ASUS G51J Review

The software-overclocking utility that comes with this just enables/disables "Turbo Boost"? Hmm, that doesn't make much sense. I think they should be looked into, as Turbo Boost should be enabled by default all the time, and only disabled if the user specifies.. I would of thought that they would bump up the base clock from 1.6GHZ to 1.8GHZ and then the Turbo Boost feature could bump a single core on up to 3.0GHZ instead of the normal 2.8GHZ..


A few questions about this laptop. Does this come with USB 3.0? SATA 3? I thought that the spec for these two new technologies were complete, perhaps the Calpella refresh in January will sport laptops with these.

 

Kevin O'Brien, please, run this test, if possible:
I would like to see how this machine performs with following settings in 3DMark 2006:
@ 1920x1080 resolution;
Anti-Aliasing = 8 sample AA;
Anisotropic Filtering;
HLSL VS - 3.0;
HLSL PS - 3.0;
And select all tests.
Like in this test, but in 1920x1080 resolution: .
I'm sure that G51J can handle this test

Thanks!

 

maybe you could get a skin for it. I like the color,not so much the design

 

The Power4Gear overclocking feature was what I tested in the performance section. I believe all it was doing was taking advantage of the Intel TurboBoost.

 

I think I got all of that.

 

Thanks a lot!

My prediction was that this number will be 4000, but it is even bigger, maybe because it's performed on Win7

 

With it launching with Windows 7...does nVidia GeForce GTX 260m support DirectX 11? I would hope it does... and if not - should I wait?

...also, can the GPU be upgraded when a DirectX 11 mobile card is available?

 

Kevin I have a HUUUUUUUGE amounts of questions for you.
Is there any faster method for contacting you?

 

AIM

 

no, it does not. that would require a complete redesign of the card, this is the same card as it was previously. the only directx cards in existence are the DX11 5000 series ATI GPUs. these will not be in laptops until sometime next year.

 

Hmmm never mind. (I dont have an AIM account)
I will post here.

First some notes to members. The TB works at 2.8GHz when a single core is used, 2.4 when 2 and 1.6 when 4. No HT is used in this.

Ok Kevin, here I go:
1) TB+HT=? Can you run 2 threads on a single core at 2.8? How about running as a quad-core at 2.4 using dual-threads on 2 cores only? Did you manage to up the 4 cores to 1.73?

2) How is the temp of the CPU on idle? How about when being stressed?

3) Do the other cores shut down as supposed to do when not being used?

4) Does HT work before a second core or no? For example, if I am running one thread only on one core, and I want to run another, does HT activate and I run the second thread on the first core, or does the second core comes "alive". Which one has more priority? HT or the next-core?

5) How are boot times and shut down times?

6) Is the CPU constantly fluctuating (TB) or is it steady until needed?

7) If I launch for example an AV scan on core 1, can I still use core 1 HT to launch other apps? Or I am automatically diverted to core 2?

8) How much are the voltages? Consumption? Heat emission?

9) When on battery, how does the CPU behave? Do all cores downclock? Do they shut down? Both?

10) Are HT and TB still working on power saving mode?

11) What was the maxed TDP you could get out of it?

12) Did you manage to use all 4 cores and 8 threads at once?

13) On regular basis how does the CPU behave? And when stressed? (GHz, temp, core-functioning, etc)

Sorry if I have repeated questions, but I am very intrigued on this CPU, as I have a Guide on Intel CPUs and I am after one myself (SXPS 1645 or Envy 15). Thanks a lot for your help!

 

This I can answer. NVIDIA does not support DX11 yet. Their GT300 will. DX11 also includes mods on hardware, so if they and the OEMs work on this, a "light" stripped down version could be available via drivers, but I highly doubt so. And if done, I think ATI could be more close of this than NVIDIA...

 

sorry as directx 11 and the new features intrigue me. i heard the gpu in the asus can be swapped. what are the limitations to that? is it feasible to swap it for a directx 11 compatible card?

 

no eee sticks with this one? that sucks!

 

I dont think so. Well, honestly, IDK, no DX11 mobile cards are out yet. (and ATI is having distribution problems for the 5800HD for a too-high-and-excessive demand, some more info is posted in my 5000HD thread in my link). But I think the MXM is different.

 

how long do you think the 260 will last in current market? will it run starcraft 2 on high settings?

 

Yes it will run SC2, not sure on which graphics/resolution/settings though. It is not out yet AFAIK.

If you can wait, I suggest to wait for DX11, if not, the GTX260M is a very good GPU (one of the best for 15 inchers in the mobile market) and is quite capable of playing almost all games on good settings.

 

This review helped me make the decision to purchase a G51J. Stability is important to me and despite the higher than average temps, it seems to be there.

 

Is DirectX 11 going to be that much of a game changer?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=425528 this thread will be a great for you.

Hope it helps. And if you want extra info on ATI GPUs there is a link in my sig to the 5000HD series (specs, data, etc) for desktop parts (which are basically the same as the coming mobile owns, except for clock speeds)

 

1. I am not exactly sure how to measure that. Watching CPUz while running wPrime with 8 threads it showed a steady 2.8GHz clockspeed.

2. In the HWMonitor shots posted earlier in the thread, the min temp is the idle temp.

3. Hard to say if it is working anything behind the scenes, but everything appears to be going at all times.

4. No clue

5. ~1 min boot, 5-9 seconds shutdown

6. Its weird and hard to measure. Its always bouncing around like some of the newer Intel processors that CPUz can't seem to read properly. AT idle sometimes it shows 2.8GHz even when not in TB.

7. Couldn't say.

8. None of the apps I used showed CPU voltage. The HWMonitor shots show idle/peak power consumption on the CPU. KaW was reading ~110 during benchmarks.

9. CPUz shows the core speed at 933mhz when idling on battery.

10. TB can't be enabled outside of High performance mode while on AC it seems. CPUz shows a solid 1.6GHz speed when loaded on battery power in high performance.

11. HWMonitor showed about 55w

12. wPrime pegged all the open threads during its test

13. Boucnes around with clock speed, no idea how internal core workings since they are transparent at least from this side.

 

Thanks for the answer Kevin.

Can you try this test if possible?

Set the CPU to shut down/no-utilization of the other cores if possible. There must be some way to disable the 3 cores.

Run an AV scan or defrag, some thread that might require using the CPU constantly, and keeping it stressed, (rendering?), and try running a second thread besides it, if keeping HT and TB on, the second thread should become active on the same core, while that core is being speeded-up. If it simply goes into queue, waiting for the core to finish the first heavy task, then we have an answer.
This way we can see if HT has priority over the next core. If HT becomes active at once and it runs both at the same time, HT has priority, if not, when was HT being used during your tests?

I see that wPrime used all 8 cores, was it the only time? I know that SpecPerfView uses the 8 cores too when needed...but when else?

Can I ask for something else too?

Boot up the laptop. Immediately launch several internet browser windows, launch IM programs (WLM, AIM, Skype), office programs (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc), to make it in total eight different tasks, and tell us how the CPU has divided those tasks between the cores?
Task Manager and HWMonitor should show a constant 1.6 between all 8 threads running, since the CPU should divide those between its "cores".

How does it behave with 3D graphic software? AutoCAD? Gaming? And how about Photoshop? I know how rendering works on this thing, it divides the tasks on all 8 cores, so that one is easy ^^

While plugged, TB and HT are standard running, no? I mean, you dont have to force them to work like on battery, right?

Thanks for your answers, and sorry I complicate stuff, but this new CPU should be highly evaluated, and since you are the first to have one there at hand, and I can ask...sorry. Is it possible to perform those tasks and tell us how it works?

 

I will try to cover some of those, but it will have to wait until Thursday (as long as well still have the G51J in house). Tomorrow is crunch day for a Win 7 article I am working up

 

Oh I see. Sure, whenever you can put to test the i7 core.
It is because this is most likely my next CPU, and I want to know about worries and the such, and how it performs...
Good luck with your crunch day!

 

May be that would be helpful

http://anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3647&p=1

 

Sorry for my ignorance as I have fallen over the years in tech knowledge...but, will DirectX 10 cards (such as this mobile GPU in the Asus G51?) benefit from anything that DirectX 11 brings in Windows 7?

 

Nice notebook! The one thing that would keep me from getting it is the lack of LED backlighting. NEVER going to buy another screen with florecent.

I'd also prefer it have Blu Ray built in, but I'm doing okay with my external Blu Ray drive on my current notebook, and could continue to use that.

I've been very happy with my Asus n80nv, and they're definitely going to be at the top of my list for a replacement Seems like it's well built/designed to actually be used under full load as much as you want, versus a lot of notebooks that seem like you're not really supposed to push them hard.

 

wait...this screen isn't led backlit? i thought it was...

 

AFAIK, It does have LED backlighting, and places like XoticPC, GenTech, BTOtech, etc. can put in a Blu-Ray drive or burner. The only thing I don't like is the cooling system, but with a good cooler, good thermal paste, and some copper blocks (Hats off to you, Forge!) it will last quite a while.

 

Are you guys sure? That's awesome if it does, but the review doesn't mention it(!)

Doesn't really matter in the sense that the fewer CPUS are getting used, the higher the rest get clocked. (Though there are some games now, and that'll only increase. Took a while for games to use two CPUs even.)

There's still a solid number of exclusives, and generally stuff's going to look better on PC (plus...it's portable, which has it's advantages )

Direct X 11 is going to be multithreaded. I think that's the main thing that will benefit all GPUs of any generation, at least in some situations.

Direct X 11 adds tessallator support/requirement, which seems to kind of be a cool addition. It adds Microsoft's "run non-graphics programs on a GPU" API (Direct Compute it might be called? Can't remember for sure.) That's Microsoft's version of like OpenCL, or Nvidia's CUDA. I think a bunch of other little refinements all over the place. It's kind of an evolutionary thing over Direct X 10.

I wouldn't worry much about stuff REQUIRING it any time soon, since there's a TON of SM 4.0 hardware out there right now, and I can't remember a single game requiring anything higher than 3.0 yet (and many don't even require that).

Also if you need a computer now, get one now. It may be ages before we see Direct X 11 hardware in notebooks...or not, but notebooks always lag WAY behind. Then too, you'd want to wait for Nvidia, as ATi doesn't take notebooks seriously (either in terms of producing performance parts typically, or even more seriously, they've yet to officially support notebook parts with drivers, which Nvidia has for the last two years or so).

In other words, Direct X 11 is cool, but it's going to be quite a while (I'd assume years) before it's needed. Direct X 10 isn't even needed yet.

Heck, if it hasn't changed, Starcraft 2 is "only" using Shader Model 2.0 to get the most compatibility with everything out there. That's pre Geforce 6800 class. (Direct X 10 hardware supports SM 4.0)

 

I really hope so, since we might just be going for this over the M15x. I'm looking at XoticPC, which says:

"- 15.6" WUXGA FHD "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen (1920x1080)"

 

I am not so much worried about the heat as most laptop nowadays all seem warm to me that have any form of dedicated GPU. ...sure as hell can't be any hotter than my unibody MacBook Pro that I had...sweet jesus that was SCORCHING HOT!

question about the lighting...especially in a class room setting I would love to have that turned off...is it possible to turn off all the lights on the cover?

 

I feel like my Asus n80nv does a better job cooling than my Macbook Pro did (though it was using a CPU and GPU that were done on a 65nm process rather than 45 and 55 like my Asus). But still, it seemed like it had to go nuts if you pushed it at all, and...I don't know, I just get the sense my Asus stands up better to having the CPU and GPU fully maxed out. I run Folding @ Home on both the Cpus and GPU much of the time, and have for 8 months, with no issues or anything. (It does get louder when doing that, but even still it's not THAT loud, although I think the Macbook Pro's "doing nothing" idle sound level was quieter, but this one's still quiet at idle, and I'm usually pushing it).

 

>.> not to nitpick again, but is there some reason why you can't just run the same benchmarks you did in the G51vx-a1 review? Its been only 2 months and this review makes the this revision of the laptop look even worse than the last one. The screen resolution isn't even mentioned in the benchmark section....and it should be, because a lot of the reviews have actually had 3dmark06 run in a lower than standard resolution setting.

I'm sure people will chime in again saying that purchasers of this laptop will post a more detailed review helping get rid of the inconsistencies, but 3dmark06 is the basic of basic comparisons the dumb down simple answer you could say. Yet even that is impossible to compare when you don't run it at the same settings across the board for reviews.

 

i think im buying this notebook soon for my little bro

 

thought i would share a story. well i had problems with my asus f50sv laptop so i turned it in for repair and it took a month for them to respond back. They said they were willing to replace it with a G51j. So thnx to your review i confirmed the replacement. and i cant wait !!!

 

WOW! Welcome to the Forums Dragokld.

And congratulations, that is a huge improvement!

 

Sorry Newb question but i keep seeing blu ray on this G51j but it says dvd supermulti. Is that blu ray?

 

No. DVD Supermulti is a DVD player/burner AFAIK.
BD reader is different, and normally comes at a premium.

 

? A month to respond? What kind of customer service is that?!

...I would be pissed if it took a company with my laptop a month to remedy my problems!

What kind of customer service can you expect from Asus and the build quality of their products...

I've only had Dell and Apple notebooks...

 

Another notebook that has me greatly interested is the MSI GT640. How would an Asus G51J stack up against this? Which has a better reputation for customer support and build quality? Both companies I know very little about.

 

Well thats why they offered me a replacement of a G51J i think its kinda cool.

 

asus is in the top 5 for CS hands down

 

Well i was doing more research and i dont know if its true but i heard this laptop supports nvidia 3d vision. Anyone heard?

 

drago , yep 3d i wish newegg wouldve thru in those glasses instead of that stupid bag and mouse. pelican case ftw!!!!

 

I believe that only a specific limited edition sub-model does.

 

probably putting that bag up on ebay

 

I meant only a specific sub-model supports 3D vision. and that is not the A1 currently being sold.

 

Are there any big differences between this and the sager 8690?

 

Great discussion... Did we ever find out whether or not the BIOS allows the end-user to setup a RAID?