Sager NP5790 - Top 17" gaming laptop?

After doing some research it looks like the Sager NP5790 has the best cost/benefit of any 17" gaming laptop.

It has the has the option of either a 8700M GT or 7950 GTX (which can be upgraded), and loaded it comes in at under $3,000.

Does anyone have one that can share some pros/cons? I couldn't find any reviews on this website...

One other question about Sagers: Are they basically a Clevo, which is made in China and sold to wholesalers/retailers in the US?

 

Did you use the search button? http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=150747
Another one here as well: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=146695&

 

The "Top" 17" Gaming notebook is the D901C atm.

The "Top" 17" Portable gaming notebook is the m9750.

 

the 5790 is a very high-end laptop, =), just not the best...

 

Currently...

Its the best 17" single videocard gaming notebook. YES.

With Santa Rosa and MXM-IV videocards.

this is hard to beat.... especially for the price.

 

i got mine for just under 3k... with desktop processor and SLi options for the future.

 

Doodles, you did not buy a 5790 with a desktop proc & multiple gpu bays.
I think you're talking of the D900/9260.

As for the actual topic. I think the 5790's the best single-gpu, laptop CPU thing out right now. The D900/9260 actually has a higher ratio of 3dM'06 score to price. I dont remember the site, but it listed all the benchmarks as a ratio over the price to show an index of the real value.

I'd say its the most nicely portable of the 17's, but its got only a 9-cell, unlike the D900's 12-cell. Both get a bit over an hour, if you got all the power saving stuff on. The 5790 gets a little more than a little over an hour, so it still beats the D900 in that respect.

Both are great. My choice for a laptop was between those two, actually.

 

yea... akilae... i was retorting to theoak1 saying how the 5790 came in at under 3 fully loaded. Besides the portability factor, getting a desk CPU and SLI video options for the future for the same price is my personal call. sorry bout that.

 

I can vouch for the NP5790 (w/ go7950GTX atleast).It plays COH, medieval 2 total war at native res with all settings maxed out and average about 30-40 fps and stalker at max settings at a res of 1600x1200 with steady frames.

The only complaint I have is that the fans go off every 2 minutes.

 

The Clevo M570RU will not be beaten [performance and price] in a the single videocard 17" gaming notebook category... especially by the average 17"ers with mid-range 8600M GT's.

 

I was thinking about an Asus G1S, but I think the increase in performance of the NP5790 will offset what it lacks in portability over a 15.4". I'm sure the 5790 is still very portable as compared to the 9260.

The only think I don't like about the 5790 is the appearance, the location of the speakers and audio jacks, and that it tends to run hot.

Which brings me to another point: How far can manufacturers go in regards to increasing laptop performance without hitting heat/power limitations? It seems like 15.4" laptops can't get that much faster in terms of CPU speed and GPU size, and that 17" laptops are the way to go (with the size increase being a necessary evil).

I also wanted to know if it's better to order a 5790 directly from Sager, or from a retailer like Xotic?

 

All the M570RU's are Clevo notebooks, personally it doesn't matter who sell's it to me so long as they honor their warranty and give me the best price. But then again I can fix 90% of the problems with my notebook myself.

 

Until a clevo M570RU posts a 3dmark06 significantly higher than 5194 at 1280x1024, it HAS been beaten/equaled in that test by a $1700-1800 Toshiba x205-S9349...

We both know a M570RU that can post that kind of performance is not going to be in that price range...

Now we don't play benchmarks...but truth is the price/performance crown is up for grabs and the M570RU is not winning by such a landslide as you claim.

 

...except the m570ru is upgradable whereas your toshiba will stay the same.

 

M570RU Clevo M570RU Notebook Computer, 17" LCD $1,289.00 $1,289.00
Display: 17 WSXGA+ Matt
Video Card: nVidia 8700M GT 512MB
CPU: T7300 $270.00 $270.00
DDR2 Memory: 2GB DDR2/667 - 2 $110.00 $110.00
Memory Brand: Major
HDD: 160GB SATA 5400rpm $120.00 $120.00
CD: 8x DVD+/-RW DL
External FDD: None
Battery: 8-Cell Li-Ion Battery
AC Adapter: Standard
Network Adapter: Integrated GBLAN
WLAN: Bluetooth
OS: Win Vista Home Premium x32 $120.00 $120.00
Software: None
Carry Bag: Included
TV Tuner: None
Warranty: 1 Year
LCD Protection: None
Installation: Install
Ship Schedule: Regular
Total: $1,909.00

Continue Shopping Continue Checkout

Well that is very close to the $2499 model for almost the same price as the $1800 model. Id say price/performance cannot be beaten, even by the x205

 

arent we past the point of comparing benchmarks? dont we all know that is the in game performance that matters, and not just the epeen of benches?

 

Currently supposition and rumor at the moment...

Buying a laptop with the sole feature being the "possibility" of upgrading to a non-existant card whose feature set is completely unknown at this moment is a little silly...

This doesn't mean the MXM-IV card in the clevo is not a feature.... it is...
It beats the MXM-III in the Toshiba...

The two laptops have different +s and -s... but they compete.
Especially in price/performance.

Please note clevo fans, I am not saying the M570RU is a bad unit... nor am I even claiming the performance crown (which odds are the clevo unit can win with a better config)

I am saying they compete and pointing out that the extreme statement from Gophn is false.

 

it gets about 5500-5600 in 3DMark06. Thats about 10% better... marginally and somewhat significant.

The main difference on why its the best of others is its got a lot of power and does not hide it by only providing low resolution LCD's (WXGA+ and under) to mask the average base for a 17" gaming notebook.

The Toshiba is a great value and the reviews have reflected that.... but if a gamer/enthusiasts wants to get beyond that (with higher resolution LCD, and better videocard)... the Toshiba is kinda left behind.

From experience, the Clevo gaming notebooks (since the D900T/K) have always had a few videocard options initially and was about to pull out 3-4 more videocards within 1-2 years after the original launch date and specs. They are experienced in design bleeding-edge technology in their notebooks... to help future proof it above every one else... its been this way for years now.

Example: The famous D900T/K beasts started with a measly 6800 Go.... then as time quickly progressed... you got 7800 GTX, 7900 GTX (256mb and 512mb versions), 7950GTX, Quadro 1500M, Quadro 2500M, etc.... thats a lot of videocards that did not exist when the notebooks were launched. So experience shows that Clevo makes a notebook to last and to have many future upgrades for their gaming/enthusiast market.

 

Can drop the processor one touch and would need to add a harddisk to equal the capacity.... also have to equal out the screen...
even the one you list is $150 more expensive.

Odds are you can get the person selling the clevo to drop the price to match stats to the $1750 X205... but you will note they cllosely compete if you actually compare apples to apples.

Note the scores listed are for the LESSER x205...

 

i am not very familiar with the toshiba x205, so excuse my ignorance if it is present...

according to your sig, the res of your x205 is 1440x900 and has a 17" screen (im not sure if this is for all of them, or just the one you have). the 5790 has a minimum native res of 1650x1080. now, using a 7950GTX (king of all DX9 games), it will put out better fps at the higher resolutions then the 8700gt would.

taking that into account, i think it would be a safe bet to say the 7950gtx would put out more fps at 1440x900. (i think this is what Gophn was saying, but i do not speak for him)

if the 5790 had the 8700 also, then i would assume the performance would be compareable, if not the same with similar specs.

 

I have a spot in my heart for toshibas but I have to go with the 5970. Even though my 6 year old Toshiba satellite is still running like a champ and never gives me problems. I like the whole MXM-IV thing even if its kind of silly.

 

That's which machine please?
Price point is what I am looking for...
If its $170-200 more expensive then it about matches up... even if thats the $1750 dollar model its still "compete" even if the clevo is holding a slight edge.

We agree on this point... I wish I had the option of configuring a larger screen... note please the benchmark listed is at 3dmark06 default of 1280x1024 (performed on an external monitor)

I concede the display as it is true the highest one offered today is the 1680x1050 of the higher end x205 unit where the clevo uses 1920x1200 and can actually push those pixels using the 7950GTX.
Note the 7950GTX is more expensive so to match up price/perf you would need to drop the difference somewhere.

We can argue the "better videocard" thing up and down.... the question is "better for what".
The 7950 is better for high res (1920x1200 for sure)
The 8700 is comparable in middle resolutions and adds DX10 support.

If the clevo can actually use the latest 8x00 series when it ships, then the comparison changes, but once again the question of price/performance probably won't.

Once again, I argue the "total domination" of price/performance claimed and re-state that Toshiba's x205 does indeed compete in that arena.

Oh and pbcustom.. I'd compare game benchies too... if only we could find one that was an apples-to-apples comparison at 1280x1024 or so.

 

Not until Nvidia releases the rumored 8700GTX it will beat the 7950GTX in performance, but since then the 7950 still has the crown in DX9.

Besides I noticed the benchmarks of the 8700GT in Bioshock I wasn´t impressed at all and no driver will make any magic for the 8700 nor 8600, this is just the way it is. I still consider the 8700GT a midrange card until the high end cards arrives with a 256bit at least bus, not another 128bit. Well preferably a 384bit bus would be nicer like my 8800GTX.