New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Dual Batteries Question

post #1 of 19
8/26/04 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 
First, AWESOME board folks! Just spent the better part of last night on here and learned alot. I am in the same boat as many here: looking for a new laptop. There are so many and moreover, so many opinions out there! It is beyond confusing. But I am learning (and trying my best not to make a post such as "What Computer Should I buy?") : )

That said, don't hurt me if I eventually break and just ask that very question!

For now however, here is what I am interested in:

* Some good battery life (as it will be used for long classes) at least 3-4+????

* Graphics at 9700/128mb at least

* 60G 5400rpm but prefer 60G 7200rpm

* Probably a 1.7 or greater Dothan (I am learning about these processors as we speak so forgive any apparent ignorance)

* Combo Drive

* and the rest.....here on Gilligan's Ilse!

And to the topic at hand (finally) the idea of a optical battery/secondary bay battery sounds great.

So does anyone know what systems offer a secondary bay battery? Whether it is worth it?

Finally, without asking what system I should buy, feel free to offer any suggestions as to what system a person in a similar position to mine might consider buying if it were up to you. hehe Had to sneak it in there. I love hearing all of your thoughts and reasonings. Feel free to preach it!

ps. yes, I will be gaming. I play mostly Joint Ops and the Rise of Nations/Age of Empires etc. stuff out there. But I also hate to close any doors, so the best possible graphics capability without killing myself on the battery would be great. But beyond all this, I am still open to all suggestions and thinking.

Thanks again!

Blazing Pascal
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 19
8/26/04 at 6:33pm
Hey bud, welcome to the forums!

Since your looking for battery life and something you'll want to take to school, your obvious and best choice would be something with the Pentium M. Based on your specs, the best choice I can think of would be the Sager 3790. You can get it with a 735, 745, or 755 Dothan Pentium-M. Also comes with the 128MB MR 9700, which will be able to run AOE with no problems, and with options for the 60GB 7200 RPM HD as well as the combo media drive. Based on PCT's configuration site I don't see an option for the dual battery config, but you can upgrade to a 12 cell battery for only 45 bucks. Not sure of your budget, but with the specs your looking for you can get a nice 3790 for around $1800. Just my suggestion, good luck with finding the right notebook!
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 19
8/26/04 at 7:47pm
i'd hate to recommend them, but i think the Dell Inspiron 8600 has what you are looking for. It sports the Dothan, the MR9600pro 128mb, and the modular bay battery. Oh yea, and the combo drive. They don't say what speeds the HDs are so I would ask
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 19
8/26/04 at 11:25pm
Thread Starter 
Excellent....Thanks guys. I appreciate it. I will check both of those out more carefully. I like the sound of the sager. If I can upgrade to a 12 cell battery (which I didn't know) that might be good.

Alos, I will probably figure out after I send this, but what does PTC stand for? I have not yet learned so many of the abbreviations people use. : )

Anyone have any other ideas, please let me know! Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 19
8/26/04 at 11:43pm
need budget & weight limitation infos
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:00am
Thread Starter 
Gotcha.... ummm... Weight is not a HUGE issue. I suppose up to about 6 or 7 lbs.? But it is a negotiable. Budget? I am hoping to stay around or below $2000....

Need any other info I am leacing out, please just let me know. Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:05am
Thread Starter 
Something else....A guy on the forum had commented on the Sager 3760 having a "glossy wide screen." I don't see that offered on the 3790. Does anyone know if I can get it on that model? I do like that type of display. Just curious. thanks
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:14am
PCT
PCTorque

www.pctorque.com
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:29am
3760? Haven't heard of that model before. You can get the wide view UXGA+ on the 3790 which is a nice display, but I'm not sure about the glossy screen option.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:39am
The CL56 is a very popular model on this board and it might fit your needs nicely with a good price (except no dual battery option currently available.)

It also has viewing angle problems but that's normal for most non-wide screen notebooks.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:42am
Thread Starter 
I was not familiar with the 3760 either, but if you search for it on here a few things come up... unfortunately i closed the lilnk with the related thread I was referring to. Let's just forget about it.

Thanks for the info on the PCT.

Just realized that this is the most misleading topic title ever. sorry bout that.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 19
8/27/04 at 12:50am
The CL56 and the Sager 3790 are both good choices.

Some points to consider:

- These two systems come with very similar configs and should, therefore, perform similarly. (maybe slight performance gains w/ the 3790 because it's GPU is clocked higher, I believe).

- The 3790 has a widescreen which offers better viewing angles and a better quality screen than the CL56. I own CL56, though, and can tell you neither screen quality nor viewing angles have ever been a problem for me.

- The CL56 gets longer battery life. The 3790 has the option of a 12-cell battery, but that battery sticks out from the laptop casing like giant tumor.

- The CL56 is generally a little cheaper with the same config.

- CL56 is thinner (and lighter if you have a 12-cell on the 3790).
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 19
8/27/04 at 1:19am
Thread Starter 
I have always assumed that a 7200rpm HD would be best. Of course, I know it is "better" than say a 5400, BUT is the difference noticeable? Does it affect gameplay? Is it a way to save a few bucks?
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 19
8/27/04 at 2:22am
7200 RPM (rotations per minute, duh, like an engine) is necessarily faster than 5400 RPM. The difference is not *astounding,* but the faster the HD speed, the fast it retrieves information - so, the upshot is, quicker boot/load times, faster information retrieval and probably faster stuff like Virus/Mem scans that access you HD.

It is most significant in games that store most of their information on your HD.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 19
8/27/04 at 3:06am
Thread Starter 
Kethal, Do you have any benchmarks for your system up anywhere? That would likely be the same specs I would go for excpet perhaps a 7200rpm HD. Also, what kind of difference are we talking about between 1.7 and 1.8?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 19
8/27/04 at 11:16am
I have my benchmarks, but I am at work right now and don't have my laptop... here is a link to rincewind's post with his benchmarks.

He has the faster HD, but 512 RAM and a Banias processor (1mb L2 Cache) instead of a Dothan (2mb).

He overclocked the GPU and got some great marks... If you read through the whole thread, there is probably a lot of useful information:

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=24218&page=1

He bought from the same place I did and as I far as I know, he, like me, had no problems.

I think they even upgraded the processor for him at a later date and he only payed the difference.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 19
8/27/04 at 5:25pm
Thread Starter 
Cool, I am cheking them out. How does one know for sure if he is getting the Dothan (apart from asking I suppose)? I mean, is it true that the Banias only goes to 1.7? Therefore the 1.8 and 2.0 would certainly be Dothan?
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 19
8/27/04 at 6:16pm
correct. you can also tell by the amount of cache (usually specified by the seller). dothans have 2 mb of L2 cache.

the 3790 doesn't have the super-glossy screen like some of the other sagers. you can use a Nushield screen protector to achieve very much the same results, however. people have had success with it.

if u are trying to decide between the cl56 and 3790, they are pretty close performance wise. i'll save my breath and point u in the direction of another thread in case you're interested:
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...ht=cl56+winner
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 19
8/27/04 at 6:27pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks. I am heading over to that thread now. Regardng the Nushield screen protector ( I am not familiar with it yet), is that something that you can use on any "non-glossy" screen? Perhaps your thread will tell me more. I will look closer.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Notebook Forums - General