Asus M50VM Montevina, NV 9600M GS Review

Yeah I hope theres another way to get the upgrade disc.

 

Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, do these have HDMI audio?

 

Yup, it has an HDMI and supports digital out

 

Do GenTech and ExcaliburPC have a 64 bit OS on their M50VM, or a 32 bit OS?

 

Has anybody figured out how to OC the 9600 on this machine yet?

 

if you plan to use virtual machines you can

 

The OS is factory installed Vista Home Premium 32bit, Asus does not provide 64bit version on M50Vm.

 

Notebook PCs are not made for overclocking. You will most likely fry your GPU trying to do so and invalidate your warranty. It is not recommended.

 

Many people around here would disagree with you.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3000755

My temps are well under control with the OC in my sig. I could be in for some heartache but only time will tell.

 

Hi, was anybody in here able to dual boot Vista and XP on their machine, with Vista installed 1st? I was able to do it to some extent, following the instructions at:

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_...talled_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm?page=6

However, I ran in to a problem: I now have the option of booting XP or Vista but it wont allow me to boot either unless I get into the BIOS settings and change SATA mode to Compatible for XP and Enhanced for Vista every time I want to boot one of them. Needless to say that this is annoying and I'm pretty sure is not the way things are supposed to work out.

Ken from GenTechPC has been very helpful in the process. He suggested a fix which involves re-installing XP and streamlining something into the XP CD. I just wanted to make sure that there is no easier solution...I wish I had gotten the machine with XP on it, I wouldn't be in this mess if I had...Help please!!!!



dB.

 

Here's a copy of my exchange with Ken:

Originally Posted by GenTechPC
This is going to be more complicated now, first you need to download SATA driver for XP:

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/16013/eng/f6flpy32.zip

And then use nLite to slipstream the SATA driver to the XP CD:
http://www.nliteos.com/download.html

after you slipstream the SATA driver into the XP CD, make sure SATA mode is in Enhance mode in BIOS before install the XP.



Quote:
Originally Posted by nGagn
That took care of it. Now it seems there's one more (hopefully last) problem. So, after repairing Vista and restarting, i'm able to see the Vista boot manager as in:

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_v...ide.htm?page=4

However, when I try to boot into XP, it refuses. Do I need to change the SATA mode every time I want to boot into either OS? Thanks.


dB.

 

The "easy" way of Enabling SATA mode to AHCI after XP Install :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=186471

 

How can I be sure that this is indeed the fix to my problem? What is causing this problem anyways?

 

can someone comment on a touchpad cocern that I have. That media button cover for touchpad is bulging up and moving slightly. Is this normal?

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=279388

 

I read up on the notebook overclocking forum and decided to look at trying rivatuner. Rivatuner does not seem to be able to adjust the GPU clock. It may already be hardware controlled. I did notice using the monitoring tools that the graphic card does dynamically respond to the load placed upon it. It also seems to balance out performance based on the core temperature and doesn't allow it to exceed 70c.

 

Question, the B2 model has the screen resolution that I want, yet I'm afraid of the heat the T9400 could produce. Should I go for it or should I just go for the A1 model?

 

laptop does not get hot at all, not even warm and I have T9400

 

Thanks for the info. Seems like I'll go for the B2. Nice resolution, strong processor, large hard drive, good heat dispersion, solid build, and not too expensive.

Thanks, klas.

 

good choice. as I mentioned many times already i do hd video editing on it and I am amazed how cool it stays and fan noise is not loud at all

 

Sorry about the long absence here, I haven't had much time outside of work to really test this beast out.

Here's how I have the Power4Gear control panel set up:


Battery Saving Mode
---
Processor Control: Maximum battery saving
Maximum Processor State: 85%
Minimum Processor State: 3%
Adjust Display Brightness: 50%
Battery Saving Desktop: No
Deactivate Sidebar: Yes

Of course, your mileage may vary, because this is after a complete reinstall while leaving out Norton, the Splendid Video adjustment software, and Realtek's HD Audio Manager utility. Most of the power saving is probably from the low brightness, but I've been able to raise it up to 60% without noticeable run time loss. These tests are from regular internet use with Firefox. IE is a little more hardware demanding, which shaves off 10-15 minutes.

Typical Run Time: 3 hours 10 minutes.

I'll do more testing once I get my 9-cell battery from GenTech.

 

Change SATA mode to compatible mode work if you only installing XP.

Each OS only worked on the SATA mode it was installed with, with dual boot you are going to have problem, you'll need to switch between compatible and enhance mode each time you boot to different OS.

I still recommend slipstream the XP disk with SATA driver, it's really not that difficult to do it, only gonna take you 15 minutes and it's a benefit for you of knowing how to slipstream and integrate drivers.

I've seen one on M70SA, they both have same touchpad, the layer on the top is actually a sticker, when the sticker bulge is just like what we seen on bad tinting window, what I did was rub it with my finger and it went back to normal.

 

Thanks Ken. That's what I thought. Seems like it lost its stickness, but rubbed with my finger and it seems fine now.

btw, while I was rubbing I discovered new features of the touchpad for myself.

tap...
... right buttom corner and it minimizes the window
... left bottom corner and it opens Start panel
... left top corner and it opens File menu

 

It's also fully customizable in the Synaptics Touchpad settings via Mouse Properties.

 

It's called Tap Zones I believe.

 

Hey guys, I'm still having trouble dual booting XP and Vista. I described my problem earlier but basically, I have both OSs installed but need to go back and forth b/w "Compatible" and "Enhanced" mode in BIOS settings to boot either. I tried the following, to no avail:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=186471

After downloading the necessary files and going to Device Manager in XP, I do not see "Intel 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Storage Controller".

Any help would be appreciated.

 

I would have just used IDE for Vista, AHCI is really no benifit to a normal desktop and even less a benifit to a laptop. Its really only for certian kinds of server applications.

 

My problem is that I've installed XP on the machine but every time I want do boot Vista, I have to go in the BIOS settings and change SATA mode to "Enhanced". Similarly, every time I want to boot XP, I have to go in BIOS settings and change SATA mode to "Compatible". I'm even having trouble installing the XP drivers, the machine restarts after showing the BSOD when I try to access the contents of the driver CD...Help!!!!!!!


dB.

 

Could you give a bit more details about the BSOD? Does it happen just when you access the CD? If so try disabling AutoRun. Or when you try to start a certain executable from the CD?

 

hey, i'm reeeeeeeeeeeally close to buying the m50vm-a1 from gentech but i was just wondering if any canadian buyers(who bought from gentech) had to pay for customs/duty fees?

sliiightly hesitant because..1400+ going across the border is gonna be x_x in fees haha. thanks!

 

If you decide on the M50Vm, I can't say enough about how well i've been treated by Ken at Gentech.

 

To find out the total cost you'll need to pay, check the website below
http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/

 

I'm in the exact same situation and wondering the same thing. Also is there any tax on the listed price?

 

.. sorry shouldve read that last post in more detail.. thats looking a little too pricey to order form gentech.. think i might look into ncix

 

i'm really stuck between this asus and the new vaio FW
they both look great but i'm not really sure which to get
i'm coming from a qosmio f15 which has an amazing screen and speakers, but gets hot as hell, it's horrible in the summer time and it burns me
anymore insight you can give one screen and sound would be appreciated
the FW has double lamp and i've heard the speakers, loud but a bit mid range lacking

 

There's no sales tax on top of the listed price unless you live in California.

 

wow, that site is really useful haha. thanks a lot emporiumboutique =).

and yeah, i've heard a lot about how ken is top notch in terms of customer service =D.

 

Yea... I think it would be wise to purchase it from gentech simply because their service is absolutely amazing. If anything should happen to your notebook, you can be sure gentech will be there to help as well as having your standard warranty behind your back. Online retailers such as newegg and ncix won't be as helpful nor accommodating since they specialize in the retail business, not Asus notebooks like gentechpc.

 

Ahhhh... still not sure about ordering the M50VM-B1 yet because of the 9600 GS

 

I see you're comparing the M50 and NP2096.... I think you'll be happy with either one of them since they are both powerful notebooks but with different looks and features. The bottom line is whether you want a slightly better gaming notebook, or one that is more balanced with more multimedia features.

 

Well I'm kind of considering the G50V too... but I don't know when it'll finally hit Canada and whether or not I'll get it by september. Then again I have to consider whether paying an extra 200 is worth the hard drive space and 9700GT over 9600GS..... I'm not too partial on the 9600GS right now. If it had 9600GT there would be no contest.

 

I don't think it would be long before you start seeing them in Canada. It should out shortly after the US release date.

The 9600M GS is still a very capable graphics card. I would worry too much about the performance difference since the 9600M GT in the NP2096 still uses DDR2.

 

well, i have to say that i had searched on the web for a bit to find info on this notebook, and my hat goes off to Ken for the in depth info, but i was wondering if i could install a "Western Digital Scorpio Black WD2500BEKT 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Notebook Hard Drive" in one of these. also, would i need to buy an OS; or does the laptop come with disks i can use? also, if i wanted to use a 64bit Vista, what kind of issues might i come a crossed by using the OEM versions? i ask because one of the disk has drivers on it i noticed, many for 64bit. and thank you in advance to whom ever may reply, also forgive my ignorance on the subjects i have asked questions on.

 

There are two things currently keeping me from purchasing this notebook; I have been reading about the Keystroke lag and bubbling of the touchpad "sticker"?. Has anyone who has received theirs had much of an issue with either of these? If they rarely occur I think I will take my chances and get one.

Thank you for any feedback.

I am also considering the F8VA but am reluctant on that one due to the short battery life, lurking in notebookreview's forum for that as well

 

I saw the same issues you mentioned but with the service I have received from Gentech, i'm not worried about it.

I was at best buy yesterday looking at the G50 they had on display and didn't see any of those problems and it looked solidly built.

 

Currency exchange [?] :

Price [?] :

Shipping [?] :

Duty [?] :

Tax (GST) [?] :

Conversion [?] :

Brokerage [?] :

Disbursement [?] :


1.0257

CAD$ 1333.41

CAD$ 48.21

CAD$ 80.00

CAD$ 87.70

CAD$ 34.54

CAD$ 73.97

CAD$ 6.61


XD


oh man....

 

^yeah x_x. that's the only thing stopping me from buying from gentech...unless the numbers i put in are wrong haha. ncix is my other option but judging from other people's experience...they aren't quite as accommodating as gentech.

 

No reason for which you couldn't install. Consider though that due to higher density, the 320GB 5400RPM HDDs are close in r/w speed with the 250 7200RPM HDDs. (You would need to check tests on the particular drives to see actual numbers).

Laptop comes with recovery partition and DVD for Vista, and with Vista preinstalled. I think it's Vista 32, but I don't remember exactly.

Also, according to Ken, all the drivers on the driver CD work for 64bit Vista as well as 32, so you should have no problems there.

 

I asked Ken this same question yesterday and he confirmed that all drivers will work with 64bit Vista.

 

hm I'm debating to get the m50 or save up and get the g50vm

 

played crysis on m50vm using medium settings. No problem. With G50VM you might bump that up, but it's more about gameplay and not really graphics.