M11x vs. Asus U36JC A1

[jasev01]

Hey All,

So I just wanted some opinions on the comparison between the current M11x and Asus U36JC A1. Obviously the M11x can be configured to have better overall specs but I guess what I am asking about is value. I'm looking to replace my MBP (early 2008) and a x61 into one lightweight computer with some gaming power. Excuse me it I'm rambling a bit but what I am thinking is:

1. I'm looking for something portable and relatively lightweight, the thinner the better.

2. I want it to be able to play high end games at not terrible settings and with not much lag.

3. I don't care as much about price (within reason) but I don't want to go high end price without high end specs. ie not sandy bridge= no over $1600.

4. I don't really need it now, I can wait a few months if there is something better suited around the corner.

All that being said what are people's recommendations for a new laptop. I like the size of the U36JC but the M11X seems like it has a bit more power and configurability. The U36JC is cheaper but in terms of value for dollar, and has less specs but I'd be ok with that if it makes sense. Are there any benchmarks that compare the two, which comes out better?

So does such a device exist, thin light profile, powerful enough to play games ( maybe a usb 3 port) good value, or am I asking for a white unicorn? Thanks

 

[jasev01]

I've seen this format used and I guess this is the standard:

1. What is your budget?

$0-2500

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?

~12-15"

3. What screen resolution do you want?

Not a major concern

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?

Portable

5. How much battery life do you need?

Perhaps at least 5 hours

6. Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?

Yes, Nothing specific in mind, maybe like Civ 5, Starcraft 2 and the like. Medium to higher settings.

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)

Browsing the internet, music, watching movies/hulu, Powerpoint, Word, etc,

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?

More the better, but no less than 200 (unless SSD)

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.

Anywhere

10. How long do you want to keep your laptop?

At least 2 years

11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?

any

12. Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

No prefer whatever is best

13. What country do you live in?

US

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed.

Again the thinner and less weight the better. Sorry I'm not very specific, again, I just want a thin, light, gaming laptop that is not going to be outdated soon as I pay top dollar. I rather pay less and have to replace it sooner, than pay a premium to have the bleeding edge only for it to be replaced and price dropped within 2 months. I was looking at the Iconia by Acer only because it looks cool, even though it goes against most of these principles.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[Maziar]

Well you aren't going to find a laptop with 5hrs of battery life along with decent specs for gaming.
MSI GX660 is a good choice and offers one of the best battery life's for a gaming notebook(2-3hrs)
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt680r008us-msi-gaming-laptop-pre-order-p-3001.html

 

[jasev01]

Well you aren't going to find a laptop with 5hrs of battery life along with decent specs for gaming.
MSI GX660 is a good choice and offers one of the best battery life's for a gaming notebook(2-3hrs)
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt680r008us-msi-gaming-laptop-pre-order-p-3001.html

thanks for the reply. Do you think the Asus would be powerful enough to run games on a decent settling for the next few years. Nothing too exciting or that heavy but I mean like PC exclusives or things that should be run on a PC, Med-High settings. Thanks

 

[WR2]

NVIDIA G310M (U36JC A1) is not a gaming graphics chip. The gaming chips have GT or GTX in from of them.

It will not run most games on medium settings. But it's great for movie watching.

 

[Maziar]

Right^
You need at least HD 5650M/GT 435M for gaming.The MSI one has 5850M which is a decent card

 

[jasev01]

NVIDIA G310M (U36JC A1) is not a gaming graphics chip. The gaming chips have GT or GTX in from of them.

It will not run most games on medium settings. But it's great for movie watching.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/3319/ss054.jpg

Thanks this is a key answer, I was wondering about this.

 

[WR2]

I've seen ultra-portables with the GT 420M/Optimus setup.
That could be what you're looking for.

 

[jasev01]

I've seen ultra-portables with the GT 420M/Optimus setup.
That could be what you're looking for.

I think so, do you have any ideas on models of those and when I should be looking for them. To be clear the NVIDIA G310M won't cut it for games at all even now, so I can forget about if there is like a Civ 6. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[jasev01]

So I am able to pick u a M11xr2 for $995 with:

Core i7
4 GB DDR3
120GB OCZ Agility 2 SSD
1gb Nvidia 335M

And the rest of the stock stuff

Worth it all things considering?

 

[WR2]

That's a pretty amazing price. Where are you getting it from? Don't want you to have to go through the hassle of dealing with a stolen laptop.
GT 335M is a fair laptop gaming GPU. NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M
Just a bit above the GT 420M I showed in the chart above.