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Area-51 m5700 Vs. Area-51 m7700 questions. (Long post)

post #1 of 28
1/4/06 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
Hello all!

Just registered here, been finding this forum extremely usefull, a ton of great info.

I was just wondering if anyone could help me out making a decision.

After much reading here and elsewhere, I've decieded to buy an alienware Area-51 mobile. My problem is choosing between the m5700 and m7700.

The price difference is an issue for me, and for this reason I'm already leaning toward the m5700, however... I'm starting to think it might be a better idea to invest in the m7700.

Anyhow, let me get to what is on my mind.

Question #1 - LCD

The first thing is I've been reading a whole lot about this "clearview" lcd technology. Someone on this forum suggested it was the more "glossy" lcd look (I've seen that on the Sony systems at Best Buy). I really like that, but then I noticed the m5700 doesn't seem to have it.

To further my delema, the m7700 has it, but you have to get the camera attachment with it... which I have absolutly no use for.

However, then in another forum post about the lcds, someone responded saying they were all glossy... now I'm confused.

Does the m5700 have it or not? Does the m7700? What is ClearView really? If I got the m5700 or the m7700 without it, am I going to be disapointed with the display?

Thing is, I want to be able to play DVDs on this thing, and I want something that looks impressive. (If not for this I'd be considering the 5500, but I really want the widescreen 17".)

Question #2 - Perforamce

I've been seeing mixed opinions on this. How big is the performance gap between the 5700 and the 7700? Assuming default hardware for both. (So both with the same vid card.) If I get the 5700, will I be disapointed when I can't play some games at full settings? Will the 7700 solve that problem?

Question #3 - Respawn

If you don't get the respawn kit, do they provide some other way to restore your system if needed... like windows install disks, drivers disks, etc?

AW advertises the respawn kit as unique, but every computer I've purchesed (I normally build my own) came with a restore cd. What's so special about the respawn kit?


Thanks in advance for any responses, I appriciate the help.

Basically I'm either trying to talk myself into spending the extra money on the m7700 or trying to talk myself out of it and save myself some cash... I'm not really sure which yet.
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post #2 of 28
1/4/06 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
Oh, and of course whichever I end up getting I'll post a review.
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post #3 of 28
1/4/06 at 3:25pm
Thread Starter 
Well, I guess I'm impatient. I asked alienware what clearview is, and it is the glossy thing.

It seems the other versions of the lcd are not glossy.

Also, if you don't get the respawn kit you still get standard installation disks, just not the image.
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post #4 of 28
1/4/06 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
I think I'll head over to best buy tonight, see if this glossy thing is all it's cracked up to be with my own eyes.

Also, I would still appriciate some advice on the performance issue. Thanks in advance, and sorry for the big and multiple posts.
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post #5 of 28
1/4/06 at 3:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradsnet
I think I'll head over to best buy tonight, see if this glossy thing is all it's cracked up to be with my own eyes.

Also, I would still appriciate some advice on the performance issue. Thanks in advance, and sorry for the big and multiple posts.


Here is some info on clearview.....


http://www.clearviewdisplays.com/pages/1/index.htm

everything you always wanted to know and more!!
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post #6 of 28
1/4/06 at 3:57pm
i wouldnt trade me 7700 for anything.
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post #7 of 28
1/4/06 at 3:58pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, great info.

Let me phrase the question this way and see what happens.

Let's say you have two choices.
#1 GF Go 6800 & 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD Clearview
#2 GF Go 6800 Ultra & 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD

Which would you pick and why?

That's pretty much my choice right now. I don't want to go over $2,500 and it's comming down to the above choice. I can get the ultra with no clearview, or the clearview and no ultra.

I've already upgraded processor and ram, don't want to cut either down, so I'm left with the above choice.
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post #8 of 28
1/4/06 at 5:56pm
i would get the ultra screen IMO. its tooo damn small the xga is fine, tho clearview is nice.
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post #9 of 28
1/4/06 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradsnet
Thanks, great info.

Let me phrase the question this way and see what happens.

Let's say you have two choices.
#1 GF Go 6800 & 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD Clearview
#2 GF Go 6800 Ultra & 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD

Which would you pick and why?

That's pretty much my choice right now. I don't want to go over $2,500 and it's comming down to the above choice. I can get the ultra with no clearview, or the clearview and no ultra.

I've already upgraded processor and ram, don't want to cut either down, so I'm left with the above choice.
Hey bradsnet! Welcome...

5700 also means pentium m processor which needs less power and less heat = longer battery life. Also a thinner pc.
7700 means pentium 4 processor which needs more power and has more heat = shorter battery life. This pc is like a brick!!

If you want faster graphics, get the 6800 Ultra. The 6800 is the DDR1 version of the mobile card...

Good Luck choosing and let us know what you do choose! Both Great Notebooks!!!
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post #10 of 28
1/4/06 at 7:40pm
There are big differences between the 5700 and the 7700.

First, the screens. ewolff has just received his 5700, and from looking at his review in the review section, you can see his screen has the glossy screen. If you're confused, call and talk to an Alienware salesman, and they can tell you which models have the clearview technology. From what I've read, the gloss finish enhances the vibrance of the screen, and looks better than the satin finished screens. I don't think you'd be disappointed either way though, as Alienware's bottom end components are still very good.

The 5700 is a slim line design, and is designed to be mobile. It's light, uses a mobile processor (Centrino) for battery life. Unfortunately due to the slim case and light weight design criteria, there are likely power or heat issues with the 6800 ultra, and 7800 gtx video cards that preclude Alienware offering them in the 5700 at this time.

The 6800 ultra is basically a 6800 set at higher clock speeds. They test the chips to see what they can handle, and set some as 6800's, and others higher. I understand the Ultra is generally about 30% faster than the 6800, but it also uses a lot more power.

The 6800 will be excellent with dvd playback, and will play all the current games, though you may not be able to use full settings on the newest games if you want completely smooth frame rates at high resolution.

The 5700 is basically a 17" mobile lightweight platform that offers exceptional performance for it's size, weight and battery life.

The 5500 is also slimline, but it only offers the 6600 vid card which is a step down from the 6800 in the 5700. However, the 5500 should get better battery life as you can switch to onboard intel graphics when you want to save even more power for battery life.

The 7700 is the ultimate performance laptop right now, either the Aurora, or the Area 51. They use power hungry, but powerful desktop processors, and the latest high powered video cards for the best possible performance. Unfortunately that means it'll only run about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes on a battery charge.

The 7700 line is marketed as "desktop replacements", which means it's not intended as a true mobile to be carried around on a daily basis, though some do. It's big and heavy, and gets warm, but you won't find better performance in most desktops, or other laptops.

The 7700 line is quite a bit more expensive, but those seeking the greatest performance generally end up paying for it.

Were I you, I'd call Alienware and ask which, or if both the screens offered with the 5700 have the clearview technology. The only benefit besides price for the lower resolution, is that it'll perform a little better at native resoulution.

I'd definitely get the best screen available, even if you have to spend a little more than you wanted. The screen is the interface between the machine and you, and is what you'll be looking at for years (hopefully), so I wouldn't try to save a little now, as you'll be living with it for a while.

Good luck with your decision, and check out the review section on this forum for some close up looks at these models.
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post #11 of 28
1/4/06 at 7:49pm
Thread Starter 

Here's the thing...

First off, thanks. SO much good info here.

I did call alienware, and they said the 5700 no-way no-how has a glossy screen.

But then some people say it does. I have no idea to believe.

The guy I talked to was named Juan. Anyone have a better contact?

Right now I'm pretty solid on the a51m7700 being my final choice.

My only "up in the air" thing is the video card and the clearview now.

Now, if the monitor is glossy without clearview... then I'm going for the video card upgrade, no question.

Most of the time I'll have total control over my lighting situation. I don't plan on using outdoors. Only at several different places in the house, and at another house.

So, if I can get that glossy look without clearview... issue settled, cause the ultra video card upgrade is great, and it would be MUCH cheaper for me to upgrade now than be disappointed and upgrade later. Looking at various benchmarks, it seems more like a %50 improvement to me.

Now, if I need clearview to get glossy this is might be my system:

System:
Area-51® m7700
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 630 Desktop Processor w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB
Video: 256MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 6800 Ultra
Display: 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD Clearview Display with Built-in useless Camera that I don't want.
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 533MHz - 2 x 512MB
Wireless: External Wireless 802.11a/b/g PCMCIA Card
Total Cost: $2,646.00

But it's $146 over my desired cost, so if I can knock down the display... all the better. I'm gonna call again, see if I can talk to someone else.
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post #12 of 28
1/4/06 at 7:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fizzle
i would get the ultra screen IMO. its tooo damn small the xga is fine, tho clearview is nice.
You mean you'd get the 6800 Ultra, right? You would NOT get the ultra screen?
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post #13 of 28
1/4/06 at 7:52pm
I would recommend the 5700 because of the increased screen resolution and better battery life. Also, if you are up to the task, the 5700 uses an MXM-III video card...the 6800/6800Ultra/7800gtx all share the same format, which means you may be able to swap cardsif you feel the 6800 doesn't have enough "get-up-and-go."

Look in the Fujitsu-siemens forum, someone over there was experimenting with swapping the cards in the x438g notebook (which is the basis for the m5700).
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post #14 of 28
1/4/06 at 8:10pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks. At this point I've decided on the a51m7700.

I talked to AW yet again, Juan again, and got maybe a better answer. I think the non-ultra screen IS glossy, he said it was plastic that looks like glass, so I think that answers the question. I'm still gonna go to Best Buy tonight and see if I can find something along the same lines to get a feel for what the display will be like.

I think I've made my final decision though, at just under budget:

System:
Area-51® m7700
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 630 Desktop Processor w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB
Video: 256MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 6800 Ultra
Display: 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD Display
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 533MHz - 2 x 512MB
Wireless: External Wireless 802.11a/b/g PCMCIA Card
Total Cost: $2,456.00
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post #15 of 28
1/4/06 at 8:27pm
no offence dude but that same set-up si about 1600$ with the 5700. its Pentuim M 2.0 will almost keep up ot beat a 3.0
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post #16 of 28
1/4/06 at 8:33pm
I'd look at getting the least amount of memory you can and then adding RAM from a 3rd party supplier like Newegg. That might get you to the point where you can get the WUXGA display. Seems a shame not to get the top of the line display if you are going to get the m7700 (but that's only my opinion - lots of people are happy with the lower res display, especially if gaming is your primary use). Also - assume you are saving some bucks with the base 60GB 5400RPM HD? You can always upgrade that later.

IMO, the m5700 would be the clear winner if it game with the 6800 Ultra or 7800 GTX option.
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post #17 of 28
1/4/06 at 10:10pm
Thread Starter 

Right

To respond to the person who said get the 5700, that's right, I can't get the 6800 Ultra OR the better display... and, this isn't just a gamaing machine. This is going to be my main system, and it's going to have to last me a long while. So, I most definately want the desktop-level processing power... I plan to run apps like WSAD and RAD6 (J2EE development platforms) which require a TON of power. My system at work is an earlier pentium 4 (2.4 Ghz I think) with a gig of ram, and it only runs them so-so. I'm hoping this system will run them better. [Thinking about this and looking at other posts convinced me on this, I've seen over and over again people saying the mobile pentium is fine for gaming, but desktop apps need desktop power. -Edit]

And yeah, I'm going with either the 40 or 60 GB HD for the next person. I have over 200GB available on a file server for all my data. I'd only be installing some apps and games locally, and I usually uninstall games eventaully. If I need to upgrade I will later, but I doubt it with my file server.


Anyhoo, after going to best buy and looking at some laptops I suspect clearview is what ammounts to brightview, trubright, etc... on on other systems. Seems like everybody has their own name for it. Though, I couldn't find a an "Ultra" display, just WXGA with brightview, trubright, etc... if it's the same deal, I want it so bad... every system with it looked spectacular... the ones that didn't looked "flat." One was playing video, it looked amazing, exactly what I would want out of it. So, now I'm feeling that "ooo ahh" factor type pressure to upgrade to clearview...
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post #18 of 28
1/4/06 at 10:33pm
get the m5700 with the higher res
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post #19 of 28
1/4/06 at 11:19pm
Thread Starter 
The m5700 doesn't have the desktop processor, the 6800 ultra, OR clearview... all of which I got. And it doesn't have all the same features either, and even though you said the same system would be 1600, to approach the same system is $1999, and you don't get the features, the desktop processor, the 6800 ultra, or clearview...

Anyhow, yup, that's right, I splurged and got clearview AND the 6800 ultra. I just felt like I was gonna be disappointed with either non-choice.

So, here's what I ordered:
System:
Area-51® m7700
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 630 Desktop Processor w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB
Video: 256MB NVidia® GeForce™ Go 6800 Ultra
Display: 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD Clearview Display with Built-in Camera
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 533MHz - 2 x 512MB
Wireless: External Wireless 802.11a/b/g PCMCIA Card
Total Cost with tax and shipping: $2,750.00 (Gonna get a $100 rebate too)

So, it's phase one for me, I'm sure I'll be very very pleased with my system even though I went $150 over budget.

Thanks to everyone who made suggestions, this is a great forum.
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post #20 of 28
1/4/06 at 11:40pm
Well as long as you wanted a desktop replacement you got yourself a beut of a system enjoy.
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