M15x vs M17x (Help with purchasing choice)

Hi,

So I'm debating which one to get, both with their maximum GPU/Screen res. capabilities. Here are my questions:

1- Can I get the M15x with the gtx 460m ?
2- How long does the 9-cell last on the M15x ?
3- How long does the standard battery last on the M17x ?
4- Are the processors offered with the M15x Sandy bridge ?

 

1. yes M15x does come with a 460m. sad thing is it comes underclocked.
2. depends on you cpu and power plan, but i would say max is 2hr.
3. depends on which model. r3 or r2?? r2 90mins. r3 3-4hr with igp.
4. M15x has no sb options.

it could be worth it for you to wait a little longer, since an M14x with sb will likely be showing up soon. or get an r3 since battery life seem important to you.

 

9 cell in my m15x with Power Saver profile, alien FX off, surfing the web and doing stuff with word I've hit 3 hrs before, however, watching a movie or doing lots of stuff over wifi (netflix/hulu) I get 2:30 if lucky, usually closer to 2hr.

These systems aren't built for mobility I have an external battery rated at 60 WH plus 85WH from the internal = 145WH... you could run a normal laptop for 8+ hrs with that... I get 4 with light use

I have the 920xm processor and even downclocked it still consumes 22w or so while running... approx 8w from the rest of the system so a constant draw of 30 watts even on power saver If you get an m15 with a 720/740/820/840 then it's possible your processor may draw a little less power.

The sandy bridge processors support integrated graphics on the chip which means much better battery life. As Inap already mentioned, the m17xR2 has even worse battery life (especially with 2 graphics cards)... think of it as more on a UPS and less of a battery