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M680 Reviewed - As Promised

Poll Results: Was this helpful

Poll expired: Jun 9, 2005  
  • 83% (25)
    Yes, I found it to be very helpful.
  • 13% (4)
    Yes, It was somewhat helpful.
  • 0% (0)
    It was Ok, but not very helpful.
  • 3% (1)
    It was horrible and not helpful at all.
30 Total Votes  
post #1 of 217
5/11/05 at 12:12am
Thread Starter 
Hi all. I received my new M680 and I am pleased to say the least. I spent a significant amount of time going over it so I hope you find it informative.

My Review http://www.designingcyberspace.com/m680/

I'm hosting it on one of my own sites. Hope that works for everyone. If you have any problems let me know.

Cheers

Chris

The review page has been updated. It now includes a section for the Graphis (not just the screen) I ran a 3DMArk 2005 test so the result is there. Additionally I added a photo gallery of over 40 Call of Duty game screen shots. I also updated the section on the battery. I hope these addtions make the review more helpful. Enjoy!
LL
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post #2 of 217
5/11/05 at 12:23am
Great review. Thank you very much.
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post #3 of 217
5/11/05 at 12:41am
Did you have some scratches on your m680?
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post #4 of 217
5/11/05 at 1:04am
Damn! WOW what a beauty! I want one now. Anyone want to buy a lappy?
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post #5 of 217
5/11/05 at 1:17am
Who makes your dvd drive? I have the QSI and the performance is horrible. Takes 10 minutes to burn a little over 1 GB. Not sure if the problem is the drive itself or that both the dvd drive and hard drive are on the same IDE channel.
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post #6 of 217
5/11/05 at 1:23am
Thankyou for the great review!!
Wow, seriously, good job. I am definitely getting that machine.
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post #7 of 217
5/11/05 at 1:43am
And a (somewhat paranoid) question just to make something 100% clear.
The Ultribright screens are glossy correct? And the XL model only comes with this screen correct?

Thanks.
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post #8 of 217
5/11/05 at 2:47am

How noisy is the fan?

Thanks for the great review. I'm really falling for this laptop.

You mentioned that the fan goes on periodically. How noisy and distracting is it? Is it on a lot of the time after the computer's been on for a while?

My 450X has this really noisy, unpleasant fan that's on most of the time after a couple of hours. Definitely don't want to go there again.
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post #9 of 217
5/11/05 at 7:03am
Great review CZM...
Reinforces my already great feelings about Gateway.
My M505x will become old some day (next year) and I will be looking forward to getting a new Gateway. The Dell9200/9300 is a good machine but the Gateway M680 out classes it indeed.

Daley
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post #10 of 217
5/11/05 at 7:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by flashram
Who makes your dvd drive? I have the QSI and the performance is horrible. Takes 10 minutes to burn a little over 1 GB. Not sure if the problem is the drive itself or that both the dvd drive and hard drive are on the same IDE channel.
Flashram,

Do you think it is possible to switch out the DVD with another model? I bought the NEC DVD from newegg.com ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827152028 ) with the intention to replace the CD/DVD combo of the XPS2. But now that I have returned the XPS2, I still have the NEC DVD burner so do you think that I can use it with the m680 if I can get the face plate of the m680 DVD to fit the NEC DVD? Is this possible?
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post #11 of 217
5/11/05 at 8:56am
Thread Starter 

Scratches

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vancomycin
Did you have some scratches on your m680?
I had 2. Both very small. I looked this over very good and noticed 1 right away. It rubbed right out though (not really a scratch). The other I plan on working with Gateway to remedy. Not really a major dilema just because I would probably have put one there in a week or so anyway. But none the less, some compensation will be nice.
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post #12 of 217
5/11/05 at 8:57am
Thread Starter 

My Review.

I'm glad most everyone has enjoyed my review. I did the best I could witht he time I had.

Thanks for all the kind words.
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post #13 of 217
5/11/05 at 8:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linari
And a (somewhat paranoid) question just to make something 100% clear.
The Ultribright screens are glossy correct? And the XL model only comes with this screen correct?

Thanks.
Cerrect, and yes, the XL is only available with the Ultrabright screen. Of coarse, Gateway could opt to change the option somewhere down the road.
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post #14 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by laughing_laura
Thanks for the great review. I'm really falling for this laptop.

You mentioned that the fan goes on periodically. How noisy and distracting is it? Is it on a lot of the time after the computer's been on for a while?

My 450X has this really noisy, unpleasant fan that's on most of the time after a couple of hours. Definitely don't want to go there again.
There is one fan on right now and I have been using it for over an hour this morning. I only know that it's on because I put my ear down to the keyboard to listen. You can also feel a little bit of warmth from the vent but hardly any. When the fan comes on it's audible, but I would say that it's not loud, and it doesn't make any anoying sounds. It is certainly far from being a problem in the least for me.
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post #15 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:03am
czm2000,

How long did it take for you to get yours? I ordered mine on Saturday 5 days ago. The only thing I got was an e-mail confirming my order with the summary of specs of the machine.
I suppose getting the machine that is assembled all the way from China (I believed) would take some time.
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post #16 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:14am
czm2000,

When does the "audible" fan comes on? ....in other words, at what temperature in Celsius?
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post #17 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vancomycin
czm2000,

How long did it take for you to get yours? I ordered mine on Saturday 5 days ago. The only thing I got was an e-mail confirming my order with the summary of specs of the machine.
I suppose getting the machine that is assembled all the way from China (I believed) would take some time.
It was ordered on Monday the April 25th with an estimated arrival date of Monday May 16th. They finished building it on May 5th and I received it May 9th (stupid weekend, it sat in Indianapolis IN on Saturday and Sunday the 7th and 8th). So if you take out the weekend and figure it came from Shanghai on the 5th of May, was scanned in Anchorage AK on the 6th and hit Indianapolis on the 7th, it was by my estimations, pretty speedy.
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post #18 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:17am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vancomycin
czm2000,

When does the "audible" fan comes on? ....in other words, at what temperature in Celsius?
I'm sorry I haven't had time to measure that yet and won't until probably sometime next week maybe. It's a pretty busy ad week for me. It's now 8:16 and I've been plugging away since 7:00 this morning and it's at a low idle. If you listen good you can hear it but as soon as I go back to typing it drowns out again for me.
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post #19 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:35am
Will you be doing the 3DMark2005 test?
I want to compare that with the XPS2.
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post #20 of 217
5/11/05 at 9:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vancomycin
czm2000,

How long did it take for you to get yours? I ordered mine on Saturday 5 days ago. The only thing I got was an e-mail confirming my order with the summary of specs of the machine.
I suppose getting the machine that is assembled all the way from China (I believed) would take some time.
No offense, but I'm not sure it's fair to compare the 2 on that level. The XPS2 would surely win. That said I guess it would be interesting to know. I will make an attempt this weekend to run some benchmark tests. I don't want to promise anything right away though. I'm pretty backed up with work having taken a half day to get this loaded up.

P.S. At about 8:30 (1 1/2 Hours later) the fan kicked on to what I would say is about medium. Definitely audible, but not blasting. I was starting photoshop cs. It's back off now. I don't recall when it went back to idle but it couldn't have been on long. I think I know what you're getting at with the fan question if I may be presumptuous. No it's nowhere near the 9300/XPS2 (or the zd7000 if you've ever seen or hear that). Not even in the ball park. With my 9300 I had to download FanGUI because I just couldn't stand the fan any longer. I have not felt that way at all with the M680. Fans don't typically bother me too much anyway. I guess it's a personal preference. I know some people are super sensative to them. I would want those people to draw their own opinion.
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