GTX260M in an Asus--

Manohman!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9366651&type=product&id=1218092150636

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9382553&type=product&id=1218095770874

The biggest downer is the 16:9 resolution--

 

That $999 deal is insane if you want to game and nothing else.

I'd be worried about heat though, the 9800 in the G50 series was incredibly hot.

 

Question regarding this...
Whats overall the better rig, Asus G51 or Sager NP8662?
I'm looking to buy a 8662 but should I even bother wait until the G51 comes out to see what its packin?

 

that asus is hot.... gpu hits 90C from this person's review

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=392176

 

It looks great, in fact I would've sold my M860TU for it, if it used DDR3 RAM, supported 16:10 WUXGA, and used an MXM III card instead of a proprietary one.

 

Thanks for linking the review, rep points 4 u.

 

Reasonable prices I guess. Although I'd cry if I had to live with such low resolution on a 17 inch.

 

ddr3 is useless and more expensive for what 5 min of battery ?? 99% of people won't change there video card so why make them pay for MXM III. Resolution is a bit low I agree but WUXGA is so much overkill for a 15" (e-peen issue ?? )

 

They're have serious issues.

The G51 hits 90°+ after light gaming or a 3DMark06 run, 100°+ w/ Furmark, while the G71 downclocks at just 84°. It's a trainwreck.

 

If by looking great you mean more plasticy than yes.

I can see the CPU being a real bottleneck in that G51 though.

 

What a waste by Asus. Both notebooks offer unacceptable resolutions for the graphics card that is installed. Why, Asus? Obviously a GTX260 is a GTX260, but why not put a beast of a card to its fullest potential? I'd jump all over those deals, even if they were $150 more expensive, just for a higher resolution screen.

 

After reading this review, its easy to see why this laptop will be more expensive in the long run:

Asus cheaped out on a GPU cooler:


Resulting in 89C in a brand new laptop just running 3dmark06? What happens after wear & tear and Crysis?


The GTX260M is underclocked (probably because of heat issues):



The CPU is holding the GPU back (same scores at 1366x768 as 1024x768?!?):




Basically this would be a pretty poor purchase, also I seriously doubt this laptop could handle Quad-Core heat even though its supported.

 

why the hell is it so cheap?

 

I'd guess cooling system and build quality. I'm always impressed by how sturdy the M860TU is and how nice the rad/fan look when I open it up . Also ddr2 and screen are slightly cheaper and the CPU is cheaper too

 

I prefer the DDR3 because I FSB overclock. I just ordered a MXM III 280M that I'll be installing soon, so it's good to have a somewhat standard GPU form factor. I'm using my WSXGA Asus G1S while Eurocom ships back my M860ETU, and I'm much more comfortable using WUXGA, much more space. They're somewhat obscure requirements, but all three are met with my current laptop.

Compared to the G50, the G51 is very conservative. For some reason, Asus likes flashy (literally) gaming notebooks.

 

its a good concept but I've been following the threads from it first came about. the temps are far too high for any real enthusiast to purchase. the clocks are also downclocked from 550/950/1375 to 500/800/1250 which is a waste and a indicator that it has heat probs in the gpu area. i mean 100+ in 5 mins of furmark O.O, ill just wait and see if asus fixes the gpu heat sink.

 

I doubt it. I think this is an interim solution until a cooler GPU comes out-- Something along the lines of GTS.

It will sell like hotcakes to those who don't know better, or simply looking for a bargain.

BTW, (per your sig) it's no contest-- NP8662 still wins by being the better value.

 

it only comes with a 1 year warranty instead of the 3 if you get it from Asus and since my g1s fried it's 8600m i am not a huge fan of Asus's cooling designs.

 

Well, like the m15x, when the system burns to a crisp, we'll be there to show them the M860TU way.

 

lol, the 260M is downclocked and it still hit 89C in 3dmark...

Here are my temps of my overclocked and overvolted qx9300 np5797

 

regardless of the heat issues, that native res is a total deal breaker for me.

 

The G71 isnt downclocking, everyone needs to understand this. The clock speeds are staying the same. The issue is believe to be power related.

@AnotherGeek - My 9800M GS overclocked and running games that would bring a stock G50VT-A1 to 90C (and used to bring myne to it after the T9600 swap) only get to 75C now, I now haz superior cooling to G50/51's lol, just slightly less usefull off a desk.

 

When I swapped the GTX 280m in the m860tu, I had experienced the same thing. Even though GPU-Z was reporting that the card was running on full clocks, the FPS i was getting in benchmark tests were proving otherwise, the temps were bordering around 88c after short test.

Turns out in my haste to have the GTX 280m in my laptop, I'd forgotten to replace the thermal paste. So based on my experience as stated above, even if the clock speeds stay the same, it doesn't mean that the card isn't under performing.

 

Oh its underperforming, but its not like the bios is downclocking the core because it has reached a certain temperature. Something else is going on. The G51's problem is cooling and in many cases the fact that the paste machine is setup for a different card. The G71 is fail for other reasons. Just to make everyone happy they should have stuck with the G70S chassis though dual fan setup. I like the new component layout better though.

 

Has anyone tried flashing a higher voltage at the 3D and 2D levels?

 

I havent heard of anyone trying it but they have looked at the bios after dumping it. I think with the issues at hand most people would rather return it or get it fixed under warranty then to possibly brick the unit.

 

The channel version of this model is expected to have a WUXGA 1920x1080 Display FYI. You are right the Best Buy resolution is really low for a gaming notebook and a deal breaker to most.

 

are you saying that xotic is planning on selling this laptop? If so, is there a ETA? If so i might hold out on buying my 8662 to see if the res is higher and the heat issues "dissipated".

 

Its been on there website longer then we knew about the best buy versions from what i remember - http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g71gxa1-order-p-2591.html

Once again no heat issue, voltage issue. Btw yeah voltage has been confirmed.

 

We have the G51VX-A1 listed as a pre order starting tonight. (sorry no pics yet though)

ETA is 3rd week of July. Unfortunately at this time we do not have any info on how the cooling system is in the G51VX-A1

EDIT: ClutchX2 we were talking about the G 51VX

 

OOPS lol on your site as well, but yeah the G51 runs pretty hot.

Note the G51VX-RX05's i have seen, the paste was applied in the same fashion as the 9800M which is WRONG for the 260M as its 45 degrees rotated and slightly off to one side. One user even had only half the core touching paste.

 

Sounds like it's a good idea to order the Arctic Silver applied if you buy from xoticpc.

 

I would go for it. But hopefully once ASUS realizes it they will report this mistake to the assembly operation and they reconfigure the machine applying the paste. An oversight but possibly a costly one as it might cause some RMA's.

 

ahhh poop, its more expensive than the 8662. I was all worked up and everything. You guys sould add more options, like a lower cpu and hdd, and more ram options.

Hey xotic, you know what you should do to celebrate the new asus's/asui (what ever the plural of asus is) is lower the price just a tad on the 8662. Huh, what about it , good idea right?!

 

A lower cpu would actually cost more for you. The cpu that comes with it is free at the price it comes with, changing it to anything else costs additional money. They typically dont account for the value of the removed processor which isnt as much as you want it to be anyways.

All of the resellers offer upgrades, not downgrades to the model. Want a lower cpu, Best Buy will sell you the G51 or G71 with a lower cpu for alot less, lower res too

 

LOLZ

Apparently you have never heard of subtraction , only addition. if they added the lower cpu's that would lower the price if i chose the lower cpu's. However i can totally understand where someone would get confused, it IS rocket science anyway.
lol, jk

 

If the BB version is having heat issues, something is going to have to change drastically with the Xotic one if it can have a Q9100 in it.

 

Im telling you the retailers DONT do that lol. Your idea of a downgraded CPU is a 300 or so dollar CPU. Said retailer can not garuntee a 200 dollar return on the Q9000, their not going to sell you the downgrade for 100 dollars or better yet actually do the downgrade and make the laptop cheaper.

Its reality, and how things actually work. Look at several retailers with the same model, you will notice a trend. Your paying full price for a downgrade to dual core.

Example - G71Gx down to dual core
Newegg CPU Price for T9600 = 340
XoticPC change to T9600 = 376
Intel CPU Price for T9800 = 530 (Saw it retail for 580 as well)
GenTechPC change to T9800 = 609 (Sorry lowest cpu gentech offered)

Price differences ofcourse account for labor and paste. The T9800 is definitly not a slouch and is expensive. But the T9600 is the lowest i would personally go anyways, T9400 will do for some people and is the bottom of the line its still an addition 330 plus labor and paste, and in the fantasy world we all wish where true minus the value of the Q9000.

 

nah its just foolish that they did not add the P8700 and up, or the smaller hdd, or the smaller ram. There was no reason not to add those options in the customization menu. Also the only difference between bestbuys asus g51 and xotics' is A) the resolution and B) the cpu and C) the extra hdd. I dont think those three differences are worth and extra 600$, not to mention that the second hdd shopuld be an option?! But those are jsut my thoughts. Why are the other cpus not avaiable, and the option to exclude the second hdd exotic?

 

When you buy from a reseller in addition to spec your also paying for a 2 Year International warranty plus 1 year accidental, plus 30 day zero pixel defect warranty. Best buy models get 1 year basic asus warranty no frills added.

G50's since the beginning have had 4GB of DDR2 800Mhz, never offered with more or less from ASUS so that has continued with the G51. The ram they use is cheap hyndaui stuff difference between 2gb and 4gb for them is probably 4 dollars seeing as how i can get lower latency overclocker of the same size and speed for 50 bucks. Off the shelf prices for ram your talking about saving 25 bucks? Which as i said in oem prices to the consumer would make less than 10 bucks difference in the price.

P8700 last i checked was an oem batch, so 8600 would be the next closest avliable for 220. If asus offered it, xotic might, but its still an extra thing with resellers. ASUS arent really configurable like say alienware. Resellers i believe are authorized todo cpu swaps and what not and the warranty is not voided.

 

this really isnt complicated. based on xotics website the difference in ordering a p8700 vs a q9000 is $175. So...if they offered the p8700 in the g51 then the price should be $175 cheaper. Based on xotics website the exclusion of a second hdd at 320gb and 7200 is $85. So...if i exclude a second hdd, it should be $85 cheaper. Based on xotics website the difference between 4gb of 800mhz and 2gb is $25 cheaper.

 

ASUS didnt pay 85 bucks for the hard drive so even if ASUS removed it themselves there not going to discount it at the retail price. Once again im telling you REALITY is they count the Q9000 as a loss when removed even though they could offer it as an upgrade on another model or sell it on ebay. Thats how business's work, they also often dont do things that make sense look at GM and Chrysler lol.

EDIT - When that cpu is removed btw its no longer new, its sold as a used pull so its worth half automatically as a general rule of thumb.

Do you really want to go down to 2 GB of ram when windows vista and 7 in 64 bit use around 1.6GB under normal use? I think not. You might play the XP downgrade card and lose some of the laptops features, nothing wrong with those still living in that world, the G51 will run XP just fine once you slipstream the sata driver.

 

no but i can get another 4 gb or ram for $20

 

DO you mean another 2gb of ram? And you want to save 25 bucks to go and spend 20 bucks and still only have saved 5? Note that when a manufacturer sells you a laptop with 2GB of ram its 2 1GB sticks. As at oem price 2 1GB sticks, are cheaper than 1 2GB stick. If you got it with 2GB of ram and then bought a 2GB stick you now have 3GB of ram.

As i said asus never offered the G50 with less than 4GB of DDR2 800 so no reason to on the G50. What is Xotic going todo with 2 or 4gb of cheap crap? They cant even really sell that except to someone desperate to increase their ram and theyre not going to get 25 bucks for it.

1 - If they cant guarantee that they can sell the left over parts for the price you want off, they arent going to.

2 - Selling the parts costs money, people are paid for the work they do, selling parts is work, if its hourly then just based on the time to list and package they've already lost the money.

It just doesnt work how it does in your mind, this isnt some local pc building buying parts and building machines, its a notebook reseller who offers upgrades. They charge for anything that costs money or requires paying a tech labor.

Why dont you just buy an MSI barebones lol that way you can buy all your parts and find out you payed more

 

i hate msi's keyboard layout with a passion, but i can buy a 8662 barebone and have the same settings as their g51 and save $300, not to mention that the option to put a p8700 in is an upgrade, considering the BB version had some p7500 thing in it.

 

I have to go look at msi again to see what you mean. Wait until a newegg variant of the G51 comes out, if its anything like the G50 they will have a high res lower cpu model (X6 had P8600 with high res for like 1300 off sale versus B1 with T9550 for 1600).

 

the msi keyboard has the ctrl key and the fn key mixed up, it is a total deal breaker for me and guarantees that i will never buy a msi with THAT keyboard set.

 

I wanted to get their barebones because I have the P7450 that came with this, 2gb of ram that came out of another notebook and a 160 gb hdd laying around. I couldnt find anything cheap enough to be worth it though. I could get a 400 dollar laptop with better specs then what i was putting together for the same price.

 

if xotic would take BB's version, add a better resolution and add a p8700 (which would be no more than $300 at most) i would buy it in a heard beat.

 

See Xotic cant just go and add a higher resolution, not only do they have a bunch of useless screens left over even they cant do that without voiding the warranty.

Resellers tend to only get no more than 2 variants at a time, i think with the G50 the A1 and A2 ran side by side. As i said wait for the newegg variant, curious as to what they do there. ASUS needs todo it, and they can and might.

Just a reminder 1 model has been out 3 days officially and there are as of yet un anounced models in the works. So 3 days, nothing to freak out over especially since where 3 weeks away from the second variant.

Its likely you will end up with something else, but thats ASUS's problem really. Im tempted to switch to Alienware with the M17x Q9000, Dual 260M's at only 2099.