There has been alot of talk going on about The current generation of 17" display notebooks
The notebooks that will be discussed here are
Dell
9300
XPS2
Alienware
7700
Sager
9860
Sager
4750
Gateway
M680
Sony
VGN-A600
Later I will I add
Fujitsu
HP/Compaq
Apple, even though I know almost nothing about Apples I will add it here because they do have a 17" notebook
I hope this guide can help people making their notebook decision
Before I start with the notebooks
About CPUs
The CPU is one of the most important parts of any computer. There are four major classes of CPUs for notebooks
Pentium-M
Pros: Light Notebook with Best Battery Life
Cons: Not as powerful as top of the line P4s and AMD64s
AMD64
Pros: 64 Bit Future Proof, Best CPU for gaming
Cons: Heavier Notebook, sub-par battery Life
Pentium IV
Pros: Encoding Video and Audio this CPU owns
Cons: Notebooks with this CPU tend to be pretty heavy and get really hot.
Turion
Not enough info yet, but the Turion is AMDs answer to Intels Pentium M
About Graphic Cards
If you are going to be playing games this section is very important
Current top of the line GPUs
nVidia 6800Ultra
ATI X800XT (M28PRO), Not yet available
These two cards are very powerful, these will be able to handle everything with pretty much all detail max
Current almost top of the line GPUs
nVidia 6800go
ATI X800
Although these two cards aren't as powerful as their big brothers, they will not dissappoint at all. You can still turn on pretty much every effect and max out the resolution, but they won't last as long as the highest end models. Gamers will love this GPU
Current mid-range GPUs
nVidia 6600go
ATI X700
Well by now you probably see the trend, as the numbers go down performance goes down, but these two fellows are nice cards. Not for the hardcore games, but for the people who like to shoot 'em up every now and then
Current lower-range GPUs
ATI X600
ATI 9700
Here is where the weaker cards start to show age, the 9700 was king a year ago and now has fallen into the lower range arena. Not for a hardcore gamer, but this will handle todays games at lower resolutions with lower quality settings
Current bottom of the ladder GPUs
nVidia 6200go
ATI X300
Since this is a 17" notebook buying guide we really dont have to worry much about seeing these guys, but the X300 did make an appearance as an option in Dell's 9300 so I am including them. These are the cards for people who really have little interest in playing games. But one of their perks is the better battery life.
About Ram
All of the notebooks I have seen have their Ram priced pretty high, Dell and Alienware seem pretty notorious for overpricing their Ram, here are a few sites you can find better costing Ram
www.newegg.com www.pricegrabber.com www.compusa.com
About Screen Display
So far every 17" notebook out there is a Widescreen notebook, the three main resolutions are
WXGA 1440x900
WSXGA+ 1680X1050
WUXGA 1920x1200
The higher resolution allows for a sharper image, also for displays are two types of finishes, a matte finish which has been standard on notebooks for some time now, and a glossy finish which is reflective. I personally like the glossy displays, but some people cannot stand them. Each company has it's own term for Glossy. Dell's is Truelife, Sony's is XBrite, and Sager just says Glossy finish, but they all mean the same thing.
Dell 9300
CPU
The CPU in the Dell 9300 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
As GHz speed increases performance increases, there are alot of people that feel like the 2 GHz processor is a must have, in reality it is only a small step above the 1.86 GHz Pentium M, personally I would reccomend the 1.73 GHz as the minimum but the 1.6 GHz should be able to handle almost everything fine. The only place where there would be noticeable performance differences would be in video/audio encoding and gaming .
GPU
64 MB X300
128 MB X300
256 MB 6800go
If you want to play games on your 17" 9300 then the 256 MB 6800go is a MUST have. I would only reccomend the X300's if you want a 17" notebook and don't plan to play games. Even then I would reccomend the 128 MB X300 because 64 MBs of Video Memory is moving to the obsolete section soon.
Ram
The 9300 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a maximum Ram capacity of 2 GBs
The minimum Ram the 9300 can support is 256 MBs
256 MBs Ram is not reccomened by almost every user here, 512 MBs is the current minimum that should be used.
533 MHz Ram is what is included with the 9300
Hard Drive
Dell currently has 4 options
40 GB
60 GB 7200 RPM
80 GB
100 GB
The 60 GB 7200 RPM is the fastest spinning HDD and your guaranteed a 7200 RPM HDD
However all the other HDD's do not have a guaranteed RPM speed, you can end up with either a 4200 RPM drive or a 5400 RPM drive
The max storage allowed in the 9300 is only 100 GBs
Display
The 9300 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a matte finish and is not glossy
and
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, the WUXGA display is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The 9300 has a single bay for optical Drives
Dell offers for the 9300
8X DVD-Rom
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
There are 2 options for the 9300 battery
A 6 Cell and a 9 Cell
Battery life can be between 2-4 hours depending on which battery you have purchased, and the GPU included in the system
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
One SD card Slot
6 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.dell.com claims the 9300 weighs 7.85 lbs with the standard 6 Cell Battery, 8X DVD-Rom drive and 17" WXGA display
1.6" thick
Cost
The 9300 is one of the best priced machines in the market. Although the base price is $1499 people have gotten 9300s for Less than $1300 with the various coupons on the internet, many can be found right here on Notebookforums
Most attractive Feature
The price, especially for a notebook with a graphic card as powerful as the 6800go
Dell XPS2
CPU
The CPU in the Dell XPS2 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Both are very fast and strong, the Pentium M running at 2.13 GHz is the fasted Pentium M available
GPU
256 MB 6800 Ultra
This is the only GPU available for the XPS2, and it is currently the strongest GPU available for any laptop. Love Dell or Hate Dell, the 6800 Ultra is the strongest right now
Ram
The XPS2 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a maximum Ram capacity of 2 GBs
The minimum Ram the XPS2 can support is 512 MBs, the lowest Dell will allow you to configure it with
If you get the XPS2 for gaming 1 GB of Ram is strongly reccomended
533 MHz Ram is what is included with the XPS2
Hard Drive
Dell currently has 4 options
60 GB
60 GB 7200 RPM
80 GB
80 GB 7200
100 GB
100 GB 7200
The 60 GB 7200 RPM is the fastest spinning HDD and your guaranteed a 7200 RPM HDD
However all the other HDD's do not have a guaranteed RPM speed, you can end up with either a 4200 RPM drive or a 5400 RPM drive. 5400 RPM drives are ok, but 4200 RPM drives are slow, and for a gaming machine 4200 RPM drives are most certainly a big no-no
The max storage allowed in the XPS2 is 100 GBs
Display
The XPS2 has only 1 option for it's display
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, the WUXGA display is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The XPS2 has a single bay for optical Drives
Dell offers for the XPS2
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
The only battery option for the XPS2 is the 9 Cell battery, battery life is estimated in the 2 hour range
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
6 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.dell.com claims the XPS2 weighs 8.6 lbs with the 9 Cell Battery, 8X DVD-Rom drive and 17" WXGA display
1.67" Thick
Cost
The XPS2's Base Price is $2749, there are coupons floating around the internet that help lower the price.
Most Attractive Feature
6800 Ultra, the current top of the line GPU
Alienware 7700
CPU
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560J w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540J w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530J w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 w/ HT Technology 2.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
The Pentium 4 is the CPU used in the Alienware 7700, it is a strong CPU especially at the high clock speeds, but requires more power
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB X800
Both of these GPUs are great, if I was getting a 7700 I'd be very happy to get either of these, some some games perform better on the X800 others perform better with the 6800go.
Ram
The 7700 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
256 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are 4 Ram slots, so you could get 4x512 MB sticks to have 2 GBs or 2 1 GB sticks. But 2 GBs is the maximum.
Alienware ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
Alienware has many Harddrive combination choices since there are two HDD slots.
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
but for Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 7700 is 200 GBs
Display
WXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1440x900
and
WSXGA+ which allows for a max resolutin of 1680x1050
both are matte finishes
Optical Drives
The 7700 can have two optical bays
Two 24XCD Burner/DVD Combo
or
Two 8X DVD/CD Burner
or
One 8X DVD/CD Burner and one 24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
or
Just one Optical Slot used with either of the 2 Drive choices
Battery Life
The 12 Cell battery in the 7700 allows for 30-60 minutes of battery life, the lower battery life is a result of the Pentium 4 Processor
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.alienware.com claims the 7700 weighs 12.5 lbs with the battery
2.10" Thick
Cost
The 7700's base price is $2,712, Alienware is currently having offers than range from $500 to $700 off
Most Attractive Feature
Massive amount of storage, up to 200 GBs
Sager 9860 (Soon to be replaced by the Sager 9880, see below)
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 9860 are Pentium 4's
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 650 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB X800
256 MB Quadro Fx go 1400
The 6800go and X800 very close in the performance race, the quadro fx go is another option that is also very close
Ram
The 9860 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
512 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are 4 Ram slots, so you could get 4x512 MB sticks to have 2 GBs or 2 1 GB sticks. But 2 GBs is the maximum.
Sager ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
Sager has just as many Harddrive combinations as the Alienware 7700 since there are two HDD slots.
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
For Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 9860 is 200 GBs
Display
The 9860 has one display option
WSXGA+ which allows a maximum resolution of 1680x1050
The finish is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The 9860 has two optical drive bays
8X DVD/24X CD Burner
and
8X DVD Burner
Battery Life
There is 1 battery option for the 9860
12 Cell battery, however sager does not list the estimated battery life
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sager.com claims the 9860 is 12.5 pounds with the 12 Cell battery
The 9860 is 1.95" thick
Cost
The base price of the 9860 is $2560
Most attractive Feature
Massive Storage, up to 200 GBs
Sager 9880
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 9880 are Pentium 4's
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 650 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB 6800go Ultra
256 MB Quadro Fx go 1400
256 MB X800
This is the second notebook that will be available with the 6800Ultra, paired with the P4 this is no doubt going to give the Dell XPS2 a fight to the death, this notebook also has the most GPU choices than any other 17" I have seen, all of these cards will pwn for gaming, but the the 6800 Ultra as king
Ram
The 9880 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
512 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are two Ram slots on the 9880, which is fine since 2 GBs is the maximum amount of memory
Sager ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
The 9880 has the same possible configurations for HDD set up as the 9860 did, all these possibilites make it a huge plus
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
For Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 9880 is 200 GBs
Display
The 9880 has two display options
WSXGA+ which allows a maximum resolution of 1680x1050
The finish is a glossy finish
WUXGA which allows for a maximum resolution of 1920x1200, it is not listed on Sager.com whether or not the display is glossy or matte
Optical Drives
The 9880 has two optical drive bays
8X DVD/24X CD Burner
and
8X DVD Burner
Battery Life
There is 1 battery option for the 9880
12 Cell battery, however sager does not list the estimated battery life, but with the Pentium 4 paired with the 6800 Ultra, seeing as both are extremely power hungry, you shouldn't expect too much battery life
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sager.com claims the 9880 is 12.5 pounds with the 12 Cell battery
The 9860 is 1.95" thick
Cost
The base price of the 9880 is $2745, right now there is a $500 instant rebate dropping the base price to $2245
Most attractive Feature
Massive Storage, up to 200 GBs
The most powerful GPU on Market
Sager 4750
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 4750 is the AMD 64
The CPU speeds available are
AMD64 3000+
AMD64 3200+
AMD64 3400+
AMD64 3700+
The 64 Bit wave is coming, how long it will take to hit full force is hard to see, but even in the 32 Bit era the AMD64's hold their ground very well against what Intel has to offer.
GPU
128 MB ATI 9700
The 9700 was a top of the line card for notebooks a year ago, but is now comparable to the ATI X600. So far this is the only AGP 17" notebook in this guide, it is too bad a 9800 couldn't of been stuck inside this guy. The 9700 can still handle todays games, but not at the highest resolutions or settings. Not reccomended for gamers
Ram
The 4750 uses DDR-I Ram running at 400 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 512 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
The 4750 ships with 400 MHz Ram
Don't let the 400 MHz fool you into thinking it is slower than DDR-II running at 533 MHz! DDR-I at 400 MHz is some of the fastest ram available in notebooks running well on par with DDR-II at 533 MHz and even exceeding it.
Hard Drive
The 4750 has one Hard Drive bay
100 GB 5400 RPM
80 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 5400 RPM
40 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 7200 RPM
Display
The 4750 has one option for a display
WSXGA+ which has it's maximum resolution at 1680x1050
Optical Drives
The 4750 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Sony doesn't list the speeds
Battery Life
www.sagernotebooks.com does not give an estimate for it's battery life
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
1 Serial
1 Parallel
3 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
SVGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sagernotebooks.com claims the 4750 weighs 9.15 lbs with the standard Battery
1.7" thick
Cost
The starting price for the 4750 is $1775.00
Most attractive Feature
If you want to jump right into the 64 Bit future here is your ticket, be wary of the graphic card though if you intend to play games
Sony Vaio VGN-A600
CPU
The CPU in the Sony VGN-A600 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Celeron® M Processor 360 (1.40GHz)
The Celeron is an option for Sony's 17" notebook, but I strongly reccomend against it, especially since the Pentium-M running at 1.6 GHz is $100 more, the performance improvment would be very noticeable
GPU
128 MB ATI X600
The X600 isn't one of the powerhouse GPUs, it is a middle of the road GPU for people who don't mind playing games at lower resolutions and lower settings. It will still handle the some games, but for the price I really would of liked to see a X700. This notebook isn't reccomended for a gamer.
Ram
The VGN-A600 uses DDR-II Ram running at 400 MHz, but it can be upgraded to 533 MHz via after market Ram
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 256 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
Sony ships this Vaio with 400 MHz DDR-II Ram, my reccomendation would be to order this with the lowest amount of Ram and upgrade to more memory at 533 MHz, 400 MHz is good for DDR-I, but not as good for DDR-II
Hard Drive
One Hard Drive Bay
Last time I visited Sony their standard HDD RPM speed was 4200 RPM, but it looks like this isn't true with the A600 where all the HDDs are 5400 RPM
100 GB 5400 RPM
80 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 5400 RPM
40 GB 5400 RPM
Max Hard Drive storage is 100 GBs
Display
The A600 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a glossy
and
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, this display is also a glossy display
Out of all the notebooks Sony has been revered as having the best displays
Optical Drives
The Sony A600 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
www.sony.com estimates the battery life at 1-2.5 hours, not too impressive especially considering the Processor and the GPU
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
3 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sony.com claims the A600 weighs 8.8 lbs with the standard Battery
1.8" thick
Cost
The starting price for the Sony VGN-A600 is $1529.99
Most attractive Feature
Even though the Ram speed and graphic card are a slight dissappointment, the XBrite screens are not, Sony's XBrites are suppose to be the the best around.
Gateway M680S/S-QS/X//XL/XL-QS
There are many variations of Gateways 17" notebook
CPU
The CPU in the M680 Series is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
GPU
64 MB ATI X700
128 MB ATI X700
Now this is a nice middle of the road GPU, stronger than the 9700/X600 so you can play games at higher resolutions with more settings. If your a gamer this could possibly be on your list, especially with the 128 MB X700
Ram
The M680 series uses DDR-II Ram running at 400 MHz, but it can be upgraded to 533 MHz via after market Ram
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 512 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
Gateway shipes the M680with 400 MHz DDR-II Ram, my reccomendation would be to order this with the lowest amount of Ram and upgrade to more memory at 533 MHz, 400 MHz is good for DDR-I, but not as good for DDR-II
Hard Drive
One Hard Drive Bay
Last time I visited Sony their standard HDD RPM speed was 4200 RPM, but it looks like this isn't true with the A600 where all the HDDs are 5400 RPM
40GB 4200rpm
60GB 5400rpm
60GB 7200rpm
80GB 5400rpm
Max Hard Drive storage is 80 GBs
I would personally say stay away from the 40 GB 4200 RPM HDD, not only are you getting a small HDD but a slow HDD
Display
The M680 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a matte
and
WSXGA+ which allows for a max resolution of 1680x1050, this display is also a glossy display
Optical Drives
The Gateway M680 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
The M680 comes standard with a 6 Cell battery, an 8 Cell battery is available, but I am unable to find estimated battery life time
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.gateway.com claims the M680 weighs 7.7 lbs with the standard Battery
1.24"-1.42" thick
Cost
The starting price for the M680 Series is $1399.99
Most attractive Feature
I was impressed by the thickness of this system, it is thinner than Sagers 4750 and Sony's A600, and has a more powerful graphic card. Good price to, looks like Gateway could possible start coming back!
I know I probably made some mistakes while doing this, so just correct me and I'll fix it
The "Most Attractive Feature" is a combination of my opinion and what I have heard users mention around NBF
If I was allowed to post attachments I would post pics of each system, but I am not allowed to, so I think I'll put links to pics of each system.
The notebooks that will be discussed here are
Dell
9300
XPS2
Alienware
7700
Sager
9860
Sager
4750
Gateway
M680
Sony
VGN-A600
Later I will I add
Fujitsu
HP/Compaq
Apple, even though I know almost nothing about Apples I will add it here because they do have a 17" notebook
I hope this guide can help people making their notebook decision
Before I start with the notebooks
About CPUs
The CPU is one of the most important parts of any computer. There are four major classes of CPUs for notebooks
Pentium-M
Pros: Light Notebook with Best Battery Life
Cons: Not as powerful as top of the line P4s and AMD64s
AMD64
Pros: 64 Bit Future Proof, Best CPU for gaming
Cons: Heavier Notebook, sub-par battery Life
Pentium IV
Pros: Encoding Video and Audio this CPU owns
Cons: Notebooks with this CPU tend to be pretty heavy and get really hot.
Turion
Not enough info yet, but the Turion is AMDs answer to Intels Pentium M
About Graphic Cards
If you are going to be playing games this section is very important
Current top of the line GPUs
nVidia 6800Ultra
ATI X800XT (M28PRO), Not yet available
These two cards are very powerful, these will be able to handle everything with pretty much all detail max
Current almost top of the line GPUs
nVidia 6800go
ATI X800
Although these two cards aren't as powerful as their big brothers, they will not dissappoint at all. You can still turn on pretty much every effect and max out the resolution, but they won't last as long as the highest end models. Gamers will love this GPU
Current mid-range GPUs
nVidia 6600go
ATI X700
Well by now you probably see the trend, as the numbers go down performance goes down, but these two fellows are nice cards. Not for the hardcore games, but for the people who like to shoot 'em up every now and then
Current lower-range GPUs
ATI X600
ATI 9700
Here is where the weaker cards start to show age, the 9700 was king a year ago and now has fallen into the lower range arena. Not for a hardcore gamer, but this will handle todays games at lower resolutions with lower quality settings
Current bottom of the ladder GPUs
nVidia 6200go
ATI X300
Since this is a 17" notebook buying guide we really dont have to worry much about seeing these guys, but the X300 did make an appearance as an option in Dell's 9300 so I am including them. These are the cards for people who really have little interest in playing games. But one of their perks is the better battery life.
About Ram
All of the notebooks I have seen have their Ram priced pretty high, Dell and Alienware seem pretty notorious for overpricing their Ram, here are a few sites you can find better costing Ram
www.newegg.com www.pricegrabber.com www.compusa.com
About Screen Display
So far every 17" notebook out there is a Widescreen notebook, the three main resolutions are
WXGA 1440x900
WSXGA+ 1680X1050
WUXGA 1920x1200
The higher resolution allows for a sharper image, also for displays are two types of finishes, a matte finish which has been standard on notebooks for some time now, and a glossy finish which is reflective. I personally like the glossy displays, but some people cannot stand them. Each company has it's own term for Glossy. Dell's is Truelife, Sony's is XBrite, and Sager just says Glossy finish, but they all mean the same thing.
Dell 9300
CPU
The CPU in the Dell 9300 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
As GHz speed increases performance increases, there are alot of people that feel like the 2 GHz processor is a must have, in reality it is only a small step above the 1.86 GHz Pentium M, personally I would reccomend the 1.73 GHz as the minimum but the 1.6 GHz should be able to handle almost everything fine. The only place where there would be noticeable performance differences would be in video/audio encoding and gaming .
GPU
64 MB X300
128 MB X300
256 MB 6800go
If you want to play games on your 17" 9300 then the 256 MB 6800go is a MUST have. I would only reccomend the X300's if you want a 17" notebook and don't plan to play games. Even then I would reccomend the 128 MB X300 because 64 MBs of Video Memory is moving to the obsolete section soon.
Ram
The 9300 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a maximum Ram capacity of 2 GBs
The minimum Ram the 9300 can support is 256 MBs
256 MBs Ram is not reccomened by almost every user here, 512 MBs is the current minimum that should be used.
533 MHz Ram is what is included with the 9300
Hard Drive
Dell currently has 4 options
40 GB
60 GB 7200 RPM
80 GB
100 GB
The 60 GB 7200 RPM is the fastest spinning HDD and your guaranteed a 7200 RPM HDD
However all the other HDD's do not have a guaranteed RPM speed, you can end up with either a 4200 RPM drive or a 5400 RPM drive
The max storage allowed in the 9300 is only 100 GBs
Display
The 9300 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a matte finish and is not glossy
and
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, the WUXGA display is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The 9300 has a single bay for optical Drives
Dell offers for the 9300
8X DVD-Rom
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
There are 2 options for the 9300 battery
A 6 Cell and a 9 Cell
Battery life can be between 2-4 hours depending on which battery you have purchased, and the GPU included in the system
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
One SD card Slot
6 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.dell.com claims the 9300 weighs 7.85 lbs with the standard 6 Cell Battery, 8X DVD-Rom drive and 17" WXGA display
1.6" thick
Cost
The 9300 is one of the best priced machines in the market. Although the base price is $1499 people have gotten 9300s for Less than $1300 with the various coupons on the internet, many can be found right here on Notebookforums
Most attractive Feature
The price, especially for a notebook with a graphic card as powerful as the 6800go
Dell XPS2
CPU
The CPU in the Dell XPS2 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Both are very fast and strong, the Pentium M running at 2.13 GHz is the fasted Pentium M available
GPU
256 MB 6800 Ultra
This is the only GPU available for the XPS2, and it is currently the strongest GPU available for any laptop. Love Dell or Hate Dell, the 6800 Ultra is the strongest right now
Ram
The XPS2 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a maximum Ram capacity of 2 GBs
The minimum Ram the XPS2 can support is 512 MBs, the lowest Dell will allow you to configure it with
If you get the XPS2 for gaming 1 GB of Ram is strongly reccomended
533 MHz Ram is what is included with the XPS2
Hard Drive
Dell currently has 4 options
60 GB
60 GB 7200 RPM
80 GB
80 GB 7200
100 GB
100 GB 7200
The 60 GB 7200 RPM is the fastest spinning HDD and your guaranteed a 7200 RPM HDD
However all the other HDD's do not have a guaranteed RPM speed, you can end up with either a 4200 RPM drive or a 5400 RPM drive. 5400 RPM drives are ok, but 4200 RPM drives are slow, and for a gaming machine 4200 RPM drives are most certainly a big no-no
The max storage allowed in the XPS2 is 100 GBs
Display
The XPS2 has only 1 option for it's display
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, the WUXGA display is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The XPS2 has a single bay for optical Drives
Dell offers for the XPS2
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
The only battery option for the XPS2 is the 9 Cell battery, battery life is estimated in the 2 hour range
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
6 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.dell.com claims the XPS2 weighs 8.6 lbs with the 9 Cell Battery, 8X DVD-Rom drive and 17" WXGA display
1.67" Thick
Cost
The XPS2's Base Price is $2749, there are coupons floating around the internet that help lower the price.
Most Attractive Feature
6800 Ultra, the current top of the line GPU
Alienware 7700
CPU
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560J w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540J w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530J w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 w/ HT Technology 2.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
The Pentium 4 is the CPU used in the Alienware 7700, it is a strong CPU especially at the high clock speeds, but requires more power
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB X800
Both of these GPUs are great, if I was getting a 7700 I'd be very happy to get either of these, some some games perform better on the X800 others perform better with the 6800go.
Ram
The 7700 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
256 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are 4 Ram slots, so you could get 4x512 MB sticks to have 2 GBs or 2 1 GB sticks. But 2 GBs is the maximum.
Alienware ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
Alienware has many Harddrive combination choices since there are two HDD slots.
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
but for Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 7700 is 200 GBs
Display
WXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1440x900
and
WSXGA+ which allows for a max resolutin of 1680x1050
both are matte finishes
Optical Drives
The 7700 can have two optical bays
Two 24XCD Burner/DVD Combo
or
Two 8X DVD/CD Burner
or
One 8X DVD/CD Burner and one 24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
or
Just one Optical Slot used with either of the 2 Drive choices
Battery Life
The 12 Cell battery in the 7700 allows for 30-60 minutes of battery life, the lower battery life is a result of the Pentium 4 Processor
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.alienware.com claims the 7700 weighs 12.5 lbs with the battery
2.10" Thick
Cost
The 7700's base price is $2,712, Alienware is currently having offers than range from $500 to $700 off
Most Attractive Feature
Massive amount of storage, up to 200 GBs
Sager 9860 (Soon to be replaced by the Sager 9880, see below)
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 9860 are Pentium 4's
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 650 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB X800
256 MB Quadro Fx go 1400
The 6800go and X800 very close in the performance race, the quadro fx go is another option that is also very close
Ram
The 9860 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
512 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are 4 Ram slots, so you could get 4x512 MB sticks to have 2 GBs or 2 1 GB sticks. But 2 GBs is the maximum.
Sager ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
Sager has just as many Harddrive combinations as the Alienware 7700 since there are two HDD slots.
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
For Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 9860 is 200 GBs
Display
The 9860 has one display option
WSXGA+ which allows a maximum resolution of 1680x1050
The finish is a glossy finish
Optical Drives
The 9860 has two optical drive bays
8X DVD/24X CD Burner
and
8X DVD Burner
Battery Life
There is 1 battery option for the 9860
12 Cell battery, however sager does not list the estimated battery life
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sager.com claims the 9860 is 12.5 pounds with the 12 Cell battery
The 9860 is 1.95" thick
Cost
The base price of the 9860 is $2560
Most attractive Feature
Massive Storage, up to 200 GBs
Sager 9880
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 9880 are Pentium 4's
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 650 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 w/ HT Technology 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 w/ HT Technology 3.4GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 w/ HT Technology 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
GPU
256 MB 6800go
256 MB 6800go Ultra
256 MB Quadro Fx go 1400
256 MB X800
This is the second notebook that will be available with the 6800Ultra, paired with the P4 this is no doubt going to give the Dell XPS2 a fight to the death, this notebook also has the most GPU choices than any other 17" I have seen, all of these cards will pwn for gaming, but the the 6800 Ultra as king
Ram
The 9880 uses 200 Pin DDR-II Ram running at 533 MHz
512 MBs is the minimum and 2 GBs is the maximum
There are two Ram slots on the 9880, which is fine since 2 GBs is the maximum amount of memory
Sager ships 533 MHz Ram with this system
Hard Drive
The 9880 has the same possible configurations for HDD set up as the 9860 did, all these possibilites make it a huge plus
In single Drive configuration you can have
20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GBs all running at 5400 RPMs
or
60 GB 7200 RPM
Dual Drives in Non-Raid you can have
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 0 is meant to give high performance, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
Raid 1 is meant for security, the options are
2x20 GBs, 2x40 GBs, 2x60 GBs, 2x80GBs, or 2x100 GBs runing at 5400 RPMs
or
2x60 GBs 7200 RPM
For Raid 1 you are not getting the twice the memory 2x60 GB drives in Raid 1 mode only allow for 60 GBs to be stored, whereas in Raid 0 and Dual Drive mode 2x60 GBs allow for 120 GBs to be stored, this is true regardless of HDD size
The max amount of storage allowed in the 9880 is 200 GBs
Display
The 9880 has two display options
WSXGA+ which allows a maximum resolution of 1680x1050
The finish is a glossy finish
WUXGA which allows for a maximum resolution of 1920x1200, it is not listed on Sager.com whether or not the display is glossy or matte
Optical Drives
The 9880 has two optical drive bays
8X DVD/24X CD Burner
and
8X DVD Burner
Battery Life
There is 1 battery option for the 9880
12 Cell battery, however sager does not list the estimated battery life, but with the Pentium 4 paired with the 6800 Ultra, seeing as both are extremely power hungry, you shouldn't expect too much battery life
Ports and Memory slots
7 in 1 Card Reader
2 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
One Parallel Port
One Serial Port
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sager.com claims the 9880 is 12.5 pounds with the 12 Cell battery
The 9860 is 1.95" thick
Cost
The base price of the 9880 is $2745, right now there is a $500 instant rebate dropping the base price to $2245
Most attractive Feature
Massive Storage, up to 200 GBs
The most powerful GPU on Market
Sager 4750
CPU
The CPU in the Sager 4750 is the AMD 64
The CPU speeds available are
AMD64 3000+
AMD64 3200+
AMD64 3400+
AMD64 3700+
The 64 Bit wave is coming, how long it will take to hit full force is hard to see, but even in the 32 Bit era the AMD64's hold their ground very well against what Intel has to offer.
GPU
128 MB ATI 9700
The 9700 was a top of the line card for notebooks a year ago, but is now comparable to the ATI X600. So far this is the only AGP 17" notebook in this guide, it is too bad a 9800 couldn't of been stuck inside this guy. The 9700 can still handle todays games, but not at the highest resolutions or settings. Not reccomended for gamers
Ram
The 4750 uses DDR-I Ram running at 400 MHz
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 512 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
The 4750 ships with 400 MHz Ram
Don't let the 400 MHz fool you into thinking it is slower than DDR-II running at 533 MHz! DDR-I at 400 MHz is some of the fastest ram available in notebooks running well on par with DDR-II at 533 MHz and even exceeding it.
Hard Drive
The 4750 has one Hard Drive bay
100 GB 5400 RPM
80 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 5400 RPM
40 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 7200 RPM
Display
The 4750 has one option for a display
WSXGA+ which has it's maximum resolution at 1680x1050
Optical Drives
The 4750 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Sony doesn't list the speeds
Battery Life
www.sagernotebooks.com does not give an estimate for it's battery life
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
1 Serial
1 Parallel
3 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
SVGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sagernotebooks.com claims the 4750 weighs 9.15 lbs with the standard Battery
1.7" thick
Cost
The starting price for the 4750 is $1775.00
Most attractive Feature
If you want to jump right into the 64 Bit future here is your ticket, be wary of the graphic card though if you intend to play games
Sony Vaio VGN-A600
CPU
The CPU in the Sony VGN-A600 is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Celeron® M Processor 360 (1.40GHz)
The Celeron is an option for Sony's 17" notebook, but I strongly reccomend against it, especially since the Pentium-M running at 1.6 GHz is $100 more, the performance improvment would be very noticeable
GPU
128 MB ATI X600
The X600 isn't one of the powerhouse GPUs, it is a middle of the road GPU for people who don't mind playing games at lower resolutions and lower settings. It will still handle the some games, but for the price I really would of liked to see a X700. This notebook isn't reccomended for a gamer.
Ram
The VGN-A600 uses DDR-II Ram running at 400 MHz, but it can be upgraded to 533 MHz via after market Ram
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 256 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
Sony ships this Vaio with 400 MHz DDR-II Ram, my reccomendation would be to order this with the lowest amount of Ram and upgrade to more memory at 533 MHz, 400 MHz is good for DDR-I, but not as good for DDR-II
Hard Drive
One Hard Drive Bay
Last time I visited Sony their standard HDD RPM speed was 4200 RPM, but it looks like this isn't true with the A600 where all the HDDs are 5400 RPM
100 GB 5400 RPM
80 GB 5400 RPM
60 GB 5400 RPM
40 GB 5400 RPM
Max Hard Drive storage is 100 GBs
Display
The A600 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a glossy
and
WUXGA which allows for a max resolution of 1920x1200, this display is also a glossy display
Out of all the notebooks Sony has been revered as having the best displays
Optical Drives
The Sony A600 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
www.sony.com estimates the battery life at 1-2.5 hours, not too impressive especially considering the Processor and the GPU
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
3 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
DVI and VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.sony.com claims the A600 weighs 8.8 lbs with the standard Battery
1.8" thick
Cost
The starting price for the Sony VGN-A600 is $1529.99
Most attractive Feature
Even though the Ram speed and graphic card are a slight dissappointment, the XBrite screens are not, Sony's XBrites are suppose to be the the best around.
Gateway M680S/S-QS/X//XL/XL-QS
There are many variations of Gateways 17" notebook
CPU
The CPU in the M680 Series is the Dothan running on the newest Alviso Chipset
The CPU speeds available are
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
GPU
64 MB ATI X700
128 MB ATI X700
Now this is a nice middle of the road GPU, stronger than the 9700/X600 so you can play games at higher resolutions with more settings. If your a gamer this could possibly be on your list, especially with the 128 MB X700
Ram
The M680 series uses DDR-II Ram running at 400 MHz, but it can be upgraded to 533 MHz via after market Ram
There are 2 Ram slots for a minimum of 512 MBs Ram up to a maximum of 2 GBs
Gateway shipes the M680with 400 MHz DDR-II Ram, my reccomendation would be to order this with the lowest amount of Ram and upgrade to more memory at 533 MHz, 400 MHz is good for DDR-I, but not as good for DDR-II
Hard Drive
One Hard Drive Bay
Last time I visited Sony their standard HDD RPM speed was 4200 RPM, but it looks like this isn't true with the A600 where all the HDDs are 5400 RPM
40GB 4200rpm
60GB 5400rpm
60GB 7200rpm
80GB 5400rpm
Max Hard Drive storage is 80 GBs
I would personally say stay away from the 40 GB 4200 RPM HDD, not only are you getting a small HDD but a slow HDD
Display
The M680 has 2 options for it's screen display
WXGA which allows a max resolution of 1440x900 the screen finish is a matte
and
WSXGA+ which allows for a max resolution of 1680x1050, this display is also a glossy display
Optical Drives
The Gateway M680 has one optical bay drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo
8X CD/DVD Burner Combo which allows for Dual layer burning
Battery Life
The M680 comes standard with a 6 Cell battery, an 8 Cell battery is available, but I am unable to find estimated battery life time
Ports and Memory slots
1 IEEE 1394
4 USB 2.0 Ports
S-Video Out
VGA connectors
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Size and weight
www.gateway.com claims the M680 weighs 7.7 lbs with the standard Battery
1.24"-1.42" thick
Cost
The starting price for the M680 Series is $1399.99
Most attractive Feature
I was impressed by the thickness of this system, it is thinner than Sagers 4750 and Sony's A600, and has a more powerful graphic card. Good price to, looks like Gateway could possible start coming back!
I know I probably made some mistakes while doing this, so just correct me and I'll fix it
The "Most Attractive Feature" is a combination of my opinion and what I have heard users mention around NBF
If I was allowed to post attachments I would post pics of each system, but I am not allowed to, so I think I'll put links to pics of each system.
damn money, but I have collected what people have said about each individual system, for example AW users like the 200 GBs storage and Dell 9300 users really like the price, but some dislike the screen, where as Sony A600 users love their screen. But I mainly wanted to present a list of specs so people can make their own comparison. So a video editor could see in a "side-by-side" comparison (actually a up-down comparison, lol) that the 9860 is a better choice for video editing because of the P4 CPU and the massive HDD storage. So a gamer can see that the XPS2 has the best graphic card. And so a traveler who wants a 17" screen can see the lightest one, the Gateway M680.
