Couple questions for you G1S types

They're currently selling this in my local Best Buy, and after extensive research I've decided this is probably the best fit for my price range and needs. However, before I buy, I want to double-check with other owners, or anyone in the know regarding this particular notebook.

1) Does the Best Buy offering maintain the GDDR3-1400mhz VRAM in the 8600 (NOT DDR2 800)? That is a MAJOR motivation for purchasing this unit and not something similar.

2) I'm sitting here at home and BB is closed, so I can only recall its size from memory atm, but I seem to recall it being a bit larger than other 15.4" notebooks. Owners - how portable is it? If it's comparable to a 17" I might just go with that instead. I intend to take it with me to class maybe 2 or 3 times a week, out to library/wherever to study once every week or two. I'd hate to piss off classmates with a spacehog or a noisy fan. Anyone have experience to share with something similar?

3) Less of a G1 question, but the BB model is offered preconfigured with 32-bit vista. I'm fine with Vista, but would it be worth upgrading to 64 bit seeing as I have a santa rosa CPU? I'm a bit of a neophyte at all this 64-bit tech and such.

4) mxm-upgrade.com doesn't have it listed as an MXM module. Anyone able to confirm/deny this? I'd like to futureproof this machine as much as possible.

anything else you feel is relevant to throw in here! mostly intend to use it for school (SSPS, word processing), and of course a hefty bit of gaming.

Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with what I've seen and read so far so I'll probably pick it up tomorrow on my way home from the U!

Thanks very much as always NBR friends!

 

the best buy version, to my knowledge is not the same as the one you can buy online. the best buy g1s is labeled the "x1" while most of the ones that you can buy online now are a1. the main difference is that the processor is t7300 instead of t7500. as for the graphics card, i'm not sure, but it should be the same. it is slightly smaller than the average 17" but not much so. as for fan, it only gets loud when you have cds in your OD or if you plan on gaming during class.

 

haha but only in my boring-ass lecture that is too big for it to matter so i guess that's win-win!

I can certainly live with a t7300 seeing as it retains the 4mb cache. Any noticeable performance drop in losing 200mhz? I assume the GPU is the system bottleneck anyway...

slightly smaller... I'll have to check again when I go to pick it up. I'd honestly HATE to yet again rethink my notebook purchase minutes before (this is the 5th, and hopefully final, model I've "settled" on).

edit: and of course, thanks for the timely reply =) I hadn't noticed the processor distinction before either, interesting though as I said acceptable