archi student -> need a new notebook!

Hi guys!

This is my first post here and so if i commit any forum faux pas, please don't pounce on me

cutting to the chase:

Me: new archi student... need a notebook... preferably lasting me at least 3-4 years without getting bogged down TOO much

Uses: main parameters are AutoCad/3D rendering programs/Photoshop etcetc... sometimes all at once... and general school needs

I'm interested in the w3v... or the v6v... and the $200 rebate on the w3v and the extra warranty on both seem REALLY appealing!

that said, will the 64mb of dedicated vram be enough for my AutoCAD etcetc? i know that there's the new hyper memory function but that still isn't dedicated vram so that worries me a bit. The spec sheet my instructor gave me said 64mb should be fine but when i emailed him he said if i could swing for 128mb i should. [also, is hypermemory there straight out from the box or do i need to flash the bios myself?]

after reading through 40+pages of threads, the w3v seems like sth thts good for me... good size/style/capabilities... but as this is my first and i guess needs to be a well researched purchase [as per parent's orders], i can't do any wrong.

[fyi: friends/ppl at school tell me to avoid hp/compaq/gateway/dell/sony for various reliability and quality problems... i'm hoping asus doesn't have anything like that right?]

if there's any additional insight on anything i would GREATLY appreciate it.

and again, the promo's run out at the end of the month... and i go on vacation for the first week of august... so if i were to go with asus i need to move quick! !

thank you guys!

spencer

 

The w3v also has HyperMemory if I recall correctly.

64 dedicated + 64(Or more) onboard for CAD and other memory sucking programs I believe.

 

uhh sorry to burst your bubble, but the $200 rebate thing ended july 15th. the 3rd year warranty is still going on until the end of july.

Hypermemory is enabled by default, and will vary depending on how much ram you have (my X600 says 256MB with 1.5GB system ram in). To the OS and AutoCAD, it shouldn't be able to tell the difference between hypermemory and dedicated memory. AutoCAD will think you have a 256MB dedicated video card.

The main problem with hypermemory is still the low bandwidth of the memory, hindering performance, though I don't think this will be such a big effect in AutoCAD as it is in 3dgames.

check out http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2413 and related articles for more info on hypermemory / turbocache

 

not to sound cheeky or anything but emm...


http://usa.asus.com/mobilemag/


or am i just seeing things?

 

oh wow.
now that one I haven't seen before. the original was from july 1st to july 15th. I guess they extended it.

looks good man, i take back my previous comment then

 

Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but can the Z63A handle AutoCad and maybe ProEngineer (which is probably a lot more graphics-intense)? Or are the integrated graphics just not up to the task?

 

Yea it was extended, so get hoppin'

And I doubt, rather I'm sure the z63a can't handle any of those programs.

You will need, probrably at least a 64mb dedicated.

 

We offer the W3V, and also a coupon for education customers. You would save an extra 3% off the unit by putting in EDUSPECIAL in the coupon block when you checkout. Simply send us a copy of your student ID by fax or email.

 

thanks guys for all your help!

one more question,

the v6v does not/cannot have hypermemory right?

to me the extra screen space of the 15inch would be great... plus overall i like the look of the v6v more, but if it doesn't come with hypermem [the best option THIS side of a 128mb dedicated vram] it's appeal shrinks a bit...

go :asus: ! :-D!

 

Acording to the Asus Site It doesn't come with the Hyperthreading.
Asus V6v

 

I don't believe it does, I checked a few sources and they don't say.

So it's probrably just 64mb

 

I believe it's dedicated 64mb PCI express.

 

I think V6 does come with hypermeory though the initial bios version (version 302 or 502 or some such) may not support it.

Well, my V6 is only with 64mb video memory dedicated right after I got it. Then, after I update the bios to 702 and later, the video ram increases to 128mb. So, I think the later bios update enables the hypermemory techology.

As for CAD use, the higher resolution screen (1400X1200) of V6 should help, but then W3 has a nicer glossy screen. It really comes down to what fits your need best.

Hope this helps.

 

No. I use ProE Wildfire daily for work and the Z63A would just get you upset trying to use it. Everything would be choppy.

 

really? hmm... can anyone else add a +1 to the v6v having hypermemory after a BIOS update?

[when it comes to fixing/tweaking computers im fairly... unskilled... if given directions and not needing to unscrew anything i'm good... so what would a BIOS update entail?]

thankx!

 

Well, I might actually use that program on my laptop, so I guess W3V it is. Just gonna have to suck it up and go for the extra hundred bucks or so.
Thanks Greg.

As for the guy who asked about the 15" v6v, the Z70V Refresh (which is coming out very soon) is an update to the current Z70v. It should be identical on the oustide, but has the ATI x700 128MB graphics card and is 15.4". The only site I've seen it at so far is www.istnc.com.

-Brian

 

UPDATEEEEE!!!

so i've now decided to choose between the two

ASUS w3v

Gateway m460lx

i know there's some rules about cross posting so i hope that what i'm going to do next won't make this thread locked or anything!

the details of my dilemma are posted in a new thread in the Hardware forum...

if you have any ideas/insight/comments please advise... i've gotta make the decision soon... promo's run out soon!

THANKX!


http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=21595

 

I know you're in a rush, but if your choices still include a computer from gateway, you're far from deciding on the W3. It might not seem that logical, but to be an Asus buyer, you have to realize what they offer that someone like Gateway doesn't...... quality and detail. You can't just jump into the W3 without having a handle on that.

By the way, would you mind if I asked where you're going to be going to Architecture school?

 

True: Me in a rush
Not true: far from deciding on the w3v

yepp as i said in the other thread, i know the two options i've proposed seem totally different and incomparable... but the $2000+ (computer and extra items such as external hdd... wacom tablet or stuff like that... software) is not coming out of my pocket... if it were... it'd be the w3v in a heartbeat because my reservations with the w3v can be worked with/easily remedied (get an extra lcd monitor and anchor it to my desk at school if i wanted a bigger screen/better resolution)

but to the parents... they're not all that up to date on computers and all... and so to them... the simple fact that gateway has been around longer and they at least have a more established support system [the quality of it is debatable] is worth something in their minds... and plus it seems like to spec it out on paper better than the w3v... it's only $100-$200 more!... in my mind i'm thinking if they can offer sth better for not much more money... they've skimped on something else... but again... it's not like i have any physical proof so i can't use that in my "case" against the judges (i.e. the parents)

neither my parents and i have ever touched/seen the more recent asus laptops so in terms of quality and detail we're going to have to go with what all of you say... and again... if it were my money... i'd buy it in a heartbeat... so many ppl saying good things about the w3v can't be wrong... but nevertheless... the parents lean towards sth more tangible (i.e. better "on paper" specs)... therefore subliminally i guess my post both in this subforum and the hardware subforum is to drum up support and sth more tangible for the asus and against the gateway


i'll be going to arizona... but who knows... if i can swing it i'm interested in going to cali... i'm from there originally anyways

 

Well I understand why he's including the gateway...In all honesty ...component wise they offer alot of bang for the buck. You could get specs well above a W3V in gateway for less than the price of a W3V...but that doesn't just go for gateway..thans almost anyone. PLus the gateway name is known...only tech heads have heard of asus. The essembled Asus line is expensive...plain and simple....but not as expensive as a lesser powerful sony VIAO...

But as proportable said..your getting a better built system with asus. If your parents are attaracted to the gateway because of price...consider the built on asus customizable laptops. You could build a Z70v more powerful than the w3v and it would be cheaper...yet you wouldn't be giving up the quality and detail you would be by going with gateway or a dell.

Your only hard problem is convincing the parents that asus is quality. Tell them they are the ones that makes alot of the other peoples laptops. They made apple's ibooks if im not mistaken...and some VIAO's too.

 

I hear you ... that makes more sense and it's something we run into a lot....... the parents have the money and they *think* they know what's best.

Enjoy architecture school.... I almost went to ASU for arch on a baseball scholarship, but decided to stay closer to home and went to CUA in washington.... if you can survive architecture school, you can survive anything.

 

thanks man

i'm going to try and gun it for the w3v...

now i just have to find an effective way to say how asus's quality is better than gateway's... if not top notch... and also even tho spec-ed out the gateway is better... why the asus would be a better choice...

thankx guys i really appreciate your help!

oh and by arizona i meant university of arizona...

 

Try to explain to them that you know design and quality better than they do.... if you're a first year student, that might be hard to explain to them though. Since they're holding the money (like I said, we see this all the time) .... you're at their mercy. I don't want to say, if they'll only pay for a gateway, get the gateway and in a year or so when you need a new one, tell them you told them so......


That doesn't always go over well either...

 

I had the same probably with my parents, except for it was Dell not Gateway. The more and more I looked at the spec's I relaized that, if I bought a computer for like $1,100 dollars, I would probably have to replace it in 3-4 years anyway. Then straight out of college/ or right into Law School I would have to purchase another notebook. This way, I have spec's that will carry me into the next couple of years decently.

They don't know much about computers either, but I sold them on it.
Good Luck!
:asus:

 

newest update!

i've successfully "massaged" an ok out of the parents for the w3v! YAY! :asus: !

but ahem... so in about a month there's going to be a 2.0ghz w3v??? and i'm assuming mayyybe a 7200rpm hdd? granted there won't be a rebate and an extra year of warranty... and with a faster cpu and hdd there's probably going to be reduced battery life and extra heat...

lemme just run this by you experts so that i have some ammo on my end "if" i need to defend against "you should have waited another month!"



the speed difference between a 2.0 and a 1.86ghz is negligible right? even if i'm doing 1 thing at the time or i'm multitasking like crazy the 2.0ghz won't be THAT much faster than a 1.86ghz right?

thanks guys!

 

You have cool parents.... tell them that, they'll appreciate it.

 

I doubt you'd notice the difference in speed... but to me at least, the change in processor certainly isn't worth giving up the rebate and 3rd year of warranty. Maybe there will be other upgrades as well that will justify the difference, but based on what Justin's told us now, I would jump on the rebate before it's too late.

Besides, it's cool of your parents to buy you the notebook (especially from a brand they don't necessarily trust), so the least you could do is try to save them a little cash...