My Comparison of the G73 vs. W870CU

I recently was asked to compare the G73 and the W870CU model, made by Clevo and Sager.

Pretty much the same as that avadirect model, except mine cost about 1510 AR, so a bit cheaper, and mine came with the 920XM ES, Kingston Hyper Memory 1333mhz 4GB ram. And it came with a bigger PSU along with the included 120 watt. Just a comparison to the G73 thus far:

I haven't gamed much yet as I still have to DL and install games from Steam, but just running the RE5 bench, performance is the same for gaming thus far, which is a good, as the performance on both these gaming laptops are great.
W870cu Laptop feels a bit more zippy just running misc. programs and what not more so though than the G73, but perhaps this is attributed to the faster 920 processor in the w870cu.

The w870cu model definitely looks more refined and I prefer the chassis on this laptop compared to the G73, and I also prefer the finish and overall look on the w870cu. I just do not like the Hump and the oblong shape in the rear of the G73.

Screen on the w870cu one is better than the AUO screen found on the BB model. Blacks are better, movies look a lot better...and just plain more crisp. But I'm sure it's the same quality as the G73 A1 model any way, as the one on the w870cu is also a Hanstar(I believe that's how u spell it) model.

As for the whole 1920x1080 vs 1600x900 I can definitely squash that argument for me as far as lowering the resolution for extra head room in games. Running 1600x900 re5 looks good on my native 1080p lcd, with zero loss in graphics quality(as far as I can tell). So I am happy in that regard. Lowering the resolution if I need to won't be an issue for me to get a little more head room for gaming.

G73 definitely wins in the "quiet" department. Fans are more noticeable on the w870cu than the G73. At idle the w870cu fans are more noticeable than the g73, and at load it definitely gets much more noticeable than the G73. However, this is a bit apples to oranges comparison since I'm running the 920xm, and the g73 I had used the 720qm cpu. Also power play is not working with the 5870m at this time in the w870cu, so maybe a gpu bios update might make the w870cu a little more quiet at idle, not sure. I would say at idle the w870cu is fairly quiet though, I don't want people to think I'm saying it is intolerably loud. But I would definitely say that the G73 has a very big advantage as far as keeping considerably more quiet at idle and load.

Keyboard on the G73 is superior in every aspect. I would say that the G73 keyboard is more comfortable for gaming. This might be a big factor to some people who are always going to use the laptop keyboard for gaming.

Temps: I get about 39-41c gpu temps and 45-48c cpu temps at idle on the w870cu. The gpu temps are with the clocks running at 250/300. I don't remember what temps I got on the G73 so I'm not sure which has better idle temps.

As for ports, the w870cu has more of an edge, with DVI and HDMI, and also with the esata, and firewire ports. Also I feel it's better to have the ac power adapter plug to be in the back rather than on the side like the G73.

Of course, battery life is FAAAAAAAAARRRR better on the G73. And if battery life is your thing, definitely go with the G73. Of course if your using the battery for gaming...something is wrong.

So which is better? Honestly, I would say that both these laptops have compromises. G73 looks cool but also feels and looks a little cheapter I think. If you want the quietest gaming laptop available you should choose the G73 without a doubt. If you need better battery life, go with the G73. I am still very impressed with how quiet the G73 is. I just found out right now that Silent fan mode does make the w870cu quieter at idle but I can't seem to get it working properly yet. Also the w870cu is easier to upgrade, and I hear runs cooler when running games. I'm still installing games so I can't verify that right now. Would I trade my w870cu for a similar equipped G73? No not by a long shot, only because I prefer the styling of the w870cu and I find the fan noise to be quiet enough at idlle...and when I'm gaming, I use headphones or good quality external speakers any way.

The firewire port is a big plus with me too, along with DVI which I will use. Looks like mine has a built in TV tuner too, but not sure. Also the w870cu may be easier to upgrade, but then again who knows if the next best single gpu card will be compatible with the w870cu...or if they even make it for the w870cu. I'd probably recommend the G73 to most people, because most people won't upgrade their laptop, and even with the oblong thick rear of the G73, the quieter fans, longer battery life, and improved power management, give it a very slight edge I think over the w870cu.

Hopefully the 5870m in the w870cu gets a bios update to enable power play, to further improve idle fan noise.

 

@ Skygunner the inconsistencies between the Clevo and Asus should be the same as the issue is the ATi failings. The difference would be Clevo under goes more testing, since every Clevo is customized by either Sager or the reseller and each test the machine themselves.

What your friend can do is ask Ken @ GenTech to test his G73 machine before shipping. That would be pretty much the same as above and ensure he doesn't get a dud. And Ken has done this for a few customers already and he is well versed in the ATi issue of the G73.

@KipCoo As for screen yes the 1080p in W870CU and G73 are the same, no difference.

The fan noise is not because of your CPU. 920 is not the reason, the fan noise is because of the HD5870. AnandTech has already shown with equivalent models, the W870CU on idle is louder than the G73 on load. There are plenty of gaming videos on youtube where you can hear the fan noise of the W870CU above the game noise, which you cannot with the G73.

You also didn't mention that even though the interior heat of the G73 may be higher, it's well below the limits. And you also didn't mention that the G73 chasis remains much much cooler than the W870CU. These are the main differences and IMO the differences that matter. As long as GPU/CPU are properly cooled, I don't care how much lower the Clevo is, but do care that if I use it on my lap, since it's called a laptop, I don't want my knees sweating or even getting burned. I also like that with G73 the keyboard and my wrist area remains cool the entire time.

The reality of comparison outside of the UK

Of course here in the US, buying a Clevo is a massive difference than buying G73. Comparing G73 to Clevo is a bit ridiculous, ONLY in the UK would this be possible because prices in UK are messed up. More messed up than anywhere in the world, from everything from food, petrol to computers, I'm amazed UK citizens aren't more depressed.

Here in US, G73 is a budget high end gaming machine, the Clevo is a boutique machine. And my impression, if you want a gaming machine with good cooling system, quiet etc, G73 wins hands down. The only advantages the W870Cu has is
- The e-SATA port, if you need this get the Clevo
- Clevo is a better benching machine. If you REALLY want to use a laptop for benchmarking, get a Clevo (IMO beyond stupid, who cares about highest notebook benchmarks...)

Lastly the appearance of the Clevo and G73 is subjective. Some will like some more. But if you want a slimmer machine that doesn't look ridiculous in the work place etc. I'd choose the G73. While G73 is large and will get odd looks, it is very sleek and attractive look. This of course is my opinion. The bulk of the Clevo is immense. To each their own.

There are plenty of comparisons already made, and I would trust AnandTech's more.

 

I doubt the g73 is quieter at load than the w870cu when silent mode kicks in, but for some reason it only kicks in when I press the silent mode button to go to "normal" mode which is weird. I did find on my G73 that the fans would get louder after gaming for a while...certainly louder than the w870cu at idle any way. Of course I'm just going by what I hear.

And if the fan noise is indeed caused by the 5870 fan, a 5870 bios fix which enables power play should help to slow down the 5870 fan you would think. Seems strange why they haven't created a fix for this yet.

 

Sorry to say, AnandTech did the measurements. I trust their measurements with their tools more than someone's memories or impressions.

And yes I know I know, every Clevo owner says, the fan noise isn't that bad, whatever, don't care for the excuses. The evidence is there, and not everyone is so enamored by benchmarking capability of the Clevo due to it's loud cooling system. The Asus under load is 35 db and Clevo idles at 35db. And under load the Clevo is 42db. dB is also increases exponentially, so it's not just 7 above, it's LOTS above. 10db higher is almost TWICE the loudness. This is one of the reasons why I don't trust owners to make comparisons, they are never truthful with the reality, and I don't blame them, it's their laptop, and they love it. This is why I trust third party professionals who are paid to do comparisons and tell us how it really is.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/dB.html

But that is a significant difference that most consumers care about and it should be mentioned. My comparison between these two would also be biased towards the G73 which is why I would recommend reading AnandTech's review. They have better measurement tools so they can tell you the REALITY and the TRUTH not just what appears to, their impression or what they want to believe... They cover everything from design, weight, battery life, gaming, cooling system and the LCD panels. The LCD panels goes way in depth comparing Black, White, Contrasts, Viewing Angles etc etc.\

http://anandtech.com/show/3662/asus-g73jha2-affordable-xlsized-gaming/1

Don't insult the G73 Owner's Intelligence.
Also this is a forum for Asus OWNERS. We have done the research and we are not impressed by the Clevo which is why we are OWNERS of the G73. I get it. I've already read Clevo owners saying Clevo are better built, better quality, chasis better, and fan noise not that bad. You didn't write anything I haven't already read from Clevo fans in our other G73 threads like a hundred times. Leave us G73 owners alone to enjoy our machines. Geez, I don't post in the Clevo/Sager forums saying Clevo fans are obnoxious, Clevo notebooks are ugly and bulky do I? I don't think Quag or other G73 owners do, don't know why Clevo owners feel the need to do so with our forum...

 

I strongly disagree with you saying that the bulk of the Clevo is "immense." Fact is the oblong rear of the asus g73 makes it a lot bigger, thicker, and wider than the Clevo, making it a tougher fit for normal 17" laptop bags. This is why I have no trouble fitting the w870cu in a 17" case logic laptop bag I had, and why the G73 wouldn't fit in that exact same bag because the rear is just so massive and thick.

 

Holycrap, this is why I shouldn't argue with Clevo. Read everything out of context or don't read at all. My comparison of Clevo was just an example of what I don't do. So far every Clevo person who has the audacity to gloat about their machine in G73 owners thread has been extremely defensive about their notebook. But you know you are right, the Asus on average being almost and inch less thicker than Clevo and at the front .6 inches makes the Clevo less bulky. Keep arguing on a Asus G73 OWNERS forum, you're not going to convince me here.

Especially when you don't OWN the G73 anymore and you made these observations while OWNING the Clevo and G73 on memory. Sorry pal, this is not a great idea on your part, renders your comparison useless.

If Skygunner is still interested, PM him, don't create a new thread in the Asus OWNERS forum...

Don't do it, don't bother.

 

I'm positive my review is very objective don't you think?. The fact that I payed less for my w870 than you would for a g73 A1 also makes me a bit more credible. I'm pretty sure I came across a making a just comparison rather than trying to justify a purchase.

 

Hey ziddy,

This is starting to sound a lot like our argument about the N61JQ vs. G73JH for casual gamers.

You need to stop taking things so personally. There are a lot of pros and cons to ANY machine, and as soon as someone points out a con w.r.t. the G73, you go crazy.

I think the irregular form factor of the G73 is something con consider for someone who wants to lug it around (especially if you don't want to walk around with a backpack).

Cool it, man. This is a discussion forum where people can express their views and oppinions. Many of those will be different from yours.

It really seems silly to me considering both of these laptops in question will be superseded by better products within 6 months.

NB: I'm not hating on the G73. Just don't get so defensive and this won't have to become a flame war.

 

Uh... I have never argued with you about the N61, as I haven't even looked at that notebook, what it looks like or what it offers.

Thanks for the accusation though.

@KipCoo I don't understand why you wrote a Clevo owners impressions on a Asus OWNERS forum. Doesn't make much sense to me since you didn't write anything that other Clevo owners haven't already said in their invasion of the G73 threads in the past. Not only that created a new thread for it.

I won't post in this anymore as I don't want to bump this thread anymore and hopefully let it die.

 

Because I use to own a G73, and am making a comparison....Skygunner asked me a question so I figured I'd give my comparison. Plus I even recommended the G73 over the w870cu at the end of my comparison, after factoring in everything, so I'm really not sure why you have a problem with my comparison.

 

I thought it seemed like a fair analysis. The Clevo was not even on my radar. Similarly configured it costs 50% more, has equal performance, and it much louder while playing games. I got an X1 for $1429 USD. The same Clevo would have been around $2500 and would not have gotten me one additional FPS in Crysis.

I'm not sure why you would post this in the Asus owner's forum when you are clearly a Clevo owner, but it didn't read like G73 bashing to me.

I guess if I didn't have an awesome desktop that I built for doing video editing, I would have considered a different laptop that had firewire, eSATA, and a card bus slot. I don't need any of that and I'm glad someone offers a smoking fast laptop where I don't have to pay for those things.

 

Yah, well to me this is a desktop replacement, so no desktop on the side for me and will need it for editing video. As far as louder fans, it's true, but a bit misconstrued I think, because it's not "loud"... but it is louder than g73. And when gaming, you don't notice it over the games volume, even with the built in speakers. So if the real issue is the idle fan noise with the clevo, not the fan noise when gaming. G73 is definitely the best bang for the buck. But you still have to recognize that the clevo does have it's advantages even though it is pricier, such as the ease of upgrade-ability. That said I would still recommend the g73 as the likelihood of needing to upgrade from the 5870m wont happen any time soon any way.

 

I'm also a little ticked at Asus's fan speed policy.

Quiet + Hot is not better than Loud + Cool.

The G73 is much cooler than the G51's, but with higher fan usage we would not have such hot GPU's.

 

I found his comparison interesting and insightful. Who are you to tell anyone what they should or should not post?

 

Agree

 

I appreciate that this thread was created. I have a few friends that own different variants of the G73JH from 05 to A1. We have all had defective units and out of the box problems with our G73JH. I have a friend that is interested in purchasing something else other than the G73JH because of the lack of quality control with the G73JH. When the G73JH hit the mass market the Alienware forums were flooded with G73JH comparisons.

I wonder how they felt? All in all I think competition is a good thing. This is my fourth Asus G-Series PC aside from all the exchanges I did with the G51 and G73JH. I think that Asus has a long way to go with build quality, customer service/RMA and bios problems. It's nice to get to hear what a previous G73JH owner thinks about their G73JH replacement for comparison purposes.

Yeah we all need to chill. Regardless of what PC we have most of us use them for the exact same thing in the end. To play games and use Microsoft office

Yup...you did recommend the G73JH. My friend just ordered the Clevo yesterday. Thank you for all your help +1 rep