The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
← Previous pageNext page →

    Asus G53SW Owners' Lounge

    Discussion in 'ASUS Reviews and Owners' Lounges' started by kaworu876, Apr 16, 2011.

  1. omarness

    omarness Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hey Guys, just a quick question, aside from the increase of temperature of the GPU, what are the other cons when overclocking it? and is the procedure is safe? or it might causes your computer to malfunction or something? Lastly Is it worth the risk? (in terms of playing games).

    Sorry if these questions are getting repetitive or been asked before in other threads. :(
     
  2. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

    Reputations:
    7,588
    Messages:
    10,023
    Likes Received:
    1,077
    Trophy Points:
    581
    If you overclock too high, you'll start seeing artifacts, crashes or even bsods. Aside from the ehat, OCing can reduce the life expectancy of the component. I'd say overclock only when you need it. If you need a slight OC for a better framerate, then do it but if your fps is fine then don't overclock. To make it short: OC only if you need to.
     
  3. adultswim3

    adultswim3 Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    So I contacted Newegg and Asus and my power button is defective. I'm doing advanced replacement with Newegg so I won't be without a computer.
     
  4. omarness

    omarness Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Thank you sir for the detailed explanation. I see some software that are used for overclocking (e.g. MSI Afterburner) is it possible to overclocking to the safest level? meaning to avoid other side effects to the computer that you mentioned above?
     
  5. Kyrandia

    Kyrandia Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    hi guys, i would buy g53sw, but i want to ask to owners if it suffers from throttle !!! does cpu or gpu overheat causing throttle ? thank you so much for help !!
     
  6. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    The G53SW does not suffer from a heat-related throttle.
     
  7. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,333
    Messages:
    1,915
    Likes Received:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    66
    I never use a cooling pad. I always believe the laptop should be able to keep its temperatures under control without assistance. Well that, and a cooling pad would be fairly useless on this notebook since it doesn't have much ventilation on the bottom anyways.

    Both 625 MHz and 1250 Mhz is correct -- it all depends on how the number is used or compared. The VRAM on the GTX 460M does indeed run at 625 MHz, when you just want the speed per cycle. 1250 MHz would be correct if you are wanting the speed of the VRAM in two processes per cycle, which is what the term 'dual channel' refers to, and also the effective dual rate of DDR2 and DDR3.

    Comparing the dual data rate of a GT 555M GDDR3 versus the GTX 460M's GDDR5 converted to GDDR3:

    GT555M: 900 MHz single channel rating x 2 processes per cycle of DDR3 = 1800 MHz Dual data rate effective.

    GTX460M: 625 MHz single channel rating x 2 processes per cycle of DDR3 = 1250 MHz Dual data rate effective.

    Yes, comparing apples to apples, the GTX 460M would have been slower. However, GDDR5 can process four objects per cycle, so the actual speed of the memory is:

    625 MHz single channel rating x 4 processes per cycle of GDDR5 = 2500 MHz.

    Because of the GDDR5's ability to process twice as much as DDR3/GDDR3 in the same timespan, GDDR5 does not need to be running as fast as DDR3 to match or beat it in the grand scheme of things.

    It sounds a bit confusing, but that's the best I can do. Maybe someone can put it in simpler terms?
     
  8. Kyrandia

    Kyrandia Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    does it have throttle for other reasons ?
     
  9. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

    Reputations:
    7,588
    Messages:
    10,023
    Likes Received:
    1,077
    Trophy Points:
    581
    You'll have to experiment to find your maximum stable OC. Start by OCing either the core or memory clock without touching the other by increments of 10MHz and test it. If it's stable, go up another 10MHz and retest. Continue like that until you start getting driver errors, artifacts or crashes. Once you find the max OC for the memory, you can repeat the same procedure for the core clock. The shader clock is based on the core clock and will overclock with it automatically.
     
  10. dragonwolf8504

    dragonwolf8504 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Thanks, while I can't pretend to understand everything, this I understand, since you put it in a formula. lol. I always wondered the differences and why Gddr5 seemed to run at slower speeds then gddr3, and now you explained it to me. Thanks again for the explanation. :)
     
  11. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Yes it does, and my understanding from reading this thread is that it's more of a BIOS issue than a hardware/design defect. You'll want to go back through this thread, I believe the discussion begins with talks of GTA4 not performing well.

    The current workaround is to download a utility called Throttlestop. Many of us have done this and seen no adverse affects from doing so. To start with, Throttlestop is mentioned on page 20 of this thread. we hope that Asus will address this issue with a permanent fix via a BIOS update.

    Anyone else should feel free to jump in and correct me if I'm mis-speaking.
     
  12. dkillone

    dkillone Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    319
    Messages:
    630
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You pretty much nailed it on the spot adam, you don't even need to leave throttlestop open. Just running it, then closing it upon a fresh boot stops all cpu throttling until next reboot. So far the only game we know 100% sure throttling occurs is GTA4, but I'm hoping to find some more so it gives more reasons for Asus to fix it for us.

    And yup, the BIOS seems to be the culprit and hopefully we see a BIOS update for both, G53 and 73 SW models. Though don't hold your breath, with the G74/53SX coming around the corner, it is possible Asus will neglect this fix since it doesn't seem to be getting much attention from all SW owners.
     
  13. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    The throttling also occurs in World of Warcraft.
     
  14. Kyrandia

    Kyrandia Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    thank you mate for exhaustive reply..so too bad !! did owners wrote to asus for a fix ? so as i can see throttle occurs independently from temps, right ?

    so maybe it's not good that i buy this notebook :(
     
  15. dkillone

    dkillone Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    319
    Messages:
    630
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    @adam,
    Ah, srry, I missed your post about that, if you can, get text logs of before and after TS, with the before showing proof of the throttling. I will forward that to Ken so he has more to work with, throttling occurring in a popular game such as WoW should make them more motivated.

    @Kyrandia,
    See my post HERE, I am definitely trying to get something done about it, and honestly, I still recommend the laptop since until a fix is out, running Throttlestop isn't much of a hassle. Other than that, G53/73SW has lots of power while able to maintain quietness.
     
  16. Kyrandia

    Kyrandia Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    yes i like g53sw (sx is a step backwark in my opinion ) and yes TS is not a problem, the price is even not that high, 1100€, i hope asus is going to fix soon
     
  17. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I really, sincerely hope they don't just ignore it - I think enough people own these models that they would - and certainly should - feel obligated to pay attention to them. :(

    Also, throttling definitely occurs in Stacraft 2, as well. Without Throttlestop running I get around ~30-40 FPS with the settings on Ultra/1080p, and with Throttlestop running that jumps up dramatically to around ~50-60 FPS with the same settings. I'd say that's a pretty enormous boost in performance.
     
  18. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    15,730
    Messages:
    7,146
    Likes Received:
    2,343
    Trophy Points:
    331
    Just FYI the throttling on the G51 was never addressed with a BIOS update. Don't be too surprised if you continue to need to use the 0x1fc workaround.
     
  19. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Can you send me a PM and let me know how you got throttlestop to make a log that looks like the one you posted on page 23?

    I can create a log but can't figure out how to get the same columns that you did.

    Thanks!
     
  20. GarryChow

    GarryChow Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    111
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    holy, it is that much of a difference with throttlestop? do you see temp increases from running TS?
     
  21. dkillone

    dkillone Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    319
    Messages:
    630
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Ah, i must have misread or didn't see more messages about it than I thought. I could have sworn I read a post from you or someone else stating SC2 isnt affected by it. But indeed that framerate boost certainly proves throttling going on. Now I wish I owned these games to test myself. However, sounds bad that I'm glad to hear about more games, but I seriously think the more games affected by it, the more chance we have of a fix. Though...

    Yup, big shame, though, Ken Lee told me he was able to get Asus to release a BIOS update fixing a BSOD prob for G51j owners. And he is now helping me with talking to them about the throttle problem. Really wish I could find a Asus rep to reply to me, but it's nice to know someone is at least responding and helping even if it's not an asus employee.
     
  22. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yeah, it really is a big difference. I was pretty shocked, to be completely honest. I don't see any real temp increases from running TS - maybe the power brick gets a bit hotter, but not dangerously so in my estimation. I mean, I don't game on this laptop for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week - I'm not that hardcore. I think as long as you're not going totally overboard, running TS for your more graphics/processor intensive games isn't going to cause damage. Besides, these laptops are made to deal with high temps, right?

    Well, I think I made a post saying that I was very pleased with SC2's performance, and honestly even without TS running it's totally playable on Ultra - it's just even better when you do run it with TS. This system honestly does blow me away, gosh, I can't say that enough - it's so freaking nice! However, I think we're gonna find that all the newer games are affected by the throttling - the only older game I've been playing is Bioshock 1 and TS doesn't really seem to make much of a difference either way, given that it's not really gonna put the G53 through its paces or anything.


    Also, on a totally different note, I cracked open my G53SW for the first time lastnight and installed some memory. Surprisingly, the RAM slot under the keyboard (the first one you have access too over the course of a teardown) was empty - I thought it was going to already have a 4GB module in it. Regardless, I was planning on taking the back panel off and replacing the 2GB module with a 4GB one, but since that first DIMM was empty, I just stuck the 4GB in there, leaving me with 10GB total. Would I really get better performance with 8GB instead of 10GB, due to dual channel? I will say that I redid my Windows Experience Index, and my memory score went from a 7.4 to a 7.6 - so that is some nice improvement, I'd say.

    Speaking of experience ratings, I'm really freaking tired of looking at that ugly, low 5.9 number for my hard drive and am on the verge of upgrading to an SSD, and I'd like a little advice! I'm actually a bit broken up about things. I've got about $200 to spend, and I've really no clue what I want to spend it on. Basically, I'd like to get an SSD, but I'm not sure whether I should wait and save a little more money up to get a nicer one with a little more space (I'd like to get a120GB Intel 320 series for example) or just get an 80GB-90GB one right now. Any advice? Should I go with an OCZ Vertex 2 instead, or maybe an OCZ Agility 3? I'm also thinking about spending that money on a really nice pair of premium open-ear gaming headphones, as I don't have anything close to a decent pair of cans at the moment and really miss things sounding nice. This is really tough for me - I just have all these cool upgrades/nice things that I could get, and I have no idea what direction I want to go in!! Ahhhh! My problem is that I suddenly have disposable income to spend on stuff, which I haven't access to in *years* (use your imaginations :p) and all of a sudden I can afford neat stuff and it's totally overwhelming >_<
     
  23. DrFox

    DrFox Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hey guys just got this new notebook:

    G53SW-FHD-SZ010V Intel i7 2630QM / 8G / 1T / 15.6" / 1.5G GTX460M / BRC / Win 7 Home Pre Bonus Razer Gaming Pack + 3rd Year Warranty.

    I'm pretty new to gaming & notebooks and just has a few questions.

    1) Any tips for speeding up startup & shutdown times?
    2) Any programs that you would reccomend installing/deleting for maximum performance?
    3. What are your thoughts on the processor speed? A friend told me that it was not that great even with the turbo boost. Didn't do that well on systemrequirementslab with Brink.
    4. Anything else for getting the best out of this notebook.

    Thanks in advance!
     
  24. dragonwolf8504

    dragonwolf8504 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    41
    I really wish to state that after looking up Brink's requirements it should run good on basic requirements, probably not on highest though:

    Minimum System Requirements

    * OS: Windows XP SP3, Vista or Windows 7
    * CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.4 Ghz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
    * RAM: 2 GB
    * HDD: 8 GB free disk space
    * Graphics: 512 MB Graphics Memory
    * Sound Card: DirectX 9 Compatible
    * DirectX: Version 9.0c

    Recommended System Requirements

    * OS: Windows XP SP3, Vista or Windows 7
    * CPU: Intel Core i5 @ 2.66 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 @ 3.0 GHz
    * RAM: 3 GB
    * HDD: 8 GB free disk space
    * Graphics: 1 GB Graphics Memory
    * Sound Card: DirectX 9 Compatible
    * DirectX: Version 9.0c

    Supported Graphics Cards:

    Minimum – nVidia GeForce 8800 / ATI Radeon HD 2900

    Recommended – nVidia GeForce GTX 460 / ATI Radeon HD 5850

    Graphics card in bold, the desktop is much better then the mobile one in the G53sw as someone stated earlier in the forum (a few pages before this page I believe. Where it states an i5 or amd x4, the i7 will do better then the i5 due to the multithreaded (as most know i7 is a dedicated quad core with hyperthreading for a total of 8 cores though 4 are what I call (and may be the official word i really don't know) "virtual cores", whereas an i5 is a dedicated dual core with hyperthreading for 4 cores and 2 are "virtual cores". (I have heard that some of the newer, higher end i5s are just a older i7. As for what your friend said, there are better systems out there if you have the cash, but for the money, I don't think you will hear anyone really complaining. I don't know what your friend has for a computer, but the G53SW is still a powerhouse. I haven't had any problems gaming on it so far and have been amazed at the power it has.

    As for your questions:

    1.)Other then uninstalling startup software that can limit what starts up you could also buy an SSD. I personally use Tuneup Utilities. It was will worth the money as it not only will boost system performance it also allows you to customize your system to an extent.

    2.)Personally I do a clean install when I buy a new laptop, but you can remove Asus Game center or whatever it was called. also as a general rule, I will go into Add/Remove Programs (Programs and Features on 7) and remove any software I won't use. Just use common sense on certain things, like if it has to do with wireless or such don't remove. I just look for actual programs, like trial version of office and remove those.

    3.) I already stated earlier, the cpu is pretty powerful thanks to being pretty much an 8 core processor. It may be lower speed then Brink want, but if Brink shows an 4 core cpu as Recommened it is probably multicore aware and will trade the higher speed of the 4 core for an additional core on a higher core. So the trade off wouldn't be bad. Again I don't know what computer your friend has, but you really can't compare a mobile cpu to a desktop cpu as due to the power requirements mobile ones are lower end over their desktop counterparts. There are more expensive laptops out there with better specs, but again you pay for it. (Also there are more expensive laptops out there with lesser specs.) Most if not all of us are happy with our G53SW's.

    4.)To get the best out of it, I'd look into buying an SSD, I'm looking for probably a 120GB one and will use one of my other drive already in my laptop as a data and game installation drive. Other then that just buy games you'd enjoy and play them, also if yours didn't come with a blu-ray drive i'd look into getting one for it. I posted something somewhere in the 30 page area about this including a link.

    Hope this helps some.
     
  25. DrFox

    DrFox Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hey dragonwolf thanks for your reply,

    Probably should have stated that I am not very savvy with computers. Yeah so my friend does have a desktop.

    Not entirely sure what an SSD is.....Tuneup Utilites? Not familiar with that either.

    Going to go through add/remove programs now - can i remove express gate cloud?

    Also my friend said my notebook has 3D capabilities even without glasses. I don't think that is true but can you confirm it?

    Thanks so much for your help.
     
  26. dragonwolf8504

    dragonwolf8504 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Ok a SSD is a solid state drive, it does the same thing as a Hard drive only uses much faster flash memory, kind of like those usb flash drives. I really don't see why you need express cloud so go ahead an get rid of it.

    Tuneup utilities? I think the website might explain even better than i can: TuneUp Utilities? 2011

    Now you don't need to use this particular software, it is just what I use, but I think after you read up you may understand the concept and be able to find a different kind of software that can do the same thing. Hope that helps some.
     
  27. Freznov

    Freznov Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    29
    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    For questions 2 and 4 you can basically remove all "bloatware" (software that comes on your computer that you really don't need). Check out http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/380681-asus-utility-bloatware-guide.html and http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...ugh-doing-clean-windows-7-install.html#nobios (read the "driver and utility disc" and "the conclusion" parts of that second link, where the author of the post summarizes all the programs you need and those you can uninstall).

    For question 1, you can type "msconfig" in your start menu search bar, click enter, and within the msconfig box click on the "startup" tab. This is a list of all the programs/drivers/utilities that windows starts up when you're desktop is loaded. You can go ahead and uncheck any that you don't want (as a rule of thumb don't uncheck anything that you're not sure of because you may end up not starting an important utility that's required for windows to function properly ; for instance you can uncheck something like "skype" since it isn't essential for you to run it when windows boots into your desktop). Be careful with this, do it at you're own risk.

    Also on a slightly side note, when you install programs (such as skype, and others) usually one of the last steps in the installation is "start (program name) when windows starts." Always uncheck it unless it's something you really need right away after windows starts. Leaving this checked adds the program to the "msconfig startup" list. I hope this wasn't too confusing.

    Also a solid state drive (SSD) is one that doesn't have any moving parts (SOLID) and has faster read and write capabilities thus improving startup and shut down times (google "SSD" and read the wikipedia page for more info). They tend to be pretty expensive for the amount of data storage they give you, so most people use them for booting operating systems, games and productivity & media-based software.

    For question 3, I'm not sure what you're friend is comparing this laptop i7 2630qm to but when it comes to notebooks, this processor is amazing and one of the best in it's class (for the price at least). Also as dragonwolf mentioned, don't compare a notebook processor to a desktop one, they're completely different. As for Brink, the game isn't super optimized as of yet. It just came out, give it some time, and it'll hopefully improve after patch updates. Another general rule with PC games, it all depends on how well the game is optimized to run on different rigs, Battlefield Bad Company 2 for instance is ridiculously optimized (it runs well even on crap machines). So don't worry if a game doesn't run at it's best (as long as it fulfills min requirements), chances are it needs a few patch updates.
     
  28. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    15,730
    Messages:
    7,146
    Likes Received:
    2,343
    Trophy Points:
    331
    This is true. Ken did post a beta BIOS update that solved the 0x124 BSOD on the G51J. I hear you about the throttling... I just wanted to temper your expectations a bit. ASUS may not want to release a BIOS that has no power consumption throttling for a reason (liability whether it's justified or not).
     
  29. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Well, I don't think anyone is expecting them to release a BIOS with no throttling whatsoever - I was sort of expecting them to realize that they've just gone way too far with the throttling with this system, and perhaps find some sort of a middle ground. I mean, it's fairly clear that something is wrong when, for instance, I talk to people who have a Sager NP8130 (with the same core hardware components as the G53SW - GTX 460m with 1.5GB, i7-2630QM processor, same RAM, same screen size and resolution, almost the same kind of power source - they're both 100-240 volt, except the Asus has a 150-watt adapter and the Sager has 120-watt) and they're getting better framerates during gaming with identical settings - unless of course I run TS, when I generally get marginally better framerates. That sort of says to me that something isn't quite right with the way the throttling is set up.
     
  30. focusfre4k

    focusfre4k Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    149
    Messages:
    569
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Howdy guys,

    Its been a long while since I have posted here! But figured I would chime in and hope I don't interrupt! Is this still a decent laptop to get? Particularly the G53SW-XN1 from newegg. Is there a better deal elsewhere? Looking to budget right around 1200.

    Thanks!
     
  31. DrFox

    DrFox Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Thanks Freznov.


    Dragonwolf, I downloaded that TuneUp Utilities and it is really good. I'm using the trial version at the moment. When the trial expires I guess I will have to purchase it - it is a bit pricey though for what it does.....reckon it is worth it?

    Cheers.
     
  32. SirHase

    SirHase Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    5
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I just ordered mine G53SW-XN1 ( the model @ NewEgg ) and it will arrive in about 3 weeks ( yep, I'm not from USA =P )...

    I know there is a lot of reviews and stuffs already on the internet, but if anyone is interesting to know any specif difference between the G51VX-RX05 and the G53SW, or how it runs on some certain games, let me know ^^

    Ps.: I almost ordered a OCZ Vertex 3 SSD for my new notebook, but this link scared me -_-!
     
  33. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    That link... scared you? That link seriously freaking made me want to go out and buy a Vertex 3 SSD right freaking now because I could care less if it fails in 12 months if I can get performance that unbelievably awesome and amazing, just like the author of that post.
     
  34. dougbrad82

    dougbrad82 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    69
    Messages:
    138
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    anyone have any issues with putting the laptop on sleep? with me sometimes it sleeps correctly, other times the only the screen goes blank and i have to do a hard reset. i'm using the drivers that came on the disc and disable most my other apps and the problem still persist. any ideas? on win 7 64bit home premium.. i also had this problem with asus m50sv, but never had sleep issues with my toshiba laptop.
     
  35. dragonwolf8504

    dragonwolf8504 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Nice on giving it a try. Will, you don't really have to buy it if you don't want to, but I found it worth it. :) It's more of a personal preference. Personally I love it. Your know by the time your trial is up if you want to keep it. Hope you do, but if not hope you find something else that is equally good for you and welcome to the owner forum! :)
     
  36. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    15,730
    Messages:
    7,146
    Likes Received:
    2,343
    Trophy Points:
    331
    I agree with this completely, but the reason I posted was so that you may not be so let down if there is no throttling-related BIOS update. For some context about the G51 stuff read here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...asus-g51j-x-cpu-throttling-investigation.html

    The more hard data you all can assemble, the better a case you will have to put to ASUS. However it may be an exercise in futility. Using throttlestop (or another utility) on windows or writing the MSR directly if you run Linux, while not convenient, is at least a proven workaround.
     
  37. mikeypinero

    mikeypinero Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    169
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I see you have the same model as mine (XR1)
    You can confirm that comes standard with caddy and screws for the 2nd HD ??
    The XR1 model bring 4 or 2 slots for memory?
    Thanks.
     
  38. dragonwolf8504

    dragonwolf8504 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    41
    It didn't come with a second caddy, I ended up taking one of those pink erasers you can buy and cutting it to size. It works, lol. Since it's rubber it can at least take the heat generated. Its been this way for about 3 months with no bad side effects. I might see about taking a picture of it for reference. But can't now as I am in school and left that particular laptop back in my dorm. (Using my g50vt one, which I also used an eraser mod to hold the second hard drive.) Also mine came with 4 slots for ram, 3 on the bottom and one under the keyboard. Mine was configured in 3x2GB with the one under the keyboard unused. Hope that helps!
     
  39. mochaultimate

    mochaultimate Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    311
    Messages:
    214
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Going through the back-pages in this thread - I have a new G53SW, and while I don't feel the same sluggishness overall with the system (running on the factory image), I DO get these occasional short freezes (3 seconds-ish as mentioned by Kellhus above).

    Does anyone else get this issue, and is there a fix? It happens halfway through games and is annoying to say the least!! :mad: :mad:

    TIA~~~
     
  40. Nid

    Nid Newbie

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hi guys,

    A few weeks back I bought an ASUS G53SW-SZ143V (that's a french model, with 2 seagate 500GB hybrid disks and 8 GB RAM with 2x4GB). I also bought a Crucial M4 128GB SSD and installed it in the laptop.

    It seems there's a compatibility issue between the two because the machine won't boot the OS unless I go in the BIOS setup first and exit. If I don't I just get a blank screen ... On top of that I had to tweak some registry settings or the machine would freeze randomly for 30 seconds at a time :eek:

    Neither Asus nor Crucial could solve the problem and it looks like it happens with a few models of Asus and possibly HP laptops.

    So for any of you who want to buy an SSD upgrade, ask other people about compatibility before actually buying. I didn't think an SSD could have compatibility issues so I didn't pay attention ... I should have :mad:

    And that's my question, can those who installed an SSD as the primary disk in their G53SW post the brand, model and impressions on the performance ? I'm primarily interested in the latest Sata III 6Gbps drives so Vertex 3, Vertex 3 MAXIOPS, Intel 510, do any of these work with this laptop ? :confused:

    Thanks

    J
     
  41. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Oh my!! Thank you for the information there, Nid. I was on the verge of purchasing a Crucial M4 at some point this week for my Asus (or maybe my M11x, wasn't decided) but this really changes everything. I'll probably go with the Intel 510 now, I'm pretty certain there are no compatibility issues there but I'm going to do some more research for sure.

    And in terms of SSD users in this thread, I know that TailGunner has the 160GB Vertex 2 installed in his, and has had no compatibility issues with that setup to my knowledge. But then, that's also a SATA II model, and I don't know if the Vertex 3 would be markedly different or not in terms of functionality.
     
  42. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Have you tried running Throttlestop? It may help your situation if you are primarily having trouble in games.
     
  43. Keith

    Keith Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    889
    Messages:
    788
    Likes Received:
    221
    Trophy Points:
    56
    This may or may not help in your case, but I had a frustrating SSD issue with my G53 that I was able to resolve. I too think I have a SSD that this laptop doesn't like. (Dell branded Samsung 470) If I installed Windows 7 with SP1 already integrated (downloaded from technet), the laptop would not take the install of the Intel Rapid Storage Technology package. It would bluescreen after every reboot and it would not recover.

    I found that installing Windows 7 RTM (without sp1 integrated) allowed me to install IRST successfuly, and I then installed SP1 through Microsoft Update.

    Something in the integrated SP1 build didn't play nice. I know the SP1 integrated disc I have is good, because I have used it a multitude of times already, so it wasn't that.
     
  44. ElKid

    ElKid Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    153
    Messages:
    311
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Mine just arrived! Typing on it now. Seems to be working great, but then again this is only the first boot. Hopefully this thing keeps on working and doesn't end up being one of the oh so common Newegg lemons.
     
  45. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I really don't think those are nearly as common as you might believe. Bear in mind that very few people write reviews who get successful, working laptops - whereas if you get a DOA one you are *far* more likely to write a negative review out of anger/frustration/annoyance. Note the number of people who post in this thread as they are buying/waiting for their G53, and then as soon as they get it, they hightail it outta here. Besides the fact that at the least, of the very few people in this thread who did happen to get a DOA laptop from newegg, they all seem to have gotten replacements that work just fine in short order.
     
  46. ElKid

    ElKid Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    153
    Messages:
    311
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Hmm good thinking, Kaworu. This insight, combined with my lack of problems so far, is a good sign!

    Enjoying the laptop so far. Going from ~100ppi to ~140 (see sig) is the first thing that jumped out at me. Delightful. :D
     
  47. Seril

    Seril Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I just picked up my G53SW from Newegg's willcall center in the City of Industry and am messing around on it right now. I chatted with the people at the front desk and they said they didn't have a customer service notice on the notebook. My model obviously DOA, so I'm guessing the DOA laptops are far and few inbetween.

    Something this thread could use is an F.A.Q. in the first post. I don't have my home laptop on me, but I read through the thread before I ordered the laptop and bookmarked a few good posts in it (on stuff like throttlestop, resources, etc.). I can dig for them tonight while I'm throwing a clean install of W7 on this puppy.

    Overall, I'm really impressed with the laptop. The keyboard is a bit squishy (only really noticeable if you have a really high WPM), the speakers aren't the best, and the bloatware is annoying, but these detriments really don't outweigh the price. $1200 for the laptop is pretty absurd comared to its competitors.

    Something I noticed that hasn't been mentioned much is the laptop is built like a tank. One of my friends is in the Navy and he deploys frequently, and he was so impressed by the build of the thing he ordered one and is on his way to the willcall center to pick it up right now.
     
  48. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    15,730
    Messages:
    7,146
    Likes Received:
    2,343
    Trophy Points:
    331
    @Seril if you want to share your bookmarks with me I can add them to the sticky. :)

    The G53SW section is pretty lacking right now since most stuff is either for the G53JW or G73SW.
     
  49. kaworu876

    kaworu876 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yeah, I intended on putting a FAQ and some resources in the OP, and it kept getting away from met. I've been a bit busy, and maybe a little lazy, as well :(

    I think it'd be nice if some of us more motivated posters could get together and provide a nice little collection of important info to put into the OP. It's hard to try and tackle this stuff all by yourself, but maybe I can get the ball rolling a little bit. Off the top of my head, the more relevant stuff to cover for the G53SW would be the following items, in no specific order:


    • Base technical specs.
    • Best places to purchase the G53SW in terms of price/quality/customizable options.
    • A section of user-provided photographs of the G53SW in action.
    • Information on the throttling problem and a guide on how to install and use the ThrottleStop for the workaround.
    • Links to current reviews of the G53SW out there - of which there are still surprisingly few in the English language if memory serves, although a decent one has gone up on the main page of this very site.
    • Links to especially useful posts in this thread and links to other useful G53SW-oriented threads on these forums.
    • List of accessories that work well with the G53SW (such as neopreene sleeves/backpacks that fit the notebook well). I would have a little section on how useful a 90-degree right angle power converter is for this system, for instance, given the placement of the power cord on the right side of the notebook. Or a section on better power bricks to get with higher wattage that work with the G53SW, which (I believe) actually helps when you're using ThrottleStop a lot.
    • Links to some youtube videos of teardowns and install procedures for additional drives/RAM of the G53SW - links to videos on the G53JW would work as well since I believe the internal construction is identical to the SW. Maybe a step-by-step guide on how to do a teardown of the G53SW would be really helpful, unless someone has already done one, in which case it would be nice if that link could be sent to me or posted here.
    • A section on Solid State Drives - information about the SATA capabilities of the G53SW, which SSDs are proven to work well with the G53SW, etc. Nid's experience with the Crucial M4 not being compatible with the G53SW would be useful, for instance, especially if we could verify that with something beyond his anecdotal experience.
    • A section on CPU/GPU benchmarks/temps would also be good, although again, this sort of information can be variable and inconsistent at times. I think the only one to post any comprehensive information like this complete with screenshots was TailGunner, and that was in a prior thread.

    Well, those are my ideas for the OP for now. I'll get to work on some of that on my own over the next few days, but really - any of you folks out there who are feeling proactive and want to send me stuff on that list (or anything else helpful at all that isn't there) I'll edit it into the OP and give you credit for it. I think it'd be really nice if we had an informative, comprehensive guide in the OP. :)
     
  50. adampk17

    adampk17 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    77
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Do we know for 100% certainty yet if the Atheros wireless module also contains the bluetooth radio?

    I'm ordering my Intel wireless adapter tomorrow and I need to decide between the 6200 and the 6230.

    Thanks!
     
← Previous pageNext page →