Graphics Processor : 512MB NVidia® GeForce® Go 8700M GT

Graphics Processor : 512MB NVidia® GeForce® Go 8700M GT

this was what i selected, only i'm getting the feeling that i was being tight.
has enyone else selected this option?

or have i made a bo bo..

 

no, it's a decent card that will play most modern games at good detail levels. just don't expect to be playing crysis on high.

 

You got an m15x with an 8700M? Kind of a waste. Should have gone 8800GTX. One of the main reasons people buy the m15x is for an 8800GTX in a 15" package, there are lots of 15" laptops with 8700M GT or equivalent cards, very few (I think 2, 3 maybe?) that have the 8800GTX. You paid a premium for your laptop... but what did you get out of it if not the 8800?

 

actually, the 8700m-gt is pretty rare as well. i don't know of any other 15.4" laptops with it. the 8600m-gt is far more popular in this size class.

 

That's why I said or equivalent. Lots of 9600/9650 15" laptops out there, while I agree, the 8700 is much less seen in 15" books.

 

Well one nice thing is that if he ever wants to upgrade to the 8800 GTX he has the option.

Most laptops on the market don't have any other GPU options once it is built, so all in all he's still going to be just fine.

 

I would say that if you are not hard core gamer who want to have 11k-12k 3dmarks score or play crysis with highest graphics possible then you are good at 8700m

I have 8700m in my m15x just because I am not hardcore gamer... gaming is my hobby when I am bored of programming (my first hobby) had 18-21fps with 1440x900 (native resolution) in CryMod (crysis benchmark)

I agree that 8800m is double the power of 8700m but not worth it for me as I didnt wanted to pay $400 more for above average gaming.

The machine will totally rock even with 8700m but if you later plan to upgrade you will end up paying $500 more for 8800m but guess what you will have 8700m and 8800m both with you.. which you can probably sell off for $200 approx on ebay or somewhere... that's just me!

 

If you are not a hardcore gamer why did you spend 2000 dollars on a laptop when you could have gotten a different brand that offers the same performance. I understand that Alienware offers features that other brands do not, but it also sounds like you turned down those features to save money. Wouldn't it have been logical to save even more? Because all you got now is a name and some "fancy" looks.

 

Clevo/Sager

 

the asus G50V has a 9700 which i is the same as the 8700 i think.

 

9700 >= 8700 most likely

 

actually it is. the 9700GT can get up to 7000 3dmark06

 

I play mostly BF2142, I have been feed up gaming with my current 17" notebook, its has the itigrated ATI 200m. Its good enough for the usaul things i do (AMD 64 2GB, 2GB DDR, ATI 200M) just when gaming all settings have to be low or minimum. Tipicly when im at a critical point i.e. knife time i get done due to the fact im laggy. "thats my excuse anyway".

I went for the upgradability, there was also a bling factor involved in my buy. I bought with more of my Heart than my head.

Cheers.

I currently only play BF2142, Cod4 is on my shoping list next.
If the 8700M GT is not upto the job, I will be a little gutted but i'll have to swap it out.

I chose alienware because i wanted one, I chose the specs that i felt would last 2/3 years before i have to upgrade again.

Thanks for all you comments
Pete.

 

maybe about 1-2 years before you need an upgrade. cod4 will run fine on your 8700Gt at high on 1440 by 900 btw

 

cool.. as im far from a pro it should be good enough for me..

It's unlikly that i will be unhappy, but if i am i'll upgrade the card.
thanks guys.

i should find out in the next day or so as it was shipped on the 25th.

("If anyone wants my tags" (2142) pingu1307)

 

pingu.... awesome. I played COD2 under that name for a long time.

 

i'd like to throw my hat into the ring on this conversation. I have nothing against people getting the m15x for it's gaming capabilities, but with comments like HEP's, I can't help feeling resentful.

Frankly, who the hell are you to judge those of us that wanted the better brand without the excessive cost of buying the top-end everything for the system? Frankly, the 8600M GS is good enough for most people and in regards to MAJOR manufacturer competition for the m15x, you're talking about systems like the XPS M1530. Best card is an 8600. The differences are simple and distinct.

I got the 8700M GT. why? I didn't feel like shelling out an EXTRA $300 (on top of the price of the 8700) just to feel special. Frankly, I've never been a fan of the "NEWEST AND BEST"... there's reason for that... ask any of the users here with an X9000 in their m15x, maybe you'll see my point.

In fact, the only reason I got the 8700M GT over the 8600, was because I got the larger screen and wanted a bit extra kick in the graphics dept. to power it... now I wish I hadn't gotten either option.

Frankly, the programming on a large number of applications is so bad that when the DPI changes, any text that's supposed to be merged with graphics fails hard. even layered graphics often fails. I have to GUESS at what it was SUPPOSED to look like, then choose the appropriate response from there.

But I digress.

I know a guy with the T8100, an 8600, and he got the laptop with 1GB of RAM... he spent less than $2000 on his machine, upgraded to 4GB himself, and he's delighted with the laptop.

So frankly, to say this system is a waste without the best of the best of the best, is naive and judgmental. IMO.

and if you ask me, anyone who wants to bad-mouth anyone for making a choice of the 8700, or 8600... well, they should GTFO and STFU. noone cares.

I don't mind people making recommendations, but c'mon. saying it's "a waste"? go take your hating elsewhere. kthx.

 

I have an 8700m gt. I'll probably upgrade in 3-4 months. I wanted the quick ship for work. It holds up, everything is playable at native resolution with medium-esque settings. If it's your only gaming rig I'd agree with people that the 8800 is mandatory as 30-40 fps always is not my standard. I personally have a desktop that I use for gaming so this was a toy for work and trips.

For reference my self ran 3dmark score was 5973 if that helps you at all. I think people with 8800 are in the 9.5-11k range.
They'd have to answer that for you.

I would say my favorite thing about my m15x is the smart bay. Hot swappable drives are awesome.

To answer the question why would you buy something without the "Only Reason" to buy it. I wanted it. I really like my machine. It looks slick. The keyboard is very tight. As stated the hot swappable drives are amazing. I also don't like waiting and the 8800 is what everyone waits for. Everywhere in public people comment on the FX.

Anyways, I love my m15x and if I never got an 8800 it wouldn't kill me. Now eventually I will, cause I can afford it, I just have to justify it to myself since the 8700 doesn't keep me from playing anything on the road. So don't stress yourself. You can upgrade your gpu through them if you really hate it.

 

Mystik, I'm sorry you feel that way but when you spend 2500 on a laptop but cheap on on the last 300 and end up with a GPU that is half as powerful, that is a waste. I'm not bad mouthing midrange cards in the least. I had an Inspiron 1520 with an 8600M GT, my girlfriend has an Inspiron 1520 with an 8600M GT, and I have an XPS M1330 with an 8400M GS. Even my "high end" desktop has an 8800GTS, which is a lot less than it could be.

Bad mouthing the midrange? No, not at all. What I am doing is saying if you're going to go midrange, then do it, but get a balanced system. You could have gotten the midrange is a much less pricey system. Part of the reason the M15X is so expensive is because of the options available. If you don't take those options, then you paid a premium for something readily available in another, less expensive system. Is that not a waste?

 

It's arrived today wahoo, i love the look..
happliy this doesn't seem to have the issue's that some of these have had off the bat. i've yet to load any games but give me an hour or so and i'll be sorted.

i expected that the vista score report thingy would show the graphics as being the performance gate, only it seems that the memory speed is the gate....

a little strange me thinks, but what do i know any way.

Thanks for all your comments ppl....

Cheers,
Pete.

 

no, that's okay. remember you've got DDR2 667mhz RAM, which is about 1/3 of what's found in some desktops today.

 

True, i didn't think of it like that, i have a rounded score of 5.

ive just finished loading office & the vista security updates..
Time for some fun now!!

 

No other system that I know of has the flexibility of options and configurations as the m15x does... I'm not just talking about getting this processor or that, I'm talking about things like the smart bay. the ability to switch between extra battery life, optical drives and harddrives (as well as others, i'd imagine) is invaluable to many, including me.

Yes, I could've saved, easily $1000 or more by buying a different system, but I wouldn't have Hybrid graphics, a smart bay with an extra battery as capable as the m15x's... I wouldn't have had the option of the CPU I REALLY wanted.

I live in canada, the only way I can get a custom made laptop is either through Dell.ca, Alienware.com, or by going for a vendor, I've never heard of... and since Dell was over-pricing their systems as-is, why NOT spend the meager amount more for the backlit keyboard, hybrid graphics, expansion bay with battery? (among other things).

When I was looking at this system, back in march, when I made my purchase, I was thankful I got the 8700M GT. I was thankful I got the T9300. Both the X9000 and the 8800M GTX were experiencing some pretty severe downclocking and overheating issues. Now that those issues are fixed, I'm considering an upgrade. I have been for quite some time.

The tradgedy is that so many wonder why people buy such hardware without buying that video card... as TheHoodedRonin (love the name btw) said: "I wanted it. I really like my machine. It looks slick. The keyboard is very tight. As stated the hot swappable drives are amazing."

To pretend that the 8800M GTX is the ONLY reason anyone would want this laptop, is naive. To imagine that without it, the laptop isn't worth the price, is dumbfounding.

I can't understand how so many don't understand this... but, they're stuck in a narrow frame of mind where the absolute most powerful stuff is the only stuff to buy.

Props to TheHoodedRonin and Whizzo for standing on the same side of the fence with this one... I know we're not all arguing as much as I may be, but it's nice to know some people who don't think the 8800 is the only thing that makes this laptop great.

 

Hm... I guess through it all I can see both sides of the GPU argument.

For me I understand that the 8700 is similar in performance to my 7950 GTX and from that I can say that really it should perform well enough for many users...

That being said, having MORE gpu power in the form of the 8800 would be nice as well

I guess everyone just needs to take each others opinions in open mindedly and agree that no matter what someone chooses to put in their m15x they should be more than happy with their system!

 

Okay... lenovo makes better built laptops that have smart bays and hybrid graphics... the only thing is the look. As far as specs and features go, you can get what is in the m15x in other systems for less (or for the same amount and with better durability). If you bought it for the look, then okay, I am fine with that, but then say that and don't argue that it is for another reasons.

Also I am not saying that this is the only correct way to observe the situation, I am merely stating how I observe it. I would consider an m15x because it's 15", offers the smart bay+hybrid graphics for improved battery life, AND I could get one of the best mobile graphics cards out there. But if I didn't need the 8800, I would undoubtedly go Lenovo instead (same features, slightly less powerful graphics available - still available on par with an 8700 though)

 

I don't recall anyone saying they bought an m15x for a particular reason. Someone asked if the 8700 would make him regret his rig.

I believe you were the one to assume the OP was buying an m15x for straight performance.

As for your on par with out the looks, isn't that what Alienware is about? I mean it's a boutique brand. You're buying the name and style as much as the performance and abilities.

The other thing to keep in mind is Alienware, from my experiences with sales and customer support, are very good at upgrading past purchase. I'm never limited to my initial configuration if I'm willing to pay and be patient.

 

lol its almost 2009 and people are using 8700 cards (which are basically oc 8600 cards) IF YOUR SPENDING 2,000 + on machine, make the right choice and get the latest card (nvidia 9800 gtx).

 

We're talking about m15x's right?

Thats not a choice.

 

and thats why NO heavy gamer should consider the m15x.

 

No one's arguing about heavy gaming. Just questions of what things are capable of running.

If we want to argue about that, we should make arguments for desktops anyways. They're better for gaming.

That of course is not what we're talking about here though.

 

This has got a little heated..

Can i say i ordered 8700GT as i thought that the GTX would be over kill for me. Only then i had a moment of weekness feeling that i needed to uprade it to the next card.

But now it arrived and i have tried it out last night, im more than happy for now.
I only play BF2142 and it runs well. In the future if i feel that i need more, i'll upgrade then in a year or so.
The GTX will most likley be the old card and there will be the next gen to move onto.

For now i'll stick with the 8700m GT

Pete.

 

Okay, the concept that Lenovo has laptops with half the available configuration options as Alienware makes me laugh. the best Laptop I could find on Lenovo's website, with hybrid graphics, sported an ATI card (which I wouldn't buy anyways), that scored ~3000 on 3D Mark 06.

NOT TO MENTION, that this particular laptop was MONTEVINA, a technology that WASN'T AVAILABLE when I purchased my laptop... I can only IMAGINE how much worse their lineup was, compared to the m15x, when I ordered mine.

My bottom line stands. Especially if you take the time vector into account. When I bought this machine, there WAS no other option. It was the m15x, or wait till SOME company smartened up enough to offer the CPU I wanted.

did I mention that? I actually selected this laptop because I could get the CPU I wanted in it? I'd been waiting MONTHS for the T9300 to be released, because of it's 6MB L2 Cache. FOR NO OTHER REASON did I want the CPU. If they'd put out a 2.1 Ghz C2D with 6MB L2 cache, I would've purchased that... but they didn't. This was the first of it's kind, and the first place I could order it, based on where I live, and the timing when I ordered, was in the m15x.

And I'd like to see someone prove THAT wrong.