The ASUS ROG G750JM comes with the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M dedicated graphics that is 60% faster than its predecessor. It's the entry level model for the new ROG line from Asus, that based on latest GTX 800 series of Nvidia GPUs.
The ASUS ROG laptops have completely unparalleled build quality in the category. All variants of this laptop including the JS, JH, and JZ run cooler than their directly competing MSI GT series, and have a much sturdier feel to them, although you do pay a premium for it.
You can boost already-impressive performance with ASUS-exclusive TurboMaster technology, which supports 5% overclocking while an upgraded cooling system ensures your G750JM stays ventilated and quiet. You can boost already-impressive performance with ASUS-exclusive TurboMaster technology, which supports 5% overclocking while an upgraded cooling system ensures your G750JM stays ventilated and quiet.
This laptop is a gamer's dream - with a latest gen i7-4700HQ processor, 12GB RAM, the Nvidia GTX860M GPU, 1TB drive (Toshiba MQ01ABD100), and a 17.3" anti glare display. And, if that power weren't enough, you get the ability to overclock the GPU using a simple software tool that keeps your drivers updated, optimizes game settings to match your video card's abilities (Nvidia only supports certain games), lets you set a target frame rate so as to boost battery life (handy for less stressful games such as XCom), lets you record gameplay and broacast it (ShadowPlay) and even allows broadcast of games to connected devices (GameStream.) Note that I have not used either ShadowPlay or GameStream and cannot comment on how they work.
Bottom line, the Asus G750JM-DS71 has much better specs than the Alienware and the Asus comes at a better price. The main differences were that the Asus had 12 GBs of RAM compared to the 8 GBs of RAM from the Alienware. Asus also came with the brand new GPU from NVIDIA the GeForce GTX 860M where the Alienware came with the NVIDIA GTX 765M. Both GPUs with 2GB. Who doesn't love the latest technology? Both laptops come with the Intel Core I7-4700 processor and similar hard drive sizes. The Asus also comes with the 802.11ac wireless connection (More on this later in the review). Although the Asus seems to have latest and more supieror hardware, the Alienware 17 costs about $350 more. Obviously the price will be higher for a well known brand name like Alienware, but to me that extra $350 cost was not justified in this case.
Compare to Similar Laptops
| ASUS ROG G750JM-DS71 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop, GeForce GTX 860M Graphics | ASUS ROG G750JS-DS71 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop, GeForce GTX 870M Graphics | ASUS G750JW-DB71 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black) | MSI GT70 Dominator-895;9S7-1763A2-895 17.3-Inch Laptop | |
| Price | $1,299.00 | $1,769.99 | $1,189.99 | $1,399.99 |
| Shipping | FREE Shipping | FREE Shipping | $19.99 | FREE Shipping |
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Adorama Camera | Amazon.com |
| Weight | 9.9 pounds | 9.9 pounds | 10.58 pounds | 8.6 pounds |
| Processors The central processing unit (CPU) is the part of the computer that does most of the data processing and calculations. More processing power means a faster experience. | Core i7-4700HQ 3.4 GHz | Core i7-4700HQ 3.4 GHz | Information not provided | Intel Core i7 4800MQ Quad-Core 2.7 GHz |
| Operating System The operating system (OS) is the computer's software environment that manages the hardware and allows you to run programs on your computer. Different operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, and Chrome provide different features. | Windows 8.1 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 8 | Windows 8.1 |
| Memory Random access memory (RAM) is short term memory - where programs live when they're running on your computer. More memory provides better multi-tasking performance. | 12 GB DDR3 | 16 GB DDR3 | 12 GB DDR3 | 8 GB DDR3L SDRAM |
| Hard Drive Hard drives contain long-term memory - where all of your files and programs are stored. More hard drive memory means more room for software, movies, music, and other content. Hard drives can come in a traditional hard disk format or as a solid state drive (SSD). Traditional hard disk drives offer more storage at a lower price while SSDs are much faster but are also more expensive. | 1024 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive | 1024 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive | 1024 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive | 1024 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive |
| Graphics Card The graphics card processes videos and 3D content. More powerful graphics cards will play smoother video and run more sophisticated games and other 3D applications. | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M | Information not provided | Nvidia GTX765M 2GB GDDR5 | NVIDIA Geforce GTX870M |
