The Bottom Line
The Polywell PolyNote M719ND is really just a minor updated to the previous M719NC model by updating the processor and graphics. This means that it retains many of the interesting features but also the problems from the last revision. Frankly, for the features it is fairly expensive without many of the extras one might expect.
Pros
* Audio Connectors Support Surround Sound
* Media Bay DVD Burner
* Strong 3D Graphics
Cons
* Expensive For Features
* Software Packages Extra
Description
* Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 Dual Core Mobile Processor
* 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
* 160GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
* 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
* 17\" WUXGA (1920x1200) Wide Screen LCD with 1.3MP Webcam
* NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT 512MB Dedicated Graphics
* v.92 56Kbps Modem, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n Wireless
* Four USB 2.0, FireWire, DVI, Type II PC Card, 7-in-1 Card Reader
* 15.6\" x 11.5\" x 1.8\" @ 7.5 lbs.
* Windows XP Professional
Guide Review - Polywell PolyNote M719ND Desktop Replacement Laptop
Polywell's PolyNote M719 series has had some interesting features that are continued with the latest M719ND. For example, the audio connectors that support up to an 8-channel speaker setup are still there, but they are still split between the back and side of the unit making connecting a full speaker setup awkward. It also still retains the removable optical media bay that many companies have dropped from consumer notebooks.
So, what did they change with the M719ND? The main difference is moving the graphics from the previous GeForce Go 7000 series to the newer GeForce 8700M GT allowing support for Direct X 10 graphics. In some ways, this added graphic feature support has actually reduced the 3D performance somewhat. The high resolution 1920x1200 LCD display is also a bit more than this graphics board can handle, often forcing users to run 3D games at a lower resolution.
The old M719NC was based on the Core 2 Duo T5000 series processors. The M719ND now uses the Core 2 Duo T7300 that has a faster bus speed and slightly better power profile. They still only ship the base unit with 1GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory which is low for a notebook of this price range. They really should upgrade the base to be 2GB instead.
The big problem with the PolyNote M719ND though is the price. At its current price, users can pay just a bit more and end with with a faster processor, more memory and more hard drive space. Conversely, for just a little less they can get a system that has roughly the same level of performance minus a bit from the graphics. This puts it in a very odd position and only and average choice for a desktop replacement.