Building a IFL90

Hey guys, I've recently been steered towards the IFL90, and while I love the stuff I've read about it, I'm still a little in the dark about a few things. I threw together a sample configuration to check prices, but I'm still confused on a LOT of things. Help would be appreciated

FORCE 3297 COMPAL IFL90 Intel Centrino PRO Santa Rosa / 15.4" WXGA or WSXGA / Fingerprint Reader/ nVidia 8 Series 512MB / 802.11N
- 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) "Glossy" Display w/PCI-e nVIDIA GeForce Go 8600 512MB Video Card
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Intel® Core™2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz w/4MB L2 On-die cache - 800MHz FSB
- 2,048MB (1 SODIMM) DDR2 667MHz Memory
- 1GB Intel® Robson Turbo Memory (Vista Only)
- Standard Finish
- Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- 80GB SATA 150 7200RPM Hard Drive
- 45-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader/Writer
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Integrated System Speakers - Included
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- Smart Li-ion Battery (9-Cell) - **Standard w/ WSXGA Screen Only**
- 110/220V 120W Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- -Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Complete Care Full Parts / Labor Warranty - Next Business Day Shipping - Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Tech Support

Alright, heres the long list of questions:

1. WXGA vs WSXGA+ : How noticeable is the difference, and is it worth the extra money for someone looking to do some gaming, but not necessarily looking to find the most KILLER graphics so much as being able to smoothly run games for the next few years.

2. In terms of RAM, is it best to go with the 1 Stick of 2 Gig, or the 1 Stick COSAIR 2 Gig -- (or maybe its best to go with 2 gigs, 2 sticks!)

3. Will a 7200 RPM hard drive run fine in the computer? Will I notice any speed differences?

4. On that same note, will the Robinson Turbo Memory help me? Is that an ADDITIONAL gig, making my total RAM three gigs?

5. I don't really understand the Card Readers -- do I need the 45 in 1 in order to use USB Keys?

6. Is it worth the Blue Tooth upgrade?

7. Windows Vista Premium 64 Bit or 32?

I know its a lot of questions, but I'd be eternally grateful if someone could help me clear this all up.

 

1. The screen resolution comes down to preference, try checking out a local store before buying.

2. Stick with the 1x 2GB, going for the Corsair is your choice, but it will not affect much.

3. 7200RPM is the fastest HDD for a laptop. It is fine, also most desktops use 7200RPM drives.

4. Robson is NOT additional RAM, it is a Flash ROM chip that sits between the RAM and HDD in terms of priority.

4. If you mean USB flash drive as a key, no you don't need a card reader.

6. BT is used in some electronics, such as PDAs, cell phones, and mice. If you do not know what it is, you probably won't need it.

7. Stick with 32 Bit, it has better driver support.

 

1. As Charr said its a preference thing. I like more screen real estate so I went with the higher resolution

2. I agree, 1 2 gig sick gives you the option of adding more without throwing away a stick later. Def get at least 2 gig if you're running Vista

3. 7200rpm will load programs, files and boot faster then a 5400rpm drive. For a lightly greater batter usage. You'd be find with a 5400, but I went with 7200.

4. Robson is nonvolatile memory that acts like a cash for the hard drive. Its supposed to make the laptop boot and load programs better and improve battery life. The jury is till out but I added it to my IFL90. There are lots of threads that discuss this, but the truth is no one knows at this point.

5. The 45 in 1 card reader is an external flash card reader that hooks into a USB port to read like SD, Compact Flash, Memory Stick cards, etc. If you just use USB keys the IFL90 has plenty of USB ports for you.

6. BT is a wireless technology that replaces cables. Alot of PDAs, Phones, Mice and Keyboards are available for it. I got it with mine.

7. Yes, 32 bit OS is fine.

 

1. Even though its a personal preference, the Wsxga+ option also comes with a 9 cell and a 8600mGT(not confirmed yet)
2. Since IFL90 supports 4GBs of memory a 1 x2gb option would be better in the long run(more cost effective)
3. Answered in above post
4. Intel turbo memory also reduce the time it takes for a computer to power up, to access programs, and increases battery life. Supposedly

- Intel
5. Card readers are to read MemoryStick/MemoryStick Pro and Secure Digital (SD/MMC) cards.
6. Answered in above post(s)
7. Also answered in above post(s).

 

1.The main issue here is for now it likely looks like the WXGA version will be the 8600gs card, and the WSXGA+ will be the 8600gt card. If that turns out to be the case and you are concerned about gaming, go for the WSXGA+

2. Really up to you, I am going with one stick of 1 gig and I will take care of the rest myself as needed.

3. The 7200 will run fine, the speed difference will only be noticeable for load times.

4. Robson works between the CPU and the hard drive, so it isnt like RAM. It is supposed to help with load times as well as windows loading, so I think its worth it.

5. No, you dont need the 45 in one, and it you ever do, you can add it later.

6. Blue tooth can be added later if you ever do need it

7. 32 bit for sure, the 64 bit wont be mainstream for quite some time the way it lookc.

 

I got Blue tooth in my first laptop. Guess how many times I used it: Never. If you have something that needs blue tooth it wouldn't be a bad thing to get, but it probably isn't necessary.
Tim

 

Thanks a lot guys! I'm gonna throw together another configuration, and post it up here to see what you guys think:

FORCE 3297 COMPAL IFL90 Intel Centrino PRO Santa Rosa / 15.4" WXGA or WSXGA / Fingerprint Reader/ nVidia 8 Series 512MB / 802.11N
- 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) "Glossy" Display w/PCI-e nVIDIA GeForce Go 8600 512MB Video Card
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Intel® Core™2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz w/4MB L2 On-die cache - 800MHz FSB
- 2,048MB (1 SODIMM) DDR2 667MHz Memory
- 1GB Intel® Robson Turbo Memory (Vista Only)
- Standard Finish
- Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- 80GB SATA 150 7200RPM Hard Drive
- Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Integrated System Speakers - Included
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (9-Cell) - **Standard w/ WSXGA Screen Only**
- 110/220V 120W Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Complete Care Full Parts / Labor Warranty - Next Business Day Shipping - Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Tech Support

So there we go. That comes to a cost of $1,716 -- a little less if I pay by check.

A few more questions -- you guys have been great so far.

1. In terms of tech support, will the reseller I use (Powernotebooks or Xotic PC based on their prices) be the one who provides tech support? How many people are going to be available to help me out? If I need help with something, I don't want to wait four hours to talk to the single tech support guy.

2. My whole life, I've owned only Dells and one Sony. Will I be able to handle this sort of non-mainstream computer? This computer is actually CHEAPER then the HP dv6500t Special Edition I was going to buy, and from what I hear, this has better build design. Just want to make sure I won't be all alone with the computer.

3. Is it worth the extra 25 to upgrade the CD drive to Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software? Its only 25 bucks more, and this one can handle writing DVD's and Dual Layers.

4. I'm assuming I will install Vista myself when I get the computer? If so, will it be possible for me to initially install XP, installing Vista at a later date? (Keep in mind I will have the Robinson RAM).

5. Do I need to wait to buy mine with the WSXGA+ if I want a 8600GT Graphics Card?

6. Is there any way I can see, preferably in person, a Compal IFL90 or similar products? Do any stores carry them?

I'm going to write an epic poem for all of you when this is over. Once I find the configuration, I'm going to bring in my configured HP and see what you guys think of both.

 

Regarding Blue Tooth, try to think about what your future needs are going to be. If you are planing to get a more sophisticated cell phone anytime soon, you will *want* Blue Tooth. I've had a Treo 650 for a year and I'm pretty tired of having to plug in cables each time I want to sync. Just because of that, I don't sync as much as I should. With Blue Tooth, no cables needed! Hit the sync button and you're done. You still need to plug in for recharging from time to time but not having to plug in for syncing is great.

Regarding Robson, Anandtech did tests with a machine that Intel sent them. For booting times, the performance with Robson was worst than without. For disk access, Robson was better but by very little. Anandtech was unimpressed. They reported it to Intel and Intel's reaction was "well the BIOS is broken" but they did not provide details about the problem or a fix. In my opinion this is the high tech equivalent of "the dog ate my homework". In other words, Intel makes claims that Anandtech was not able to reproduce (and to my knowledge no one else has been able to reproduce those claims either). Also note that HP has stated that they think Robson is not worth it. My opinion is that money spent on Robson should be spent on additional RAM instead. (If course, if you've maxed out your RAM you can't do that.) This will not give you *exactly* the same advantages as Robson but will be better overall.

 

1. Both PowerNotebooks and XoticPC will give you computer support. Read their reseller reviews - both are highly rated. Call them and ask them questions and get a feel for them. I'm more comfortable with their support than I am with Dells or HP's consumer support.

2. This will be my first Compal too, but I'm comfortable with this purchase. Read up on them. They're the 2nd largest manufacturer of notebooks. Many of the consumer brands of notebooks are built by them.

3. I upgraded and I rarely burn a DVD. Its up to you.

4. If you order it with Vista it will come preinstalled. The CD you get for it will be a OEM copy which will not let you upgrade from XP, you'll have to do a clean install. This isn't bad, but just know you'll have to backup your data. Robson doesn't work with XP, but it won't hurt having it there.

5. As far as I know the WXGA+ screens will be available with the lower resolution screens are. Did you hear differently?

6. I don't know if stores carry them, but they're not available yet so even if they will they won't have them in stock.

About Robson - do a search on it and read up about it. Like any new technology it takes a while for the drivers to settle before we can judge its worth. I'm betting on the technology because it makes some sense that the seek time from flash memory would be less than a mechanical hard drive. But the tech may end up being bust too. I wouldn't make the judgment based on one review done before the tech was released. If you're wondering where to save $40 thats a good place. You can add it later. If it was a choice between robson and another gig of Ram, get the Ram.

 

http://uk.zepto.com/Shop/Notebook.aspx?notebookid=674

as u can see gf8600 GT will be avilable in WXGA version (this zepto is ifl90)

 

The Vista turbomemory drivers are not mature yet, so the technology should improve over time.

 

That doesnt mean anything for the US/Canada market though

 

Just to address your question on build quality -

While the IFL90's have yet to ship, the HEL80s (Compal's previous gen laptop) have really great build quality, comparable to the durability of IBM/Lenevo. From the looks it will be fairly generic looking, but if you live in a populated area then that's probably a good thing, considering how commonly these things get stolen.

If your looking for sleep inspired design you should look somewhere else (like Sony), but if you want durable, functional design then look here.

 

Alright, a few more questions:

-Is it worth the 25 dollar investment in the other DVD player?

-Will BlueTooth save me much hassle? Do most mouses and keyboards use BlueTooth

-Are most people going with TurboRobinson?

-If I buy 1 Gig, would it be easy to upgrade to three Gigs with one 2 gig stick? I don't see any two gig sticks on the internet. Would it be easier to just get 1 2 gig stick and install 1 gig myself?

-Will there be a noticeable difference between the 80 GB 7200 RPM hard drive, and the 100 Gig SamDisk 1.5G 7200 RPM hard drive? What about between any 7200 RPM and a 5400 RPM hard drive?

-Any big difference between WSGA GS8600 and WXGA+ GT8600? Worth the upgrade?

-Finally, is there a noticeable difference between T100 and T300 (1.8 and 2.0 gigs). Yes, I plan on gaming.

 

Not many mice and keyboards use bluetooth. Mostly the high end expensive ones have it. For gaming I would recommend a wired mouse and keyboard.

I think most people are getting robson. Mostly because it is pretty cheap.

Installing 1gb is just as easy or hard as installing a 2gb stick. I think you should get the 2GB stick and see how it goes. If you feel you need extra buy a 1GB stick aftermarket.

a 80gb 7200rpm drive is about as fast as a 160gb 5400rpm drive. 100GB 7200rpm will be faster then 80GB 7200 (It depends on brand too but mostly true) I would recommend the 160GB 5400rpm drive. Alot of storage and a fast disk. Good price too.

The GT and WXGA+ is worth the money. The extra resolution is great and the GT has alot more power then the GS.

moving from T7100 to T7300 is worth it if it is cheap. The T7300 has 4mb cache and then T7100 only 2MB. Normaly the T7300 only costs a little more.

 

Really -- I was unaware that the SIZE of the hard-drive had anything to do with the speed. For 55 dollars I can get a 100 GB 7200 RPM hard drive -- best option?

Also, people have been raising concerns that this notebook is not very good looking -- just how bland and ugly is this notebook? Thinkpad-esque?

 

Lots of people like the looks of the Thinkpads. If you've ever seen on I think they're elegant in their simplicity. I expect the same from the Compal. I'd rather not have alot of neon colors on my laptop when I take it into the board room, but not everyone serves on boards so its a matter of taste.

When you think about it, hard drive speed should increase with capacity. Think of two platters of the same physical size turning at the same rate, one holding 100gb, one 150gb. The density of information would have to be higher on the 150gb drive so as the platter turns, the read/write head would have the opportunity to read more data in the same amount of time with the higher density drive. Does that make sense?

For what its worth, I got both bluetooth and Robson. I have a bluetooth phone and PDA. I don't have a mouse or keyboard but I like the option. The jury is still out on Robson. If you have to save $40 that isn't a bad place to so it.

 

Everyone is basing it off of the pictures that are posted in this forum, not firsthand. Make of that what you will I guess.

 

In person it is quite rich and elegant looking...unless you are looking for flashy.

 

Take a look at these new pictures just posted HERE

Some of the earlier pictures didn't do it justice

 

It's a glorious machine!

Does anyone know if it can boot from a USB flash drive? I am considering using Bitlocker to encrypt my data.

 

Actually, no.

Harddisks in the same series with different capacity's use the same kind of platters.
For example: if the 100GB model has one platter of 100GB (50 GB each side), the 150 GB model uses 2 platters and only one side of the second one. In the same series there would most likely also be a 200 GB model.

The density of the data will be the same, so will the speed.

Only if the platters have a bigger capacity, for example perpendicular platters,
the speed increases. So only density of data and rotation speed really do matter (in terms of speed).

 

You're right with your example - mine was explaining density, which is your last point so I think we agree. I had just read an article explaining the difference between Seagate's 7200.1 and 7200.2 drives and there is a density difference.

In the same drive family where the rotational speed and platter density is the same the speed increase is adding additonal read heads. More heads means the opportunity is there to read more data in a given rotation.

 

someone posted earlier that 64bit vista is having driver problems.. what sort of problems does this consist of?

 

OK, then I misunderstood you, sorry.
BTW., the density difference between these two models is because the 7200.2 is a perpendicular drive. (And I'm gonna have one in my IFL 90 )

Yep, you got me there. It's something like a strip-set in just one drive!

 

Mines coming with a 7200.2 too. Can't wait - I think my IFL90 will be faster than the desktop I purchased just last November.

 

when does it say it will ship donsell

 

I'm expecting it to ship sometime the week of July 9th.

 

Mine was supposed to come in yesterday,, but it seemed it was still somewhere in Taiwan (which is a big hike from Holland).
The guys I bought it from said it would probably be in on tuesday or wednesday.

I'll let you guys know!

 

Which screen resolution did you chose Joossie?

 

I bought my Compal IFl90 yesterday.
Data:
Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2 Ghz
2GB Ram
160GB
...

It works finely. But I have had one problem. When I installed Vista Ultimate 32bit, my graphic card didn't work because CD of all the drivers was adjusted for Vista 64. Later I installed Vista Ultimate 64bit and my graphic card was recognized.
Unfortunately, I have some problems. One of them is that Bluetooth doesn't work. I installed Wireless Select Switch but when I pressed Fn + F2 the bluetooth indicator didn't light and operate.
Maybe can you offrer some drivers to solve this problem? Or maybe can you tell me some other drivers which help to work my system bettet.
Windows Vista 64 bit

Thanks.

 

I chose the WSXGA+ (1680x1050) version. In the mean time I got the machine (actually with the wrong specs but they're fixing that) and I must say, it's a great screen! I am a programmer and often work with Eclipse. On this screen there's a lot of real-estate to show all the different views side by side. And even after working for a couple of hours (yes, on battery :yes the small characters didn't become a problem.

 

If I were you I wouldn't install Vista 64 just because you don't have a 32 bit video driver at hand. As long as you're not using more than 3 GB RAM or extremely rare 64-bit software stick to the 32 bit version of Vista and download a 32-bit driver.
Maybe your BT problem will also be solved then...