We
told you NVIDIA's all-new superpowered mobile GPU would only fit inside jumbo-sized cases and here's your proof. The Clevo Style Note D900 is neither stylish nor much of a note taker, but boy it's a big, bad gaming machine. That trifecta of fans you see above is cooling the
GTX 480M chip as well as a 2.93GHz Core i7-940 -- a CPU that's designed for desktop duty from what we can gather. You won't be shocked to discover this 17-inch desktop replacement rather burned the feathers off some similarly juiced up high fliers, but the difference is of course that laptops like the
ASUS G73JH are actually available to buy, as opposed to a pipe dream demo machine like the Clevo. All the same, you might wanna check out this sneak peak before
HH does a full review.
Update: Turns out Sager is
already offering to furnish you with a GTX 480M-equipped rig that looks very much like this one, including a selection of desktop-class Core i7s. [Thanks, Barry]
posted June 4th 2010 5:43PM
This thing looks more like the engine of a sports car, and the insides of a laptop.
I had a desktop replacement once. it was the worst computing choice of my life.
they are crazy expensive, run hot, hard to upgrade... and in a few short years, drop in price and performance; assuming the fans don't crap out on you.
find a 5 yr old laptop and run linux. it will meet your MOBILE computing needs at a fraction of the cost, run cooler, and produce. Want a desktop? buy one. $600 will get you a decent machine capable of producing most everything you need.
gaming? what a scam. buy an xbox360 or ps3. how many games can you buy for $3000?
@kbricked --> this is what happens when you trust sales people.
@kbricked Building a gaming PC (desktop, who the hell games on a laptop?) is cheaper than buying a console. For one reason, you ARE getting a computer with it.
@KingFaisal94 I don't know where you get your computer parts, but building a gaming PC is not cheaper than buying a console. Not even close. Whats a PS3 cost these days? $300? Games at $40 a pop? I've built a few computers in my day, average price for a respectable work machine is $350; and it won't run today's games on it. A $600 rig can get you decent performance, but its not top of the line stuff and falls under the mid range PC given the requirements of some of todays games. Not SLI capable - but I'd rather play console games than PC. However, if you've got the cash and the know-how, building a gaming rig and watching the latest games fly on an icore7 with 3 SLI PCI-e2.0 slots has got to be fun... but is it really worth it? For that matter, why not just get a cray super computer? beat the specs on that.
And who games on a laptop? People who need a powerful mobile computer for drafting and just happen to play the occasional game here and there. Getting back to Consoles being computes, PS3 can run YDL from what I understand; capable of surfing the web and other basic computing needs; Word Processor etc. Consoles are computers these days - complete with USB ports for wireless keyboards, mice and will only become more powerful and multifunctional as they learn to market more open machines and/or the home-brew world cracks 'em open.
Whats taken me a long while to appreciate is efficiency in computing and seeing through the M$ and PC industry marketing, mostly done through my involvement with Linux and the FOSS world.
Need Windows 7? Most people don't, really. Any Linux distro will allow 90% of computer users to surf the web, check/send email, write papers, print and work with digital media in any number of different ways; "free" of cost. That is pretty damn incredible. Want to know something else? It doesn't take a new computer to run it! Gasp! You mean I can use a ten year old computer, watch it boot and work fast, AND its FREE? (I have a ten year old A20m ThinkPad, it boots in 14s)
I guarantee 95% of people who own a computer (or several) can not maximize the processing power they have now, and really - when it comes to computing and gaming - I'd rather buy a $300 dollar machine with its entire purpose to be for gaming, with the ability for the occasional computing.
IF you need more power (that is the ability to do work) and you aren't much for games; a PC under $800 will produce for many years and allow you some return on your purchased or custom built PC.
Anything else dude, and you're toasting cash.
@kbricked
These things have their market. I mean, i own an Xbox 360 that handles most of my gaming needs, but i also own a DTR. ¿The reason?: i wanted a computer with a large screen that i could easily bring with me. Can't do that with a regular desktop, now can i?.
And since given the screen size, the thing won't be much "mobile" anyways,so it only makes sense that you look for some GPU and CPU horsepower -they are, nonetheless, caled "Desktop Replacementes-. Battery life is a non-issue too: my DTR isn't going anywhere where a power plug is not available. I would take my netbook instead if that would be the case.
Of course, there are extremes, like this one, overpriced and overpowered. But again those have their usage scenario: namely, LAN Parties. See, a 3.000$ alienware m17x costumer doesn't care about productivity, efficience, or having your investment returned. It's all about having fun. It's like buying a Corvette when you could do with a Daewoo.
Ironically, even when they do not care about efficiency, these costumers actually push part manufacturers to release more efficient parts, such as desktop CPU's so efficient they can work in a laptop without melting, or insanely powerful GPU's that work on batteries -if only for a short time-. That's not bad, it's technoloy advancement. Lucky for us, there's a market that will sustain the development of technologies we will enjoy on the cheap a couple of years later. So don't bash on them. They're good for the business.
@Hamaki Yes, they do have their market. I should know, I bought one. As a freelancing CAD drafter, I thought it would fit my needs quite nicely. However, they don't last; the fans crapped out - (had an passive laptop cooler - x stand by targus) ever since I bought it.
Needless to say, the work I was expecting to do with it didn't get as far as I was hoping, and for the price - I was far better off with a desktop; and working at one location. Mobile computers... the need to do work on the go... really is a convenience more than a necessity.
And if you do have to work on the go, needing that kind of 'ability to do work' is ridiculous. you'll melt whatever it is you have it on, and lets hope you're tethered to a power outlet because you aren't getting battery life at all, basically then you paid for a 9 cell or whatever paper weight, and hot waffle iron waiting to cook itself out of production. Great choice.
There are more cost effective ways of computing, this is not one of them. And for three grand, you can build an incredibly powerful desktop that will last you much longer and won't die due to overheating problems; AND you won't be tossing out a useless battery in a year. Beyond drafting, anyone needing a large DTR {desktop replacement} with a large screen for mobile purposes is almost full of it, pending type and quantity of work produced. And if you really need screen real-estate, 24" monitors aren't as expensive as they used to be. It is a luxury. If you can afford it, great. If you can't; don't buy into the hardware hype. If you want practical mobile computing, use a laptop designed to be efficient, not bullshit. And if you have to make a sacrifice, (not having the screen real-estate), then make one and save yourself the mistake of buying a machine like this. Marketing, it works for a reason.
People who play games with DTRs... are fools. They have extra money to spend? Great. Then they're little more than fools with money. Computers, in my experience, are work machines. They are not toys, something to play around with, or the next big wish list item for Christmas. They are incredibly powerful inventions with an incredible history behind them changing the world we live in at an unprecedented rate. Games? Get the fuck out here! Again, if you've got the cash and the time; hey - party on Garth.
While I agree that these people can push the market in specific ways, I'd rather see this kind of computer die out. They consume incredible amounts of power, they don't last, over heat, and they just don't last! They make computers that draw less than 10W, and run Windows 7. Isn't the more efficient desktop/laptop/netbook something we should aspire to as opposed to cramming a desktop into a mobile computer with a shelf life of 7 years? And where do these things end up?
Here -->: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
The trend that companies, and people like ourselves should be more concerned about, is how efficient can we compute? How can we do more, with less? As a consumer, its not about having the best, the fastest, the biggest, or the coolest. It was for a while, but then I saw through that fake bullshit. Its all $$ for companies, nothing more. At the time I worked too hard for my money to be giving it away for something that in the end cost me far more than what it returned.
Today I'm more about maximizing what resources I have, fitting old hardware, relatively speaking, with great software that fully utilizes and improves the power of said hardware. By that I mean getting rid of M$ Windows and using Linux, increasing productivity with faster load times and great up-time - or if Windows is a necessity, which it often is, building a machine with a 10-15 year life span; pending its production requirements. I can also assure you, upgrading said machine when the time arrives is going to be very, very cost effective.
Upgrade that DTR in 10 years...if its still running.
Ironically, even when they do not care about efficiency, these costumers actually push part manufacturers to release more efficient parts, such as desktop CPU's so efficient they can work in a laptop without melting, or insanely powerful GPU's that work on batteries -if only for a short time-. That's not bad, it's technoloy advancement. Lucky for us, there's a market that will sustain the development of technologies we will enjoy on the cheap a couple of years later. So don't bash on them. They're good for the business.
@Hamaki In other words, my 'Desktop Replacement' didn't work out very well in the long run. If others can maximize their return for their investment, then more power to them.
@kbricked
You're a little outdated my friend. There is ALWAYS a market. I've gamed on consoles and I really don't like it that much. I'm a keyboard gamer. I much prefer huge strategy titles (like the Total War series) and when it comes to first person shooters, I much prefer aiming with a mouse and moving with a keyboard than a little keypad. As to why I would need a laptop instead of a desktop, I live and work onboard a ship. Yes that's right a ship. When it comes to getting ready for tough rolls, its easy for me to pack up my laptop for the night. When it comes time for me to get off a ship and skeedaddle to another ship or go on vacation, I just pack up my laptop and head out.
I currently own a Clevo D901C 17.1" monstrosity that I purchased for around $5k. Yes I know I spent a shitload of money on it but that doesn't matter because this laptop is about a year and a half old, still working great, and as long as I keep it dust-free (I take off the covers and suck the dust out with a small vacuum or I blow it out with a compressed gas-in-a-can), it keeps plenty cool. As to gaming like a desktop, the only game that gives it pause right now is Crysis, and I can run it on the highest resolution with only a little bit of anti-aliasing (but with every single other spec on Highest).
PC's as useless for gaming? Please you really don't game that much on PC's. Could you try playing even an older Total War title, like "Rome: Total War" with a console and the console keypad? Try ordering your thousands of men on the battlefield around with 6 buttons and two directional joysticks, let alone the brand newest titles such as Empire: Total war or Napoleon: Total War.
@Bilgediver
I purchased my laptop from www.avadirect.com. Trying not to be a corporate shill here, just pointing out where I got it from (in case someone buys a clevo somewhere else and doesn't have the same reliability that I've personally enjoyed). And to be fair:
The Sager machine is just a repackaged Clevo. Sager RESELLS Clevos.
@Bilgediver What part of "Yes, they do have their market." was hard to understand sailor? Most people don't have $5 grand to spend on a toy. If it works for you, great. It still sounds like a miserable way to spend $5 grand. I don't much like games in general, but they do have their purpose. It was a waste of my money to buy something like this. Granted, had it been a Clevo, perhaps I would have had better reliability. I kept the DTR I had clean as a whistle and on a passive laptop cooler (which actually works better than those bullshit usb coolers) and it still died on me.
I also don't know many people who sail; and I can see where a high powered machine in compact mobile form would then be worth the cost, and I'm sure there are other markets as well.
I just never had much luck with mine lasting and working as anticipated.
Clevo pops these monsters out all the time. NICE
@HJTravels Nice? Take 3 grand, put in a pile, throw some lighter fluid on it, and torch it. No, not nice. Its garbage. You'll never get your money out of it, or a return; unless you happen to be a computer whiz doing something that requires that kind of hardware crammed into a space it should be crammed into.
i'm more for FitPC2i these days...or a sheevaplug; guruplug.
efficient, simple, cost effective computing. everything else is a waste for most people.
@kbricked "...shouldn't* be crammed into. ..." Who needs a power hungry "desktop replacement" ...*cough*... computer that melts into their desk? its all bullshit.
@kbricked
"cough cough" notice you said "most people".
By your own statement you even admit that some people would want or need this kind of computing.
Stop hating.
@Bilgediver Am I hating on you? If you're a fool who likes to spend $5 grand a mobile gaming PC instead of a console and small portable, wall mountable HDTV for a few extra hundred dollars, suit yourself. On the other hand, if you're computer is running extensive software out in the middle of nowhere, running on constant juice and crunching some serious numbers then hell, it was probably a good choice.
The bottom line, the niche market for these kind of machines are very, very few; and generally speaking if you don't need a machine like this, you'll never get your money out of it.
Build a desktop for half the price and watch it last twice as long, without it burning a hole in your desk; or your wallet.
Well shoot. I thought this was an article about a Fermi overheating and breaking it's cover in a shower a pieces. Disappointing.
other uses:
Portable space heater
Portable foreman style grill for tailgating
attach a few to the front of icebreaking ships to keep the navigation lanes open in the winter...
"Attention: High temperature parts!"
No shit sherlock.
Engadget wrote: That trifecta of fans you see above
I've always felt it's a special demonstration of ignorance to use complex words for entirely the wrong purpose. "trifecta" doesn't mean triplet. Ever heard of a dictionary?
dictionary def trifecta.
@speculatrix
d'oh, engadget site mangled the link: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trifecta
Stick one of these in a MacBook, please. :drool:
freags eletrical bills the most.
this would be interesting. Its like a neverending battle between the gaming component manufacturers and the gaming software industry to out-do each other. Well this game will max out your specs. Well this machine will easily play the most demanding of software titles.
Oh and to you PC-Gaming haters? Its this neverending battle that allowed console games in the first place. Modern Consoles really are computers made to do nothing but game. I bet you we will see either an nVidia or ATI budget-but-still-extremely-powerful graphics chip put in the next generation of either the XBox or the Playstation. And its this constant improvement on power, efficiency and cost which allows the console gaming to improve, too.
@Bilgediver You know what? This computer will be shit in 7 years and won't be able to play a popular title of the day. What is your 5 grand worth then? Oh, and genius; they do try to out do each other. Its called buisness; supply and demand. What good is an 'awesome' video card if there is no software to push it? Of course they do this.
But you know what? My $400 console? Much better return on investment if you're sole purpose is to play games. You spend on your money on this 'mobile gaming pc' bullshit if you want. You're part of the reason why they keep making them; so for that, I thank you for spending your money - which you seem to have in abundance - I'll stick to more cost effective gaming and spend my money where it actually makes a difference.
And as far as gaming goes?
I'd rather bang my girlfriend than sit around with a joystick in my hand. So keep gamin dude, it seems to suit you well.