ATI Mobility Radeon X800 XT: More Pipes in Notebooks
by Derek Wilson on June 6, 2005 7:48 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Performance Overview
We tested the Alienware system at both 1280x1024 and 1680x1050 (the panel's native resolution). As we can clearly see, the ATI Mobility Radeon X800 XT is no slouch when it comes to pushing pixels around. The 1280x1024 numbers are great, but on a notebook like this, everyone will want to run native resolution. Half Life 2 was tested using our custom coast_12 demo, and Doom 3 ran with 8xAF enabled (as we used High Quality mode for our tests).
And at native resolution, we have very playable frame rates. We can enable 4xAA/8xAF on any of these titles and not have any problems. It would even be possible to run at higher resolutions with an external monitor, but the panel that comes with our tested system is definitely beautiful.
Comparing the Mobility Radeon X800 XT to desktop parts shows us just how powerful a part that we are dealing with. Our notebook even beats the desktop X850 XT in a couple of tests as our X850 XT numbers were run on slightly older drivers. Generally, this part will keep up with the highest end ATI desktop part with no problems.
Quite impressive performance numbers, indeed.
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Hatglance - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
I haven't had the fan noise problem at all. My Area 51m 7700 is totally quiet. But, I'm running 'only' a 3GHz P4 and GeForce 6800 non-Ultra. This configuration uses a 180 watt power supply vs. 220 watts for the same machine with the 6800 Ultra.Hopefully your preproduction (I assume) machine won't be typical.
Heat is a little bit anoying. I'm left handed and the hotest outflow is a few inches from my mouse hand. Lefties get screwed once again!
These AMD lovers sound like some friends of mine who tell me how great their Athlon's are as they once again reformat their hard drive.
DerekWilson - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
Over the past year notebook prices have fallen 17% and desktop systems 4% (from the same company that showed notebooks outselling desktops last month) ...So prices should get closer over time, but building a notebook just costs more than building a desktop.
Shadowmage - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
I can get a Dell Inpsiron 9300 with a 6800 go for ~$1200 with coupon.yacoub - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
Well considering I'd spend $1500 max to build a new desktop/SFF (have an LCD already, but say that's a $400 value), and I'd spend maybe $2100 max on a laptop, it looks like the reasonable premium for me is around 10% ($1900 vs $2100) and that's assuming equal performance.Considering most people who need a laptop for business use, have one provided by their employer or buy one that is spec'd for business use not gaming, and they will own a desktop or SFF system at home for gaming, the OMG HIGH END gaming laptop is already targeting a much smaller market of gamers who wouldn't mind the extra portability for their main gaming rig. (And let's be honest here - no one's gaming on the move. The battery life alone makes sure of that.)
They will HAVE to drop their outrageous prices if they expect to sell any reasonable amount of them (or they can continue to overprice them in order to try to turn a profit on limited sales - and by doing so sacrifice future growth for smaller immediate returns).
It becomes a strategic sales issue where it comes down to whether or not they want to think longterm. They will have to price them competitively now so they increase their future customer base and reap greater profits later. If they continue to be short-sighted, they will never achieve the growth they could with proper pricing.
coldpower27 - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
There always gonna be a price premium for that extraq mobility right?yacoub - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
So will laptops always have a bogus 35-55% price premium on them or, if they become more popular, will the pricing start to fall in line with desktops?I can build a desktop sans monitor for say $1500 that's essentially top-of-the-line. Throw in a stereotypical Dell LCD for, what, $400. $2k at most.
Laptop with similar specs/performance (and a smaller display at that)? $3500-4000.
Ugh.
Johnmcl7 - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
Rock are going to be selling this machine with the A64 X2 or FX-55 in the UK:http://www.rockdirect.com
Their forums:
http://www.rockforum.com
msanto - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
Found this by accident (searching for something else). In a D900T chassis (Sager, i.e.), A64 + X800 XT! This is a UK company, though, and of course it's not for sale yet.http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=49...
yacoub - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
http://www.alienware.com/Configurator_Pages/area-5... then load it up with the specs as tested. aka Too Much. =PAzsen - Monday, June 6, 2005 - link
How much do these cost and where cam ypu get one custom made with this chip?