M680 Reviewed - As Promised - Page 3

Don't know yet. I'm suppose to be receiving my new order information by days end.

I never thought about that. Maybe you can't use FanGUI with the M680. We'll find out soon enough.

Hopefully I'll get the chance to video record that for you. I just don't know when. I was able to find an hour to run the bench test you asked for earlier than the weekend, so who know. I am pretty busy. I'll do my best.

There is a noticable increase in performance but it's not monumental. It's most noticable when you are plaing a game. Less noticable when working with files (unless you're working with extremely large files).

The added battery consumption of a 7200 RPM drive over a 5400 RPM drive is minimal. I believe somewhere in the neighborhood of around 5 minutes, 10 tops. TimsHardware.com reviewed the diffrence. It was very telling because the thought had always been that you would suck down a lot more juice on a 7200 RPM drive. It turns out not be true.

Bottom line, it wouldn't be a sin to go with a 5400 RPM drive like going with a 4200 RPM drive would be. But if you have the money, and don't mind spending it, go with the 7200.

Vancomycin hit the nail on the head though, especially if you need more space. Gateway is only offering the 7200 in the 60Gig. It will only be a matter of time before the 80 and 100 7200 RPM drives are available on various websites, and I would guess not too long after that, the prices will start to drop.

I actually have for the most part just used an additional monitor and extended my desktop. At least for the last few years. Look: http://designingcyberspace.com/m680/...deskSetupA.jpg . The monitor to the left uses a separate computer, the M680XL is int eh middle (of coarse) and the additional monitor that is extended from the M680 is to the right of it. The port replicator has proven to be quite useful (I take it you read my mini review of it). You can turn the computer on with out opening the lid and use it as a typical PC. Of coarse you would need a monitor and keyboard and mouse.

To asnwer a previous question you aksed in a previous post, my arrival date is May 26th although that will probably change since the order was entered incorrectly. They have the replacement with a 1.86 P-M instead of my original 2.0 P-M. I email them and they are going to fix it. I wish they would just shoot me a couple hundred dollars. The chip is not that noticable. But they want to replace it. It's costing them way more to in their word "make it right" when I would be happy with a little credit. I will tell you this, if there is any kind of fan issue or dead pixel I'm going to play Dr. and swap the backs and just send them the replacement back with the other lid backing. This M680 is perfect in every other way so I don't want to lose it.

I don't beleive so. I don't think it was built with that in mind. I wish it did. I beleive it might have a mini PC slot for the wireless card.

I really wanted the bluetooth for my mouse and to sync with my Blackberry 7520. I'm slowly getting over it because I am so happy with this notebook. I figure I can add bluetooth via the SD slot or the PCMCIA slot or just buy a USB bluetooth adapter (I really don't want anything sticking out though, or I would have gotten the 12 Cell battery.) I guess you can't win them all. I want to see if I can get my hands on the x700 256 Pro video card. It should fit (unlike the x800) and it would just about double the 3DMark2005 bench mark as I understand it.

Definitely the trade off would be increase heat and power consumption. I havent' quite decided if it would be worth it and probably won't make that decision until I find it. This brings me to the dilema. Finding it. I can't. At least not yet. I've search and can't find them anywhere. It's offered in the Sager NP4880 but that's as close as I have gotten to finding one other than the fact that it's listed on ATI's website. The other challenge will be making sure that the M680XL is upgradeable. I think as time goes on it will be very telling. Either it will be possible or it won't. If anyone get's any leads posting them would be great. I of course will do the same.

Absolutely.