which laptop to choose

[Dislexi]

I notice a lot of people get the sager, could anyone give me some opinions on the Asus m70vm--c2? since I wasn't able to find any threads on it :)

It seems like I would be paying a lot more and not getting as many features with the newest sager

I am so glad i found this site before i ordered from alienware lol :notworthy

[Anewbus]

Hi Dislexi,

By features do you mean performance or goodies that come with it? The Asus machines here are also nice, but it really depends on what you will be doing and everything. All the machines at XoticPC are top shelf. If you can let us know what your looking to do with the computer, your budget, and anything particular you are looking for and all, then we can better serve you and answer your question(s) and find a good fit for you.:)

[Dislexi]

lol sorry >_<

I'm a soft-core/average gamer (wow, soon to be out WAR, and a few strategy games maybe, but mostly wow atm) I play music, videos, web surfing and any random uses for school -_-

by features i meant goodies and some performance i guess

I'm looking to spend 2,500 (which is what I was going to spend at AW), which is about what i priced the asus that I want at.

I like the fingerprint reader, the dual hard drives (i wanna set it up as master/slave, i think?) I want it to last playing games at least on medium settings for the next 3-5 years if im going to spend this much.

I pretty much am set with the features I want, I just want some opinions from other owners since I noticed most people's threads are about the sager :)

[Dislexi]

Whats the difference between 5400 and 7200 hard drives and if I get two, does it matter which one is the main one? and what size?

[Anewbus]

Ok, I can work with what info you provided. I'll run some configs for you in about 2 hours or less so you can take a look and compare, give you some info and I'll address the HD question as well. :)I'll see if there is anything out there on the Asus m70m-c2 as well, but I think that is a brand new system so there may be nothing on it yet as far as user reviews go.

[Dislexi]

you rock

i'll be checking back between looking stuff up on my own as well :)

also, I would like -descent- battery life so I dont have to plug it in at school very often, but if i have to I am able to. example: alienwares m9750 only lasts 1-1.5 hours max lol

edit: I just realized I should have asked this question in the "what laptop should I buy?" section, Doh! lol

[Dislexi]

ok now that I've had more time to think, ill add more about what im looking for

1) What is your budget?
$2000-2,500 range or cheaper lol

2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in. toledo, ohio, USA, living and purchasing

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I dont know too much about sager or asus, but i would like something from xoticpc :)

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Taking it to school, typing notes(would like quiet keys), doing papers, and playing several games like WoW, WAR, and a couple strategy games most likely, internet surfing, playing music, editing some photos(nothing major), watching movies.

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?

taking it to school, around the house, and sometimes on vacation.

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
see above.

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
more than alienware please :) 1.5+

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
I am a bit warry, but i have come to trust xotic just from reading the website lol

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Vista 64-bit plz.

Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
widescreen

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? (more details below)

Widescreen

f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non glossy screen? (Read below on differences) doesnt matter

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I want something comfortable to type on and looks are a bonus

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? purchasing it as soon as i get my refund from my college this week or the next, I would like it to be able to play games on at least medium setting for the next 3-5 or 6 years, i know thats stretching but i have faith in this company lol

Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 500GB?

I heard having master/slave HD for games is good? I would like a good size HDD like 250 or so for each HD

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? I really like the blue ray if im getting the 1080p screen



-----------------------------------------------
I've heard that dual graphics cards arent really worth it? or they are kind of hard on the computer?

I dont understand the difference with a quad core of anything...?

One of my concerns is getting a computer that will last longer than my last laptop with some TLC. I want to get my money's worth :)

i already asked my question about the HDD rpm's...

ummm if i have any other questions ill add it to here. sorry if this is messy lol

[Anewbus]

ASUS M70VM-C2 - PRE ORDER (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2488%7b161%7d1411%7b7 6%7d1296%7b187%7d1416%7b94%7d1903%7b92%7d2451%7b88 %7d2452%7b186%7d734%7b93%7d1645%7b112%7d656%7b98%7 d1797%7b96%7d2383%7b97%7d2383%7b168%7d1453%7b116%7 d1416%7b117%7d1915%7b120%7d703%7b110%7d2486%7b169% 7d1449%7b119%7d1678%7b100%7d735%7b164%7d1441%7b107 %7d689%7b106%7d1696%7b121%7d694%7b108%7d710%7b109% 7d711%7b170%7d1591%7b173%7d1904%7b167%7d1452%7b103 %7d2021%7b113%7d1413%7b111%7d1414%7b69%7d1775)
- !! FREE !! UPS GROUND SHIPPING (Use Coupon Code FREESHIP in Checkout)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- ASUS Zero Bright Dot (ZBD) Pixel Guarantee
- -Intel® T9400 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.53GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 35 watt - ASUS Default Processor
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9600M GS DDR2 DX10
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory -
- Standard Finish
- - 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- - 500GB SATA 150 5400RPM Hard Drive
- - 500GB SATA 150 5400RPM Hard Drive
- Internal 8-in-1 Card Reader: MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory Stick/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5100 802.11 a/g/n
- Built in 1.3Megapixel Camera
- Internal Digital TV Tuner with Remote Control
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Asus USB Optical Mouse
- -Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 2 Year ASUS GLOBAL Warranty, 24/7 Tech Support, 1 Year Accidental Damage Coverage & 2-Way Pre-Paid Overnight Shipping for Repairs

TOTAL $2249.00 with cash discount

This is a brand new machine that may not even be available yet. (You notice it says “Pre-order” that means that it’s due out soon and orders for it can be made).
The config you see here is how it comes. Nothing can really be changed except the CPU, but it is not worth it. The machine is a bit anemic overall for gaming. That video card is not the best. Judging by your info this machine will work for you to most of your specs, but the battery life will be effected by the fact that you have a high res 17 inch screen which is your biggest power draw. There is a better machine I'll show you now. It's about $193 more, but worth it at the end of the day.



Sager NP5796 Custom Notebook (Built on Clevo M570TU) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2415%7b76%7d1296%7b18 7%7d1757%7b94%7d1074%7b92%7d2422%7b88%7d2418%7b186 %7d734%7b93%7d2431%7b193%7d657%7b112%7d2032%7b98%7 d1295%7b96%7d786%7b168%7d1453%7b116%7d1416%7b117%7 d705%7b120%7d703%7b110%7d2426%7b169%7d1449%7b119%7 d1898%7b100%7d734%7b164%7d1441%7b107%7d689%7b106%7 d1696%7b121%7d694%7b108%7d710%7b109%7d711%7b170%7d 1591%7b173%7d1175%7b167%7d1452%7b103%7d1889%7b113% 7d1413%7b111%7d1414%7b69%7d1467)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® P8600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.40GHz w/3MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- NP579x Orange Frame Trim Color
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Parts & Labor Warranty 24/7 Tech Support


TOTAL = $2442.46 with cash discount
On this machine I went ahead with the highest res screen, but you can easily get away with the 1680x1050 if you like. ($95 difference) I also bumped up the CPU a notch for a little boost that will help. (The higher ones are not worth the cost in this case as you would not notice a difference except with the 2.83 GHz, but the price is not cost effective and would throw you over budget right away).
I left the video card at 512MB because it is more than you’ll need for your uses and you can always upgrade in the future if you want. (You’ll be amazed at the performance of this card just where it’s at).
I upgraded the RAM to 4MB – you will need that with Vista 64 believe me.
I went with the 320GB 5400rpm HD. That will give plenty of room and it is faster and more efficient than a 200GB HD at 7200 rpm. (More on that later).
As to the trim you can choose either silver or orange at no extra cost.
Finally, I upgraded the warranty to 3 years parts and labor and that comes with FREE 24/7 domestic live tech support.
Goodies: This does come with a basic black business style case.;)

I was going to show you one other config – the Sager 9262, but no matter what I do it throws you well over budget. So I did not do it. (I can show you if you want, let me know).

The Sager will blow away the Asus with the video card alone.:) The 9800 GT DX10 is far superior to the 9600GS. The 9800 GT is a DDR3 which is faster memory and processing then the DDR2 resulting in smoother graphics and performance all around.
As for the HD question: A 7200 rpm drive runs hotter and requires more battery power. As for the heat, it’s not too much hotter than a 5400rpm drive; it’s really the battery life that is affected most. Not only that, but at that size drive 320GB the 5400 rpm is actually faster than a 200GB 7200rpm due to the construction of the platters and head. It’s faster due to a more efficient design that is required with large HDs. There is not a huge noticable performance boost with a 7200 rpm HD at this size anyway. There is a tiny boost, but not worth the cost. Along with that you have to keep in mind the fact that your running a 17 inch high res screen so you don’t want any more power drains than necessary.
As for having dual drives: Well, that’s nice and all, but not entirely a necessity. It really depends. Does it improve gaming? Not by much. It is however, a generally good idea. So if you like, what you could do is get an external drive. Those are available everywhere at all kinds of sizes and prices. They are good to have for keeping data on so in case something happens to the system at least you won’t lose the data. By the way, the drives can be different sizes, (even different speeds) it doesn’t matter.
As for SLI ability: I don't know much about that and it's very new in the lappy world. I would wait until the kinks are worked out before diving into that.

When it comes to computers, performance will always be more important than goodies. Goodies can be had aftermarket easily. Performance and build quality are what matters.

The Sagers are solid machines and I think you would be just as happy if not happier with the Sager. (Even though it comes with one goodie instead of 3 or something).

With a 3 year warranty parts and labor (and that covers next business day shipping both ways should you need service by the way) is not only one of the best warranties in the industry, but also says something about the quality of the machine. XoticPC stands behind every build and the customer service is head and shoulders above every other place! They wouldn’t offer the incredible warranties they do if the machines were not built to last. (You want to take care of them of course as well).
XoticPC is truly the best! :XPCS::notworthy They take care of you and they inspect every machine that goes through their facility before it is shipped to you. They have robust QC! It doesn’t go out the door until everything is checked and made sure it’s perfect! (If you have your machine shipped to XoticPC from the manufacture and then have Xotic ship to you, you also avoid the nasty taxes as well).

[Dislexi]

going a hundred or so over isnt a HUGE deal, i was just rounding :)

I would like that other config. if you think its worth it

and thank you a ton for the info so far! i'm going to look at the 2nd config you showed me

[Dislexi]

ok so I really like the sager now, but I dont know if I should get the 5796 or the 9262. My chosen specs are as follows and I would like opinions on which one is more cost effective, as well as any other comments :)

Sager NP5796 Custom Notebook (Built on Clevo M570TU) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2415%7B76%7D1296%7B18 7%7D1757%7B94%7D1074%7B92%7D2425%7B88%7D2418%7B186 %7D734%7B93%7D2431%7B193%7D657%7B112%7D655%7B98%7D 1295%7B96%7D786%7B168%7D1453%7B116%7D1416%7B117%7D 705%7B120%7D703%7B110%7D2426%7B169%7D1449%7B119%7D 1898%7B100%7D734%7B164%7D1442%7B107%7D689%7B106%7D 1696%7B121%7D694%7B108%7D710%7B109%7D711%7B170%7D1 591%7B173%7D1175%7B167%7D1452%7B103%7D1889%7B113%7 D1413%7B111%7D1414%7B69%7D714)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® T9600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.80GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 35 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- None Standard
- Custom Laptop Skins [Choose from our designs or your own Graphic or Logo
(Details of design made after order) (Will cause additional lead time on order)
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- None Standard
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- None Standard
- None Standard
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Tech Support
(Year2 & 3 Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

$2,772 with the higher processor, $2393 with the 2.4

I am willing to go with either the 2.8 processor or the 2.4, whichever is more cost effective as a whole, I do not have the fingerprint reader configured into my second choice because it is USB, which defeats the purpose for me...

Also i dont know if its worth it to get a quad core processor or stick with the 3.16.

SAGER NP9262 Ultimate Custom Laptop (Built on Clevo D900C / D901C) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2273%7B76%7D1296%7B18 7%7D1757%7B94%7D1074%7B92%7D2046%7B88%7D2418%7B186 %7D734%7B93%7D2044%7B112%7D655%7B98%7D2494%7B96%7D 786%7B97%7D1943%7B192%7D1943%7B104%7D674%7B168%7D1 453%7B116%7D1416%7B117%7D705%7B120%7D703%7B110%7D2 426%7B169%7D1449%7B119%7D1898%7B100%7D734%7B164%7D 1442%7B107%7D689%7B106%7D1695%7B108%7D710%7B109%7D 711%7B170%7D1492%7B173%7D1175%7B167%7D1452%7B103%7 D1889%7B113%7D1413%7B111%7D1414%7B69%7D714)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16GHz w/ 6MB L2 Cache - 1333MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Custom Laptop Skins [Choose from our designs or your own Graphic or Logo
(Details of design made after order) (Will cause additional lead time on order)
- ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- None Standard -
- None Standard -
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- None Standard
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Tech Support
(Year2 & 3 Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

Priced at $2827, to lower it I would have to get rid of either the sound card or the blueray player, which would lower the multimedia quality, and its minus the cool feature of the fingerprint reader, but thats not a big deal to me, i'll still have my custom skin :) I can stretch to meet this price, but I was wondering if theres any corner that can be cut? or if the sound card is worth it?

any other options or ideas would be greatly appreciated :notworthy

[Anewbus]

Ok, here's the other config I was talking about:

SAGER NP9262 Ultimate Custom Laptop (Built on Clevo D900C / D901C) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2273%7b76%7d1296%7b18 7%7d1757%7b94%7d1074%7b92%7d2047%7b88%7d2418%7b186 %7d734%7b93%7d2044%7b112%7d656%7b98%7d1295%7b96%7d 786%7b97%7d1882%7b192%7d1943%7b104%7d674%7b168%7d1 453%7b116%7d1416%7b117%7d705%7b120%7d703%7b110%7d2 426%7b169%7d1449%7b119%7d1898%7b100%7d734%7b164%7d 1441%7b107%7d689%7b106%7d1695%7b108%7d710%7b109%7d 711%7b170%7d1492%7b173%7d1175%7b167%7d1452%7b103%7 d1889%7b113%7d1413%7b111%7d1414%7b69%7d1467)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel Core 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz w/ 8MB L2 Cache - 1066MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Standard Finish
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- ~ 250GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA 150)
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Parts & Labor Warranty 24/7 Tech Support

TOTAL = $2733.46 with cash discount

This is the beast of the Sager line.;) I configured it at sort of a minimum.
I added the highest res screen. (Again, the screen it comes with would also work fine).
I bumped up the CPU a notch
I left the Vid card at 512MB (It is user upgradable)
I upgraded the RAM of course. (There is 8GB offered, but it won’t do you much good because only 6GB of it would be recognized).
I only included two HDs, you can have up to 3 in this machine.
Finally, I upgraded the warranty.

The configs I gave you are just my opinions of course based on your info trying to get you the most bang for the buck around your budget. Feel free to change anything you want.:)

[Dislexi]

So what makes the Quad core better than the 3.16 duo?

is it fairly new tech? or is it well tested out?

edit- p.s. I am looking for some nice wolf pics to put on my skin ^_^

also, does anyone know if you can upgrade the warranty later? like with other electronics, or is it set in stone?

[Avid Gamer]

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Taking it to school, typing notes(would like quiet keys), doing papers, and playing several games like WoW, WAR, and a couple strategy games most likely, internet surfing, playing music, editing some photos(nothing major), watching movies.

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?

taking it to school, around the house, and sometimes on vacation.

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
more than alienware please :) 1.5+

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Vista 64-bit plz.

f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I want something comfortable to type on and looks are a bonus

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? purchasing it as soon as i get my refund from my college this week or the next, I would like it to be able to play games on at least medium setting for the next 3-5 or 6 years, i know thats stretching but i have faith in this company lol

Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 500GB?

I heard having master/slave HD for games is good? I would like a good size HDD like 250 or so for each HD

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? I really like the blue ray if im getting the 1080p screen

-----------------------------------------------
I've heard that dual graphics cards arent really worth it? or they are kind of hard on the computer?


The Sager systems tend to have a shorter battery life (about ~30m minutes less) then the Asus.
Weight on the Asus M70 and the Sager 5796 is the same, so neither has the advantage there (if you plan to travel with the notebook and want 1920x1200 HD resolution you may want to also consider the Sager 8660 which is a 15.4" notebook with 1920x1200 resolution and weights more than 1 pound less).

The Sagers come with both the 32 and 64-bit versions of Vista standard while the Asus comes standard with 32-bit Vista (upgrading to 64-bit for the M70VM-C1 still totals less than the Sager systems).

The Asus runs cooler and quieter than the Sagers.

Both the Asus and Sagers are said to have high quality screens (with a lot of reviewers saying the Asus has the best quality screen that many have seen in notebooks).

Whats the difference between 5400 and 7200 hard drives and if I get two, does it matter which one is the main one? and what size?

The smaller hard drive you're using the the more the 5400/7200 speed will factor in. If you're going with a 300-500 GB 5400 in your configuration then you wouldn't see too much of a difference between the 5400 and 7200 drives.

lol sorry >_<

I'm a soft-core/average gamer (wow, soon to be out WAR, and a few strategy games maybe, but mostly wow atm) I play music, videos, web surfing and any random uses for school -_-

by features i meant goodies and some performance i guess

I'm looking to spend 2,500 (which is what I was going to spend at AW), which is about what i priced the asus that I want at.

I like the fingerprint reader, the dual hard drives (i wanna set it up as master/slave, i think?) I want it to last playing games at least on medium settings for the next 3-5 years if im going to spend this much.

I pretty much am set with the features I want, I just want some opinions from other owners since I noticed most people's threads are about the sager :)

For the games you listed either system will play them with out a problem. The Sagers have higher powered graphic cards (the 8660 having DDR3 graphic memory and DDR3 RAM).
The Asus M70Vm has the dual function touchpad which may make playing your music and videos quicker and easier.

Both systems are more than capable of playing games at medium settings today, but its difficult to predict how either will play games 3-5 years from now since we don't know what features developers will put into use on their games. Its very dependent on the game and if it taxes the GPU features or utilizes them.

Crysis for example (a Frames Per Second dependent 1st person shooter game) taxes the 9600M GS GPU (at high settings), but still gets very respectable (and playable) FPS on medium settings.

Age of Conan is a new game, as well, but the way it is configured the game can be played with high settings at native resolution and run wonderfully with a 9600M GS card (according to a few M50 tests I've read about).


I notice a lot of people get the sager, could anyone give me some opinions on the Asus m70vm--c2? since I wasn't able to find any threads on it :)

It seems like I would be paying a lot more and not getting as many features with the newest sager

I am so glad i found this site before i ordered from alienware lol :notworthy

Lots of people have been getting the M70VM and M50VM systems too (it depends what sites and sections you're reading). :p

Here is a review of the M70Vm to give you a little bit of an idea of what the M70 is like.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=272680

[Dislexi]

thanx for the extra info, I think I want a sager im just debating on how much the size of the 9262 will annoy me at school. I'm not really going to do a lot of travel(i go on vacation once a year, thats the only place it will be going) besides to school and back, but 12 damn pounds.... lol plus the adaptor sounds like a huuuge brick. idk if the annoyance will outweight the joy from it. If I cant just put the lappy in a nice bookbag and be comfortable, i might just go with the 5796

another question, if i pay with a bank card(debit) not a credit card, meaning i actually have the money in there, will it delay and not get the discount?

(p.s. @Justin, could you move my stupid thread to the "what laptop should i buy?" section, since i started in the wrong place lol)

[Avid Gamer]

thanx for the extra info, I think I want a sager im just debating on how much the size of the 9262 will annoy me at school. I'm not really going to do a lot of travel(i go on vacation once a year, thats the only place it will be going) besides to school and back, but 12 damn pounds.... lol plus the adaptor sounds like a huuuge brick. idk if the annoyance will outweight the joy from it. If I cant just put the lappy in a nice bookbag and be comfortable, i might just go with the 5796


Do you plan to take it to school every day, and to every class, or do you only plan to take it ocassionally? If you're going to take it to every class each day then the the twelve pounds will probably take its toll on you pretty quickly.

The GPU power in the 9262 isn't necessary for the types of games you mentioned you were interested in playing, and if you were thinking about configuring it as a two GPU Sli system the battery is going to be much less than it otherwise would have been.

Neither the weight, size, nor the battery life fit in well with your plan to take it to your class(es).

Given that the resolution is the same between all three Sager models (9262, 5796, and 8660), the 9262 having DDR2 RAM (while the 5796 and 8660 have DDR3), and them all having DDR3 GPUs I don't see much advantage of going with a 9262 over the other two systems (unless you're doing it for the SLI GPUs).

I'd say your best choice for school out of the three is the 8660 followed by the 5796, and the 9262 comming in last.

[Anewbus]

thanx for the extra info, I think I want a sager im just debating on how much the size of the 9262 will annoy me at school. I'm not really going to do a lot of travel(i go on vacation once a year, thats the only place it will be going) besides to school and back, but 12 damn pounds.... lol plus the adaptor sounds like a huuuge brick. idk if the annoyance will outweight the joy from it. If I cant just put the lappy in a nice bookbag and be comfortable, i might just go with the 5796

another question, if i pay with a bank card(debit) not a credit card, meaning i actually have the money in there, will it delay and not get the discount?

(p.s. @Justin, could you move my stupid thread to the "what laptop should i buy?" section, since i started in the wrong place lol)

I based everything on the 17 inch screen as you sounded like you were set on that and you mentioned you wanted a desktop replacement. Let me know if you want to consider a 15.4 inch screen as that opens up more possibilities. It also means longer battery life. Yes, the 9262 is a beast, like I said. You know that 15.4 inch screens can also be desktop replacements. If you want, you can even go eventually get a regular larger monitor for home and plug it into the lappy and your all set. (I'll be hooking mine up to my TV eventually).:eek:

You might want to give Justin a call regarding the payment method. That's a good question.

As for the Sagers having shorter battery life as Avid gamer mentioned, that's true in the 17 inch arena. The 17 inch Asus machines have better battery life. When you get into the 15.4 area is where Sager would exceed Asus in that department. As for the screen reviews, that is subjective. It's really up to your own eyes. All the machines can have great screens. I've heard good and bad on all of them, but it's all a matter of opinion. I'm not sure if there is a difference between the Compal units and Clevo units. (Compal and Clevo are the two manufactures that make the Asus, Sager, Force and MSI machines. In fact, they also make HPs, Dels, Toshibas, Gateways, etc. Except Sony, Lenovo and Panasonic. The difference is the quality of parts, the big brands go for the cheapest and places like XoticPC specify the higher quality parts. Read the article on "Who really makes laptops"). Of course things in the lappy world move fast and before we know it, we will be seeing the OLED screens everywhere and wishing we had one of those. (There are not widely availble yet and are very expensive, but one day they will be everywhere and come down in price).
As Avid Gamer also said, SLI is not worth it in a lappy right now. The kinks have not been worked out yet.

Let me know if you want to go to a 15.4 inch screen.

[Anewbus]

ok so I really like the sager now, but I dont know if I should get the 5796 or the 9262. My chosen specs are as follows and I would like opinions on which one is more cost effective, as well as any other comments :)

Sager NP5796 Custom Notebook (Built on Clevo M570TU) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2415%7B76%7D1296%7B18 7%7D1757%7B94%7D1074%7B92%7D2425%7B88%7D2418%7B186 %7D734%7B93%7D2431%7B193%7D657%7B112%7D655%7B98%7D 1295%7B96%7D786%7B168%7D1453%7B116%7D1416%7B117%7D 705%7B120%7D703%7B110%7D2426%7B169%7D1449%7B119%7D 1898%7B100%7D734%7B164%7D1442%7B107%7D689%7B106%7D 1696%7B121%7D694%7B108%7D710%7B109%7D711%7B170%7D1 591%7B173%7D1175%7B167%7D1452%7B103%7D1889%7B113%7 D1413%7B111%7D1414%7B69%7D714)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® T9600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.80GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 35 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Custom Laptop Skins [Choose from our designs or your own Graphic or Logo
(Details of design made after order) (Will cause additional lead time on order)
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Tech Support
(Year2 & 3 Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

$2,772 with the higher processor, $2393 with the 2.4

I am willing to go with either the 2.8 processor or the 2.4, whichever is more cost effective as a whole, I do not have the fingerprint reader configured into my second choice because it is USB, which defeats the purpose for me...

Also i dont know if its worth it to get a quad core processor or stick with the 3.16.

SAGER NP9262 Ultimate Custom Laptop (Built on Clevo D900C / D901C) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2273%7B76%7D1296%7B18 7%7D1757%7B94%7D1074%7B92%7D2046%7B88%7D2418%7B186 %7D734%7B93%7D2044%7B112%7D655%7B98%7D2494%7B96%7D 786%7B97%7D1943%7B192%7D1943%7B104%7D674%7B168%7D1 453%7B116%7D1416%7B117%7D705%7B120%7D703%7B110%7D2 426%7B169%7D1449%7B119%7D1898%7B100%7D734%7B164%7D 1442%7B107%7D689%7B106%7D1695%7B108%7D710%7B109%7D 711%7B170%7D1492%7B173%7D1175%7B167%7D1452%7B103%7 D1889%7B113%7D1413%7B111%7D1414%7B69%7D714)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16GHz w/ 6MB L2 Cache - 1333MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Custom Laptop Skins [Choose from our designs or your own Graphic or Logo
(Details of design made after order) (Will cause additional lead time on order)
- ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- ~ 320GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 8MB Cache)
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Tech Support
(Year2 & 3 Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

Priced at $2827, to lower it I would have to get rid of either the sound card or the blueray player, which would lower the multimedia quality, and its minus the cool feature of the fingerprint reader, but thats not a big deal to me, i'll still have my custom skin :) I can stretch to meet this price, but I was wondering if theres any corner that can be cut? or if the sound card is worth it?

any other options or ideas would be greatly appreciated :notworthy


Here's some suggested changes to your 5796 config above. This again is only my humble suggestion/opinion.:)
Sager NP5796 Custom Notebook (Built on Clevo M570TU) (http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2415%7B76%7D1296%7B18 7%7D1757%7B94%7D1074%7B92%7D2422%7B88%7D2418%7B186 %7D734%7B93%7D2431%7B193%7D657%7B112%7D655%7B98%7D 1295%7B96%7D2434%7B168%7D1453%7B116%7D1416%7B117%7 D705%7B120%7D703%7B110%7D2426%7B169%7D1449%7B119%7 D1898%7B100%7D734%7B164%7D1441%7B107%7D689%7B106%7 D1696%7B121%20)
- 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® P8600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.40GHz w/3MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to recognize Full 4GB)
- Custom Laptop Skins [Choose from our designs or your own Graphic or Logo
(Details of design made after order) (Will cause additional lead time on order)
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 320GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Tech Support
(Year2 & 3 Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

Total = $2360.01 with cash discount

With 3 year parts and labor the total = $2611.24

In this config I make the suggestion of going with the P8600 2.4GHz 25 watt CPU. Being 25 watts verses 35 watts means better battery life. It’s just as powerful only at 25 watts its more efficient. Also 2.4GHz will be just fine. (I can run all my multimedia including games like CoD and MoH with everything turned up high and I get no glitches and I’m running a 2.0 GHz CPU with only 2GB of RAM).:eek::D
I also took out the $119 soundcard option. In my experience, (I’m an audiophile), I find the SB compatible card it comes with handles everything I throw at it. It’s able to handle from headphone to 5.1 surround and everything in between from 12KHz to 44KHz quality. Unless you know you will be running a 7.1 sound system then I would go with the $119 card option. Other than that, it may be a waste of money in my humble opinion, money that can be used on other things like goodies or towards something else.:) Just hook up decent speakers or run the sound through an HT/stereo system if you have one handy, for some real fun.;)
I left the warranty as is. Just so you know, the warranty option I included in the previous configs is 3 years parts and labor covered through XoticPC and does include the free tech support even though it doesn’t state it. The above is 1 year parts and 3 years labor with the first year through Sager and the next two years through XoticPC. XoticPC’s coverage is a bit better than Sager’s. At the end of the day either warranty is fine, it just depends on your preference.
I’m just keeping budget in mind and trying to see if I can come up with a suggestion for you that would give you a powerful system and have a little money left over for extra goodies you might want in a bit.

The 9262:
If your going with just one HD on the 9262, I wouldn’t bother because its kind of a waste and it is a heavier machine plus the power brick. The only other major difference is that the 9262 offers the Blueray, but that’s about it. So it’s kind of a waste of money with that config. If you want to go with the 9262 you should go for the gusto and load it up as that’s what it’s designed for.

As to the Quad core vs Dual Core and such. I don’t know the tech aspects of that. I’m sure there are others here who might know much more about it. I do know that the Quads are relatively new, but I haven’t heard anything bad. The dual cores are plenty powerful though.

[Anewbus]

So what makes the Quad core better than the 3.16 duo?

is it fairly new tech? or is it well tested out?

edit- p.s. I am looking for some nice wolf pics to put on my skin ^_^

also, does anyone know if you can upgrade the warranty later? like with other electronics, or is it set in stone?

Wolf pic for skin= NICE!:)

That is a good question on the warranties. I think you have to get the warranty you want when you order and its set in stone, but I'm not 100% on that. Again, you'll want to call Justin at Xotic with this.

[Dislexi]

I would really like a 17" because I had a 15 before and i hate not having the full keyboard for typing notes, but if you could give me a couple config. ideas that would be awesome, since i am at least considering a 15. I'm gonna go out to bestbuy and test the feel of a 17 vs. 15 to see if i really cant stand the 15.

thanx again for all the help so far :D

[Avid Gamer]

I would really like a 17" because I had a 15 before and i hate not having the full keyboard for typing notes, but if you could give me a couple config. ideas that would be awesome, since i am at least considering a 15. I'm gonna go out to bestbuy and test the feel of a 17 vs. 15 to see if i really cant stand the 15.

thanx again for all the help so far :D

The 8660 is a 15.4" notebook that has a full sized keyboard as detailed in the stats on XoticPC's and Sager's websites: :)

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8660-built-clevo-m860tu-p-2411.html
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=90599

For that matter there are many 15.4" notebooks with full size keyboards (the M50Vm being another example): ;)
http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-m50vm-p-2484.html