Optimus V dilemma 13.3 vs 15.6

V

valouris

Member
So I finally decided to wait a bit and get my new laptop after I move to the UK, from PCSpecialist. I am between getting the Optimus V 13.3 vs the Optimus V 15.6.

As far as components are concerned I'm settled on these:
i7 4710MQ
860M
1x8GB
Cheapest HDD possible

I am strongly leaning to the 15.6 (Clevo w350st) for these reasons:

1) A 2nd HDD slot where I can put my desktop SSD and not completely throw away the HDD I'll buy
2) Bigger screen for movies
3) SPDIF out (might come handy, i'm kind of a good sound guy)
4) Better temps because bigger? No?

But the 13.3 Optimus V (Clevo Clevo w230st):

1) Better mobility
2) An IPS screen (even the regular 1920x1080 one is stated to be IPS). From what I can tell the 15.6 doesn't have one. From what I gather this is a better image quality and viewing angles, but more latency? Is there a big difference?
3) Cheaper
4) They let you put a Kingston HyperX Impact RAM instead of normal Kingston, don't know if they are faster or just lower temps.

It all comes down to the cases themselves. I don't mind paying the extra quid for the bigger screen, but if it is worse looking it is going to be a bummer.

My questions are as follows

1) Is the IPS screen worth it, even if it is smaller? Can you order the 15.6 with an IPS screen? If not, how is the normal 15.6 screen? Any impressions?

2) Why can't I order the RAM to be dual channel for the 15.6? I see in the specs that it has 3 RAM slots. And also why don't they let you choose the Hyper-X Impact Kingstons? (only 3 gbp more)

3) What is the difference between the various wireless cards? Is it worth it spending the money on the better ones? Is there better signal reception, or is it only a matter of larger bandwidth?

4) What do you guys think on my dilemma? It will be my only PC while in the UK and I will be working quite a lot on it, watching movies, apart from games, I will be spending tons of hours I imagine on it. That is why I think the bigger screen is better, but I don't want it to be **** :/

5) Finally, a logistics question, can I order the laptop before I move to the UK, without knowing where I will rent a flat, and without knowing the exact adress? I don't want to be 2 weeks with no PC when I arrive!

Thanks!
 
S

Sberca

Member
Hi,

I went through the same dilemma and finally purchased the 13.3" version, and I'm satisfied for the following reasons:

1/ I really like the 13.3" Optimus' build design as opposed to that of the 15.6 one. The poor quality glossy screen bezel of the 15.6 was a deal breaker.

2/ Battery life on the 13.3 is fantastic for such a beast (5 to 6 hours of basic use). The size/weight are also great in terms of portability.

3/ I was a bit concerned that the size of the screen would be annoying, as I was intending to use it a lot for academic and professional purposes, but it turned out to be great. The widescreen format compensates the relatively small size, and the IPS quality is a must. My previous laptop was a 15.6" and the transition was surprisingly smooth. Playing 3d games on the 1080p matte IPS screen is a delight. Also great for HD movies, and not a problem for MS Office or any other use, in my opinion.

4/ My other great concern quickly disappeared: heat and noise issues. I read a lot of complaints about fan noise in this chassis, as well as overheating. Many owners and reviewers have reported CPU temps easily reaching 99°C, which is truly problematic. But when I got mine, I tested it, ran some benchmarks, played a few games (Skyrim, Watch Dogs) and CPU temps never exceeded 81°C in intensive use and averaged around 75°C when playing games. I don't know if it's due to a new firmware or something like that, but I'm 100% satisfied. And the fans are stable, and never go crazy in moderate use (MS office, browsing, video streaming), but it can be quite noisy in intensive use. In sum, it seems that despite the smaller size of the chassis, the 13.3 version performs far better than the 15.6"... or maybe I'm just lucky?!

As regards the wireless cards, the cheaper ones PCS offers have known issues. Avoid the N-135. I've got the N-2230 and it's working fine. But I heard a lot of people suggest the N-6300.

Oh, and I suggest the Arctic MX-4 thermal paste.

PS: PC Specialist only offers the W230SS and not the W230ST, which is the older version of this chassis. The SS upgrade came with significant improvements in terms of build quality, battery life, and heat/noise performance.
 
Last edited:
V

valouris

Member
Sberca said:
Hi,

I went through the same dilemma and finally purchased the 13.3" version, and I'm satisfied for the following reasons:

1/ I really like the 13.3" Optimus' build design as opposed to that of the 15.6 one. The poor quality glossy screen bezel of the 15.6 was a deal breaker.

2/ Battery life on the 13.3 is fantastic for such a beast (5 to 6 hours of basic use). The size/weight are also great in terms of portability.

3/ I was a bit concerned that the size of the screen would be annoying, as I was intending to use it a lot for academic and professional purposes, but it turned out to be great. The widescreen format compensates the relatively small size, and the IPS quality is a must. My previous laptop was a 15.6" and the transition was surprisingly smooth. Playing 3d games on the 1080p matte IPS screen is a delight. Also great for HD movies, and not a problem for MS Office or any other use, in my opinion.

4/ My other great concern quickly disappeared: heat and noise issues. I read a lot of complaints about fan noise in this chassis, as well as overheating. Many owners and reviewers have reported CPU temps easily reaching 99°C, which is truly problematic. But when I got mine, I tested it, ran some benchmarks, played a few games (Skyrim, Watch Dogs) and CPU temps never exceeded 81°C in intensive use and averaged around 75°C when playing games. I don't know if it's due to a new firmware or something like that, but I'm 100% satisfied. And the fans are stable, and never go crazy in moderate use (MS office, browsing, video streaming), but it can be quite noisy in intensive use. In sum, it seems that despite the smaller size of the chassis, the 13.3 version performs far better than the 15.6"... or maybe I'm just lucky?!

As regards the wireless cards, the cheaper ones PCS offers have known issues. Avoid the N-135. I've got the N-2230 and it's working fine. But I heard a lot of people suggest the N-6300.

Oh, and I suggest the Arctic MX-4 thermal paste.

PS: PC Specialist only offers the W230SS and not the W230ST, which is the older version of this chassis. The SS upgrade came with significant improvements in terms of build quality, battery life, and heat/noise performance.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the very informative reply!

I still am not convinced on the size though, my current old laptop is an HP Probook 4320s with a 13.3 screen and I sometimes find it difficult to work on it.

The 15.6 is a glossy screen? I thought it was matte. I like glossy screens! (yeah I know I'm a heathen)

Also, where can you see what exact Clevo model the PCS laptops are?
 
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