Some questions from a future m11x owner

I'm able to get the m11x R2 with Win7 Home, i5, 4GB. It's through EPP but I guess I can't post much about that even though anyone can get those discounts using half a brain (yeah I guess *technically* they're not for the public).

Anyhow, since the cost was low I decided to also get an Intel 80GB SSD (SSDSA2MH080G2R5); all said and done around 1050 . However, I have a couple of questions...

With no spinning HDD, what I am I looking at as the most fragile component in the m11x? I try to take good care of my computing equip. but I will be shuttling the little guy around on my bike a lot and it's likely to get bumped a good number of times. I've had to stick my old laptop directly in my bag with no case because it was just too large to fit any other way. Does anyone have any minimal case recommendations? I would probably need something that just fits the m11x, ac adapter and some kind of portable mouse.

Also, since I have Technet, there's no reason for me not to install Win7 Ultimate on the SSD. Without a CD/DVD drive, how would you recommend that I go about installing it? I guess I could get an external DVD drive if I really need to, but I would prefer not to have to do that. Would the m11x allow me to install an OS over USB?

Thanks, and can't wait to join the club!

 

There's no moving parts so I wouldn't worry about the HDD at all. Just don't defragment it. However, if you can stuff it in your pack with things around it to keep it still, then that would be a good thing. I use something to the effect of this to carry around my M11x with my school books and such.

To go around the no CD drive, you could always pick up a cheap external, or if you have another computer, then rip the files onto that into a folder and then send it to your M11x over your network.

 

That doesn't look bad, as long as it won't swing around too much when I'm riding. Traditionally, I've used a regular backpack to hold all my stuff.

I hadn't thought much about just installing/transferring everything over the network. That sounds better than trying to do it over USB.

 

Not one of your questions, but I use the 80gb x-25 as system drive in my m6400 and if it werent for the second drive (a 320gb) I dont think Id manage. With Win7 Ultimate, VS2010 and a bunch of stuff theres maybe room for two games (like SC2 and Fallout or whatever) and nothing else. In retrospect I would definately have gone for the larger disk just so I wouldnt have to care about what I install and not.

Regarding cases and bags Id check out Crumpler. I dont think I ever owned a more high quality product than one of their laptop bags.

 

I use Visual C++ express edition most of the time, so at least that will help. It may be all I need for development on the laptop.

I really only plan to put one or two games on it at a time (now I'm playing through Mass Effect 2 and a bit of mp SC2). I guess in that case my concern would be how an SSD holds up over a good amount of writes, as I'll probably be uninstalling/installing games more often that normal with a small'ish HDD.

What I usually do after installing Win7 is greatly reduce (set to size) the amount of virtual memory. The default pagefile seems to take up a ridiculous amount of space, and I doubt I will need more than 6GB phys. + virt. memory at any given time, though of course it would be nice not to ever have to use virt. memory at all.

I'll check out those bags, thanks.

 

Since you're getting an SSD, the screen is the most fragile component to mechanical shock. The screen isn't any more or less fragile than any other notebook - but it is the most likely component to get damaged if you drop your laptop, and it would be one of the more expensive parts to replace.

Just get a good case for your laptop, and it should be able to sustain any abuse it takes from getting tossed around a backpack while you're on the move.

 

Actually there is a moving part...The fan.

If it's going to get a few bumps, I'd probably worry about the hinges being fragile.

80GB SSD is pretty small storage though...

 

don't go 80. way too small. Ok for a two drive system as you can get a 500 or 640 to store everything on and run your system off the 80, but stand alone, 80 is pita and you'll hate yourself for doing it.
seer

 

80GB is only too small if you store videos on your system. If you're only running an OS, applications, and a few installed games, 80GB is fine. I have three systems... all with an SSD (120GB, 120GB, and 80GB).

80GB is fine for what most people need to do, as long as you're not trying to store videos on that drive.

 

I agree with this. My primary system (a Dell m1210) of 3 years only had 80GB - ever. It was perfectly fine, as I only kept one or two videos on it, with a few songs. My game collection (admittedly only 6 games) took up a majority of the space. Windows 7 doesn't take up as much space as the Folder properties for the Windows folder would state - something to do with a different kind of hotlinking/shortcutting what messes with how Windows Explorer calculates space used.

 

Depends on what he's using his laptop for. If it's for school/work/games, all my apps and games are taking 70GB of space (250GB drive). SC2 takes 12GB of space. MW2 takes 13GB, Mass Effect 2 takes 15GB, that's only 3 games. I'll bet at the end of the day, he'll have around 20-40GB left on his SSD. If he's fine it that, then go for the SSD.