Gateway M675 review and banchmarks - Page 11

Mine is unfortunately pc2700. I used the memory configurator from Crucial.com. They have great prices on memory. And I do believe the XL uses pc3200.

hi videoman,

i should probably know this, but which of the slots underneath is for the ram?
the ram i have is on the link i posted earlier. i have the 1024MB 400MHz DDR SDRAM (2-512MB modules)

if you tell me which slot to open, i'll be brave and will take a look.

indera

Hi Indera, you would be a lifesaver if you do this, I've been trying to get this info from GATEWAY for several months. If you look under GATEWAY DOCUMENTATION in your programs directory there is the m675 manual, go to Upgrading your M675 - Adding or Replacing Memory ( page 259 in mine) the long slot with the vent holes is the cover plate you'll have to remove, the memory sticks will be readily visible. Remember to turn off , disconnect your laptop and remove the battery before opening. Thanks again, Videoman

Well my 675XL shipped yesterday! After a month and a half of waiting! Gateway lied to me twice that i know of. One week they told me they were printing the label. I called back a week later and they tried to feed me that same story again! Aparrently they were missing some piece. But I should have my computer by mid week next week. I can't wait to try that badboy out! I hope it doesn't have any problems!!!

i bought my m675 in january and i am going to buy the faster 7200rpm 60gig hard drive. i want to still use my current 60gig in one of my expansion bays. do they make a bracket or kit that can allow me to do that and if so, where can i get it?

Hi all

'just found this forum 2 days ago and wanted to say thanks to all for your most valuable info.

I need your help; I purchased my Gateway M675 Notebook online at a refurbished item outlet. It arrived without the driver & utility CD, which hasn't really been missed until today when I downloaded the latest BIOS update for my laptop only to discover that apparently it can't be installed without Gateway's version of the WinPhlash utility. I looked high & low online for a download source, but everything I found pointed only to the M675 CD as the WinPhlash source. Just got off of Live Chat with Gateway tech support & they tell me that they can provide neither the file nor a replacement CD (go figure) , that I must get it from the original owner. Can anyone point me to a download URL? Thanks much.

As a bit of payback in advance, I can verify the link provided by one of this forum's contributors several pages back as a memory source to be good. Here it is in plain English:

http://www.4allmemory.com/index.cfm?...model_id=-3849

Their current price for 512MB of DDR PC3200 is $116.99 which incl. 2d Day Air, or get it overnight for $8 more. I purchased 2 sticks, overnight delivery, and they work like a charm (the site, 4AllMemory.com, incidentally, *guarantees* the memory to work with the M675).

Also, in trying to get back to this site tonite I stumbled onto a fresh M675 sub-forum with only 2 pages of info, all since August 4th or so. Find it at:

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=33542

Anyway, a user there, hedman, found this good deal: "...purchased the following M675 system at my local SamsClub for $1493.00 plus tax yesterday....
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 3.0GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology
Memory: 512MB 400MHz DDR SDRAM (2-256MB module)
Hard Drive: 80GB hard drive
Extended Service Plan Including Limited Warranty: Portable Value Service Plan -- 1 year parts/labor/no on-site/1 year technical support
Optical Drive: Modular 2x DVD-R/-RW/CD-RW recorder"...(see thread for remainder of list, but nothing new)

hedman said his store had 9 of them, so it's worth checking around. Mfg date, interestingly, was March, so not sure where these have been holed up prior to that particular Sam's Cub picking them up. Most of us would upgrade a few things once we bought it, but there's nothing like instant gratification

Thanks in advance with any help in coming up with WinPhlash, or, even better, a copy of the utilities CD.

Another happy M675 customer

Well, like numberous other members, I just stumbled on this website a few weeks back while doing research on the M675 series. I would say my decision was based mostly on the information on this forum and the feedback from all the members. And yes..........I went with the M675. I went with the M675E though. Only major difference is the 15.4" screen rather than the 17". I'm not into gaming or using it for DVDs so I thought I would save a couple bucks. This stands true for the video card card as well, as I opted for the Radeon 9600 w/ 64MB DDR. Below are the specs..........


Specs
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology
512MB 400MHz DDR SDRAM (1-512MB module)
40GB 5400rpm Ultra ATA hard drive
Modular 6-in-1 memory card reader
Modular 24x/10x/24x CD-RW and 8x DVD combo
One type II PC card slot
(4) USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), VGA, Parallel, TV Out, S-Video
15.4" WXGA TFT Active Matrix w/ ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 8x AGP w/ 64MB DDR video memory
Full-sized keyboard w/ integrated 10-key pad and EZ Pad® Pointing Device
Integrated V.92 56K modem
Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Integrated 802.11b/g wireless networking card
Oh...... I threw in the Targus BlackTop Deluxe Carrying Case also

Price $2076 w/ 4 year warranty

I was told the "E" model couldn't be purchased by retail consumers. I have a freind who owns a small business who uses Gateway and was able to talk him into buying this through his business and allowing me to pay for it. It saved me $166 dollars. With the case and warranty I paid $1910.

I plan on replace the memory with 1 Gb of PC3200 but have a few questions prior to doing so. I will start a new thread with my questions.

Mei$ter...I would suggest starting a new thread with your questions as this one has been up for a while and doesn't seem to get much looks other than people just reading up on the machine...just my .02. BTW....if you don't come up with a url, I'd be willing to send you a copy of my disc. Just PM me.

M675 feedback - 5 months of use

hi forum,

I was a Toshiba user until March 2004 when I bought an M675 from HSN. 5 months of heavy use later (Windows XP, FreeBSD, Fedora Linux), here is some feedback:

Out of the box, the unit is darn pretty. I can remember running my hand over the top of the laptop and marveling at the design. It's a pretty shell. The port layout is well thought out. USB ports on the left side, right side, and rear of the laptop. The keyboard is large and the screen is beautiful.

I was disappointed to learn about the 4200rpm hard drive and the lower speed RAM. When I did my research, apparently I was looking at a better model laptop.

There is no manual volume control on this laptop. Volume is controlled via software drivers (meaning Windows only). That irk'ed me - but is probably fine for the majority of users.

Software:

I found driver support in Windows XP to be horrible. Has anyone tried to use the recovery CDs? While tweaking XP, I managed to "break" XP and had to restore the laptop from the CDs. The actual recovery process crashed. I actually ran through the procedure 4 times to ensure I wasn't missing something. The recovery program hung while installing drivers. I finally aborted it and did the job manually.

The on-board BIOS leaves a lot to be desired. Why can't I disable the trackpad from within the BIOS. Other laptop vendors allow this. Yet Gateway relies, again, on software drivers within XP to disable/enable the trackpad.

Hardware:

The P4, 3ghz CPU is a screamer. Love having that kind of power in a laptop. I replaced the default RAM with 2 x 400mhz 512MB sodimms. Noticable improvement. Onboard ATI graphics card is nice -- only 64MB of video memory is not (think i got the cheap model). The DVD-RW drive work like a champ - I've burned 200+ CDs and DVDs with no problem.

I was disappointed with the speaker quality. The speakers are positioned at the front of the laptop so sound is not blocked by the user's hands, ala toshiba, but the sound quality seems tinny.

The onboard Gigabit Ethernet connection is wonderful as are the numerous ports and connectors (5 x USB 2.0, firewire, vga, parallel, modem, svideo, speaker, mic, and headphone).

The screen is stunning. it is an eye catcher. when people walk by my office at work, they usually stop and comment about the laptop.

The unit runs warm after 6-8hrs of constant use. Saw some infrequent lockups due to heat. Fixed by adding a Targus cooling tray that sits underneath my laptop.

The keyboard is roomy with some minor problems - the FN, CTRL, and windows keys seem to be out-of-order. The right shift key is smaller than normal. The page up/page down/home and end keys are smaller than normal as are the arrow keys. I am a relatively fast typist and I regularly find myself catching the edges of the keys when typing -- it's hard to explain but feels like my fin

Onboard 802.11g wireless is very addictive. Range is good. I've sat in my house and picked up neighbor's wi-fi networks easily. The Windows XP drivers were flaky. and would randomly drop the wireless connection. Appears to be an issue with Wireless Zero Config service. Check technet for details.

I was disappointed with the 3dmark benchmark score -- especially since my home comp scored almost double the M675. To be expected...but the M675 scored lower than an average Dell. I can play Doom3 on the M675 but quality is turned down. Unreal Tournament 2004 plays but the 4200rpm drive seems to cause frequent pauses during heavy battles. The game will pause while disk i/o light is flashing or solid for 1-7 seconds.

My laptop didn't come with a floppy drive. Had to order one. The laptop didn't come with a printed manual -- easily downloaded though.

Warranty/Support:

The online Gateway tech support is geared to the average home user, I guess. When asking them about a floppy drive, I'm told it is old technology and they didn't make floppy drives anymore. 2 days later, another rep is able to find one and ship to me. Maybe just miscommunication but it bothered.

I purchased the additional warranty with APP only to find out AFTERWARDS that APP doesn't apply to Virginia residents.

Conclusions:

I can't complain too much -- the laptop runs FreeBSD 5.2.1 and Fedora Core Linux (1 and 2).

I don't think I will buy another Gateway though.

You manual control for volume and mute is your FN key and the "Home", "PgDn"or "PgUp" key located on the top of the number pad. This is not a Windows function.

Hope this helps!

How long did it take you guys to get your machines once the website said they were shipped?

Here is a M675 Story

I am getting an M675 as a replacement of another laptop I had.....a 400DX. Screen died on the 400 was covered under the warranty this was July 2, 2004. It is now Sept 16, 2004. I had never recieved the part that I was to receive. They kept on saying that it was on backorder. Finally I screamed loud enough and was told that they aren't making those parts anymore and that they would replace it with an M675. No complaints here, however I was wondering when the am I going to get the computer? The website stated Sept 16, 2004 and well Sept 16 has just about come and gone....and ....NO LAPTOP.

Just asking when everyone else recieved their laptop compared to what was posted on their website...thanks for your time.

Well, the laptops come from China, so you can usually expect 10-14 business days if things go as they should.

Finally Found Out

Well Guess What......The Estimates time of arrival is now 9/30/04......no warning no nothing....just changed the date and let me sit buy....I am going to RIP customer service...I have been without a laptop for going on to month number 4.....this is really silly to have to wait this long.....and I am losing sooooooo much money......

M675 Report

i've been using my M675XL for a few weeks, so i figured i'd report back in.

first off, it did take nearly a month to receive it. but that's what Gateway estimated when i ordered it so there weren't any suprises - just a little disappointment that it had to take that long.

i got mine fully loaded - don't remember all the specs, but it's got 1GB ram, 80GB harddrive, 3.4MHz, etc. etc.

the overall look of the machine is great. it's real slick looking. and yes, it's heavy. but when you're carrying a 66-key KORG keyboard on the other shoulder, it feels pretty light. ;-)

at first, i thought i was going to have a problem with the screen -- not because of the quality or dead pixels or anything. in fact, the quality is amazing. instead, i wasn't sure about the reflective coating that is used -- it's similar to the Sony VAIO screens which, when i went to a local Besy Buy to play with them, i decided there was no way i wanted one because the lights in the store ceiling were being reflected on the screen and it was driving me nuts. most LCD's have more of a matte finish where you can't see your own reflection. but this screen is reflective and it can cause problems depending on what is behind you. i would imagine that it won't affect most users. but i thought i'd bring it up.

i haven't done any sophisticated performance tests... i just know that it's fast. it hasn't randomly crashed or anything strange. it just seems to work.

also, i was extremely happy with the ability to add a second monitor (in my case, a projector) and extend my desktop onto it and set it's resolution independantly of the LCD screen. i know this technology has been around for awhile, but i've never used it. and i was pleasantly surprised out how "plug and play" it turned out to be. i use the laptop for multi-media performances and it's slick.

my only complaint: the fan. i realize that it needs a hefty fan given the amount of technology inside this thing. and it's not that the fan is excessively loud... it's just that it's significantly louder than the desktop that i've been using. in addition, i still haven't gotten used to the fact that it goes off completely for 30 seconds then comes on for about 30 seconds then goes off, then goes on... i wish it were a little quieter and just stayed on all the time. the fact that it goes completely silent and then comes on makes it seem louder than it is (because the silence is sooooo nice). i'll admit that i'm more sensitive to these things than most people. but i'll also say that the fan issue is currently making it difficult for me to accept my beautiful new M675 as a long term investment. i know it's the best thing for the moment. but i'm on this thing all day long and i like it quiet...

overall, it's a great machine. there's no doubt.

-scott

Thanks for the comprehensive reviews!

Hello Gurus,

Thank you for taking the time to put such great information on this forum. I had a good feeling about the m675xl but the CNET review really put me off. You've put my fears to rest and I'll be placing my order soon.

Thanks Again!

I,ve got my M675X since December 22, 2004. I had a Gateway laptop before, for more than 2 years and I loved it so I bought another Gateway without hesitation.

This is a wonderful laptop. The screen is awesome, even with the cheapest screen and video card! (1440*900 and Radeon 64mb). It runs games really good!

The keyboard is very good, with a separate num pad, this is awesome!!

Speakers are not too bad for a laptop, but there is room for improvement...

The cooling system sometimes makes strange noise but it is not too annoying... Remember that this is a monster laptop, very powerful, so it really needs good fans!

Gateway calls it a Desktop replacment and it is really one! Since I got it, my desktop only use it to record TV shows... and sometimes to burn DVD because I want ot save the DVD burner on my laptop...

I recommand it to anyone!!

I got mine from eCost.com for 1350.00$ and I received it the next day! Good service from them!

M675 = Great Machine...Very Loud Fan

I've had my M675XL for a year now and have loved it. I quickly noticed the loud fan and really wanted to do something about it but kinda just got used to it. I use the laptop mostly in the office as a desktop doing heavy graphics and multimedia work. I have the docking station and keep it plugged into that with a 20" LCD Screen. Recently it has began to lock up (crash) when not in use for a while (approx. 10 - 15 minutes) and the fan kicks in to turbo mode. I'm getting concerned at this point. I have always seen the noise as just something to live with because of the great power and speed of this machine, but now with the crashing and after reading this thread i've decided i'm going to buy a laptop cooler and see if that makes a difference.

Has anyone had any experience with these?

I'll post my results in the next day or so after I've bought one and have some feedback.

It's really unfortunate that such an incredible machine is knocked by such a loud fan, but if you've worked with the M675 long and are used to running it all day you can understand.

My fans started to make weird noise lately and I managed to get this problem fixed by using those cans of compressed air.

Now, every week, I clean my laptop with it and no more weird noise!

I bought the laptop cooler, and it makes a difference in how hot the machine gets, but the fan still kicks in and is loud. It seems like no matter how much air I allow to get in the bottom fans they still kick on and are loud. The crashing still happens if the machine is left unattended for too long. My next step is to call or email Gateway...hopefully they've come up with a solution.

Please let me know if anyone is having crashing from this same issue.

Thanks

M675 Heating Problem

Ha! I've found it! The heating problem is solved!!! So, we all know that the intake is on the bottom and the output of airflow is on the back and the left side. My computer would regularly get loud, hang, and shutdown or reboot if i played HL 2 for more than 10 mins, or if I did anything remotely taxing. I was like, WTF. I called them (blah) online chatted (with someone who couldn't spell) and still NOTHING. I was determined to get to the root of this evil. So, I:
1.) Took off the fan grill.
2.) Removed both fans. (Left the large metal heatsink thing)
3.) Saw my problem.

I have a dusty desk at school, so, naturally the computer acts as a vacuum, sucking it all up. Between the fans and the grill (where the air is expelled), a centimeter layer of LINT/CRAP had accumulated. Again, I was like . I promtly yoinked my tweezers out of my drawer and pulled the sheet of gross out of my lappy. This is analagous to removing the lint from a dryer's lint screen. I was indeed shocked. I put the fans back in and replaced the intake grille cover. No more problems, no more turbo fans, no more freezing. Just, don't break a prong off of one of your fans like I did . Props to Gateway for making a crappy design and not thinking of this. But, I still LOVE my 675XL, people still walk by in class and go "Dang, that's a big screen." I've started lots of cool conversations that way. woooo

-scroll