This writer is on record saying that gaming is the real killer app for 3D, and while we wait for 3D movies to find a home distribution method and start throwing some weight around, that continues ring true. Luckily, the
ASUS G51J 3D doesn't skimp on the graphics power, despite its almost-pretty-portable 15.6-inch size. We checked out Left 4 Dead 2 in 3D on the machine, using the included NVIDIA 3D setup, and were pretty impressed by the gaming graphics and what 3D adds the experience. The technology is obviously maturing, and the thought of being able to do this on a portable machine makes it even more consumer friendly -- it's not like anyone buys desktops anymore. Our only gripe with the machine is that it's pretty generic and even ugly looking, and the display itself is sharp and bright but suffers from some odd viewing angle problems: the blacks have a tendency to flip out when we get slightly off axis. Viewing some stills shot on
Fujifilm's FinePix REAL 3D W1 camera, however, really showed off how vibrant the display is, and as long as you stay on the straight and narrow (most 3D applications are single user anyway) you should be fine.
posted November 19th 2009 6:25PM
Pfffffff 3D. Everyone knows 4D is better...
Yeah 3D is sooo last week :P
@Alan I'll wait for 15, but I'm only really interested in 12.
@Alan Are you saying time and space is better than 3D? That's like saying you have T-2 and not T-1... lamer....
@Alan: Fortunately they aren't still images, so you're covered. Actually, ASUS ought to consider a different marketing solid angle.
This looks pretty awesome for the future of gaming!
@Almo WTH, how about some in-depth hands-on? This barely scratched the surface..
"No one uses a desktop anymore" Since when?
@toodles I know right? Laptops are great but sometimes I need something with a big screen and lots of performance
@toodles I am typing this from a recently built desktop as I speak. Try fitting a phenom II 940 in a laptop. O wait, you can't! That being said, I like laptops as well, but not enough to pay extra over my custom compy.
@hamerhead_12
Agreed. $400 doesn't buy much of a laptop, but put $400 into a desktop where you already have a good monitor, speakers, etc and you'll be faster than any $1000 laptop for (obviously) much less.
@toodles
Agreed, laptops have there uses, but i prefer a desktop anyday of the week.
@toodles
I agree with everyone on this thread. I have used deaktop all my life, couldn't understand the need to use a laptop/notebook. In fact I only very recently gotten myself a notebook and regretted it almost immediately. I skipped 2 generations of mobile computing, sticking with my desktop. Most of my mobile computing involves smartphones only... and those aren't much of a computer either.
So... When was it that no many buy desktop anymore? I know... the author must be referring to the bunch of general masses then....
Laptops are gaining more and more marketshare over desktops. I'm hoping because of this, laptops also bridge the performance gap between desktops. They already have closed it a lot with most regards except for GPU. The GTX 260M in this Asus is on par with a desktop 9800GT, pretty big difference, nothing close to the desktop GTX 260.
I'd like to see external GPU solutions for laptops, more of them, more widespread.
@RKN (Steam ID: nerdydesi)
Probably because desktop GPU's are almost half the size of a netbook. They are only getting bigger. One day you will need a separate tower to put your gpu.
I wonder how my "personal" videos will look on here..
@Ashley Jones Depends what you film them with.
@Mark Thanks!
Buying a laptop for gaming is a very expensive way of getting poor performance.
Oh the two latest "revolutions" in gaming, I think 3D is more impressive and useful than motion control, which is what the big 3 console makers are pushing. 3D is not as big a break from traditional games, but I feel like it could provide so much more
3D should stay away from laptops.
@dagamer43 Oh yeah. I really don't want to have to wear glasses on GTA IV family gaming night. Nobody will be able to see it. My Mom has bad vision as it is.
Is anyone having trouble commenting from Chrome?
@cocoviper
Naturally it would work the one time I comment about something besides a post...
@cocoviper Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've been using chrome all day and haven't had any problems, so you got a good answer out of it.
Can anyone explain to me what it exactly takes for a computer or TV to be "3D Ready"?
I hear the PS3 is bringing 3D support to it in the near future, not in the form of a new PS3, but through a firmware update. So if I wanted to take advantage of this, what exactly would I need? Is it as simple as having a television with 120Hz? Or is it more complicated than that?
I'm really interested in this new 3D technology, although as of now, I'm a bit confused on exactly how it works.
@Daniel (aka Sourside?)
Yes you do need a 120 display, the way it works is to alternate the view of the left and right eyes 120 times a second. 60 times you'll see the left eye, and 60 times the right. Normally that would just result in a blur, so you need the special LCD glasses. When using these only the eye meant to see the image CAN see that image. IE: When the view for the left eye is on the screen the right eye can only see the opaque LCD lens, and vice-versa. Of course it has to sync properly or you get "ghosting" which is when one eye catches a little of what is only supposed to be seen by the other eye. On PC there's a transmitter that signals the glasses when to change, however I'm not sure how they're going to handle that on PS3 yet, but since it's coinciding with the release of their 3D TV, and Blueray player(s) I would assume that the functionality will be built in.
@Daniel
Something Billy left out is that CURRENT 120 Hz and 240 Hz TVs won't be able to do 3D in this way because they cannot accept 120 different frames per second (they can't accept 120 Hz signal). They can only accept a 60 Hz signal and show each frame twice (or four times in the case of 240 Hz). This is why the TV makers say you'll need a new set. I think I read that bit of trivia on Engadget, actually.
L4D2 ftw!
@Samuel Wat
Pills here!
Does it comes with a bottle of aspirins? I can't imagine the headache after playing for some hours
Imagine the Witch coming at you. In 3D.
Or if you're into the other kinds of zombies.
Imagine the Tank. Or Charger. Or the Hunter.
OR, if you're into deviant fetishes, imagine the Boomer's Vomit! Or the Smoker's Tongue.
kinda interested, but not really. I am not that into 3d until there is lots of good content for it.
This is interesting to see. Although I would get annoyed after sometime with the 3D. Bada$$ looking laptop.
awesome front picture!
First 2 words that popped in my mind when I saw the picture: BluBlocker sunglasses.
6 months after I bought my G50vt-X5 laptop, its already obsolete. *sniff*
I see no difference. The only thing I see is that I'm looking through shades.
@Konrad
What you can't tell from the picture is that the left lens of the shades is only seeing the picture for the left eye, and the right lens is only seeing the picture for the right. If you want to really see the difference get a pair of red/blue glasses, and (if you have an nvidea GPU) install their 3D drivers. It's not the same, but it works, and you'll see the 3D.
I want Half Life 2: Episode 3 in 3D.
(well, having it at all would be a good start...)
Any other bespectacled people think this blows as much as I do? Does Asus have a prescription option?
"it's not like anyone buys desktops anymore"
Yeah, that's why Apple doesn't sell iMacs, Mac Mini's and Mac Pro's.