, ensuring stable performance.
Moreover, the S17 Pro-8U uses an AHVA hard screen with a viewing angle of 178 °, covering 72% NTSC color gamut, which can better restore game scenes when playing competitive games that do not involve many 3A games, ensuring visual comfort.
GTX 1070, 32GB Memory, Large Capacity High-Speed Storage… Ensuring Stable Frame Rates
The most annoying thing for battle royale enthusiasts is the sudden stutter when aiming or shooting… but there are many reasons for this issue. The simplest and most straightforward method is to block all these “potential leaks”. The S17 Pro-8U adopts this approach. First, the graphics card uses a GTX 1070 8GB discrete graphics card. Some may ask why not use a GTX 1080 or even higher, mainly because under full HD resolution, the GTX 1070 has enough performance margin to handle esports games in the coming years without issues, and the price can be kept at a more friendly level. In fact, the S17 Pro-8U with the Core i9 8950HK and GTX 1070 can achieve 90fps smooth performance at maximum settings, while high settings can reach nearly 144fps full frame, making it easy to secure a victory!
Additionally, insufficient memory or slow SSD speeds can also lead to game stuttering and loading issues. The S17 Pro-8U uses dual-channel 32GB DDR4-2666 memory, which is sufficient for all current games and prepares for future gaming needs. The 512GB Samsung PM981 NVMe SSD has read/write speeds close to 3000/2000 MB/s , making it easy to accommodate existing large games (such as 100GB for Final Fantasy 15), with loading speeds almost instant. Want to install more games? The S17 Pro-8U is one of the few laptops that comes standard with a 2TB HDD, which is sufficient for even the most demanding movie and TV download enthusiasts.
Furthermore, the S17 Pro-8U is equipped with an Intel 9260 wifi card, which has performance indicators similar to the 9560 but with slight functional differences. The wireless connection stability is excellent, so even in situations where wired connections are inconvenient, it can still provide a good online gaming experience.
Good Cooling Performance, Reserved M.2 Slot
Many people have been very concerned about the internal structure and cooling performance of the S17 Pro-8U in previous previews and unboxing articles, and now I will reveal it to everyone. First, it is a type where you can open the cover directly by unscrewing the bottom screws, making maintenance very convenient. The cooling system uses a dual-fan + four heat pipe design to handle the GTX 1070, while a single fan + dual heat pipes handle the Core i9 8950HK in a separated design. Although the configuration is already quite high, it still reserves an M.2 PCI-E SSD installation slot. Considering the current low prices of SSDs, it is entirely feasible to add another one to create a high-speed and high-capacity storage solution.
In terms of cooling performance, the S17 Pro-8U at room temperature of 26 °C, AIDA64 + Furmark was used to test both the processor and graphics card, after one hour, the processor was running at 3.1GHz, with a temperature of 88 °C; the graphics core frequency was 1200MHz, but the temperature was only 67 °C. At this time, the C palm rest temperature was very low, around 30 °C, while the keyboard area on the left was relatively warm, around 43 °C, and the rest of the positions were all below 40 °C, with the keyboard top heat exceeding 45 °C. Under such extreme testing, these results are already quite impressive.
Supports Processor Power Unlocking, Frequency/Voltage Adjustment, and Memory Timing Changes
Professional esports also requires PCs to have a high degree of user control, in other words, the ability to adjust various key parameters. In this regard, the S17 Pro-8U does not fall short either. Its built-in Control Center function is very powerful, providing a graphical parameter display interface and allowing direct adjustment of the frequency limits for each core of the processor (the Core i9 8950HK is unlocked), and unlocking the processor power limit. In overclocking mode, it can also manually increase the voltage. The memory timing and voltage can be customized, and the graphics card can also be overclocked. It can be said that it provides a user setting space similar to that of DIY desktop computers, and the effects are quite noticeable.
After unlocking the power limit, even without manually changing the multiplier, the processor’s operating frequency will significantly increase during program execution. For example, in WinRAR, under default settings, the frequency runs at 3.9GHz, with a score of around 15800KB/s. After manually increasing the power limit from 45W to 60W, the operating frequency increases to 4.3GHz, and the test score exceeds 17000KB/s. Therefore, in terms of performance controllability, which is very important for esports players, the S17 Pro-8U has also reached a very high level, leaving a deep impression.
RGB Backlight Can Be Defined Per Key, Extensive Interface Options
To say how “light pollution” has become popular in the peripheral world, esports is certainly one of the biggest reasons. Although not everyone likes this effect, the 16.7 million color RGB backlit keyboard is standard on the S17 Pro-8U. The keycaps have a translucent design that allows light to pass through, and each key can be customized for backlighting. The key feel meets the design needs of gaming laptops, making it comfortable for long periods of play. The touchpad features a separate key design and feels good, but gaming laptops mostly rely on a mouse for primary control.
The interfaces of the S17 Pro-8U show its sincerity, with up to 4 standard USB ports, including 2 USB3.1 Gen2. In addition, there are Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, dual Mini DP, and audio output that supports S/PDIF. The SD card reader is also included, making it very powerful.
Conclusion: A Benchmark for Emerging Brands with Clear Positioning
From a comprehensive quality perspective, the Wukong S17 Pro-8U does not need much explanation. Each hardware configuration has reached a very high level. Even professional esports players may have some objections regarding the keyboard size and screen area, but other aspects can meet their needs. However, these two points are inherently limited by the nature of laptops. In other words, the Wukong S17 Pro-8U has reached the highest level of professional esports design that laptops can achieve at present. Of course, in terms of design, materials, and service beyond the esports experience, it still cannot compare to first-tier brands, but the price is very sincere, 17999 yuan may even have room for promotional activities. Therefore, the Wukong brand has positioned this product very accurately, making it very appealing!
Oh, by the way, tonight (May 17, 2018) at 7:30 PM, Uncle will also be live streaming the Wukong S17 Pro-8U on Douyu and Yizhibo platforms, bringing you the theme live broadcast: benchmarking performance, disassembling the machine, checking the actual machine effects, and there are prizes like gaming backpacks waiting for you. We welcome all big shots to join!
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