M680 Reviewed - As Promised - Page 5

Chris (czm2000),

What an amazing review! You've definitely sold me on the M680! I'm a fellow web/graphic designer with a very OLD computer - Dell XPS T500. It was fully loaded ($3k) when I got it 6 years ago. It's just too slow to deal with now, esp in comparison to my work computer. I'm having major problems again, and it's time for another reformat. I can't even burn backup cd's, run defrag, or disk doctor at this point without getting all sorts of errors. So, I'm pretty much screwed until I have another comp to copy all my files over to, so I can burn them onto cd (I have a 1gb usb flash drive).

Anyway, I've been wanting a notebook for a long time now, and even moreso now. I'm completely in LOVE with the M680XL!!!! Your review really helped convince me, too! Money is an issue, though (esp with our first baby on the way in less than 2 months... looking forward to it, but at the same time yikes!) That's why I haven't bought it yet... still lots of baby stuff to buy. Is a new $2k computer the best choice right now? Financially, no. But my heart says YES!!!

Anyway, a quick question (sorry I went off on a tangent there... twice already, LOL!). How is the fan noise? My Dell is whisper quiet and I love that. My work computer (2 yrs old) is sooo loud. Sometimes I feel like I can't even think. Is the M680 fairly quiet? It looks like it is - with just occasional clicking on from time to time. But if you could give a good description of how loud it is, maybe some sort of comparison? That would be very helpful.

I was thinking about the Dell 9300, but the more I look at the M680, the more I know it's 'the one!'. I've seen a lot more complaints about the 9300 than the M680 (esp on the display - which is very important to me as a designer). The screen on the M680 looks amazing, and the full keyboard with the numeric keypad is really what's selling me over any other 17". I use the keypad a lot, and would be lost without it. I'd hate to buy a separate usb external keypad. The M680 is beautiful, too. And I'm sure the speed comparison to what I'm on right now will absolutely blow me away. 6 years is really too long for a new computer! Anyway, so I might finally take the plunge and get this one.

Did I mention, I'm in love?

Thanks again for the amazing review! (And sorry I'm so long winded!)

Endy

Jlat,

Thanks for that suggestion! I'm seriously considering the M680, and have been doing price configs based on the M680XL. Basically I'm keeping all of it's default settings, except upgrading to 2.0 GHz processor, adding the Netgear wireless router, and skipping on the carrying case (I plan to get a cheap sleeve from Amazon for $20, rather than shell out the $75 for the full large case here - all I'd need it for is occasional storage, as I rarely travel, and will mostly be using this at home - just carting it from room to room).

Anyway, after reading your post, I went back and priced the same config starting with the M680X, and you're right, it saved me about $170. Out of curiousity, I went back again and did the config from the M680S, and wouldn't you know it, with upgrading everthing to make 'my own' XL with my 2 additions listed above - it'll save me $290!!! Woah! It makes me want it even more!

I'm still back and forth whether I can truly afford it right now or not, but I can't tell you how much I want this computer. I don't think I've ever wanted one as badly as this one. It truly is my DREAM computer!

And can I tell you, I was literally dreaming about it last night? Decisions, decisions! If I'm getting a new comp, this is 100% definitely the one I'm getting. No questions asked. Question is, should I get one right now?

Your pricing tip really helps a lot, though, so thanks again!

Endy

Thanks for you're sales guy's info! Can I ask - what was your final price (both before and after... esp after, though). And if I talk to a salesperson, do you have to buy it right away? Or are they able to setup a quote for you that's good for X amount of days (and if so, how many - I think the ones I saved by doing online configs were about 30 days)? I wouldn't be able to buy it (if I do go ahead and get it...) until probably close to the end of June. I don't want to talk to them too soon, and have the quote not hold out til I'm actually able to purchase it.

Endy

Any suggestions on how to go about the 'negotiation'? I've never tried to 'haggle' for anything before, so I'm not sure how to initiate it. Problem is also I've got a super 'sweet' type of voice - type of voice a salesman would probably think is a total pushover (which is probably true, but I want this comp ). My husband would make the better haggler, but I'm the techie, so he probably wouldn't do too good (not knowing all the specs that I want, etc.).

Endy

Don't worry about the "haggling" too much. All you have to do is have a MAX price that you are willing to spend. Just tell the salesman that you cannot go above that. He can either take your offer or refuse it. I don't think it will matter how "sweet" sounding your voice is. It may may help!

To give you an idea of what price to make your MAX... I configured an M680 for $2100 on the website. I told the salesman I would not go over $1800 (including shipping). He went away and came back to the phone to let me know that they would do it. It was very easy.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

My M680 will be in by Friday. You don't really need to "haggle" on the price. Just be specific on what you are willing to pay. If you are within a decent price range I don't see any reason why the salesman will not accept your offer. Remember, all they can do is tell you no. If you are happy with the price just ask for some upgrades like the warranty and you will probably get them. I configured mine for $2000, as that was what I was willing to pay. I then told the sales rep that I would be willing to purchase the laptop at that price if I got a 3 year warranty and some extras. He of course took my offer.

Does the m680 have a backlit keyboard? On your site, it looks like the second to last picture shows the letters of the keyboard lit up.

Your review is one of the best I have ever seen.

wow... this really looks like a nice laptop. I was gonna get a Z71V, but I prefer glossy screen, and by the way you described it, this seems like a really good choice. Just one question, though. Is the Centrino in this thing based on Dothan or Sonoma? i.e. is it the 1.80 P-M or the 1.87 P-M? The website says 1.80, but then it also offers the 2.13 P-M, which confuses me !

oh, and another thing: so when you said that all that they gave you are blank CDs, does that mean that they already pre-installed WindosXP and didn't send you the disk?

ic.... thanks a lot for the quick reply! I'm getting ready to call gateway soon after reading your awesome review and looking at how much other people are able to get for discout...

I'm going nuts waiting for mine as I just got the email confirming it was shipped out of Shanghai today this morning 2nd day shipment, so the rep told me I should see it Monday. I even ordered the newer Photoshop CS2 to celebrate along with the latest CD/DVD burning software. I'm looking forward to the speed. Having a 7200rpm hard drive in a laptop should be a revelation for me as I've been living in the slow lane with 4200rpm drives for years. I opted for the top processor as well (2.13) as I figured it will crank RAW files when processing a bit faster than most. I'll let ya'll know how it goes. Needless to say the bloatware is coming off first thing. NO Norton for me.....Avast Antivirus is simply the BEST and it's FREE. I also love that freebie from Microsoft, their AntiSpyware Beta as it's captured more than any other of the top Spyware programs I've used. Can't wait to set it up with my software and go........

I'm going nuts right there with you! I just found out today that mine shipped on the 7th! Even though everyone I've spoken to so far as of this morning, and the status page, even, said it was still being built. What's the craziest is that there were errors with the order, and I didn't speak w/ my rep til yesterday (he didn't call me back for 6 days!!! ) And all that time, it was already on it's way from Shanghai! No wonder my order didn't get changed (should have been 2.0 processor, and I'm getting 1.8 instead - apparently 2.0 isn't avail anymore?) - I just got an extra free battery to be shipped separately instead.

Anyway, mine left Tennessee this afternoon. FedEx is saying it'll be delivered by Monday morning. Honestly, I'm REALLY hoping I get an early surprise tomorrow. We'll see...

i'm joining you guys now too! Ordered my gateway just a few hours ago. all these reviews made my decision seem like a good one, and i hope it will turn out to be that way!

Well, FedEx has it in their hot little hands so there shouldn't be any more delays per se. My rep said it was sent 2 day air but FedEx seems to think it is due by Wednesday 10:30 of next week. It was headed out of Shanghai the evening of the 10th (and remember they are a day later than we are so that would mean last night). If my rep was right I should get it Monday as promised, if he's wrong than Wednesday it is. I too wrangled between this one and the Dell 9300, but with all the banter about the Dell screens I just couldn't bring myself to make a move towards the dell. I'm not in love with their keyboards either so I'm hoping all around that the Gateway pleases. I'll be sure to let you all know. Needless to say the first thing I"m doing is removing all the bloatware and Norton very first thing, clean up the registry and save things as clean as possible before I load Microsoft Office XP, Photoshop CS2, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird (eschewing the Microsoft email and browswer) and needless to say likely the first thing I'll load is Avast antivirus and MS's own AntiSpyware, the 2 main programs that have kept my puter junk and virus free............