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Laptop Trouble Tips
For the ultimate mobile gaming experience
Striking design, built like a tank, USB 3.0 and BluRay drive, very good gaming performance (2D and 3D), backlit keyboard, good quality speakers
Expensive for most, no physical button for adjusting the depth in 3D mode, chiclet keyboard could have been better
Expert Rating :
sus's ROG (Republic of Gamers )line up of products have always had an air of exclusivity to them, whether it was a motherboard, graphics card or laptop. These were somethings any enthusiast would kill to possess and today's G73JW gaming laptop is no exception. This thoroughbred laptop is at the pinnacle of high-end and packs in every feature one can think of today into a stunning package.
The G73 is available in two other flavors; the G73JH, which comes with an ATI Mobility HD5870, and the G73SW that features the same GTX 460M that we have in our review model but is not bundled with Nvidia's 3D vision kit. All three laptops have the same build and finish, the only differentiating factor being the specifications and the bundle.
The G73JW has a stealth fighter inspired chassis that houses a Core i7 740QM processor which is a multithreaded quad core CPU running at 1.73GHz. To keep that CPU company is 8GB of DDR3 memory running at 1333MHz. For storage we have two 500GB 7200rpm hard drives in RAID and for graphics, a GeForce GTX 460M with 1.5GB of GDDR5 memory. Along with that we have a 4x Blu-Ray combo drive, WiFi 'n', 8-cell 75Whr battery and a 17.3" full HD 3D screen.
Unlike the G51Jx, where you had to carry around the 3DVision transmitter everywhere, it's built into the G73JW, so all you need is the 3D glasses and you're good to go. This is a very good move by Asus as the whole setup is a lot neater without wires running all over the place. There is one immediate issue that we see with this set up though, there's no way to adjust the depth of the 3D image while gaming as there isn't any toggle button or scroll wheel on the laptop like on the transmitter. Let's see if that really becomes an issue when we test it.
Apart from one bloke who thought it looked like a scanner (don't worry, he's been taken care of) we absolutely loved the look and design that surpasses the Alienware as well. The entire exterior is covered with a rubber finish with just the Asus logo in chrome. The stealth look goes even further once you check out the rear vents. It reminds you of the taillights of a Lamborghini, it's a shame they don't light up. The cooling system of the G73JW is designed in such a way that cool air is sucked in through the front and only escapes through the rear vents, so even if you were to use it on your lap, it wouldn't get too unaffordable. Well if the heat doesn't do it, the weight surely will - how does 3.8kg sound? This is anyway a desktop replacement and not meant to be used on a lap.
Design and Build
There are a couple of status indicator lights in the front.
There is no Express card slot but it shouldn't matter much since we hardly use this type of card anyway.
The palm rest area has ample of space for the biggest hands. The chiclet keyboard is a nice touch but they weren't as comfortable as I expected them to be. The problem lies in the registering of the key strokes which at times doesn't work with a light press. As far as gaming laptops go, the Alienware has the best keyboard we've come across till date. The keys are backlit with different intensities to choose from, but a lot of the light leaks from gaps between the keys and the surface, especially if you lean back and type. This isn't a major issue though, just that it would have been better if just the keys were illuminated. The trackpad is nice and large with two chunky mouse buttons.
The audio is taken care of by THX certified speakers that are quite loud and will easily fill a small room. The three shortcut buttons on the top allow you to toggle the backlighting, activate Turbo mode, which dynamically overclock the CPU and graphics card, and finally a button to toggle between the 3DVision mode. The matt finish full HD screen produces very good colors with more than enough brightness. This is important since once you wear the 3D glasses, the screen dims a bit, so the extra brightness does help.
Next let's have a look at what this puppy is capable of.
Performance
PCMark Vantage
3DMark Vantage
SiSOFT SANDRA 2010
Ergonomics and Multimedia usage
The Asus G73JW is very comfortable when it comes to working on documents and spreadsheets due to the ample room for typing as well as the large 17.3" screen. The notebook is fast for everyday tasks thanks to the speedy CPU and ample amounts of RAM, so little things like audio encoding, watching HD YouTube videos, etc are now a breeze. The internals are designed for cool operation, even during heavy gaming most of the underneath hardly gets warm. All the hot air is aired out directly from the rear vents.
Although the chiclet keyboard is comfortable to use, there were times when the keystrokes weren't registered, so you have to apply a little more pressure when typing. Also, the trackpad is wider than usual so at times the mouse pointer jumps around when your palm accidentally comes in contact with it.
HD movies look great on the screen as it has a good color reproduction and brightness level, which make the picture crisp and vivid. We tried a couple of 3D clips as well using 3DVIsion player and some videos on their website (3DVisionlive.com), which needless to say worked well. The only issue is that you cannot adjust the depth of the 3D video since there is no physical button that allows you to do this.
On the standard 3DVision kit, the IR receiver has a little wheel at the rear that allows you to adjust the depth. In this case you'll have to minimize the application and open up the Nvidia control panel to adjust this. It's something Asus needs to incorporate in their future models as it's quite a crucial feature. Cyberlink's Power DVD does a surprisingly good job of converting 2D to 3D movies.
It is in gaming that the G73JW really shines, especially in 3D. You won't be able to max out all games in 3D mode since the GTX 460M cannot handle that kind of bandwidth. However, since Dead Space 2 recently came out, we gave it a shot not knowing what to expect. The result- with everything maxed out at the native resolution and 3DVision enabled, we were easily getting 30FPS on average. Even with plenty of Necromorphs on screen, there wasn't any slow down. Now given that Dead Space 2 is quite optimized, it was nothing short of amazing to see the notebook handle it so well, which is something one would expect when you pay so much money.
One thing to note here is that the game is only smooth if you are plugged into a power source since the CPU and graphics card run at full throttle. As soon as we unplugged the power cord, the frame rate became instantly choppy. The built in speakers are very good as well. Not only are they loud, but they are also very clear and crisp, we could here every single creak and hiss in the game clearly.
Battery Life
No matter how big a battery you may squeeze in, gaming notebooks are never known for their battery life. The 8-cell 75Whr battery was able to deliver around 2hrs 20min of battery life on Balanced mode and a bit of internet usage. This is not bad actually when you consider the large screen and the beefy graphics card.
Pricing and Verdict
The Asus G73JW is priced at an MRP or Rs. 1,21,499(india price) and comes with a one-year global warranty. It's an expensive proposition but looking at the features it offers, it's really hard to beat it. Let's look at the competition; there is the MSI GT663R that offers great performance but falls short in the basic ergonomics and not to mention the really high price (Rs. 1.4lac). Alienware is out of the running since we are still being fed old, outdated graphics cards plus a high premium just for the brand name. Until Dell refreshes their line up with the 3D ready models we saw at CES, stay away from them.
The only other option is the Asus, which is not only the cheapest of the lot, but also the most feature-packed. It can certainly hold its own when it comes to playing the latest games in 3D and the BluRay drive and USB 3.0 are good future proofing additions. Although it weighs a ton, it's not designed to be carried around - it's more of a desktop replacement. If you must carry it, Asus bundles a bag and a mouse for gaming, so you're sorted on that front too.
Price is a deterring factor here for many as 1.2 lacs is not a small amount. Also, a dedicated depth control button for the 3D would have been nice since not all games or videos work well at one setting. If you are in the market for the ultimate gaming notebook and have the budget then look no further, the G73JW should be right on the top of your list. Specifications
The G73 is available in two other flavors; the G73JH, which comes with an ATI Mobility HD5870, and the G73SW that features the same GTX 460M that we have in our review model but is not bundled with Nvidia's 3D vision kit. All three laptops have the same build and finish, the only differentiating factor being the specifications and the bundle.
The G73JW has a stealth fighter inspired chassis that houses a Core i7 740QM processor which is a multithreaded quad core CPU running at 1.73GHz. To keep that CPU company is 8GB of DDR3 memory running at 1333MHz. For storage we have two 500GB 7200rpm hard drives in RAID and for graphics, a GeForce GTX 460M with 1.5GB of GDDR5 memory. Along with that we have a 4x Blu-Ray combo drive, WiFi 'n', 8-cell 75Whr battery and a 17.3" full HD 3D screen.
Unlike the G51Jx, where you had to carry around the 3DVision transmitter everywhere, it's built into the G73JW, so all you need is the 3D glasses and you're good to go. This is a very good move by Asus as the whole setup is a lot neater without wires running all over the place. There is one immediate issue that we see with this set up though, there's no way to adjust the depth of the 3D image while gaming as there isn't any toggle button or scroll wheel on the laptop like on the transmitter. Let's see if that really becomes an issue when we test it.
Apart from one bloke who thought it looked like a scanner (don't worry, he's been taken care of) we absolutely loved the look and design that surpasses the Alienware as well. The entire exterior is covered with a rubber finish with just the Asus logo in chrome. The stealth look goes even further once you check out the rear vents. It reminds you of the taillights of a Lamborghini, it's a shame they don't light up. The cooling system of the G73JW is designed in such a way that cool air is sucked in through the front and only escapes through the rear vents, so even if you were to use it on your lap, it wouldn't get too unaffordable. Well if the heat doesn't do it, the weight surely will - how does 3.8kg sound? This is anyway a desktop replacement and not meant to be used on a lap.
There are a couple of status indicator lights in the front.
There is no Express card slot but it shouldn't matter much since we hardly use this type of card anyway.
The palm rest area has ample of space for the biggest hands. The chiclet keyboard is a nice touch but they weren't as comfortable as I expected them to be. The problem lies in the registering of the key strokes which at times doesn't work with a light press. As far as gaming laptops go, the Alienware has the best keyboard we've come across till date. The keys are backlit with different intensities to choose from, but a lot of the light leaks from gaps between the keys and the surface, especially if you lean back and type. This isn't a major issue though, just that it would have been better if just the keys were illuminated. The trackpad is nice and large with two chunky mouse buttons.
The audio is taken care of by THX certified speakers that are quite loud and will easily fill a small room. The three shortcut buttons on the top allow you to toggle the backlighting, activate Turbo mode, which dynamically overclock the CPU and graphics card, and finally a button to toggle between the 3DVision mode. The matt finish full HD screen produces very good colors with more than enough brightness. This is important since once you wear the 3D glasses, the screen dims a bit, so the extra brightness does help.
Next let's have a look at what this puppy is capable of.
PCMark Vantage
3DMark Vantage
SiSOFT SANDRA 2010
Ergonomics and Multimedia usage
The Asus G73JW is very comfortable when it comes to working on documents and spreadsheets due to the ample room for typing as well as the large 17.3" screen. The notebook is fast for everyday tasks thanks to the speedy CPU and ample amounts of RAM, so little things like audio encoding, watching HD YouTube videos, etc are now a breeze. The internals are designed for cool operation, even during heavy gaming most of the underneath hardly gets warm. All the hot air is aired out directly from the rear vents.
The Asus G73JW is very comfortable when it comes to working on documents and spreadsheets due to the ample room for typing as well as the large 17.3" screen. The notebook is fast for everyday tasks thanks to the speedy CPU and ample amounts of RAM, so little things like audio encoding, watching HD YouTube videos, etc are now a breeze. The internals are designed for cool operation, even during heavy gaming most of the underneath hardly gets warm. All the hot air is aired out directly from the rear vents.
Although the chiclet keyboard is comfortable to use, there were times when the keystrokes weren't registered, so you have to apply a little more pressure when typing. Also, the trackpad is wider than usual so at times the mouse pointer jumps around when your palm accidentally comes in contact with it.
HD movies look great on the screen as it has a good color reproduction and brightness level, which make the picture crisp and vivid. We tried a couple of 3D clips as well using 3DVIsion player and some videos on their website (3DVisionlive.com), which needless to say worked well. The only issue is that you cannot adjust the depth of the 3D video since there is no physical button that allows you to do this.
On the standard 3DVision kit, the IR receiver has a little wheel at the rear that allows you to adjust the depth. In this case you'll have to minimize the application and open up the Nvidia control panel to adjust this. It's something Asus needs to incorporate in their future models as it's quite a crucial feature. Cyberlink's Power DVD does a surprisingly good job of converting 2D to 3D movies.
It is in gaming that the G73JW really shines, especially in 3D. You won't be able to max out all games in 3D mode since the GTX 460M cannot handle that kind of bandwidth. However, since Dead Space 2 recently came out, we gave it a shot not knowing what to expect. The result- with everything maxed out at the native resolution and 3DVision enabled, we were easily getting 30FPS on average. Even with plenty of Necromorphs on screen, there wasn't any slow down. Now given that Dead Space 2 is quite optimized, it was nothing short of amazing to see the notebook handle it so well, which is something one would expect when you pay so much money.
One thing to note here is that the game is only smooth if you are plugged into a power source since the CPU and graphics card run at full throttle. As soon as we unplugged the power cord, the frame rate became instantly choppy. The built in speakers are very good as well. Not only are they loud, but they are also very clear and crisp, we could here every single creak and hiss in the game clearly.
Battery Life
No matter how big a battery you may squeeze in, gaming notebooks are never known for their battery life. The 8-cell 75Whr battery was able to deliver around 2hrs 20min of battery life on Balanced mode and a bit of internet usage. This is not bad actually when you consider the large screen and the beefy graphics card.
The Asus G73JW is priced at an MRP or Rs. 1,21,499(india price) and comes with a one-year global warranty. It's an expensive proposition but looking at the features it offers, it's really hard to beat it. Let's look at the competition; there is the MSI GT663R that offers great performance but falls short in the basic ergonomics and not to mention the really high price (Rs. 1.4lac). Alienware is out of the running since we are still being fed old, outdated graphics cards plus a high premium just for the brand name. Until Dell refreshes their line up with the 3D ready models we saw at CES, stay away from them.
The only other option is the Asus, which is not only the cheapest of the lot, but also the most feature-packed. It can certainly hold its own when it comes to playing the latest games in 3D and the BluRay drive and USB 3.0 are good future proofing additions. Although it weighs a ton, it's not designed to be carried around - it's more of a desktop replacement. If you must carry it, Asus bundles a bag and a mouse for gaming, so you're sorted on that front too.
Price is a deterring factor here for many as 1.2 lacs is not a small amount. Also, a dedicated depth control button for the 3D would have been nice since not all games or videos work well at one setting. If you are in the market for the ultimate gaming notebook and have the budget then look no further, the G73JW should be right on the top of your list.
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