*** Official Sager NP8170/Clevo P170HM Owners Lounge ***

The reason I ask is because the last email I received was that it was being shipped to Nebraska to avoid California sales tax (or something like that). That was on 5/04/11...I'll be as patient as can be, but it is starting to bother me slightly. We'll see what this week has in store....

 

Just curious, does Turbo Boost activate automatically for the Sandy Bridge CPUs? I notice my 2630 is capable of up to 2.8ghz, but it's at 2.0 right now. I'm assuming if the CPU becomes very taxed, the Turbo Boost kicks in?

 

Turbo boost is automatic. I notice it when doing PS2 and NDS emulation, I notice clocks around 2.6 Ghz usually. Applications where 2 Cores are essential will activate Turbo Boost.

 

A question for the np8170 owners: Do the fans have issues oscillating up and down when sitting idle?

Would anyone know if the np8150 does? I thought I caught some chatter about that when I went through that thread a little while ago but didn't pay much attention to it since I was more interested in the 17". Now I'm considering both almost equally and want to find out.

Thanks in advance.

 

I have a 8170 and yes it does. I am waiting for a fix for this. I also heard other 8170 owners had the same issue as me. I believe someone said the 8150 has that issue too but they have a fix for the 8150. I would love to find out more about this myself.

 

I have a question regarding using a dual screen. When using either just the laptop screen or an external, my GPU idles at only about 40-42C. But if I run a dual display while using the laptop screen and an external, it idles considerably higher like around 60C. Any idea why that is? I mean running two 1080p screens in 2D shouldn't tax the machine that much more. Heck an old GeForce 6600 can do that without a sweat.

Hoping there's an update to fix this sometime in the future.

 

Although we have different cards, I've noticed that too. Basic 2D clocks for the 6970M are 100mhz core/150mhz ram, but when running dual screens it kicks into the next highest mode at 400/900mhz, which causes the idle temps to go up into ~60C range. I guess for some reason they set the BIOS to run the cards at higher speeds for dual outputs, even though like you mentioned, it's probably not even necessary to do so.

 

The 8130/8150 fix just stops the fan from stopping completely and then starting up again every few seconds which is annoying. The fans spin at a constant rate during idle that is still loud but at least it doesn't go up and down and you forget about it after awhile.

 

As far as I've noticed, mine only does that as the temperature increases or decreases... and only at certain temps. When I'm utilizing more of the CPU/GPU, temps increase and fans kick up a notch. I haven't noticed anything unusual like kicking in and out repeatedly. Use HWMonitor to monitor your temps. This will be different for everyone based on room temperature, thermal compound used, and PC usage.

 

I have that same problem as well. With that, my fans spin at a constant rate.

 

I believe the core and the memory have to run faster in order to refresh 2 screens. This is true on desktop cards as well. In fact, about a year ago, ATI had a bug in its drivers. In that case, when using 2 displays, the driver did not increase the clock speed and the displays would get garbled.

Thus, I think the higher GPU and memory clocks are required and indicate proper operation.

Ira

 

has anyone experienced challenges with the battery. Battery runs fine if i unplug when computer is on. But if i start from shutdown without the power cable, the battery doesnt power the computer. Ive looked at the power settings but all seems normal. What am i missing? I cant seem to figure out what im doing wrong. thanks

 

I would call them, what can it hurt? Our dates are pretty close.

 

How loud are the fans at idle ?
Is this laptop considered to be a loud one or quiet one ?

 

Hmm, On my desktop with GTX 260, and now GTX 460, I drive two displays, main is 1920x1200, other is only 1280x1024, but still, GPU temps don't budge a degree and fan at least shows no noticeable increase.

That would stand to reason that a single screen at 3840x1080 resolution would do the same? Seems strange to me.

 

Mine was updated to "shipped to Nebraska to avoid California sales tax" on 9th. Let's see if I get an update today. According Xoticpc, the transit from Sager (only a block away from where I work ) to NE should be no longer than 4 bus days.

Despite all the things I don't like about China, their online shopping experience is by far superior than the States. Real time customer service, most orders were shipped within hours not days. Overnight delivery across the country only cost $3 per kg. If you order from a seller within the same city in the morning, very likely the package arrives that afternoon.

 

Can anybody else confirm or deny the fan cycling issues? Has there been a bios update for either the np8150 or np8170 to fix it?

Also, does anyone know of any websites where you can buy an Nvidia 485m card?

 

RJTech:
Laptop Video Cards :: nVidia GTX 485M 2GB Video Card for X7200 - R&J Technology, Clevo Barebone Notebook kits, Laptop and desktop system builder
Eurocom via Ebay:
NEW 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 485M Video card | eBay
PC-systems-EvolutionX (german reseller):
PCSystems-Evolutionx.de -
(though the single one seems out of stock for now)

 

I've started mine at least twice without power supply attached. Once I ran it off of battery for about an hour before plugging in.

 

Haha I'm also a SoCal native and did the same. Besides, driving from the South Bay to Industry is a hell of a traffic slog.

When I ordered my B173HW01 V5 matte screen via a Taiwan seller, I was amazed that it was at my door in just a couple days.

 

Well the day passed here on the west coast and still nothing in my email. I see you stated your email was sent on the 9th, mine on the 4th, um, wonder if Xoticpc is waiting on a shipment of something. I was really hoping to have it by the the end of the week..O well

 

I have a little bit of cycling while my laptop is idle, but it's not very frequent -- every 10+ minutes the fans turn off for a minute or so, then come back on. This is in about 70F ambient temperature. I've never found it annoying, but it sounds like other people have faster cycling.

When doing anything with it at all, the fans don't turn off for me. They're not quiet but they're not super loud either -- with a TV or something on, I can't really hear them at all (even while gaming).

 

I noticed the fans cycling once, now they don't do it at all. :\

Just wondering, what do you guys that have the 2630 CPU get in WEI? I get a 7.4 and I think that's the highest with the 2630.

 

+1. Somebody...

 

Not loud at all; definitely quiet. You can't see any information about the fans with a Sandy Bridge CPU so I can't say exactly.

 

I would say it is in the average range overall (idle and load)... definitely not as quiet as the Asus g73 or any 15.6+ mediocre laptop for that matter. but again, g73 has 460m while the one I tested has 485m.

 

I got an update from Xoticpc that they received and shipped my laptop today (5/16). According to UPS, it should arrive on the 20th. Hopefully you got same confirmation email as I did Now I am going to go a case for my new lappy

 

Noticing my fans cycling up and down now, despite the fact that all I'm doing is browsing the web. Still no fix for this for the 8170, correct?

 

The fans are not loud in my opinion @ idl.
a comparison to my Acer TravelMate 7730 which is quieter! but my Packard Bell EasyNote "AMD Turion ati 3650" is much louder than my Clevo P170.

The fact is that the fans at the Clevo's are big, this makes for a less annoying noise than oem laptops usually equipped with small fans "the screaming fans"

My Clevo @idl is either still "no running fans" or makes the sound of a modern graphics card on idl.

Under load ist more the sound of the first generation XBOX 360

a better description I can not give!

Frankly the fannoice has never annoyed me during gaming I have no problems at all.
during quiet scenes in a movie you can hear the fans spin on and off no problem just boost your volume

 

My Clevo P170HM is really silent on idle, at least to me.
You can hear the fans on load but gotta keep that badboy cool. haha

 

Is there any competitor to this laptop on the market right now ?
Or anything coming out anytime soon ?
I know Asus g74, but from what I read it's only gonna have 560m.

 

Alienware M17x and M18x. The M18x is a bit bigger and heavier, but it does offer a few nice features, like manual switchable graphics, HDMI in, backlit keyboard.

 

Wow, just configured the m18x for the firs time; Crossfire 6970s...damn.

 

Might order mine tomorrow Just waiting for check to clear....
Are these coming out fairly fast or are they backordered >?

Stock screen
i7-2630QM
HD6970
6-8GB Ram
Intel 6300 wireless

 

That essentially offers the same configuration as the x7200 which has been out for a while for Sager (and is roughly the same size as well). The x7200 still sports the Nehalem/Westmere architecture though while the M18x has Sandy Bridge.

The crossfire 6970's aren't a new and usual thing though

 

Yeah, just the fact that it has Sandy Bridge gives it the "wow" factor, lol. Sorry, I didn't specify, haha.

 

Hmm, just food for thought. I ended up buying a 1080p external monitor to hook up to my laptop instead of getting a screen upgrade. I like the larger 22" size over the 17" not to mention better viewing angles.

However, I was just thinking, as little as I move this laptop (it sits in the same spot 80-85% of the time), it takes up probably twice the desk space as a Shuttle desktop, and probably $800 cheaper. Might have been better off running with a desktop and a decently powerful 14" notebook for my mobile needs. Of course there is the occasional LAN gathering with a couple friends a few times a year. But guess I could always lug my Shuttle a few times a year.

Ah well. Still love the machine though.

 

The current build time for np8170 is one day..... Lol at least that is how soon Xoticpc updated my status

 

Shoot, I'm on fence here with ordering, I'm 99% sure I'll order but I remember my bad experience with NP7110 quality and I fear of getting yet another poorly built Sager. On top of that I was reading around on nbr and I found few posts of members saying Sagers are mediocre built.

The bad experience with NP7110 I keep telling myself that it was entry level laptop and that they had to cut corners to keep cost down

 

Mediocre built? who? link?

Compared to any of the HP/Dell/Acer and even Asus laptops, a bad Sager build is better than any of those others regular builds.

 

Agreed. Sagers are amazing.

 

I replaced stock screen after buying on AU Optronics B173HW01 V.5 display in my Clevo P170HM. Is there something better available now than B173HW01 V.5 ? I'm waiting also for any IPS display upgrade it will be cool.

 

I had a question regarding the 2620qm processor speed; it is listed as 2.0Ghz quad-core; however, using the "Intel Extreme Tuning Utility" that came with the laptop, it's been recording processor speeds of up to 2.6-2.7Ghz, particularly when I am playing games. Is that normal?

In addition, anyone try the Witcher 2 on this laptop yet? It runs fantastic on almost ultra settings! O_O

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...vince-me-screen-modification.html#post7481596

 

Those are some really great points. I didn't know they had shuttle gaming PC's, I thought they only had standard ones. I took a look and the specs are decent and for the same price as the NP8170 you have a more powerful system that still has some portability. Despite that, you will have to worry about what screen to use where ever you travel. I barely move my laptop around either but don't want a desktop but the shuttle is intriguing and definitely something to consider.

 

No, the Shuttle will cost < $1500, actually just configured it for ~ $1300, and already have screen. Except that I will still buy a decent performing laptop ~ $1000-1200. By the time I sell everything I plan on, I'll have over $2500 in my account, probably more. See my post here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/off-topic/579425-what-do-laptop-desktop.html

 

Did Xoticpc do a video review on 8170 ? Because when I click on Video tab on their website it says "Sager NP8170 Video Review" but there's no video posted.

 

It's official, I just got mine from Mythlogic. One happy camper here!

 

Placed an order with Xotic over the phone with Brett, pretty cool guy to talk to, easy and straight forward.
Now for how long it will take to get to Canada, hoping for 2 weeks

1x Sager NP8170 / Clevo P170HM
- Display: 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen (1920x1080)-
- Dead Pixel Warranty: Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Processor: - 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM, 2.0-2.8GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache)
- Thermal Compound: -Stock OEM Thermal Compound
- Graphics Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD6970 2048MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11
- External Display Video Adapters: No Video Adapter
- Ram: -- Contact us on Special Promotions NOW Available for FREE 6GB and 8GB Upgrades (Will add to build time) --
- Exterior Finish: Standard Finish
- Optical Drive: ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Software
- Primary Hard Drive: ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Second Hard Drive: None Standard -
- Raid: HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- Additional Hard Drive in Optical Drive Bay: No Additional Hard Drive in ODD Bay - When Selecting, Optical Drive is NOT Included
- External Hard Drive (Back Up): No Back Up Hard Drive
- External USB Optical Drive: NO External USB Optical Drive
- Back Up Software: No Back Up Software
- Floppy Drive: No Floppy Drive
- Memory Card Reader: Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Bluetooth: None Standard--
- Wireless Network: Intel® Ultimate-N 6300 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module
- Wireless Network Accessories: No Network Accessory
- Camera: Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- TV Tuner: No TV Tuner
- Sound Card: Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Case: Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Battery: Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Car Adapter: No Car Adapter
- Spare AC Adapter: None Standard*
- Port Replicator / Dock / Adapters: No Dock/Hub/Adapter
- Fingerprint Reader: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Mouse / Keyboard Accessories: No External Keyboard or Mouse
- Notebook Cooler: No Notebook Cooler
- XOTIC PC Redline Boost™ Extreme Performance: No Thanks, Please do not Overclock my system (Overclocking will add 3-6 business days to build time)
- Operating System: No Operating System Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- Microsoft Office Software: No Office Software
- Software Bundle (Not Installed): No Software Bundle
- Warranty: Sager 2 Year Parts & 3 Year Labor Warranty w/ Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Toll Free Customer Support
- Xotic Gear: No Xotic PC Gear

 

My 8170 is almost perfection when I received it. The only thing was one stuck pixel and a rubber bumper fell off and got lost, it was for the top of the screen. I had a new rubber bumper from Sager via XoticPc in about two weeks. As for the build quality, all the spaces in between are even and no scratches or anything, very happy with the build. I have put a number of cars into car shows and I look for the little detail things and have not come up with anything bad at all. Hitting the FN+1 makes about the same fan noise as my Toshiba P25 Satellite, so this laptop is very quiet for me. My G73JH is quieter which I feel is THE best built cooling system for a laptop on the market. I don't hear it when my TV is on. Coming from the 10.5lb Toshiba Satellite and a BIG G73JH, I can't believe the power built into this "little" case.

My room temp is 73F
GTX485M about 100-104F
Fan on for about 55 seconds
Fan off for about 20 seconds
It repeats this over and over.
AMI BIOS, 10/20/10, version 4.6.4 via HW32INFO

I have numerous time started the laptop with no AC, got about two hours before having to plug back in. I have no problems plugging in or unplugging when laptop is on. My G73JH does have problems going from plugged in, moving to another room and then replugging in.

I travel a lot. I would like just a tad smaller power brick. Would it be possible to run the 8170 off the 8150 power brick and if so, what would be the consequences? I know about the wattage thing. I don't really stress it on travel. Email and light internet cruising. Is there a smaller brick available for the 8170?
Thanks folks.