Sager 5760 Review (pics, specs)

by Mannix Castro

Overview & Introduction

Sager has unleashed its latest 17" widescreen desktop replacement notebook called the Sager 5760. It has the latest Intel Core Duo (Yonah) CPU, ability to hold up to 4GB RAM, and the powerful nVidia go7900GTX with 256mb of memory. It is practically the upgraded version of the Sager 5720. This is another great machine that Sager has released that would make any gamer very happy due to its power under the hood and the beauty of its sleek design.

Sager 5760 (view large image)

Sager 5760 specs as reviewed:

OS	Microsoft Windows XP MCE 2005
Processor	Intel Core Duo T2500 2.0GHz Processor (Yonah / 2 MB L2 Cache / 677 FSB)
Core Logic	Intel 945PM chipset + ICH7M
Memory	2048 MB DDR2 (667 MHz) Memory (1024 MB x 2) (Max RAM 4GB)
Bios	4MB Flash ROM BIOS
Hard Drive	100 GB Hitachi HDD (7200 RPM) SATA
Card Reader	Built-in 4-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MSPRO/SD/MMC)
Display	17" (16:10) WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Glare (Glossy) Type Display
Graphics Card	nVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX 256MB GDDR3
Modular Bay	8X DVD R/RW / 4X+Dual Layer / 5X DVD-RAM / CD-RW Multi Drive (Pioneer DVR-k16)
Audio System	Built-in 8ch Azalia Sound System (with 8 external speakers output without Ext. decoder) Front Panel AUDIO DJ CD Player with MP3 Support S/PDIF Digital output SRS WOW support 1 Built-in Microphone 2 Built-in Speakers
PCMCIA Slot	1 Express Card 54 Slot
Pointing Device	Integrated Touchpad With 4 Way Scroll Button
Keyboard	Full Sized Keyboard with Numeric Key Pad Windows 95 2 Hot keys Integrated with Hot Keys for LCD Brightness, Suspend, Panel/CRT Display
Interface	1x Infrared Communication, FIR, SIR and ASK Compliant 1x DVI Port 4x USB 2.0 Ports 4x multi-function Audio Jacks 1x 16c550 Compatible Serial Port 1x RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000Mbps) 1x RJ-11 Modem 1x IEEE 1394a Fire Wire 1x S-video TV-Out 1x TV-in Port (Requires Optional TV-Tuner Module not included)
Power System	1 Lithium-Ion Battery (8Cell) Full Range Auto-Switching 100V/240V AC Adapter
Power Management	System Management Mode (SMM) Suspend to HDD / DRAM Full features of SMI Power Management, Doze, Sleep, Suspend/Resume Mode
Options Included	Intel 3945ABG 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini-ePCI interface Built-in Bluetooth Module Built-in Digital Video Camera; 1.3 Mega Pixels
Physical Characteristic	8.35LBs With Battery 15.6"(w) x 11.5"(d) x 1" ~ 1.8" (h)
Warranty	Lifetime toll-free technical support 2-year limited on-site extended warranty & help desk (3yrs Total) 3-Year Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) for entire system
Total Cost	$2981.99

Reasons for Buying:

Main use of this laptop is for gaming and also to entertain myself by trying to learn PhotoShop and other activities I can use my laptop for while I am at work. So I decided to buy the Sager 5760 after a year long research on what laptop to buy as my very 1<SUP>st</SUP>. I have checked out the Alienware M7700, Dell XPS M170 &amp; M1710 and various other laptops prior to making my final decision. I have learned a lot on my research and even found out that the Sager are actually just rebranded Clevo's. I even noticed that many "Boutique Shops" get their laptops from their respective ODM (or is it OEM) and just rebrand it then adding whatever customization and sticker price for the same machine. I found the Sager's to be the best in value and performance and why I chose to get a Sager in the end.

The Clevo M570U (aka Sager 5760) had everything I was looking for in a gaming machine. Portable, sleek looking and able to take on the latest games available. The best part about it is that I just found out the 5760 is upgradeable to the Intel Core Duo 2 (Merom) CPU without even needing a BIOS, just an easy swap of the processors once Merom becomes available. Another great upgrade plan is the availability of the nVidia Go 7900GTX 512mb that is planned to be released as early as this July for the 5760!

Where and How Purchased:

5760 in packaging (view large image) 5760 packaging opened (view large image)

5760 wrapped and free laptop bag (view large image)5760 unpacked with accessories(view large image)

Finally decided to buy the Sager 5760 from DiscountLaptops.com, which has been very helpful in the month prior to actually buying it from them. It was the best place for my needs as PCTorque.com just closed shop prior to the release of the 5760. DiscountLaptops.com was my 2<SUP>nd</SUP> choice as they also have competitive rates like PCT and also have an Extended Warranty and Accidental Damage Policy that I needed. I have a 3yr. old son at home and I personally felt that the extra cost for the 3yr Extended Warranty and 3yr ADP is essential for this expensive investment.

Build &amp; Design:

5760 front view in the light. (view large image)5760 front view in the dark.(view large image)

The Sager 5760 looks very beautiful for a desktop replacement notebook. It feels sturdy enough and does not feel that it will fall apart anytime soon from handling it. It does have a noticeable flex on the palm rest, which is probably due to the optical drive underneath it, but is not noticeable enough when you are actually using the laptop. There is also a slight flex in the middle of the screen if you try to twist it. This is probably due to having a 17" widescreen and only 2 hinges at each end. A 3<SUP>rd</SUP> hinge in the middle may be better but everything seems to hold well enough in place and the screen does not show any wear and tear after I did my test on it. There were no ripples on the screen when I tried to push in on the lid and no excessive wobbling when the screen was pushed on when the screen is up. The top of the LCD Screen looks like it is made of some sort of metal while the rest of the 5760 looks like it is made of some quality plastic.

As this is my very 1<SUP>st</SUP> laptop that I have ever used, I somehow do not consider it that heavy at all. I of course lug it from my apartment to work in my backpack so it was no problem for me carrying it around. It was also no problem carrying it around my apartment when I was testing its wireless connection.

Screen:

5760 LCD screen in the light.(view large image) 5760 LCD screen in the dark.(view large image)

The very 1<SUP>st</SUP> time I actually looked at the 17" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Widescreen Glossy Display of the 5760, I was amazed by its beauty. It is bar none, one of the best LCD screen I have ever seen. Everyone at work that has checked out my laptop all say how beautiful and great it is. You can easily change the brightness of the screen by the additional Function (Fn) keys on the keyboard. I chose the WSXGA+ resolution as oppose to the larger WUXGA+ as I was afraid of performance decrease in gaming with a higher resolution and also the text being too small for viewing for other uses. I already have a 19" WXGA+ LCD Monitor at home and I can easily say that I am very happy with the resolution I chose.

The only thing that irks me about the screen is when some dust settles on it. Because it is a glossy screen, you may notice it on your screen at times. I highly suggest getting a microfiber cloth so you can wipe your screen when there is something there that is bothering you.

An added bonus is the built-in 1.3 mega-pixel webcam that is mounted on the top-middle side of the LCD screen. The lens itself is small enough that you or other people around you may not even notice it at times.

1.3 mega pixel webcam.

Speakers:

The external speaker of the 5760 produces some decent sound with the onboard sound. It is not the loudest but it does the job. It is also enjoyable to hear the sounds produced by the 5760 with the Sony h.ear Sports Headphones MDR-J11G that I used.

Processor and Performance:

The Sager 5760 is the best and fastest computer I have ever owned. It is noticeable how fast it handles what is given to it by the speed of installations and load up of programs I have put in it. The games I have played so far with it has been great at such a high setting that I have never been able to do before. This is definitely made possible by the Intel Dual-Core CPU and the latest nVidia go7900GTX video card.

I was even more amazed when I found a Hotfix to increase the performance of Dual-Core machines by a post by Gophn in the Sager forums here. In order to find out if this Hotfix actually works, I made 2 sets of benchmark tests for the system and in games.

My quick finding on this is that the Hotfix does help increase the performance of my 5760. The increased performance is minimal but some may like the extra kick they can add to their system.

Benchmarks:

I have tried my best to make the benchmarks as similar to each other as possible. As I stated above, I have done two complete benchmarks for my 5760, one without the Hotfix and one with the Hotfix included. I will also note on each benchmark test any comments for that specific test.

Note:

Each benchmark was done twice per test.

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> test was done prior to the Hotfix installed and hence labeled "Pre-Hotfix".

The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> test was done after the Hotfix was installed and hence labeled "Post-Hotfix".

System Benchmarks

Super Pi Results:

5760 Super Pi results Pre-Hotfix (view large image)5760 Super Pi results Post-Hotfix(view large image)

3DMark05

5760 3DMark05 Pre-Hotfix 5760 (view large image)3DMark05 Post-Hotfix(view large image)

3DMark06

5760 3DMark06 Pre-Hotfix (view large image)5760 3DMark06 Post-Hotfix(view large image)

PCMark05

5760 PCMark05 Pre-Hotfix (view large image) 5760 PCMark05 Post-Hotfix(view large image)

HD Tune:

5760 HD Tune Pre-Hotfix (view large image) 5760 HD Tune Post-Hotfix(view large image)

It is easy to see how powerful this 5760 is with the system benchmarks used above. The Hotfix installed definitely shows a slight increase in performance as a well. I myself notice that I am able to start-up my laptop faster after I have installed the Hotfix. With or without the Hotfix installed, it easily is a good competition for the most current available laptops at this time.

Game Benchmarks

Only the Average FPS is shown for each game benchmark.

F.E.A.R.:

Settings: CPU and Video options initially set at Maximum.

The resolution and AA settings were then adjusted per test using the built-in benchmark tool.

The highest resolution of 1680x1050 was made possible by changing the settings at the Cocuments and SettingsAll UsersDocumentsMonolith ProductionsFEARsettings.cfg file as stated in WideScreenGamingForum.com.

5760 F.E.A.R. benchmarks (view large image)

Oblivion:

Settings: Prior to running the game, I accessed the out-of-game options.

I used the default Medium, High and Ultra settings initially per test.

Bloom was kept instead of HDR due to nVidia card not able to run both AA + HDR at same time.

Only other options changed are the resolution and AA.

A saved game was made in the very beginning of the game right after the jail cell was opened and the King and the guards move into the dungeon.

I then used FRAPS for 60 seconds to get the average FPS while running out of the jail cell towards the 1<SUP>st</SUP> ambush and run back towards the jail cell and back towards the ambush site.

5760 Oblivion benchmarks (view large image)

Battlefield 2:

Settings: Video options are initially set at Maximum settings.

AA settings were changed and game rebooted per test.

1680x1050 resolution was achieved as stated by a workaround from WideScreenGamingForum.com while having the setting in-game at Max resolution of 1440x1050 at 60MHz.

I then logged in Single Player mode using Daliant Plant as the test level and used FRAPS for 60 seconds to get the Average FPS while moving on the exact same path from 1 checkpoint to another for each test.

5760 Battlefield 2 benchmarks (view large image)

The gameplay for each setting was excellent. Graphics are beautiful and there was practically lag free for each setting. It is great to finally have the games I want to play to be set at max settings so I can fully enjoy the eye candy and fully entertain myself.

I just wish that there are built-in benchmark tests for each game I have tested like in the game F.E.A.R.. This would make it easier to set a standard for each test. I however did my best to do exactly the same thing in my FRAPS test with Oblivion and BF2 while having the only difference of changing the settings for each test.

The Hotfix that was used definitely shows an increase in performance for each of the games tested. FPS for each game increased by a slight margin but it was in BF2 that a dramatic increase was found. Like I said above, I have done each and every test the same for each settings and I really have no idea why BF2 gave such a higher FPS increase after the Hotfix was installed.

Heat and Noise:

For the most part, the 5760 is a quiet and cool machine. The palm rest area can get warm after a long night of gaming but it does not get hot. It actually is almost like a comfortable warmness that radiates from the palm rest area. Every now and then you can actually hear the whirr of the hard drive or optical drive. You could hear this after your initial run of whatever you are doing but it dissipates soon enough and for the most part will run very quiet.

Keyboard and Touchpad:

5760 Keyboard, Touchpad and AudioDJ (view large image)

I am used to my Logitech G15 keyboard so the notebook keys took sometime to get used to. It is quiet enough to use and does not have that sticking feeling compared to using standard desktop keyboards. To make room for the Num Pad keys they placed some keys to be used in conjunction with the FN (Function) key. These keys are the Home, End, Page Up and Page Down keys now located in the Left, Up, Down and Right arrows respectively. Having to use the FN and the Arrows keys are the only thing I didn't like about the keyboard. The keyboard also has some additional functions placed on the F# keys. There are also 3 additional keys on top of the keyboard near the power button that can be used for various uses like open up your email or other application you chose for it to use.

The touchpad is typically like any other touchpad in most laptops. It has a scrolling bar on the right had side of the touchpad. Right below it is the right and left button for the touchpad and a central button with arrows on it. It is very easy to accidentally hit the touchpad while typing on the keyboard. This can be easily solved by turning off the touchpad with the Fn+F1 key (which is the very 1<SUP>st</SUP> thing I do upon start up).

5760 front and top view with Audio "DJ" (view large image)

The Audio "DJ" buttons and screen at the bottom of the laptop is a great feature. The screen gives you some great information like the time (only military time for now), battery charge, and various other features that are online at the time. It also doubles as a CD player by having it run without having the laptop turned on. The bottom part of the 5760 is definitely a great addition to its already great list of features.

Input and Output Ports:

The Sager 5760 comes with various inputs and outputs for your various needs. It comes with 4 USB 2.0 ports (2 in the back and 2 on the right side). It also includes a DVI-out port, S/PDIF-Out jack, RJ-11 phone jack, RJ45 LAN jack, 7-pin S-Video-Out jack, Serial Port, Headphone-out jack, Microphone-In jack, 7-in-1 Card Reader and a Mini-IEEE 1394 port. There is also a TV Antenna jack found in the back as well but you will need to have a TV Tuner installed for it to work, I did not get the built-in TV Tuner so I cannot review that at this time. The PCMCIA Card slot is now an ExpressCard Slot and accepts either an ExpressCard/34 or ExpressCard/54 formats.

I like the placements of the ports so far except for the 2 USB ports on the right side of the laptop. If I put anything in those ports I have a chance of having it hit by my hand when I am using my mouse (and I always use my mouse). They should have put those 2 ports on the right a little higher or on the left side of the laptop. That is at least my preference and other than those 2 ports, I am happy with the locations of the other ports.

Able to use MMC, SD, MS and MS Pro without an adapter BUT requires a PC adapter to be able to use MS Duo, Mini SD and RS MMC cards

Below are a set of images of the 5760 in various angles to show each of its specific parts.

5760 back side view (view large image)

5760 Bottom View (view large image)

5760 left side view (view large image)

5760 right side view (view large image)

Wireless:

The Sager 5760 comes with a built-in Intel 3945ABG 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN. It was easy enough to use right out of the box after installing its driver from the driver CD that came with the package. I was able to get good signals from both my work and my home. I have a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router at home and I was able to pick up a good signal from my bedroom, which are 2 rooms away from my router separated by at least 3 walls.

My 5760 also came with a built-in Bluetooth module and FIR Infrared Transceiver. I currently have no accessories that currently use such technology so I wasn't able to test those features at this time.

Battery:

5760 top view with battery (view large image)

I always use my 5760 plugged in so the battery life was not a major concern for me. It is after all a desktop replacement notebook and considers it more of a portable desktop. But I did try to test it to see how long the battery lasted. I put it on the highest brightness and tried to have every functions possible running while I tried to watch Star Wars III with my 3 yr. old son. While having everything on and watching this DVD Movie, it took my 5760 1hr 47mins to finally run out of juice. I could probably make it run longer if I adjust some settings but like I said before, battery life was not a big issue for me when I always have the laptop plugged in anyways.

You can see from my picture above that the 5760 comes with a power brick, and it does look like a brick. I just wish it was a little bit smaller but I guess that is what you get for having something as powerful as this laptop.

Operating System and Software:

I ordered my Sager 5760 without any OS because I was planning to use Windows XP MCE 2005 as my OS. At the time of purchase, DiscountLaptops.com did not offer this OS but they did offer Windows XP Home or Pro. I am very happy so far with the XP MCE OS and even changed my desktop to a HTPC with XP MCE as its OS also.

The 5760 came with the few bare necessities when it is shipped. It came with Nero, Intervideo WinDVD, Bluetooth Software, Intel Wireless Software, and the Driver CD that has all the drivers you will need for a fresh install. If you ordered your 5760 with an OS they usually send in a recovery CD as well. Those are the only software found in the 5760 and you can chose to install them all yourself or have it pre-installed for you. The best thing about Sager is they do not install any of the bloatware that you can find in some other PC companies.

Customer Support:

As much as I am happy with my purchase, I was actually able to test both DiscountLaptops.com and Sager's customer support prior to my purchase and right afterwards. Prior to my purchase, I have been asking DiscountLaptops.com various questions a month or two before the Pre-orders for the 5760 was even available. Matthew Tucker of DiscountLaptops.com was very patient and helpful in trying to help answer each and every possible question I could think off (and I did ask about every possible question out there). If you are planning to buy a laptop from DiscountLaptops.com I highly suggest to specifically ask for Matthew Tucker as he is very helpful and knowledgeable over there.

I was also slightly upset about my Sager 5760 at 1<SUP>st</SUP> due to a piece of dust that was inside my LCD screen. This was easily noticed by me upon its arrival. I had to contact Sager 1<SUP>st</SUP> as they are the point of contact for the 1<SUP>st</SUP> year of service. It is something that I believe should have been looked at prior to shipping but may have been overlooked because I did not request any OS to be installed in it. Either way it is something that shouldn't have happened to begin with. Sager was very helpful and I actually had great communication with David Liu, one of their tech department people I think. Unfortunately Sager did not offer to have my laptop to be shipped back to them for repairs but they do provide 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Day shipment back. I wanted to receive my laptop back ASAP so I had to spend $150 for Overnight UPS Delivery to Sager. Sager surprised me again by having my 5760 repaired and conduct a burn-in test the same day they received it. They even were able to ship it back to me 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Day delivery via UPS the day after they have repaired my laptop. They made sure to email me the tracking number and what was happening with my 5760 as well.

So even though Sager gets a point taken off for the dust in the LCD screen upon initial shipping, they do get full credit for taking care of the problem that was sent to them in an expedient manner and also able to personally contact me. Overall, I am happy with the service from both DiscountLaptops.com and Sager.

I did choose DiscountLaptops.com because I wanted the 3 yr. Extended Warranty and 3 yr. Accidental Damage Protection. This is because I have a 3yr. old son at home and we all know what children and fine equipment adds up to at times. It just gives me that much more security for such an expensive investment.

To find out more about DiscountLaptops and Sager just check them out at their respective websites. They both also have Phone and Email support but they generally are closed on weekends.

DiscountLaptops.com

Website: http://www.discountlaptops.com

Sager Midern Computers

Website: http://www.sagernotebook.com

Conclusion:

I would highly suggest getting the Sager 5760 if you have the money to buy it and you want a powerful and beautiful desktop replacement notebook. You just have to realize that this is actually more like a portable desktop and should be used on a level surface at all times.

Pros:

• Excellent performance for gaming or various other tasks.
• Cool and quiet.
• Sleek design and somewhat portable for a 9lb laptop.
• Beautiful screen that will make everyone drool around you.
• Full keyboard setup.
• Great customer service so far.

Cons:

• Price, base cost runs for $2,000.
• PCMCIA replaced by ExpressCard54, bad if you have older hardware.
• Sager does not provide shipping to them for any defects or RMA but does pay for shipment back to you.
• Military Time only in Audio "DJ".
• 2 USB 2.0 ports on the right side can get in the way at times.
• Must use Function Key with respective arrow keys to use Page Down, Page up, Home and End keys.

Bonus Section -- Sager 5760 and Accessories

View this article to see a review of the Sager 5760 and the accessories this author uses with it.

 

Outstanding review! You put a lot of work for getting those benchmark numbers for the games. Good to know that the processor and graphics card are upgradeable. Well done!

 

Great review! The game benchmarks are sweet too! Looks like a very nice notebook! The one thing I'm confused about is the "Hotfix". What is up with the 3dmark scores changing so much! Its crazy. 5700 to over 8k?! Is all it did was help with the core duo speed... Did it do anything with the GPU? Strange that the score changed so much...

 

I had finished my 1st set of benchmarks prior to me seeing the Hotfix that Gophn posted in the Sager forums here.
Why it took me another week to do the 2nd set of benchmarks with the hotfix and then finish writing the review.

I believe the Hotfix was introduced when AMD released their Dual Core CPU's.
Not sure exactly because I have always used Intel for my processors.

I personally am not sure if it did anything to the GPU as I didn't have the tools or knowledge on how to do that comparison.
Just like you, I am also surprised on the increase performance scores.
I made sure to do each benchmark a few times each just to be sure also.

Also it wasn’t that huge an increase, you may have read it wrong.

Let me repost it again in a another format.
Going to also to add the Dell XPS M1710 as a product comparison.
Please note that the Dell XPS M1710 I will be using to compare has slightly better CPU and GPU than mine as it is reviewed in this site as well.

Dell XPS M1710 I will compare it to has the following specs:

* System: Dell XPS M1710 (Red color lid)
* Processor: Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* Memory: 2GB @ 667MHz - 2 DIMM Slots (2 x 1GB) (Max Ram 4GB)
* Hard Drive: 100GB capacity at a speed of 7200 RPM
* Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX with 512MB DDR memory
* Screen: WUXGA Truelife (1920 x 1200)
* Optical Drive: 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW/+R) with Dual-Layer
* OS: Microsoft MCE 2005
* Wireless Card: Intel 3945 (802.11b/g)
* Battery: 9-cell lithium ion recharegable battery
* Ports / Slots: 5-in-1 Memory Card Reader, DVI-D, VGA video output, S-Video, IEEE 1394 (Firewire), 6 USB 2.0, Express Card slot, Modem, Ethernet/LAN, Microphone in, Headphone out
* Integrated Subwoofer
* Price of this configuration: $4,215 (base price of black metallic M1710 starts at $2,600)​

Benchmark Comparisons

Super Pi
(2m at 20 iterations)

5760 Pre-Hotfix = 1m23s
5760 Post-Hotfix = 1m16s
Dell XPS M1710 = 1m7s

5760 Performance Increase w/ Hotfix = 7s or 9.21%
Best Performance Scores = Dell XPS M1710 by 9s or 13.43%​

3DMark05

5760 Pre-Hotfix = 7814
5760 Post-Hotfix = 8111
Dell XPS M1710 = 8524

5760 Performance Increase w/ Hotfix = 297pts or 3.66%
Best Performance Scores = Dell XPS M1710 by 413pts or 4.85%​

3DMark06

5760 Pre-Hotfix = 4626
5760 Post-Hotfix = 4631
Dell XPS M1710 = 4744

5760 Performance Increase w/ Hotfix = 5pts or 0.11%
Best Performance Scores = Dell XPS M1710 by 113pts or 2.38%​

PCMark05

5760 Pre-Hotfix = 4671
5760 Post-Hotfix = 4895
Dell XPS M1710 = 5333

5760 Performance Increase w/ Hotfix =224pts or 4.58%
Best Performance Scores = Dell XPS M1710 by 438pts or 8.21%​

I even added how much better the Dell XPS M1710 has better performance scores compared to the best scores I have for my 5760 with the Hotfix installed.

With or without the Hotfix, it shows that the 5760 is a very competitive machine losing only by a very narrow margin.
And this is compared to the Dell XPS M1710 that has a faster CPU and higher memory GPU.

Imagine if my 5760 has the same CPU and GPU of T2600 2.16ghz CPU and Nvidia 7900GTX 512mb!
AND it costs less than the XPS M1710!

The Sager 5760 with Nvidia 7900GTX 512mb is even getting released July 5th!


PS:
I hope you guys read the Bonus section

 

If your GPU only has 256 MB of RAM, then I don't think it is the GTX, but it is the GS. I do believe only the GTX has 512 MB of RAM.

Great review!!

 

Mannix, spectacular job. The performance benchmarks are top-notch, as is your writing style. Quite a long and enjoyable review, considerable effort put into that.

The Sager NP5760 is a great laptop and it's a wonderful thing to see you enjoying it.

Chaz

 

It definetely is the 7900GTX for the sager 5760's. It should have the same clockspeed as the 512mb version but with 256mb (which makes little difference in most games).

 

Excellent reveiw! Very thoroughly, esp. on the gaming benchmarks with both pre and post-hotfix.

 

Just so you know I ain't mistaken
Here is a screenshot of my Nvidia Driver.

May have been confused as Dell has the 7900GS 256mb as the standard default option and have an upgrade for the 7900GTX 512mb.

The initial Pre-order of the 5760 that was released in June 1 has the nVidia go7900GTX 256mb.
The 5760 will have the 7900GTX 512mb as standard configuration and be released this July.

Looking forward to see how much of a performance increase it will have compared to my setup.
Hopefully I will not cry and wish I waited an extra month instead of pre-ordering.

From what I understand, the 512mb in the GPU will be most helpful or noticeable for really high resolutions.
That is with resolutions of 2xx0 x 1xxx0 or higher.

There was a test of 256mb vs 512mb for the 7800GTX and it shouldn't be much different for teh 7900gtx.
Here is the actual thread about it: Video Card Memory Analysis: 256MB vs. 512MB @ Pureoverclock.com

And thanks to everyone
This is my very 1st review ever that was published
Wish I could do more reviews in the future but not gonna be able to buy another laptop for a few years lol.

I did do the whole review at work and people at my job loved my 5760
(Except for a couple of pictures, but I did most of the review and benchmarks at work)

@Chaz
You chazman and just changed your username?

 

don't like that american stupidity with AM and PM - so that (thing with 'military' time) should be put to pros not cons.

 

I did it because it would be simpler, and it is a better name for publishing.

 

This is the best review I've ever read here at NBF. Congrats on your new toy, Kilim!!!

 

don't like that american stupidity with AM and PM - so that (thing with 'military' time) should be put to pros not cons.

It's not "American Stupidity" btw, its part of our Culture. And it is a con.
The makers of the 5760 should have put in a toggle switch in the bios that
allows one to use 12-hour or 24-hour time. How hard can it be afterall. I
wonder if that item can be hacked somehow...Will have to look into it.

 

There was a link posted in the forums about a comparsion between the sager and a modified dell precision m70!

Check it out:
http://laptoplogic.com/resources/detail.php?id=31

 

You got me there. Thanks for the update. My error. I did not know Nvidia created a GTX version with only 256 MB, but I do now.

 

Nice review! Makes me wanna get my first Intel machine (can do a Merom swap!). I have a question, though. Does anyone know where to get the 7900GTX, as well as a WSXGA+ or WUXGA+ LCD? I can't afford an M570U with 7900GTX & WSXGA+, but I can afford one with WXGA+ & X1600 128MB. I plan to upgrade later...

 

Good review! Makes me want one even more!

 

Can we please leave the attacks on other nations/cultures from this thread.

I have served my beloved US Marine Corps for 4 yrs as an 0331 Machine Gunner from October 1997 to October 2001.
I was born in the Philippines and moved to the US when I was 13 in October 31, 1989.
Been to a few other countries during my enlistment.
From where I have been, I did not know that AM & PM is an American made "stupidity" but I have seen other nations use it also.
Never had to use "Military Time" until I joined the Marines.

So with that said, please let us leave the hate out of this review


Back on topic:

From what I understand there is no way to change the time the way it is now.
It would have been nice if they added an option for it though and that is the only reason I posted it as a Con.

 

If you have any more problems, use the "Report Post" icon under the post.

There is no way to change the clock to AM/PM time, correct. I've looked for ways to do so but there are no settings for it. I normally use military time anyways.

 

Great review Kilim!

I love the way you laid out the specs, laid out the ports in the pictures (which were all very good btw), and thoroughly benchmarked everything.

Lol, if I ever do a notebook review I want you to know in advance I am copying you! =P

The two sets of benchmarks really illustrate the difference between performance with and without the hotfix.

Beautiful machine, enjoy your long nights of gaming!

Peace out!
-Niki

 

Thanks.
The only pictures I didn't personally do myself are the Input/Output images.
Those was done by DiscountLaptops.com and used with there permission.
I was going to do one myself but the ones made by DL in their site was already there and shows everything I was going to point out anyways.
Besides, I kinda suck at Photoshop still and graphic stuff

I also just realized that there was some out-of-date info on the Input/Output ports but I think I noted that in the review.
Its the PCMCIA that is listed in the image but it is replaced by the ExpressCard/54 and the 4-in-1 card that can actually become a 7-in-1 card IF you have the proper adapters.

And I am indeen enjoying my 5760 for gaming.
I have been hooked on BF2 for a few months now lol.
An old gaming friend also just convinced me to try out CoV so I may try that for a few now that it has PvP.
I LOVE MMORPG and have been MMORPG free for a few months due to less than quality games of that genre around at this time.
Have played so many in both release and beta stage.
Guess I will give another a shot as I I can sense the need for my fix resurfacing lol.

I also LOVE this website.
Practically come here everyday to check on stuff.
Such great community here

 

Still a wise choice to use the imput output images. They could be photoshopped. But honestly I'd of asked DL is I could use them to. It's quicker that way. =D

Keep practicing with Photoshop. I wish I could help you out. But I stink at walking people threw things. I could tell you how to make lightening off the back of my hand (maybe) and that's it.

I'm not a gamer, but I know how much fun it is to cave to addiction. Go get your fix! Glad your having fun. =D

Last time I'll turn this thread into a conversation. Drop by The Random Thread in OT anytime to chat.

 

Excellent review, you can tell you took some time and effort into it. I really like how you explained the hotfix and made it easy to see the performance of this monster witht he benchmarks. Nice review ! 10/10 A++
~Arman

 

Which expensive investment do the warranties cover: the Sager or your son?

 

hahahahahaha!!

 

Great review! I really enjoyed reading it.
I have a question though:
When you hit the volume control near the CD/indicator/time display, does it adjust Windows volume, or the speakers' volume (like Toshiba's volume dials)?
Thanks much!

 

Great review Kilim!!!

 

I have tried to apply the hotfix, however to my dismay, it screwed my system where the boot.ini was corrupted and I had to reinstall my os which means I lost everything. I BELIEVE it was the partition where mine said partition = 2, and I changed it to 1 thinking thats what I HAD to do. I do believe if I had left it at 2 the hotfix would have been fine.... sigh. I'm gonna try to reapply it again.

 

The only thign you needed to do in the boot.ini file is add "/usepmtimer" in the very end or make sure it is in there.
Thats it.
Did you have a RAID Config?

 

I thought I needed to make the boot.ini file the exact same as the one you posted, therein lies my mistake. I didn't have a raid set up. what I can't believe is one little file can cause me to do a complete reinstall. next time I will only add the usepmtimer at the end. but on the bright side, I WAS kinda wanting to do a fresh reinstall, but just didn't want to since I loaded up all the programs already, this kinda forces me to, and I'll get rid of more junkware and make bootup time even quicker.

 

No you didn't have to do an exact copy for the boot.ini file.
I also posted a link in Gophn's thread I linked in my review about the Official Microsoft post about it also.
Gophn's post just made it easier to do in a simpler format.

I don't mind reformatting my system everynow and then.
I actually ended up reformatting my desktop at least 3x this year.
(I had a bug I wanted to fix 1 time and the 2nd time I turned my desktop to a HTPC and instaled XP MCE 2005, 3rd time, dont ask lol)

I also did a fresh install of my OS on my 5760 2x for my testing purposes.

And I agree, after a while, people tend to have a bunch of junk in your machine and not a bad idea to reformat it to start a new and hopefully we don't do the same things again ;p

 

The Audio "DJ" keys are to be used when the PC is off.
It currently only utilizes itself for music CD at this time and does not work for DVD Movies.
I think You are supposed to turn off the Audio "DJ" when you turn on your PC, not fully sure on this though.

When you adjusting the volume is in sync with both windows & speakers at the same time I think.

Sorry for my answers today I am kinda groggy and worn out today

 

The NP5750's GPU is not upgradeable to the 7900 GTX because it uses a different cooling system than the NP5760. I'm sure Paladin44 can verify this.

EDIT: Oops, forgot the main reason for posting. Thanks for the well-thought out review Kilim! It must have taken a lot of work to do and we have all benefitted from it. I learned a lot about this machine from your review and wish you many nights of gaming goodness in the future!

 

So, none of those controls work with Windows programs, such as Winamp? I thought I'd confirm before I start panicking

 

I have the same set of controls on the Sager 5320; they work with iTunes and Windows Media Player. I do not have WinAmp but I am sure they would work with that as well.

 

Okay, thanks Chaz, and thankyou Kilim for answering my question a while back
I think I'm sold on Sager for my next notebook (probably the 5750)

 

Hi Kilim,

Good review help me feel better about getting mine. Seems almost the same as yours except it’s different brand and I went with the 1.66 GHz processor.

Just out of curiosity what was your lapy serial number?

If your curious my 3DMark scores where without the mode:

3D mark - 4467
Sm2.0 - 1922
HDR/SM3.0 – 1852
CPU Score – 1373

Super Pi 1m 21

I am getting the 512 upgrade next week if your interested I can post the changes to the score.