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Asus G71v vs. Alienware M17? please help me choose?

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  • 12-03-2009 6:22pm
    #1
    the-nth-warrior
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭


    Please help me as I need to choose between 2 laptops. I am in the market for a high end laptop. My max budget is 2800 euros. After substantial research I have narrowed the field to 2 laptops. The contenders are the Asus g71V and the Alienware m17.I am having a hard time choosing between the two as the Asus has a single graphics card at 512 MB (N 9700 GT) but also comes with the quad core extreme 2.54 GHZ processor. It also has 4 GB DDR 3 RAM. The model is priced at 2000 euro.

    The Alienware comes with the 2 GHZ quad core processor but I have configured it with dual crossfire ATI 512MB cards with 4 GB DDR3 SRAM. This however is the more expensive model at 2700 euros roughly. I want to combine my work and home computer into one as I use graphic intensive programs such as Pro E Wild Fire solid modelling. I would very much appreciate the opinion of others. Portability is a major issue.:confused:


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    #2
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,973 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    if portability is a major issue having crossfire wont help you. For the 25% gain in processing power as well, the g71 sounds much better to me.


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    #3
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    If portability is a major issue, you could look at a 15" instead of 17".

    There are 15" laptops that have quadcores, if that makes a difference to the program you use. Although I would note that if your program doesnt use all cores properly (ie isnt optimized for multi-threading) then you might find it runs slower than a comparitively priced dual-core.

    Also, if you're using CAD, you may want a workstation-class GPU such as the Nvidia Quadro series.

    Theres a 15" that can take a Quadro FX2700 and can also be specced up with plenty of decent processors. It should be available with a Q9000 shortly too:
    http://www.kobaltcomputers.co.uk/acatalog/nexus.html


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    #4
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,973 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Also worth noting any of those options will likely run hot enough to fry an egg.


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    #5
    the-nth-warrior
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭the-nth-warrior


    Thanks for all the feed back but maybe you could define a workstation graphics card for me?:)


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    #6
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    A workstation graphics card is one that is designed specifically for things like CAD, rather than games or multimedia. With Nvidia, the Quadro cards (eg FX2700) are intended for the CAD applications, and the Geforce cards (eg 9700M GT) more so for games/multimedia.

    A Quadro card will accelerate an application that can use it (and I believe Wildfire can). A Geforce won't do anything at all in some cases, you may as well save your money and not bother. Obviously, you should check your own particular software to see if it can/cant use either.

    The physical cards are actually often identical (or close), its the drivers and bios that make the difference, but that's an issue for another day.


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