ASUS W90 gaming laptop gets put through its paces, 'raises the bar'
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Mar 19th 2009 8:54PM
posted Mar 19th 2009 8:54PM
Suffice it to say that Computer Shopper was really really into that ASUS W90Vp-X1 gaming notebook that popped up on Newegg recently. This nearly 12 pound behemoth, the reviewer exclaims, not only sets "new 3D-graphics and productivity-speed records," but its 18.4-inch (1,920 x 1,080) LCD is "gorgeous," sporting "incredible color quality and wide viewing angles." Also singled out for praise was the Turbo Gear app that lets you overclock the machine by as much as 17 percent (for speeds up to 3.28GHz) and a "robust" 4.1 speaker sound system. Of course, any machine will have a few quibbles, although in this case they seem to be relatively minor: no Blu-ray (though it's supposed to become available at some point in the future) and a 2 megapixel webcam with "grainy" image quality (although "it's more than adequate for Skyping and chatting"). But that ain't all -- hit the read link for all the lurid details, including the hair-raising results of the Company of Heroes DirectX 9 test (spoiler: the word "blistering" was used).
No blu ray = No buy
Plus since when people overclock Laptops?
I overclock my M1730, 2.8ghz C2E -> 3ghz, it can go all the way up to 3.4ghz but Dell decided it would be cool to have the fans stay at max speed all the time when you overclock it over 3ghz. But bleh laptops like this are way too heavy (mine is 11lbs) and they get so hot.
next year is going to be the blu yearr
"Dell decided it would be cool to have the fans stay at max speed all the time when you overclock it over 3ghz."
I'm not a genius when it comes to overclocking, but did you ever think that it's so the computer doesn't catch on fuckin' fire? I'm sure Dell doesn't want to deal with mobs of returns from careless OCers.
Considering that they created the laptop cooling system (three fans and a bunch of copper), their top of the line, and most expensive, gaming laptop should be able to handle being overclocked to the maximum clock speed (3.4ghz) without having a "hacky" fix by locking the fan speeds at their maximum 100% of the time, it's SO loud and annoying. I'll never buy another dell gaming laptop again, they cut too many corners.
Yup, my M1710 is also overclocked. Dell supported too. they even made it uber easy with a feature in the bios.
To solve the constant on of the fans, I installed Speedfan. It allows me to control their speeds when the system is not really in need of full power from them. Also, Speedfan has a Dell feature that gives A LOT of info for Dell computers about fan RPM's GPU temps, core temps, etc. etc.
Yup, my M1710 is also overclocked. Dell supported too. they even made it uber easy with a feature in the bios.
To solve the constant on of the fans, I installed Speedfan. It allows me to control their speeds when the system is not really in need of full power from them. Also, Speedfan has a Dell feature that gives A LOT of info for Dell computers about fan RPM's GPU temps, core temps, etc. etc.
I don't really care at all about Blu-ray, especially in a laptop. I'm one of those obnoxious consumers for whom DVDs and Blu-ray disks have the same quality, and we don't care enough to spend 15 dollars extra for the satisfaction of having spent more.
Well good luck with watching your SD DVDs on 1920x1080 Laptop screen, its going to be ugly
Plus Blu ray is now for the rich and the future for the poor , that's why you suppose to buy a future proof laptop when you drop 2200$ for a laptop like this one
And you are a blind if you cant tell the different between 480P and 720p Let alone 1080p
@DR House
I can tell the difference between 480P and 1080P. 480P is fine for me, even on my 24" monitor. 1080P is nice, but it's not worth the cost or the DRM. My monitor is not HDCP compliant, nor do I want it to be. Also, all the old movies I like to watch look horrid when remastered in blue-ray. Blue-ray is not coming to my computer any time soon.
BLUE-ray doesn't even exist
@DR House:
You dont NEED a blu-ray drive on your laptop.
I would just get an external one for 99 bucks (or for your desktop) then just rip them to iso and store them on the laptop. Sure, you can only store a few of them on there, but do you plan on carrying your whole movie library anyways?
Besides, they will be releasing it with one soon. Even if you were debating whether you were going to get it, just wait till its released.
@DRHouse, Laptops are not and never will be "future-proof".
Personally I think BD and any other disc based format are a bag of hurt. I download stuff and play from my HD. Quality isn't as good as BD of course, but the added convenience of not having to carry/collect physical media makes more than up for it IMO.
If BD disks were $5 a pop I'd probably change my opinion. Given the greed and stupidity of the *IAA organizations that's unlikely to ever happen. Put it another way, as long as they continue to be stupid and greedy, I will continue to not give them any money. I am actually happy to pay $10 to watch a fim in a movie theatre, but $20 for a disc? No thanks.
720p is the sweet spot on my Dell 30inch monitor. 1080p is just too heavy and long to download for a minimal gain in sharpness.
don't need bluray because download content will be the new format even better don't have to bring blu ray disk to watch movies when traveling which saves space for other things.
hi
im 51 years old and if anyone can tell me they cant tell the diff between bluray and normal dvd they must be blind better quality better resolution less blurr to me its like being on the set
kind regards
david
hi
im 51 years old and if anyone can tell me they cant tell the diff between bluray and normal dvd they must be blind better quality better resolution less blurr to me its like being on the set
kind regards
david
ps mind you its cheaper to buy a usb plugin later
Their review is written as if it were a long advertisement, not from a critical point of view.
Doesn't inspire a ton of confidence... anyway, till 3D vision is out for laptops, I don't think I'll be getting a gaming laptop...
I bought this as soon as it came out and it is gorgeous. They did have a problem with the BIOS of the first batch but 2nd and 3rd have been running flawlessly.
The X1 has Dual core and DVD but the A1 (released soon) will have Blu-Ray and Quadcore.
It is SUPER quiet and runs pretty much every game on max everything. I do a lot of video and photo editing but am on the road all the time. This thing is perfect and crazy fast!!
Far Cry 2 runs on max everything? On this laptop? Are u sure?
smooothly?
I like the fact you could add another hard drive. All the people complaining about no blu ray, dvd's look fine on my 24" monitor and they said they looked good in the review. I wouldn't buy one because I'm mostly a home body and don't need a powerful laptop.
Do you know if they require a $100 hard drive adapter for non-asus hard drive?
I got burned when I didn't know that about HP's dv9000 laptops.
I have the ASUS G50 Gaming laptop, and it does not require an adapter, it's just straight SATA and the SATA power, whatever it's called.
Doesn't seem as horribly ugly as most 'gaming laptops', I must say. That's encouraging.
i second that
Good point! Wonder about battery life....
gaming laptops dont have a battery life, its more like a 15 min ups built in ;)
What is up with Asus and those hinges? I don't like how they don't fully extend to the sides of the whole laptop. Just my little pet peeve when it comes to some of their products.
Wish they'd use a full hinge on the 1000he :[
1920x1080 is actually lowering the bar...
Seriously, Why would you give up that vertical? That is important space. I hope this is a trend that will soon die out. Otherwise these larger 'gaming' laptops make good desktop replacements.
its the new trend... yeah, I guess I would be more happy with 1600x1200 but still, this laptop kick some serious ass. Best deal for raw power. Would make an excellent 3d workstation.
Alright now, isn't this the point where they stop using the word "laptop" to describe that? Daaayum...
This is what Alienware laptops should look like.
Unfortunately they are stuck in their Alien-head design look that was cool back in the 90ies for a brief period. Alienware probably doesn't even employ any designers anymore, they just copy what they have, ad infinitum.
Can it play Crysis?
And the answer iiiiiiiiiiis; YES!
blah, I need a portable gaming laptop.
"Gets put through its paces" is a misleading title. It should be "ASUS W90 X1 Gaming Laptop gets obvious fluff piece written about it".
There is no mention of battery life. While we know it won't be great at this kind of performance levels, any semi-decent review would at least check out how long it lasts.
if you read the whole article... it was 1 hour and 9 minutes in a dvd test.
Its fine, you have to plug those monsters. My 17inch toshiba is barely 1 hour now. If you need mobility, buy a netbook.
If you don't need mobility, buy a desktop.
;)
@ GB
12lbs to bring work home and to the office is a little easier than 50 lbs plus connecting wires everyday... just saying
@finite_loop
in the case of bringing work home and to the office, 12lbs is pretty heavy for a glorified USB flash drive, no?
unless you have no computer at work: in that case i would suggest you request one...
sick specs ,.!
This smacks the Mac Pro around handsomely i'd have to say, and saves people several hundred dollars in the process.
You just cant compare the expensive macbook pro with this. And this one is not even running hot!
The only advantage of the mac is the weight. But you dont buy this monster for carrying around. You buy it for freelancing, record uncompress video directly in the studio, go work in another city for few days or weeks... This is just serious. And it will handle games my current workstation can only dream off!!
I think this is the best solution for 3d and after effects guys around. Photoshop must run very well too.
I would take this over the Lenovo dual screen anytime.
Computer Shopper was my bible... about a dozen years ago. As a matter of fact, I remember buying computer shopper when it used to be printed on newsprint about 25 years ago.
Now GET OFF MY LAWN!
hi
a hp adapter for a hard drive what will those hp guys think of next its time they realised they do have competition that isnt a sud division of themselves thanks for mentioning this another reason hp can go east me i prefer asus especially in australia you can actually talk to a technician they are human and no crap inbetween they have a 2 year warranty have you guys ever tried to get a spare part from hp or ibm hehe lenovo unless you can supply every little detail its impossible for me i have has an asus f3f for nearly 2 years and if i cant replace it with asus i wont be doing it at all warranty aftersales and spare part backup is a big deal and i have never seen backup and waranty like asus
kind regards
davif
hello again
one serious thing needs to be corrected about any asus webcam i found that the webcam is not at all grainy in fact if you use lifeframe for your editing it is use nero or another 3rd party program and there is no graininess at all
regards
david
hi again
i would never choose ibm he he lenovo over asus despite the dual screen mainly price per specification if a dual screen equates to an extra 2000 dollars then its not for me but then as stated i am an asus man until someone can drag me away from price after sales service in Australia not out sourced as yet and 2 years warranty. i have had a hp and lenovo and of course the old asus and i cant comment for msi the only other manufacturer to offer 2 years warranty but one serious flaw i find with this laptop notebook deskbook call it what you will i an not a radion fan. no matter if everyone says they are the best i stick with n-vidia mainly because i have never had a top end graffic card but at least with n-vidia you can get it to work with most systems for ant small increase in speed over the n-vidia i will take a little lack of speed and performance and take the n-vidia card' as for hinges if they dont give a problem and work well why change it some other hinges dont work too well. finally as for the difference between blue-ray blu-ray blueray and bluray and any other combination plug it into a search engine and you still get what you want if this was a site for spelli grammarr and sutch lik then ok annd if spellin and grammar and sutchh is your bling then go to a english american spellin grammar site everyone makes typos etc
kind regards neverhte less
david
ya really !
BIG CON: is NO BLU-RAY . ?