Question:
grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
let me start by saying this is between two barebones versions of these laptops. i am seeing them both for around 700, add in the wireless.
THE MAIN DEBATE HERE IS ABOUT 3 THINGS:
a) GRAPHICS!!! the ati x1600 vs. nvidia 7600 go
i really don't know which is better, and i hear the compal hel 80 ones come underclocked, this is bad, is there anyway to reclock them back to normal speeds?
b) BATTERY!!! i think the compal comes with a 9 cell? this is a huge + cuz i know those gpus are gonna suck the juice right out of the battery. the asus comes with 6 cell but some kind of smart thingy?!? i dunno...
I NEED THE ONE WITH THE LONGEST BATTERY TIME!!! lol, kinda obvious!
and
c) screen, i need wsxga+ on them but i prefer GLOSSY NOT MATTE as i like to watch movies!!
these are the three main things, but i'll go ahead and fill out the rest of the faq
General Questions
1) What is your budget? 1000-1300 (flexible)
2) What size notebook would you prefer? both are 15.4" i believe, but i would TOTALLY WANT an equally powerful (gpu-wise) barebone that is either 14" or less!! lighter is better!!!!
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? anything, school lecture notes, class, gaming, multimedia everything!
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? taking it with me
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? with those kinds of gpu's i'd like to be able to play anything...
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? i like hp, don't like inspirons, but am focused on the two stated above, but very open to other suggestions.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? 1324098823508, but seriously i need like at the bare minimum 3+.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? no, as long as there are reviews on this website... ;)
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in? usa
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? widescreen, but doesn't matter...
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? b,c,d, e,f the higher the better!
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
really really want glossy!
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? VERY VERY IMPORTANT
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? FOREVER! atleast 3,4 years, i can maintain it, so it should last quite a while...
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB? i'll put that in myself, thank you very much!
-newegg... for hd and ram
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? i prefer if the laptop comes with this, as this is the one thing im not so sure how to put in, combo is fine, but obviously would prefer the upgrade to dvd-rw if available.
-can i get this off newegg?
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uhh hopefully this is the last one of these i fill out, sorry and thanks a ton guys!!!
oh i plan on putting a t7200 core 2 duo in this, i think there is a site that has the z96j up there with this cpu available for 749, and 355 for the cpu, please advise if this is decent, as the semester has already started and can't afford to wait much longer... (even though i will have to if i want to buy the cpu separately, it will be around 325 though...)
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
How strongly do you need 3+ hours? If so, the HEL80. The Asus will probably only get around 2.5 in reality. Yes, it's GPU is underclocked, and I doubt you can clock it back to "normal" (which is 500, right?)
Besides that, seems like the Z96j would fit you better.
The HGL30 is a 14 inch...I don't know if it comes barebones though.
Oh and another thing. USE THE SEARCH BUTTON. So many threads on this already.
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
I haven't seen any place that sells the HGL30 barebones either. Both it and the Hel80's card come with stock speeds of 350/350. For some reason the memory doesn't like to be overclocked much (maybe +20) at all, though you can bring hte core speed up a ways. If you have to have the best gaming performance and benchmarks then the z96j will probably be the best bet. However, the Compal will get better battery life because of the standard 9 cell that comes with it. But! The Hel80's WSXGA is matte, while the Z96j's is glossy I believe. So it sounds like the Z96J might be better for you. If battery is a real problem you can always buy a 9 cell from somewhere else.
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
I agree that the Z96J seems to fit your needs better since you want maximum benchmarks (have you read the x1600 vs. go 7600 thread in the gaming forum?) and a glossy WSXGA+ screen.
Apparently there are 9-cell batteries that will fit the Z96J. They just aren't made for that particular system but work. Since the 96J series is VBI, I would think those batteries are fine to use with the 96Js as a number of users have upgraded to them.
Good luck.
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...6-0382ca7762fc
tell me what u think of this
this is the hgl30 at this price it looks nice to me but the only thing is i need the gpu's clocked to normal, ok glossy vs. matte i can toss that aside.. screen is a little small... but its a 14". i wanna know how these would compare to the two and which would be best. it seems like a darn good deal for a t7200 which is what i want!
basically (from the bottom) the changes are no case, bluetooth +40, 60 gb sata, 512 mb corsair ram, c2d t7200... for 1284, doesn't look so bad, i need something around this price range, but whats the best? around 1284 before any tax+ shipping if applicable
oh i just read it, as i can tell from the comparison forum, it comes down to other factors. gpu's are same... except, the compal is underclocked. WHICH NOW, IS A GOOD THING! to save on battery!! but i want to know now if i can overclock it in the future if need be! i like this feature now, and i have a matte laptop now, so it won't make much of a difference. plus i hate it when my eyes burn because its too bright, i like always lower the brightness on the lcd's anyway...
with that said, any new advice?
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
Take a look at this thread
I can overclock my HGL30's card to ~475/373 with room to go higher on the core (though I really don't need to). The 373 will not go an inch higher, so you will not be able to achieve "normal" clocks, which I think its 475/500? or something like that. I've underclocked it a few times to about 150/150 when I don't need the power as well (can probably go lower too).
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
hey quix, so i just download rivatuner? i extremely like the idea of being able to adjust clock speed, as my laptop is not for any single purpose. when in class i need it ultra low, when gaming i need it ultra high... but my last question to u is, if i use rivatuner to adjust clock speeds on the gpus, how will the ati x1600 compare with the 7600 go in terms of feasibility and functionality in compliance with rivatuner? also which will give me better battery life while using rivatuner with each of the gpus?
oh and which is better? compal hel80, or asus z96j, or hgl30
basically id rather mess around with clocking the gpu's than buying an extra battery and having to carry around 2 batteries since the compal hel80 comes with 9 cell stock. im on the border between the two and gpu performance and battery life management are the top two concerns tied for 1st priority. any help? anyone?
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
The ASUS Z96J will start at a higher level and allow you to overclock to higher levels. There is a 9-cell battery that fits the Z96J even though it's not designed for that particular system.
I like the HEL80 for the matte screen. Since you mentioned you don't like the screen too bright I'm thinking you might prefer a matte to a glossy screen.
Either way you will end up with a great system. I wouldn't worry about making the "wrong" decision.
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
hey chrisyano, i just went and saw the pictures, and i don't really like the all gray layout of the asus, in looks and stylishness i think the hel80 with the black looks better. but i also saw that the hel80 weighs around a pound more? if this is true please advise. if the difference in weight is unnoticeable i would go with the compal cuz of the looks, but if it is noticeable i'd stick with the asus. do advise again
The weight on the Z96J and HEL80 is more like 1/2 lb. or less if I'm not mistaken. I'm actually thinking they are closer than that in weight.
While I don't think The Z96J is ugly, it is a VBI design. That just means that that lid will be used on other VBI systems as well. I've really come to like the styling of my HEL80. Understated but classy.
Answer:
Re: grueling debate between compal-hel 80 and asus z96j **BAREBONES**
I use coolbits, since all it requires is a quick and painless registry change. I have no experience with rivatuner though I hear it allows you to make profiles which may prove convenient if you change your clocks a lot. Like chris said, the z96j will be able to pump out more power.
If one were to go strictly by the numbers (not the best way to go!), the Compal Go7600 will get 3dmark05 score ~3000-3100 on stock clocks, and can be overclocked to up to say ~3700 (well, this is where I stopped). The Z96J's X1600 may start at 3600-3700 and with Omega drivers will probably get up to ~4000, more if one chooses to overclock it more. But these are just synthetic benchmarks and should be taken with a little grain of salt. Point is more power can be extracted from the X1600 since it starts out higher.
In the end, I'm sure you'll have satisfactory gaming experience with either card. Both machines are great :D