Lenovo ThinkPad W700 2752 17" Widescreen Laptop Quad Core QX9300 (2.53GHz) 640GB Review

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(More customer reviews)EDIT: Full month of usage review is at the bottom!
WARNING! Unless you are looking for filthy speed, raw power, and a display that will rival your HDTV, seek other models. This is not a laptop for mere mortals. Make no mistake. If you are seeking something that is comfortable on your lap, that you can carry to the beach, or otherwise tote around like a book, this laptop is not for you.
It isn't even really a laptop. It's a beast. It's a 13.8lb beast. Let's talk about the w700...
1) Display: It is huge. You can't hide this thing. The 17" LCD is massive. With it's native 1920x1200 resolution, the sheer amount of screen real-estate is absurd.
2) Power: Core 2 Extreme. It's quad-core and what Intel calls their "fastest mobile processor...ever". Enough said. Wait...12MB of L2 cache. Yes, TWELVE MB. Not 4MB, not 6MB...but 12MB of L2 cache.
3) Graphics: It comes with an NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M 128-core CUDA parallel computing processor. I don't even know what a CUDA is but it sounds pretty darn impressive. Oh...and 1GB of Video RAM. ONE GIGABYTE OF VIDEO RAM.
4) Storage: Built-in RAID controller! Two SATA drive bays. Blu-Ray available. Solid-state HD ready. Absurd.
5) RAM: Ships with 4GB. Upgradable to 8GB.
6) Ports: It has a darn HDMI port on the back. That should tell you everything you need to know. Hook this thing up to your TV -- though, it's practically a TV on its own. Ok, 5 USB ports, RJ45, RJ11, mini-USB, microphone, headphones, DVI-D...the list goes on. This notebook connects to everything but the kitchen sink.
7) Keyboard: full-sized...with separate numeric keypad. Fingerprint reader too.
8) Speakers: Holy cow. There is a speaker grille which sits directly above the keyboard. Rich, booming sound comes from the speakers.
9) "Oooo factor": When my coworkers first saw the w700 sitting on my desk, they did a double-take. When they saw how fast it was, they were envious. When they saw the price tag, they had a good laugh.
10) Warranty Support: Backed by a massive, world-wide inventory of parts and technicians, you can rest easy. If bad things happen, Lenovo has you covered. Specific example: I called them at 4pm EDT about some bad RAM in an older Thinkpad. They had new RAM delivered by 8:30am the following morning. No hassle. No "reboot your notebook" or "perform these absurd troubleshooting steps". The drawbacks? There are a few:
1) The AC adapter: Like the laptop, the power brick is huge. The w700, due to the extreme power it consumes, cannot use older Thinkpad power bricks. Replacement power bricks, like most everything associated with this laptop, are expensive.
2) Case/Bag availability: Lenovo sells one. Only one. Targus has two that can carry the w700...they both have wheels and look like luggage. You won't be toting this thing over your shoulder like average people. Then again, if you are looking at the w700, you are not average people.
3) Cost: You could buy three average laptops for the price of this desktop replacement.
So, there it is. That's the w700. A big, bad, powerful beast of a notebook. I ding'ed it one star for the price tag and the $200 replacement power brick.
EDIT: One Month Review
This monster of a computer is, by far, the best portable computer I have ever owned. The DVD burner is blisteringly fast. The processor is so fast that it laughs at my applications. I've thrown everything from virtualization to AutoCAD at this portable and the processor just eats it up. The built-in RAID controller is just silly fast. Bringing this thing into an office will cause some serious "oooo" factor. When I first took out this portable, people were visibly impressed. Others have stopped by and asked about it.
Ok, some drawbacks: 1) The powerbrick can get very warm; 2) The exhaust of this laptop can get warm. Ensure you have adequate ventilation; and 3) 13.8lbs will add up. Even with a rolling bag, lugging this monster around can get old. (not for me...but it could for other people).
Hope this helps. Add a comment if you have any questions. Am happy to answer them.

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W700 Qx9300 2x2gb/320 Br 17wu Bt F C Vbe

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Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition 3.33GHz 12 MB L3 Cache LGA1366 Desktop Processor BX80613i7980X - Retail Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the best CPU out in the market... I think we all agree... I remember when the 975 was out some people said that a 920 could nearly match the performance of a 965 or 975... I only laugh about it because the voltage you have to set to be above 4Ghz is too high... They were nearly frying the poor CPU, over-stressing the memory, getting BSOD and freezes just to say that they are using it at 4Ghz... With this new 980x overcloking have never been easier. Mine is set to 4.25Ghz using a Vcore of 1.33V (using an Asus P6T7 WS Supercomputer bios 0804) and it's a rocket... In CPU dependant games like Flight Simulator X the FPS will increase a bit (taking in reference a 975 overclocked) but the flying is a LOT smoother... Now I can really enjoy FSX at a 1920 x 1200 resolution using all "must" add-ons like Ground Environment X USA-Canda/Europe, Ultimate Traffic 2, Ultimate Terrain X USA/Canada/Europe, Real Environment Xtreme 2 and SceneryTech Landclass in sceneries like KJFK, KLAX or EGLL... while at the same time using in another monitor (1680 x 1050) FSX programs like Electronic Flight Bag, Plan-G, FS Commander and nDAC 3 with no FPS penalty... In other games like DiRT, ARMA II or Crysis you may not see a remarkable difference in FPS because they are GPU dependant games...
The other thing to consider when you buy this CPU is that to see full potential you have to use Solid State Drives SSD (mainly for the OS) and top of the class graphic cards like HD 5870 in Xfire or a HD 5970... or if you don't care to have a little volcano stabbing your electric bill you can use a GTX 480...
It a 1000 bucks CPU, but believe me, at the end that will be the last thing on your mind when playing...

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The Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition is Intel's first 32nm processor with 12 computing threads to deliver the cutting edge in PC performance. It combines the power of six processing cores running at 3.33 GHz into a single processor, guaranteeing the utmost performance and power for the most demanding applications. With 12 MB of smart cache, the Core i7 980X processor ensures that you get maximum responsiveness from your system, even when running many intensive programs simultaneously. Compatible with motherboards based on the Intel X58 Express chipset, the Core i7-980X processor takes your computing and gaming experience to the next level.
The Intel Core i7-980X processor lets you dominate the gaming competition. View larger.12 Threads for the Ultimate Gaming WeaponThe Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition packs six computing cores running at 3.33 GHz to deliver breakthrough performance in gaming and multitasking. The Core i7-980X will not only handle today's complex games, but tomorrow's as well. You'll experience smoother, more realistic gameplay as AI, physics, and rendering are distributed across the six cores and 12 threads. Your 3D gaming will be brought to life without frame-rate hiccups and slowdowns so you can dominate the competition.
Breakaway Performance for Digital Media CreationWhether editing high-definition videos, touching up family photos, or splicing up music, the Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition provides the processing power needed. The processor's 12 threads are optimized to keep up with the most advanced digital editing software. Compared to the previous generation of Intel Core2 processors, the Core i7 980X processor can process HD video almost twice as fast. It also accelerates DVD encoding and compression, allowing you to easily share your HD movies with everyone. Video transcoding and compression and image rendering are done faster than ever, so you'll never be left waiting for your computer to catch up to your imagination.
Powerful New Microarchitecture Eliminates SlowdownThe i7 family is Intel's flagship processor, and for good reason. With the i7 family, Intel engineers invented a revolutionary new style of microarchitecture. They replaced the front side bus--a longtime staple of processor design--with a new technology called QuickPath Interconnect (QPI). Using QPI, the Intel Core i7 980X processor increases bandwidth and lowers latency, while achieving data transfer speeds as high as 25.6 GB/s.
To put it simply, users will enjoy faster and more streamlined processing than ever before. Your computer will handle multiple projects and applications without the slowdown you'd experience with a lesser processor.
New Technologies Boost PerformanceThe Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition also makes use of several other cutting-edge technologies:
Turbo Boost Technology allows the processor to automatically boost base clock speed of 3.33GHz to a maximum single-core frequency of 3.60GHz when it's operating below power/thermal limits.
Hyper-threading Technology enables more efficient use of processor resources by allowing each core to work on two tasks at the same time. This 12 way multi-tasking makes the most of highly threaded software like media players and next-generation games.
Smart Cache Memory increases available RAM resources, leading to less lag while multi-tasking.
Overclocker Friendly1Built to be tweaked and pushed to the limits, Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition features an unlocked core making it easier to overclock. For performance enthusiasts looking to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of their hardware, Intel DX58SO Extreme Series Desktop Boards provide a stable foundation for a benchmark-shattering system.
The Intel Core i7 980X processor Extreme Edition is backed by a three-year limited warranty.

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