But first, the PICS!
Big brother much? Hrm.....
Ah, the very (mostly) boring box, but if we turn it around, it reveals...
Um... that sticker in the upper-left corner.
Ah, there it is, the much discussed "Black Box".
And the Beast released from the box!
The Beast and his entourage.
Comparison shots between the m9700 and my old Dell Precison M70 Moblie Workstation. Good view externally of 17" vs. 15.4" laptop.
The m9700 may be bigger than the M70, but it's actually a bit thinner.
The last comparison image, with the screens open.
My first impression was, "This thing isn't as heavy as I thought." This changed as soon as I had to haul it through an airport when I was late getting to the gate. On the upside, it counts as exercise. Anyway, I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. The screen is georgous, and the mirror effect, in my experience, has been minimal. Did I mention how beautiful it is? The keyboard is nice, but there is a "Del" key very close to the Backspace key, so I'm having to adjust a little bit so I don't over-reach and hit the wrong key. No biggie.
I LOVE being able to turn the trackpad off and on with a function key combo. I use a usb mouse a lot, but on the airplane I need the trackpad. The touchkeys are nice, but I don't see myself using them very often. The trackpad, once you get used to it, is very functional, and I really like the scroll area. Very handy, but it can be a little buggy. It just takes some getting used to, and I'm getting used to it very quickly! The wheel-based volume control is great; I like it much better than the button-based one on the M70. Having usb ports on all three sides of the unit is VERY handy, though I think I would rather have the Ethernet port on the back than the side.
Camera seems to work fine, though I haven't really tested it with an application. There is a microphone somewhere, which is quite handy. So far, I've had no issues with the RAID1 config that it shipped with (correctly). The external speakers work, but the subwoofer, in my opinion, is a joke. The sound is okay, but to call it a subwoofer is like calling a McDonald's combo a three-course meal.
On my list of things I don't like: The WiFi card. I've had some issues keeping a stable connection. It seems to have stabilized now, but at first it was like pulling teeth to keep it connected. Also, the unit didn't ship with the latest drivers installed.
As for heat: it's noticable, but not uncomfortable. Just don't hold your hand in the back of the unit while you're playing Oblivian or something. Get a cooler that elevates the unit (I use the travel one that AW sells) and you'll be fine. The fans are actually quieter on this laptop than on the M70.
And, yes, I was able to do some work on this thing on the airplane in a standard coach seat.
Accessories! The brick is... well, a brick! It's big, no doubt about it. I just live with it. The travel cooler works, but we'll see how long it lasts. The mouse pad is big-ish but has a plastic base that I really like. Now, the Messanger Bag: This thing has me wishing I had gotten the backpack or even the briefcase. The Messanger Bag only has a strap; it doesn't have a handle, and this makes it somewhat difficult to maneuver on an airplane. Still, it works just fine as a bag and has enough pockets to keep me happy.
Performance: Outstanding! What can I say? It kicks butt! If I remember correctly, my 3DMark05 scores were:
Out of box: 9777
After Turion Driver install: 9955
Change Nvidia perf setting to Max Performance: 10029
Just from a general feel, I don't get the sense that I'm waiting for things to load in normal use. Oblivian is awesome, though can be a little sluggish at full res compared to 1024x768. WoW is slick as glass.
All in all, awesome laptop. I'm so happy to have it in hand. It's everything I want and need in a moblie workstation. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to send some emails, take a few con calls, then go kick some Murloc butt...
Big brother much? Hrm.....
Ah, the very (mostly) boring box, but if we turn it around, it reveals...
Um... that sticker in the upper-left corner.
Ah, there it is, the much discussed "Black Box".
And the Beast released from the box!
The Beast and his entourage.
Comparison shots between the m9700 and my old Dell Precison M70 Moblie Workstation. Good view externally of 17" vs. 15.4" laptop.
The m9700 may be bigger than the M70, but it's actually a bit thinner.
The last comparison image, with the screens open.
My first impression was, "This thing isn't as heavy as I thought." This changed as soon as I had to haul it through an airport when I was late getting to the gate. On the upside, it counts as exercise. Anyway, I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. The screen is georgous, and the mirror effect, in my experience, has been minimal. Did I mention how beautiful it is? The keyboard is nice, but there is a "Del" key very close to the Backspace key, so I'm having to adjust a little bit so I don't over-reach and hit the wrong key. No biggie.
I LOVE being able to turn the trackpad off and on with a function key combo. I use a usb mouse a lot, but on the airplane I need the trackpad. The touchkeys are nice, but I don't see myself using them very often. The trackpad, once you get used to it, is very functional, and I really like the scroll area. Very handy, but it can be a little buggy. It just takes some getting used to, and I'm getting used to it very quickly! The wheel-based volume control is great; I like it much better than the button-based one on the M70. Having usb ports on all three sides of the unit is VERY handy, though I think I would rather have the Ethernet port on the back than the side.
Camera seems to work fine, though I haven't really tested it with an application. There is a microphone somewhere, which is quite handy. So far, I've had no issues with the RAID1 config that it shipped with (correctly). The external speakers work, but the subwoofer, in my opinion, is a joke. The sound is okay, but to call it a subwoofer is like calling a McDonald's combo a three-course meal.
On my list of things I don't like: The WiFi card. I've had some issues keeping a stable connection. It seems to have stabilized now, but at first it was like pulling teeth to keep it connected. Also, the unit didn't ship with the latest drivers installed.
As for heat: it's noticable, but not uncomfortable. Just don't hold your hand in the back of the unit while you're playing Oblivian or something. Get a cooler that elevates the unit (I use the travel one that AW sells) and you'll be fine. The fans are actually quieter on this laptop than on the M70.
And, yes, I was able to do some work on this thing on the airplane in a standard coach seat.
Accessories! The brick is... well, a brick! It's big, no doubt about it. I just live with it. The travel cooler works, but we'll see how long it lasts. The mouse pad is big-ish but has a plastic base that I really like. Now, the Messanger Bag: This thing has me wishing I had gotten the backpack or even the briefcase. The Messanger Bag only has a strap; it doesn't have a handle, and this makes it somewhat difficult to maneuver on an airplane. Still, it works just fine as a bag and has enough pockets to keep me happy.
Performance: Outstanding! What can I say? It kicks butt! If I remember correctly, my 3DMark05 scores were:
Out of box: 9777
After Turion Driver install: 9955
Change Nvidia perf setting to Max Performance: 10029
Just from a general feel, I don't get the sense that I'm waiting for things to load in normal use. Oblivian is awesome, though can be a little sluggish at full res compared to 1024x768. WoW is slick as glass.
All in all, awesome laptop. I'm so happy to have it in hand. It's everything I want and need in a moblie workstation. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to send some emails, take a few con calls, then go kick some Murloc butt...
