is Asus G73jh-x3 from tigerdirect a good deal?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5725517&CatId=4935

$1549 - 12.3% BCB ($190), free shipping and no tx for CA

Is it a good deal? Is tigerdirect good online store? It seems it has 2 year global warranty.

 

you get 1x 640GB 7200 rpm instead of 2x 500GB 7200rpm, and you don't get the gaming mouse and backpack.

I love Tigerdirect and BCB and I say go for it (assuming the specs are right)

Edit: I suggest anyone that is backordered to make a grab for one of these, and cancel if you don't get this shipment

 

Wow, that's a pretty good price considering that they've gone up since release. I got my X1 which has one 500gb drive for $1449. I would jump on this too- just be aware that you'll only get one HD bracket.

 

The pictures on TigerDirect show two hard drive brackets in there. My guess would be it's two 320GB drives?

 

That looks right. The specification stating that the HDD is 7200rpm suggests a 2x320gb, dual drive configuration, rather than a 1x640gb single drive config. Samsung, Seagate and WD all have 640gb laptop HDDs, but they're all 5400rpm. So using the A2 specs as the baseline, the G73Jh-X[x] configuration differences may only be;

G73JH-X1 - (Newegg) - 1 single 500gb HDD configuration (no second bracket) - No Asus Mouse (Kinzu instead) - No Backpack

G73JH-X3 - (Various Resellers) - 2 dual 320gb HDD configuration - No Mouse - No Backpack

More detailed info at this blog post.

Good Luck..

 

I had guessed the same as well, but later edited my post when I saw in the description it reads as ONE 640gb HD. My guess is that they're using stock pictures.

I think this is a bit of a leap. It states in the description it's ONE, not two drives. Picture is probably stock. However, obviously something is incorrect- either the drive #, the speed, or the picture. If in doubt, call TD.

 

Hey Guys:

New to this forum, so hello to all. Just purchased the Asus G73jh-X3 from CompUSA. I have seen elsewhere (cannot recall or find link) that the 640gb is truly (2) 320gb 7200rpm. I am fairly sure this is accurate.

The DVD/CD multi drive is a cheap upgrade to Blu-Ray if you desire. The drive only has one mounting screw and there exist compatible drives for $60-80 (then swap bezzle).

This version is a good value. NewEgg is price gouging, don't buy their X1.

A1 or A2? Don't need a mouse or a bag. So no need to join a waiting list long enough to touch history.

I say go for it if you have the cash to blow on a fantastic gaming laptop!

 

You're right Baracknophobia. Looks like others have confirmed 2-320gb HDD configuration in the X3. At least according to this blog post. (It also looks like the X3 is more widely available then just at TigerDirect)

The X3 HDD configuration is also confirmed through a review at the Italian language website, DinoXPC, where the G73Jh review which begins here, states on page 2;

which rougly translates to;

Good Luck..

 

Good to know. Thanks for clearing that up. It's one thing to have stock pictures, but another to have an incorrect description.

Only downside is that I wouldn't want either of those drives- I'd want an SSD and a 500gb for storage.

 

hahaha, that's exactly what I did. (60second spindown too for battery life and noise)

 

I haven't yet; I'm still waiting on my HDD bracket and for prices to drop a bit on the SSD's. I do plan to however.

 

ebay is good for SSDs, just run a secure erase from linux (or a livecd if you don't have in installed) and you're good as new. (also 8% bing cashback helps)

 

I've been thinking about this deal, too. I've already got a pre-order at XoticPC for a G73JH-A2, but I'm looking at about a monthlong wait time to get it. Here's what I'm thinking about in terms of going for this X3 from TigerDirect:

Pros:
About $150 cheaper.
Theoretically less wait time (but it's still a pre-order, so who knows).

Cons: I've heard some bad reviews of TigerDirect, especially about their returns and customer service, while I've heard almost nothing but good things about XoticPC.

Can anybody add to that list?

Also, does anyone know if the X3 has the exact same hardware as other models like the A2 (besides the two 320GB hard drives)? Apparently the Best Buy version not only has a different screen resolution but a different model of screen as well. Just wondering if there's anything like that going on here.

Decisions, decisions...

 

The screen on the Best Buy model is horrid. Best Buy waters down everything -- I never buy from there.

And did you say Tiger Direct is a pre-order? Just this morning they had stock of them! Check CompUSA.com.

 

As of 4/16/2010 14:45 EST, CompUSA has stock of the Asus G73jh-x3 -- just verified.

 

Hm... more pros and cons there. CompUSA = in my hands faster, but TigerDirect has 12.3% Bing Cashback going to CompUSA's 8.3%, which works out to about a $62 difference.

On a side note, anyone know why TigerDirect, CompUSA and Circuit City all have pretty much the exact same web pages, prices, layout, etc? They're not owned by the same company, are they?

 

Yes, they are owned by the same company.

 

The asus site says the g73 has a 1tb hard drive, as well ... iirc.

 

Agreed. In canada, you can get an X1 for $1610+$10 shipping from newegg.

Or go to ncix.com and get an A2 for $1650 + $10 shipping.

With the A2, you get a gaming mouse, backpack, an extra 500gb hard drive and an extra year of warranty service.

 

Just letting people know that the mouse for all the recent G73JH-A shipments is no longer a Razer Abyssus, it's now a rebranded HP Voodoo mouse (I like the voodoo better anyways)

 

fyi, if you are buying the g73 from tiget direct and want to put a bluray writer in it, www.ewiz.com has the sony BD-5730S for 199.99, use coupon code SHOWERS15 for 15 dollars off, and dont forget to get 3% bing cashback. Thats the cheapest you will find this drive for, ever. Lol.

 

Where does it say global warranty. With the amount of issues it has, I'd say the warranty is vital.

nvm - found it

 

TigerDirect/CompUsa just jacked up the price by $50 yesterday. Bassturds. Used to be $1549.

 

Ye I know, hopefully the price will go down.

 

probably got a new shipment in. I know I pay tax with TD, but there are times when I'd rather pay tax and get it locally. Monitors (oh yessiree, no dead pixel policies of 8 or more for me), and laptops. They are just upstate from me, overnight by ground UPS means quick to receive, customer service is very nice and easy to work with so far. Said they'd take back the g73 I have here for a refund and would be glad for me to purchase another from them or whatever I chose to do. No pressure, bought a few things now from them.

A microcenter just opened up about 90 minutes away in St Louis. I think I'll add hard drives and memory, maybe even motherboards to the buy locally list. Buy a motherboard , match price to newegg with MC, get home it doesn't work, I can have a new one that evening.. Instead of waiting for my old board going back ups ground to CA and back here the same way..

I would have bought the X2 from MC but 7 days policy with no restock on defective, or exchange for 30 isn't bad. I preferred the 2 year global and accidental on the x3 from TD.

 

Can you purchase an extended warranty from Asus? How much is it?

How durable is power jack on this laptop?

 

I've never seen anything about an extended warranty on any asus products.

 

Asus offers it for sure. Here's the asus extended warranty page

About the asus extended warranty. It basically adds one more year to the warranty... a third year. XoticPc has one for $89. But they seem to be lacking in computers.

TigerDirect/Compusa/CircuitCity offers a 1 year extension for $199. And it's through Bankers Warranty Group, not Asus. According to this, "BWG factors the depreciated value of a covered product vs. the cost of purchasing a comparable new product when adjudicating claims". Sounds like what Square Trade does with their warranty. Some google searches have people complaining about them just refunding the warranty cost. I'd rather get it through Asus.

 

Ok, answered my own question. I called Asus and was told that Tiger Direct doesn't sell the Asus extended warranty. They said to check the website and see if other resellers do. That's the only way to get it. If this laptops like the power jack on any other laptop I've had, it'll be replaced once a year, and makes the extended warranty necessary.... so thumbs down on getting this from TigerDirect.

 

I can't say from experience obviously, because I've only had it for a week, but if you're talking about the part of the power cable that plugs into the laptop, it seems pretty sturdy to me.

My old Toshiba had some problems with this, but the one on the X3 is at least an improvement over that, and that one has lasted me almost six years so far.

 

Where is the best place to buy the ASUS G73JH-X3? I've looked and most places charge $1549.99. I've heard some places include a bag and mouse along with the Asus, where do you find those included? Should I get an additional warranty from the shop selling the Asus? A lot of questions I know, but that's a lot of cash for me to drop on a laptop so I want to make sure I'm getting the best deal. Thanks!