xcskiier23's G51VX-RX05 Review

Technical Specifications:

Processor: Intel P7350 @ 2.00 Ghz
HDD: 320GB
Memory: 4gb DDR2
Screen: 15.6 LED Backlit 1366x768 res.
Graphic Card: nVidia GTX 260M 1gb GDDR3
Operating System: Vista Premium 64 Bit

Prices and Options
For the better part of a month I was looking at the Sager 8662. It has the same GTX260M but better screen and processor. I was pretty much dead set on getting it when my friend showed me BB's site and they had their new line of Asus gaming lappies on there! Could it be true?! GTX 260M and Core 2 for under 1K??? My wishes had come true.

Unboxing
Pictures of what the G51 came in, as well as the NZXT Cryo 'S' notebook cooler.The G51 was very well packaged and had no issues during shipping.


Design and Features
The first thing you see when you pull it out of the box is the white lid. It looks quite good, especially with the RoG logo front and center with its black accents. Along the bottom and trim of the screen are the lights, which light up white. One of the nicer things I like about the laptop is that the indicator lights are white, as well as the back-lit keyboard. It looks very nice when the lights go out in a room. The G51 gets rid of the OLED display at the top of the keyboard that the G50 had, but it has three touch sensitive buttons. Also at the top of the keyboard are the power and xpress gate buttons.

One of the biggest things that sold me about the laptop was the keyboard. I love the way it feels and types, as well as its back-lit feature. You can adjust the BL by use of a function key. It does flex a little bit for me at the top near the F8 button, but only when pressed firmly. The number pad on the side is also a nice touch. Above the screen there is a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and uses a smart logon application for facial recognition.

The trackpad is great, although it does not have the outlining lights like the G50. It has brushed metal accents and buttons, which are easy to push and do not give off too loud of a click. Below the keyboard is one of my favorite parts about the laptop, the wrist rest. It is made up of a rubber-esque plastic, and feels excellent. It is not the same plastic as the rest of the laptop, but the matte look is awesome. It also features a RoG label in the upper right hand corner!

Overall build quality is excellent. The laptop as a whole feels very sturdy with minimal flex. THe CD drive is not too loud, but it does produce some noticeable background noise.The fans on the laptop are also pretty quiet, especially for a performance notebook.

The LED backlit screen is awesome. The colors are excellent and contrast is superb. Viewing angles are best from straight on, but it can be viewed from the sides and up or down a bit but not to much.

Performance and Overclocking

Overclocking provided by SetFSB and Nvidia System Tools



3DMark 06

Stock drivers and stock settings - CPU @ 2.00 Ghz / GPU @ 500/800/1250
1280x720 - 8855
1280x1024 - 8527

W/ CPU @ 2.4 Ghz
1280x720 - 10022
1280x1024 - 9270

DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.5 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1280x720 - 10971
1280x1024 - 10562

DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.6 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1280x768 - 11374
1280x1024 - 10866

3DMark 06 with T9800
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.93 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1280X768 - 12307
1280x1024 - 11521

DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 3.31 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1280x768 - 12920
1280x1024 - 11968

Max OC 3DMark 06
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 3.34 Ghz / GPU 600/1000/1500
1280x768 - 13197
1280x1024 - 12211

Windows 7 Mac OC 3DMark06
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 3.34 Ghz / GPU 600/1000/1500
1280x768 - 13259



3DMark Vantage
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.5 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1280x1024 - P6365



FarCry 2 - 1366x768

Stock Drivers - CPU @ 2.40 Ghz / GPU @ 500/800/1250
High - 2AA - Avg 42.41 / min 32.91 / max 56.91

DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.5 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
High-2AA- Avg 48.29 / min 36.45 / max 68.45
Very High - 2AA - Avg 39.31 / min 30.12 / max 59.39
Ultra High - 2AA - Avg 34.22 / min 26.96 / max 53.71

The T9800 had little to no effect in Far Cry...
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.93 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
High-2AA- Avg 51.47 / min 39.51 / max 72.28
Very High - 2AA - Avg 39.79 / min 30.70 / max 59.60
Ultra High - 2AA - Avg 34.90 / min 27.63 / max 53.63


Crysis Demo Benchmark Tool - 1280x720 / DX10 / 64bit
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.4 Ghz / GPU 500/800/1250
High - NO AA - Avg 31.47
Very High - NO AA - 18.83

DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.5 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
High - NO AA - 35.47
Very High - NO AA - 22.26

Crysis Benchmark Tool with T9800 - 1280x720 / DX10 / 64bit
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 3.34 Ghz / GPU 600/1000/1500
High - 40.06
Very High - 26.8

Noticeable increase in frame rate for Crysis, Very High settings still destroys it. I play the actual game on Very High Settings and it looks and runs great.



Fallout 3
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 2.5 Ghz / GPU 575/980/1450
1366x768 - 4xAA - 8xAF - Ultra High Settings - Vsync Enabled
Open area in Springvale, explosions and combat
(minimum are low because fraps was running)
Avg: 49.650 - Min: 9 - Max: 64
Avg: 46.867 - Min: 11 - Max: 62
Avg: 42.033 - Min: 24 - Max: 64

Fallout with T9800 OC
DOX Driver 185.85 / CPU @ 3.34 Ghz / GPU 600/1000/1500
Avg: 52.367 - Min: 10 - Max: 62
Avg: 49.700 - Min: 18 - Max: 62
Avg: 49.267 - Min: 15 - Max: 62

With the increase in CPU clock as well as GPU, a noticeable increase was experiences with Fallout 3. The game runs very well with out fraps in the background, but if you were looking for the SMOOTHEST gameplay I would probably turn it down a notch.

Other games I have played are UT3, Team Fortress 2, COD4, COD5, Mercenaries 2, ARMA II Demo and Dirt. All run with maxed out settings(or almost) at 1366x768. I will get more benching done soon!

TEMPERATURE

USING PRIME 95 and FURMARK at the same time
OC settings



The temperatures CAN get hot but only when you use FurMark.

I have ran HWMonitor during games and such, only seeing it max at 90 C. That is using all the games I have tried.

More game benchmarks to come....

I have a Intel T9800 2.8 Ghz coming in, so I will get more in then....
First ever review attempt, let me know if you want anything in particular benched or looked at!

 

great review xcskiier23! hey cover up your vista sticker on the bottom btw.

 

thanks for the heads up about the vista sticker

 

good review! I can't wait for my a1 to come in!

 

Haha.....102C, thats really kinda scary there. But yeah, I can attest to the review.

I have only ever seen my G51 go up to 91C when gaming. It usually only maxes out at 89C which is because (at least I think) the Fans go like full blast then.

 

i know 102 was a bit unnerving!!! but like you said, fans kick in at full blast at 89 C. I cant wait to get that T9800 and see what this thing can do! just hope the temps are not too bad lol

 

Kewl. My computer performs about the same.

Question: When you measured your temperatures, what surface did you test on?

 

i was using the NZXTCryo 'S'.

 

Active or inactive?

The 90C you have for games looks high for a (I'm guessing) high-end aluminum cooler.

Then again, I haven't stressed my G51+Targus combo in intensive games yet.

 

Best review yet.
Even with the cooler the GPU temps are looking scary

 

Thanks Ikas V! Forge, it was active! I dont know how well this thing is working....but I am going to see my friend in Cincinnati next weekend and he has a Zalman NC2000 cooler, which I will have to try and see if it lowers the temps.

 

Well, the temps are with Furmark running. It should never even be close to that high while running even new games at high settings.

Personally, I've found the heat issue of the G51 to be a little bit blown out of proportions. It does run a little bit hotter than other laptops but Asus designed it so. Once temps hit about 89C I think, the fans go to like max power and then temps drop down to very comfortable ranges.

 

Agreed. Mine DOES hit 89-90 in games such as crysis on highest settings (no AA) and even L4D on all full settings.. cuz the fan doesnt really kick in before then. I DONT use a cooler and i game with it OC'd to 2.25 GHz in the "Extreme Turbo" mode on Power4Gear HighPerformance settings. So, my guess is that if you had a cooler it should run cooler.. like low 80's in an intense game.
never broke 90c except to 93c once in a stressing 10-minute Furmark test.

 

the temperature issue has been blown WAY out of proportion. i never really feel the heat, and any i do is from the hard drive.

 

I definitely feel heat and such coming out of the vent.. where it's coming from i have no idea.. how do you know its the HD? anyways.. dont leave your phone by the vents itll heat it up nice and hot.

blown out of proportion? yes. a few lemons to the first buyers? yes. No heat problems? incorrect. It's a warm laptop. It's a great laptop. IMO it's what warranties are for.

 

If I'm playing like Pac-man, maybe. With a Best Buy Targus cooler this thing would peak at 87C for DMC4 with a performance test and about thirty minutes of playing. And DMC4 isn't a very stressful game.



Speaking of warranties, I'm pretty sure I buggered mine.

 

well OF COURSE i feel heat out the vents i was just saying you dont feel the keyboard or anything you touch getting ridiculously hot!

anyways....i cant wait to see what i can do with that T9800....it should be quite interesting

 

added link to this review to the owners lounge.. Great review!! Thanks!

 

thanks sunny! i recently applied AS5 to the processor and GPU, not really any difference yet....

 

I think you may have to wait a while after a fresh application for the paste to cure before you see any real differences.

 

No problem, anytime! It needs to dry to notice any difference.. It took me a day before i got some results with using AS5..

 

AHHHH, well that would explain it! i am so used to desktops, these little buggers are a handful to OC and mod!!!

 

Thx for the review.

I know this is more a laptop review than a cooler, but if you can... would be great to see the temp difference with cooler n without. This might help G51 owners looking for the best cooler or to know what to expect buying this combo in the temperature side. But by no means risk your computer, i mean if the 102C was with the cooler dont do this test without it, maybe some 3dmarks or what ever other benchmark you like with n without cooler.

 

abula, I will be doing a more comprehensive review with included temps with/without the cooler once I get my T9800. It should be here tomorrow, so perhaps by the end of the week.

 

Thanks for the nice review! and could you do some tests on gta4 along with some screen shots? would be great!

 

GTA IV is on my list of games to get. I just blew $300 on a new processor, but ill try to get it!

 

AH, nice nice, but i guess you can download off of some sharing sites

 

OHHHHHH well i may have to look into that lol

 

JUST installed my T9800, works awesome!!! benching now, results will be up soon!

 

Begins grumbling in jealousy......kicks lousy P7350 that just BSODs above 2.3Ghz all day....

 

Begins benchmarking Far Cry and Crysis, knowing he has fastest G51!

I believe Forge will own me if he gets that QX9300 to work!

 

please test gta 4 and crysis on ultra high with your new cpu T9800, and post here. i think that you will run crysis on ultra high playable.

 

If.

It fits and the BIOS identifies it correctly... but I can't boot. It's maddening. If I get really fed up I'm sure there's a nice T or X series out there I can use instead and sell the OEM QX9300 for a hefty sum.

By the way Skii, could you run 3DMark at the 1280x768, so I can have a comparison. I don't have a higher resolution monitor handy.

 

I have it on the review, almost got 13000!

 

Well, damn. Nice score. That BIOS update better come soon, dammit.

Oh, and temperatures would be good. I'm curious how the 10-watt increase affects heat.

 

HWMonitor is actually saying I decresed temps in the CPU! Couldnt believe it! Finally got over 13000 for 1280x768 and 12000 for 1280x1024!

 

What about the GPU? The CPU temperature is peanuts compared to the GPU temperatures in this computer. Since they share the same heatpipe it might be significant.

By the way, I hate your scores.

 

WELL, you know with everything OC'd I don't even want to look at those temps! I know they are above 90C, the fan kicks in at that point, and that baby is runnin hard! lol

 

Hmm.

Those aren't too bad for a 10-watt increase. If I go to +20, it might get ugly, though.

Eh, there's always undervolting.

 

Yea, the QX9300 has been successfully undervolted in other laptops, so when that BIOS update comes, youll be ready! WHEN it comes lol

 

Damn you two acting all jealous of each other, when most every single one of us are going to be stuck with the 7350...You make it really hard to appreciate the 7350 when it really isn't a bad processor, it just looks so pale compared to the q9100 and qx9300...;P

 

It's not a bad processor. It's not the best, though.

If Ken comes through for me, I might be able to get it installed tomorrow after work.

 

bro, u had change ur cpu to T9800 from P7350?

 

wow 40% increase from stock in 3dmark 2006, this laptops got potential LOL

 

and try to put some gameplay vid on youtube, bro : )

 

Yes, I put a T9800 into the G51, and it worked great! Don't think that you need it to game, the performance increase CAN be good, but it also sometimes doesn't matter that much!

Forge, if you get that thing to work....and you beat my 3DMark scores....I may have to see about getting a QX lol

 

Nice review xcskiier23. I think with your T9800 can go futher than mine just find the optimal setting on your computer. By the way I got QX9300 on my hand still waiting for bios update too.

PS. Waiting score crysis from you.

 

I need to locate some cash to go and get crysis!!! I have all my money tied up in computers and racing motocross right now. Its actually quite nice, if I crash and hurt myself, I can play on my computer! My wrist/hand is just getting back to normal after being run into the other day lol.

I will try to get some gameplay vids up, my uncle stole my camcorder because he just had a baby girl! I will steal it back soon.


UPDATE: found crysis, installing now!

 

Something that had me somewhat surprised is that the GPU in the G51Vx runs cooler than in the G71Vx.

I own both BB models so I have been running them against each other. Now while I don't play the demanding titles Im not running pop cap games either.

My current game of choice is Warhammer Online MMO.

During a 4 hour session that included putzing around the city, open RVR, Scenerios, etc. all at the Highest Settings the GPU in the G51 would not exceed 65 typically running in the low 60s.

Doing the same thing on the G71 at the same settings over the same time in the same environment (a cool basement, no laptop cooler, sitting on a cool countertop) the GPU hit temps up to 76 degrees with the typical reading when I "alt-tabbed" out to check being roughly 70 degrees. I would at times dip to the high 60's.

I have to say I was somewhat surprised by the results even given their native resolutions were not the same but they are not that much different, or is it a big deal. Not only is the G51 running on average cooler the max temp didn't even come close to what the G71 was reporting. Even when the G71 fan would kick in it wouldn't drop the GPU temps below the high 60s as compared to the G51 when the fan would kick hitting the mid 50s albeit temporary.

Now for the CPUs the G71 was cooler running on average in the high 40s maxing around the low 50s with the G51 running in the high 50s on average over both cores. Both CPUs were running at max OC setting allowed out of the box (G71 - Turbo Gear 15% and G51 Power4 Extreme Turbo).

I guess the best test of which I will be running soon is to hook both up in turn to my external 1080p 52" LCD via HDMI. This way both GPUs are running the same resolution.

 

Those are some cool temps! Do you know about how warm the ambiet temp was in the room?