Z81 versus M6000

I'm new here and have spent about 2 weeks researching my next Laptop. I stumbled into the concept that you can by a Barebones Laptop and build your own, so to speak. I them stumbled into Asus and then this Forum.

After 2 weeks of obsessing over my decision, my head is spinning and my knees are weak. I'm not sure if all of the coffee and late nights have anything to do with it, but I'm sure that I'm getting too old to continue to act this way with out grave consequences.

That aside, what are the differences in the real world. Specs and numbers are a great place to start, but what is the real deal. I can get a Barebones Z81 with 15.4 WSXGA and 9700/128MB Video with 512 RAM, P4 2.4GHz HT 512K 800FSB, 60GD 7200RPM HD, etc. for about $1600. Some assembly required.

If I go the route of the M6000 I have to tack on another $300 to $400 to get similar numbers. I know that the M6 tends to swing towards the Mobel Processor and the Z81 is running a Desktop Type Processor, so my battery life would be way less with the Z81. But at this point I'm looking for a Desktop Replacement that I can upgrade in the future and I'm not as worried about battery run time.

Does anyone here have an opinion or suggestion that they would be willinhg to share. This is my first adventure in building a Barebones anything, so I am a little apprehensive about which way to go. I'm not at all affraid of building the Laptop, well pluging a few parts in and turning a few screws, with care of course. It's more the fear of getting something I don't like, or the ever present fear of the latest greatest being so much better that I am disappointed in the end.

Thanks in advance for you help.[ )]

 

First of all, the Z81k is 64mb system, the Z80K is 128mb.

Either way, the biggest choice is athlon or centrino....... From there I can certainly help you along.

J

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

OK Jason, I should have been more concise on my Model Number. The one that I am looking at, thus far, is the Z81G. The information that I have is that it is a 128MB System. I hope that my information is not flawed, but I'm only going by what was listed on the GenTech Site. I've done a copy/paste of the Specs for the base unit along with the additional items that I have selected.

Hard Drive: 60GB 9.5mm 7200rpm
CPU: P4-3.0 GHz (HT) 800FSB w/1MB
SODIMM: 512MB PC-400 (1X 512MB)


Processor & Cache Memory Mobile Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor, 532/538
Clock Speed: 3.06AGHz/ 3.20AGHz
FSB: 533 MHz
Cache: 1 MB L2
Mobile Intel® PentiumR 4 Processor
3.06 GHz, 533MHz, 512KB L2
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 335
Clock Speed: 2.80GHz
FSB: 533 MHz
Cache: 256 KB L2
Operating System MicrosoftR WindowsR XP Professional / Home Edition
Chipset SiS 648FX + SiS963L
Main Memory DDR 333 SDRAM , 2x SO-DIMM socket expandable to 2048 MB
Display 15.4"WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
Video Graphics & Memory ATI 9700 w/ 128MB VRAM
Hard Drive 2.5" 9.5mm IDE HDD with Ultra DMA 100 supported, capacity of 30/40/60/80 GB
Optical Drive DVD-Dual
DVD-R/RW: 4X/2X, DVD+R/RW: 4X/2.4X, CD-R/RW: 16X/10X, DVD-ROM:8X, CD-ROM: 24X
Fax/Modem/ LAN / WLAN AC 97 s/w MODEM and 10/100 Base T PCI LAN on board
Integrated universal PPT V.92 MDC Fax/ Modem
Integrated USB WLAN 802.11 b module (b/g Reserved)
Pass worldwide regulation
Interface and Card Reader Built-in card reader: SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO
1 x VGA for external monitor
1 x EPP/ECP Parallel Port/D-sub 25-pin
1 x Microphone-in jack
1 x Speaker-Out
4 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x IEEE 1394 port
1 x TV Out
1 x RJ11 Modem jack for phone line
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert
1 x SIR supported
1x type II PCMCIA 2.1 compliant
Battery Pack & Life Li-Ion 8 cells, 14.8V, 4800mAh, 71WHr. Battery. Pack
Charging time, 2 hrs Quick charge 90% (Power off) / 3.5+ hrs (Power on)

With what is listed here, I figure I'll be lucky if I were to get an hour and a half of time on the battery. Again, battery time is not a major issue with me. I'm more concerned about bang for my buck. That is what attracted me to the concept of doing some of the assembly and the OS load on my own. None of that really scares me, just missing a better bang for the buck factor.

Again, thanks in advance.

 

ok, as long as we're talking about an asus z81g.. it is 128..

Now it is a lower end system in a way... first, you really have to consider the SiS chipset... I've never been a fan. Now, you're going to get much less life with a p4-m than you will with a P-M ... but it is cheaper... so you have to make up your own mind.

J

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

HE GOT YOUR NAME WRONG [|)]

ASUS M6800Ne, P-M 1.5 Dothan, 512MB Ram, Tohiba Combo drive, Samsung Spinpoint M 40G HDD with 8M cache, Mobility Radeon 9700

 

OMG, AuroraS (did I get that one right?) I'm a complete knot head.

My apologies Justin!!!

Thanks for the info.

Could you please clarify "much less life"? Are you talking about battery life? If so, I agree, I have a Laptop with a Pentium 4, as oppossed to a Mobile Pentium 4 and the battery life is about 2 hours if I don't get crazy with heavy operations like CD Burning.

Also, SiS Chipset? What differs between the SiS and what is offered on the M6000 Series?

Or, if somebody knows of a place that I can do a little reading about Chipsets (and how to read peoples names properly[ ]) that would also give a comparison of performance, etc., that would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

SiS chipsets are great on desktop platforms... great ATA and PCI performance. However, on notebook platforms, they're quite average.
The M6 series offers the Intel i855PM chipset... I think all (or 99%) of Centrino systems use the i855 chipset, or one of its variations (i855GME, i855GM).

Battery life is quite poor on MOST notebooks that aren't Centrino based or AMD64 LV based; whether than be Celeron-M, P4-M, or mobile P4, they're all quite poor on battery life...

Getting back to your chipset inquery, yes, SiS isn't the best, but there's nothing "wrong" with it. However, the Intel i855 chipset has been "tried, tested and true".

The choice is yours [ ]

ASUS M6800Ne, P-M 1.5 Dothan, 512MB Ram, Tohiba Combo drive, Samsung Spinpoint M 40G HDD with 8M cache, Mobility Radeon 9700

 

I would like to thank all for their input.

I guess it all boils down to what you are willing to spend and what you are willing to sacrafice.

Well, more research to do, my mind is still open to new possibilities and this Forum has so much to offer.

More late nights and alot more coffee before I spend any money.