Sager NP9850 - Clevo M980NU Owners Lounge

[porky133]

Well, I ordered mine just now and since there isn't one already I'm starting this thread. Now for the hard part, the waiting for shipment!

Sager NP9850 (Built on Clevo M980NU) Gaming Laptop - PRE ORDER
- Operating System: ~Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- Fingerprint Reader: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Battery: Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- Case: Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Sound Card: Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Camera: Integrated Digital Video Camera
- Wireless Network: Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Bluetooth: Internal Bluetooth + EDR
- Memory Card Reader: Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Raid: HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- Secondary Hard Drive: ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Primary Hard Drive: ~ 80GB Intel X25-M Solid State Drive (SSD Serial-ATA II)
- Optical Drive: ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- Exterior Finish: Standard Finish
- Ram: ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to utilize Full 4GB)
- Video Card: SLi ENABLED DUAL (2) 1024MB PCI-Express nVIDIA GTX 280M's (2048MB Total) w/GDDR3 DX10 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- Processor: ~Intel® X9100 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo Extreme 3.06GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB
- Dead Pixel Policy: Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Arctic Silver: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Display: 18.4" FHD WUXGA Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Dual Lamp Screen (1920x1080)

[steelerguynd]

im so ready to order mine too. i just cant decide between the extreme duo or quad. They are both overclockable on this rig correct?

[powerpack]

Good thread. I think many will post. The waiting is the hardest part (Tom Petty). But very true.

Higher clocked duo likely better with gaming which is what this system is for. But I doubt a quad would be a big bottleneck and does have other advantages.

When you guys get post benches.

[porky133]

im so ready to order mine too. i just cant decide between the extreme duo or quad. They are both overclockable on this rig correct?


I thought about it long and hard. I finally went with the higher clocked duo. This is primarily for lan parties and most games can use higher clock over more cores. Of course that is changing, but I think that by the time most games can use multiple cores I'll be buying a new laptop anyway.

[Woody]

Keep in mind that if you do plan on keeping the machine for a long time you can swap out the CPU down the road when you can pick up a mobile quad for a good price. Until then most games will be optimized for a higher clocked dual core with a few notable exceptions like FarCry2. I have a feeling Intel will continue to support Core 2 Duo for a long time.

Until someone can do comprehensive benchmarking on this or a similar system it's hard to know how much CPU power you really need and it will vary from game to game. You're not buying this thing to crunch numbers, you're buying it to play 3D games. Enjoy.

[porky133]

I think Intel is already phasing out the Core 2 Duo's. Asus dropped the C2D from their offering of the W90Vp.

I bought my last laptop with "User Upgradable" parts and the manufacturers changed the slots for both the cpu and gpu. Thereby making my upgrade path a dead end before I even got there. My solution is to simply buy the best that I can get/afford and get a new one in about three years time.

But gaming is indeed what this is for and it should do wonderfully at that!

[Hanzo]

Sticking to Duo for now and upgrade to Quad in a year or so.

[porky133]

Wow, I can't believe that only five people have posted here. I thought there would be more of us ordering this BBW style "laptop" and posting up the different configurations.

[porky133]

Well, two weeks since ordering and I'm still sane (I think). Only about three weeks till it's suppossed to ship!

[Techa_Frieza]

I am going to order but I am ordering in August (I am saving up).

[porky133]

Well, mid-july is here! Hope to hear some good news this week. Fingers crossed...

[El Mago]

Well, my 5 year old desktop finally died this weekend, so my decision on ordering a NP9850 came now and it's now pre-ordered. Went for the Quad 2.53Ghz processor, an Intel 80GB SSD drive as the only drive (don't store much huge files, anyway), and Vista Ultimate.

[PHOTOVIDEO]

Get ready to wait for about 6-8 weeks! Also, by the time yours is shipped by Justin, aka XOTICPC and crew, there will have been more upgrades on the site and XOTICPC will not even let you know if you still want to upgrade before the final shipment is sent!!! What a pisser!, I would have at least upgraded by ram, but wait, every process in your order takes between 1-2 weeks, so that would mean about 8 weeks before I would get mine, but wait, by the time the 8 weeks come by, it is time to upgrade again, and on and on and on!! P.S. I am still waiting for mine that I ordered on June 3, 2009 on 3 day shipping !!:( ! :confused: ! :mad: ! :( !@#?!!



Well, I ordered mine just now and since there isn't one already I'm starting this thread. Now for the hard part, the waiting for shipment!

Sager NP9850 (Built on Clevo M980NU) Gaming Laptop - PRE ORDER
- Operating System: ~Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- Fingerprint Reader: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Battery: Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- Case: Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Sound Card: Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Camera: Integrated Digital Video Camera
- Wireless Network: Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- Bluetooth: Internal Bluetooth + EDR
- Memory Card Reader: Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Raid: HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- Secondary Hard Drive: ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Primary Hard Drive: ~ 80GB Intel X25-M Solid State Drive (SSD Serial-ATA II)
- Optical Drive: ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- Exterior Finish: Standard Finish
- Ram: ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to utilize Full 4GB)
- Video Card: SLi ENABLED DUAL (2) 1024MB PCI-Express nVIDIA GTX 280M's (2048MB Total) w/GDDR3 DX10 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- Processor: ~Intel® X9100 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo Extreme 3.06GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB
- Dead Pixel Policy: Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Arctic Silver: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Display: 18.4" FHD WUXGA Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Dual Lamp Screen (1920x1080)

[PHOTOVIDEO]

Sorry to spill the beans to you also, but this company should be named XOTICWAITPC ! ! Make sure you check out the upgrades before they get to the final stage 4. Your computer order will be outdated by then! :mad: :( :mad:


Well, mid-july is here! Hope to hear some good news this week. Fingers crossed...

[porky133]

Wow! You must have some serious issues with Xotic. When they notify me that the process is starting I'll check on the upgrades but I think I pretty much maxxed out most things.

I hope things get better for you.

[fallenxlionheart]

well i gotta admit it did take quite some time for my order to arrive...BUT...during that whole time xotic was extremely helpful and answered every question i had and brought me a beautiful machine....in fact for the few questions i still have left they have no problem answering even after the purchase! which is something i love about a company...so what if my order took a while... i was in good hands every step of the way...and as long as xotic keeps stocking those sagers....this will be where i buy my "GAMING ARSENAL" period

[porky133]

Yeah, It's not like we didn't know our machines, your 9280 and my 9850, were being pre-ordered and it was Sager we were waiting on, not XOTICPC.

Photovideo doesn't seem to understand that there is always something new just around the corner. ANY computer is outdated after about two months. Something will be newer and better ie ram, cpu, gpu, powersupply, MB, etc.

I pulled the trigger when the specs finally met my CURRENT expectations.

[Hanzo]

I should be getting my 9280 next week. Thank god I made a good decision and canceled my 9850 pre-order. :wink2:

[PHOTOVIDEO]

I have no serious issues, only I would have hoped that I would have gotten a call if I wanted any last minute upgrades and xotic letting me know what is available. I was told my shipment was to arrive before July. It should arrive today, July 15. But since then, xotic has had some upgrades which would have been a courtesy if I was asked by them!

Wow! You must have some serious issues with Xotic. When they notify me that the process is starting I'll check on the upgrades but I think I pretty much maxxed out most things.

I hope things get better for you.

[porky133]

Photovideo: I think those are fair statements but I don't know of any vendor who would ask if you want to change your order after it's already placed and they have ordered the initial parts you requested.

Also so to hear about your delay. It sucks to want something and then have to wait for it. Especially if the wait is longer than anticipated.

[fallenxlionheart]

happend to me...but like porky said...both of us were prepared for the wait...and its not like it wasnt worth it anyway cuz it totally was:biggrin:

[PHOTOVIDEO]

porky133: I just received my Sager 9280 today. I was dissappointed with the skin cover. First, my logo looks like a billboard, in which, on both left and right sides the letters are kinda wrapping around also, I on my email, I wrote, any questions call me. I never got a call telling me that my letters would be hanging to the side. The logo that I emailed was to look as when a person is sitting opposite you and can appreciate something well done, not a billboard. To make a long story short, I am hoping to get a call back from Justin, to see what they can do. I work with photography and video and the techs at xotic either did not care or do not know what style is. Also, the styrophone that they used pressed so hard on the skin cover that is left rectangular marks right on top of it. the best that could happen is the Justin realizes what happened and works something out with or they can stay with the laptop. Oh, by the way I put it back in the box, and I guess the least a few more weeks of waiting or order from someone else. I will keep you posted.

[PHOTOVIDEO]

fallenlionheart: I also am prepared to wait but please give me a ballpark, don't say 4-7 business days for each phase and then it turns into 14 business days not including weekends for each phase. Honesty is the best policy, tell me 9 weeks and at least I know what I am going to wait for. I will keep you posted.

[porky133]

Sorry to hear about your custom skin cover. I hope you can get a good resolution on that. I didn't order one because I didn't want to add time to the order and I didn't have an image in mind.

But at least the machine arrived already. I'm still waiting for "Mid-July" to come!

[fallenxlionheart]

this waiting thing dosent just happen at xotic... companys have a hard time keeping up with orders when the computers are BRAND SPANKIN NEW! models...just be patient...

Keep me updated PHOTOVIDEO:)

[PHOTOVIDEO]

Well Xotic owners, I spoke with Justin who told me in short words to send my comments and pics to skin department. I hope they see my issue. I ordered my laptop through xotic because of their very good reputation. I hope that they do not let me down. I deal with photography and video and potential clients will be gauking:yes: at the new hardcore laptop. If they can see the fault, it will be a win-win situation for both of us. In the mean time, :cry: waaaaahhhh to me.

[keptfireball]

so photovideo have you asked when they might be getting more information about the release date? or has anyone heard about it?

[porky133]

I see on the Xoticpc page that our ETA is now early August! WTF!!! I guess I will have to review my options after all.

Checked around and saw one place that claims they will start shipping in about 10 days. Time will tell.

[fallenxlionheart]

now im really glad i went with the 9280 not just for the i7 but now i wont be waiting all day

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

I see on the Xoticpc page that our ETA is now early August! WTF!!! I guess I will have to review my options after all.

Checked around and saw one place that claims they will start shipping in about 10 days. Time will tell.

The ETA of early August is a really good ETA. I don't anticipate any additional delays past this time frame. Sager was originally holding out for the 9850 model with a 3.0 MP webcam, but Clevo was experiencing delays from the manufacturer of the 3.0 MP webcam, so Sager opted to proceed with the 2.0 MP webcam version of the 9850. This is the same version that is listed on our website. Sager was just trying to get a little better webcam, but wasn't able to achieve this in time. :(

[porky133]

Justin, any other upgrades now available that weren't originally listed?

By the way, my personal thought is that I never use the web cam anyway, so no loss there :).

[porky133]

Almost August. And I leave on the 11th for a two week trip. I wonder if I'll have a new notebook to take with me?

[El Mago]

I will also be away for 5 days the week of the 10th on vacation - hopefully will get my lappy before :D or after I come back :(

[porky133]

Just checked the web site and I see that there is another processor choice. What is the difference between the T9900 and the X9100, other than about $400?

[Young_Law2012]

Just ordered my 9850 on 7/25!! XOTIC is teasing me though by sending a notice that it was already to phase 2 and then reneging, saying that it isn't even completely done at Sager yet. Oh well, I expected to wait a little bit...just can't wait to try that bad boy out!

[porky133]

Emailed Justin and he gave me the email address to request changes through. I did the following:

1. Downgraded CPU from X9100 to T9900
2. Upgraded RAM from 4GB to 6GB
3. Upgraded Optical drive from Blu-ray reader to Blu-ray burner.
4. Changed OS to include Windows 7 upgrade coupon.

Got a response back acknowledgeing changes the next day. I'd say pretty good service although I did have to go and see what upgrades and changes were available on my own.

[station0420]

I wonder which day before the 14th this laptop will ship. Does anyone know or have any new NEWS. I am about to go crazy waiting for this pc. My X-25m in my NP5796 failed, just failed! So I am back on an old Dell Latty' running Windows 7. Actually runs really well considering it only has 2ghz processor and 2 gb or ram. Gonna use the old 5796 for a media center computer :) (Overkill) gotta do something with it though.

We are still being told that this computer will ship early August? Hope we do not have any more hang-ups.

[El Mago]

I haven't heard anything, too. Have no other computer to fall on as my main desktop went dead weeks ago. Been using my wife's MacBook for internet, so bought an Asus Eee (coming today) to hold me till my Sager arrives.

[station0420]

You would rather buy an ASUS Eee than use a Mac! I am with you brother. I do IT and I have a distaste for Macs.

[porky133]

So, when does "Early August" turn into "Mid August"?

[Young_Law2012]

Just upgraded my CPU to the T9900 (2.8--->3.06) !! I just didn't want to regret it later! PLEASE hurry up and get here 9850!!

[El Mago]

The ETA of early August is a really good ETA. I don't anticipate any additional delays past this time frame.

:wideeyed:

[Young_Law2012]

Ha! Yeah I'm starting to wonder if it will be here in MID-AUGUST! Maybe if it ships it the next couple of days, but it's my understanding that it has not even been shipped to XOTIC from SAGER YET!

So much for no additional delays eh Mago?

[station0420]

Ha! Yeah I'm starting to wonder if it will be here in MID-AUGUST! Maybe if it ships it the next couple of days, but it's my understanding that it has not even been shipped to XOTIC from SAGER YET!

So much for no additional delays eh Mago?


"puuh"

I am strongly considering farting in their general direction (Sager). I am about to cancell my order and go for something else. I talked to a sales rep yesterday and was told that they still did not have a locked down eta. This tells me that Sager is giving them the runaround. 2 more days = MID AUGUST... Meh. Even if they got them in today Xotic PC probably would not be able to meet their expected ship date of Early August (>15th). So there goes that hope... Could someone at Xotic PC please just call the Sager people and lock down a date? That way I can stop all this hate speech. I pre-ordered on July 26th I think. It is all well and good that I did that when I did but the fact still remains that when the shipment of the 9850s do make it in and Xotic PC loads up their first truck to ship them off you may still not get yours on that shipment. I heard that the shipments were so small that many of the orders may not be filled on the first shipment from Sager. So put that in your pipe and smoke it for a while. :eeek2:

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

Sager is experience some stuttering issues during gameplay with this model notebook. They are actively working with Clevo, the ODM to get this issue resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. Sager won’t release a notebook with known issues or defects, thus the reason for the delay. We are in contact with Sager on a daily basis and as soon as the issue has been resolved and a ship date is provided, we will be sure to provide you with this info ASAP.

[station0420]

Thanks Justin.

Bummed about that though. Do you guys sell a comparable machine for gaming?

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

Certainly, you could check out the Sager np9280 (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9280-built-clevo-d900f-ultimate-custom-laptop-p-2577.html) notebook.

[station0420]

Certainly, you could check out the Sager np9280 (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9280-built-clevo-d900f-ultimate-custom-laptop-p-2577.html) notebook.


Got to be honest. I would not trade a second video card and a 18" screen for an i7. That would defeat the purpose for me. The i7 is great and all do not get me wrong but I already have a t-9800. That is all the processor I need for now and is more than enough for every single game to date and probably in the near future. It is really fast. So I cannot part with video card #2. I guess I just have to wait for the 9850 unless you could reccomend anything else...I am so bummed.

[station0420]

Got to be honest. I would not trade a second video card and a 18" screen for an i7. That would defeat the purpose for me. The i7 is great and all do not get me wrong but I already have a t-9800. That is all the processor I need for now and is more than enough for every single game to date and probably in the near future. It is really fast. So I cannot part with video card #2. I guess I just have to wait for the 9850 unless you could reccomend anything else...I am so bummed.

Oooh...Looking at the m17x now. May be a highnoon shootout in the land of google this afternoon.

[Young_Law2012]

I agree w/ station0420. I would not trade in the second video card. I'm bummed, but I'm glad that Sager is not just releasing crap like many other companies do and then saying "oh sorry we didn't test enough, but send it back blah blah blah..." this would just lead to more frustration and more waiting for the repairs.

That said, it's going to be hard for this to be the "fastest gaming laptop in the world" if it stutters during games. Thought they would have already worked stuff like this out before they would make such a bold claim/ just a couple of wks. before it's supposed to ship!

[station0420]

I agree w/ station0420. I would not trade in the second video card. I'm bummed, but I'm glad that Sager is not just releasing crap like many other companies do and then saying "oh sorry we didn't test enough, but send it back blah blah blah..." this would just lead to more frustration and more waiting for the repairs.

That said, it's going to be hard for this to be the "fastest gaming laptop in the world" if it stutters during games. Thought they would have already worked stuff like this out before they would make such a bold claim/ just a couple of wks. before it's supposed to ship!



Well high noon is over and I have to say that people seem to be enjoying their 9850s. LINK (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=404189&page=19) I'll note that no one on this forum even mentioned gaming for the 8 days of posts that I read. I would imagine that if there were problems they were experiencing they would note it. These guys are avid pc performance perfectionists. SOOooooo, I wish I could be benching like these guys... ahem!

Anyway, I do agree with Young_Law, It is a good thing that they are perfecting this system. Also, I have the upmost confidence that they will get the job done concerning the stuttering. However, this system stays out of the loop for another month, by the time we get it after processing and everything else in the pipeline to us it will not be the fastest system anymore.

I wonder if there is a system in development that utilizes an I7 and the SLI 280Ms. I just hope that by the the time we get these PCs there is not another system that will come out that we could have waited for and purchased for a comparable price. I mean the 17Xs were around in June were they not? They have the same setup as the 9850s. 2 months is a while for this market. Something else must be around the corner.


Thoughts?

[El Mago]

It's hard to have $4,000+ tied up in a product that is having technical issues and may not be out for weeks, if not months, now. Seriously considering canceling, now.

[Young_Law2012]

Oooh...Looking at the m17x now. May be a highnoon shootout in the land of google this afternoon.

Yeah I just looked at those! They look sweet, but damn they seem high! I would have to spend significantly more to get the same thing, but w/ AW badges. They do look pretty awesome though!

[station0420]

Well I posted last night but I guess it did not make the cut... Nothing bad in my post, there was a link. I wonder why it did not make it? I had a link to a page where a number of guys were benchmarking their systems. (9850 Systems!) They have had their systems since before the 6th of this month and were getting great clocks in vantage and 06. However, not one of them mentioned playing any games but I am sure they have, this was just an owners forum composed of these guys playing with clocks. They all seemed to be extremely knowlegable and not one of them mentioned any stuttering problems. Just great benches up to 13k in Vantage with temps ranging from 46 CPU!, 50 GPU! and others. This system, they said is very cool and pretty quiet too. 11.5xx k Stock on vantage. One guy pushed his to 17k vantage. It was a great 32 page read. I will try to post the link in my next post. if they do not allow me to post links to other sites you can google search for the clevo name and add owners forum. you should find it no problem.

[station0420]

Well I posted last night but I guess it did not make the cut... Nothing bad in my post, there was a link. I wonder why it did not make it? I had a link to a page where a number of guys were benchmarking their systems. (9850 Systems!) They have had their systems since before the 6th of this month and were getting great clocks in vantage and 06. However, not one of them mentioned playing any games but I am sure they have, this was just an owners forum composed of these guys playing with clocks. They all seemed to be extremely knowlegable and not one of them mentioned any stuttering problems. Just great benches up to 13k in Vantage with temps ranging from 46 CPU!, 50 GPU! and others. This system, they said is very cool and pretty quiet too. 11.5xx k Stock on vantage. One guy pushed his to 17k vantage. It was a great 32 page read. I will try to post the link in my next post. if they do not allow me to post links to other sites you can google search for the clevo name and add owners forum. you should find it no problem.

Owners (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=404189&page=5)

Here is the forum.

I have a sinking feeling that Sager is just saying there is a stuttering problem and there really is none. These guys would have been all over that. Read the forum and tell me what you think.

[station0420]

So I guess you are not allowed to post links to other websites about the 9850s. I have tried now like 5 times and none of them will post... you can read the 42 pages and tell me if you agree with this:

I do not think that Sager is being 100% truthfull about the stuttering issue. Infact I dont think there is an issue at all. If there was these guys benching their systems would have commented on it and probably found a fix for it.

you can google Clevo M980NU owners forum and it pulls the links up. Read the forum, it is very interesting. These guys have been benching for about 8 days or more. and have very interesting information to share.

[station0420]

Yeah I just looked at those! They look sweet, but damn they seem high! I would have to spend significantly more to get the same thing, but w/ AW badges. They do look pretty awesome though!


Nope, I built one yesterday for $2600 with the same setup as the 9850 from here. It is a base system that I will upgrade. The only issue I have with dell is that you cannot upgrade w/o voiding the warranty and the warranty sucks anyway compared to xPC. Also it is a pain to upgrade the 17Xs from what I hear. Unlike the 9850s where you pop off the back and blamo' everything is opened to you, four screws and you are looking at the bare CPU.

1. So the cost is the same for me as I would do an aftermarket upgrade with both.

2. Warranty sux with dell and I would void it anyway

3. Their custie service is not too good.

4. But the price is still there... and if I have to wait much longer I will take the hit on all 3 of those. I feel like I am getting the shaft here.

Note: I love Sager and XPC. I do all of my company's business through them. Like 6 decked out systems this year alone, 1 of which was a 5796. I just do not like being strung along with these kinds of explanations and promises.

A definative date would be nice...

[Young_Law2012]

Yeah, my bad...I was really tired last night and did a quick build at AW site..you're right the price is close. The warranty (for 3 years) costs extra, but it would be worth it to me. I plan on doing a decent setup then upgrading the CPU when the price drops some on the QX9300:D.

I have NO experience w/ Sager or XPC so this experience has become nerve wracking to me. I'm leaning more towards the AW or something comparable...kinda wish Falcon NW had a dual GPU laptop, as their systems look pretty good too.

I believe the AW warranty will allow you to change parts, but not sure, i read that on the "other" forum somewhere.

[station0420]

Yeah, my bad...I was really tired last night and did a quick build at AW site..you're right the price is close. The warranty (for 3 years) costs extra, but it would be worth it to me. I plan on doing a decent setup then upgrading the CPU when the price drops some on the QX9300:D.

I have NO experience w/ Sager or XPC so this experience has become nerve wracking to me. I'm leaning more towards the AW or something comparable...kinda wish Falcon NW had a dual GPU laptop, as their systems look pretty good too.

I believe the AW warranty will allow you to change parts, but not sure, i read that on the "other" forum somewhere.

AW/Dell does allow you to upgrade/swaqp parts w/o voiding the warranty. I thought they did not and was told otherwise on another forum to my supprise. However, it is much more difficult to do on a AW laptop than it is on this clevo model.

[Young_Law2012]

Yes I see. I sent an e-mail to Xotic yesterday that has not yet been answered, canceling my order. Due to the recent developments and the lack of a definite date my confidence has been shaken somewhat. I now have more time to weigh all the different options and drive myself mad in the process!

[station0420]

Yes I see. I sent an e-mail to Xotic yesterday that has not yet been answered, canceling my order. Due to the recent developments and the lack of a definite date my confidence has been shaken somewhat. I now have more time to weigh all the different options and drive myself mad in the process!


Sorry to hear that. I was on the verge of doing the same. I may still actually. I hear that there is a new chip coming out in 6 months that is supposed to be awesome. It is rumored that the 300 chip will be paired with the i7 in the same case as the 9800, probably in SLI config. It may pay to wait. We could play that game forever though.I think I will wait for this rig to ship. I may ask if they have an upgrade option that we can pay for like the Brits have on their comanche' models for this very computer. That would be a nice way to play. :cool:

[El Mago]

I don't see myself going for an Alienware as an option...may be from my days with Voodoopc. I will give Sager and xoticpc a little time for now.

[powerpack]

Station0420 is this NBR link (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5206120) what you are talking about? If so there it is. The rule on links I think has to do with a certain number of posts. Maybe 15 I don't know. But Xotic definitely does not have a problem linking to NBR. Justin is a member in high standing over there. For all you guys wondering what is up NBR might be a good source of info. Very high traffic over there.

I am of no help as I have not been following. Sorry.

Station if the wrong link let me know I will try and put up the one you want. But one more post and you might be able to do yourself.

[station0420]

Station0420 is this NBR link (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5206120) what you are talking about? If so there it is. The rule on links I think has to do with a certain number of posts. Maybe 15 I don't know. But Xotic definitely does not have a problem linking to NBR. Justin is a member in high standing over there. For all you guys wondering what is up NBR might be a good source of info. Very high traffic over there.

I am of no help as I have not been following. Sorry.


Station if the wrong link let me know I will try and put up the one you want. But one more post and you might be able to do yourself.


Thats the one. Thanks for linking it. They have had a very interesting discussion from page six (the first person receives their 980nu) until today. The discussion continues. They address overclocking the rig with various CPU and configs. They also touched on the stuttering issue. I think there was one person who claims that they have seen such an issue and stated that it was hardly noticable. But you know how new owners can be. No one wants to say their rig is flawed and no one wants to send theirs back to get fixed, though they will. Anyway, there was a guy from the company who calles the 980nu a comanche, cant remember the Company's name, but he claims that their R&D dept addressed the stuttering issue which was caused by some chip somewhere on the board. I cant remember. They seem to have their stuff togeather over in Europe. So, thats the sort of stuff going on over there and it has continued to be very active. Check it our for yourselves. You owe it to the huge investment you have just made in this rig.

Thanks again for linking this forum Powerpack.


PS I did not realize that Justin had a ranking over there but I gave him and XPC props on my first couple of posts on that forum.

[powerpack]

Yea he does and I had the most user rep until they baned me. Alas life turns in funny ways?
But happy I got it correct. I do suggest you guys use NBR they are a great resource.

[station0420]

Yea he does and I had the most user rep until they baned me. Alas life turns in funny ways?
But happy I got it correct. I do suggest you guys use NBR they are a great resource.


Ok, so I gotta know. What did you get banned for? :cool:

[station0420]

Still no word on an ETA. I am getting anxious here. I may cancell now. If I dont know anything by the 20th I am outta here and over to Dell.

[NAVYBOY]

Let me start off by saying that I have never bought a Clevo or have had to do business with XoticPC. MY HP is basically getting old and I wanted the best laptop out there, so someone showed me the NP9850. With that said...

NEVER PRE-ORDER and here's why:
1) You money is held hostage by a company who has no control of when you get your product since they are a reseller.

2) They get to collect interest on the money they already took from you and that you may be already paying for on your CC (which in turn you pay interest to them).

3) There is no added value when the company does not give you some incentive for pre-ordering. $100 off? Free upgrade of HDD? or SOMETHING!

4) The product pricing/configurations/options tend to change during pre-order. (2MP camera vs 3MP camera) need I say more.

So I am willing to plop down the $3,000+ for the laptop that I want now, but Xotic PC needs to make it worth my time for pre-ordering.

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

Just an FYI side note. If you provide a credit card on a pre-ordered item, we don't charge your credit card until the product is in stock. However, If you choose to send money using one of these payment methods (Wire transfer, check, money order, cashier's check, or PayPal) to Xotic PC then we have no control over that as it was initiated on the customer's end. I hope this helps clarify any confusion our customers may have had. :)

[station0420]

Just an FYI side note. If you provide a credit card on a pre-ordered item, we don't charge your credit card until the product is in stock. However, If you choose to send money using one of these payment methods (Wire transfer, check, money order, cashier's check, or PayPal) to Xotic PC then we have no control over that as it was initiated on the customer's end. I hope this helps clarify any confusion our customers may have had. :)

...Burn :cool:

Justin is right. This is the only good part about this order. I used a Credit card so I can still cancel it any time and I still might. I have to say thought that this is my 6th order this year alone from XPC. All were super high quality machines from Sager. Every one of them arrived on time and some before the date stated. I have had nothing but positive experiences with XPC before this. It’s a shame too because it is not XPC's fault Sager are just being F-Chops and need to get the ball rolling.

[NAVYBOY]

...Burn :cool:

Justin is right. This is the only good part about this order. I used a Credit card so I can still cancel it any time and I still might. I have to say thought that this is my 6th order this year alone from XPC. All were super high quality machines from Sager. Every one of them arrived on time and some before the date stated. I have had nothing but positive experiences with XPC before this. It’s a shame too because it is not XPC's fault Sager are just being F-Chops and need to get the ball rolling.

I just wanted to clarify that I am not trying to bad mouth XoticPC. On the contrary, I have chosen them as my vendor when the system is finally released. I evaluated 15 other resellers and for Price and response to my requests, they ranked #1.

I was simply talking about Pre-Ordering in general and giving a suggestion to XoticPC how they can get ahead of their competitors by offering a Pre-Order special. It will also help retain those people who are thinking of jumping ship for Dell or some other system that is out. It would also cause some to cancel their orders with competitors to come over to you. Just some marketing/business advice.:notworthy

[station0420]

I just wanted to clarify that I am not trying to bad mouth XoticPC. On the contrary, I have chosen them as my vendor when the system is finally released. I evaluated 15 other resellers and for Price and response to my requests, they ranked #1.

I was simply talking about Pre-Ordering in general and giving a suggestion to XoticPC how they can get ahead of their competitors by offering a Pre-Order special. It will also help retain those people who are thinking of jumping ship for Dell or some other system that is out. It would also cause some to cancel their orders with competitors to come over to you. Just some marketing/business advice.:notworthy
True indeed. May keep me here :wink2:

[powerpack]

I thought Navyboy had valid points and Justin's clarification on the CC was helpful.

I find neither fault or blame in the preorder game. Just a sad frustrating reality. People who preorder are anxious to have. OEM has not given a firm delivery date just an estimated.

Can anyone see why that results in what it does? Disappointment. Like taking a baby to the Opera. It is not the Opera's fault if the baby cries and it is not the baby's fault for being a baby. This analogy is not meant to insult those who preorder just acknowledge. In general they are an anxious bunch and rightly so.

Xotic can't change it. If they don't take preorders their competition will and Xotic might lose out. All is clearly known by all parties prior to entering into the agreement. Not trying to be critical of anyone here I have been sitting on the sidelines watching this happen several times. It is what it is. No ones fault just the way it is. When toy does finally arrive in hand not much complaining all is forgiven.:)

[station0420]

I thought Navyboy had valid points and Justin's clarification on the CC was helpful.

I find neither fault or blame in the preorder game. Just a sad frustrating reality. People who preorder are anxious to have. OEM has not given a firm delivery date just an estimated.

Can anyone see why that results in what it does? Disappointment. Like taking a baby to the Opera. It is not the Opera's fault if the baby cries and it is not the baby's fault for being a baby. This analogy is not meant to insult those who preorder just acknowledge. In general they are an anxious bunch and rightly so.

Xotic can't change it. If they don't take preorders their competition will and Xotic might lose out. All is clearly known by all parties prior to entering into the agreement. Not trying to be critical of anyone here I have been sitting on the sidelines watching this happen several times. It is what it is. No ones fault just the way it is. When toy does finally arrive in hand not much complaining all is forgiven.:)


Good analogy.

I wonder which would arrive first, the m980nu or a newly ordered m17x. Read that the m17x is overclocking better than the m980nu and getting higher scores...

[station0420]

Ok, this question is posted for anyone to answer but I will address it to Justin or any sales person here.

I have just configured an m17x and it can be at my door in 12 or less days. Is there any way that the NP9850 can be here before that? What do you think I should do guys?

-Price is almost the same $100 or so difference
-Config is identical + windows (don’t care about OS)
-Customer service is dell vs. xPC so you know who wins there (XPC)<--- hands down
-And I will get my system in a timeframe that is outlined and guaranteed.

[NAVYBOY]

My suggestion is to wait either way. Are you desperately in need of a new laptop. If you're like me, this is a nice to have but not a must. So waiting will only benefit you. When the 9850 comes out.. now that Alienware has a system that is equal if not better out on the market... their market share will be at risk, .... so business 101 is that they need to have a price drop of some sorts or come out with new configs.

As for Xotic and the 9850... i still stick to my suggestions to give these people an incentive to pre-order.... then you wouldn't be hem hawing and just be patient.

Also Alienware doesn't have an 18" screen to my understanding.... BOO.

[Young_Law2012]

Um..they did charge my credit card, but refunded it back promptly when I canceled. Just ordered the m17x today. Nothing personal XPC, I will still consider purchasing from you in the future (great service)!

m17x will be here on or before 9/15. Having no set date on the 9850 was driving me crazy! Hope everyone here gets their 9850s soon and hope everyone is happy with them, as I hope I am happy with my m17x! Good luck! :D

[El Mago]

I can be patient for now (though within some limits) as I just got an inexpensive Asus Eee for general browsing and word processing and have Wii, PS3, and PSP at home to keep me gaming happy till the 9850 comes...besides, I keep checking the specs to see if any new upgrade becomes available that might ask for a configuration change

[station0420]

I can be patient for now (though within some limits) as I just got an inexpensive Asus Eee for general browsing and word processing and have Wii, PS3, and PSP at home to keep me gaming happy till the 9850 comes...besides, I keep checking the specs to see if any new upgrade becomes available that might ask for a configuration change


Mago, do you think they are going to have any config changes? What could they add other than a 3mp camera, lol?:eeek2:

[station0420]

Today is the day guys... For what you may ask? I am going to cancel my order with XPC. I am fead up with the waiting. Every other vendor of this PC has shipped as far as I can tell. I am done. Good news is that I am going to order a desktop from Digital Storm. I have done the config there and I have a PC built for the same price and about twice the power. So, twice as future-proof. I was never really worried about mobility anyway. With a 3.06 GHz i7 and 2x 280 gtx cards in sli. I think I am going to be very happy. I was going to go with the 295 gtx cards but realized that they were just 2 260's put together. Weird, and stupid. So I am happy once again as I now see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I would have gone with XPC on this build but their desktop option either has not opened yet or they are calling a monster laptop a desktop PC. Anyway, I will let u guys know my benches when I get the rig. :rolleyes:

[powerpack]

Today is the day guys... For what you may ask? I am going to cancel my order with XPC. I am fead up with the waiting. Every other vendor of this PC has shipped as far as I can tell. I am done. Good news is that I am going to order a desktop from Digital Storm. I have done the config there and I have a PC built for the same price and about twice the power. So, twice as future-proof. I was never really worried about mobility anyway. With a 3.06 GHz i7 and 2x 280 gtx cards in sli. I think I am going to be very happy. I was going to go with the 295 gtx cards but realized that they were just 2 260's put together. Weird, and stupid. So I am happy once again as I now see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I would have gone with XPC on this build but their desktop option either has not opened yet or they are calling a monster laptop a desktop PC. Anyway, I will let u guys know my benches when I get the rig. :rolleyes:As long as you have a plan all sounds good. Desktops always do in the end kick Notebooks little butts and for less money. That is fact no if ands or buts. If you don't need mobility yea I think desktop is a good idea.

Having said that, sorry you went through the waiting game frustration. But put blame where blame is deserved. If the ODM/OEM does not give to Xotic what is Xotic to do?

So take it in stride maybe this was a blessing for you?

Good luck and best regards.:)

[station0420]

As long as you have a plan all sounds good. Desktops always do in the end kick Notebooks little butts and for less money. That is fact no if ands or buts. If you don't need mobility yea I think desktop is a good idea.

Having said that, sorry you went through the waiting game frustration. But put blame where blame is deserved. If the ODM/OEM does not give to Xotic what is Xotic to do?

So take it in stride maybe this was a blessing for you?

Good luck and best regards.:)

Thanks man.

And yeah, I do not blame XPC. Love these guys actually. I wish they did desktops along w/ desktop replacements :) I would send DStorm packing and stay right here where I feel at home with XPC. Oh well. I can say that will be back one day as long as Dell does not buy out XPC too :yes:

[station0420]

Dell are like the pirates of the custom PC world. Little Bast#&%s :)

[station0420]

Just built my new PC:


Processor: Intel Core i7 950 3.06GHz (Quad Core)

Motherboard: XFX X58 3X SLI (Intel X58 Chipset)

System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz Corsair Dominator DHX

Power Supply: 1250W Enermax Galaxy EVO

Dual Solid State Hard Drive Hot Swap Bay

Hard Drive Set 1: 1.5TB Seagate Barracuda (7200 RPM) (32MB Cache)

Internet Access: Killer Xeno Pro

Video Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 2GB)

Extreme Cooling: V8 Cooler Master High Performance Cooler

Selected Chassis Airflow: Upgrade Chassis With Zalman Performance

LCD NZXT Sentry LX Temperature Display & Fan

Processor & Video Card Area: Drill and Mount Two Side Window 120mm Fan Blow-Holes

Speakers: Logitech 5.1 System (Black Edition) (Model X540) (Includes Subwoofer)

Warranty: 4 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy :notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy :notworthy

[NAVYBOY]

Just built my new PC:


Processor: Intel Core i7 950 3.06GHz (Quad Core)

Motherboard: XFX X58 3X SLI (Intel X58 Chipset)

System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz Corsair Dominator DHX

Power Supply: 1250W Enermax Galaxy EVO

Dual Solid State Hard Drive Hot Swap Bay

Hard Drive Set 1: 1.5TB Seagate Barracuda (7200 RPM) (32MB Cache)

Internet Access: Killer Xeno Pro

Video Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 2GB)

Extreme Cooling: V8 Cooler Master High Performance Cooler

Selected Chassis Airflow: Upgrade Chassis With Zalman Performance

LCD NZXT Sentry LX Temperature Display & Fan

Processor & Video Card Area: Drill and Mount Two Side Window 120mm Fan Blow-Holes

Speakers: Logitech 5.1 System (Black Edition) (Model X540) (Includes Subwoofer)

Warranty: 4 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy :notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy:notworthy :notworthy

Ok so cost and site where you configured it......?

[station0420]

Ok so cost and site where you configured it......?
You dont want to know the cost. But the site is Digital Storm (http://digitalstormonline.com). It is really not too much more than most of you are paying for the hooked-up/decked out version of the 9850. actually it is about the same.

Also, Navyboy are you in the service? If so, hats off to you my friend. My family appreciates it. I do not think our servicemen get to hear that enough. So, there you go bud.:cool:

[porky133]

Any updates on expected delivery? My current laptop video died on me during my trip. Spent the last week and a half with no computer. Now, I'm back home and still no laptop (ok, DTR). I fully expected the one month wait from June to July, could tolerate the wait from July to August (due to my trip) but now August is ending and still no machine or news.

Been hearing nothing but good about the 9280, thinking about just cancelling and getting one of those.

Any thoughts?

[Maddoc]

I would appreciate an update as well, if possible.

[porky133]

Seems as though many have moved on from here. I'm trying to hold the faith...

[Young_Law2012]

Can't believe these still haven't shipped!!! I got my m17x today! Wasn't supposed to come until Sept. 15! I'm lovin' it so far (knocks on wood)! Hopefully those who have decided to "hang on" will get their 9850s soon!! Ignore sig BTW!

[El Mago]

No news is worrisome; $4000+ tied up since July 13th isn't good (repriced the same configuration and came out to about $200 cheaper now and a comparable 9280 about $500 cheaper...hmmmm).

[station0420]

Can't believe these still haven't shipped!!! I got my m17x today! Wasn't supposed to come until Sept. 15! I'm lovin' it so far (knocks on wood)! Hopefully those who have decided to "hang on" will get their 9850s soon!! Ignore sig BTW!

Good deal. Have you run any benches yet. I would like to know what your vantage score is.:wink2:

[station0420]

No news is worrisome; $4000+ tied up since July 13th isn't good (repriced the same configuration and came out to about $200 cheaper now and a comparable 9280 about $500 cheaper...hmmmm).


For those prices you gould get the desktop I received yesterday which has 2 gtx 280 2gb (4gb total) and an i7 clocked to 3.7 ghz. Just sayin' :rolleyes:

[Young_Law2012]

Good deal. Have you run any benches yet. I would like to know what your vantage score is.:wink2:

I HAVEN'T, but AW ran some before they shipped it and here's what they got.

3DMark Vantage 1.01


AWMark Score- 8823 AWMarks
Graphics Score- 10914 Points
CPU Score- 5603 Points

[porky133]

Hey guys, I know the wait is painful but lets try to stay on topic here.

And congrats on getting your new machine!

[El Mago]

For those prices you gould get the desktop I received yesterday which has 2 gtx 280 2gb (4gb total) and an i7 clocked to 3.7 ghz. Just sayin' :rolleyes:

I agree with you station0420. Definitely one can get the ideal gaming machine with the BOTH an i7 and the gtx280s if you go desktop for similar prices. My thing is that I have never owned a laptop and so wanted to go this route for a change. Plus I liked the mobility, too. Otherwise would have guttted my now classic Voodoopc case and gone DIY.

[porky133]

Hey El Mago: Which Voodoo do you have? I've got a Blackbird EE002 sitting by my desk. Small world for us enthusiasts (sp) eh?

[Young_Law2012]

Hey guys, I know the wait is painful but lets try to stay on topic here.

And congrats on getting your new machine!

Thanks! And I will try to stay on topic sorry. :biggrin:

[Battle_Moose]

This is getting quite ridiculous, as its now a month past the (dragged out) ETA still listed on the laptop info page. Why has it taken so long to fix this so called stuttering issue if Clevo build laptops, a 'small' issue like this should only be a minor hiccup for them, they either can fix it or they cant, but they need to make up their mind so the rest of us (who haven't cancelled yet) can move on with life.

Right, I'm happy now I've had my small rant, you may now go back to chatting off topic.

[El Mago]

Hey El Mago: Which Voodoo do you have? I've got a Blackbird EE002 sitting by my desk. Small world for us enthusiasts (sp) eh?

It's a 5 year old RAGE F:2 wih the black MESA case that has the glowing "red volcanic mask" on top of the case. Small world indeed when it comes to true quality stuff and value. Xoticpc is my first venture after the Mutthaboards, aka The Next Bench.

[porky133]

Wow, that's going back a ways! LOL. Nice choice for the times though.

[porky133]

Well, the wait is just more than I can handle now that my current laptop has died. I'm cancelling my order for this and will choose a different laptop to fill my needs. The decision isn't an easy one as I really wanted this but I simply must have something to use before the middle of next month.

Good luck to those who can hang in there and wait it out.

[thisguyrighthere]

Well, I pre-ordered one of these back in June. Since then I've been stocking up on the PC games I've wanted to play but never have been able to for lack of a proper PC.

Two months later those games are collecting dust and I'm without a capable PC.

I noticed they removed "ETA Early August" from the 9850 page.

Sigh.

[Loduvicus]

Well, I got this message from Sager today: Sorry for the long wait. The final resolution has been applied, and we are doing the final testing now and for the past couple business days. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to release the model either this Friday or next Tuesday. I'll keep you posted. Thank you

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

If you don't mind my asking, Who did the message come from?

[Loduvicus]

If you don't mind my asking, Who did the message come from?
I got the message from Frank Chu, Account Executive, from Sager Notebooks

[station0420]

I got the message from Frank Chu, Account Executive, from Sager Notebooks


That is awesome. Hope those get to you soon.

FYI for those about to get their new Sagers, Battlefield 2 with 1.5 is freakin sweet. 1920x1200 res and full 8x AA really makes it look like a new game. you guys should check it out. As an added bonus you can now play all of the expansions for free :wink2:

Such a dated game and still is the best online shooter out there. Nothing can even touch it. I have played Crysis wars and found it lacking. :notworthy Bring on BF3!

[station0420]

For those prices you gould get the desktop I received yesterday which has 2 gtx 280 2gb (4gb total) and an i7 clocked to 3.7 ghz. Just sayin' :rolleyes:


Above should read gtx285 not the 280s. Typo.

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

That is awesome. Hope those get to you soon.

FYI for those about to get their new Sagers, Battlefield 2 with 1.5 is freakin sweet. 1920x1200 res and full 8x AA really makes it look like a new game. you guys should check it out. As an added bonus you can now play all of the expansions for free :wink2:

Such a dated game and still is the best online shooter out there. Nothing can even touch it. I have played Crysis wars and found it lacking. :notworthy Bring on BF3!

Personally i like BF2142 over BF2. In BF2 if you know how to fly the helicopter, you pretty much dominate :-/

BTW, have you seen the game trailer for the online multi-player Modern Warfare 2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/video/flag-runner-modern-warfare/55322)!?

[Battle_Moose]

I got the message from Frank Chu, Account Executive, from Sager Notebooks


Can you confirm this Justin?

[station0420]

Personally i like BF2142 over BF2. In BF2 if you know how to fly the helicopter, you pretty much dominate :-/

BTW, have you seen the game trailer for the online multi-player Modern Warfare 2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/video/flag-runner-modern-warfare/55322)!?

Nope but I am on my way to check that out :eek:

[station0420]

Personally i like BF2142 over BF2. In BF2 if you know how to fly the helicopter, you pretty much dominate

BTW, have you seen the game trailer for the online multi-player Modern Warfare 2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/video/flag-runner-modern-warfare/55322)!?


All due respect Justin and I mean that. Respect brother. MW2 looks like more of the same from that franchise. Point-and-shoot down a closed world's corridor. I was just a spectator and it looks like it has a console feel to it. Like the “Corridor effect.” I was sorely disappointed when I haphazardly picked up Wolfenstein today and received the same closed world gaming that you get from a game like the original Wolfenstein--->Doom-àdoom 3---> quakeX. (What would you expect though, ID basically invented it)

In games like these you have a predetermined path like... …!Dragon's Lair! but more refined. I loved that game BTW, in the 90's. DRAGON LAIR!!!! (http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/games/pages/dl.asp) But when you have a computer like, let's say the 9850 :cool: you should have an open world with lots of eye candy that a console cannot and will not be able to handle or even touch for a while. We have moved past the realm of DragonLair and I dare say Modern Warefare 1 and 2, but on a lesser scale. What is the point of spending 3k+ on a cruncher of a machine if not to take advantage of games that innovate? To do your taxes and computate Pi? *Snickering*. I think not! Bragging rights, yes, but visual satisfaction and choice, more importantly, feeds that need for realism that only high end PCs can offer and consoles cannot touch for another 1-3 generations. That was what BF2 was for me-plus about 5 years of steady amazing game-play! Anyway, consoles still cannot process the data to run 64 players on the scale that BF2 does or did from day one (June 21, 2005). Amazing, right?! Yeah I know.... Anyway, anything short of an open unrestricted world is lacking for me.

Games that break the mold like BF2 and, yes, Dragon Lair-for it's time- really hit home with me in a little place in my cold dark heart that loves innovation and originality (I speak of originality with BF Vietnam, to be true). It is like the feeling you got when you played your first 3d shooter (Wolfenstein for me) and then found out that there was a level beyond that shooter (remember Rise of the Triad with multiplayer? I.P.FREELY? Love it) then a level beyond that incorporating 3d polygons and optional controllers (Descent and Apache) and then water was going to be transparent even though "said dude" from ID said it was impossible until some hotshot younger more talented programmer came in and blew everyone's minds with this transparent "virtual metamaterial"

Anyway, I feel no innovation these days and have thus been unsatisfied with most games coming out.... HOWEVER, RAGE IS LOOKING PROMISING. Keep your eye on that one. That one is Minty-Innovative Crunchiness. Should be great.


:notworthy. DRAGON LAIR!!!! (http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/games/pages/dl.asp):notworthy

I love inovation.

[Waylayer]

"The notion that Sager is delaying release because of a problem in a single game is false. Sager has discovered issues in several games and is concerned that this issue will also affect upcoming releases. Sager have confirmed with Clevo there are both mechanical and software issues with the unit, and are working with Clevo to resolve the issues so that our customers will know they have a 100% functional unit that will work on both current releases and hopefully future releases as well. When Sager releases a product Sager believes our customers should have confidence the product will work.

Status Update: There have been a number of mechanical and software fixes provided by Clevo during the past month, and having carefully verified each solution Sager has concluded that all the issues we have noticed in these tested games have been solved and it is in the final testing stages, which should be closed off today."

Found on:http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=414975&page=4

[thisguyrighthere]

""From Sager:

"Sager NP9850 released shipping Starts today,

Stuttering issue has been pin pointed by Clevo that it is caused by system vibration from audio to disk drives.

Solution is apply sponge padding to related area as well as driver tuning.""

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5292057&postcount=856

Xotic confirm?

How long of a wait now assuming they're on their way to the re-sellers? Another 3 months? :(

[SQ33]

When you mention consoles, you mean game systems like the PS2, PS3, Xbox and Xbox 360, right? I have never been able (I’m paralyzed and don’t have the use of my hands) to play any game system, so I’m not sure if I am following your meaning or not.

If I’m correct about the meaning of consoles, then is that “corridor effect” you’re talking about pretty much the standard in all console games?

My very limited experience with gaming has been with computers (First Mac then PCs) and I absolutely loved it. I was limited in the types of games I could play due to my disability (imagine playing a game by holding a stick in your mouth and controlling the mouse w/ a trackball and pressing keys one at a time), but I spent A LOT of time playing them. My first was Myst and all of its sequels, then I became fanatical over military/shooter games like Ghost Recon, the Splinter Cell series and Battlefield 2. I was never able to play in multiplayer mode because I am just too slow to compete with anyone, but I enjoyed escaping into a world where I could run, jump, and shoot at stuff. That escapism and the desire for those worlds to look as real as possible is what makes these games for me, and that’s why when you wrote “realism that only high end PCs can offer and consoles cannot touch for another 1-3 generations” you really got my attention.

All of you here obviously know a lot about this stuff, and since I’m going to get back into gaming within the next 10 months (I haven’t played in 2-3 years because my laptop hasn’t been able to handle the games, that’s why I’m looking at the Sager laptops) I’d like to get your opinions on what’s better and best. Are the graphics really that much better on PC games compared to console? Some people have been encouraging me to give up PC gaming and switching to consoles because they have better graphics and better game-play options, (and I was almost convinced until I read station0420’s post) but from what he/you wrote this isn’t true, correct?

[thisguyrighthere]

Dear Valued Customer,
We wanted to inform you that your order has been updated with the following status & additional information:

New status: Phase 2 (Sent for Custom Building / Testing / Burn In & Final QA) 3-7 Business Days
Some additional notes placed on your order:

Thanks for choosing Xotic PC!

Sager has confirmed that your order is now in production. Your payment has been processed, and we will send an update once your order ships.

Thanks
Xotic PC

One week to assemble and one week to ship I'm guessing.At least it's still alive.

[jameslee]

so what does this meen Support PCIe*8 (SLI-2 x PCIe*8)? i found this on clevo's website in the detailed specs for the m980nu.

[thisguyrighthere]

so what does this meen Support PCIe*8 (SLI-2 x PCIe*8)? i found this on clevo's website in the detailed specs for the m980nu.

Supports 2 PCI Express 8 slots running in SLI.

[jameslee]

so does it meen they run at 8x then?

[thisguyrighthere]

so does it meen they run at 8x then?

I assume it's PCIe version 3 running at 8 gigatransfers/second.

That's the only place I can get an "8" from.

It's worth noting that this PCIe support must be from some minicard slot or something because the 280m is an MXM slot type. I dont think anything PCIe would fit inside a notebook.

Of course I'm not a professional anything and am prone to making things up. :)

[porky133]

the 8 means "8 lanes". PCIe runs in lanes. Many older motherboards that supported SLI did so in a lopsided configuration due to bandwidth and data transfer on the MB itself, such as PCIe8x/4x. Now they are running at 16 lanes so for SLI you want 16x/16x. Notebooks obviously are a bit behind since this one is 8x/8x.

I think that is mostly right.

[jameslee]

ok. just curiouse did the 9262 run this way as well? i just sold mine and im trying to see what if any big performance difference in the two. other then the cpu of course.

[powerpack]

32@2x16? 16@2x8 works fine even the best GPU's don't push it.

[station0420]

When you mention consoles, you mean game systems like the PS2, PS3, Xbox and Xbox 360, right? I have never been able (I’m paralyzed and don’t have the use of my hands) to play any game system, so I’m not sure if I am following your meaning or not.

If I’m correct about the meaning of consoles, then is that “corridor effect” you’re talking about pretty much the standard in all console games?

My very limited experience with gaming has been with computers (First Mac then PCs) and I absolutely loved it. I was limited in the types of games I could play due to my disability (imagine playing a game by holding a stick in your mouth and controlling the mouse w/ a trackball and pressing keys one at a time), but I spent A LOT of time playing them. My first was Myst and all of its sequels, then I became fanatical over military/shooter games like Ghost Recon, the Splinter Cell series and Battlefield 2. I was never able to play in multiplayer mode because I am just too slow to compete with anyone, but I enjoyed escaping into a world where I could run, jump, and shoot at stuff. That escapism and the desire for those worlds to look as real as possible is what makes these games for me, and that’s why when you wrote “realism that only high end PCs can offer and consoles cannot touch for another 1-3 generations” you really got my attention.

All of you here obviously know a lot about this stuff, and since I’m going to get back into gaming within the next 10 months (I haven’t played in 2-3 years because my laptop hasn’t been able to handle the games, that’s why I’m looking at the Sager laptops) I’d like to get your opinions on what’s better and best. Are the graphics really that much better on PC games compared to console? Some people have been encouraging me to give up PC gaming and switching to consoles because they have better graphics and better game-play options, (and I was almost convinced until I read station0420’s post) but from what he/you wrote this isn’t true, correct?


As far as consoles are concerned, yes they cannot touch a computer's ability to process graphics and generate a smooth crisp high resolution picture. If realism and smooth lifelike game play is what you are looking for, you absolutely have to go for a PC and the only limitation you will have is the game's quality and production (think low res vs high or rough jagged edges or smooth organic curves) That is if you pay for a quality PC. You can get some pretty crappy PCs that do not have the power of a console. I do not know where you would buy said PC, but they are out there. You would be ok with something from XPC. The 9850 is a Hell-of-a Machine and would make a nice laptop choice. Personally I went with a desktop rig that maxes out everything I can throw at it. Some people like portability though.

The other side of the argument is that you have to put a little extra work in some games for the PC to get them to their fullest potential. Like patching the game to fix some bug that interferes with game play (this usually happens once or twice for most games- Battlefield 2 has patched their game many times though and each time they have made it better). This is not necessarily a bad thing. Game play in BF2 is extremely polished. Another end user (you) task you may have to do is update a driver for better game play. Updating drivers and applying patches are done with an executable file that can be easily installed just like a regular program in most cases. (It is a little different with laptops sometimes) Needing to do this is mainly a result of the many varieties of PCs that are out there. You have the choice of many many GPUs (graphic cards), Sound Cards and other components that go into making your gaming experience on the PC better than a Console. Consoles on the other hand are all uniform aside from hard drive size.

Now I have never really been a huge fan of console gaming but I am pretty sure that they do not have very many updates that come out for their games, meaning that if there is some bug in the game that really ticks you off you would probably be stuck with it. From my experience console gamers are usually not too picky about their bugs. Sort of like Mac users in their ignorance that way. I like to think this is a result of them not having any basis of comparison. Everything is relative, you know.

The corridor effect you asked about can be described as being like walking down a hallway in the game, think of the game Doom. There is basically only two ways to go. If you compare this to a more open world game like Battlefield 2 or FarCry 2 you can get an understand of what I am talking about. In these games you have a choice of where to go and what you want to do. You can go around a fight or blaze directly through it. It is sort of open ended like that. The reason I pegged consoles' games as usually having a corridor effect is that they usually do not have the opened world like you see in BF2 or FC2. I cannot think of any of this scale. This is because it takes a bit of power to process these worlds. Think about the processing power it takes a computer to show you a closed room with very little going on and then think about how much more dynamic an open world game like battlefield is and imagine how much more processing power it takes to display all of that on your screen. For every polygon, texture and effct you see your computer or console's components have to process it first.. If a game developer decided to allow an open world game like BF2 on a console game play would most likely suffer (think decreased viewing distance or low resolutions and a lack of textures) Computers crank this stuff out nicely where a console is lacking.

Having said that there are games that are made for consoles that have to later be configured for the PC. Grand Theft Auto 4 comes to mind. You have to have a really powerful CPU to process all of the crap in this game because it is not really taking advantage of your GPU like it should as consoles are manly CPU powerhouses (PS3 is anyway-not too sure about the Box). This is a problem you could face if you want to play games that are produced for consoles. I love this game for the PC and can tell you that my PC version is Sooooo much nicer than the console version, it looks so much better on a nice PC. Leaps and Bounds here, but I have a nasty machine. Some don’t and they get pissed off because they cannot run the game like they want. So it is not the computer’s fault, it is the programmers of the game. My PC I had before could run it nicely too and it was about half of that that 9850 is-from a GPU perspective anyway.

Another thing to consider is that when you want to upgrade a console you gotta shell out another 600+ bucks for a whole new system. Keeping in mind that each time these new systems come out they get more expensive. You can just ugrade a PC's components or add to them and be done with it for a bill or two. PC components are always dropping in price too, which is nice, because other better components are all the time coming out.

To be completely modular on a PC you really have to go with a Desktop. The Sagers will allow you to swap some components but you are always going to be restricted to what your motherboard can handle in a laptop. Just some food for thought my friend.

Hope this helps

And sorry guys for getting off topic on this forum :wideeyed:. Just thought this guy could use some good advice.

Doug

[station0420]

When you mention consoles, you mean game systems like the PS2, PS3, Xbox and Xbox 360, right? I have never been able (I’m paralyzed and don’t have the use of my hands) to play any game system, so I’m not sure if I am following your meaning or not.

If I’m correct about the meaning of consoles, then is that “corridor effect” you’re talking about pretty much the standard in all console games?

My very limited experience with gaming has been with computers (First Mac then PCs) and I absolutely loved it. I was limited in the types of games I could play due to my disability (imagine playing a game by holding a stick in your mouth and controlling the mouse w/ a trackball and pressing keys one at a time), but I spent A LOT of time playing them. My first was Myst and all of its sequels, then I became fanatical over military/shooter games like Ghost Recon, the Splinter Cell series and Battlefield 2. I was never able to play in multiplayer mode because I am just too slow to compete with anyone, but I enjoyed escaping into a world where I could run, jump, and shoot at stuff. That escapism and the desire for those worlds to look as real as possible is what makes these games for me, and that’s why when you wrote “realism that only high end PCs can offer and consoles cannot touch for another 1-3 generations” you really got my attention.

All of you here obviously know a lot about this stuff, and since I’m going to get back into gaming within the next 10 months (I haven’t played in 2-3 years because my laptop hasn’t been able to handle the games, that’s why I’m looking at the Sager laptops) I’d like to get your opinions on what’s better and best. Are the graphics really that much better on PC games compared to console? Some people have been encouraging me to give up PC gaming and switching to consoles because they have better graphics and better game-play options, (and I was almost convinced until I read station0420’s post) but from what he/you wrote this isn’t true, correct?

Also, you mentioned that you do not have the use of your hands. I saw a very interesting article HERE (http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/ocz_peripherals/nia-neural_impulse_actuator)that I think you may find very interesting my friend, no interesting is not the word. You are going to f&%ing Love this. Now, I have to get back to my studies I am in the hospital tomorrow for clinicals

Have fun picking out you new PC

[Loduvicus]

Hoi, Hoi, I understand that my lappie NP9850 is finally underway. The arrival will be on around 16 September 2009.

[Waylayer]

Loduvicus, When did you order the NP9850? I was just wandering where I might be in line.

[station0420]

Hoi, Hoi, I understand that my lappie NP9850 is finally underway. The arrival will be on around 16 September 2009.


Sweet. Cant wait for you guys to start posting some Benchies. :laugh:

[thisguyrighthere]

Not that it's a deal breaker by any means but is the keyboard on this thing really backlit? I saw a vid of it from some other resellers site and the in the dark all I saw light up were the buttons on the left and the gadgets on the top but not the actual keys.

Looks like I'm still tilting in the screen to type in the dark.

I'll find out for sure when it gets into my hands in a week or two.

[Battle_Moose]

'Now Shipping! Lead time is 6-12 Business Days From Order.' (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9850-built-clevo-m980nu-gaming-laptop-order-p-2586.html)

Might be a bit rash, my order hasn't even reached 'Phase 2'.

[jameslee]

ordered mine earlier this week and is now on phase 2. cant wait for it to get here

[thisguyrighthere]

Mine just shipped today. UPS tracking claims I'll get it Tuesday.:D

[Battle_Moose]

ordered mine earlier this week and is now on phase 2. cant wait for it to get here

I ordered mine 2 months ago so Xotic better make sure their priorities are correct, or at least check they've sent all the correct emails.

[Waylayer]

ordered mine earlier this week and is now on phase 2. cant wait for it to get here

I ordered mine last tuesday. It's still on phase 1

[jameslee]

alot of it depends on how its payed for. as soon as payment cleared i moved to phase 2

[Battle_Moose]

alot of it depends on how its payed for. as soon as payment cleared i moved to phase 2

I paid 1 month ago, so Xotic have happily been pocketing my interest while making me wait. A simple email would be nice. *wink wink*:wink2:

Edit: Thank you. :)

[iwik]

I paid 1 month ago, so Xotic have happily been pocketing my interest while making me wait. A simple email would be nice. *wink wink*:wink2:

Edit: Thank you. :)

Battle Moose,
Hi i see you are from New Zealand.How have you found Xotic to deal with.Im about to order,interested in your comments.
Les(NZ also)

[iwik]

Hi Guys,
Seems Seagate Momentus drive are causing problems to a lot of people.Do Xoticpc use this drive.If so what are they doing about it.Can you ask for a different drive to be fitted.If not can you have it supplied without HDD and so one can procure locally and thus have a local warranty.
Thanks and be interested in any comments.
Les

[jameslee]

yes you can buy them with out a hard drive, but i do not know what brand they are useing though

[powerpack]

I thought SeaGate fixed the firmware issue? I mean that is an old issue? I did not think you could order without HDD.

[iwik]

I thought SeaGate fixed the firmware issue? I mean that is an old issue? I did not think you could order without HDD.

Hi Powerpack,
No if you look on NBR you will find there are still problems with Seagate 7200 Momentus drives.

Jameslee,
Thanks,yes i think you are right,if i have trouble will just ship it back for replacement.

Les

[prophetaxxi]

Hey guys! Newbie here! After debating between m17x / NP9280 / NP9850 looks like the 9850 got the best of me...here are my specs! It felt great not having to pay taxes on this purchase! :p (as opposed to ALienware)


1x Sager NP9280 (Built on Clevo D900F) Ultimate Custom Laptop
- Display: 17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Cl
- Dead Pixel Policy: Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- Processor: Intel Core i7 Quad (Nehalem) 950
- Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Video Card: nVidia GeForce GTX 280M 1,024MB
- External Graphics Card: No External Graphics Card
- External Monitor Video Adapter: No Video Adapter
- Ram: ~ 6,144MB DDR3 1333MHz Memory (3
- Exterior Finish: Standard Finish
- Optical Drive: ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +
- Primary Hard Drive: ~ 320GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 3
- Second Hard Drive: ~ 320GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 3
- Third Hard Drive: ~ 250GB 5400RPM (Serial-ATA II 3
- Raid: HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- External Hard Drive (Back Up): No Back Up Hard Drive
- Floppy Drive: No Floppy Drive
- Memory Card Reader: Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/
- Bluetooth: Internal Bluetooth + EDR
- Wireless Network: Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 530
- Wireless Network Accessories: No Network Accessory
- Camera: Integrated Digital Video Camera
- TV Tuner: No TV Tuner
- Sound Card: Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audi
- Case: Basic Black Business Case - Incl
- Battery: Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
- Spare AC Adapter: None Standard*
- Port Replicator / Dock / Adapter: No Dock/Hub/Adapter
- Fingerprint Reader: No Fingerprint Reader
- Mouse / Keyboard Accessories: No External Keyboard or Mouse
- Notebook Cooler: No Notebook Cooler
- Operating System: ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-B
- Microsoft Office Software (Media: No Office Software
- Software Bundle (Not Installed): No Software Bundle
- Warranty: 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warra $2,969.00
Billing Informationa[/I]

[Battle_Moose]

I personally believe you'd be better off getting a higher clock dual core than a low clock quad, especially if you plan on upgrading later on. Very few things can take full advantage of a Quad. And as I found with my old CPU in my computer, there are even a few games that will refuse to run on PCs with too low CPU speeds, even though its a dual/quad.

The other thing I have to comment on is why would you get a 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm hdd, if your going to pay for one, you might as well get two, it might end up being something you regret later on.

This is only my opinion so I can't guarantee these are the best decisions.

Edit: Mines shipped, thank you Xotic. :D

[prophetaxxi]

I personally believe you'd be better off getting a higher clock dual core than a low clock quad, especially if you plan on upgrading later on. Very few things can take full advantage of a Quad. And as I found with my old CPU in my computer, there are even a few games that will refuse to run on PCs with too low CPU speeds, even though its a dual/quad.

The other thing I have to comment on is why would you get a 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm hdd, if your going to pay for one, you might as well get two, it might end up being something you regret later on.

This is only my opinion so I can't guarantee these are the best decisions.

Edit: Mines shipped, thank you Xotic. :D

I appreciate your input! Anyways I changed my mind on the 9850, and instead went for the 9280! It may look weird having a (third) 250GB HD @ 5400prm , but I'm just using that for storage, so what the heck... check my new specs above! Regards.:notworthy

[iwik]

I personally believe you'd be better off getting a higher clock dual core than a low clock quad, especially if you plan on upgrading later on. Very few things can take full advantage of a Quad. And as I found with my old CPU in my computer, there are even a few games that will refuse to run on PCs with too low CPU speeds, even though its a dual/quad.

The other thing I have to comment on is why would you get a 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm hdd, if your going to pay for one, you might as well get two, it might end up being something you regret later on.

This is only my opinion so I can't guarantee these are the best decisions.

Edit: Mines shipped, thank you Xotic. :D

Hi Aston,
Good to see yours has shipped.What did you get in the way of a processor?.I am thinking of the Quad core,performance is lower but i was trying to build in some future proofing.Dont intend buying another laptop for a few years.What are your thoughts
Les

[Battle_Moose]

I had more interest in storage and graphics power than processing, other wise I would have got a 9280 but some bastard told me about the new MW, saying that a 2.8 (potentially 3) GHz is still plenty for me, I believe that a faster dual is more useful than a quad, I have a quad in my PC and very few things use more than 2 cores. If I wasn't going to get 3 hdds I would have gone straight to an Alienware. Most options I was working on buying more than I needed because I have no desire to upgrade later.

Sager NP9850 (Built on Clevo M980NU) Gaming Laptop
- 18.4" FHD WUXGA Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Dual Lamp Screen (1920x1080)
- ~Intel® T9600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.8GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 35 watt
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- SLi ENABLED DUAL (2) 1024MB PCI-Express nVIDIA GTX 280M's (2048MB Total) w/GDDR3 DX10 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to utilize Full 4GB)
- ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- ~Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) + Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Upgrade Coupon w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's

[station0420]

I personally believe you'd be better off getting a higher clock dual core than a low clock quad, especially if you plan on upgrading later on. Very few things can take full advantage of a Quad. And as I found with my old CPU in my computer, there are even a few games that will refuse to run on PCs with too low CPU speeds, even though its a dual/quad.

The other thing I have to comment on is why would you get a 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm hdd, if your going to pay for one, you might as well get two, it might end up being something you regret later on.

This is only my opinion so I can't guarantee these are the best decisions.

Edit: Mines shipped, thank you Xotic. :D


As Windows 7 becomes the mainstream most platforms will be moving to utilize dual, quad core and beyond. My simple antivirus program utilizes milticore technology in it's beta stage for Windows 7 (Kaspersky) it is fast as lightning doing a complete scan in about 5 minutes-this is on a X-25m 160gb though, so it is gonna be fast. You would be doing yourself a disservice staying on a dual core. Especially when you can over clock a good quad.

On the other hand we are mostly playing games here. I cannot think of one game that utilizes all cores efficiently. There is some game called civilization that uses the milticores, I think. I am not too sure about that though, not my genre.

[iwik]

I had more interest in storage and graphics power than processing, other wise I would have got a 9280 but some bastard told me about the new MW, saying that a 2.8 (potentially 3) GHz is still plenty for me, I believe that a faster dual is more useful than a quad, I have a quad in my PC and very few things use more than 2 cores. If I wasn't going to get 3 hdds I would have gone straight to an Alienware. Most options I was working on buying more than I needed because I have no desire to upgrade later.

Sager NP9850 (Built on Clevo M980NU) Gaming Laptop
- 18.4" FHD WUXGA Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Dual Lamp Screen (1920x1080)
- ~Intel® T9600 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Duo 2.8GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB 35 watt
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- SLi ENABLED DUAL (2) 1024MB PCI-Express nVIDIA GTX 280M's (2048MB Total) w/GDDR3 DX10 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- ~ 4,096MB DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (Requires Vista 64-Bit to utilize Full 4GB)
- ~ 2X Blue-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- ~Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) + Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Upgrade Coupon w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's

Hi,
i think i will go for the dual core,seems to be best for what i will be mostly doing.Read up plenty,dual seems to be what most go for.Can always upgrade the cpu later if i desire.Will finalize my order now.
Thanks all for your contributions,
Les

[darkray16]

These are the specs for mine. I will hopefully be receiving it at the end of the week. Any know how many phases there are to processing? Is phase 2 the last one?
I decided to go with the quad core in hopes that more game developers will utilize it soon. I won't be getting another computer for a looooooong time(which is what my wife told me) so I am hoping that I won't have to upgrade for awhile.
Also, is the business bag that comes with it big enough to actually hold it?

And has anyone tried out the tv tuner w/ remote? My wife wants to use the laptop to watch tv in Korea on it. We plan to use it as a mini theater. We don't need a huge one as we live in a studio apt anyways. I'm really anxious!!!

My current laptop, HP PAvilion zd8000(desktop replacement laptop) is crappin out on me which makes me even more anxious, and btw NEVER BUY HP.

- 18.4" FHD WUXGA Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Dual Lamp Screen (1920x1080)
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® Q9000 45nm "Montevina" Core™2 Quad 2.0GHz w/6MB L2 On-die cache - 1066MHz FSB
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- SLi ENABLED DUAL (2) 1024MB PCI-Express nVIDIA GTX 280M's (2048MB Total) w/GDDR3 DX10 Video Cards (User Upgradeable)
- No External Graphics Card
- No Video Adapter
- ~ 2,048MB DDR3 1333MHz Memory (1 SODIMM)
- Standard Finish
- ~Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Softwares
- ~ 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
- None Standard -
- None Standard -
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- No Back Up Hard Drive
- No Floppy Drive
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Internal Bluetooth + EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi Link
- No Network Accessory
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- External USB ATSC HDTV / Analog TV Tuner with EXPRESS CARD REMOTE (TVT-6010)

[thisguyrighthere]

I opted for the quad-core. I figured the slot would be more future-proof.

The notebook was delivered at the office and I didnt have any of my games there. I did go to "Can I Run It" or whatever that system requirement site is and checked all the games I've been waiting to play like Crysis and Arma2.

Sometimes a game would pass just barely, other times it wouldn't even meet the minimum requirements. Needless to say I was freaking out a bit.

Actually getting it home and running the games though was a different story. Everything runs lightning fast maxed out so far.

Haven't done any of that "benchmarking" stuff or fps counting. I doubt I will. The numbers don't mean anything to me. As long as things run smoothly to my eye and continue to do so for at least the next 4 years I'm more than happy.

[Waylayer]

When installing Windows XP, I get the blue screen. It loads the files so it can install but at the end it gives a blue error screen. Any idea on how to fix this?

[hardcorp]

When installing Windows XP, I get the blue screen. It loads the files so it can install but at the end it gives a blue error screen. Any idea on how to fix this?


It is because XP does not have the SATA drivers. You need to go into the bios and set the hard drive to ATA then load XP....

[Waylayer]

I can't find the ATA setting in the Bios. Please Explain.

[hardcorp]

I'm not exactly sure but it should be somewhere in the boot or advance... which bios version do you have?

You can also hit f6 at the first part of the xp installation and load the sata drivers.

Google for the drivers ....

[Waylayer]

It says I need a floppy disk,to install drivers.

[hardcorp]

It says I need a floppy disk,to install drivers.

Yes and no...http://www.nliteos.com/

[Waylayer]

My bio is 1.00.5. What are the drivers that are needed? I did some searching and I'm not sure. The Bio says that the hard drive is in ACHI and the other option is Raid. So I don't know where to find ATA.

[hardcorp]

I had this issue loading XP on a desktop and the nlite is how i fixed it.... Maybe someone else can help you more.

[darkray16]

windows xp? maybe I'm missing something but why not load Windows 7 on this beast of a machine?

Mine should be arriving on Friday, and I want to get it up and running asap. Anyone else had issues with drivers and Windows 7? I know Vista drivers, which is what they said they will be supplying me, usually run well on Windows 7, but just wanted to make sure so I could get all the downloads finished ahead of time.

[darkray16]

I'm having the same issue as the guy above. I can't load the win xp installation. says hard drive problem 0x0000007B error. But I can't switch it to ATA in the bios, it has no option for disabling the SATA, but the SATA options are RAID and ACHI, I tried both and get the same error.

[jameslee]

pop your driver disk and open it. in there will be a chipset driver folder open that and there should be two folders that have 32 bit and 64 bit . those are the drivers you need in order to load windows.you only need the contents of one of the folders. the 32 bit drivers should work with xp but im not a hundred percent on that. you will either need to stream the drivers on a xp disk or put then on a floppy. not sure if the f6 method will see a usb stick , but i dont think it does. hope this helps

[darkray16]

how do I even get to that point? first time installing windows xp wouldn't even work because of the error.

Well I had given up and installed vista x32(I only have 2GB of ram currently).

One thing that is scaring me though is my laptop monitor stopped working for awhile. I closed the lid, then vista went to sleep, reopened, and the monitor wouldn't start. I could hear the vista sound effects and capslock still worked so I knew it didn't crash. I had to restart it twice to get the monitor to work. This happened twice. Both times, happened after the laptop was put into sleep mode.

anyone else get this happening to them?

[jameslee]

sorry guess i should have mentioned you will need another comp to do it.

[iwik]

how do I even get to that point? first time installing windows xp wouldn't even work because of the error.

Well I had given up and installed vista x32(I only have 2GB of ram currently).

One thing that is scaring me though is my laptop monitor stopped working for awhile. I closed the lid, then vista went to sleep, reopened, and the monitor wouldn't start. I could hear the vista sound effects and capslock still worked so I knew it didn't crash. I had to restart it twice to get the monitor to work. This happened twice. Both times, happened after the laptop was put into sleep mode.

anyone else get this happening to them?

Hi,
I know its a bit late now but in XP what i do if i havnt got my sata driver.
When it asks press f6 and tell it you have drivers,it wont find them so cancel out at this point,it will now continue on and it must load default drivers.With me it wouldnt come up with an error apart from a message saying "No hard drive found".XP now loads,when complete i load the drivers in XP.
I found this out by mistake once.So if you next load xp try it.May help.
Les

[thisguyrighthere]

So I've had my 9850 for about two weeks now. Q9000 version.

I love it. My first capable computer in years.

Trouble is once in a while I get annoying stuttering when playing anything. Every 2 minutes or so the game will lock for a second and the sound will stutter then it frees up and goes fine for another couple of minutes.

I've been able to get around it buy restarting the system a few times until I get stutter free play. Sometimes it only takes one restart and other times it takes 3 or 4. When the problem hits it hits everything from UT and Quake 2 to Crysis to World in Conflict to Portal to Risen. Everything. When the problem isnt going on everything runs problem free.

I have the most up to date drivers as of last night for every component listed in Device Manager. No unusual sounds or behaviors from my hard drive or my video cards. No temp issues. No other hardware or software glitches/conflicts that I've found. I run everything I can in native resolution.

I'd like to get this resolved before it grows into a bigger problem.

[powerpack]

JustinW do you have step by step instructions for how you guys install XP when you have a SATA HDD? Is the lack of BIOS option for SATA on or off an issue? I have done some reading but I think you can find out better.

"guy right" I can't suggest right now I don't know. What anti virus do you have? Run HDTune. I know HDD has nothing to do with games but if it spikes a lot shows something going on in the background. I don't think my tips will answer much but will rule out?

UT is not a demanding game I think? You have more than enough RAM. What resolution do you run at native? It should not matter. Can you run not in SLI and see if that helps? If it solves points to drivers.

Got try stuff unless some one knows the answer.

Good luck.

[fallenxlionheart]

that honestly sounds like a driver issue to me....probbably a gpu driver...try reinstalling

[powerpack]

that honestly sounds like a driver issue to me....probbably a gpu driver...try reinstallingI agree but trying to get him off SLI to see if that is it? And that could be driver? I don't know, just trying to test.:)

[thisguyrighthere]

I rebooted with SLI disabled and played a few rounds of BF2 and some Portal and didn't notice any hang-ups.

Trouble is that rebooting was taking care of the stutter so I dont know if this reboot was what stopped the stutter or if it's the lack of SLI. :confused:

I'll try reinstalling the NVIDIA drivers. When I picked up the notebook this morning there was a "stopped working" message asking me to report the problem to Microsoft. The problem was related to the NVIDIA console. That makes me think the drivers are a problem. Maybe not the problem but a problem nonetheless.

I'll let you guys know tonight or tomorrow after some more tinkering if reinstalling the drivers worked with and without SLI enabled.

Thanks for the replys.

EDIT

I went to reinstall the most current drivers and got stuck in a frozen black screen for half an hour. Rebooted and got right back to the frozen black screen. Doing a system restore now to go back to just before trying to reinstall the drivers.

Seeing a machine lock up and choke is one thing when it's a $300 desktop you threw together and an entirely different thing when it's a brand new $3000 fancy-lad notebook like this. Very stressful.

[darkray16]

I'm having driver issues with the video card too. Usually when I'm playing EVE Online it will stop working temporarily and recover when I am loading a new screen in EVE. It's happened in other games, but most often and consistently in EVE.

I also used the drivers that came with the laptop. Are those the newest drivers you guys are referring to?

[powerpack]

OK guys let's try and isolate. Let's diagnose. If not running SLI removes the issue it indicates the problem. What you do what that means is up to you. But technically I think we have potentially identified the issue.

Please try and keep the wish list short. It does no good talking wants at least for diagnostic purposes. It looks driver related. Understand that and post back relating to said? Post back as you want but make clear what the issue.

[thisguyrighthere]

I also used the drivers that came with the laptop. Are those the newest drivers you guys are referring to?

There were newer drivers available from what were installed when I recieved my laptop. You might want to go to NVIDIA's website and check.

[thisguyrighthere]

OK guys let's try and isolate. Let's diagnose. If not running SLI removes the issue it indicates the problem.

Not exactly true. If prior to disabling SLI a restart or two would stop the problem, albeit temporarily, I can't be confident in concluding that SLI is the issue or even specifically related to the issue.

At this point the driver install seems a better candidate but my last attempt to reinstall the drivers caused greater issues forcing me to do a system restore.

I have not since tried the re-installation again nor have I experienced the issue, with or without SLI enabled, I had described since prior to my initial post. Bizarre.

[darkray16]

I checked on the nvidia site and the only drivers I could find are these;
http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebook_winvista_win7_186.81_whql.html

is this one the one that you guys used?

[thisguyrighthere]

I checked on the nvidia site and the only drivers I could find are these;
http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebook_winvista_win7_186.81_whql.html

is this one the one that you guys used?

Yeah, thats the one I used.

The first time I installed it went fine. Yesterday, when I tried to re-install thinking the drivers were causing my stutter issue, things went very badly and I had to do a system restore.

[LARN]

Hello all, I have been looking into purchasing the Sager 9850 but, I have not found any user video clips of this awesome notebook in action. If any of you guys have a video clip of the Sager 9850 in action please post link. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[darkray16]

I've been wanting to do some fraps to show gameplay but I am still downloading Crysis. All I have is Team Fortress 2 which isn't really taxing enough to show off how well this laptop can perform.

[flake]

ok where to begin...had this laptop for two weeks now and already tried three complete installs of vista numerous driver reloads and every time i still get the same problems. namely crashing stuttering and freezing. checked out the bug check codes (mainly bccode 117 occasionally 116) . 117 means....... " video driver failed to respond in a timely manner " and 116 means vista tried and failed to initiate vga driver. this used to be a common fault with 9800 gtx cards and was thought to be a conflict between nvidea drivers and some hardware although never confirmed, and the gtx280m is effectively a laptop version of the aforementioned 9800gtx desktop... so i thought the worst. i have carried on playing (mainly aion online and spore) and keep getting the freeze and stutter approx every four hours but then i noticed an unusual noise...like my hard drive quietly burped:wideeyed: so i checked out the hard drives and found there is an extremely common fault in the st9500420as seagate drives to which the only solution is to return the drive for a replacement as there is no firmware update available. so my advice is listen to your machine and see if it too is burping :biggrin:. hope this helps some of you guys
QX9300
3x500G sata raid 0
4G OCZ RAM
2XGTX280 SLI

[iwik]

Hi Guys,
Have ordered my NP9850.Just wondering what everyone is using,
Irrespective how good the cooling is on this laptop,i want to use a cooler to prolong its life.I was thinking of the Zalman NC-2000.However looking at where the Vents are on the 9850(along the Back) the nc 2000 has no holes here.
To me this looks incompatible.Any suggestions,choices are limited here in New Zealand.
Thanks
Les
P.s Can someone tell me what diameter the fan vents are.

[flake]

there are three fans approx 50mm in diameter and i havent seen a cooling stand with the fans in the right place. the best option ive heard is to make your own with two pieces of perspex and some small case fans as you can put them directly to the holes (making sure the directions match). be careful on the power loading if you run them off a usb port, they are limited.will be trying this option myself soon out of curiosity and will post results on here.
p.s. havent had any cooling problems at all and have played aion on it for a full twelve hour shift at max settings. :biggrin:

[me1.0]

Had the laptop for a couple of months now. So far very happy. I have, however, noticed that the left hinge has cracked from the left upper corner of the rubber stop all the way to the edge where the chrome end cap is. Just curious if anyone else has had this happen. Thanks

[darkray16]

Nope, mine hasn't had any physical cracks or damage. But then again, I haven't moved it at all since I received it.

[darkray16]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW1wS8N4PKw&feature=player_embedded

I did a video review of the physical specs and some gameplay footage with SF4 and Modern Warfare 2

[Justin_W@XoticPC]

Nice video demo darkray. Can't wait to play Modern Warfare 2!

[un5killed]

darkray16 (http://www.xoticpcforums.com/member.php?u=12365), do the fans run like that all the time or they kicked in because you were running a game?