Aurora m9700: Ordered and Process Reviewed - Page 2

I would also go with the m9700 over the mALX.

Apart from what you mentioned it can also have Dual HDDs / Raid while mALX doesn't, even though it is way bigger. Battery life is also surprisingly good with the 12Cell battery for the m9700. I'm not even sure the mALX has a battery life...

Two 7200rpm HDDs in Raid 0 is WICKED for a notebook!

What I've read is the mALX will go about 45 minutes on battery, the m9700 is designed to go 2.5 hrs with one 7900gs working. I've read a couple reviews and they're getting more than two hours on batteries running battery benchmarks that tend to put the system through a workout on battery.

I wanted semi-portability and some battery life. I've got an older 5500 (766) that only goes about an hour before the battery starts beeping, so doubling that while more than doubling the performance will be nice... Plus a 17" screen!!!

BTW, two 200GB drives for a total of 400GB in a notebook wouldn't be that bad either! Toshiba Corporation announces 2.5" 200GB HDD. http://home.businesswire.com/portal/...20060604005061

omfg i get like 10min w/ my P4

Almost certainly no to drop in turion x2, almost certianly yes for a model that supports it sometime.

The Turion X2 uses socket S1, the single core doesn't, so it won't be a drop in upgrade...

I was thinking about waiting to order until the dual core was out, but from everything I read it won't help gaming much, if at all. Multi-threading games is very difficult as the principle thread of games need to be consistent for flow of the game, so any multi-threading handles peripheral issues. It'll help, but nothing like dual core helps with other applications that can be multi-threaded easily.

As this is a laptop, I won't be multi-tasking, or running any multi-threaded apps regularly, and the single core processors are able to be clocked higher due to less heat than with the dual core equivalent.

I also made the decision based on the fact that I never upgraded my last laptop. I upgrade the vid card in my desktop when necessary, but the laptop I just use until it's outdated then get another.

I'm sure by the time I feel the need to upgrade the m9700, there will be much better hardware out there, and I'll want to get a whole new platform again.

I have no doubt that Alienware will incorporate the X2 in the future, they just introduced their first duo core processor laptop (superman thing). When I asked, I was told that they have plans for it, but plans change and delays occurr, so it's likely going to be many months before it's even possible.

As it won't be much of an improvement for my uses, I decided just to go ahead and order.

Still wish they could have packed a Audigy ZS notebook card with the m9700. The sales rep said that the Express Card Slot 54mm is newer type of slot. Still wish they could have used a PCMCIA instead.

Yeah, well the form factors keep switching, first PCMCIA, then different buscard configs, now they're using mini pc slots and express card slots....

That actually was a big issue for me, but the m9700 has 5.1 onboard and all the ports you need to use it. I'll be able to use my true 5.1 headset. The only review I've read said that the speakers were surprisingly good, so it sounds like the onboard sound is good. The m9700 has two speakers and a subwoofer.

I wrote Creative and asked if they had any plans for making an audigy for the express card slot but they wouldn't confirm or deny anything...

If you're just wanting to plug in speakers at home, you can always get a usb extigy, then it's just a usb connector to plug in your speakers.

bloatware and alienware don't mix...I've never had any "bloatware" on my alienware...it's as barebones of an operating system you can get...well minus the alienguise which you can disable...

well how long ago did you get your AW?

It's one of Alienware's policies to ship the computer with a minimal configuration of the OS, and no other bloatware.

You may get the free edition of 3dMark, and a couple demos, but after playing with them you can delete them.

I've always run windows update as soon as I get a new machine as they don't tend to be very current with that, clean off any demos and driver folders they leave on there, get the latest sound and video drivers I can find, then burn an image of the drive. Kind of like making my own respawn disc. I use PowerQuest Drive Image 2002.

Hang in there, the wait will be worth it. I just ordered my sixth Alienware and the wait doesn't get any easier.

What I understand, for gaming, concentrate on good GPUs preferable dual SLI enabled GPUs. CPU speed has much less impact, go for value, functionality and features. This is why I like the m9700 over any other gaming notebook right now, very nice hardware combos for gaming and value. Or to use the age old phrase, "best bang for the bucks"... I will move in a fiew of months to another state and I wonder if I should order one of these before leaving. I just got to figure out the best config for me..

Witchdoctor, keep us up to speed on your phase - I am watching you and hammerhead like crazy to see how much longer I will have to wait... I can't wait for your reveiw!

I was in Fayetteville a couple of times a couple of years ago as civi contractor to the USAF. That is one huge base... Wow... It's a nice place to visit - you know how the rest of that goes.

witchdoctor your estimated ship date is july 20th? . wow hopefully when i order mid july the esitmated ship date wont be that long.

Takes about a month, ordered mine about Jun 2 and it should ship on Jun 29

youll have it sometime in July...........believe me !!!!