Sager NP8660 Review

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7.1 lbs with Battery Pack

 

I'm considering to go for it but with WUXGA (1920x1200).

So I'm re-posting Xirurg's unanswered question: "what do you think,is WSXGA a better choice for this machine then WUXGA?"

Thx for the great review Chaz

 

My batterylife on my np8660 is my bigest disapointment...

seeing as a sim speced alienware m15x can get 2.5-3 hours ....

really wished clevo would have used a nvidia Mobo and put in a less powerfull GPU to save power...

regardless i love my np8660 but its batterylife is def its bigest con.. my batterylife % goes down faster than a clock ticks some times

 

Why would you want that much batterylife when you're using a GAMING machine?

 

??????

I can only say; What???
Why did you buy a notebook with an 9800M-GT?
Wanna trade?

 

Weight?

Does it have the Nvidia chip problem?

How does one know if a notebook does or does not have the Nvidia chip problem?

 

Just wondering how the WUXGA display will look with the matte Finish.

 

He meant something like the what the m15x has. The ability to switch between the 8800M GTX and an Intel x3100. Really gives a big boost in battery life when you need it.

 

Stunning, I would prefer matte over glossy anyday.
Search for the HP 8710w review, it comes with a WUXGA matte display.

 

Not at the moment unfortunately. I am currently reviewing an ASUS G50V.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will make a point to remember to do that.

I'm a high resolution junkie, so if I were buying this notebook I would have the WUXGA. I use WUXGA on my desktop's monitor and I make use of all the screen real estate it has. There is a noticeable increase in space going from WSXGA+ to WUXGA. WUXGA has almost 25% more space than WSXGA+.
I guess it all depends on your eyes.

 

Right.
(Private face palm moment and self reflection) .....
Thanks.

 

You know what would be awesome? A head to head comparsion of this and the m15x.

 

Does anybody know any reseller in Europe with WUXGA option also ? or which is going to offer this soon enough and when.

i found http://www.deviltech.de with Devil 9000 DTX model but only with WSXGA option.

 

@Vedya : related to this here is a comparison of 9800M GT with 8800 GTX
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-nVidia-GeForce-9800M-GT-Graphics-Card.11099.0.html

 

Chaz, did you get a chance to use a notebook cooler and compare the HDD temps without it? If you did, which cooler did you use?

I got a Zalman NC1000 but haven't had a chance to use it yet (didn't come with neccessary cable - USB A to A, both male ends). Local store had some @ about $30 so I went to Amazon instead.

BTW, great review and cool pics, thanks a bunch.

 

with the slient mode on? can you give an estimate battery life? websurfing...

 

Have you checked the Clevo Guide yet?

 

I didn't; the Zalman NC-1000 is one of the best notebook coolers on the market though, if not the best. $30 is a good price, but I suppose that's why it didn't come with the cable.

Try Kobalt - they offer the M860TU (they call it the Nexus) with the WUXGA display for an additional 40 quid:
http://www.kobaltcomputers.co.uk/nexus_overview.php

 

Only a matter of hours before mine is delievered. Which benchmarks if any would you guys like to see?

 

Nice, thanks for the review.

 

Ran 3dmark06 and got a score of 9568, not too shabby. Also I did order 2 power bricks at purchase. Sager was nice enough to give me one with and one without a fan. Ill do a seperate review of the two bricks .

 

looking forward to your powerbrick review with pics hopefully.

 

wow this laptop looks AWESOME! I just think I might save up and buy one next year

 

NO LONGER AVAILABLE WITH THE 9800M GT, ONLY WITH THE 9800M GTS

9800 GT had 96 stream processors, 9800 GTS only has 64

nerfed

 

The 9800M-GTS does have higher clocks and is producing similar benchmark numbers in 3DMark06, though we'll have to see how it stacks up in gaming performance.

 

you can still the 9800M GT through various vendors.

www.rjtech.com
www.eurocom.com
www.pro-star.com
etc....

 

my mistake, some vendors do still have it, but Sager does not

 

Strange, why do you think they changed it? Cheaper? Was the GT running too hot? Doesn't seem like it in this review.

Apparently Sager is just out of stock... and only discounting $60 for the downgrade for the GTS. I dunno, the GT is close to 8800m GTX speeds I believe, so I think that's not exactly a fair price. They used to charge $400+ to move from the GTS to the GTX.

 

I recently got the Sager NP8660 for about 3 weeks, with the exact same specs as Chaz's except I didn't get the 4GB Intel Turbo Memory v2.0. And I can assure that Chaz's review is 100% correct. Although, there's one thing I hate is the AC adapter plug-in in the back of the laptop, it is too loose. It keeps fallen off when move around. Also I find that it's a bit heavy but overall I'm very happy with this laptop over the Alienware m15x.

 

For those of you that own this comp. Does it downclock the GPU while on battery? My friend owns the Area-51® m15x 15.4-inch with the 8800 GTX, and it downclocks to the equivalent of a 8400 when on Batt.

 

can i still get this with the GT model at powernotebooks? I like it there because I'm having a lot of good comments about it. If not the best, can anyone suggest the best sager reseller there is in the market today?

@Chaz, I'm also wondering why didn't the 4GB DDR3 Ram 1066 MHz reach the 5.9 max rating in Vista considering that a lower clock speed with the same amount of RAM in the HP DV5T had reached 5.9? Any suggestions or comments on that?

just researching now, and it seems that the ASUS G50VT-A2 is also a good laptop. Now I'm confused between the Sager NP8660 and the ASUS G50VT-A2. Which do you guys think is better overall?

among all the equivalent rebranded models of the sager np8660, which has the sleakiest and most modern design (build look)? Because as we all know, the sager np8660 has a business look, I'm fine with its specs but I want a more futuristic look of a laptop. Hope somebody can help me. Thanks.

 

The GT version of the 9800 is no longer available, it was dropped some months ago. The GTS is fast enough for modern games.

Check the Clevo Guide for a listing of Sager resellers.

Yeah - about the DDR3 RAM, I don't know why it didn't get a 5.9. I am thinking it was because DDR3 RAM has high CAS latency versus DDR2. DDR3 does not provide any tangible performance increase over DDR2, at least when coupled with the Core 2 Duo.

The ASUS G50 is larger and has a slower video card. I personally prefer the Sager.

I don't know of any seller that has make the NP8660 any sleeker, at least physically. Some Sager resellers offer skins and paint jobs that modify the surface look. Skins are usually $25 - $50 and a paintjob can range from $150 - $400.

 

thanks for the reply chaz. what i mean by sleakiest is that which of, say, rock sager clevo pro-star have the best design (i.e. incorporation of the brand name and placement etc.) of the M860TU?

Is EUROCOM and Powermicroworks a preferrable reseller? They still have GT cards available but their pricing is way more expensive than other resellers such as powernotebooks, discountlaptops, etc..

 

That would be personal preference. All of the logos are in the same place on the back of the lid at the top . . .

I'll refer you to the Clevo Guide to find a Sager reseller, and the Sager forum since I can't endorse a particular reseller as someone who represents NBR.

 

alright I understand. Well, here are still some questions in my mind. Do I really need the Robson Intel Turbo 4GB Cache Memory if I already have a 4GB RAM installed?

I noticed that some resellers offer an option of a 4GB Kingston with the same clockspeed of 1066 MHz but has a significantly higher price. What is the advantage of Kingston brands?

How fast of a processor would you think be enough for hardcore gamers like me (for the 8660)?

is there a big difference between 5400 and 7200rpm in harddisks?

If my RAM is 8GB, will the 64bit version of Windows Vista able to utilize all of that? I mean, is it still advisable to upgrade up to 8GB?

chaz are you still there?

 

No. Chaz went on vacation. I'm in charge now.

Turbo memory 2.0 works differently to normal memory in the sense that you can either set it to use the 'boost' features available in Vista that normally would take a memory stick to utilize or you can use the 'dashboard' program that comes with the memory to target certain programs to use the memory for. resulting in faster openings and functioning of that program.

Games are not CPU dependant, at least not all, RTS might utilize it a bit more but anything like a p8200 good for gaming. People tell me that their games run smooth as butter.

No big difference between 7200 and 5400 unless you are doing something hard drive intensive like moving large amounts of files or creating videos or high def pictures on it.

What the heck you want 8gb of ram for? Yes, vista 64bit will utilize all that....and up to 128GB of ram. Stay at 2-3GB if you aren't doing anything incredibly intensive. (gaming is not intensive, beleive it or not)

 

nice answer lol!.. well, i see that the EDGE is a good laptop at pcmicroworks but it is very expensive there. is it that really expensive compared to the sager?

So the user is the one setting what application will be utilizing the turbo memory 2.0?

If I have 4GB of physical RAM, would it be better to avail the 4GB turbo memory or just the 2GB?

In choosing between the T9400 and p9500, is 10mW of power that of a difference? Because they differ by 30USD in price.

What advantage does Kingston branded RAMs offer over other RAMs? Because I can see that they are always more expensive. If I have an option of a 4GB kingston 1066 and a 4GB generic 1333 (with kingston more expensive), what should I get?

yo deathwinger?

when will the m865tu be released? i know its just cosmetics. but who knows, it might be that the look of the laptop would be better as compared to the business design of the m860tu

 

Thanks for the great review!

 

Resellers???

I got mine at pctorque

 

Oh yeah!!!

Two things I don't like the Sager NP8660:
1. The monitor screen is not bright enough.
2. The battery life, but I can live with the AC adapter in.

 

Great Review, Thanks!

Just wondering whether anyone has been able to measer the actual thickness of the notebook and not just refer to an "estimate" from the manufacturer?

Thanks...

 

Can this be configured to RAID 2 HDD's if one is internal and 2nd eSATA or in DVD/CD bay? Does it offer an "S" video out for those situations where no other is available or can I get an adapter to down mix DVI or HDMI to "S" video? Does Sager offer any 15.4" unit w/ dual internal HDD's? Otherwise, I really like all the features of this model for a daily user for both work and fun.

 

Sorry for bumping such an old thread, but I am new to these forums and am going to be purchasing a new laptop within the next week. At this point I am 90% ready to order a Sager NP8660.

I was just wondering if somebody who has been using this laptop regularly since release can give me an update on how it is holding up? I'm just looking for an updated review after a few months of use.

I'm really hoping these are holding up well.

Is there any other model similar to the NP8660 I should be considering?

 

Welcome to the NBR forums.

you should really make a post at Sager/Clevo sub-forum here.

there are many many owners of this notebook there.

you can title it something like.. "Think about Sager 8660"