Posts by KokonutMonkey

everything i've heard from Donald and other prominent members on the forums at notebookreview is that the video drivers that came with the laptop are the best available now, but i suppose experimenting couldn't hurt

I assume you mean as a dual boot or Linux-only machine. That is one thing I am unsure about, since I generally only run LiveCD distros. Perhaps someone else can help Steve out...

Yes the core overclocks pretty well, memory not so much. See this thread at notebookreview for more information on overclocking: Compal HEL80 Geforce Go 7600 OC Results - NotebookReview.com Forums. Not much difference in heat at all,...

derek: The lid and area around the keyboard are actually metal. The rest is made of plastic as far as i know, but overall it is an extremely solid build. I agree that it looks better in person. compal: i play oblivion at native res...

Yep I found all the protective coverings and took them off. I didn't realize that there was covering around the keyboard until a few hours in. The pictures just can't do this laptop justice. I love the metal look.

Update OP with pics.

I got my first laptop, the hel80, a couple days ago from Powernotebooks.com (superb reseller btw. Donald is the man!) and all i can say is wow. See specs in sig. TV tuner works just as it should. Installation wasn't quite as easy as...

I was in the same boat as you and I went with the Compal. It should be arriving within the week. amazin asian is right that you can use HDR and AA at the same time with the 7600 in HL2.

ram: The m9700 does indeed have two 7900gs cards in sli. Does anybody else wish that they would put a 7900gs in a 15.4" lappy? AFAIK it only consumes 4 watts more power than the MR x1600 so why not? Might even run cooler than...

ColdSun: I eliminated the MSI 1039 b/c it lacked core duo and merom support. All have an option for glossy screens. idk about the importance of the bus speed but core duo outperforms turion across the board to my knowledge. ew2x4:...