LG P310 - 13" - 9600GT 512mb ddr3

You can count on it! After the weekend I will post all my first impressions and some pics as well...

 

thanks for all of this. I am very interested in ordering one of these after a decent review and will be ordering from either poland or germany but where can i get a uk power cord from. And what language will the poslish OS be in? Will these stores do english conversions?

Thanks again to everybody for all the help in tracking this laptop.

 

Hi all, I got my laptop from notebook-shop.de. It was shipped to my U.S. address and arrived literally within 3 business days of shipping. I love it to bits, it is beautiful and sleek. I got a score of 5751 in 3dmark06.

When you first boot it up, Vista will ask what language you want and what keyboard settings. I have the German QWERTZ keyboard but use it as if it's a QWERTY keyboard. It works ok for me, the biggest adjustment I had to make as a touch typist was the fact that the enter key is shapped differently and i would keep hitting the ' key instead of enter for a while.

If Poland had been offering U.S. keyboard for the same price a couple weeks ago, I would definitely have gone for that. But as it is, I'm happy with my purchase

 

ok my only real issue is the power adapter for the uk

 

Incredible for a 13-incher.

Too bad this isn't available in the U.S.

 

Don't worry about the power cable, you may buy a "converter" from European to British ac plug... Or you may just buy a simple power cable in UK and replace the Eur

About the language version of Windows - I'm afraid that LG Poland ships the laptop with polish Vista. I'm getting my laptop today (they already called ) so I will be able to give you the definitive answer later...

 

Hi everyone !
This is my first post in this forum... I come from France and i'm seriously interested in this P310 Tarsia model... I know the UK keyboard is now available according to some members in the forum but i wanted to know if the AZERTY keyboard could be checked on notebook-shop.de.

Thanks in advance and don't hesitate to post some pics and personal review.

 

Good 4 you m8!. Hope you enjoy it Also let us know whats the screen like, cause German review says that is has bad contrast or smthng. W8ing for your thoughts! Cheers .

 

I haven't heard anyone offering UK keyboard yet. The only keyboard close to it is QWERTY (US type) that you can get from Poland. German websites only offer QWERTZ or will charge you 80euro for different one (not sure if thats true).

I have no idea about AZERTY keyboard ( does it even exist? ) but I doubt anyone will have it in their offer.

 

yeah the notebool.dl site or whatever its called offers a change for 89 euros, im holding out for contact from the polish site. I have emailed them in english and sadly so far no reply. The german one is coming out at over £1500 (uk)

 

I'm so sad, i really want this one !!!
If only it could have an AZERTY keyboard, i would be so crazy !

I saw the notebook on the canadian LG web site but it's not the same Tarsia config... So Sad...

 

the power adapter is not a problem at all. The power brick is universal (input of 100v-240v) and all i had to do was plug in the cord for my old U.S. laptop into the power brick. You could easily do the same, I believe. Just purchase a cord that would plug into the power brick and then to a plug.

 

Seajewel do you have the tarsia version and a 9600 gt ?

 

TrueSilvo what configuration do you have and what shop have you ordered from ? Also how much was it ? THX!

 

I have the Camini. It also comes with 9600M GT.

 

with polish vista can you change language at the begining or would i need to rebuy? hmmm. realy gearing up to this now. I feel i dodged a bullit with the new studio xps

 

I was really going for xps 1340 but after I saw fingerprint design and first issues that it runs hot and LCD covers the vent I decided to let it go and will most likely go for LG P310

 

Exactly the same here, studio xps 1340 was interesting but first users seems to be disappointed... I decided to go to a P310 because it has better config and average price i think...

I would like to know how can i choose the option for another keyboard on notebook-shop.de ?

 

I'm guite sure that Notebook-shop.de will charge you 89euros for different keyboard (but i'm not sure if its an option). That was concerning me that only German sites had P310 until few days ago Polish sites start to offer P310 with QWERTY and that's where I'm gonna order it from.

 

just drop them an email and they will discuss it with you

 

Lord Turel : I already did it 2 days ago but it seems like they don't want answer. I'll try to send another one...

bydus : I believe you but i just wanted to know WHERE i could ask this change on their web site to see if AZERTY is available... Is the config from the polish site the same as Germans sites ?

 

One of the emails the returned to me took a couple fo days, im guessing mabye that the have only afew staff that speak english or a boat load of mails from the people watching this forum

I asked for the standard uk keyboard and they said it would take 3-4 weeks. Im guessing they can get more then one keyboard.

Heres to hoping for the same type of options with the polish site. I can wait, i have about a week or two until im getting my cash for this anyhow.

Cant wait for reviews and screens. Oh and also anyone who posts screens can you so soze comparison for both the laptop and the external dvd drive thanks again everyone.

 

Sorry... was replied cause my conexion.

 

IDEM... the question in the next one...

 

Hi, I have order the LG P310 "Camini" in Notebook.de with the same graphic card, but with only 3GB DDR3 RAM and P8400.

The question its if anyone knows witch DDR has the graphic card (9600M GT) in this model (camini).

It´s DDR2 or DDR3 ? The Tarsia model its 9600M GT DDR3. But Camini... what is?

Thanks

 

They answered me today and according to the man who answered me, the french AZERTY keyboard is available but it could take 3-4 weeks...

 

Hey guys,

I just came across this laptop in my search and am really interested in it given the great specs (the Tarsia model). I've narrowed my choices down to this and the Sony Vaio Z. However it's tough to come by reviews so I figured I'd ask current users their experiences with the laptop and the ordering process.

1) What's the battery life like? This is a major factor for me.
2) What's the build quality like? Is it an aluminum chassis, how sturdy are the hinges, etc.?
3) Are there overheating problems or did LG do a good job cramming such a great GPU into this unit?
4) What's the display like? Is it glossy or not? Any general problems with dead pixels?
5) How do you actually get a QWERTY keyboard on this unit...I live in the US and I'm a little confused after reading about German sites and Polish sites.
6) What was the ordering process like when ordering from overseas? I was wondering if these overseas shops provide warranties or does LG have a manufacturers limited warranty that we can use in the US?
7) I also plan on manually upgrading to a 320gb 7200rpm drive if i get this since i see on notebook.de it costs ~290 euros to upgrade to that = RIPOFF. Will this void either the retailer or LG's warranty?

I figure now is the best time to buy the P310 from Europe given the exchange rate so any help would greatly be appreciated because I don't like to dump money on crappy electronics.

 

I don't have P310 yet but can answer some of your questions.

1) Apparently it closes up to 3/hrs (power saver mode) which is not bad and better than XPS studio 1340 hybrid which gets around (2/h 25min) so you put hybrid if it doesnt even do anything?

2) From few reviews that are out there the build quality seems to be very good - some say better than M1330. I'm quite sure that its aluminum around the keyboard but not sure.

3) Well that's the most awesome thing cause it suppose to run quite cool and fans are not going crazy. I guess removing DVDrom does the job of cooling the system properly. Even more amazing is that you can overclock 9600m gt to get you the score of 7000 in 3Dmark06! - I don't know how the heat is but you can always get a 13.3 inch cooler by the name of LapCool 4 . review here - > http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2649

4) Display is OK not great. Apparently is super bright (so firts thing you would have to do is turn brightness down which solves the problem and saves battery life? ) It is WLED screen which takes less energy than normal screens. Point for that

5) As for now QWERTY keyboard P310 is only available in Poland. German unit have QWERTZ and French seen to have AZERTY

6) No clue, sorry.

7) I think 7200 rpm 320gb is available on P310 Tasia model along with P9500.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

 

I have a P310 and ...

1.) The runtime is much more than 3h. I get 3.5+ from the battery and close to 4h when minizing LED backlight and working under constant silent-mode (800MHz LFM). You can work very well with those settings on the road. When you don't need wireless you can even squeeze a bit more out and push it past the 4h mark. But 3.5h is easily makeable in everyday use.

2.) It's aluminium-colored plastic. The only thing of real alu is a small application at the back and of the screen. The build quality however is superb, much better than the one from VAIOs twice as expensive (I know a top end SZ4) that use alu and carbon etc. Good (and pricey) materials don't make for good build. And the other way round is true too, plastic does not mean bad build. The Tarsia is very very solid.

3.) Temps are very low here. Under normal working load (office etc) I get around 35/45/40 (HDD/GPU/CPU that is) -those can be seen as idle temps. When doing some heavy gaming they rise to 40/70/60 - can be seen as max load temps. I've yet to see the CPU breach the 72-mark (highest I've ever logged was 71). Given the small chassis and the power those values are remarkable. The cooling in the Tarsia really works well.

Look for post #368 in this thread for some closer observations about the temps.

4.) Display is glossy, bright as hell (I work on 50% brightness or I need sunglasses) and has great contrasts. The viewing angles are lacking a bit. About dead pixels ... well ...they are not a genereal problem, but every display can have them. The Tarsia is no different. You'll have a chance to get a dead pixel but not more than with any other screen. Stop worring about that and start working. You won't notice them anyway unless you're so close to the screen that your nose touches the panel.

5.) Can't comment. I use the german layout as I know both ones quite well.

6.) Can't comment. I'm living in Germany right now, so shipping etc was inside the same country.

7.) Not sure about that. You can take the Tarsia appart and change the HDD. It takes a bit of patience and care. Not sure what LG says about that. I would rather plug a 128GB SSD in instead of a 7200rpm drive. The 5400rpm Fujitsu is already blazing fast with avarage speeds of ~50MB/s. And a 7200rpm drive would run hotter and consumes more power. If change, changer for SSD.

Hope that helps you a bit.

 

Hey private-Cowboy, could you please provide us some pics or vids ;-) ! Thanks for your comment ! Isn't the temps a bit high for gaming, i mean 70 is a high value, i don't know if the notebook becomes noisy after this...

 

Thanks Private Cowboy and bydus, your posts were really helpful. I get the feeling the laptop is legit and packs some serious power and gives decent battery life, although not as much as the Z but certainly more than the Studio XPS 13.

I still need to know about the warranty issues and working through Polish translations to find a QWERTY keyboard kind of sucks. BTW do US customers pay Value Added Tax (VAT) listed on notebook.de - not sure about EU tax rules on this?

Any ideas on the 9600GT Tarsia model coming to Canada?

Also forgot to ask in original post - what's the weight on this thing?

 

You surely haven't seen a Macbook in action yet or bigger 15 inch gaming laptops. 70 is not hot at all under full load, 80 not even would be. Above 80 it might get a bit uncomfy in the long run but I've seen countless laptops climbing to 90 and higher just after half an hour of gaming.

Using stock clocks you can barely push the Tarsia above 70. That is veeeery veeery low!

About the weight, it's 1.65kg including battery. Put that and the charger in a bag to carry around would make it ~2.5kg depending on the bag. You do the imperial conversion if need arises.

 

Ok Private-Cowboy, i really believe you and i think i'm gonna order this tarsia model as soon as i get the money .

 

Post some PICS !

Also this extreme brightness doesn't make it a bad screen does it ?

Cheers

 

Will I void warranty if I want to upgrade HDD in da future ?

 

Are any of you purchasing from the U.S. and how do you plan to deal with the power brick? 220/110 conversion? I was considering a macbook until I saw this, the specs are pretty sick. So the issues are keyboard and power conversion, any other issues besides availability? If I missed it already, sorry. 44 pgs is a bit of reading.

 

Just a bit of feedback for some people...

I bought this from notebooks.de, they're great, I'm from the uk and I couldnt wait for a us/uk keyboard cause i was off to aus within the week. I emailed they and told them i cant have a delay, they sorted it out that day, i sent personal details and they said great its in the post!!

I'm typing on an german keyboard, and it doesn't seem to slow me down at all. Yes I'd rather have the UK one but it wasn't an option at the time. In terms of performance its the best laptop for a 13" bar NONE.

The screen is fantastic, it's beautifull, games run like a dream! it's tiny, weighs nothing, it runs a little hot but considering the power Im amazed its so cool really. I was looking for something like this for the last 5 years, finally i found it and the fact I'm typing in a german keyboard is nearly irrelavent for me.
1300 euro's was a bloody bargain, I'd have paid 2000 had they asked.

It beats the sh1t off the new dell, which is the only thing in the same ball park. I like the sony Z series, but I rate this as far better and far better value. Buy it!!!!

 

Someone can told me if the Nvidia Geforce 9600M GT of the LG P310 CAMINI has DDR2 or DDR3 ?

It´s bought on Notebook.de

thks

 

AMEN to that!

I don't think it runs very hot - during office work it runs so cool the fan is not even audible at all. It's the perfect laptop for me as it has the power I want in such a small case.

If you want only the same power and don't care about the weight, go for a 15inch laptop - they are cheaper and you can choose from different ones.

In the 13inch class the Tarsia is pretty much unrivalled.

P.S.: The CAMINI has the same 9600GT with DDR2 but a slower CPU (with less Cache too and higher TDP) and a much slower HDD. I'd go for Tarsia any day.

 

The Camini also has a P processor (P8400) and the hard drive is 5400 rpm. As far as I know, the default HDD on the Tarsia is also 5400 RPM. In terms of gaming, the difference in processor won't make much if any difference, I believe. Notebook-journal.de's 3dmark06 test gave Tarsia and Camini almost exactly the same score. I have the Camini and it was worth saving the euros because like any laptop, it will be obsolete enough in a year or two.

US customers do not have to pay VAT to notebook.de

 

Camini has DDR3 9600m gt, why would they put DDR3 on Tasia and DDR2 on Camini?

Anyone knows if upgrading Hard Drive will void my warranty?

I wanted to get 500gb 5400Rpm Seagate drive, I think I've read somewhere that higher density drives are faster or equivalent to lower capacity 7200rpm drives. Can someone confirm that ?

 

Do Uk Customers?

 

Nope cause its EU, you just have to pay for shipping.

 

Actually you wil pay VAT unless you are a company and you have a VAT number, in which case you won't pay VAT when purchasing products from Germany.

 

Btw, my lg p310 is on the way. UPS has just a few offices here so I have to wait a few more days for delivery! I'll put pics and test up when I get my hands on it!

 

The differences between the Tarsia and the Camini are subtle but noticable...

- The P9500 in the Tarsia has double the cache over the P8400 in the Camini
- The HDD in the Tarsia is larger (320GB) and faster then the one in the Camini (250GB). The MHZ2250BH G2 in the Camini turns in 45MB/s read and 36MB/s write while the MHZ2320BH G2 in the Tarsia reads with 60MB/s and writes with 47MB/s. They both are 5400rpm but the model in the Tarsia is just faster - prolly because of the higher density on the platters.

Benchmark that care for more than the GPU are ranking the Tarsia quite a bit higher because of more cache and slightly higher clock (2.53 in Tarsia vs. 2.26 in Camini). Passmark scores the Tarsia at ~760 and the Camini at ~650.

3DMark is a bad benchmark to compare systems when it comes to other things then GPU performance. Thats why 3DMark basically scores them identically, because they are in respect to GPU and VRAM.

Another point for the Tarsia is the RAM. The Tarsia has 4GB of RAM (so both banks are filled to the max and you never have to care about changing - since 4GB modules are way overpriced) while the Camini has 3GB. Even if you're not doing 64bit OS the 4GB of the Tarsia come in useful.

I use XP32 on mine and put the entire 4GB to use. XP32 sees 3GB (well known 32bit limitation) and the remaining 1GB is used for a Ramdisk (using Gavotte Ramdisk) and the Swap-File is put on there. That way the pagefile is also RAM.

In daily use the HDD is barely working on my system. When the program I'm working with is loaded the HDD barely does anything. RAM is there aplenty and paging is done in Ram too.

The price difference between Camini and Tarsia is not that great. If you're just wanna game you might want to go Camini and invest the difference in a nice external LCD. But if you wanna do some work chosing the Tarsia might be the wiser choice...

 

I have bought the Lg Camini, but reading all your post i´m thinking about if i had spent good enough on Camini ...

Do you think there r so much differences between both?

Im going to use the notebook mostly for see movies,play some game and internet of course... im not going to use any 3D app.

 

Ok ultimate question:

P9500 or 500GB 7200RPM HD ?

Do you think P8600 2,4 will run games crysis or COD4 good with 500gb HD ?

 

The HD isn´t such important for games as the RAM and Cpu. Your are not going to have a smothly experience in game having a 7200 RPM HD only.

Between P8600 and P9500 aren´t much difference on gaming.

 

so would it be better to get a friend who owns a company to purchace this for me? and would it effect them in anyway?