W700 configuration options questions

Hello all,

I'm really leaning towards ordering a W700 based on what I've read on this and other forums and from replies that people gave me. Basically, I haven't heard anything negative about it and that's a real bonus (please correct me if I'm wrong here!)

Now, I've got a configuration in mind that suits me, but wanted to check with the more knowledgeable people here if I can improve on it by spending a little bit (< $400) more or by changing something for something else. I don't have a huge budget for this, so I can't get the QX9300 for example (and I'm not even sure I'd benefit much from it in the first place).

Here's my potential config:

T9900
17" WUXGA (400 NIT)
NVIDIA FX2700M
4GB DDR3 1067 MHz
Ultranav + Fingerprint reader
Integrated camera (not sure why I need one, but let's put it there)
160 GB 7200 RPM (RAID1)
Intel Turbo Memory 2GB
DVD Recordable 8x
Compact flash + Express card (34 mm)
Intel WiFi Link 5300
Vista Business 64bit (free upgrade to 7)

That's it... It appears that "Elite W700" and "W700" have a bit of a difference in config options - I assumed these were the same machines? The non-Elite doesn't have Intel, but allows a 7200 RPM drive without RAID, the Elite is vice-versa... Confusing.

One of the obvious potential upgrades is going to Q9000, but I don't know really how many programs that I use will actually utilize the 4 cores, so I may be better of staying with 2 cores, but more GHz.

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks.

 

Do you really need the T9900? if you are buying in Australia, the Lenovo web site has the P8700 @ A$1,045.00 less! I very much doubt the extra for the different cpu is better than several other uses of the money. You would get much better performance for the dollars in upgrading to an SSD or, even better, 2 x 128GB SSD - either via Lenovo (with support) or for via third-party. My W500 was twice the machine moving from a 7200rpm HDD to an 128GB SSD. Nor do I think there is good value in the Turbo memory (especially with an SSD). Other choices look excellent.

 

No, I'll actually be ordering from US via a third company. The price is less than half of the Australian price I've bought another laptop like that a couple of years ago and saved a few thousand dollars as well.

The difference in price between T9900 and T9600 on the US site is $255, so it's ok.

I don't see an SSD option on the US site for the W700 (I'm sure there was one for W700ds), maybe once it gets here I'll consider installing one myself - disk speed is very important to me, because I work with tons of files.

I don't know anything about Turbo memory, but seeing it's not expensive I sort of just included it In theory it sounds good, but I don't know if it actually works.

Thanks!

 

Now i understand! The USA prices are excellent! They do though appear to offer SSD's (1 or 2 per machine). They would make a huge difference. Though if you can also get the new-generation Intel SSD's from the USA as well, that would be the way to go. They do not appear to be available in Australia, yet. I bought my 120GB OCZ Summit SSD (also very very good!) in Australia for just over A$500 five months ago, and there has not been much change in price since - so the Lenovo USA prices compared to Australian 3rd party are also good. But I would get the Intel 2X160GB or 2X80GB new-generation SSD from USA, depending on your budget and capacity needs. Then use the HDD for backups.

 

Thanks for the advice! I've just contacted my contact regarding SSDs and he's checking it out. I think it's possible. I've never actually used them, so don't know how dramatic a change it is from a 7200 RPM drive, but in theory a drive that doesn't need to seek and can read immediately from any spot should be really good

 

Moving from a 7200rpm HDD to a good SSD is night and day. I had heard as much, but still was shocked. I have not seen the likes of the change in computing since I moved from a double-floppy system in 1991 to a 20MB(?) HDD....One of the great thing about the W700 is that it takes 1 or 2 HDD/SSD's plus yet another extra bay. So it is ideal to have OS and programs on one "disk" and files on the other - or have all on one, with backup on the other. or RAID 1 or 2. etc, etc. So many variables.
Some comparative reviews on the new Intel SSD:
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=1
http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=825&pageid=4
http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/17269/11

 

Don't buy any SSD from Lenovo. You might also consider getting several other parts, such as one of the 2GB sticks, HDD's, etc. If you're going to get an SSD, do NOT get the Turbo Memory, as the SSD is much faster than you'll ever get out of the TurboMem.

The T9900 is great and everything...I know because I have one. I had a T9400 before (2.53GHz vs. 3.06Ghz, same L2 and speed), and I am not sure I'm actually profiting from it. If I hadn't gotten the deal I did on it, I would have not gotten it.

 

I'm reading those articles... Lots of information to take in What I didn't realise is that their lifespan is not so great.

My first hard disk was 20 MBs too, on an 8086 4.7MHz and the monitor had one color - green

 

I've actually asked the person I'm dealing with about exactly what drives they have there at Lenovo. I'll make sure not to get Turbo Memory if I go down the SSD route.

Maybe I should just get the normal HDD and once I get the machine in my hands, I'll find myself a good SSD after more research and install it as a second drive (or re-install the OS onto it, doesn't matter).

Thanks!

 

Yeh. I really liked the green - a "Hercules" EGA, I think it was called. Much clearer text than CGA (ugh!). Moving to Super-VGA was something...then 10 years later to TFT's....! The school I ran had another computer using a tape drive, and took 5 minutes to boot....
I began the "computerised" administration using a twin-floppy machine, and a fine piece of $10 shareware for word processor. Worked well.

OCZ SSD's all have 3-year warranty; that'll do me. I expect to replace it within that time.

 

The problem that I have with the theory of SSD's (now that I have read a bit more) is that I read/write thousands of small files daily during software compilations, so that's exactly straining the weak points of SSD. Nevertheless, I see how they're still much faster than a normal HDD and I fell I would really benefit from the increased performance.

I'm waiting for a price on the drive from Lenovo at the moment, but as was mentioned here, I probably won't go with that option simply because the drive quality is not as good as the one I can get on my own later.

 

Sounds like a plan! I can only highly recommend the Intel SSD's. Any of them. Make sure you get the one that's often referred to as Gen2 (Generation 2), although Gen1 drives, one of which I have, run just fine, too. There was a driver update in April, which fixed every last bug, and also sped that baby up even more.

And yes, I did the same thing basically. I got the SSD later and you don't even have to re-install Windows, etc. You can just run a mirror copy off whatever HDD you end up getting. The 320GB 5k400 is a good choice since you will have a lightning fast drive in the SSD, and then you can set up RAID 0 or 1 if you want, or just use it for storage. That's what I do, except that I have 3 internal drives (Intel SSD, 320GB HDD and another 250GB HDD), and you can, too, if you get the Ultrabay HDD caddy.

 

I can't wait for the quote for my system now and if things are all right I'll go ahead and order it (then there's a long 3-4 week wait...). I'll probably be ready to purchase my SSD in a month or two, so maybe some new drives will come out by then (or the prices will drop ), but even if they don't, it's still a good investment, seeing how much time and frustration it can save.

I agree with your recommendation of Intel - seems pretty much every article I read puts it at the top. Especially their 2nd generation.

Thanks!

 

For consumer drives, the current top performance is Intel but only at 80 and 160GB. If Indilinx drives actually lower their prices (as they were supposed to), that would be an alternative (depending on capacities, since these drives tend to target around Intel's capacity points, ie. 64GB, 128GB, 256GB). Meanwhile, Samsung, while the slowest of the three, is far from a poor performer. It gives great battery life, doesn't stutter and low performance differential upon used (similar to TRIM feature). With their 256GB as low as $480, it's by far the cheapest per GB. So really, it depends on your needs and budget.

 

Thanks!

I will skip installing an SSD straight away, because I was quoted $650 for an Intel X-25M 160GB and it's not worth that much to me at this point. I'll wait a few months and then buy one once the prices come down a bit and simply install it myself. The Samsung is $440 (more than a normal HDD), I think, when installed by Lenovo.

 

Well, the machine has been ordered and hopefully in 3-4 weeks I'll be able to try it out After that I'll start my search for that perfect SSD...

 

I'm awaiting my W700 today...should have been yesterday but I wasn't here to sign for it. I have a W500 with an SSD drive that I'll be putting in there. I'll echo some other comments here as to the night and day difference SSD makes, I'll never go back...ever....never...never....ever.

I opted for the P chip since I'll be using it in more mobile situations and am hoping it will help with battery life. I also got the wacom digitizer, that's really one of my main reasons for getting the W700. I've always wanted to try that.

Hopefully your wait won't be that long...

 

Thanks! 5 days of that wait are simply getting the machine from USA to Australia, although last time it arrived ahead of schedule, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed

 

We generally always have the least expensive prices in the U.S. n fact, Many Europeans come here just to shop, with our dollar once again in the toilet. Actually, still in the toilet is more appropriate.

Fly into Portland, Oregon, and you won't even pay any sales tax, and no, we have no VAT either. If you prefer the east coast, New Hampshire is at 0% as well, and Delaware is only 20 or so miles from Philadelphia. Their welcome slogan is...literally..."Welcome to Delaware. Home of tax-free shopping". Haha...Alternatively, you can also go to beautiful Alaska, the state with a hot, yet embarrassingly dumb governor. She almost became Vice President. Scary...She's used to "governing" the 30 people that live in her state, not 300 million.

Go buy your tickets.

 

Actually LA is the closest major USA city to us (except Hawaii of course) and even with the cost of the tickets (around $800-1000 return + a couple of nights, let's say at $150 a night), it would still work out cheaper to fly out, grab a laptop and fly back. Unfortunately it takes a long time to fly each way

It's good to know that Portland doesn't have sales tax - I'll keep that in mind when we visit USA again

Thanks!

 

Hehee...I live in L.A. The guest house is never occupied. lol...California's sales tax recently went up to 9.75%. There is a way around that though. As there is always.

 

Thanks! Our sales tax here is a stable 10%, but even a bigger problem is the relatively small market size which leads to less variety and higher prices to begin with. This is relevant for everything - from food to cars.

 

Ever thought of getting out?

 

Actually I just got here just over 6 years ago It is getting a bit worse here, I must say. I just had a second tree stolen from my nature strip in the last 12 months! C'mon - who needs a bloody $20 tree to bother enough?

 

Ah man, sorry to hear that. So you're not Australian by birth?

By the way, and so as to get back on topic lol, you're getting almost the same W700 as I currently have. I replaced my CPU with a T9900 as well.

Your HP has a Q9000? You listed it as having 2.8GHz, when Lenovo's site says it's 2.0GHz, or is the HP a desktop?

 

Nope, I'm Russian by birth, but lived half of my life in different countries before finally settling down in Australia and becoming an Australian citizen

Oops, my bad... I meant X9000. I was researching and comparing different CPUs before making my decision on getting the W700 and the final config, so I must've just typed that with my head being elsewhere