I have a cx200 on order with an ATI mobility x60

stepto · 10-15-2005, 10:01 AM

I have a cx200 on order with an ATI mobility x600 graphics chip.

I currently have a M200 that worked great for basic older games (geforce go 5200), and since it's my primary work and travel laptop its been great. But one flaw in the m200 is lack of an optical drive, so I now that it's time to replace it I centered on the Gateway for 2 reasons: optical drive w/ widescreen for dvd watching on planes (also using the widescreen in tablet mode like a legal pad, CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT!), and x600 graphics chip for gaming (again mostly on long airflights).

Oh don't get me wrong, the machine will be 80% used for basic office oriented tablet work, I have no illusions on it being my primary gaming machine at all. But it's nice for that 20% to at least be able to game, even with basic qality settings. Since the native res is 1280x768 (instead of 1400x1050 or 1600x1024, etc) I figured the x600 chip will be perfect for medium detail Quake4, Counter Strike Source, rome total war, etc for long airplane rides.

Has anyone ordered the version with this chip yet? I'm to understand the Gateway tablet uses the mobility x600 SE, which is basically a lower power draw full version of the X600 desktop chip, with the same capabilities. If so that's great news as it will be slightly better than I expected it to be. (most mobile chips are crippled desktop versions) Has anyone recieved theirs yet? Mine is supposed to arrive on 10.19 although it is in production it has not shipped yet so I am expecting them to change the EAD any minute. :<

Also here's hoping they fixed the pen problem. I bought the thing before I knew it didnt have an eraser, but I only expect to use it for note taking, email writing, inking in IM, and tablet form factor usage like triaging email on the go, etc.

S.

ChuckF · 10-15-2005, 02:25 PM

stepto,
Good to hear I'm not the only one expecting one this week. I ordered it with the x600, so I'm hoping for all that you are as well. Just a little Jedi Academy in the middle of my studying and emailing, and I'll be happy.

So I can't offer any insight for you yet, but at least you know that your misery has some company.

Chuck

stepto · 10-15-2005, 02:47 PM

I too play some Jedi Academy (I run a server sometimes on Stepto.com, send me an email sometime, I run maps from the orginal JK2 as well as JKA on a JKA server), I can confirm that Jedi Academy runs GREAT in 1024x768 with AA and AF turned on on the ATI Mobility 9600. So this tablet should work fine for you because the x600 is basically a faster better version of that same chip (It's got a faster clock speed, more pipelines, and its PCI Express as opposed to AGP)

IIRC the game doesnt support widescreen settings as a native resolution, but it ran perfectly for me on my emachine 6805 with the radeon mobility 9600. Given the Tablet has a better proc and DDR2 mem, should be good.

But my gaming these days (mobile wise) is going to be taken up with CSS, Q4 multi, Rome Total War, and Age of Empires 3. So far all of my research says that these games will run in the laptops native res at medium, and if not medium, will run at 844x506 (widescreen half resolution, supported by Quake3 engine games as well as others) just fine.

S.

stepto · 10-15-2005, 03:45 PM

BTW, hate replying to my own reply, but thought people would like to know this. IF you bought this thing for (casual) gaming, you might want to know that there is a site on the internet that tells you how to run most games in widescreen. For instance here are the steps to run jedi academy in 16x9:

Locate the config (.cfg) file in the game's folder.

Add the following lines if they are not already there (choosing your own custom width and height):

seta r_mode "-1"
seta r_customwidth "1280"
seta r_customheight "768"
seta cg_zoomfov "22"

Heres the site:

http://www.tigerdave.com/wgl/

S.

ChuckF · 10-16-2005, 08:14 AM

S,

That's great information. If this thing ever comes, (and if I have some time in between classes), I'll email. Always looking for a good challenge :-)

Thanks for the info!
CF

dnatek · 10-16-2005, 09:24 AM

I think that the X600SE is going to be a fine card for most of today's games. I am a little disappointed that there weren't more choices offered, especially since the X600, X700, and X800 mobile cards all use the same form factor and connector. This would have been a bad*** gaming machine with a 128MB X800 in it! Hopefully we'll be able to get Gateway to install a DX10 Vista compliant card next year to enjoy all the Vista graphical goodness. I'm sure if we did it ourselves we'd void our warranty, the question is will Gateway even do it, and how much will it cost?

Scaevola · 10-16-2005, 02:03 PM

I was under the impression (what the sales agent told me) that we'd be able to upgrade it ourselfs to make it vista useable. Then again sales agents say alot to make the sale, it is however a pci-expess graphics card.

stepto · 10-17-2005, 04:59 AM

It depends on if the x600 is an AXIOM module. (I don't think ATI has switched to MXM) If the module is AXIOM then yes you can swap it out later for another ATI AXIOM module much like adding ram, just pop out the module and pop in a new one (although its possible we'd need a BIOS upgrade first. It all depends on how Gateway sets it up).

If that's the case then this is one of the best tablets on the market for future proofing if you get the x600 equipped model. The base model with the Intel 900 IGP won't be based on an AXIOM or MXM module and wont be upgradable.

The big problem is that no one knows or will know until we get x600 units in our hands. The sales people dont have them, they are just reading off a screen. My delivery date still says 10.19 but the unit still lists as "in production" so I dont think they are going to make it. :/

One of the first things I plan to do when I get the unit is examine every removable panel on the bottom to see if the x600 is on an AXIOM module or not. It's ok if its not, the x600 will still run Vista just fine because its a DX9 part, it just might not have 100% of the advanced GUI eye candy. But if it is that's going to be great news because it means you can later go to a mobility x800 or whatever once gateway certifies them.

S.

Scaevola · 10-17-2005, 05:20 AM

Its all screwd up at the moment. I was informed last week (thur or friday) mine was already in production though it says that no where at all!! This was verifed by two different agents. Cross your fingers until you see a tracking number. Nothing is being updated. WAY to go Gateway CS! The phone system still says my my payment choice is being processed(home financing!)

Scaevola · 10-20-2005, 02:20 AM

just thought I'd update you. I just got an email about my order(finally in production)

Sysbrd w/X600SE 64MB, 915PM, 1394 & TPM for M280/CX200/E7500

Looks like that its an SE.. I think I'm reading from your post. Its basically almost the same as the x600 desktop version just slightly less power hungary? Are the stats the same or slightly crippled?