**Official Clevo W25AES / Sager NP3260 Owner's Lounge**

This Thread Will Open At 12:01am.

 

Anybody have one of this? I will have one shortly in the form of a MYTHLOGIC Pollux 1312

1080p matte
35w i7 3612qm
8gb DDR3L 1600
ocz vertex 3 max IOPS 120gb

 

Well, I've got it, and wow I love it! The screen looks amazing... can't even look at my old Asus N61Jq anymore. If anybody would like information about it I can try to help.

 

I've been thinking of purchasing this laptop, actually.
Could one of you tell me about the battery life on this? How are the fans? What are the heat temperatures when running games, or during light use (which I think is browsing and word processing), and do you feel the heat at all? How do games run on these?
Do you think that this laptop is suitable for commuting to and from college classes?

 

The battery life seems quite good. Significantly better than my Asus N61Jq (i7 740QM / 5730M).

When doing nothing demanding, like web browsing or word processing and the like, the fan is either totally off of just barely audible (you have to listen for it). In comparison to the N61Jq, a LOT quieter (and I never thought the former was particularly loud). With the SSD, it is practically dead silent.

The bottom and the air outlet vent can get warm to hot when playing games, but are not very hot otherwise. The only games I play are Unreal Tournament and Quake Live, as well as UT2004. I've installed the latter two, not UT2004 yet.

Unreal Tournament never dips below 60fps at 1080p with a high resolution texture pack installed, and 8xAA 16xAF. It is an older game, though.

In an intense firefight on Quake Live, the FPS dips, but I am convinced this is because Optimus is not kicking in for it. I submitted a bug report to Nvidia.

I know it's not kicking in because I have 16xAF forced in the Nvidia CP, and it is obvious there is no AF being applied in the game. Also, the fan barely ever spins up on QL, but it does immediately on UT.

This is a driver issue though, and no fault of the laptop or hardware.

It is absolutely perfect for college use. That is actually a main reason I got it.

EDIT:
Also I thought I should mention, the speakers are quite nice. Especially in UT with the THX settings enabled.

EDIT2:
Also if I didn't make it clear earlier, I actually have DDR3L memory in my laptop, which operates at 1.3v rather than 1.5v. Mythlogic modded the BIOS to lower the voltage for me, it was not standard.

EDIT3:
3DMark Vantage: P5368, 4327 GPU / 19297 CPU

 

Glad you're enjoying it =)

We've also finished the BIOS updates, now our entire lineup supports DDR3L, except for those that get 8GB SODIMMS or 1866 memory =)

 

Cool! By the way, for an apples to apples comparison to my N61Jq with an i7 740QM and a Radeon 5730M, the 3DMark Vantage result is P4093, 3400 GPU / 10544 CPU.

I am actually surprised, I thought the 630M and 5730M were fairly close, and I never would have suspected the Ivy Bridge quad core to be nearly twice as fast! And this laptop uses a lot less power to boot!!

Its odd actually, WEI rates both GPU categories as 6.7 for the 5730M and 6.6 for the 630M.

 

Thats because WEI scores come from the land where numbers don't make sense

 

Hmmm. That's pretty neat then. I'm pretty new to the laptop scene, so please excuse me.
I mean, I've been going between this laptop and the Asus U46SM because of the battery life. See if you can convince me to try to get this laptop instead.
Could you give any specifics on the battery life? Like how long it lasts with light use, or during gaming (I usually play older games anyway)? And how is the build quality?

 

I play older games too. Both laptops have the GT 630M, which is more than enough. Both also have Optimus.

The U46 has an i5 2450M CPU, which has a 35W TDP. The i7 3612QM that I have also has a 35W TDP, but the difference of course being the 3612QM is a lot faster in every respect.

I also have a 1080p screen, the standard on the U46 is only 1366x768, same as my old N61Jq. I love the new resolution. I'm not sure if you can special order a better screen or not.

One aspect I see that the W25 has over the U46 is the chipset. The U46 has a 6-series HM65 chipset where as the W25 has a 7-series HM76. The biggest benefit of which is native USB 3.0. The U46 also has USB 3.0, but through a chip entirely separate to the main Intel chipset, which means extra drivers being necessary. I've always found Intel's implementations of features to be much better and more stable/reliable than third parties.

The only thing I see the U46 having an advantage in is the 8-cell battery vs the 6-cell in the W25.

I'll try using it on battery power and report back on how long it lasts.

 

Oh, that's some nice info you've given there! Well, it's definitely made me more inclined towards the Sager NP3260. It's the battery life I have qualms about, really. Thank you for all the information you've given and for doing the battery tests, userno. It's very appreciated.

 

Battery test results!

Oh and build quality... it's solid, I have no complaints. I didn't test battery playing games, that will kill the battery on this laptop and the other fast enough that it won't make a difference which lasts longer, IMO.

Anyway, at 6:51 PM I unplugged it at 100%. At 10:04 PM it was at 10% and I plugged it back in.

During the time it was unplugged, I was using it quite a bit, downloaded a torrent (~500mb), went on reddit, sent e-mail using Outlook and watched youtube videos. Didn't take many breaks.

 

Thanks for reviewing the Battery Life. Its OK but not spectacular given that you have the LV CPU and not doing any gaming. One question, during the youtube streaming was it using the Discrete graphics? Since I'm not really a gamer I was considering this laptop vs the np6165 which has a larger battery but with a more power hungry and faster GPU.

 

No problem. It's possible the 1080p screen uses battery faster, although I can't be sure. The only way to really know battery life is to do the kind of test I did. Official ratings are typically badly fudged or based on highly unrealistic usage.

Looking at the specs of the NP6165, it says only a 6-cell battery as well (looks to be same one as mine)? If it has Optimus, then the Nvidia GPU shouldn't kick in on battery unless you launch HD video or games. As for watching videos on my laptop, I believe it used the Intel graphics. I think Optimus kicks in for HD videos but I didn't watch any HD.

 

Although both use 6-cell batteries I believe the NP6165 has a 62wHr vs 49wHr of the NP3260 capacity.

It is conceivable that the geForce GT650m in the NP5165 is actually more power efficient than the geForce chip in the NP3260 since its built on the new Kepler core if its downclocked and undervolted. I would love to see battery life benchmarks based on running pure Integrated graphics between these these 2 notebooks.

The only reason I would consider these notebooks is because they have 1080p screens as opposed to most Ivy Bridges in this class with the standard 720p.

 

Where are you seeing 62wHr for the NP6165? I found a place that sells it here:
Sager NP6165 - Custom Built Laptops


Under the specs, it lists it as a 6-cell 48wHr. And from the picture it looks like the exact same size and shape as my battery as well. If there really is a 62wHr battery I'd like to acquire one myself!

That's a good point about the 650M, but are you planning on gaming using battery power? I would think it would still drain the battery relatively fast enough to make it impractical.

What games do you play anyway? The Intel HD4000 is pretty competent for an IGP.

 

On the sager site http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_info&model_name=NP6165


Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2

 

Wow, I want that battery. It literally looks exactly the same as my battery. Which also makes me wonder though, how could it be 62wHr?

 

Yeah, I don't do much gaming so the IGP is perfectly fine for me except that low end machines with IGP don't have 1080p screens which is what I'm looking for.

 

Can you maybe provide some images of your new laptop. How bulky and heavy does it look and feel?

I am wondering how much control the bios gives over the CPU. Is it possible to limit the CPU even more, to conserve extra power.

How does the hd4000 compare to the 630m. I am wondering if it is worth getting this one with the 630m, compared to the one without. I won't really be playing a lot of games on it, that is what my desktop pc is for.

 

Ooh, thanks, userno! It's a very tempting buy, but apparently my budget has just gone down to about $700, so until I manage to get a discount or more money in the next few months, I think I'll hold off on buying this for now, and might look at some other less expensively priced laptops... But I really would like to buy this.
Nevertheless, it is nice to have more information. Some pictures would be nice, yes.

 

BIOS:
The only option I see to potentially lower CPU power is hyper threading. But, by default, I am sure all supported power management features would be enabled, especially on a laptop. You can also modify the maximum CPU state in windows advanced power options.

As for GT 630M vs HD4000, I got a 3DMark Vantage GPU score of P4327 on the GT630M, and there are results for HD4000 here:
Intel HD Graphics 4000 - Notebookcheck.net Tech

Indicates average of P3141 GPU, maximum of P3488.

Pictures (sorry, phone camera):




For size, if anybody owns or has seen an Asus N61Jq, this laptop is about the same height, but noticeably smaller in length and width, and noticeably lighter as well. It fits very nicely in my backpack (The N61 was a bit of a squeeze).

 

Would you say the build quality is excellent? So little info on this notebook to be found, I'm very interested in if you were impressed, let-down, disappointed, etc and if you have had other machines to compare it to? Thanks!

 

I've literally answered all those questions

Build quality is very good IMO, the only laptops that would strike me as being better in that department are ones made of a metal or possibly carbon fiber shell.

 

Can you comment on the trackpad? Is it a multi-touch trackpad? Maybe it's called multi-gesture, I don't really know. The kind where you can scroll using two fingers. Also, how is the keyboard?

Thanks!

 

Thanks userno69. It doesn't look too bulky, just blocky. I like that it isn't glossy.
The weight is about 2,6 kg right.

How is the battery life for doing normal stuff, like watching Game of Thrones , browsing the internet, etc.

 

Just ordered one unassembled without a battery or disk drive from RJTech along with various components from them and Newegg. The complete system with international shipping and currency exchange (the Canadian dollar's at 94 cents atm) cost $758. NB that the same configuration would be more than $50 less if I were a domestic buyer. Also planning to order a better screen once the laptop's up and running, and I'll do some sort of review after that. I didn't order a battery because that allowed me to use USPS ground which is much cheaper and might just dodge the tax man.

Coming from RJTech:
Intel Ultimate-N 6300
i3-2350m @ 2.30 GHz ~ since the IB dual cores are to launch soon

Coming from The Egg:
Western Digital Scorpio Black 320 GB
G.SKILL 2 GB @ 1333 MHz
Arctic Silver 5 ~ SO much better than IC Diamond

Your Pollux is lookin' good userno69! Was going to go with one but it turned out to be a bit over me budget.

EDIT: Tax man dodged, arrived in a week.

 

Good question! Yes, it is multitouch, and works very well! Dual finger scrolling (vertical and horizontal), and can do a bunch of other things with different taps and gestures, including pinch to zoom, rotation and some other things.

@AlienUFO, I did a pretty comprehensive battery test earlier in the thread

 

+1 Thanks for the reply! Have you tried playing any newer games on it yet, like Diablo 3?

 

Bump because I have another question: does it have a lock hole? For a kensington lock.

 

Another bump, apparently. I came to ask if you could comment on the keyboard, userno69 (gave you a refer btw). And is the color of the panel around the keyboard actually as dark as in your picture, or is it that silver that's in all the other np3260/w25aes pictures?

@chewedmuffin: The Sager np3260 does have a lock hole. Last picture illeGear - Sager NP3260

 

Sorry I haven't had a chance to play any newer games, I don't even really own any haha... The 3DMark score should be a pretty decent baseline though

It does have a lock hole on the back! And the colors are pretty dark, I wouldn't call any part of it "silver", that's for sure!

 

Well that's good ^_^.
How is the keyboard for typing? I've heard bad things about it (and I don't like the chiclet style anyway)

 

Has anybody tried installing any flavor Linux on the NP3260? Do (most) things work OOTB ?

 

Finished installing everything yesterday and booted a Ubuntu live usb earlier. Everything worked from the get-go except for some fn combos (need to use the slider to change screen brightness for example) and the 630m as you'd expect. Imo a great Linux lappy although the construction, keyboard, speakers, and stock screen very much reflect the price. About to order the P150EM matte and'll be throwing the washed-out-screen-door'd-unevenly-backlit-default from the highest window I can find.

That off my chest I'm quite happy with my purchase, it being solid enough and highly customizable. As for the flaws I repeat that you get what you pay for :}

 

Can you maybe elaborate a little bit more about the flaws, or if you can write a review, that would be awesome. What screen did you get. Were you able to disable the 630m and only use the CPU's on Ubuntu. Have been a long time since I followed the progress of getting Optimus working under Linux.

Also, I'm wondering if it is possible to disable HT in the BIOS. Screenshots of the BIOS CPU options would be nice.

Another thing, is the 630m a 28nm or 40nm, on notebookcheck they say it can be either, so I'm wondering. Also what is the clocks and at what temperature does it peak.

Thanks

 

I've plans to write a review once I replace the screen, get Arch well oiled, and try out a few things to improve the cooling (core's never below 60 degrees). Really the more I use this here lappy the less I mind 'er... keyboard's even feeling a bit better. I'll list gripes that spring ready to mind quickly:

-<STRIKE>Things like starting an application push the fan into an audible gear for a few seconds (I like my computing quiet). Currently 29 degrees C in Toronto. This happens when the cpu goes over 65 so a cooling pad might shave a few points off and keep things silent.</STRIKE>
-The touchpad isn't too great... it does the job but ain't nice on the finger tips.
-As somebody who browses geekhack.org I can't help but find the keyboard run of the mill.... no PowerBook Wallstreet that's for sure.
-The screen frame is flimsy (it'll even shake a little if you type hard), and the glossy finish around the panel attracts dust and fingerprints.
-The removable bottom is awkward to pry out and inside some components are squished... it's no pretty sight.

The stock 1366x768 glossy.

Linux'll ignore the 630m and use the igpu automatically, although it still generates heat and uses power. From what I've read Bumblebee can near disable it completely. See this link for more details.

The BIOS is pretty sparse and I didn't see an HT option.<STRIKE> Then again I'm running an i3 without that feature</STRIKE> confused with boost. It does however have an option to disable the low battery and boot bleeps which was a nice surprise.

Not sure :S

I haven't used it... you'll have to ask the other fellow. I can say that everything is cooled by one small fan and copper heatsink. The fan sucks air from the bottom into the case while pushing it out the side vent. Does the job but don't expect room for ocing as is.

EDIT: <STRIKE>It's cool this morning so after five minutes of normal usage temps are hovering between 55 and 60. Could be in part due to the AS5 breaking in.</STRIKE>

 

Cool thanks. You can use GPU-Z to get all the details about the GPU ( GPU-Z Video card GPU Information Utility )

If I get this laptop, it will probably have the crappy stock screen, because my country doesn't stock the fullHD screens, maybe in the future I will import a fullHD screen.

The temperatures are really weird, for a i3 dual core, I don't think it should be running very high. And that the fan is coming on when it is doing work is also weird. Especially if the GPU is disabled. Wonder how the temps would be for a quad core.

 

I've been setting up Linux Mint the last while... was too lazy to install Arch without a solid primary OS. Just installed Bumblebee and the dgpu reading went from ~45 to zero. This freed up some copper sending the cores down to 48 C: yay. As for the screen, I've been using it for a few days now and it is usable, although not great*. I'll update this post when Myth gives me a quote on the matte panel.

*Tempted to complain about bad vertical tearing but that might be fixed with Compiz which I haven't got to yet.

Edit: Compiz replaced bad tearing with bad ghosting, but it's just too unusable... switched back in the end. Screen'll be here in two days from Myth for $130 ($30 shipping).

Update: So it looks like the screen won't be here until Tuesday (Monday's a holiday) and I've still got to dig up a camera. And the display frame finish is the same as all the other 2012 models.

 

Ah, that explains why the CPU temps was so high on idle. It was the GPU giving off the heat. I will also probably install Linux Mint, and then Windows for all those other crap that is difficult to install on Linux. Will mostly use the laptop for studies, but my budget is really limited, that is why I am considering this laptop.

Is the display exterior glossy?

Can't wait for your review.

 

I saw somebody ask, and yes, there is an option to disable HT in the BIOS. As for the keyboard, I am a big fan of nice mechanicals myself. This keyboard certainly dosent compare with them, but it is what it is, and I have no complaints about it. Its definitely not the worst, although there is better.

Unless you're a real stickler about the keyboard, dont let it be a sticking point. Its really not bad. As for the touch pad, the other user has Linux and so I am assuming does not have the full multi touch functionality (no ELAN driver) aside from the basic tap to click. I like the touch pad A LOT, it is a lot better than my Asus N61. The multi touch vertical and horizontal scrolling is fantastic and it even has pinch to zoom, as well as a bunch of other things I don't really use.

 

Mythlogic uses a custom BIOS, there is no such option for the stock Clevo.

The key layout is extremely unintuitive (I find myself missing anything after M consistently), and no thought was given to ergonomics or key spacing... that there are worse keyboards around doesn't make me any happier typing on this one

The horizontal scrolling and pinch zoom do function under Linux.

 

Really? That's good to know

How does it function though? On the Windows drivers, you can either have it so it scrolls when you move one finger along the edge of the touchpad, or it lets you scroll by moving two fingers simultaneously anywhere on the pad (like on a MacBook), which I like a lot better. Do both methods work on Linux?

Also I was not aware Mythlogic had a totally custom BIOS. Good to know as well!

 

There is an option for both in the Mint 13 mouse preferences.

Just got the screen a few minutes ago and'll install it after posting this. It's a few days late but that's what happens when you order before a national holiday. For reference the panel is a LP156WF1(TL)(B2) which retails for about $80 from various screen warehouses. I also managed to borrow a camera so everything's in place for the review.

Update: Got the screen in! Lovely colors and a good deal easier on the eyes.

 

Cool. I have been away for some time. At least the keyboard can type and it seems okayish.

Nice that the multi-touch features works so nicely on the touch pad in Mint. That screen is very nice. Wish I could get such a screen. I will maybe import one in the future.

Now we just need some modded bios, that would give advanced features.

Thanks

 

Did you need any special adapters for the new screen. Was the installation painless or was there a lot of crap you had to do. Have been looking around for that screen, and doesn't seem too expensive to get it here, so I might upgrade my laptop as well, when I get one.

Thanks

 

It was quite painless really... and downright easy if you have another person to hold the panel while you screw it in. You might ask the reseller if they'll send the laptop without any screen, and then you could order the panel from this warehouse for under $100 shipped worldwide. I cannot stress enough how much of a difference that upgrade makes. I'd even say that the W25AES can't be a decent laptop without it.

When I replaced my screen I took a bunch of pictures so I'll post a tutorial here in a few hours. Sorry I haven't been active the last while :|

 

Tutorial: Replacing the Screen

Spoiler

Currently there are three panels that Sager and others are using with the W25AES. Each are available in either matte or glossy finishes. The first does not get surface reflections which can be hard on the eyes, while the second displays slightly more vibrant colors. Here they are in order of quality:

LG LP156WH4(TL)(A1) ~ 1366x768 ~ stock
LG LP156WF1(TL)(B2) ~ 1920x1080 ~ 60% gamut
AUO B156HW01 V.4 ~ 1920x1080 ~ 95% gamut

To get started you'll need a medium phillips screw driver (magnetized hopefully as a lot of screws will be lost otherwise) and a small one, a razor or other thin blade, a flat head screw driver or similar prying device (used a nail file m'self), a clean cloth of at least 15 by 10 inches, and half an hour. Read this tutorial in full before starting!

First unplug the power cord and take out the battery. Then with the laptop right-side-up push back the display as far as it will go. The fact that it won't lie flat makes for some inconvenient acrobatics later so find yourself a helper! I have no friends so I ended up losing a screw

Next take your thin blade and pry the four screw covers off the front of the bezel. There's one in each corner and the bottom covers are really glued on there so stick at it. Once that's done take out the four screws. The small screw driver will likely be needed for the bottom two.



With the bezel unscrewed you can now dislodge it from the grey backing by putting your prying edge in the groove between the two. Start from the side and work your way along the top unsnapping the fasteners. For the bottom you'll have to do this from the screen side. The plastic is rather soft so make sure the flat head or whatever is as deep as it can be prior to turning the tool. Otherwise you'll scrape the bezel... barely noticable if you do though.

To part the bezel from the screen hinges close the laptop and pry them apart from the back as pictured.



Then open your W25AES and do the same with the front face of the hinges, pushing up and forward with your tool. Might not get it the first time.



So you don't lose heart as you pry, here's the end goal:



Next there are again four screws in each corner holding the metal screen frame to the backing. Remove the two silver ones first followed by the longer black screws at the bottom. When taking out the last, make sure to hold the backing and ease it to the new position it will assume when no longer secured. The metal frame however stays in place as it is attached to the hinges.



The panel is removed from the frame by taking out the four screws on either side. Put the cloth over the keyboard before you begin to protect the screen once you unscrew it. Start at the top and work your way down, alternating sides. When you get to the third last screw, the panel must be supported by one hand at the rear. For the second last you must hold the panel up. Then you can rest the freed top corner on the cloth in order to do the final one.



See that shiny video cable? Now it's time for the scary bit

That LVDS connector is fragile, especially toward the end with the pins. Don't treat it like you would ram, but at the same time it will not break if you blow on it. I was pretty clumsy when trying to reconnect the thing and it still worked fine.

First peel back the yellow tape from the cable end. To unplug the connector I found the simplest method was to grip both edges of the ribbon between two fingers, an inch above the copper, and then to pull backward combind with a wiggle or two. The included photo does not show this approach, but rather I needed to hold the cable down to take the shot.



Put the old panel aside and place the new one in the same position atop the cloth. Hit the stock glossy a few times with a hammer before continuing... you couldn't possibly resell it without losing eBay reputation. To replug the LVDS cable grip it just above the metal and insert the pins on a slight angle. Then holding the cable fast, place it flat and apply downward and forward pressure on the ribbon with your finger to slide those pins the rest of the way in.

The first time I tried to reconnect the video I did not get the pins completely out of sight. Thinking they were supposed to be like that, I closed everything up and on boot was greeted with the blackest of screens. Make sure your handiwork matches the picture below.



You may be wondering about the yellow tape. I believe that it was put there as a warning rather than to secure the LVDS connection, and did not replace it for my part. If you think otherwise, electrical tape would likely be the best sort to use.

Now that the screen's hooked up you just need to follow my instructions in the reverse. In short you must rescrew the panel to the screen frame, resecure the backing to that, squeeze the bezel on, and get those last four screws in. Stick the protectors back in with a little glue if they've dried out.

The one hitch I had was when the eighth frame screw refused to line up with its hole. I solved this by taking out the screw below it and fastening that one last.



Finally boot your ES up and enjoy the most distinctive upgrade you can do

 

It makes me sad there isn't much buzz about this laptop, I'm incredibly happy with the one I just received.

The screen is beautiful (1080p matte, non-gamut).
The finish looks very professional and discreet, not to mention how much I like the feel.
It runs incredibly quiet and cool under normal activity with optimus, 22nm ivy bridge and dual SSDs.
The gpu is a LOT more capable than many might realize, I was running with almost all high settings at 1080p playing max payne 3. It was a very smooth, very playable framerate.
The laptop itself is VERY light considering its capabilities. It feels almost half as heavy as my previous m860tu with its blazing hot 260m.

I was wary of getting the laptop, the lack of forum activity compared to the similar model with the 650m GT really seemed like a gamble, I was worried that the gpu would leave me wishing for more. I can't stress enough that this wasn't the case whatsoever, I'm elated that this gpu performs as well as it does. The 650m in the other model might run cooler if it is kepler, but I'm glad I didn't take the chance because frankly i don't need it to be more powerful.

I'm well aware of consumers tending to be happy with what they purchase to avoid buyer's remorse. I tend to be one who can never be satisfied with what I get almost as a rebellion against that way of thinking. Imagine my surprise when my immense skepticism is unfounded and I really did find the perfect one for me.

I recommend getting one of these WHOLEHEARTEDLY! Come to think of it, maybe there's a lack of forum activity for this guy because everyone's just so flippin' happy with theirs they don't need a support group?

 

More so the specs and stock BIOS don't attract NBR enthusiasts. The combination of overclocking, temperature modification, and benchmarking possibilities has made the W110ER thread what it is.

Me I've run out of practical things to post about... have a SATA extension cable on order for a makeshift external internal drive but that's about it. Deglossing the bezel is still on my list also.