UHD Graphics 17.3" YEPBOOK-4 Review

Let's be clear from the start. The UCALCUL Gaming Laptop is a $300-$400 machine with a name that promises way more than it delivers. Calling this a 'gaming laptop' is a stretch, and the numbers back that up. Its overall score of 31.6/100 puts it firmly in the 'budget basics' category, not the performance tier. It's got a 17.3-inch screen and a 1TB SSD, which are decent starting points, but the core components tell a different story.

Performance is where the fantasy meets reality. The Intel N150 CPU sits in the 9th percentile. That's not just low, it's basement-level. A 2-core chip at 0.1GHz is barely enough for basic Windows tasks, let alone anything demanding. The GPU percentile looks better at 76th, but that's likely due to the massive 16GB of VRAM on paper, not actual graphical horsepower. In practice, gaming performance scores a dismal 12.4 out of 100. You're not playing modern titles on this. RAM is average at the 32nd percentile with 16GB of DDR4, and the 1TB SSD lands in the 65th percentile, which is the real highlight here.

Prices swing from $290 to $410 depending on the vendor. At the lower end of that range, you're getting a big screen and a big SSD for web browsing and document work. At the $410 end, you're getting ripped off. For the same money, you could find a used or refurbished laptop with far more capable components. The value is only there if you find it at the absolute bottom of its price spread and have zero performance needs.

Compared to actual gaming laptops like the MSI Vector 16 HX or Gigabyte AORUS 16, there is no comparison. Those machines will outperform this one by orders of magnitude. Even compared to ultraportables like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, which focuses on productivity and a dual-screen design, the UCALCUL falls short on build quality and processor power. The only thing this has over a base model Apple MacBook Pro is screen size and a lower price, but the MacBook's M-series chip, display, and build quality are in a different universe.

I can't recommend this as a gaming laptop, or even as a primary machine for most students. Its 25.9/100 student score reflects that. The abysmal CPU and reliability percentiles are deal-breakers. If you need an absolute budget secondary screen for streaming videos or very light web use, and you find it for $290, it's a consideration. For anyone else, especially if you see the word 'gaming' and get hopeful, look elsewhere. This machine is all about the specs on the box, not the performance in real life.