0. Background
I bought this to get me through the M. Architecture program, and hopefully last me through graduate school afterwards. It replaces my desktop P3-933 with 768MB and Radeon8500.
I'll be doing quite a lot of CAD, 3D modeling, and Photoshop work on this machine (usually have at least two of those running at the same time, along with winamp, p2p dowloads, and 10+ browser windows).
Film-making is another course I'd like to take sooner or later.
Combat flight sims and turn-based strategy encapsulate most of the games I play when I find the time, neither of which utilize the R9700 to its fullest. HalfLife2 will change the situation, though.
Got the barebones from AlphaPCstore & bought other parts from elsewhere. It was difficult to get a good value to match power to price, but I think I have it nicely balanced. Battery life was also a major factor in the deciding process.
1.5GHz Dothan
1.0GB Kingmax PC2700
60GB 5400rpm Toshiba 6026GAX 16MB cache
Extra Optical Bay Battery
~$1600 total
Didn't get optical drive since there are so many DVDRWs in our computer lab that I can use. Bios allows booting from LAN so I'm happily installing XPPro over the network I'll get a $30 IDE drive if I come to need it someday...
Will get mini-pci wifi card before moving back to school.
1. Looks
Gorgeous.
Absolutely gorgeous.
I haven't seen another Radeon9700 machine that looks more professional. This is definitely the poor man's Thinkpad (or wise man..)
It doesn't shout it's presence with glossy paint or or flashy logos. It just sits there in its little grey-black-silver tux. Confident, unassuming, and ready to kick ass at a moment's notice.
Only thing I find disappointing is the bezel extending to either side that seems to serve no function besides aesthetics. If the 1/3 inch can be trimmed away at either side, it would be as small as a Thinkpad T series.
2. Built quality
Great -- all components are screwed in tightly. Keyboard pops out with a hard tug. Aluminum chasis throughout the inside. Carbon fiber LCD cover and palm rest is solid! No flex
There is a tiny bit if creaking when the lower right corner is given some extra pressure (more than 20lbs), but I don't consider it a fault.
Keyboard is above average, but no where close to IBM quality. A little springier than optimal.
The (second overall, and fortunately last) thing that disappoints me here is the fact that the travel bezel has about a half millimeter of wiggle room when snapped shut into the optical bay. Nothing a little padding won't fix, but I expected precision.
3. Screen
Tiny bit of gradient in the vertical direction when the LCD isn't properly positioned (like when you're lazy and slouching on a sofa :P)
My experiential estimate of viewing angles (while sitting at my desk)
Horizontal:
60 degree field (2ft away, 1.5ft to either side) - optimal
115 degree field - acceptable
Vertical:
50 degree field (2ft away, 2.5ft above center) - optimal
Text even on a CRT becomes difficult to read when above such an acute angle so I won't go further. So unless you're the kind who bobs and dodges around your seat with your fps game, you won't notice anything.
Needless to say, the LCD is fine.
No Dead Pixels. YAY!
X. Conclusion
Great Notebook. Go get your own!
I bought this to get me through the M. Architecture program, and hopefully last me through graduate school afterwards. It replaces my desktop P3-933 with 768MB and Radeon8500.
I'll be doing quite a lot of CAD, 3D modeling, and Photoshop work on this machine (usually have at least two of those running at the same time, along with winamp, p2p dowloads, and 10+ browser windows).
Film-making is another course I'd like to take sooner or later.
Combat flight sims and turn-based strategy encapsulate most of the games I play when I find the time, neither of which utilize the R9700 to its fullest. HalfLife2 will change the situation, though.
Got the barebones from AlphaPCstore & bought other parts from elsewhere. It was difficult to get a good value to match power to price, but I think I have it nicely balanced. Battery life was also a major factor in the deciding process.
1.5GHz Dothan
1.0GB Kingmax PC2700
60GB 5400rpm Toshiba 6026GAX 16MB cache
Extra Optical Bay Battery
~$1600 total
Didn't get optical drive since there are so many DVDRWs in our computer lab that I can use. Bios allows booting from LAN so I'm happily installing XPPro over the network
I'll get a $30 IDE drive if I come to need it someday...Will get mini-pci wifi card before moving back to school.
1. Looks
Gorgeous.
Absolutely gorgeous.
I haven't seen another Radeon9700 machine that looks more professional. This is definitely the poor man's Thinkpad (or wise man..)
It doesn't shout it's presence with glossy paint or or flashy logos. It just sits there in its little grey-black-silver tux. Confident, unassuming, and ready to kick ass at a moment's notice.
Only thing I find disappointing is the bezel extending to either side that seems to serve no function besides aesthetics. If the 1/3 inch can be trimmed away at either side, it would be as small as a Thinkpad T series.
2. Built quality
Great -- all components are screwed in tightly. Keyboard pops out with a hard tug. Aluminum chasis throughout the inside. Carbon fiber LCD cover and palm rest is solid! No flex
There is a tiny bit if creaking when the lower right corner is given some extra pressure (more than 20lbs), but I don't consider it a fault.
Keyboard is above average, but no where close to IBM quality. A little springier than optimal.
The (second overall, and fortunately last) thing that disappoints me here is the fact that the travel bezel has about a half millimeter of wiggle room when snapped shut into the optical bay. Nothing a little padding won't fix, but I expected precision.
3. Screen
Tiny bit of gradient in the vertical direction when the LCD isn't properly positioned (like when you're lazy and slouching on a sofa :P)
My experiential estimate of viewing angles (while sitting at my desk)
Horizontal:
60 degree field (2ft away, 1.5ft to either side) - optimal
115 degree field - acceptable
Vertical:
50 degree field (2ft away, 2.5ft above center) - optimal
Text even on a CRT becomes difficult to read when above such an acute angle so I won't go further. So unless you're the kind who bobs and dodges around your seat with your fps game, you won't notice anything.
Needless to say, the LCD is fine.
No Dead Pixels. YAY!
X. Conclusion
Great Notebook. Go get your own!
