Please help me with a choice.

I've been looking for a desktop replacement, specifically a gaming rig, and I have come across these 2 laptops.

Toshiba x205-sli3:

2 gigs RAM (DDR2)
17" 1680 x 1050
8600 GT SLI
Intel T7500 2.2 Ghz
320 GB of HDD (dual 160's) 5400 RPM
5-in-1 card reader

Or the Sager NP5792:

2 gigs RAM (DDR2)
17" 1920 x 1200
8800 GTX (Not SLI)
Intel T8300 2.4 Ghz
160 GB HDD 5400 RPM
7-in-1 card reader

They're about the same price, so disregard it. I'm intending on getting Crysis, Bioshock, F.E.A.R., and maybe Oblivion. If anyone could give me any opinion without any arguing with one another (I've been reading your forums for a few weeks since it's an awesome resource for my intentions, and arguing who has a better video card seems to be popular, then you find out they are overclocking or have vmodded their rigs 30 posts later, or they compare benchmarks that don't seem to match on different sites, and blahblahblah).

I am kind of leaning towards the Sager for it's 2.4 ghz processor (they are both core duo btw), then I look at the SLI on the Toshiba, then I look at the screen on the Sager, and then... well I think you can get the picure.

Please also note that I have researched these components piece by piece (more-so towards the GPU's and the Processors) and I just cannot seem to come up with a decision. I'm filled with questions such as "8600 GT SLI or 8800 GTX?" or "Dual 160 HDD or one for the 7-in-1 card reader?".

I have also researched the vid cards and some sites state that 8600 gt sli is better then 8800 gtx, and vice-versa, whether it be because of bad drivers or fake benchmarks or misinterpreted settings on the individual games.

I'd like to keep any flaming on this thread to a minimal, towards me or otherwise. I know I'm new to this site, and I know I may seem to be treading on sensitive ground by mentioning all these disclaimer-type statements as a "noob", but all-in-all my intention is is to get a final ruling on this.

Thank you much for your time

 

the sager will have much better performance than 8600gt or 8700gt sli

if gaming performance is what you're after, get the sager (you can just go google 8800m gtx to see benchmarks)

EDIT: and the newer t8300 is a smaller process and has some updates = better performance using less power = lower heat

a disadvantage to the sager is the pitiful HD for a 17' inch. You could try selling the HD and getting a bigger and faster aftermarket HD

 

Don't let the extra .2Ghz be what makes your decision. That's not enough of a difference by itself to make one better than the other.

\\edit

but the difference in gfx cards mentioned by hmmmmm might be

 

I have, and I'm getting it from both angles. But tyeah that is the main impression I have noticed. I'm still a little confused on benchmark scores. All I know is the bigger the better. I'm looking towards framerates on crysis, not bm scores. I've found some on Crysis, but pretty much al of them were either based on the demo or before the patch and had extreme quad cores and the like. I'd really like to see how good the framerates on F.E.A.R. and Crysis are on a setup similar to these 2 systems in particular.

 

even .4 or .6 shouldnt really make a decision

But the 8800gtx is DEFINITALY the way to go...

I would recommend on the side to check out the M15x and M17x... Alienware...

lol

Are you looking at the new NP57** I forgot...

 

Yea the GTX is a head turner. So have we made a ruling? At least on the vid card? The GTX is Better than the 8600 gt SLI's?

 

Sry, Mi5 and M17 are out of the question. I would love to have one of those beasts, but I am on a budget that those just don't seem to match with mine lol

 

I also forgot to state that the x205 sli3 has an HD DVD drive, where as the Sager does not. And the Toshiba has HDMI out, although I don't have any high def screens in my home. AND i also have some OC questions after these are answered.

 

If gaming is your top priority, then the Sager is the way to go.

 

Alright, the sager it is then. But I'd really appreciate any other opinions on the topic. I'll be purchasing the notebook within 2 weeks, so I'll keep checking in on my thread. I've got some overclocking questions, but I'll ask those some other time maybe. Thx

 

Get the Sager, the combination of the Penryn and the 8800m GTX is enough to make your mouth water.

 

the Toshiba isn't that great, I can't imagine it being so expensive. 8600's score about 3400-4000 in 3dmark, SLi'd 8700's get about 7k, the GTX gets about 8k, 9.5k over clocked, having a single card better than 2 in SLi is, imo, always a better choice, since SLi drivers aren't really mature, and gaming can suffer because of them.

anyone that knows anything will tell you up and down the 8800GTX will blow any laptop card ( sli or not...well, not SLi 8800's, obviously ) out of the water.

 

I am just going to try to make sense ok...

The M15X will start at $1499... the gpu will be around $400 to $500 as an upgrade... the rest you can buy on newegg or so... that is what I am doing... and it comes out about as much as the sager... even less in some ways

 

i myself have been reading alot about the sager np5793 (the new name w/ the 8800), and i have seen some great performance from this notebook and all the owners seem to love it. i will be buying this notebook in about a month or so and i would highly recomend it.

two things that usually prevent potential buyers from going through with their order is the fact that:

1. its loud at points (not THAT loud but noticeable)
2. it doesnt have a 2nd hdd even being a 17"

 

I'm looking for a desktop replacement, and I'd really like a 17" screen. Also the Sager includes more customizable components, and the m15x only has a 15.4" screen, and the fact that 1920 x 1200 is just a LITTLE bit better than 1440 x 900 screen is what I'm looking for since it will provide a crisp enough gaming experiance, and with the combination of that and the 8800 gtx, I will be enjoying Crysis like a mofo with my sager lol. I'm not saying the m15 isn't great, it looks like a beast, I'd just prefer the Sager because of the better specs.

 

Don't mind him, you're entitled to your choice when buying a 8800GTX machine. The 17" model will indeed have better specs and the price will be higher to reflect this.

 

I also have a question on the RAM. I've heard some laptops don't have additional slots for ram, I'm just curious if the Sager does because I intend on putting 3 gb of RAM into it (I'm getting 32-bit XP so it only recognizes 3.5 or 3 gigs, I don't remember). I don't want to get the laptop if I can't upgrade the RAm. I also want to upgrade the processor later maybe to a t7700 (2.4 ghz with a 4 meg cache instead of 3). Any overclocking advice is good too. I'm very intrigued with getting rivatuner, which is an overclocking program I've heard. I'm also curious on Vmodding and how to do that but I haven't really found a reliable tutorial. I did find a fabulous one on rivatuner though.

Also has anyone had any experience with Crysis on an 88000 GTX? I've looked at youtube videos and it seems pretty killer, but I've also heard of fraudulent videos that depict the game with different vidcards and different settings than the ones specified.

 

Ram is easily upgraded and is cheap nowadays.

 

What about the processor? Is that easy enough to replace on a laptop? IDesktops are easy, but I've heard it's pretty difficult with a notebook. Should I get it done professionally if it is possible?

 

Don't take my word as the total truth, but as far as I have read....
-yes, it is very diffcult to upgrade a processor
-some companies offer the upgrade of processor for their brand laptops if the new processor has the same voltage requirements/size/etc and can fit the laptop

So... usually you are stuck with the processor unless you want to pay for it, which may be a little expensive.

My recommendation: ask to the company itself which you want to buy your laptop.

I hope this can help.

 

It did help and I asked. I should be "recieving an email within 24 hours or 1 business day".

 

On overclocking: Rivatuner or Ntune? I've heard that Rivatuner is a good way to go and has less bugs, then I also heard that Ntune makes it a possibilty to overclock your card to the point where it won't decrease the shelflife dramatically. I've never overclocked before, and from what I've researched I am very intrigued.