HEL80 buyer questions...

So I've been looking back and forth whether I want to get a barebones or a pre-built, I've been looking at high end and low end, and in the end, I figure it might be best to use all these lousy pieces I bought for the Z96Js I had initially bought. So with all the hassles I was having with that, I figured I might as well check out the HEL80, since a lot of people seem to talk about it quite highly.

That being said, a few questions:

- dead pixels. Anyone have any on the WSXGA+ version?
- graininess. I think this was an ATI issue, but anything?
- backlight flicker. This was the straw that broke the camel's back for my Z96Js, I don't know why they made them so damned cheap, my old ASUS Z63A doesn't flicker at all even with its brightness at 1 notch from the bottom.
- power brick temperature. Does that thing get burning hot like the ASUS one?
- docking station. Does this unit have an optional dock? Or any Compal models for that matter?

 

1. I'm sure some people got dead pixels on their display... that's how lcds go.
2. I don't think grainess is an issue with these displays.
3. There isn't any flicker for me.
4. It gets pretty warm sometimes, but I don't see any fires starting...
5. No docking stations.

 

I have no dead pixles on my display, and have the same comments as he made...

To make up for the lack of a docking station, I use a 4 port USB hub. Just one cable to plug in instead of four...

 

1. I have had one fixed pixel in the last 4 LCDs I've owned. HEL80's WSXGA+ screen is beautiful and no dead-pixels. They are, however, part of the LCD world so I'm sure there are some out there.
2. Graininess was an ATI issue, but I think they've found a fix for it.
3. No flicker that I notice--at all.
4. Brick gets warm, not hot.
5. No docking stations. You can get a USB port replicator. Or you can go the cheap route like me and just get a USB hub, like Brianj.