Reviewed by:
Brian Nadel
Reviewed on 3/22/04
Release date: 11/1/03
With the ABS Mayhem G1, ABS Computer Technologies has created an impressive gaming laptop, combining a fast processor with a gigabyte of top-speed memory and one of the brightest screens around. All told, the ABS Mayhem G1 model is a sleekly styled screamer, capable of running rings around many desktop PCs. It's a steal at a little more than $2,000, as long as you don't need oodles of battery life.
At 1.6 by 14 by 10.4 inches, the 7.8-pound ABS Mayhem G1 packs more computer into a smaller, lighter case than the comparable
Toshiba Satellite P15 series. On the downside, the Mayhem G1's huge AC adapter weighs a hefty 1.8 pounds, making for an unreasonable travel weight of 9.6 pounds, which is typical for a gaming laptop. So, you'll want to leave it on your desk or table as much as possible.
ATI's latest Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics adapter with 128MB of memory feeds the 15.4-inch wide-screen, 1,280x800 display. This adds up to one of the most advanced mobile graphics setups available, regardless of whether your thing is watching DVDs, using computer-aided design (CAD), or playing games.
A 3GHz Pentium 4 processor with the latest Hyper-Threading technology resides inside the silver-and-gray case. Top-shelf all the way, the Mayhem G1 also contains 1GB of 333MHz memory, an 80GB hard drive, 802.11g wireless networking, and a DVD+RW-writable drive.
The Mayhem G1's wide body leaves plenty of room for comfortable 19.2mm keys that have a generous 2.4mm of depth to them. Unfortunately, the keyboard flexes under even minimal typing. Included ports range from parallel, external monitor, and S-Video to three USB 2.0 ports and a FireWire connector. The audio-in and audio-out connections are supplemented with an optical S/PDIF plug for high-end audio, and the three-way flash-card reader is a gem that can work with Memory Stick, Secure Digital, and MultiMediaCard media.
The ABS Mayhem G1's score of 177 on our MobileMark 2002 benchmark puts it near the top of the laptop heap. It's slightly behind the similarly equipped
Hypersonic Aviator ZX7 and ahead of the
Eurocom D470W. The Mayhem G1's score on our graphics benchmark puts it in the same league as that of some desktop gaming machines. You can squeeze even more performance out of the system by trading the 4,200rpm hard drive for a high-performance 7,200rpm model, which adds only $51 to the price tag. It'll cut into the already dismal battery life, however; the 4,400mAh lithium-ion battery ran for a little shy of two hours in our tests.
In addition to a padded backpack and a pair of preinstalled games, Flight Simulator 2004 and Rise of Nations, the ABS Mayhem G1 comes with a standard one-year warranty, including onsite service; oddly, there's no onsite service available in Texas. ABS has an excellent Web site, which offers downloads, tips, and FAQs, as well as detailed descriptions and links for every major component. ABS's technicians are a toll-free call away, but they are on duty from only 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PT.
In a move that we wish others would imitate, you can return the ABS Mayhem G1 for a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked. Be careful, though: There's a 15 percent restocking fee if it's not in the original box or in new condition.
Mobile application performance (Longer bars indicate faster performance)
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BAPCo MobileMark 2002 performance rating | |
Battery life (Longer bars indicate longer battery life)
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BAPCo MobileMark 2002 battery life in minutes | |
Maximum application performance (Longer bars indicate better performance)
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BAPCo SysMark 2002 rating | |
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SysMark 2002 Internet content creation | |
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SysMark 2002 office productivity | |
ABS Mayhem G1
252
396
161
3D graphics performance (Longer bars indicate faster performance)
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Futuremark's 3DMark2001 SE | |
ABS Mayhem G1
Windows XP Home; 3GHz Intel Pentium 4C; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 128MB; IBM Travelstar 80GN 80GB 4,200rpm
Alienware Area 51m
Windows XP Professional; 3.06GHz Intel Pentium 4; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 266MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 64MB; IBM Travelstar 40GN 40GB 5,400rpm
Eurocom D470W
Windows XP Professional; 3.06GHz Intel Pentium 4; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 333MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 64MB; Fujitsu MHS2030AT 30GB 4,200rpm
Basic Specs
Product Specifications:
Product Description:
Pentium 4 2.8 GHz - 15 in TFT active matrix
Recommended Use:
Small business
Weight:
7.900 lbs
Processor:
Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz
Cache Memory:
512 KB - L2 cache - SDRAM
RAM:
256 MB DDR SDRAM
Flash Memory:
- AGP
Floppy Drive:
None
Hard Drive:
80 GB
Optical Storage:
CD-RW / DVD-ROM
Optical Storage (2nd):
None
Storage Removable:
- None
Display:
15 in TFT active matrix 1280 x 800 - 24-bit (16.7M colors)
Graphics Controller:
ATI RADEON 9600 PRO - 128 MB
Audio Output:
Sound card
Telecom:
Fax / modem - PCI - 56 Kbps
Networking:
Network adapter - Ethernet
,
- Fast Ethernet
Input Device:
Keyboard
,
Touchpad
Voltage Required:
AC 100/240 V
Battery:
Lithium ion
OS Provided:
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP1
Manufacturer Warranty:
1 year warranty
Buying choices
for ABS Mayhem G1 from online stores:
This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.
