Important M860TU questions from potential buyer

Hello. First post.

I'm interested in buying one of these bad boys. I'm going for one this powerful because a) my uni degree involves a lot of heavy computer modelling and b) I like games.

Here are my questions: (Note that I'm would buy it from http://www.p4laptops.com.au/order-m860gt.htm and that they are AUSTRALIAN dollars )

1 - I'm almost definitely getting the matte screen because I'm simply not a fan of the glossy screens due to the large amounts of reflection. The matte screen, however, has a larger 1920x1200. What consequences does this have on the screen quality, gaming performance and general size of stuff that you see on the screen. I don't want everything to be too small on the desktop. I'd also like to know of any comments about its performance in complete darkness.

2 - What CPU would be recommended? It's about a 100 dollar jump from 2.53 to 2.8 which is relatively small yet I can't see many people here doing that? Will the increase in CPU speed by noticed in most gaming? heavy CPU gaming like Supreme Commander? general computer performance? Would the increase in CPU speed be a good idea considering I'm getting the larger matte screen resolution?

3 - What tv tuner options are there? I know that there isn't one built in. The website I'd order it from can bundle a USB one in but I'd just buy one myself if need be. Would I still have to lug around clumsy rabbit ears though?

4 - Noise level. This is very important to me, much more so than heat. If I'm sitting in the silent study area of the library, I don't want to feel awkward having this massive fan annoying everyone around me. I can accept some relatively large noise (although I've heard that it's acceptable) when doing heavy gaming but what about if I'm just surfing the web and using Microsoft Office programs? I've also heard that there is a "silent mode". Does this just turn off the graphics card fan? If so, would simple web browsing and Office use be okay in this "silent mode"?

5 - Keyboard. I have heard some slight complaints about the keys not going in very far and the space key being a bit off but are these things that are going to bug you forever or will you adapt to it? I've never had a laptop before so I'm firmly used to a desktop keyboard.

6 - Size and weight. How big are we talking here? I have read a 1.4 to 1.9 inch thickness as you move from the front to the back but, overall, how "big" does this thing feel? Is it a strain to lug around? Do you feel like you are typing on a big angle? Do you feel silly when you pull out this massive beast next to these tiny machines that some others have?

Thank you in advance. Hopefully at least some of these questions can be answered, the most important of them being the screen and sound issues.

 

1) I can hardly read the news on my 17" WXUGA, and 15.4"? think about it.
2) it cost $200 from 2.53 to 2.8 in US, if you can do it for $100, go for it.
3) get a usb tv tuner like Hauppauge, they are great.
4) people said it's quite.
5) N/A
6) N/A

 

But surely you can turn down the resolution in the desktop properties though?

It's the matte finish that I care about. I'd really rather not get a gloss finish but perhaps that's my only option here

 

Your screen will be blur, and that bugs me a lot.

 

Is this resolution common for a WUXGA display in 15.4"? My dad and sister both have 15.4" laptops and I'm fine with their resolutions.

 

the most common screen on 15.4" is 1440x900, 1680x1050 would be the best, 1920x1200 is just too much. I don't think your families have WUXGA on their screens. but hey, if your visions are 20/20, then go for it!

 

no,it is not common-most of laptops have WXGA and WXGA+ screens

EDIT: Nirvana 1:0 Xirurg

 

An alternative to lowering the resolution is to increase the DPI. That'll make things much easier to read.

The keyboard is fine for me, and the size of the notebook isn't as big as you think. It's pretty sleek, compared to my Vostro.

 

that is what i am doing right now, and it makes getting a WUXGA pointless.

 

hope that helps

 

That's unless you REALLY REALLY need the extra screen real estate, edit multiple high res images in photoshop 24/7 and can't be bothered to buy an external monitor.

 

Please read the above in red to see my answers to your questions

 

Here's what I think

 

Thanks heaps guys for the help. Just to clarify my thoughts a little and add in a few more questions.

- I'm getting the 9800 GT, like someone suggested, largely because it is the only one available from the 2 online retailers in Australia.

- Does anyone here actually have this laptop with the matte screen and massive resolution and, if so, how do you deal with it?

- Not trying to boast but I do have very good vision. I don't however, want to be straining my eyes looking at tiny characters. I have 2 19" desktop screens each running 1280 x 1024. I'm struggling to imagine 1920 x 1200 on a laptop so I'll have to find the same resolution on a different 15.4" laptop that I can see in store.

-From threads on here I can see people managing to run Crysis (maybe just Warhead) at high with touches of very high and the occasional medium and get solid performance with di[s below 20 fps being infrequent. I actually found Crysis to be a pretty average game when I got to the alien part but anyway. Will this matte screen with 1920 x 1200 really struggle to even get close to that? Could I force it into the smaller resolution that the glossy screen has and would the performance be the same as the glossy screen?

- Great to hear about the sound. That was always a big fear of mine.

- Yes, my mate has a Macbook Pro and is your typical "ZOMG MACS RULE!" and they are thin things but that's because there isn't much inside it

- I just weighed my physics text book and it's 3kg (time to catch up with the rest of the world America and use the metric system ). I'm quite accustomed to having heavy things in my backpack.