NP8660 vs Force 3551

[Norwegiboard]

General Questions

1) What is your budget?
2500, don't wanna spend all it and the more i can save the better, extra money would go toward accessories

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

15.4, will be carrying it to class and with me alot

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

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
n/a

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
It will be used for school work, which includes the use of the torque engine and 3d modeling using 3ds max(not heavily though)

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

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
um mostly older games: age of empires 3, cod4, maybe some new ones when they come out

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
2-3 would be nice but i could settle for 1-2 if i have to

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
nope

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
i'd like to dual boot xp and linux on it
Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
standard

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


e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
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)
doesn't really matter, unless someone can tell me which i might like better under the circumstances
Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
not really, simple 1 color notebook is fine by me

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
asap, and at least a few years 2-3
Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 500GB?
320gb would be my min

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
the standard one should work fine


choices are

Sager NP8660 (Built on Clevo M860TU) Sager NP8660 (Built on Clevo M860TU)
- 15.4" WSXGA+ "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1680x1050)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® P8400 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.26GHz w/3MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- ~ 2,048MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS)
- None Standard
- Standard Finish
- ~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)
- 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
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Telephone Tech Support
(Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

or

FORCE 3551 (Built on MSI-1651) PRE ORDER FORCE 3551 (Built on MSI-1651) PRE ORDER
- 15.4" WSXGA+ "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Screen (1680x1050)
(Black Brushed Aluminum Default Exterior)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- -Intel® P9500 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.53GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9600M GT DDR3 DX10
- None Standard
- - 4,096MB (Corsair, Kingston, Major Brand) DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMs) Dual Channel Memory
- None Standard
- Standard Finish (WXGA - Plastic Matte Bllack with Silver Trim ~ WSXGA+ - Black Brushed Aluminum
NO DELAY for Custom Color Options
- - Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- - 320GB 7200RPM Seagate (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
- 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
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (6-Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Complete Care Full Parts / Labor Warranty - Next Business Day Shipping both ways - Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Tech Support

few questions

1. will the 9600m-gt ddr3 do the things i want it to or should i opt for faster but less memory and slower cpu for the 9800m-gt?

2.is there any real difference in processor speed upgrades or will the upgrades be hardly noticeable?

3. hard drive speed, will i really notice a huge difference from 5400 rpms to 7200, 7200 is what i have in my desktop.

4. 9800m-gt says it's user upgradeable, so in 2-3 years i should be able to take it out and put something stronger in?

5. If i decided to get the NP8660 would the resolution of 1920*1200 make everything to small and hard to see, and would the 9800m be able to make games play at that res without lagging and chugging a lot?


so those are the choices i had in mind, if anyone has anything else i should be looking at for specs or other ideas of things to swap or change that would be greatly appreciated.

what do you guys think?

[Zatara214]

General Questions

1) What is your budget?
2500, don't wanna spend all it and the more i can save the better, extra money would go toward accessories

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

15.4, will be carrying it to class and with me alot

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

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
n/a

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
It will be used for school work, which includes the use of the torque engine and 3d modeling using 3ds max(not heavily though)

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

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
um mostly older games: age of empires 3, cod4, maybe some new ones when they come out

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
2-3 would be nice but i could settle for 1-2 if i have to

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
nope

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
i'd like to dual boot xp and linux on it
Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
standard

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


e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
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)
doesn't really matter, unless someone can tell me which i might like better under the circumstances
Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
not really, simple 1 color notebook is fine by me

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
asap, and at least a few years 2-3
Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 500GB?
320gb would be my min

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
the standard one should work fine


choices are

Sager NP8660 (Built on Clevo M860TU) Sager NP8660 (Built on Clevo M860TU)
- 15.4" WSXGA+ "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1680x1050)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® P8400 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.26GHz w/3MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9800M GT DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
- None Standard
- ~ 2,048MB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS)
- None Standard
- Standard Finish
- ~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)
- 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
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Based Toll Free Telephone Tech Support
(Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

or

FORCE 3551 (Built on MSI-1651) PRE ORDER FORCE 3551 (Built on MSI-1651) PRE ORDER
- 15.4" WSXGA+ "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Screen (1680x1050)
(Black Brushed Aluminum Default Exterior)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- -Intel® P9500 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.53GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 25 watt
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 9600M GT DDR3 DX10
- None Standard
- - 4,096MB (Corsair, Kingston, Major Brand) DDR2 800 (2 SODIMMs) Dual Channel Memory
- None Standard
- Standard Finish (WXGA - Plastic Matte Bllack with Silver Trim ~ WSXGA+ - Black Brushed Aluminum
NO DELAY for Custom Color Options
- - Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- - 320GB 7200RPM Seagate (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
- 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
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (6-Cell)
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard - Drivers & Utility Software Only
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Complete Care Full Parts / Labor Warranty - Next Business Day Shipping both ways - Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Tech Support

few questions

1. will the 9600m-gt ddr3 do the things i want it to or should i opt for faster but less memory and slower cpu for the 9800m-gt?

2.is there any real difference in processor speed upgrades or will the upgrades be hardly noticeable?

3. hard drive speed, will i really notice a huge difference from 5400 rpms to 7200, 7200 is what i have in my desktop.

4. 9800m-gt says it's user upgradeable, so in 2-3 years i should be able to take it out and put something stronger in?

5. If i decided to get the NP8660 would the resolution of 1920*1200 make everything to small and hard to see, and would the 9800m be able to make games play at that res without lagging and chugging a lot?


so those are the choices i had in mind, if anyone has anything else i should be looking at for specs or other ideas of things to swap or change that would be greatly appreciated.

what do you guys think?

I can tell you that I just wrote an entire review, pressed submit, and Xotic had logged me out automatically. May wanna consider extending the sessions by a little bit for that lol...

Anyway, I DID answer all of your questions, and I showed up Anewbus (though he'll never believe me now...)

I chose the NP8660. It has DDR3 RAM, which will do you much better than the DDR2 800 in the Force. The processor, RAM, and even hard drive and graphics card are all fully upgradable (graphics depends on future nvidia releases, but considering past actions, don't doubt it), and so you'll be set for 2-3 years, even with the release of Windows 7. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask them, as I am QUITE the guru on this sort of thing. My opinion may be biased though, as I own an NP8660 lol...

Man my review was like a page long too lol...

[Norwegiboard]

i'm thinking of going the NP8660 route but my concern now is the resolution issue, will 2gb of memory and the 9800m be able to tear through games easily or will it be laggy for most games? keep in mind i'll be running xp pro not vista

[Zatara214]

i'm thinking of going the NP8660 route but my concern now is the resolution issue, will 2gb of memory and the 9800m be able to tear through games easily or will it be laggy for most games? keep in mind i'll be running xp pro not vista

Oh, that makes a big difference. If you're running XP, it won't be pre-allocation anything into your memory, and therefore you'll have more free, faster. XP runs perfectly on 2 GB, and considering the bandwidth of DDR3 memory, yes, it will play ANY game perfectly. The only game where you might not see the same perfoemance as 4 GB is Crysis, and in all honestly, it will still be lightyears ahead of the 9600 with 4 GB of DDR2 memory.

I have the 9800 GT in my NP8660, and I can tell you that the only game that doesnt play at the max settings at native resolution (I have 1920 x 1200 too, its great) is Crysis. Bioshock, UT3, STALKER, and anything else you can think of run flawlessly at 1920 x 1200, and with anything older than that, you can enable AA and STILL have it run at 60 fps lol.

[Norwegiboard]

thanks for all the info, just got done dealing with the bank and placed my order for the np8660, i went with the glossy screen and 1680*1050 because i was worried about the size of everything on screen, that and it saved 145$

hopefully all will go well and i won't be dissappointed with it.

[Anewbus]

thanks for all the info, just got done dealing with the bank and placed my order for the np8660, i went with the glossy screen and 1680*1050 because i was worried about the size of everything on screen, that and it saved 145$

hopefully all will go well and i won't be dissappointed with it.

Just thought I would interject an encouraging morsole here. Don't worry, you'll be more than happy with your NP8660. The 1680 x 1050 native res screen will blow you away as to how clear it is and everything. Plus it will save a tiny bit of battery power over the higher res screen. Whether that amount is measurable or noticable, I'm not certain. I'm sure someone more in the know on that will come along and post numbers or something.

I noticed you will be playing mostly a bit older games for now. I have a Force 3298v2 with a 2.1GHz Proc, 2GB RAM, 8600 GT w/512MB running XP. I was told that I would be able to play CoD and MoH and such on medium settings. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I can play those and a number of other games with very nearly everything set to "highest"!!!!! My lappy trumps my desktop!! (Of course I would not expect to play the very very latest games at those settings, but it doesn't matter to me since I don't play them anyway). So you can just imagine what your 8660 can do!
(I was on a tight budget, otherwise I would have gone for the NP5796 or something).:)

The 8660 is a nice looking lappy as well. So all in all you have yourself a nice machine there. So you know, the great customer service does not stop or degrade after you place your order with XoticPC like it can and does at some other places. Your totally supported, Xotic's exceptional service goes on long after you receive your lappy. :XPCS::notworthy
Let us know when you get it. Congrats on your order by the way.:)