New Asus G73s at Best Buy

[Action]

Best Buy has newer models of the ASUS G73 series laptops:

The G73SW-BST6
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ASUS+-+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i7+Processor+/+17.3%22+Display+/+8GB+Memory+/+750GB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/1774899.p?id=1218290438380&skuId=1774899

This version is what apparently they stock at the stores but it still has the lower res screen.

And The G73SW-BST8
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ASUS+-+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i7+Processor+/+17.3%22+Display+/+8GB+Memory+/+1TB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/2043099.p?id=1218306950115&skuId=2043099

This has the 1920x1080 screen that I want but still looks like you have to order and ship to store.

Odd they switched to the Nvidia 460M instead of the ATI.  I assume the 460M would be slower though I do prefer NVIDA over ATI especially in terms of better drivers.

Both models have 7200RPM hard drivers which is nice to see that they switched back to.

What do you all think? I am considering trying the BT8 (higher res screen) version as long as Best Buy will let me return it if there are any issues with the it (the screen). Though I might wait to see if they come out with a version with at least the NVIDIA 480M GPU.

[Renegade]

I have the ATI 5870 version and love it.    I did have issues with the ATI at the first but it was an ASUS bios issue and not an ATI issue.    ATI has been updating drivers so fast of late that I am always outta date on the drivers it seems so pretty happy there.

With that being said the new version have a 2.0 proc I have a 1.6, has larger HD, and 2 gig more ram then I got for the same price I paid.    But the video card is actually a lesser card.   The 460M is a slower card then the 5870m.

From what I read the 480m was not used due to heat issues with the 480m at this time.

I would take a unit with an ati 5870 over the 460m anyday though.

Course if you need a gaming laptop, and your current gaming laptop is outdated (i know yours is) then this version is still a crap load upgrade over what you have and will run anything you throw at it for a long ass time.

[=[TN]= Venus_Wong]

I agree with Renegade on the Ati card. It has been working fine since the ASUS bios update. Before you could only install ASUS's version of the Catalyst driver dated back to Jan. '10. I am running Cat. 11.3, the latest from Ati. Also, when I bought mine last Sept. I got an SSD to replace the original drive. Used the system for a few weeks to make sure I didn't have to RMA the sucker then installed the SSD and it is smoking. Love it.

Here is the system on ASUS RoG site:

http://rog.asus.com/products/nb/G73jw.htm

Looks like the "w" is the nVidia config. and "h" is the Ati:

http://rog.asus.com/Product.aspx?PId=32#product_tab

[Action]

Yeah I think I will wait and see what the next model will be like.  Both the 5870 and 460m are several months old now.  I don't think I will get a notebook right now until at least a 480M is in it.  Which I guess I can get if I want to spend some big bucks for an Alienware

[Renegade]

If you could still get the 5870 model I would tell you to go for it.  This card is going to play play anything you throw at it for a rather long time at least 2-3 years I would say and the card in the laptop is upgradable.  I could order in a 460m right now and swap out the ati in here, kinda cool.

As for the 480m, some are using it but from the reports I am reading the 480m is suffering from major heat buildup in units causing issues etc.   So I would rather be a 5870 or a 460m vs a unit that runs really hot.

I am nothing but happy with the ASUS I have, fantastic upgrade from the gateways we all had, and I have hardly used my desktop to game on which is basically the same as the laptop just a faster processor but both are i7, and both have a 5870 in them.