Asus M70vm-C2

[RaisingOphelia]

Hey, everyone. I need some help.

I've got my heart set on buying an Asus m70vm-c2 laptop, as soon as they're available for shipping. I'd love to buy one from XoticPC - I've heard great things about the website, their personnel and service from friends who have purchased here, and everything seems just smashing. There's only one hitch.

As listed here on the XoticPC website, the m70vm-c2 ships with Vista Premium 32-bit. According to every other website I've found (LynnBay, btoTech, 1topc, PlatinumMicro, Keenzo Electronics, among others), this notebook ships with Vista Ultimate 64-bit preinstalled. This seems the most reasonable OS to ship with, as this notebook ships with 4gb of RAM standard, and the Vista 32-bit OS can only recognize up to 3 Gb of RAM.

So, I'm torn. I can't decide if I should order the computer with the default OS from XoticPC and hope that the website is just wrong about what ships standard (according to Xotic, it would cost me $199 to change to Vista 64-bit - not something I'm willing to pay for something that is the default from every other vendor)... Or do I order from another website, one I haven't heard as much about, and hope that their methods and customer service don't suck?

(And before anyone asks, I did email sales with my question - the answer I got was, and I quote, "The default components/software in this notebook are installed by the manufacturer (Asus). If you would like to change some of the components, you can select these upgrade options in our customization menu online."

Needless to say, this wasn't much help.)

[rugbycanada]

RaisingOphelia,

After a week of research on what notebook to buy last night I came to the exact same conclusion/conclusions as you did. I thought I would just wait to call Justin tomorrow and ask him. I think it's probably more likely just an error on the web page :) rather than a serious marketing mistake :confused:. If it turns out to be the latter I would suggest you do like I will do purchase elsewhere. That extra $200 could go towards an extended warranty from another vendor if you're concerned about their customer service.
That said, after all I've read about XoticPC I will be very surprised if it's not just an oversight.

[Rancit]

As listed here on the XoticPC website, the m70vm-c2 ships with Vista Premium 32-bit. According to every other website I've found (LynnBay, btoTech, 1topc, PlatinumMicro, Keenzo Electronics, among others), this notebook ships with Vista Ultimate 64-bit preinstalled. This seems the most reasonable OS to ship with, as this notebook ships with 4gb of RAM standard, and the Vista 32-bit OS can only recognize up to 3 Gb of RAM.

I'm positive that Vista can run up to 4GB of RAM, its XP that people are always saying does not use anymore than 3.2GB of the RAM.

[rugbycanada]

I don't think that was a concern for either of us, unless you posted to the wrong thread?

[PSRT]

I'm positive that Vista can run up to 4GB of RAM, its XP that people are always saying does not use anymore than 3.2GB of the RAM.

It's not XP that's the problem, it's the fact that it's 32-bit, meaning there is only a certain limited number of memory addresses. Vista 32-bit, after SP1, recognizes 4GB of RAM, but only uses around 3.2GB.

And about the laptop, what is the difference in price between the XoticPC lappy with Vista 32-bit compared to the other vendor's lappy with 64-bit Ultimate?

[rugbycanada]

The cost is identical $2319 w/o the discount if one pays cash. (actually $20 less from one) Which is why I believe it to be an oversight.

[RaisingOphelia]

Precisely - the prices are the same on other websites, except that XoticPC's price includes what is said to be Vista Premium 32-bit, whereas all other sites say that the base price includes Vista Ultimate 64-bit.

The cost for Vista Ultimate 64-bit, according to XoticPC, would be $199 - thus making it more expensive than the standard order elsewhere.

[rugbycanada]

Noticed that the C-2 was removed from the website.

I was informed that ASUS was now not releasing it in N/A.

Anyone have any insight as to why this would be?

[Avid Gamer]

Edit: C2 systems appear to still be available based on information posted later in the thread.

[Justin@XoticPC]

We will be receiving C2 machines early next week. At this time we should be able to fill nearly all orders that have been placed. :)

[pan.droid]

Justin,

Any word on the release date for the M70VM-C2???

BTW: Yes, yes the 32 is a mistake on this site. You guys should check out the specs section on the ASUS site for the M70 series; it's written in black and white that these comps come with 64 bit Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate depending on whether you get the C1 or C2.

Anyway, this is a real pain in the ars!! I'm getting tired of waiting...

I talked to someone at ASUS the other day and he confirmed that the C2 was set to be released on the 9/2 but that there has been a delay and that he could not say what the cause was or when the computer would finally be released. Then I spoke with someone at another site selling them and they claim to be able to have the notebooks drop shipped directly from the manufacturer. Then again, I spoke (second hand) with the buyer for another web site and he claimed that they were not going to be releasing the C2s at all and that they would eventually be substituted by another model at some undisclosed time... WTF?!!

Anyone with any information: please share. I'm beginning to think I should buy a Sager or Micro Express beastie.

[pan.droid]

Yeah, about the M70VM-C2 - I just got off the phone with an ASUS rep who is now saying that this model isn't coming. Apparently they just got a memo saying that, in fact, the M70VM-C2 was a "sample" that they were just running with a few retailers and that it was never intended to be sold!!! WTF. This is a totally different story than I got the other day... I made sure to impress upon the people that I did speak with that the laptop is up for pre-order on a bunch of websites by companies that believe the thing is on it's way. Did I say WTF??

Too bad that my first experience with ASUS had to be so phucking shatty and that no other laptop, in comparison, seems to fit me like this one did. Was it too good? Not the profitability they anticipated??

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Anyway, I encourage anyone who has been looking forward to the M70VM-C2 to call ASUS and give them a piece of your mind and impress upon them that there is a market out her waiting to give them money for something we all thought was on it's way.

The number is 1-510-739-3777 ext. 1 ext. 3

[Anewbus]

Yeah, about the M70VM-C2 - I just got off the phone with an ASUS rep who is now saying that this model isn't coming. Apparently they just got a memo saying that, in fact, the M70VM-C2 was a "sample" that they were just running with a few retailers and that it was never intended to be sold!!! WTF. This is a totally different story than I got the other day... I made sure to impress upon the people that I did speak with that the laptop is up for pre-order on a bunch of websites by companies that believe the thing is on it's way. Did I say WTF??

Too bad that my first experience with ASUS had to be so phucking shatty and that no other laptop, in comparison, seems to fit me like this one did. Was it too good? Not the profitability they anticipated??

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Anyway, I encourage anyone who has been looking forward to the M70VM-C2 to call ASUS and give them a piece of your mind and impress upon them that there is a market out her waiting to give them money for something we all thought was on it's way.

The number is 1-510-739-3777 ext. 1 ext. 3

Wow! That is dirty pool, not to mention a great way to ruin their own reputation! It also makes great resellers like XoticPC look bad!
Even thoug I'm not looking for a lappy now (I just got one) I may call them anyway!

It's a good bit more money, but have you seen the new Asus G70S-A1? That looks like an awsome machine.

[Dislexi]

:(

I liked that asus too, I was originally looking at that one before i started looking at the Sagers

Dangling such a nice machine in front of us then ripping it away! -_- :mad:

[Avid Gamer]

Anyway, I encourage anyone who has been looking forward to the M70VM-C2 to call ASUS and give them a piece of your mind and impress upon them that there is a market out her waiting to give them money for something we all thought was on it's way.

The number is 1-510-739-3777 ext. 1 ext. 3

That is the same thing that happened with the Asus M50VM-B3. I was talking with one of the other Asus resellers, back when the B3 was canceled, and his opinion was that someone at Asus felt it came too close to rivaling the G50's, and Asus didn't want to have anything rivaling its new flagship system. I suspect they came to the same conclusion about the M70VM-C2 which was like the M50VM-B3 (with a Blue-ray, Tv tuner, and media remote) except 17" instead of 15". Maybe they thought it came to close to their new G70 systems.
I think Asus made a big mistake doing away with the M50VM-B3 and M70VM-C2 systems , and hopefully they'll learn that by the feedback they get from potential customers. If potential customers tell them that they would have bought the system (be it the M50Vm-B3 or M70Vm-C2) if Asus sold it, but because Asus dropped the system they have gone looking at other companies (like Sager) that may lead someone (with power) at Asus to change things for the better.

[pan.droid]

Avid Gamer - thanks a lot for the info. I think that you are probably right that they do away with systems that might water down the sales on some of their more expensive (or just more profitable) systems... really weak.

The problem ASUS is going to find is that they burn consumers and force us to look back into the wider computer market for a replacement when they cancel a model - but only if we let them know!

I may not be able to afford the more expensive model or settle for the one with the smaller screen they are pushing!

ASUS should understand that - more than anything - people want options; the more people they can sell just the right computer, the more happy we'll be with their products, and thus, the more brand loyal. This is how strong (and profitable) companies are built Before they canceled the M70VM-C2, I had nearly become "brand loyal" to the ASUS brand for offering such a great alternative to IBM, Dell, HP, etc.

FYI: I may have discovered a company, online, that can somehow get a hold of the C2 by having it specially drop shipped from ASUS... don't ask me what's up with that. The only draw back it that it's not for the best price and, therefore, may not be worth it to you. If anybody is interested, drop me a line.