the new x55 or old X80r T7700 17" WUSXGA - Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 2048Mb DDR2 nVidia

[dazpfcexile]

Hi guys
any views on which is better gaming machine?
Do know x80r is wine proof!
The new x55 looks tempting!
The graphics card 8700 v new 9650?
Processor 2.0 v 2.4?

Any views would be most welcome
17" screen or more battery life?

Be glad when get a laptop....all this spec looking...watching forums...
be nice to relax....
thanks daz

[bofh1971]

is it a second hand one you are looking at?
if not the old x80r had 8800 & 9800 m gtx cards
which will be faster than the 9650
however if it is an 8700 they will be pretty much on a par

[dazpfcexile]

thanks,
managed to reserve one
but really wanted the deal of the decade with 8800 cards.
The new x55 looks good and good price.
Unless I can get a 8800 or 9800 put in!
Probably best go for new x55.
I wonder if x55 can take a class 1 graphic card?
Would it be worth it after 6 months or so?
Cheers Daz

[bofh1971]

the x55 is not a clevo so its possible it can take an MXM card, you might have to track down the chassis manufacturer, its mentioned somewhere on these forums but Iforget.

clevo, in the past modified slightly away from the MXM standard (which we all want to work)

the main thing standing in the way of a graphics upgrade is whether the cooling system in the notebook is suitable.

[dazpfcexile]

thanks bofh

bitten the bullet today at last and have an x80r with 8700 graphics coming tommorow.
Mrs said go and order it as I had become obsessive.

Hopefully will be good machine and keep me occupied...

Apparently best selling laptop...

Don't know how many people have them on this forum?

[bofh1971]

where did you get an 8700 version of the x80r?
I have had mine just over a year and that has the 8800 in it
big difference in card

[dazpfcexile]

guess last bit of stock hanging around at nova?

[bofh1971]

shame you didnt get the 8800 version, also racking my memory, (although I am sure Novatech will check this)
there were some pretty critical bios updates for the motherbaord and video card in the old x80r
also you can't update the graphics card in it, as the motherboard for the 8800 went through a small revision and physical change.

but it will still be a great laptop
and will play Half Life 2, Unreal Tournament 3 and many other titles just fine and dandy :)

[dazpfcexile]

Turned up today

Well pleased....nice machine...
Just a big thank you to Novatech and KP for persuading me...

Set up nearly what I want on it..hours and hours but did have a game of Half life 2 and seemed to run fine at top settings.

Just the wireless router to sort out....

better turn in...as work tommorow...thanks for advice

[bofh1971]

well look for my name online, a bit of HL2 deathmatch is always a good laugh :)

[dazpfcexile]

yeah will do but getting pratice in first and then install the tf2....is that what you mean?
machine nearly together.....made a mistake with getting wireless router..my modem is usb powered and cant put it in this router.
Dont know wether to get a modem or ask nova to change...only thing is i've opened it up..its a netgear the 30 quid one...

[bofh1971]

ok
when you say modem.
are you on cable or adsl
i.e. Virgin or BT/Sky etc

if its a cable router, then there should be an ethernet connection on your cable box
but to activate this you have to turn it off completely, unplug ALL cables including the COAX (as there is current in the wire)
then plug everything in Except USB, but Including the Ethernet cable into your router
your cable box should register the router as the conected device, then your router should be set up to bridge the connection to your laptop etc.

different versions of set-top boxes / cable routers, have slightly different methods of identifying or allowing devices to connect , so you may have to contact virgin, to get some instructions on setting it up.

if you are on ADSL, then your router should have the phone line connector included and would replace any existing ADSL equipment

Good Luck

[dazpfcexile]

thanks.....got sorted but had to buy modem router locally...first one a dud...brought today...replaced and up and working apart from daughters laptop doesn't pick up!
One from Nova, just wireless router will have to go back...hope they ok about that? thats 3 I've had and taken 4 days!!!!!!
80r great though...now to enjoy it!

[bofh1971]

cool wireless can be a pain sometimes
try switching off the wireless on daughters laptop, booting without wireless switched on
shutdown and boot up with wireless on again

unless you are comfy with ipconfig commands , to try and get it to request a new ip
ipconfig /release or something off the top of my head

[dazpfcexile]

thanx all sorted now....
Updated graphics on x80r
All software loaded.
Can now enjoy it!
The only little problem (or is it)
is an unknown device in device manager.
guess I'll find it!

[bofh1971]

unknown device is most likey the CIR remote driver (I know I dont have a remote either !!! :P )

[dazpfcexile]

spot on bofh,
thanks saves me messing around!
Any other tips on x80r?
much appreciated....daz

[Nox]

Do know x80r is wine proof!


lol only just saw this :D

Nox

[dazpfcexile]

for some reason......I remembered what happened to your laptop from a previous post....was it red or white? I think red stains!

[Nox]

red :D

most of it went in the keyboard and ended up inside the DVD drive actually - still poured out a week later. Even that survived though - shame really, was looking at getting one of the HD ones as a replacement...

Nox

[Nox]

I should really add, I highly recommend NOT testing the wine-proofness of any laptop, or electronic device for that matter...

Nox

[bofh1971]

lol wine proof, wonder if JD has the same effect? :)

as for tips for the x80r, well make sure you are using the latest sound driver from realtek, the HD audio driver seems to have some sort of recurring problem with the steam engine, (and gta4's engine) that gets fixed with an updated driver install

otherwise completely painless operation, so quick, if only I could ram two drives in somehow for raid 0, that is of course if there is a raid controller in the southbridge thats enableable (is that a word?)

have fun!!!

[Nox]

you can ram two HD's in if you're willing to loose your DVD drive. Not tried it, but should work. Been tried on other laptops with no issues. RAID doesn't exist, or atleast isn't enabled on the southbridge. You can use a xpress card SATA raid card to connect two drives (it's basically a pciex1 slot in different shape)

Nox

[dazpfcexile]

thanks guys...
no issue of yet with steam....
just going to enjoy laptop...
being careful on friday night as I usually have few glasses of vino!

[bofh1971]

you know considering how seldom I use my dvd drive, maybe just maybe :)
ah maybe I will just buy the next big partially portable rig that comes out :)

[Nox]

You know, I rarely use mine too, and have a usb one I could just plug in. But... I think i'm just going to upgrade the HD when needed, 160GB isn't bad at the moment. If I upgrade and run out of space maybe... I did get a 500GB from Nova a little while ago but had to return it :( was v fast, just waiting for the new ones to come in.

Nox

[dazpfcexile]

Tried crysis demo and pleasantly surprised at how well it run.....looks top game.
Anything you guys could recommend...game wise?

[bofh1971]

lol Nox I just put a 320gb in mine had to get a 7200rpm one, the most tempting (but expensive) was the 10000rpm 300gb Raptor ooooh but at £295......

as for games daz, Unreal Tournament 3 is cheap on steam until sunday about 8 quid
its great fun online
and the visuals are superb

as for racing Race driver Grid looks brilliant and plays well

have fun! :)

[dazpfcexile]

thanks will look into them...
got the wine on the go ...white...being careful at moment...
better wait before I get bigger hd..
put x80r through 22" lcd tele...great visuals....as I am getting on in age, sure I need glasses soon!

[bofh1971]

I want to have a Lan party in a cinema, with my machine hooked up to project on the big screen :)
ooooh yeah
but big tv is good too! just been drooling over the new 18.4" clevo Dual GTX 280M 3x Hard disks
yes its a monster but man the performance..... :)

[dazpfcexile]

got grid and well impressed thanks both.
great fun

[bofh1971]

Nice one Daz
it does look and play amazing
if you didnt get it on steam, there are a couple of patches to download, one of them improves the car handling.

have fun! :)

[dazpfcexile]

thanks once again updating...got it on metaboli...

[Crowsy]

is the x80r still available?

[dazpfcexile]

i dont think so but you could ask or phone nova...
i guess the next best bet would be the x55 but depends on how much you want to spend?