After extensive shopping and research (to include lurking on this site quite a bit), I bought an ECS G556 in late May. By mid-June, it was on its way back to the vendor, replaced by an IBM Thinkpad T42.
This review and comparison is lengthy but if you’re in the market for a laptop and don’t want to read the whole thing, please shop with this in mind:
1. Comparing numbers on a page does not tell the whole story.
2. You get what you pay for… When you’re dropping around $2k anyway, would you rather pay 10-15% less and be somewhat dissatisfied, or 10-15% more and be constantly impressed? How about when you consider that all the after-the-fact mods in the world can’t bring the cheaper model up to the *original* standards of the better-built system?
ECS G556:
I think we're not supposed to slam any particular vendors on this site, but this review would be incomplete if I didn't compare buying experiences. Suffice it to say that this vendor's name begins with I. I-S. If you're still not sure who it is, send me a private message & I'll clarify.
First of all, my G556 buying experience was not pleasant. There was a lot of pressure to buy immediately, yet the salesman wouldn't budge an inch on the price. In retrospect, I felt like I was dealing with a used car salesman (sorry, I've never had a good experience with car dealerships). I think the guy would have said just about anything to make the sale and, as I would find out later, he did make several statements which proved untrue. First and foremost, I was promised a tracking number and *guaranteed* delivery by a certain date. Well, the tracking number never showed (even though I called twice), then the delivery date came and went, so I called and complained. To paraphrase, the basic response was "Hey, sorry about that." No offer of compensation (perhaps on shipping cost?) or even a respectable explanation. Apparently, these people don't understand that their reputation (not to mention personal honor) is on the line when they make promises or *guarantee* something. Pathetic.
I also butted heads with the salesman regarding specifics of the hardware. I stated that I specifically wanted a Dothan 1.7GHz CPU. Upon hearing this, the salesman went on a brief rant about how the word “Dothan” was just some sort of Intel market-speak. I disagreed, and reiterated that I wanted the processor with the 2MB L2 cache (a 556 option on the ECS website). I thought this was clear and agreed-upon when I completed the order, yet the laptop ended up containing a Banias. Again, I called to complain, but was told by a different individual that their G556 was not even offered with a Dothan CPU!
In a similar vein, I asked some specifics about the DVD writer’s supported formats, and was told that it wrote in all formats. This is also untrue. It’s a Lite-on drive that supports writing +RW, but not –RW. This is really not a horrible thing for me technically speaking, but does serve to shed light on the salesman’s lack of both knowledge and scruples.
With regards to other general "untruths" I was either told or read about the G556, I'd like to point out (as others have) that if the numbers look too good to be true, it's because they are. The dimensions and weight are complete B.S. The stated weight of 2.5kg (5.5lbs) is *without* the battery. Who the hell cares how much a laptop weighs without the battery? And while the laptop is rather svelte for a 15" model, I believe the thickness measurements were made *without* factoring in the LCD! The stated thickness was ~ 1 inch. In fact, while the machine is thinner in front than in back, it is over 1.25 inches at its thinnest point, and sits at over 1.5 inches everywhere when on a flat surface (due to the feet).
Speaking of the feet, I've found it common for these 3rd tier types to design the laptop so that it sits quite high above the surface it's on to allow for adequate cooling. IMO, this is also B.S. It's a laptop, as in “made to sit on the lap”. Adequate cooling should be factored-in with this in mind.
Cooling was, in fact, one of the biggest reasons I returned the G556. The thing runs HOT. Unfortunately, to compensate for this, ECS has built in an amazingly LOUD little fan. I can’t overstate how bad this “feature” is – please consider it carefully if noise is at all an issue for you.
I’m sorry I don’t have the exact numbers, but I can tell you that the 556’s battery life is definitely not anywhere over 3 hours. With conservative use, I believe it got something like two and a half.
As several others have mentioned, many of the 556’s have keyboard problems. Mine was one of these, missing keystrokes beyond what I considered to be an acceptable rate. (Of course, being a Thinkpad owner, I now believe that an acceptable rate is ZERO – IBM makes one amazing keyboard.)
For some reason, every cheap laptop I’ve ever used produces an annoying hiss or hum from the headphone jack. Yes, this includes the 556. In fact, it’s one of the worst I’ve experienced so far, creating a constant hum and a different buzz whenever the HD is accessing. In this respect, the IBM is a dream. Plug in the headphones, turn up the volume (with no music or other sound playing), and you’ll hear *silence*. It’s beautiful.
Let’s not forget that the G556 is not 100% ACPI compliant, so software like Mobile Meter will not function. Come on, guys… it’s 2004 – ACPI functionality shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
IBM THINKPAD T42 (2378FVU):
(Yes, this is a 14” model – I decided that no 15” model would be portable enough for me).
Man, where to begin? I could just summarize and say that if you make positives out of all the negative issues above, that’s what I got with the IBM.
The purchase experience was night-and-day different. I bought from IBM directly, and the salesman was not shy about telling me that he didn’t really care whether I purchased from him or not! He patiently answered my questions and really came through on the price, offering a significant discount from what was stated online. It just felt like I was dealing with a no-nonsense business, as opposed to some fly-by-night operation.
Given, I had to make some sacrifices to meet the same price point ($2k out the door):
- HD – 40GB 5400 RPM instead of the 60GB 7200RPM (easily upgradeable later)
- RAM – 256MB instead of 512MB (also easy upgrade – already installed one 1GB chip)
- DVD-ROM/CD-RW instead of DVD-RW (will probably pick up an external dual-layer DVD writer in a few months, anyway)
- 1 instead of 3 year warranty (something I can purchase after the fact, within the 1st year)
- 64MB 9600 GPU instead of 128 MB 9700 (Amazingly, the IBM’s 9600 scores are incredibly close to the ECS’s 9700 scores, even with half the VRAM! Haven’t tried overclocking the IBM yet, but the ECS wouldn’t overclock for crap).
On the flip-side, as I mentioned above, numbers don’t tell the whole story. Of course, the Thinkpad just exudes quality, making me feel like I got real bang for my buck.
It’s also nice to know that I can obtain any component of my laptop from IBM. We’re talking internal electronics, parts of the frame, bezels… *anything*. And many accessory items are available from other vendors – I just bought a battery from Newegg. Doubt I could have done that with the ECS.
Even documentation is a joy. The IBM site has everything from specific tech diagrams to video clips explaining disassembly. Video clips, for cryin’ out loud!
Being the DIY-type, another item I wouldn’t have thought of in the past is the software bundle, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the IBM preload. Of course, the Thinkpad came with XP Pro installed and the software bundle (mostly referring to IBM utilities) was truly value added – not a bunch of unneeded, bloated garbage like your average OEM image. Instead of droning on, I’ll just say that in ~ 15 years of general computer-geekery, this is the FIRST time I haven't wiped the HD of a new system to do my own OS and software install.
Of course, the Thinkpad is thin, light and gets amazing battery life. It’s also got that nifty shock-protection for the HD. (Don’t know how they do that – must be a gyro or something… the control panel for it actually shows a real-time, moving 3D orientation image of the laptop that mirrors its real movements. It then reacts to sudden movements or shock by stopping the HD. Very cool).
Oh, and how could I forget? It’s wonderfully QUIET. Ahhh…
At least I know that long after this machine is no longer capable of playing the latest games, I’ll be happy to use it as a general purpose, extremely portable LAPTOP computer. And if it ever does need parts, I know I’ll have a pretty good chance of finding them. These are statements I could not have made about the G556.
Hope this was worth your time. As I’m in the middle of a household move right now, please simultaneously email me any questions you might post. Thanks.
-Steve
This review and comparison is lengthy but if you’re in the market for a laptop and don’t want to read the whole thing, please shop with this in mind:
1. Comparing numbers on a page does not tell the whole story.
2. You get what you pay for… When you’re dropping around $2k anyway, would you rather pay 10-15% less and be somewhat dissatisfied, or 10-15% more and be constantly impressed? How about when you consider that all the after-the-fact mods in the world can’t bring the cheaper model up to the *original* standards of the better-built system?
ECS G556:
I think we're not supposed to slam any particular vendors on this site, but this review would be incomplete if I didn't compare buying experiences. Suffice it to say that this vendor's name begins with I. I-S. If you're still not sure who it is, send me a private message & I'll clarify.
First of all, my G556 buying experience was not pleasant. There was a lot of pressure to buy immediately, yet the salesman wouldn't budge an inch on the price. In retrospect, I felt like I was dealing with a used car salesman (sorry, I've never had a good experience with car dealerships). I think the guy would have said just about anything to make the sale and, as I would find out later, he did make several statements which proved untrue. First and foremost, I was promised a tracking number and *guaranteed* delivery by a certain date. Well, the tracking number never showed (even though I called twice), then the delivery date came and went, so I called and complained. To paraphrase, the basic response was "Hey, sorry about that." No offer of compensation (perhaps on shipping cost?) or even a respectable explanation. Apparently, these people don't understand that their reputation (not to mention personal honor) is on the line when they make promises or *guarantee* something. Pathetic.
I also butted heads with the salesman regarding specifics of the hardware. I stated that I specifically wanted a Dothan 1.7GHz CPU. Upon hearing this, the salesman went on a brief rant about how the word “Dothan” was just some sort of Intel market-speak. I disagreed, and reiterated that I wanted the processor with the 2MB L2 cache (a 556 option on the ECS website). I thought this was clear and agreed-upon when I completed the order, yet the laptop ended up containing a Banias. Again, I called to complain, but was told by a different individual that their G556 was not even offered with a Dothan CPU!
In a similar vein, I asked some specifics about the DVD writer’s supported formats, and was told that it wrote in all formats. This is also untrue. It’s a Lite-on drive that supports writing +RW, but not –RW. This is really not a horrible thing for me technically speaking, but does serve to shed light on the salesman’s lack of both knowledge and scruples.
With regards to other general "untruths" I was either told or read about the G556, I'd like to point out (as others have) that if the numbers look too good to be true, it's because they are. The dimensions and weight are complete B.S. The stated weight of 2.5kg (5.5lbs) is *without* the battery. Who the hell cares how much a laptop weighs without the battery? And while the laptop is rather svelte for a 15" model, I believe the thickness measurements were made *without* factoring in the LCD! The stated thickness was ~ 1 inch. In fact, while the machine is thinner in front than in back, it is over 1.25 inches at its thinnest point, and sits at over 1.5 inches everywhere when on a flat surface (due to the feet).
Speaking of the feet, I've found it common for these 3rd tier types to design the laptop so that it sits quite high above the surface it's on to allow for adequate cooling. IMO, this is also B.S. It's a laptop, as in “made to sit on the lap”. Adequate cooling should be factored-in with this in mind.
Cooling was, in fact, one of the biggest reasons I returned the G556. The thing runs HOT. Unfortunately, to compensate for this, ECS has built in an amazingly LOUD little fan. I can’t overstate how bad this “feature” is – please consider it carefully if noise is at all an issue for you.
I’m sorry I don’t have the exact numbers, but I can tell you that the 556’s battery life is definitely not anywhere over 3 hours. With conservative use, I believe it got something like two and a half.
As several others have mentioned, many of the 556’s have keyboard problems. Mine was one of these, missing keystrokes beyond what I considered to be an acceptable rate. (Of course, being a Thinkpad owner, I now believe that an acceptable rate is ZERO – IBM makes one amazing keyboard.)
For some reason, every cheap laptop I’ve ever used produces an annoying hiss or hum from the headphone jack. Yes, this includes the 556. In fact, it’s one of the worst I’ve experienced so far, creating a constant hum and a different buzz whenever the HD is accessing. In this respect, the IBM is a dream. Plug in the headphones, turn up the volume (with no music or other sound playing), and you’ll hear *silence*. It’s beautiful.
Let’s not forget that the G556 is not 100% ACPI compliant, so software like Mobile Meter will not function. Come on, guys… it’s 2004 – ACPI functionality shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
IBM THINKPAD T42 (2378FVU):
(Yes, this is a 14” model – I decided that no 15” model would be portable enough for me).
Man, where to begin? I could just summarize and say that if you make positives out of all the negative issues above, that’s what I got with the IBM.
The purchase experience was night-and-day different. I bought from IBM directly, and the salesman was not shy about telling me that he didn’t really care whether I purchased from him or not! He patiently answered my questions and really came through on the price, offering a significant discount from what was stated online. It just felt like I was dealing with a no-nonsense business, as opposed to some fly-by-night operation.
Given, I had to make some sacrifices to meet the same price point ($2k out the door):
- HD – 40GB 5400 RPM instead of the 60GB 7200RPM (easily upgradeable later)
- RAM – 256MB instead of 512MB (also easy upgrade – already installed one 1GB chip)
- DVD-ROM/CD-RW instead of DVD-RW (will probably pick up an external dual-layer DVD writer in a few months, anyway)
- 1 instead of 3 year warranty (something I can purchase after the fact, within the 1st year)
- 64MB 9600 GPU instead of 128 MB 9700 (Amazingly, the IBM’s 9600 scores are incredibly close to the ECS’s 9700 scores, even with half the VRAM! Haven’t tried overclocking the IBM yet, but the ECS wouldn’t overclock for crap).
On the flip-side, as I mentioned above, numbers don’t tell the whole story. Of course, the Thinkpad just exudes quality, making me feel like I got real bang for my buck.
It’s also nice to know that I can obtain any component of my laptop from IBM. We’re talking internal electronics, parts of the frame, bezels… *anything*. And many accessory items are available from other vendors – I just bought a battery from Newegg. Doubt I could have done that with the ECS.
Even documentation is a joy. The IBM site has everything from specific tech diagrams to video clips explaining disassembly. Video clips, for cryin’ out loud!
Being the DIY-type, another item I wouldn’t have thought of in the past is the software bundle, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the IBM preload. Of course, the Thinkpad came with XP Pro installed and the software bundle (mostly referring to IBM utilities) was truly value added – not a bunch of unneeded, bloated garbage like your average OEM image. Instead of droning on, I’ll just say that in ~ 15 years of general computer-geekery, this is the FIRST time I haven't wiped the HD of a new system to do my own OS and software install.
Of course, the Thinkpad is thin, light and gets amazing battery life. It’s also got that nifty shock-protection for the HD. (Don’t know how they do that – must be a gyro or something… the control panel for it actually shows a real-time, moving 3D orientation image of the laptop that mirrors its real movements. It then reacts to sudden movements or shock by stopping the HD. Very cool).
Oh, and how could I forget? It’s wonderfully QUIET. Ahhh…
At least I know that long after this machine is no longer capable of playing the latest games, I’ll be happy to use it as a general purpose, extremely portable LAPTOP computer. And if it ever does need parts, I know I’ll have a pretty good chance of finding them. These are statements I could not have made about the G556.
Hope this was worth your time. As I’m in the middle of a household move right now, please simultaneously email me any questions you might post. Thanks.
-Steve
