All right. I’ll admit right up front that I’m a computer newbie in the most literal meaning of the term.
That aside, I’m looking to get a notebook. I’ll be heading to college next semester, and my parents have agreed that I need a notebook before packing up for the university. So, essentially, I’m looking for a desktop replacement that’ll last a few years.
Portability is nice, but performance is more important in the end. I’ll have a backpack with me pretty much everywhere I go, so the weight and size of these two models isn’t too much of an issue.
Since this’ll be an investment my parents are making, and the fact that I’m going to be an extremely poor college student for the next half decade or so, it needs to last, but I also want to be kind on my parents’ pocketbook. :P
I’ve scoured the ‘net for all the information I could find. One of the better sources I came across washttp://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2766
This review should answer all of my questions, right? Well, the review was done before the e1705 had an option for the 7900 ge card, which has caused me so much indecision lately. :P
The 7800 ge they reviewed performed a bit below acceptable levels, but I’ve read that the 7900 ge offers nearly double the performance of that. However, since I’ll be getting the UXGA monitor option regardless of which notebook I get, I’m concerned with the GPU’s performance at the native resolution, as I’ve heard that’s where the GTX shines.
Also, just to note–I’ve played World of Warcraft for the past year and a half religiously (165 played 24-hour days on one character . . .) on an nVidia 5500 FX. I think I’d pull my hair out if I had to deal with 5-7 fps average in a game again. Probably why I’m so concerned about this purchase. Well, at least the framerates made PvP interesting! Hah!
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Basically, the metallic black m1710 configured with about everything top-of-the-line is 3,100 or so shipped. (Oddly, the black m1710 configured identically to a red m1710 counterpart is $300 cheaper, the only difference being that the red has a 2-year warranty. The black’s is one.) The e1705, also with maxxed options, is 2,000 with the automatic 20% discount, over $1,000 cheaper.
The only differences my very untrained eye saw were the smaller battery, slightly slower RAM (?), and obviously the GPU.
I was once a very avid gamer – back when titles such as Rogue Spear, The Sims, and Age of Empires II were big. I know, I know. :P I’m interested in getting back into that, hoping I have free time with this change of education. Titles like Half-Life 2 and Oblivion have caught my eye, hence my concern in the GPU difference.
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So what do you guys think? Is the GPU difference worth 1k? Am I missing some other crucial something that the m1710 has that the e1705 does not?
I know the GPU in the e1705 can be upgraded to the GTX manually, which is probably cost-effective, but once this notebook is purchased (by my parents >_>), I’ll likely have no cash remaining, as most my age would(n’t)–once this purchase is made, that’s going to be it for a few years until I nab a job while in school. Will this hold out even while DX10 games are being released? I know DX9 cards won’t support the extra eye candy that the DX10 cards will, but . . . Playable? Maybe?
Long-winded post, I know. I’ve just been trying to make this decision myself for the past few days and . . . It’s not happening. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, and I certainly have my heart set on those fancy little lights the m1710 is sporting.
That aside, I’m looking to get a notebook. I’ll be heading to college next semester, and my parents have agreed that I need a notebook before packing up for the university. So, essentially, I’m looking for a desktop replacement that’ll last a few years.
Portability is nice, but performance is more important in the end. I’ll have a backpack with me pretty much everywhere I go, so the weight and size of these two models isn’t too much of an issue.
Since this’ll be an investment my parents are making, and the fact that I’m going to be an extremely poor college student for the next half decade or so, it needs to last, but I also want to be kind on my parents’ pocketbook. :P
I’ve scoured the ‘net for all the information I could find. One of the better sources I came across washttp://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2766
This review should answer all of my questions, right? Well, the review was done before the e1705 had an option for the 7900 ge card, which has caused me so much indecision lately. :P
The 7800 ge they reviewed performed a bit below acceptable levels, but I’ve read that the 7900 ge offers nearly double the performance of that. However, since I’ll be getting the UXGA monitor option regardless of which notebook I get, I’m concerned with the GPU’s performance at the native resolution, as I’ve heard that’s where the GTX shines.
Also, just to note–I’ve played World of Warcraft for the past year and a half religiously (165 played 24-hour days on one character . . .) on an nVidia 5500 FX. I think I’d pull my hair out if I had to deal with 5-7 fps average in a game again. Probably why I’m so concerned about this purchase. Well, at least the framerates made PvP interesting! Hah!
–
Basically, the metallic black m1710 configured with about everything top-of-the-line is 3,100 or so shipped. (Oddly, the black m1710 configured identically to a red m1710 counterpart is $300 cheaper, the only difference being that the red has a 2-year warranty. The black’s is one.) The e1705, also with maxxed options, is 2,000 with the automatic 20% discount, over $1,000 cheaper.
The only differences my very untrained eye saw were the smaller battery, slightly slower RAM (?), and obviously the GPU.
I was once a very avid gamer – back when titles such as Rogue Spear, The Sims, and Age of Empires II were big. I know, I know. :P I’m interested in getting back into that, hoping I have free time with this change of education. Titles like Half-Life 2 and Oblivion have caught my eye, hence my concern in the GPU difference.
–
So what do you guys think? Is the GPU difference worth 1k? Am I missing some other crucial something that the m1710 has that the e1705 does not?
I know the GPU in the e1705 can be upgraded to the GTX manually, which is probably cost-effective, but once this notebook is purchased (by my parents >_>), I’ll likely have no cash remaining, as most my age would(n’t)–once this purchase is made, that’s going to be it for a few years until I nab a job while in school. Will this hold out even while DX10 games are being released? I know DX9 cards won’t support the extra eye candy that the DX10 cards will, but . . . Playable? Maybe?
Long-winded post, I know. I’ve just been trying to make this decision myself for the past few days and . . . It’s not happening. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, and I certainly have my heart set on those fancy little lights the m1710 is sporting.
8600 1.7, 128Mb Nvidia 5650FxGo, 15.4 WSXGA+, 80Gig HD, 1300Wireless, 4xDVDR+RW
Under warranty + complete care- Still waiting word
lol). Only difference is no LED lights... big deal when you want performance right?
.
I grabbed an e1705 pretty much maxxed out for about 1,700. In the end, I'm somewhat glad it took me as long to decide as it did, because now I get Merom. ^_^
