The Eurocom Monster 4 is a surprisingly solid performer for an ultra-portable notebook. For a 14 inch unit, it has a list of serious specifications, an Intel i7 6700 HQ and a GeForce GTX 970M in a tiny 1 inch / 2.54cm thick system. When it comes to overall performance, it does a spectacular job. It handles pretty much any game at 1080p with ease. The only game that really struggled was the Witcher 3 with Hairworks on. Oh, let's not forget that games and media look exquisite on the 1080p IPS display. The included SSD makes for a snappy system that boots quickly, and there is just enough space for a couple good games for on-the-go fun while the HDD handles everything else.

Overall, build quality is very good, which is a nice bonus when you consider that upgrading the Monster 4 does not void the warranty. That's right, you can take the bottom off and swap RAM, HDD, SSD, etc. without worry. The keyboard and touch pad certainly won't replace a good mechanical keyboard and mouse, but they are above average and worked fairly well in that I did not notice any weird quirks or issues. Finally, there is the complete lack of any kind of additional software. No bundled Norton, no nothing, this is a bare-bones Windows 10 installation, which is fantastic. Eurocom has done a great job when it comes to a small and very portable lightweight laptop.

A few issues do pop out at me. First, there are no access hatches; granted, this is mitigated by the awesome warranty that allows you to remove the entire back of the unit without worry. Still, quick access hatches are nice and preferable to tearing off the entire bottom of a laptop. The biggest issue that will turn some enthusiasts off is the thermal throttle. The CPU begins to throttle when it hits 99°C. While it did not have a noticeable impact on performance while I used it, the fact remains that it does throttle. Moving on, the screen bezel does have some flex; not a lot, it is to be expected due to the thin design. The IPS display, while a nice feature, is only a 6-bit rather than a 8-bit panel, but the fact that it's still far better than a TN panel remains. The other nail in the coffin is battery life. At best 2.5 hours, you will only have 40 minutes while gaming at 60 FPS at worst. For an ultra portable, it's short on battery life.

My only other thoughts come down to the form factor and battery life. For an ultra portable with high-end hardware, battery life is not going to be the best. That's why most units use lower power parts to increase operating time. Still, with the form factor upped from 14 inches to 15.6 inches, a bigger battery would most likely be the easiest way to prolonging operating time. Honestly, the unit does perform well in regular tasks: it is portable and lightweight at just 2kg / 4.4lbs, but I still can't help but feel that 15.6 inches is the better overall form factor for a gaming laptop. While Eurocom has done a tremendous job here, the 14 inch form factor seems to severely limit what they were able to accomplish.

The Eurocom Monster 4 is a compelling option if you need a portable system with high potential in terms of performance if battery life is not your main focus.

UPDATE: Eurocom has taken a closer look at the system I reviewed. After reapplying thermal paste, Eurocom found that the Monster 4 saw a drop in reported temperatures. As such according to them the unit no longer appears to suffer from thermal throttle and was an isolated incident.