*HP EliteBook 8740w Owners Lounge - PART 2*

No, I'd say he's pretty clear.
He doesn't mind spending when it comes to hardware that improves performance, such as GPU, SSD and probably CPU of course.
Notice, the only part where he hesitates is the display.

Sounds like the dude is more interested in performance than pretty colors.
He reminds me of someone.

Reading comprehension FTW. lol

 

Yeah, not my strongest side for sure

 

I tested and found lag in street fighter 4 (which is 3d), but I felt it in stepmania. I'll actually post test results next time, but the test wasn't a "seat of the pants" test, it was a test utilizing a 60fps camera and counting frames.

 

@Aikimox,

You said that as a "Software Developer" you find DC2 display to be very beneficial right?

Here are some typical tasks performed by software developers.

Software Developer Typical duties;

Client discussions to gather requirements.
Closely worked with Project Managers to manage the project scope, identify & deploy the appropriate resources to support the systems development efforts.
Drawing used case, association, class, activity Diagrams prototype design
Involved in coding in creating event driven Windows Application Services using C#.Net. Prepared, callable statement to connect with database.
Trouble shooting, Bug Tracking, Bug fixing and helping others.
Creating .Net Framework customized classes that would be used later as the building blocks for the application.
Developed Customized Win forms, Win Controls, Functional Library, Data Components
Developed event driven customized distributed COM components to interact across application domains.
Code Conversions from VB6,VBA to .Net library class functions
Develop interfaces to the application using XML.
Resolving backward compatibility issues such Version conflict, Error reporting.
Environment: C#.Net, VB. Net, VB6.0 ,MS SQL Server 2000, MS SQL Analysis Server, MS Visual Studio.Net, Windows DNA, HTML, JavaScript, VBScript.

Sounds like behind the scenes type of work with a lot of coding involved.

What part of those tasks makes the DC2 RGB, 150% Adobe color gamut come in handy?
I mean, you don't need all that to read basic text like this do you?

 

You ask why I got defensive? I asked a simple question, you "threw" my signature back at me as "proof" that gamers want the DC2 to make games look pretty, obviously implying that I was one of them, so I decided to set you straight. Are you really that dense that you didn't realize that? If I didn't know NBR better, I'd think you were trolling me right now.

Rampage, you need to understand that people spend money for various reasons, and acting all high and mighty by criticizing their purchasing decisions when you really don't know anything about them is immature at best. And that's the point I'm trying to drive into you. If you can be wrong about me, you can be wrong about anyone. So stop with the broad generalizations.

 

Haha,
Come on man, with all those games listed in your signature, you were practically asking for it. LOL

Besides, the point I was trying to get across is that the DC2 is not essential for what most of you do for a living.

Here, I'll quote myself to make it easy;
"Most (not all) of the people on this thread that have Dreamcolor display did not buy because it's essential for the the work they do.
They paid the premium mainly because they figured their video games would look cooler in a professional laptop with in 10-bit color."

And in case you didn't catch that, yes I was over-generalizing when I said you guys bought DC2 mainly to make your games look pretty.
It also makes the internet browser look pretty. There, no I covered everything. LOL



But yes, definitely let us know how much lag you find in DC2 display while playing SF4. :laugh:

 

That's funny.
The point here is that I stare at my screen 10-12 hrs a day. And if you don't see why someone might want to indulge one's eyes - then forget it.

 

Ahh, cheer up Aikimox.

 

Hahaha, ROFL! Nerd of the Rings! Return of the Dorks!
That deserves a rep!

 

I don't check-in NBR for 1/2 an afternoon and look @ what I miss!

As a fellow developer having used many display types [CRT, TN & IPS] and resolutions I can say the best answer regarding benefit of DC2 to software developers has been stated... in short, viewing angle! right-up there w/the resolution it comes with; vividness just another plus. That really should end it.

...in long since that seemingly couldn't be accepted for some reason...

Years back when I worked from home on my own time I used to use a 23" 1920x1200 IPS display [years before I knew what an IPS display was] as a secondary display to another display. Real-estate was fantastic as we developers usually have a few dozen windows open @ a time.

I then dropped to use a single 1680x1050 TN display in one of my personal machines once I stopped using a docking station and started being more mobile as to where and when I worked. Loss of real-estate was difficult, but not a handicap that I found unduly limiting. Today, corporate mandate has me using a 1440x900 display, which really suks! That's not really pertinent to this topic as luckily even the lower rez 8740w is at least 1680x1050, but that I am forced/mandated to use it is pertinent to my point below.

So...

1) I'll state unequivocally having an informed opinion about it that developing [debugging to be more precise] on 1050px is not as pleasurable as 1200px high display. It probably goes without saying to anyone who is a software developer, so I only bother to say it for the non-developer's benefit.

2) And I'll state unequivocally having an informed opinion about it, that being someone who actually uses his laptop in his lap about 95% of the time, shifting around in my seating position will result in my head moving above or below the screen, away from perpendicular. And when the display is a TN display that will dim and gray the display by a significant amount. Which is enough to make the light loss beyond an acceptable amount and requires me to have reach to the display to open or close the lid to make the screen perpendicular to my eyes. ... and that not only grows old, but even moreso knowing I have the fabulous viewing angle provided by my 8740w that I'm dying to do my work on, but that I'm not allowed to use due to that frig'n corporate mandate cited above.

So even tho I bought my 8740w w/DC2 specifically to post process RAW D-SLR pics, as I used to develop and debug on a 1920x1200 IPS display, I know 1st hand what I'm missing and only wish I could use this 8740w IPS display to develop on now too.

 

I think we should start a seperate 8740W detailed discussion/agrument and chat thread
Already its tough for people to skim thru so many pages for an answer.
I don't know if my request will be accepted, i might as well prepare to go back in time again.

 

First let me appologize for stirring up such a heated debate with my post, even though I guess it was going to happen sooner or later anyway , considering the intensity and passion that seem to be surrounding the choice of screen

I don't mind at all paying for "noticable improvements". As such, a better "screen experience" is worth paying for, assuming of course I would notice it, but something like "correct colors" isn't since I wouldn't or be affected by the difference anyway. This is of course assuming that all screens does at least a decent job of color matching, if blue not showing up as red etc, but that really hasn't been an issue for at least 10 years.

 

Quick update in-case you were waiting. I recieved the sleeve today.

Give me a few hours to unbox and try it out and take a pic or two; have some work I have to get done.

 

It's all about your personal priorities.
If you think that having ideal viewing angles and more natural (almost perfect) colors isn't worth paying extra, - don't In that case you don't have to buy this system at all. Lenovo W701 or Dell Precision M6500 could be a better alternative. The Elitebook has only one HDD, it's not 100% better in build quality and the keyboard isn't perfect compared to ThinkPads.
IMO, investing in "the best possible performance" is a waste of your money, since it's an overkill already with 4GB RAM and i5-520QM (unless you do a lot of VT or video rendering). The GPU is ridiculously powerful (it's like having a desktop 5770 in a 4cm thick laptop ).
Also, regarding SSD's, - with 8GB of RAM, disabled page file and a few optimization tweaks, I don't feel that a SSD is needed (yet). The system boots in 30sec and loads every app almost instantly. Would paying extra 400-500$ for a good SSD help me a lot? - Not too sure...

 

First you say spending on higher performance is not worth it (see below) and then you recommend a Dell M6500 as an alternative to the 8740w?
That doesn't make sense. Given the same CPU/GPU/RAM/HDD specs, the M6500 is a more a expensive alternative than the 8740w. Plus, I don't think they offer a 18%-28% discount.
LOL :laugh:

Haha, really? So unless you get DC2, buying an 8740w is not worth it?
I wish you would have posted this advice several months ago. It would have saved me the trouble dealing with all this terrible colors and bad viewing angles I have to deal with every day.
Oh Lord, please help me get a DC2 display.

You're right. Pretty screens, backlit KBs and all sorts of cool looking LED lights are a better investment.
Don't you wish the HP had a glowing alien head also?

I hear the next elitebooks will have cool-looking blinking lights all around the bezel.
It also says Shoriyuken!! just before you turn it off.
Who's signing up for that?

I have a feeling that HP is going to be backlogged for months next year for those extra features alone.

 

Current pricing for similarly configured W701, M6500 and 8740w, look at the attached images:

*** Of course, all of the companies offer discounts when ordered through a rep. Research.

M6500 and W701 have a few extra features/PRO's:

-> Extra HDD bay.
-> Better quality keyboard (W701)
-> Digitizer (W701)
-> Anodized Aluminum Case (M6500)

Might be important for those debating between the 3.

 

You forgot to pick the ATI card on the 8740w for another $400-$450 off...I forget. And they're applying an instant $467 savings on the Dell.
Still. Looks like their prices have become more competitive. Nice.
I hadn't checked prices since I bought the 8740w.

M6500, here I come!! jk

Unfortunately I don't think they'll be able to match the discount I got for my 8740w.
Hell, even HP won't do it again. LOL

Well, looks like I can't update BIOS with the USB flashdrive method.
I could do it the other way but according to instructions, it won't update vBIOS. Only the system BIOS.

Looks like it's due to RAID configuration.
I tried changing boot sequence, as well as the SATA configurations (ACHI, IDE, RAID).
Boot from flashdrive option is also enabled.

I still can't get it to boot from flashdrive.

If I switch to ACHI or IDE, I get a message that says "OS is missing" as expected, since I need to have RAID for it to recognize the OS partition.

 

If you don't use very often your CD's and DVD's, I think you can purchase an external USB/eSATA DVD writer and install in the upgrade bay a second hard drive instead. This is my intended configuration, in fact, I'm going to purchase a good USB 3.0 Blu-ray writer too (better than the stock DVD-RW, also faster than the stock BD-RE shipped in some configurations and finally, it's much more future proof than the first one). Keep in mind that CD's and DVD's are less used than before. You can do the same with a pen drive, even you can store 2 times or 3 times the capacity of a dual layer DVD. But just in case you have the external DVD-RW drive, don't you?

The 8740w has a anodized aluminum case too (the lid and, if I'm not wrong, the keyboard deck and the palm rest). <strike></strike>Almost all the M6500 chassis is aluminum, including the back cover (the back cover of the 8740w is rigid black plastic). But is this good? What will happen if you put your notebook on your lap on even on your chest when gaming or during intensive tasks? But still I think the 8740w build quality is higher than the M6500.

The M6500 has 2 heatsinks and 2 independent fans, so you can setup an extreme processor without overheating risks (thanks Judicator). I guess HP don't advertise extreme processors yet on the 8x40w family because they are using only one. Also you can install a Mini SSD (64GB) card along with 2 hard drives, plus the optical drive (you can have up to 4 drives! but do you need all of them? Note from Judicator: if you want to use the Mini-SSD HDD, the two 2.5" HDD bays will need to be in RAID).

Some other advantages of the M6500:
- The M6500 has a 'classical' keyboard, not a partial chiclet one like the 8740w. The latter may be a deal breaker for some users.
- T he M6500 has a better touchpad than the 8740w (backlit and supporting multi-gestures too).
- The M6500 has a 3.2MP webcam. The 8740w "only" has a 2.0MP cam.
- You can install a quad core processor in a dual core M6500 setup. I guess the motherboard and heatsinks are the same in both cases. You cannot install a quad core processor in a dual core 8740w.
- You can install 1600MHz memory modules in a M6500 if you only have a extreme processor. The 8740w "only" supports 1333MHz modules (is there any difference in real situations?)
- The M6500 speakers are a bit better than the 8740w's, and they're located on the top side of the keyboard deck, instead of in the front of the laptop (8740w) (hey, if you want better sound, you should connect your laptop to a home-cinema or a good amplifier). Are the speakers important in a bussiness laptop? I don't think so. If you can hear Windows sound events it's enough.
- The M6500 does not have touch sensitive controls like the 8740w. Well, I don't see the drawback if touch controls work as expected (and I've read on another HP notebook threads that these controls WORK as expected, specifically for a Pavilion dv6).

Now the M6500 drawbacks with regard to the 8740w:
- The M6500 best screen (8-bit TN RGB LED) is not at the same level the DC2 (10-bit IPS). Even many users complained about its strong color oversaturation. If you want color accuracy, you'll need to calibrate with a 1.8 gamma, not with the standard 2.2 gamma. Mac OS X uses the 1.8 gamma, but Windows 2.2. It's a pain to work with this screen in Windows. You are not an artist, well, but if you work 10-12 hours a day like Aikimox , you'll want to see eye-candy colors on your screen, right? Not all is about "color perfection", think about your eyes too... The 8740w has an ALMOST PERFECT sRGB emulation - no oversaturation, no reddish skin tones... just 'natural colors' (as they are).
- The M6500 is heavier than the 8740w (weighting more than 4kg.).
- The M6500 is thicker than the 8740w. The 8740w has almost the same thickness than a normal notebook.
- The "Precision ON" button is really... useless, as it's the HP QuickLook 3 software too. Both pre-load a tiny environment with a "mail" (not really) client that reads messages stored in your Outlook mailbox. These environments are not "real" mini mail clients and they require Microsoft Outlook Express or Office Outlook 2007 installed. However, HP has an additional 'pre-load' software, HP QuickWeb 3. In contrast to QuickLook, QuickWeb 3 it IS a REAL web browser with Internet connection.
- The M6500 graphics card format is PROPIETARY, not following the MXM 3.0b standard. The 8740w follows this standard, but it may be not a real advantage, since HP "whitelists" his BIOSes. However, you should be able to upgrade your graphics card to another one supported by any of these brands.
- I think 8740w ergonomics are better than the M6500's. For example, with the 8740w you can swivel the screen up to about 175 degrees vertical. Also the M6500 palm rest is not round edged (the 8740w it is), and you may feel your wrists uncomfortable when using it for long periods.
- The 8740w has a 1394 a (i.e. FireWire or i.Link) port, while the M6500 has a 1394 port. The 'a' revision means an 'enhanced' version for the FireWire 400 port.
- The 8740w does have a RJ-11 port for dial-up connections. The M6500 doesn't.
- The 8740w does have a dedicated eSATA port, while the M6500 has a USB/eSATA shared port. This may be a disadvantage for some users, as you cannot use a combo USB/eSATA cable with the 8740w.
- If you want the best edition, you must buy the most expensive 'Covet' version. It comes with a loud 'blood orange' case (not silver as the basic model) and a glossy Edge-to-Edge version of the RGB LED screen (8-bit TN). You don't have the chance of a matte display. Also with the Covet, you can only choose the NVIDIA FX3800M graphics card (no ATi options).
- The 8740w has the Windows Context Menu key on the right of the spacebar key. The M6500 doesn't.
- The 8740w has dedicated keys to open the web browser and mail client/HP installer. The M6500 doesn't.
- The 8740w has the Intel 82577 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000 controller, while the M6500 has the Broadcom NetXtreme 5761E Ethernet Gigabit 10/100/1000 controller.
In addition, you can read 'horror stories' in the thread for this system (see below).

UPDATE (11/4): The 8740w ALREADY supports up to 32GB RAM like the Precision M6500 with 8GB memory sticks. Source is the 8740w QuickSpecs.

I'm talking as an user who has read more than 400 pages of the M6500 discussion thread on this forum (since december 2009!). The Lenovo W701 hardly has had repercussion on this forum, so I cannot comment anything about it.

Finally, I've had a chance at purchase the M6500. And I didn't. I preferred to wait until the 8740w was launched (about later march).

Now, judge yourself

EDIT: I made some corrections and I added more comparisons.

 

@HiddenUser,
Thanks for the detailed comparison
It can really help those debating between the two.

 

FYI: Fixed more mistakes, added even more comparisons and hyperlinks to the M6500 thread (including photos). I've tried to be as accurate as it was possible.

Hope this helps to anyone

 

The enhanced cooling of the M6500 is probably due more to the fact that it separates the heatsinks and fans for the GPU and CPU (1 fan each for the GPU and CPU) rather than the thickness of the body. I posted the sizes for both the M6500 and the 8740w a long time ago in the old Owners Lounge thread ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...0w-owners-lounge-post6086685.html#post6086685) and overall, the M6500 is not really that much thicker than the 8740w (2 mm more). Oddly enough, there's also a listing of a minimum thickness of 2 mm less than the 8740... not sure where they got that from (measuring the thickness of the rounded edge?).

In my opinion, this might actually be an advantage for the M6500, as this means that it can use one of the combo eSATA/USB cables to power a 2.5" drive from a single cable.

As per NotebookGrail ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...antage-fast-ssds-post6685427.html#post6685427), the QM57 has the same problem.

Having done the same thing (read through all the pages of the M6500 discussion), I think you're overstating the issue a bit. One of the reasons for the "horror" stories in the M6500 thread is that there are a lot more owners of the system there, compared to here. Heck, remember early back when the 8740w first came out, all the crashing and other issues xsrx had? Really, at this point they're both pretty stable systems.

I agree with Aikimox in that respect, at this point, the _primary_ reason for choosing an 8740w over the other 3 is the screen. The M6500 works out better if you want ridiculous storage (caveat - the M6500 seems to be limited to 2 hard drive volumes (not counting ODD bay) so if you want to use the Mini-SSD HDD, the two 2.5" HDD bays will need to be in RAID), and need to mostly run CPU-punishing tasks like VMs (due to native availability of the 920XM/940XM). Not quite sure where the W701 falls in except for the digitizer.

 

@Judicator:

Thanks for the corrections (the 2 heatsinks is the reason for supporting extreme processors, the QM57 SSD performance issue and the note for the Mini SSD). I've updated my post.

Well, what about ergonomics? Are they not important for you? What about the extra keys you get (access to the web browser, the mail client/HP software installer, the Windows Context Menu Key)? What about the rounded edges for the palm rest for added comfortability? And, if with your statement you would mean that only the 8740w DreamColor screen is better than the M6500's RGB LED, I don't agree with you. As I've already posted, if you want the "best" M6500 Edition (Covet), you'll have a GLOSSY screen. I know this is a SERIOUS deal breaker for many users of this forum. All the 8740w screens are MATTE, not only the DreamColor. It does not make sense to have a glossy screen in a bussiness workstation. Heck, my NEC 2490WUXi professional monitor, and my previous NEC 2690WUXi too, have MATTE screens, not glossy. They're qualified for professionals, they're monitors with a cost higher than $1000 (already out of stock, though). They don't boost an artificial contrast with a glossy layer (M6500 RGB Led Edge2Edge), they don't need that, because they have 800:1 typical contrast ratio and they're very bright (400 nits), with the same contrast as the DreamColor according to the official specs.

So in short, IMHO if you only want the maximum performance, the maximum storage capability and the best touchpad in the market of bussiness workstations -> Go for the M6500.
However, if you want great performance, very good ergonomics, the best laptop screen in the market at current date, a dedicated eSATA port (if you don't mind to miss the chance of using the eSATA/USB combo cable, and you don't want to sacrifice a USB port when connecting an eSATA device), a 1394 a port, an Intel Ethernet NIC (this is important for Linux users), and the bonus of the MXM 3.0b format for future upgrades of your graphics card -> Go for the 8740w.

HP allows to install the 920XM too. It's official in the quick specs since some time, although none of the Extreme processors appear on the website (there is no official word on this, but in fact, my rep offered me a 920XM CPU instead of a 840QM, because in that moment it was not available in my country).

 

Wow, so many debates are on....

There's no best product.
W701, M6500 and 8740w are close competitors, they have some PRO's and CON's but overall they are very similar in quality, performance and features.

I chose the HP for the screen and MIL-STD-810G (or whatever the number), just to realize later on that ThinkPads and (probably, unconfirmed) Precision notebooks undergo the same level of testing. Which leaves the screen.
And it's worth the money, hassle and waiting time, IMHO.
If it wasn't for the DC2, I'd stick to my M17X for work and entertainment, since its build quality and performance surpasses the Elitebook significantly.
I even tried putting the IPS into the alien... connectors are different.
Not to confuse you, the HP is a great notebook, even without the super screen, but those who owned M17X know what I mean.
If I rate ThinkPads build quality as "solid",
the 8740w is "rock solid",
and the AW is "mithril solid"="unbreakable"

Bottom line, - enjoy your purchase and have no regrets!

 

Ergonomics are somewhat important to me, but these specific items that you mention are not. I've done without those extra keys for many years now, and I've had to convert and use between enough different models that I prefer not to rely on "gimmicky" keys usually. This lets me continue my workflow without too much difficulty on different machines as needed. I don't type with my arms lying across the edge of the palm rest (are you referring to the outside edge? Or is this a different part of the palm rest than I'm thinking?), as that is against most of the principles of typing in the first place (you're supposed to have your arms over the palm rest, not lying flat on them, to avoid CTS).

I tend to ignore/forget about the Covet, personally. All it adds, as far as I've ever been able to tell, is the blood orange color (*shudder*) and that E2E screen that turns it glossy for a markup. So all my comparisons are usually done against a base silver M6500 with as similar components as I can manage. In that respect, I was saying that basically one of the main selling points of the 8740w over the M6500 is the Dreamcolor screen over the RGB LED, as I don't think we've ever had an actual comparison of the WLED screens of either against each other.

I don't disagree with the main point, but I think I'd call the combo USB/eSATA port vs dedicated eSATA port a wash, the 1394a is actually slightly worse than the 1394 in the M6500 because the 1394 port in the M6500 appears to be a powered 6-circuit port ( http://www.appstate.edu/~taylorsa1/m6500/3.jpg) as opposed to the unpowered 4-circuit port of the 1394a in the 8740w ( http://s988.photobucket.com/albums/af6/Aikimox/20.jpg). I concede the Intel Ethernet NIC (although I don't use Linux myself), and note that even though the 8740w is MXM 3.0b format, upgrades are not necessarily as easy as you might hope due to possible BIOS restrictions and other shenanigans (wasn't HP the one that tended to whitelist things in BIOS?). Hm. On that note, has anyone tried swapping their Firepro M7820 for a "real" MR5870? (this is not a serious suggestion, by the way)

As Aikimox said, they all have their attractions, it's matching what they offer to what you need/want which is the point of things. Which is also partly why I continue this, to help iron out all the differences here. Personally, I'm probably going to order an 8740w myself "Real Soon Now™", once I actually get off my duff and start calling things in. Oh, and finish covering my trip to see my girlfriend from the 2 weeks before Labor Day (silly trips covering my credit card for 2 payment periods...).

I was referring more to the fact that since not being able to order it with a 920XM/940XM can have some implications for warranties, especially for those that are not as computer-savvy as some of us who are quite willing to take our machines apart at the drop of a hat.

 

Anyone looking for a backpack style bag for the 8740w, I posted my thoughts regarding the Tom Bihn Brain Bag and 2S insulated sleeve:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/acc...lution-hp-8740w-along-others-photo-essay.html

 

Does this mean that you need to connect your FireWire 400 device to an outlet with the 8740w in order to work?

Yes, HP is one of the brands that "whitelist" their BIOSes, sadly . Well, if anyone buy a Precision M6500 system right now, can he/she upgrade his/her graphics card through Dell Support without replacing another components? That is, I'd like to know if the upgrade path is easier with the MXM 3.0b format or it does have nothing to do.

Don't misunderstand, I admit that my post is some biased , so I'm glad you correct and clarify some things for the rest of the people

Wow, I almost convinced you to pull the trigger for the 8740w

I don't think so. As I stated, HP perfectly allows to setup a 8740w with a 920XM processor. This won't void your warranty. It seems in the US you cannot order that CPU, but in my country (Spain) you can without problems. I've asked my rep about 920XM possible overheating issues and he told me that this processor has been tested and approved by HP (I don't think he's lying to me). Also it's mentioned in the Quick Specs (see page 5)

PS: I'm not a native english speaker, so please don't use colloquial phrases which I don't understand well. Thank you

 

Both M6500 and 8740w are upgradeable in terms of GPU and warranty will be intact if doing the job through Dell/HP.
But you can't fit in a GPU not available officially for the system. Those, listed on the website, do not require BIOS editing, if using the latest ver.

XM processors will fit and work in 8740w, but they'll certainly run hot and consume more current. After examining the cooling system and trying to improve the load temps, I think xtreme CPU's are a bad option for the HP or any other business machine for that matter. Since you can't make use of the unlocked multiplier and OC the processor significantly (even if you could, the cooling would fail), why pay huge money for a tiny performance gain (over the 840QM)?

 

Here is a new advisory for those updating to F.05 BIOS.

8740W F.05 BIOS advisory

 

If I had an 840qm to start with, I wouldn't bother with the 920/940xm either.

But for those who have a 720qm, the performance difference is not so "tiny".
If you upgrade from a 720qm to a 920xm-940xm, we're talking 400-530mhz increase. Now that's a substantial upgrade.
For me, as a 720qm owner, upgrading to an 840qm for an extra 260mhz is definitely not worth it.
Hell, I almost bought a like-new, 920xm OEM for $500 recently. That's less than an 840qm.
I'm still kicking myself for letting that one go.

I'd have to upgrade to a 920xm or 940xm. Otherwise, it's not worth it.
I'm sticking with the 720qm for now. Until I can find me another sweet deal.

On a side note:
What is the possibility of another CPU refresh after the current 740/840/940?
Or is that it for the current i7 platforms?

 

FYI: Has anyone read THIS? I think we (owners and future owners) have a golden opportunity to ask difficult questions about the DreamColor screen and/or the FirePro M7820 2D performance issue with current drivers

 

I used to own a 8710w with the most powerful Quadro card available then, and it was very nice. But, a few things that really irritated me, the humongous charger required (even the standard one was large, but the extra powerful, seriously) and the fan that was almost constantly on. My guess it that this was in part due to the very powerful graphics card (which to me as a software developer really wasn't used all that much).

If I order a 8740w with an ATI card, will I have the same problems as with the Quadro-cards, ie high temperatures => constant fan noise, high power consumption and requirement for the humongous charger?

 

No. With the ATI M7820 (which most of us here have), there is no fan noise with normal non graphics related work.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

(Not doubting what NotebookGrail say, just getting more opinions on this).

What about the charger then, is the same charger required for the M7820 as the Quadro cards? I'm working as a consultant, so carrying it around everywhere would be a pain, know this form the 8710w...

 

cannot confirm but still I hate HP for just offering it CTO, in a few European countries (or maybe all over Europe) there is only the FX 2800M available with ALL models (even Dreamcolor high end ones)

 

Temps are basically the same whether you pick the ATI or nvidia GPU.
My 3800M stays in the 45C range while idling.
While surfing the web or watching videos, it goes to 48-50C.
I don't use my computer for gaming so I can't say. From your post, it sounds like you don't either. I did run Vantage benchmark a while back and it reached about 85C, if I recall well.
You'll find those temps are about same as the ATI GPU.
The M7820 may be a couple of degrees lower than the FX3800M. But nothing to make a big impact on the fan's behavior.

I use to own an 8710w and 8730w.
I know what you mean about the higher temps and high speed fan.

The reason why the fan made more noise in the 8710w was a combination of inferior heatsinks and hotter running GPUs (80nm 1600M and 65nm 3600M).
For example, it didn't take much send my 1600M's temp (single heatpipe HS) into the low 60s.
My CPU (T9500) on the other hand was always nice and cool.

The 8740w will also make some noise. However, in this case the main culprit is the quad-core CPUs, not so much the GPUs.

The 8740w charger is the same 200W unit for ATI/nvidia GPUs.
Coincidentally, it's almost the same size as the 180w that came with some of the 8710w's. So if you were hoping for a small one, you're out of luck.
I recently bought a nice 17" laptop with core i5 for my little brother. I couldn't believe how tiny the power supply was. It looks more like a toy. :laugh:

 

I'm currently on a MacBook Pro with an SSD and for the first time in my life I have a computer that is actually SILENT (and I really mean silent), which is a nice relief compared to the 8710w where the fans would kick in even at normal office work. Unfortunately, the guy sitting next to me has a brand new 8740w with a Quadro, and despite him not doing any gaming or GPU intensive stuff, I can still hear his fan from about 2 meters in a semiquite room.

Size of charger, even here I have to be hones and say that the HP charger seems like something from the 80s compared to the tiny good looking charger for the MacBook Pro, and I know that the latest MacBook Pro has a similar charger.

These are the main hesitations I have for buying a 8740w, as I work almost exlusivly in Windows. I find myself constantly asking, can the difference in performance really be as big as the downsides, unless you really need the GPU power that is, since the MacBook Pro (and simliar computers) seem to offer components that are at least very similar to the ones in the HP8740w, even thought they might not be 100% as powerful...

 

I have two SSDs on my 8740w.
As long as the CPU temps remain below 60C and GPU below 49C, the fan produces a very low humming. Sometimes it just shuts off completely and it's dead quiet.

It makes sense that a Macbook is less noisy than an Elitebook. It must be nice having a laptop that remains silent most of the time.
But remember, they're not packing the same hardware.
There's a reason why one has a charger that looks like a cinder block while the other one looks like a candy bar. :laugh:

You should probably stick to the Macbook. It sounds like it's better suited for your needs. In the end that's all that matters.

 

Well, I want the best possible hardware (it's in my blood as an engineer ) but if there are downsides to it, I need to know that there really is a difference worth it, and that it isn't marginal. I find that I have a hard time finding a PC laptop that has the best possible hardware, without being targeted at people requesting a powerful GPU, or is not acctualy mobile (build quality not good enough etc).

I know it is an impossible question to anwer, but is it possible to set a figure on how big the difference in performance really is? It is is big enough (for what I do) I wouldn't hesitate one bit buying the 8740w instead.

 

You simply can't compare MBP with a professional mobile workstation.
Try stressing your MBP with Furmark and Prime95 and see how cool and silent it remains.
The difference in performance is huge, but since you do all your work on the MAC , - you don't really need the powerhouse, as RampageII said.
Just stick to what you already have.
If it wasn't for occasional gaming I'd never buy a laptop with a dedicated video card.

 

Thank you for your review. I ended up ordering the cache. I already have an Osprey Stratos 36, so a simple sleeve would suffice.

 

Well, mate, I've asked you several times where are you from... and you didn't reply to me . Don't believe that for me it was an easy task to find a reseller in my country (Spain) capable of doing CTOs . I had to ask HP Iberica Support and they redirected me to a web page of its site with a list of very few resellers. Then, I got in touch with 3 of them, the first two couldn't satisfy my configuration, so I contacted the third one and this reseller had a very competent rep, but still I had to wait more because neither the DreamColor screen, nor the 840QM CPU, nor the backlit keyboard were available. This happened on june. Now, 3 months later, I have been able to order the configuration of my signature.

Tell us where are you from and I'll try to help you by finding a reseller in your country, if you wish

 

The difference between a 840qm and 720qm is about 0.4ghz during max turbo boost. 920xm is only 0.13 ghz stronger @ max 8 threads&stock clocks and have the same max turbo frequency.
But if you can grab one for the same money - go for it. Worst case, sell it.

740/840/940 is the last refresh fo this platform.
The next to come is Sandy Bridge with different mobo's.
It doesn't look too promising to me so far. Personally, I plan the upgrades tied to the GPU refreshes.

 

I dont really understand your point here, what would running Furmark/Prime95 and have the fan kick in prove? Of course it will start the fan sooner or later. With all respect, it's up to me to decide what performance I do an don't need, and I am always looking for more performance. You say the performance difference is huge, and I do not say that you are wrong, but could you please back this claim up with some facts? This is a big part of my decision process, trying to get some kind of understanding on what actual performance difference to expect.

Again, please note, I do want and need greatest possible performance, not just GRAPHICAL performance, and so having a lot of drawbacks because of GPU power I dont need is a problem. Also please note that I am not out to start a flame war here, just looking for input and facts.

 

There's something strange with the world nowadays. So many pointless agruments, anger...

If you wish to get a constructive feedback with facts, start by telling us your current system specs (MBP isn't enough obviously), what applications you need to run, system size/weight and other preferances, etc.
By asking general questions you will most likely get general answers.


>>> BTW, Furmark+Prime95 is a classic test to verify how good does a system manage heat at max load. That's all.

 

Sure, I realize it is impossible to answer, and the last thing I want to do is to hijack this owners thread with a lot of talk about the MBP. Another big plus for the 8740w is the fact that it is actually designed to run Windows, the MBP isnt and Apple hasn't exactly gone overboard trying to get it their either (for obvious reasons). Will try to find performance tests etc for both and compare.

 

A follow up question just to clarify, since you seem to be aware of the fan/heat problem with the 8710w, would you say that it is better on the 8740w all-in-all? Which CPU and GPU do you have in your 8740w?

 

You aren't hijacking the thread
Why don't you just tell us the specs of your MBP and what work you do on it?
This alone would be very helpful.

 

Sure, if you ask for it, by all means. Besides your average office programs, I mainly do software development on it, Visual Studio 2010, SQL Server, IIS7.5 etc. To be honest, I could probably get by with most computers, but right or wrong, I want everything to be as fast as possible, thus my interest in the 8740w and other high end laptops. Being a geek probably doesn't help either (I'm guessing I'm not the only one in this thread though ). So, as you see, GPU power really isn't doing much for me, but "normal performance" is a high priority, and if the 8740w would give me that in a way a MBP can't, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 8740w instead.

 

After replacing thermal compound on the CPU&GPU, I don't hear the fan at all during my normal work (software development, browsing, etc). For me the system is super silent (especially after M17X), but probably not as quiet as your MBP.
Also, as a programmer, you will appreciate 1200 vertical pixels and 16:10 ratio
Performance wise you will be future proof And if gaming ever crosses your mind - no obstacles there, the GPU will handle almost every game on max.
Mobility wise you'll be content, - 4kg, 4cm thick and very sturdy it's very slim for its category (M6500 and W701).
And of course, the DC2 screen. No more comments here

 

As far as I'm aware, yes. Either that, or you need to hook up another cable and power from USB, assuming whatever device you're using supports that (although if that was the case, they probably wouldn't bother using Firewire in the first place...).

As Aikimox has said, you should be able to upgrade to any other GPU listed in the configurator through Dell Support without voiding any warranties. In fact, there are people who have ordered the USB 3.0 daughtercard and upgraded their (previously) USB 2.0 only M6500s to have 2 USB 3.0 slots through Dell. The Dell rep in the Dell subforum was even talking about seeing if they could figure out some sort of upgrade/replacement program to cover that.

Oh, I've been thinking about it since... I first started posting about it way back when it was first announced. The only thing that stopped me then was that I didn't want to be an early guinea pig adopter. So I was waiting for a review of the DC2 screen before I took the plunge. (Un)Fortunately, along the way I managed to pickup a girlfriend halfway across the country (California, USA, while I live in the Midwest) which has... irregularized my cash flow.

If I understood your situation right, you're ordering through a reseller, because you're in Spain? I just wonder if the warranty you get at that point isn't actually though HP, but through the reseller instead whom is adding the CPU themselves (aftermarket, as it were)? Not really trying to push the point, just curious about it. As a side note, I found it interesting when I took a look at the Lenovo configurator the other day that they still don't offer the i7 X40s, just the older i7 X20s. And no ATI option for the Lenovos either.

Just for future reference, "Get off my duff" means "stop sitting around on my buttocks". I'll try to avoid the colloquialisms in the future, though.