Jumper EZBook X4

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EZBook X4 Hands-On Review – The New Best Budget Laptop?

EZBook X4 Hands-On Review – The New Best Budget Laptop?

I’m typing this out on my new EZBook X4, Jumper’s latest Gemini Lake laptop. It’s really the EZBook 3L Pro with a few tweaks or the even the Teclast F7 (The current best Apollo Lake Laptop) The build is identical and this isn’t a bad thing, it is also selling for the same price of $299, has full alloy housing, good internal layout and build, plus a nice big copper heatsink.

Two USB 3.0 ports, Realtek USB 2.0 Micro reader (Sadly not USB 3.0) and a surprise. HDMI 2.0A, yes it’s running my 4k monitor at 60hz at UHD. I knew the Gemini Lake supports HDMI 2.0 and DDR4, but I never saw HDMI 2.0 mentioned on the press info so assumed the worse. HDMI 1.4A limiting me to only UHD 30hz which is too laggy for desktop use.

Below is the Jumper EZBook X4 unboxing and hands-on review. (It will be live tomorrow) 

EZBook X4 Unboxing Video index:

01:40 – Unboxing
02:23 – Weight & size
02:35 – Design
04:06 – Internals
05:45 – Keyboard & touchpad
07:34 – Bios
08:04 – Unlocked Power Limits
08:29 – First boot, Windows info
09:18 – SSD benchmark
09:42 – Devices
10:00 – Geekbench 4
10:22 – TN panel tests
11:35 – Backlit keyboard
12:03 – Speaker test
13:03 – Linux test
13:43 – First impressions
14:20 – Pros & Cons

The EZBook X4 is only 1.35 kilos in weight and 18mm thin more or less. This again like the EZBook 3L Pro and Teclast F7. The keyboard has the same Teclast F7 feel and layout, but is now silver (Not sure a great move) but with a two-stage backlight. It’s white and bright enough. Something you wouldn’t expect. However, from some angles, it can be hard to read the keys. The same issue I faced on the Xiaomi Mi Air 12.5″ model. The touchpad is a Windows precision one, just like the Tecalst F7 and a good one at that.

Other improvements are the SSD slot is 2242, but can also take all common sizes. 2242, 2260 and 2280. The jumper must have seen use modding the EZBook 3 Pro and installing 2280 SSD’s so great move to allow all sizes. The move from eMMC to SSD is also a good one, double the capacity and speed of the old eMMC 64GB Sandisk drivers.

The RAM is both a pro and con. We get DDR4 2400mhz now, so, much faster. But only 4GB of it which isn’t great, 2018 should set 8GB as the minimal amount you can ship a Windows 10 laptop with. Down 2GB over the Apollo Lake models. DDR4 prices and price point are to blame. But there must surely be plans for an 8GB model with Teclast apparently releasing a Celeron N4100 with 8GB. This brings us to the CPU, 200Mhz more max turbo up to 24Ghz, 2Mb cache more – now 4Mb, HDMI 2.0 support. And other minor tweaks. It runs a stock TDP of 9W. But for now, Jumper has the bios fully unlocked. TDP can be increased or set to unlimited for a real healthy boost to performance at the cost of heat and reduced battery life as seen on the Apollo lake laptops I did the TDP tweak on.

Yes, Jumper has the power limits open to us (for now)

Hopefully, V2 and further updates will not touch the power limits or introduce new issues. Jumper is famous for fixing something that isn’t broke. The EZbook 3 Pro V4 for example.

But it’s not all sunshine and lollypops. Like the EZBook 3L Pro, it has a BOE brand 1920 x 1080 14″ TN Panel. This can be a deal breaker for some. The panel has good colours for a TN panel, horizontal viewing angles are fine. Vertical viewings angels aren’t. But this is where I say it might be a deal breaker. So far using it once adjusted so I’m looking at it full on, it’s perfectly fine. And in a way better than my IPS Teclast F7 screen. It’s the moment I stand up you see the top begins to darken and it’s hard to see the image. So for one on one use, it’s fine, but if you have someone else viewing the screen then one of you will have the degraded poor viewing angle.

Jumper EZBook X4 vertical viewing angles are poor. It’s no IPS.

EZBook X4 improvements over the Apollo Lake N3450 Teclast F7 or EZBook 3L Pro.

  • Faster by up to 25% (Factory 9W TDP)
  • DDR4 RAM 2400Mhz vs 1600Mhz
  • Takes all M.2 SATA3 SSD sizes now without mods.
  • Backlit keyboard
  • Supports up to 4k/UHD 60hz. HDMI 2.0A spec
  • Comes with 128GB SSD (SATA3 BWIN brand)

Good SSD speeds for a SATA3 spec 128GB drive.

Cons Vs Teclast F7

  • 2GB of RAM less
  • Silver keys harder to see
  • TN Panel.

Now the speed of EZBook X4 feels somewhat smoother and quicker than the Teclast F7, to be expected from the Gemini Lake with it’s stock TDP (Power limit) of 9Watts got a Geekbench 4 score of 1890+ single core and 5000+ Multicore. This beats the 1400 single and 4100 multi of the Teclast F7’s Celeron N3450.

The wireless AC is still the Intel 3165, it’s a decent chipset. But I was hopeful it would ship with the new gigabit wireless cards with Bluetooth 5.0 the Intel 9600 series. In my use now of the EZBook X4 I like it more than the Teclast F7 for its speed and improvements like 4k60hz which has been something I have been after for a long time. In my opinion, the TN panel isn’t great, but since I look at my screen face one, for me this is not a deal breaker. So it’s a keeper, all I’ve done is tweak the calibration with my Spyder Pro5. The Battery cells are 37Wh in total, estimated mixed use of 6 hours. For the $299 price it’s currently selling for and you can live with looking at a TN panel straight on it’s a great laptop so far. I see no “deal breakers”.

The same sized copper heatsink as the EZBook 3L Pro and Teclast F7

I will see what the thermals are and if they are fine. I will run a 10W TDP or unlimited like I do on my Tecalst F7 and see how this boosts performance. If Teclast or Jumper give us this exact laptop but with 8GB of RAM and an IPS. It will be the new Chinese budget champion for mid-2018. No doubt in my mind.

The full Jumper EZBook X4 review will follow soon in 1-2 weeks time after I’ve used it enough and know all the pros and cons.

 

Video tech reviewer and tech blogger. I have a huge interest in the latest tech, tablets, laptops, mobiles, drones, and even e-scooters. Active in the tech community since 2008 days of the Omnia i900 Windows phone. Samsungi8910omnia.com, Samsunggalaxysforums.com founder from way back.

25 Comments

  1. Hi everyone, I live in the US and I was wondering what sort of adapter I should purchase for the charger?
    I just placed an order for the JUMPER EZbook X4 Notebook from GearBest.
    I’m not too familiar with power/voltage conversions from other countries, so any help would be appreciated 🙂
    Thanks.

  2. @chris, will you be testing the Ezbook X1 (11 inch convertible version of the X4)?

  3. Now $279 matching the latest Teclast F7 price.

    So, Apollo Lake with IPS screen and 6GB, or Gemini Lake with a decent TN panel, 4GB, backlit keyboard

    Hopefully a Teclast Gemini Lake model will give the best of all worlds (matte IPS panel, 6GB+) for not too much of a price premium. 🙂

  4. the problem with 4GB is that if you use 1GB for video like in GTA V, you have 3 GB left. Windows needs around 1.5 to run, that leaves 1.5 for the game and additional background programs. Not so ideal

  5. Hi!
    I have this model of laptop, and the only problem to highlight, is in fact, the gray keys are difficult to see. It is necessary to connect the Keyboard Backlit, to recognize the keys minimally.

    The TN screen is acceptable, and the Laptop works more or less well with the 4GB.

    I ask if it is normal for these type of notebooks to come with Windows Update in disable mode? So to avoid the updates, future problems? It is very slow to update, even with an SSD disk.

    Would it be possible to provide the specifications, optimization, of the TN screen for Spyder software?

    Also I would like to find the drivers of this model, someone knows where I can do it.

    Thanks

  6. Hello!
    On the website of Gearbest informs that it is possible to upgrade the RAM to 8GB. Can you confirm this information?

    • Hello Rafael, I suggest you watch the TechTables review on YouTube because briefly, Chris has shown the insides of this laptop and there is no vacant slot for a RAM upgrade.

  7. Howdy Chris, as usual, another excellent and unbiased review of an affordable chinese laptop. With proper screen calibration, especially with your Spyder Pro equipment, do you think that there is a chance for a TN panel to be at par to an IPS one? Cheers!

    • Colours and whites yes should be much better. But the issue with the viewing angle will remain.

  8. Howdy Chris, do you think that if you did a proper calibration of the TN screen panel, the worst bit it would be ironed out or is it , too hopeless to remedy even with your Spyder Pro. If not, I hope you would not mind sharing your calibrated file to your followers. Thanks.

    • I could share the file, yes, but you will need to load it in the Sypder software. Unless there is a way to convert it to the something Windows could use with the Intel GFX settings. It will correct the white balance and tweak the colours to the best of the panel’s ability.

      • Thanks for the clarification Chris. I already started to enjoy my Ezbook 3L pro’s TN screen just was envious of ezbook x4 that is why I placed an order for a new one all on account of your first hand review. Keep up the good work.

        • I think you’ll like it, a faster version of the 3L Pro. So far it’s good just wish the keyboard was a darker silver to see the keys better and it had more RAM. 4GB is really the limit for Windows 10 with Chrome eating so much RAM.

  9. I have actually waited for this review to buy this laptop. Now I’m kind of disappointed with TN panel screen and Ram upgrade issue. Plus I believe in Taclast over Jumper company.

    I think I will wait for a laptop that has the following features.
    – Intel Pentium or Gemini Lake processor (2.4GHz max with 4MB cache)
    – IPS Screen (14.1)
    – Backlit keyboard
    – Upgradable Ram (8GB at least)
    – Windows 10 of course
    – 128GB SSD upgradable
    – 2xUSB 3.0 , USB Type-c, SD card
    – 720p webcam

    Hoping to hear from Teclast or Chuwi

    • Teclast will have a Celeron N4100 8GB laptop soon, but it’s 11.6″ However I’m sure they will update the F7 with Gemini Lake and I hoep 8GB of RAM. Then we’ll have a winner.

  10. So get this or wait for 8GB model or the get the Teclast F7 or wait for the Gemini lake F7??? Confused! are you sure you can’t add 4gb more. gearbest listing shows upto 8GB RAM.

    • I like this one the best for the performance boost. But it’s really down to if you can put up with a TN panel and if you need 6GB Vs 4GB RAM. As for the Telcast F7 refresh, there is no word on that yet. But I imagine that Teclast must have plans to give it the Gemini Lake N4100 and hopefully 8GB of RAM.

      • G’day Chris, another great honest review, even if a bit disappointing for me. Any chance of a 14.1″ or even 15.6″ laptop with decent IPS screen, 8GB RAM upgradable and upgradable SSD? Ideally I would love a Core m3 or equivalent, but could probably get away with these new Gemini Lake N4100 chips if they had the extra RAM.

        Darshana and I are pretty much on the same page, so there must be plenty of others out there looking for the same sort of laptop. For me the Mi Notebook Pro is almost there, but the i5 and i7 chipsets might be overkill for what I need, and they are pushing up the price too much for me.

        • There is the EZBook 3 Plus with this same exact build, but a TN panel. WHich also has a Core M3-7Y30 and 8GB of RAM. So very close. Or you have the Thinker i35, one of the best screens, 8GB and Core M3-7Y30. But it sells for around $459 https://www.gearbest.com/laptops/pp_620996.html?wid=1433363&lkid=14229027

          • G’day Chris, I am trying to steer away from TN panels because I often have to show clients what their new website will look like on my laptop, so the viewing angles of a TN panel ARE a deal-breaker for me! Also why I would love a decent sized screen, I am even looking at a refurbished 17.3″ laptop as a possibility, but a good 15.6″ would do the job nearly as well.

            I am still hoping that Xiaomi and Jumper still read your review posts, a Mi Notebook Pro with i3, 8gb/128gb would be exactly what I need. 😉

            • Yes, a TN panel would be bad for that use then. One thing good about the Thinker i35 screen is it’s fully laminated bright and has a sharp 3000 x 2000 resolution. Anything looks great on this Surface Book screen. And half the price of the Mi Notebook Pro. I doubt they will make an I3 version.

              • Yes, the Thinker is on my shortlist as well as the Mi Notebook Pro, but I will keep my fingers crossed for a 15″ i3/core m3 anyway. I already have a 12.5″ HP Elitebook and the Dell Venue Pro 11 for working in tight spaces like planes and trains, but I want a bigger laptop for when I drive by car and space isn’t a problem.

  11. Great Pre Review and in time to buy one in presale cause I can live with the dealbreakers you had detected or checked like the component lottery in previous 3 Pro’s.

    • I’m so glad I did order it. I wasn’t going to because of the TN panel, but it’s no way as bad as I thought. Just look at it directly and it’s really not that big of an issue. maybe because for a TN panel it is good. The weak speakers remain but can be tweaked with software. Just installed the Teclast F7 Realtek software or drivers and it seems better now and with DFX audio enhancer.

      Thermals so far check out so I will no doubt tweak up the TDP for a boost in performance.

      The silver keys is a shame. Wish it was darker the silver. More grey.

      The video hands on pre-review will be live tomorrow for plenty more details.

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