I've had this laptop for a couple of weeks, ordered from PCTorque.com as a college computer. It's a sweet laptop, so let me go through its features.
Screen: Terrific! Those of you who are worried about it being wide, don't worry at all. The difference between its 16:9 ratio and the standard screen 4:3 ratio is noticeable enough that you can say "Hey, my DVDs look better now," but doesn't make word processing or web browsing seem weird at all. The native resolution of 1440x900 is terrific, and most 3D games can be run in it, with the result that the aspect ratio changes; as far as I've seen, nothing ever "stretches" across the extra width. For example, Deus Ex plays great at that resolution. Newer games might have to be run at lower resolutions, but that's less problematic than you might think. The Pan & Scan option in WinDVD (which is included, but it's an old version) makes widescreen movies fill the screen nicely with only a little of the sides cut off. (Btw, those who are as nitpicky with their displays as I am: There was one dead pixel on this unit, near the center of the screen. It's not at all noticeable, and doesn't make the display any less impressive.)
Practicality: As you're probably aware, the 4760 is expensive and heavy. So, it's in the desktop replacement category, which is great if you take it places on a regular basis (traveling, perhaps). I've realized, however, that it never leaves my dorm room; so, I'm going to return mine and spend the money on a desktop instead. Ah, if only I could have both.... Other than the cost (about $1600) and the weight (about 10 pounds), there are no problems with this wonderful laptop. The keyboard is very pleasant, and the unit runs very quietly, except when the fans kick into high gear. I recommend a laptop cooler, such as the NP-101, as a neat accessory for this laptop. Although it's designed for smaller laptops, it's effective in keeping the unit cool enough that the loud fans never kick in, and the sum noise is still less than what my roommate's 15" Toshiba makes constantly. So while "big and heavy" apply to this unit, don't think that means "noisy" or "unpleasant." Oh, and as for battery life: As I've said, I haven't taken this out of the dorm room much, but I have tried leaving it unplugged while using it sometimes, and considering how much it's doing, I'm pleased with how long the batteries last. I'd say that watching a 2-hour DVD on it is feasible, with the system configured properly (optimize Windows to minimize processor usage, install a program such as CpuIdle Pro).
Other: Never before have I heard such high-quality sound from a laptop. Okay, I don't know if the subwoofer module adds anything of value, and I'm pretty sure that I never get any use out of the built-in surround-sound setup, but listening to songs, watching movies, and playing games, the audio is surprisingly clear. Also, the boot-up time is amazingly short; save energy by shutting down instead of just letting the laptop sleep, and it won't be a hassle because "waking" takes just as long as booting. What else? Oh, it looks sexy. 'Nuff said.
So all in all, a great laptop, if you need the best desktop replacement available. (Well, maybe the 8890 is better... I'm pretty sure the 16" computer screens actually have more area than 17" widescreens. The 8890 is a couple of pounds heavier, as well.) But it operates in something of a niche: There are those who carry a laptop around a lot, who need light weight and long battery life. They should look into a Pentium-M (Centrino) model. On the other end of the spectrum are those who don't need portability, like myself. They can get the desktop that the 4760 is equivalent to for several hundred dollars less. But if you fall in between, this laptop proves that overkill is always better than underkills.
Screen: Terrific! Those of you who are worried about it being wide, don't worry at all. The difference between its 16:9 ratio and the standard screen 4:3 ratio is noticeable enough that you can say "Hey, my DVDs look better now," but doesn't make word processing or web browsing seem weird at all. The native resolution of 1440x900 is terrific, and most 3D games can be run in it, with the result that the aspect ratio changes; as far as I've seen, nothing ever "stretches" across the extra width. For example, Deus Ex plays great at that resolution. Newer games might have to be run at lower resolutions, but that's less problematic than you might think. The Pan & Scan option in WinDVD (which is included, but it's an old version) makes widescreen movies fill the screen nicely with only a little of the sides cut off. (Btw, those who are as nitpicky with their displays as I am: There was one dead pixel on this unit, near the center of the screen. It's not at all noticeable, and doesn't make the display any less impressive.)
Practicality: As you're probably aware, the 4760 is expensive and heavy. So, it's in the desktop replacement category, which is great if you take it places on a regular basis (traveling, perhaps). I've realized, however, that it never leaves my dorm room; so, I'm going to return mine and spend the money on a desktop instead. Ah, if only I could have both.... Other than the cost (about $1600) and the weight (about 10 pounds), there are no problems with this wonderful laptop. The keyboard is very pleasant, and the unit runs very quietly, except when the fans kick into high gear. I recommend a laptop cooler, such as the NP-101, as a neat accessory for this laptop. Although it's designed for smaller laptops, it's effective in keeping the unit cool enough that the loud fans never kick in, and the sum noise is still less than what my roommate's 15" Toshiba makes constantly. So while "big and heavy" apply to this unit, don't think that means "noisy" or "unpleasant." Oh, and as for battery life: As I've said, I haven't taken this out of the dorm room much, but I have tried leaving it unplugged while using it sometimes, and considering how much it's doing, I'm pleased with how long the batteries last. I'd say that watching a 2-hour DVD on it is feasible, with the system configured properly (optimize Windows to minimize processor usage, install a program such as CpuIdle Pro).
Other: Never before have I heard such high-quality sound from a laptop. Okay, I don't know if the subwoofer module adds anything of value, and I'm pretty sure that I never get any use out of the built-in surround-sound setup, but listening to songs, watching movies, and playing games, the audio is surprisingly clear. Also, the boot-up time is amazingly short; save energy by shutting down instead of just letting the laptop sleep, and it won't be a hassle because "waking" takes just as long as booting. What else? Oh, it looks sexy. 'Nuff said.
So all in all, a great laptop, if you need the best desktop replacement available. (Well, maybe the 8890 is better... I'm pretty sure the 16" computer screens actually have more area than 17" widescreens. The 8890 is a couple of pounds heavier, as well.) But it operates in something of a niche: There are those who carry a laptop around a lot, who need light weight and long battery life. They should look into a Pentium-M (Centrino) model. On the other end of the spectrum are those who don't need portability, like myself. They can get the desktop that the 4760 is equivalent to for several hundred dollars less. But if you fall in between, this laptop proves that overkill is always better than underkills.
i think i will get one of those coolers with my lappy when i get it, does anyone have an idea on how much one goes for? thanks!
