asus decision for multimedia editting - w3j/v6j/a8j?

Hey all.

I need to choose reasonably stat between the w3j, v6j and a8j. I will be using it for uni work and for photoshopping//ableton. I'll be plugging it into my 19" when I'm at home.

Are the differences in video cards/Ram going to make a big difference for me?
How about screen quality? Is widescreen or normal preferable for working on stuff?
Which has the best build (not a8j, I'm leaning away from it because I don't like how it looks that much, and am worried that it doesn't look very sturdy)..?


Cheers.

 

The w3j woud b best.

 

Huckles, is your external monitor LCD or CRT? If it's LCD, you'll preferably want a machine with DVI... in this case the A8J. The A8J is available in two major variants, the A8Ja (X1600 GPU) and the A8Jm (go7600 GPU).

Be assured that the A8J is pretty darn sturdy (all Asus notebooks are), all the machines you've mentioned have already been reviewed by NBR members.

 

honestly if i were doing serious work..i'd probably have bought the v6j for the larger display and higher resolution..if you only game mildly the v6j is perfect...i own a w3j btw

 

Thanks TedJ. Yes I have read all of the reviews. But I'm unsure about this graphics business.

Mine is an LCD screen. What exactly is DVI? Does it provide significant advantages over the traditional connection? Can I not use S-video to connect to my screen? Or is that a silly novice question?

And will I be able to use my laptop screen while using my LCD? Would be nice and nerdy . Also helpful - all the tools on my laptop screen, the work on the main screen.

jterp7: I think you're right. But given that I'll have it connected to my screen at home, and I'll be doing most of that kind of work at home, maybe it doesn't matter so much.

The only other thing I'm really worried about is noise. It seems the v6j is noisey-

 

any haven't found any reviews that said the v6j was noisy but if that the case i want to know it too since i still don't know wich notebook to get...
besides that the v6j seems really good but you might want to get the a8jm that has dvi port (so you can plug your lcd monitor) and good gpu

 

I have a v6j and I don't think it's noisy at all. There was a dude awhile back who had very sensitive ears or a faulty fan - it was never determined which.

Regarding the external monitor...I don't plug mine in (thought I would when I bought it, but it has such a great display I just haven't bothered to plug it in). The one thing to consider is the ...someone help me out here...native resolution? I like the higher resolution settings, but I think it is not as sharp at the lower resolutions. Or maybe I just don't understand native resolutions...someone will clarify I'm sure.

-Erik

 

The review for the v6j on this site says that it is noisey.

 

Trust me, if you have an external LCD, you're going to want to connect it using DVI... if your monitor has a DVI input. It's not uncommon to find budget LCDs only have an analogue VGA input.

DVI (Digital Video Interface) is designed to replace VGA since it avoids the digital->analogue->digital conversion required if you're running an LCD. The result is a sharper, crisper picture, especially with areas of sharp contrast... especially text.

Yes, the 7600 GPU will allow you to simultaneously run two screens.

Regarding noise and the V6J, you have to remember that noise is a subjective thing. The guy reviewing the V6J wasn't so much annoyed by how much noise the notebook made, but the fact that the fan doesn't shut down once the machine's warmed up. Chances are the CPU fan in your desktop machine makes more noise.

Eslayter is correct, LCD displays rarely look as good at smaller resolutions than their native res (1400x1050 in the case of the V6J). This is because of dithering which can leave things looking quite fuzzy. Looks awful for regular desktop work, but it's acceptable for gaming where the extra FPS is worth it. The exception to the above rule is smaller resolution that are exactly 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 etc of the native res... but who would want to run at 700x525 anyway?

 

If you don't have DVI, I'd consider the W3j. If you do have DVI, then go with the A8jm.

 

Yeah, if your LCD supports DVI, go with A8Jm (it's sturdy, no worries there). Otherwise, the W3J is a nice choice.

 

heh to be honest i'd rather have the fan always on (v6j) than like my w3j where it comes on every 5mins then shuts off then back on again, albeit very quietly...honestly i don't think dvi vs analog should be the main factor deciding on the laptop..its more a question of the type of work that you do and how heavily you game

v6j: better for work; larger screen and higher resolution and with 7400 can still game

w3j:workstation in small package..a lotta power with the x1600 and t2400..also the most expensive (when considering rebates)

a8jm: only one with dvi...pretty much the same power as w3j..not as nice looking but runs cooler and is $300 cheaper...

looks like you have a tough decision ahead heh heh

 

Pick up one of each and I'm sure you could find volunteers to take the extras off your hands.

Bottom line here is you can't make a bad decision.