GTI725-210UK [Quad Core 9000] Think I'll bite the bullet here... but a few questions first... =)

So I've been looking for another laptop to replace my (still working and fine) Dell XPS m1210. Reason being is the screen is too small .. and you know... I want to play more games! Notably Mirror's Edge.

Link: http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/MSI_GT725-210UK_Laptop_GT725-210UK/version.asp?PID=1021

Been hunting around for the last 2 weeks and this one got released last week. I have -MISSED- the Advent 6555 which everyone was raving about here so this is the next logical step as it's more or less identical, for a bit more money, and overclockable

I have considered many other options and have a budget of £2000 but then I realised I only want a machine to use and not carry around, so I can't really show off anywhere, so therefore why not save money. Also, everywhere else Quad Core laptops is too expensive if I had to add Blu-Ray to it and such (i.e. from Dell, Alienware...)

Does anyone have this laptop? I wondered about the Quad Core 9000, I know that it should be clocked at 2ghz, what can it be overclocked to using the default system button?

I'm also "quite" casual but would like the hardware available incase I want to do anything else. This should last be a long time?

I am hunting for Quad Core Laptops (not desktops as I am in a very restrictive amount of space) as I am finding myself to be doing a lot of things lately for pleasure and for work. For example my current Core 2 Duo laptop (2.0ghz, T7200, 2gb ram) slows down a bit when I boot up a virtual Windows XP Professional box, this is because I need to do specific testing, so I think (hope I am correct) this machine with a Quad Core and 4gb RAM should allow me to do it more smoothly, and perhaps let me run an addtional virtual Windows environment without much worry (I don't need it to be super fast, but no noticable lag across the whole machine is handy).

Plus, I hear GTA4 can run better on a Quad Core, and that is one of the games I want to play as well. I'm not too hardcore so I won't be tweaking it to the max, I'm an "as long as it's playable and decently pretty" person. So in my opinion the current graphics card, ATI 4850 512mb DDR3 is quite future proofing.

Is performance that much better when I multi-task with a Quad Core? For example, I play MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, and along side it I like to run the Virtual Windows box, watch videos and browse web. It's difficult to watch videos but "ok" to play the game and run the box, but it is noticably laggier on my current machine. So with this Quad Core I'm expecting better or very minimal "slow downs" when I do many things. Anyone able to confirm? I do not feel that if I stick with a Dual Core laptop I would notice much performance increase.

How's the heat? I have an Antec cooling pad (the first one with 2 fans and a metal grill, which works awesome) and I do already plan to buy the newer 1 fan, bigger one also made by Antec for this laptop, regardless if this is hot or not. However I am paranoid about this because my first big laptop (£2000 Alienware with a P4 Desktop processor, 3ghz) overheated lots. Although my Dell after that never had heating problems but I did buy the fan, I am wondering about the slight complications of choosing a Quad Core over a Core 2 Duo option for this machine over the heat issue, if there is any.

www.driverheaven.net gave a fantastic review/score for this machine, but only for the dual core one, was wondering what anyone else thought. But given the hype over the Advent 6555 back then I think I am feeling confident about this machine too.

EDIT: I'm concerned for the keyboard. The enter key is tiny, even on Driver Heaven's reviews who brought it from the UK, I assume, since they use £ rather than $. Is this a US only thing (which is common) or is it universal? Can Advent 6555 users confirm?

 

Enter keys fine (If your a touch typer) Problem is the Slash keys (Foward and back) are in annoying positions and fn key is on far left of keyboard rather then ctrl.

Cooling is very good on the advent (And most MSI laptops at that) GPU at full runs 86 Degrees C so thats very nice and stable, dont know how badly overclocking will affect heat but hopefully no noticable change.

Your looking at a fine, fast stable laptop : ).

 

Hmm, I think I can easily adapt to the enter key....

Slash keys I don't mind adapting to either.

I doubt unless I play GTA4 or Mirror's Edge the laptop will ever get that hot, just wondering if my needs now justify a Quad Core over a Core 2 Duo.

Thanks for the answer.

 

I play mirrors edge, max


It wont heat too hard, im sure positive of it.

 

Hi, I'm one of the GT725-210UK owner. hope I can answer some of ur question.

The Q9000 itself is clocked @ 2000 MHz in default setting and @2075 MHz with turbo (I pressume it will goes up to 2100MHz if you select 20% turbo rather than 15% in the BIOS)

I have not really put my laptop into heavy duty yet, so dunno about the it's potential capability but I have not encountered any lagging yet in terms of daily use, gaming....blah blah blah.

GTA4, again.....haven't got time to play round it (dun hv the game) but I would love to install it and see if it can run it smooth enough.

I have only tried few less resources intensive game like Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead. The performance is remarkable and I must say I loved it

Heat issue it not a problem or it doesn't bothered that much yet. But I think I will get a laptop cooler just in case as summer is approaching very quickly.

To be honest, if you want to play games, you prolly use an external keyboard anyway. (well....at least I do) so the key is not a matter to me.

 

AH neat. Every bit of information is helpful.

I have a PS2-USB pad so I use that to game, so I suppose the keyboard doesn't truely matter too much at the end of the day.

Sena, did it come with a bag/mice/2 blank DVDs? Thanks for your input as well.

 

Yes it does. A big backpack, gaming mouse and 2 MSI DVD
Also, there's a WinDVD software disc, driver + utility disc and LCD screen wipe.

 

Wouldn't a 20% OC result in a 2.4GHz clock if it is 2.0GHz? Also, wouldn't a 15% OC would be 2.3GHz?

 

yer that's what I thought at the begining.

But I think it's taking 15% of 2Ghz and split it into each of the core
75MHz x 4 = 300 MHz.

Please correct me if I'm wrong

 

It doesn't seem to do that on dual core processors. It's been shown that with a dual core P9500 2.53GHz processor an 16% overclock is 2.93GHz. That's 116% of the original, so why would a quad core be any different?

 

I'm not too sure then

 

Maybe its because of heat issues?

 

Simply put check out this guy, ASUS W90Vp-A1 has eveything you want and more for around your pice... Check it out at Gentechpc.com very reputable site

 

Can't it in the UK yet...? I had a small look, but looks interesting.

Thanks for your responses Sena, again!

Actually an 18.4inch laptop would be great! I'll see about the prices first though, and that asus one seems to look good...

Only G70 in the UK at the moment...

 

The W90 is going to be £2000+

 

Aw NO screw that haha. GT725 it most likely is =p

 

how is the quality of the screen?
is it beautiful even if you game in 1680 instead of 1920?