You are browsing within the review sections of our forums. Content within these sections reflect consumer opinions of laptops. Our admins take the best and most objective laptop reviews and index them here to create a distinct selection of quality reviews with averaged overall ratings. Many of these reviews have benchmarks attached to them which allows for users to compare their laptop's performance with others, and ultimately enables us to provide a sortable list which at a glance show the fastest laptops amongst a variety of applications (gaming, video editing, web browsing, etc...). Help us build a better laptop database by submitting your laptop review.

I guess after using it now for a little over 10 hours I though I’ll write a nice little review to sum up first impressions.
Please take note that this is a AJP Z71V model, it is identical to the Asus and actually is an Asus just sold by AJP here in the UK.
I have only used the laptop for about 10 hours in all, but have managed to install and play doom3, run 3d mark03 demo, play a DVD and listen to some music.

First thing is to sum up my Z71V system specs:
15.4” TFT WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
• Intel 915GM chipset - PCI Express
• Processor speed 1.86GHz. (Up to 2.26GHz)
• 2MB Level 2 Cache
• Intel integrated Wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g) card
• 1GB DDRII 533MHZ RAM
• 60GB HDD 7200RPM.
• 8xDVD-RW/CD-RW Drive (Hotswappable with 2nd HDD or 2nd Battery)
• Built in 56K fax/modem
• Built in 10/100/100-Giga-LAN Ethernet Adapter
• PCI Express nVidia GeForce Go 6600
• 128MB DDR Video RAM & DirectX 9 support
• Smart Li-Ion Battery (up to 4.5 hours use, up to 8 hours with 2nd battery)
• Weight: 2.9Kg

Now all that for £1200 (just under $2000) Plus got a free pen drive and carry case!! Thats a great spec machine for the price, from looking at the Acer 8103 I was going to get with only 512mb ddr 2x256, 80gb 4200rpm.

Looks
See for yourself http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=73438
For me the Laptop looks great, from the pictures I viewed before I had some mixed feelings, but it looks smart and professional. Everything is neat and clean looking, as you'd expect from Asus. From the eye the dark grey finish gives it a metal look to it that adds a touch of class, from looking at the Dell 9300 I'm happy I opted for this one due to the darker colour

Feel
Its a tough looking laptop, and sure is made well. Very sturdy and no bending on the plastic. The screen hinges are tough and needs a good arm to bring the screen up. Keyboard for me is excellent quality so is the touch pad, no bending to speak of.
DVD drive is loud when CD is first inserted in spins fast and makes laptop vibrate, but after the first few seconds is calm and a responsive drive.
Fans are on all the time I think, but its very silent and keeps the laptop quite cool. No touch pad warming yet.

Sound
As with most laptops, sound is a limit. But the Z71V sound is crisp and clear. Speakers are on bottom left and right so arms won't muffle the sound.
On DVD sound is good and on Doom3 was a touch bit louder.

Screen

I have tested the screen for a while and must admit pictures look much better on the Z71V than on my PC monitor (NEC MultiSync FE950)
It’s a bright screen, bright enough for me, although cannot compete against my monitor. The colour is excellent on the screen.
The Light ambient assist is very cool, if you look closely at the screen and switch the house lights off, the screen discretely makes itself darker. Great for the lazy Gits out there !! Whites on the screen are okay, its not clear white kind of grey and white mixed in. But its not that evident, only on just a screen of green colour it might look a bit grainy looking. DVD picture quality is good, nice colours and crisp. The Asus DVD program works the best. Viewing angles are very decent for a laptop.

Performance
I have had only the chance to test Doom3 and 3d mark 03. First impressions are great, the 6600 go is fast, though I will soon run the FPS on Doom3 real soon. But from the speed it loads up Windows XP is phenomenal with the 7200 rpm drive.

Here are some benchmarks:

Benchmarks from laptop with 3dmark03:
4368: with heavy applications running,
4465: with some but not all programs running,
3989: not plugged into mains and with heavy load of applications running
P.s. Will bench Doom3 soon

Now, I have not much knowledge in benching, but I can say that with updated drivers and a bit of good knowledge this can be a powerful machine.

Battery
I have charged the battery up to full. Its been on light ambient setting for the screen and has had 20mins doom3 play, 3dmark 03 test and 1 hour DVD play plus has been used to view photos for 45 mins. And still has 10 mins remaining. Been on for 4 hours 30 mins. Not bad. But I will give it a better more constructive test soon.

Anyway, overall I'm most pleased with my new Laptop, the price performance ratio is great, although I saved £45 on delivery and went to the Warehouse to pick it up. I was happy that I did so as the guys there gave me some background views on this laptop. Hope you like the review and please ask any questions you'd like answering


Links Update:


Photos of Z7: http://notebookforums.com/showthread...421#post790421

Sandra 2005 screenshots: http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=73563&page=9

Update 3dmark scores:

3dmark03:
250/400 =4431.
300/700 =5510
Please not ran on stock drivers.

3dmark05:
300/580 = 2155
309/618=2248
Please note ran on 76.41 drivers

Very nice. I was a little concerned about the battery life, since I read in another review (on geared2play, I think) that they only got about 3 and a half hours. That would barely last me through one of my science classes. Also, I'm glad that the 1.86Ghz and 1Gb of RAM seem more than adequate at playing something like Doom 3. What detail setting did you have it at, btw? If I get one, I'll likely get a 5400rpm drive.

Just done a Doom3 time demo test, Settings was:

Screen res:1024x768
Video quality: High quality
All special effects on exept Vertical SYNC. Antialiasing 2X
Results:
21 48 frames rendering in 54.8
Seconds= 40.1 FPS

Second test:
Screen res: 1600x1200
Video quality: High quality
All special effects on exept Vertical SYNC. Antialiasing off due to high res
Results:
21 48 frames rendering in 47.1
Seconds= 45.6 FPS

That battery life and FPS are sweet...

Sure does, but remember with the Doom3 fps test I had quite a few programs on in background, will try to switch them off. And with newer updated drivers it can only get better

Hi and thanks for the review. One question - from you you see do the fans switch off?? I am considering this laptop over a Sony FS series of equivalent price but would be put off if during browsing / idle you can hear the fans. What is your experience?

Also any experience with the WI-FI on the system?

Thanks.

awsome... this is looking like what I want to get... (well, I'll have to read about the similarly speced sager laptop..)

Sweet - those numbers look good, esp. battery life - I can't wait for mine to be delivered - Evesham are saying Weds delivery. How long does it take to boot up from shutdown and from hibernate?

Thanks for the review.

Could you confirm the stated thickness of the laptop (I think its supposed to be 1.38")?

From the pics I looked at on the istnc.com website, it looked to me like it was a bit thicker than what is listed in the specs. Maybe the pics are just not scaled properly...

Thanks,

RobotChicken

(Still trying to decide between z71v and w3v)

It sure is that thick, but with the legs it stands a bit taller.
The fans don't switch off, but its very silent very hard to hear the fans. I know you can get programs to switch them off but no point as they are so silent
Have not tried Wi-Fi yet if it has it?? God don't even know my own lappy

There may have been an option to get it when you first bought it .

When you get a chance, could you please run 3dmark01 ? I'm very interested to see the score this beast can pull

Just ran 3dmark01, 1024x768 32bit, left everything else as it is
13061
Just to mention that fan noise was loud during the test.

So how thick is the laptop? In inches. At the front and back if you can... thanks

Of course you have wifi... you listed it in the specs you put in your original post
hehe... it sounds like you have the Intel PRO/Wireless with a/b/g(2915?)

Its 1.39 inches.
Seems to me from looking at the acer 8104 forums the x700 is faster in 3dmark. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?