7950 GTX w/XP or 8600M GT w/Vista?

Nah power saving mode, I have reached 1hr 55 min . I'm sure if you go to extreme measures like some people do like turning off superfetch so hd is less active and turning off aero and various other things you could reach a good amount over the 2 hr mark.

I agree with everything else you wrote though. Good summation of it all.

 

Forerunner, I have to ask, what processor and OS do you use? Because you usually seem to have higher battery life scores than the other C90s owners I've talked to. I'm just curious to see why that is.

 

Home Premium, e6600. I meant to say I reached that once. That was with just typing on office wi-fi off. My point was it averages for me 1 hr 40 min to 1 hr 45 usually but I have reached about 1 hr 55 min a few times. Just meant that you said 1 hr 30 min which seemed low to me.

 

Okay. The 80-90min number I've heard from other owners is the max with wi-fi off in a DVD battery drain situation.

 

Really? Only thing I can explain is that I fully tweaked the system removing absolutely all unnecessary processes/services and turning off indexing and various other things. Only thing I didn't do is turn off superfetch and I still have aero running. Also that is with me usually just browsing on opera like I am now no other programs of my own running.

 

OK, so the 8600M GT DDR3 is king for 15.4" and will be for a while. I'm surprised more gamers haven't purchased Asus laptops...

In regards to 17": Will the 8700M GT be a good card, even after the "8800M" or "8700M Ultra" comes out, or is it better to hold off buying a 17" for 6 months? I would be happy with a DX10 compatible card similar to the Go 7900 GS.

I looked online and found the following for the 8600M GT: (It didn't say if it was GDDR2 or 3)
3DMark 03: min: 10840, avg: 11329, max: 11817 points
3DMark 05: min: 6029, avg: 6874, max: 7718 points
3DMark 06: min: 3000, avg: 3566, max: 4294 points
(I got a 3DMark06 score of 2687 for my 256MB GDDR2 8600M GT with the 7.15.11.143 driver. Why would mine be so low?).

And the following for the 8700M GT:
3DMark 03: min: 13340, avg: 13340, max: 13340 points
3DMark 05: min: 8484, avg: 8671, max: 8857 points
3DMark 06: min: 4222, avg: 4632, max: 5200 points

It looks like the 8700M GT is a little faster, but it doesn't blow the 8600M GT out of the water.

I also wanted to know whether it's better for gaming to get Vista Home Premium, XP Professional, or a dual boot Vista/XP with System Commander. I haven't had any real problems with Vista/games, although I'm not sure if it's slowing games down. It seems inevitable that everyone will be using Vista by next year...

 

Your score isn't incredibly low, though you could try making sure everything else is turned off (antivirus, etc.) and your laptop is in the highest performance mode (and plugged in).

The 8700M-GT is merely an overclocked 8600M-GT, so no, it doesn't blow the GDDR3 version out of the water. I'd recommend either getting a 7950GTX, or getting an 8700M-GT in an upgradeable system. Though if you only need Go7900GS level performance, the 8700M-GT should be fine for you.

I'd get vista if you get a DX10 card, as DX10 codepaths will only get better (and DX10 doesn't work on XP).

 

but if you're into gaming, and don't care much about DX10, you might want to go with XP: after all it STILL is more performant for gaming purposes
your 8700 won't use DX10 then, but it'll be there if you ever need it (and upgrade to Vista)

 

One thing about those 3DMark06 numbers.....the higher you go the more evident the better Video card becomes.

A 7950GTX stomps a 8700M GT at higher resolutions.

3DMark06 is default run at 1280x1024. Just FYI. It's not a big deal if you don't have a large screen and don't plan on running games at a higher resolution. But if you do.....something to think on.

 

e1705 and upgrade the card to a 7950gtx. You'll spend about 1300 bucks.

 

Perhaps it's better to wait for the DX10 compatible 7950 GTX replacement? It would be a waste of money to buy a GPU that's going to be replaced in a few months, or on a DX10 mid-range GPU that's surpassed by the previous generation 7950 GTX. Waiting for the "8700M Ultra" or "8800M GTX" would ensure a safe GPU for a few years.

My "old " laptop is a Dell Inspiron 8600 2.4 Ghz Pentium M w/ a Radeon Mobility 9600/9700 128MB, 2GB RAM, + Windows XP. It's actually not that bad for running games at low-mid settings. I wanted to at least double my performance in a replacement laptop.

Are there that many people gaming with 15.4" laptops? It seems 15.4" laptops are limited by their size and what GPU they can handle. Even with portability taken into consideration, are 17" laptops the better choice for all-around gaming and productivity?

 

17" laptops are better for gaming, or course, because they can handle more powerful GPUs. However on a 15.4" laptop you can get a GDDR3 256mb 8600M-GT, which is still very good for gaming. Also a 15.4" laptop is large enough to have a decent sized keyboard and screen, but small enough to carry around if you want to. It's generally considered the best choice for all around productivity and mobility, plus moderate to heavy gaming.

 

A question about the 7950 GTX: Will it be able to play DX10 games with the features turned off, or will it not play them at all?

In regards to 3-4GB RAM: Is it better to get 4GB now in the event you switch to 64-bit Vista? Also, won't the GPU be able to use extra RAM as shared system memory?

I also wanted to know about the "upgrade-able" GPU in the Sager NP5790: Is there a guarantee that the GPU can be upgraded? If so, how do you order a new card, and who will install it? Will it void any warranty?

 

if a game is DX10 ONLY, the 7950 won't play it
if there's a DX9 path, the 7950 will use that code

if and how much system RAM the GPU can use, depends on the GPU, not on the amount of RAM you have installed
you can go with 3 GB now, and upgrade later if needed. if you don't feel confident about upgrading,y ou can go ahead and put in 4 GB from the start (but that's just my opinion)

there is a guarantee the GPU can be upgraded
there is no guarantee that a card will be released that will fit in the 5790 (however, while there is no guarantee, it is pretty sure you'll be able to fit an 8800M/8700 Ultra/... into it: the MXM-IV allows for that)

 

Regarding the 8700M GT vs. 7950 GTX: It looks like the 7950 GTX should be a viable GPU for at least 2 years. With no DX10 games out right now, and with an "8800M" eventually coming out, it seems better to buy a 7950GTX now and upgrade later on if necessary. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is there any reason to buy a 8700M GT now if you are planning to upgrade to a "8800M"?

Would the 7950 GTX be better off with XP, or will it run fine in Vista? I would rather get Vista now and not have to buy 2 OS (XP now and Vista when upgrading to the "8800M") unless it's necessary.

 

you can opt for an 8700 because it's cheaper? if you want to upgrade in a few months anyway, imo, it makes, economically, more sense to save the extra €/£/$ and spend them on your 8800M (or whatever you intend to get )

the 7950 will run Vista perfectly, no problem there

 

I would buy the 7950GTX: It costs only $100 more than the 8700M GT, it performs a lot better with current games, and DX 10 probably won't dominate for a couple of years. There should be no need to upgrade to the 8800M in 6 months. With all the older GPUs out there I doubt game developers will abandon DX9 overnight.

Instead of upgrading in 6 months it would be better to wait and buy a laptop when the 8800M is released. Why buy an 8700M now just to throw it out in 6 months? Overall it seems like a bad time to buy a 17" laptop GPU...

 

the 7950 IS better for DX9 games
but you asked why one would buy an 8700 and you talked about upgrading, so I gave you a possible reason to go for the 8700 now

 

I wouldn't worry about $100 if the 7950 GTX is a lot better than the 8700M with current games.

If I purchased the 8700M GT I would plan on keeping it for a least a year. By that time I'm sure there will be a replacement out for the "8800M."

If you had to decide between the 7950 and the 8700, money wasn't an issue, and you were going to keep the GPU for at least a year which one would you choose?

 

the 7950
i choose it even though i think i'll keep it more than 1 year

and i wouldn't worry about $100 either, but I still think that, if you want to upgrade to the 8800M (and can't wait till it's released before you buy your laptop), your cheapest option is the 8700
it all depends on how you look at it
I for me, would have gone for the 8700M if i did NOT expect to keep my laptop for a few years, just to save me the money now

 

I wanted to compare the best options in laptops/GPUs for 15.4" and 17":

15.4":
Sager 2090: nVidia GeForce GO8600GT 512MB PCI-Express DX10 (512MB of dedicated GDDR2?)

Asus C90S: nVidia GeForce GO8600GT 512MB PCI-Express DX10 (512MB of dedicated GDDR2? I understand the C90 can be upgraded, but not to a 256-bit+ card like the 8700M or 8800M?)

Asus G1S-A1: nVidia GeForce GO8600GT 512MB Turbo Cache GDDR3 PCI-Express DX10

Is it correct to say that for 15.4" the Sager 2090 and the Asus C90S would be better than the Inspiron 1520's 256MB DDR2 8600M GT, as they have a 512MB GDDR2 8600M GT; while the Asus G1S-A1 beats them all with the 512MB GDDR3 8600M GT?


17":
Asus G2S-A1: nVidia GeForce GO8600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI-Express DX10
(Is that the same card on the Asus G1?)

Sager NP5790: nVidia GeForce GO7950GTX 512MB or a nVidia GeForce 8700M GT.

For 17" the NP5790 would be the best option as you have a choice of either the 7950 or 8700 and they can both be upgraded.

 

Everything there looks correct. The c90s will be upgradeable, but most likely never to a 256-bit card.

 

"Unlike the desktop counter parts, components in a notebook are not generally upgradeable. This usually means that once you purchased the CPU and GPU, you are stuck with it for the life of the notebook. However, the Sager 9750 is based on the Clevo D900 chassis (Sager 9860, 9880 and 9890) and in the past, Sager has been able to offer upgrades on the GPUs beginning with the nVidia 6800 DDR to 6800 DDR3, Ati X800, 6800 Ultra and the latest nVidia 7800 GTX. The cost of the upgrades are not cheap -- ranging from $600 to $900 depending on the changes involved which has, in the past, included a mother board revision and a new power supply. It is hoped that this tradition will continue with the next couple of GPU releases from nVidia or ATI, fingers crossed."

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2790

For $600-$900 I'd rather buy a new laptop. That certainly takes away from the "upgrade-ability" of the Sager 9750.

 

That's the older 9750, not the 5790 you've been looking at. And for upgrades, often you can either sell the card back to the reseller to recoup some of the cost, or sell the card on eBay. And keep in mind that the upgrade would be for a card that even in a desktop would cost several hundred dollars, and that by upgrading you're extending the gaming life of the computer by several years.

 

The mxm 8600 512 card is like 180. 600-800 for an mxm upgrade is ridiculous because you can purchase a desktop 8800 for that price.

 

Reading all the threads on this forum it seems the Inspiron 1520 can be had for the cheapest price, and it's the most popular laptop. I priced another one w/ the T7500, 3GB RAM, 160/7200HD for $1,900.

I would be paying $400+ more just to get the GDDR3 8600 on the Asus G1S, while the Sager 5790 weighs considerably more, is noisy and runs hot.

I have never had a problem with Dell in regards to service after purchasing my last 3 laptops, however I'm unsure about the others for service, support, and returns.

I have to make my final decision between the 3 by tomorrow...

 

Not true I priced out g1 for you with same specs and it came out to be 2139.

 

Here's the G1 I wanted from Xotic: (I went with the 2.4GHz because it was available).

- !! FREE !! UPS GROUND SHIPPING (Use Coupon Code FREESHIP in Checkout)
- 15.4" WSXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1680x1050)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- ASUS Zero Bright Dot (ZBD) Pixel Guarantee
- Intel® Core™2 Duo T7700 2.4GHz w/4MB L2 On-die cache - 800MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 8600GT GDDR3 DX10 Turbo Cache (256MB on Board)
- 3,072MB (2 SODIMMS) DDR2 667MHz Memory
- 1GB Intel® Robson Turbo Memory (Vista Only)
- Standard Finish
- Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X Light Scribe DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- 200GB Hitachi Travelstar 3GB/S SATA 300 7200RPM Hard Drive
- Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
- Built in 1.3Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Integrated System Speakers - Included
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- Asus G Series Matching Backpack made by Targus
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- 110/220V 120W Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
- ADD Car Adapter
- Asus G Series Matching Logitech Mouse
- Windows Vista Home Premium w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's - ENS
- 2 Year ASUS GLOBAL Warranty, 24/7 Technical Support & 2-Way Pre-Paid Overnight Shipping for Warranty
Sub-Total: $2,792.00



I also priced the following Inspiron 1520:

Inspiron 1520 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition
System Color Jet Black BLK
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
Anti-glare, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800)
256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
160GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.08
Combo or DVD+RW Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition
Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
No Webcam Option
No Productivity software pre-installed
I chose Security with Value, Plus,or Premium Warranty Bundle
85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options DellCare Plus
Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR)
Jet Black color w/o Camera
Processor Branding Intel Centrino Core Duo Processor
Labels Windows Vista™ Premium VPN
DataSafe included with DellCare Service bundle
Total: $1,901.85

Is the GGD3 8600M GT and the extra 200 MHz on the processor worth an extra $850? Would the A1S be far ahead of the 1520 in terms of game performance?

 

Drop the T7700, it's unnecessary. The laptop then costs about $2300. If you configure it the same as the Dell, it's under $2200. Well worth it over the Dell if gaming is a primary concern.

 

Also 1toppc.com (gentech) sometimes has lower prices. Try that site.

Yeah and take out the more powerful processor you can't compare different specs and compare pricing that way. G1 also comes with nice mouse and backpack.

 

I configured the following from GenTech. The "I agree to no refunds" makes me a little uneasy...

Asus G1S-A1 15.4" WSXGA+ T7500/GeForce 8600GT 256MB/2GB/160GB/Bluetooth/WiFi-N/LightScribe/Vista
Customized CPU will void Asus Global Warranty: If CPU has been configured
Hard Drive: Hitachi 200GB 7200 rpm 16MB S-ATA
Customize HD and RAM does not void Asus Warranty
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32Bit
Install Windows and all drivers
Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2 GHz 4MB 800 FSB
Built-in Bluetooth™ V2.0+EDR
WiFi: Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/b/g/n
Optical Mouse Included
Carrying Case: Included (backpack for G1 and G2)
AC Adapter and Battery: Included
No Additional AC Adapter
Air Plane/Car Adapter
Windows Recovery Disk and Drivers CD: Included
30days Zero Bright Dot Guaranteed: Yes through Asus
Asus 2 Year Limited Global Warranty
Non-Refundable, Support/Exchange From Manufacturer: I Agree (required)
Asus Support & Service: 24/7 Toll-Free
Both Way Next Day Air Shipping
RAM: 3GB DDR 2 667 (1GB+2GB)
Optical Drive: 8X DVDRW DL/LightScribe
24/7 Support hotline: 1-888-678-3688 (except holidays)
Turbo Memory: 1GB Intel Turbo Memory Card
Display: 15.4” WSXGA+ 1680X1050 Color Shine (Glossy)
GeForce G8600M GT 256MB up to 1G/DX10
Built-in 1.3MP Webcam
No Additional main battery
Total: $2,321.00

The Sager NP5790 has been bumped to 3rd...with the others in a tie. I'll consider spending the extra $400 for the GDDR3 8600 in the Asus if it blows away the GDDR2 version in the Inspiron.

 

The turbo memory is not necessary with the drive you got (and some benchmarks have even shown that the turbo memory hurts system performance with current drivers). Remember that of that extra $400, some of it is going towards the much better hard drive you have in the Asus. The Asus will perform about 30% better in newer games, so if that's important to you, I'd say it's worth it.

Remember that for not much more a 5790 would blow away both of these systems.

 

You are not congifuring fairly. You are giving the g1 a 200 gb compared to the inspiron and a turbo memory which is about 115 difference and the airplane/ car adapater which is another 70 bucks. Why are you configuring two different machines differently and then comparing prices. Then you have to figure the asus has a webcam, a mouse, a backpack and and free ground shipping. Configure them fairly and then compare please.

 

and the 5790 is NOT noisy (see the updated review from lawlz)

 

17": I can see someone wanting to buy the Sager 5790 over the Dell XPS and 17" Inspiron for the 8700 GT and cheaper price.

I also wanted to know if you had to pick between the 8700M GT or the 7950 GTX as your GPU for the next three years (no upgrade), what would you pick?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

15.4": If the Asus G1S and Inspiron 1520 close to the same price, and the Asus has the GDDR3 8600M GT, then why would anyone want to buy an Inspiron? (I'm playing Devil's advocate because no one has advised me to buy a Dell on this forum).

Reading the forums it appears that a lot of people are buying Inspiron 1520s, and they're also the most popular laptop. Is there any advantage to the Dell over the Asus or Sager?

Does Asus and Sager or their retailers have accidental damage coverage, Lojack, and in-home service for 3 years similar to Dell?

 

Because no one is buying the 1520 at the kind of price your looking at. The 1520 can be configured as a very nice gaming machine for $1000 or under, while the G1s starts at nearly twice that.

 

I thought the Inspiron I configured for $1,900 with the T7500 2.2 GHz processor, 3GB RAM, and the 160/7500 HD was reasonable.

"Because no one is buying the 1520 at the kind of price your looking at. The 1520 can be configured as a very nice gaming machine for $1000 or under, while the G1s starts at nearly twice that."

That would mean the people purchasing Inspirons are configuring low-budget rigs, and no one is buying Inspiron 1520s with a mid-high end 15.4" gaming laptop in mind?

Under $1,000? The only way I could configure a 1520 under $1,000 was with a T5250 1.6Ghz, 1GB RAM, an 80/5400 HD, a 256MN 8600M GT, a SigmaTel audio, and no service + support, Bluetooth, or productivity software.

If you could configure a 1520 for under $1,000 that would be close to the Asus G1S (minus the GDDR3) I'm sold...

 

Correct, this config makes a very decent gaming machine, at an extremely low price point.

Also correct, though keep in mind that the difference between the "low budget rig" and the G1s isn't that high, at least not in gaming performance. It's a significant difference, but we're not talking orders of magnitude.

 

I have $2,000-$3,00 to spend, and I want a mid-high end (very portable) laptop for gaming and productivity. I don't want to spend too much if the benefit is negligible, however I also don't want to cut corners if it will decrease performance or shorten the useful life of the laptop. I want a laptop that's proven/reliable, of solid construction and backed up by good service and support.

I thought buying 1 step down from the best available option was always a good choice, as you're not paying for the newest technology and you're also not obsolete in a year. Is the a 1.6Ghz CPU and a 80 GB/5400 RPM HD really a good choice for a solid gaming machine for the next 3 years?

I'll have to consider going with a cheaper Inspiron and forget the Asus or Sager if an Asus G1S for $2,000 would only give a 10-15% performance increase over an Inspiron 1520 w/ a 1.6Ghz and an 8600M GT (and the Sager w/ the 8700M GT would probably only give a 10% increase over the Asus?)

 

Not for a solid gaming machine, no, it's at the very low end of what most gamers would consider a "solid" machine. But for a decent gaming machine on a budget, it can't be beat.

The difference between the Dell and the Asus would be at the very least 30%, possibly as high as 50% better performance on the Asus. And the increase up to the 8700M-GT would be close to 100% over the dell, and maybe 20-40% better than the Asus.

Based on this statement, I would strongly consider a Thinkpad T61p or an HP 8510w if I were you. They're expensive, but in terms of build quality and performance, they can't be beat by any other 15.4" machine. And the support on the HP in particular is outstanding.

 

I couldn't find any reviews on the HP 8510W, but I found the following specs/prices:

Manufacturer: Compaq & HP Compaq
Model: HP Compaq 8510w (Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD, Blu-ray, Vista Business)
Screen Size: 15.4 inches
Weight: 7 lbs
Processor Options: Core 2 Duo
Graphics Options: ATI Mobility Radeon X1900 (Dedicated)
Description: The HP Compaq 8510w mobile workstation is a 15.4" screen Intel notebook that uses the latest Core 2 Duo processor.
Specs: Microsoft Windows Vista Business, 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6.1 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 GHz)

PC Connection | $2,849.00
Buy.com | $2,672.99
Best Buy for Business | $2,767.69

I guess it's the Blu-ray that makes it so expensive.

I didn't need Blu-ray, but I'll add the HP to my list along with the Asus G1S, Sager 5790, and Dell Inspiron 1520. I liked the Acer Aspire 5920 as well, however I couldn't find any retailers that offer different configurations.

Is there any reason to buy an Inspiron other than you can configure it under $1,000?

Why isn't Dell offering the 8700M GT on the Inspiron 1720s and XPS 1710s?

Do you think the Sager 5790 is too big for a laptop that would commute to work everyday?

 

The HP 8510w can also be bought directly from HP's website. There are several reviews of it:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=140135
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3862
http://www.pclaptop-review.com/2007/08/17/hp-compaq-8510w-review/

No, I wouldn't pay more than $1200-$1500 for an Inspiron, max.

Yes, I don't think you'll be happy commuting with that laptop. Maybe a thinner 17", like the HP 8710 or the HP 9440, but even that would be a stretch.

 

If you wouldn't pay over $1500 for an Inspiron, would you pay $2,300 for an Asus G1S w/ a T7500, 3GB RAM, a 300/7200 HD, and a GDDR3 8600 from Xotic?

I did try out an Inspiron 1720. Although it was a noticible difference in weight/size for commuting, the WUXGA + screen size was awesome for games. (It was hard getting used to looking at a 15.4" again!)

With the processor/RAM/hard drive about equal on all laptops, it seems to come down to the GPU, weight/size, and build quality/reliability.

I found the following 3DMark06 scores on notebookcheck.net:
7950 GTX: 5214 (optional on NP5790)
8700M GT: 4632 (S/A)
8600M GT: 3566 (unknown if this is the GDDR2 or 3 version)

And the following size/weight:
Sager NP5790: Dimensions: 15.6” x 11.5” x 1” ~ 1.8” - Weight: 8.35 lb. including battery
Asus G1S: Dimensions: 13.9 x 11.2 x 1.5 inch - Weight: 6.8 lbs
Dell Inspiron 1520: Dimensions: 14.12" x 10.59" x 1.47-1.65" - Weight: 6.40 lbs
(They're all pretty close, especially considering the benefits of a 17" for 2 extra lbs of weight).

I'm not sure of the build quality of the Sager/Clevos + Asus, however I think Dells are pretty good overall.

 

Is there some particular reason you want to keep your laptop for 3 years? Personally I'd buy a $1500 laptop now. Sell it for half price in a year. Buy a new one for $1500 for another year. Sell that for half price. buy another $1500 laptop. Money is cheaper in the future (let's hope that continues) and technology is still driving prices down. Of course, this comes from someone who likes to buy used laptops and/or upgrade laptops. I don't get paying over $2000 for a laptop.

 

I would like to play all current DX9 games at max settings, and I would like to be able to play DX10 games at medium settings when they are released. I'm not sure I'll be able to do that on a $1,500 system.

Besides, it's would be more of a nuisance for me to have to replace my laptop every year and sell the old one. I kept my first laptop for 4 years, and I'm replacing my last one after 3.

I was extremely happy with my last laptop, which was a Dell Inspiron 8600 w/ a 2.4 Ghz Pentium M, 2GB RAM, a 100/5400 HD, and a Mobility Radeon 9600/9700 128MB. It ran all my games at decent settings including Medieval Total War, Rogue Spear, Dawn of War, etc, and it lasted 3 years. It's still not a bad system. I would like to replace it with a system that would do as well for the next 3 years...

 

Personally I probably wouldn't, just because I don't like the design of the G1s, however I would say that that's not a bad price for those specs in a 15.4" laptop. Personally I would probably choose something like the 8510w if I was going to spend that much money.

If you like the Dell's build quality, then you'll be happy with the other's, as in that list the Dell would probably have the poorest build quality.

 

The Mobility Radeon X1900 on the 8510W posts a 3DMark06 score of 3460 points, and it's not DX10 compatible. What do you like about the 8510W, the build quality + support?

Looking at the comparisons of size/weight + GPUs I did above, with the quality and support being equal, it looks like the Sager NP5790 with the 8700M GT would be best choice between the Asus, Sager, and Dell. I limited my choices to the 3 because the Sager has the 8700M GT, the Asus has the GDDR3, and the Dell has the lowest cost configuration.

 

I think you could do pretty well with a refurbished e1705 and flashed bios to gtx levels on the 7900gs. Definitely under $1500. Great 3dmark05 and 3dmark06 scores. If you are serious about DirectX 10, I wouldn't be looking at a laptop for a year or so until the second generation of directx10 cards come around. What directx10 games are you interested in coming out over the next year? Crysis? I have doubts on whether the first generation of directx10 games are going to be exceptional on anything other than a desktop based 8000 series card. You'll have to dial the settings down on any laptop gpu out right now.

 

The 8510w comes with the Quadro FX 570m, which is a GDDR3 version of the 8600M-GT, and currently the best mobile graphics card in a 15.4" notebook. You may have been looking at the wrong notebook.

And yes, among those three, the Sager would be my choice as well.

 

Mattk: I initially purchased an Inspiron 1720 w/ a T7400, 2GB RAM, 256MB 7900GS, + 160/5400 HD for $1,300, but I returned it because of the "DX10 scare." I'm almost kicking myself now!

odin243: Is there any place to order a custom configured 8510w (I would like a larger HD). Why would you take the 8510w over the Sager?