OCZ's DIY gaming laptop now available

OCZ wasn't exactly forthcoming about pricing or release details when it announced its DIY gaming laptop last month, but it looks like those intrigued by the idea of (partly) building their own system can now get their hands on one courtesy of Buy.com, which is offering up the barebones system for $670 (after a $50 rebate). That'll get you the base 15.4-inch laptop complete with an Intel PM965 chipset, a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card and a DVD burner, but you'll have to supply your own processor (any Core 2 Duo is supported), memory (up to 4GB of DDR2-667), and hard drive, not to mention an OS and other "options" like WiFi or Bluetooth.

[Via Laptoping]

[nerdtalker @ Jun 6th 2008 1:32PM]

These days, when builders like Asus, Acer, Dell, and Sager are offering single and dual 8800M GTs in their configurable lineups, anything with a single 8600M GT is hardly "gaming."

Honestly, I have a dual 8700M GT XPS M1730, and I can hardly imagine gaming on an 8600M. (The 8700s are higher-clocked 8600s)

Sure, customizable is a step in the right direction, but this system would be much more attractive with at least the 8800M. Especially with 9XXXM GPUs on the horizon right about now.

[Bender @ Jun 6th 2008 1:37PM]

Keep in mind that this isn't nearly as expensive as a dell XPS M1730. we have to understand that there are different levels of gaming and that not everyone can afford to pay 2000+ for a gaming computer and those should also be able to get atleast something decent for their money. I understand when it comes to gaming you want the best of the best but there are different ranges to suit the different users i for example can settle for a 256mb nvidia card of any type based on the games i play so why do i need to blow over 2000 USD on a laptop? just trying to open minds here

[AJ @ Jun 6th 2008 5:03PM]

Even though I wouldn't personally go for any kind of gaming laptop myself(my T61p suffices for my limited gaming needs).. I completely agee with Bender. Well said.

[Kamokazi @ Jun 6th 2008 3:22PM]

@Bender

Processor-$200 Ram-$50 HDD-$100 Wifi-$50

So another $400 and you're over a grand total. Keep in mind you're only getting a small 5400RPM hard drive, 2GB Ram, and a lower-end CPU, as well as only 802.11g. Now look at this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834198009

Beats it for $900 Spend the same amount and you can do even better...T7000 series, 1680x1050 screen, etc.

And look at this for about the same price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834114445

8700M GT

So while you can spend 2k+, you don't have to.

Also, the fact that you rated a video card based on its memory speaks volumes about your knowledge on this subject. You know you can get a 512MB 6200LE for like $30 while a 256MB 8600GT costs $100. Now either somebody's making a killing, or getting a card with the most memory is not always the better card...

[intel352 @ Jun 6th 2008 3:38PM]

Ahhh, I love Toshiba laptops, thanks for that link. Nice specs, 17" screen, good features.

Damn I wish I didn't have bills!

[OneLove @ Jun 6th 2008 4:33PM]

...and some of us will have more sense and more money. (dual what?)

[james @ Jun 6th 2008 5:27PM]

"I have a dual 8700M GT XPS M1730, and I can hardly imagine gaming on an 8600M."

with a 15" screen? Remember you don't really need 4000x3000 pixels when the screen's so small. LCDs have a limited resolution anyway, anything over that resolution is wasted. Far cheaper to wait until the games available require a better card to reach the LCD's max resolution than having two cards doing 120 fps at the 15 inch screen's maximum 1280x800.

I have a laptop with a 8600M GT and it plays Crysis and Supreme Commander just fine. Check videos on youtube for gaming on the Acer Aspire 5920

[fish @ Jun 7th 2008 12:37PM]

My Vostro 1500 has 8600M GT and it can play most stuff, on decent settings too. Only things I've come across it couldn't handle is UT3 and Crysis, and Stalker needed too many settings turned down to run well, but I have a desktop PC with 8800 GT for those.

It can certainly play a lot of very good games well though, like anything source based (HL2 + episodes, TF2, CS:S, Portal), Fear, Far Cry, WoW, Quake 4, Doom 3, all the Total War games, UT2K4, SupCom, CoH, all the COD games, etc. Problem with your M1730 is the 1920*1200 screen kills your 8700Ms.

[dcm @ Jun 6th 2008 1:33PM]

Actually, this sounds kind of interesting. It makes the PC gaming experience more available for budget gamers.

I may have to take them up on the deal

[Robotochan @ Jun 6th 2008 1:34PM]

Seems a bit of a rip off considering I got this Vostro 1700 with a 256MB 8600M GT for that price.

[kal326 @ Jun 6th 2008 2:16PM]

@Robotochan
No joke, I picked up a HP DV9548 with a Core2 Duo T5450, 2GB ram, 17" 1400x900, 120GB and 80GB drive, and a 8800GT for just under 1100 and that was last August. You will easily end up with $1000 in this setup once you get a HD, CPU, and RAM installed and you end up with smaller screen and weaker video card.

I have a service manual for the machine and HP makes all the drivers available for XP and Vista. I have the machine clean reloaded to Vista Ult with full drivers and running fine.

[tiuk @ Jun 6th 2008 2:57PM]

Smaller screen is a benefit to some. 15.4" really is too big for me, I can't imagine a 17" monstrosity. Footprint would be massive and it would be heavy as hell.

[Robotochan @ Jun 6th 2008 3:03PM]

Well the 17" was because I need it :) The Vostro 1510 isn't that much more with the same card last time I checked

[Noah @ Jun 6th 2008 1:40PM]

Oh holy hell, yet another manufacturer releases a fresh notebook - WITHOUT an HDMI port. You know, I'd totally buy one of these, IF it had an HDMI instead of the Blast from the Past Retro 1988 VGA port. Who do these guys think they're selling to anyway, Grandma and Grandpa?

Does Dell and OCZ not realize everyone threw their CRT's in the garbage about 5 years ago? Someone needs to send them a memo. Stat!

[Greg Spruce @ Jun 6th 2008 1:49PM]

Almost every HDTV has a VGA port. It allows for more compatibility when it's recognized as a plugandplay monitor over VGA, allows for changing of resolutions(up to the precious 1920x1080p).

HDMI on most computers (including my Asus G1s) don't do audio over HDMI reliably anyway.

[Kaiser-Machead @ Jun 6th 2008 1:49PM]

If it had a DVI, you could use a DVI to HDMI connection, which works pretty well for me, though having it a straight up access port would be stellar.

Too many systems still come with VGA, but lots of monitors still come with it as well, though my HP w2007 has the option of both.

[David @ Jun 6th 2008 1:56PM]

(not fresh)

[Noah @ Jun 6th 2008 2:01PM]

@ Greg - it would seem that you have forgotten, perhaps, that HDTV's *gasp* have come with HDMI and / or DVI inputs since their conception. Therefore eliminating the need for these VGA ports that you have mentioned. VGA is fuzzy no matter what resolution, and is completely and utterly pointless in this modern age.

As I mentioned previously, those who are buying these notebooks don't own legacy equipment.

Regarding audio; keep in mind VGA doesn't do audio either.

[Greg Spruce @ Jun 6th 2008 2:44PM]

Since when has VGA been fuzzy. Sit farther back from your TV screen. We really don't want to get into an argument about how close the human eye has to be to see these things.
I guess I must be blind to miss the blurry when my lappy's hooked up via VGA to the 1080p projector. an 80" screen usually can be counted on to bring out the imperfections in video signal, but alas, it looks great. Oh, and HDMI was NOT on the first HDTV's, DVI is debatable. VGA, and component, however, were and still are staples of HDTV inputs, both highly capable of 1080p.

[telepheedian @ Jun 6th 2008 6:27PM]

I once had an HDTV (early Sony rear-projection) with only component inputs, and a non-widescreen profile (the hd image was boxed in). It also didn't have native support for 720p (had to scale) and didn't do 1080p. The past was not as long ago as you seem to think.

[FxChiP @ Nov 28th 2008 12:11AM]

Yes, because the exact thing we need at this time is more HDCP.

[Syntax Error @ Jun 6th 2008 1:42PM]

This is just a barebones Compal IFL-90 if anyone was wondering, I believe ZipZoomFly also did something like this.

[David @ Jun 6th 2008 1:47PM]

or JFL-92?
idk
anyway you are right, its just rebranded. I don't want to hear the word manufacture again.

I like the idea, hopefully they will move with compal following the release of nvidias 9xxx lineup, 8600m gt is lookin a bit stale

[Slick @ Jun 6th 2008 3:16PM]

So I'm glancing through engadget on my IFL-90 (thanks powernotebooks)

[C2D T7500, 2g ram, 8600GT, 120GB sata HD,]

and I see this.. for $670 - so to rebuild mine it would cost....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819111317 - Processor: $230
RAM: $40 - $45 ish
Hard Drive: $100 ish
Operating System: $Yea right
--------------------------------------------
$1040 - I paid something around 1700, but 3 year warrently also there

Mine also has WiFi and Bluetooth, so those are NOT factored in

My brother plays WoW on it - it sticks to 60 fps all the time with everything maxed - F.E.A.R. got mid 20s to mid 30s with fairly high settings - no Crysis yet

[Slick @ Jun 6th 2008 3:17PM]

oh, also bought mine last august

[James @ Jun 6th 2008 1:47PM]

any core2duo, this sounds sick.... cept the battery life amirite

[Flashpoint @ Jun 6th 2008 1:51PM]

UNLESS it can play CRYSIS...its NOT a "GAMING LAPTOP"

Its just, a laptop that can play games.

[David @ Jun 6th 2008 2:02PM]

This will probably hit 25-30fps at low settings 1280-800, so it can play crysis at native.

Now if you want to play the powerpoint edition, you are welcome to slap the 'very high' button.

[Ayle @ Jun 6th 2008 4:05PM]

I have one(the ilf90 not the ocz rebrand), it play Crysis with most options high but water and shaders on medium.

[james @ Jun 6th 2008 5:31PM]

it'll play crysis. Youtube "Acer 5920 Crysis" and that's with a 8600GT

[David @ Jun 6th 2008 2:05PM]

In fairness vostro specs make everything look like a rip-off.

This drink was 25p!! No optical drive!?

[David @ Jun 6th 2008 2:06PM]

(@Robotochan)

[TareX @ Jun 6th 2008 2:05PM]

They lost me at "...8600..."

[Raheem @ Jun 6th 2008 2:06PM]

15 inches is not appropriate. No, that's not what she said.

[aeo @ Jun 6th 2008 2:33PM]

Well... any laptop that comes in a box sporting a fist holding a shiv has got my vote.

[raging_hamsterx @ Jun 6th 2008 3:01PM]

This is garbage

Real gaming notebook = Gateway 6860fx costs $1350 and you get:

Genuine Microsoft® Windows® Vista™ Home Premium (64-bit) SP1
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor1 T5550 (1.83GHz, 667MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache)
4096MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2-2048MB modules)5
320GB 5400RPM Serial ATA II hard drive with 8MB cache (1-320GB)6
NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800M GTS with 512MB of GDDR3 discrete video memory
17.0" WXGA+ Ultrabright TFT Active Matrix (1440 x 900 max. resolution)
FX Design with Copper Core Accent
Intel® PM965 Chipset
8x Multi-Format Dual Layer DVDRW with DVD-RAM featuring Labelflash™ Technology4
Integrated 1.3 Megapixel Web Cam

The discontinued model sells at bestbuy.com for $200 less with only difference being 1 GB less ram and uses 1 250 GB hard drive instead of two 160 GB hard drives. plus both these laptops are made to be easily upgradeable... all for under $1400. and did i mention 8800 GTS?

[BigD145 @ Jun 6th 2008 3:47PM]

Stick a 9600 in there and I'm sold. All laptops should have plug and play CPU's.

[Conor Maher @ Jun 6th 2008 3:57PM]

nice to see some custom laptops but a a Dell XPS m1530 kicks the crap out of it on price, features, looks and performance...

[Tony Rayo @ Jun 6th 2008 5:41PM]

Neat idea, but I don't see DIY laptops taking off, if for no other reason than the motherboard is the most important part of a modern computer IMO and as things exist, this wouldn't work with DIY laptops.

[robogeek @ Jun 7th 2008 2:06AM]

I for one am whole heartedly against the barebones laptop concept. Really only cause I got burned by the idea a while ago.

I Purchased, ~6years ago, a ECS Desknote that was in the same idea similar to this one. The idea is it was a desktop computer but in a laptop shell so it used standard desktop Processors, Memory, but a laptop 2.5" drive. So you purchased it for like $700 and added everything.

Well I did but if you wanted a battery that was fine and dandy if you forked out another $120 but guess what, the battery was external. The battery was about half the size of the laptop AND just as heavy. so about 7 Lbs for the laptop plus another 5 for the Battery and it was connected via a 1 foot cable. and even with all that yes I did take it on Planes even though this Huge battery that would probably power a standard laptop for 6-8 hours would only last 2 hours because it didn't use low power "Mobile" components.

As another note the computer still works fine and has been through 3 processor upgrades but won't survive another since the ZIF socket is damaged (you have to push it loose with a Screwdriver and the little plastic push bar broke off).

Notice that the spec on the OCZ Laptop says its a 9-Cell lithium... the ECS one was a 16-Cell, Sadly since the output connector broke off on mine I can't use the battery anymore, I tried to Kludge a connector but the Controller on the battery doesn't want to charge it anymore anyway since I had to Desolder the batteries to attempt the repair. The PIC on board must have been holding something important in the RAM and when I took the batteries off It stopped working.

For those interested here is the link to specs on the desknote:
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/ecs-desknote-xp/index.html

[Oinquer @ Jun 9th 2008 9:37AM]

where is this the DIY gaming laptop? cant choose neither Chipset neither graphics card?......i could bear with chipset...but graphics card? LOL!

[jimbo @ Jun 18th 2008 3:49AM]

what I love about the idea of a DIY notebook is just the ability to REMOVE items from what is put it in before it is shipped to you.

I don't need an OS, I am wanting to get a new laptop to replace an older one that I have windows xp pro on. I also have windows Vista Ultimate that I got shipped to me for free a little while back that I don't use. Why do I need to pay extra markup for an OS, ship it to me blank!

I don't need a hard drive, I have several 160gb 2.5 inch drives sitting around the house, I can throw one of those in.

I don't want to spend $350 to upgrade to 4gb of ram when I can buy the ram myself at newegg.com for around $70 and install it myself... Savings? I think so!

I don't want to spend $700 to upgrade to a T7000 series processor ON TOP of the hundreds they are probably already factoring in for the processor price when I could spend $200 and get a T8300 online and install it myself. Savings? Looks that way!

Of course, mobo/gpu options would be great, but to be honest, I only play cod4 and the mobo/gpu this thing comes with would handle that and MOST games JUST FINE for what a gamer needs.

I live in Japan and they have some shops here where you can go and choose an unbranded laptop encasing, and then choose what parts to put in it from a list, and they throw it all in and sell it. Of course they mark it up some, but it's hundreds cheaper than weaker machines you can get from dell, acer, alienware, etc.

And so if I can live with this mobo/gpu, which personally I can, this is a sweet deal!