8660 vs 5797 vs Dell XPS 16? Need new game programming laptop...

K... i just posted a thread in "Help me pick a new laptop", but i've been leaning towards the Sager/Clevo for a couple months now, so thought i'd post a few questions here...

I need to do programming for Video Games (windows, xbox, etc.), as well as ASP.NET for gaming and multimedia websites. So, i need decent+ performance for 3D/DX10. Also want fast CPU for coding.

I currently have an Inspiron 700m... few years old... great lightweight lappy, but i need more screen space for coding and it's graphics card isnt strong enough for real DX10 dev work. Ideally 1920x1200 or comparable 16:9 display, and has to be SHARP and clear.

I've looked at both the 8660 and the 5797... how are the displays on these compared to the nice new LED screens i keep reading about (e.g. the new Dell XPS 16)? I'll be doing coding here, so i want to get the best possible display.

Is the 1920x1200 even usable for long durations on the 8660? I heard the screen is "ok", but not great. How is the WUXGA on the 5797? Is LED in the near future for Sager?

What would you guys get, in my situation? I want to be able to bring it to coffee shops. clients, etc... it needs to be comfortable to type on, and not be too hot.

Also... do i need to clean the thing to avoid heat issues? Or can it treat it like a normal laptop?

Any input would be appreciated... the new laptops coming out (like the Dell XPS 16) make me question if there are better deals/options out that i may be overlooking. What are your thoughts, given your experience with the Clevos?

thx!
--g

 

The M860Tu (8660) is your best choice here.

If you`re all about screen estate, and movies and such, the 5797 wins hands down, best cooling sollution around.

 

Have you had experience with the 8660 or 5797 in-person? How is the 1920x1200 quality? And any idea how it compares to, say, the screen on the Dell XPS 16? Just trying to gauge if there's a major upgrade in quality from the 8660 screen to the 5797 or the XPS 16...

I like the specs on the 8660, tho i worry about heat and the screen. If i dont need to baby it (heat-wise) and the screen is excellent with WUXGA, then i'm convinced (tho i may still prefer the 5797 instead...).

Thoughts?

And thx for your input... my brain has spent too much time comparing without anything decisions... how i wish i could see these in-person before buying(!!!)

Also... i almost bought a 5797 before the new year, when they had those special holiday discounts going... are the current prices just as good, or are they real a few hundred $US more then they were a few weeks ago? I cant recall what the base prices were a month ago for comparison.

 

I don't have WUXGA on my NP8660 but I've spent few months on a .Dell Latitude 15'' with WUXGA and for me, it's not really painful after a while, just got used to it. I say you don't need to get it except if your tasks needs a high-res screen or if you really want the matte screen. WUXGA is better on a 17''. I would go for the 5797 if you don't need to transport it over long distances or for a long period of time except if 15'' is important for you. I can't say something about the 5797 screen but for the NP8660, the image is sharp and crisp under office conditions. Don't think about using it outdoor. If you're in a coffee shop, you could live with it. Based on my own experience, you can't get more than 3 persons side-by-side and look at the screen without having distortions due to viewing angles, but that happened only when watching a dark movie (see my review for more info). About the heat, this laptop doesn't really have a problem but the fan is always spinning to keep it cool. So overall, you shouldn't have to worry about it as long as you don't leave it in silent mode for several hours (hdd reached 62 after few hours in silent mode, while watching a movie).

 

I have the NP8660 WSXGA Glare type and it's pretty nice.

but from wut I've read about the Dell XP 16 screen its a freakin beauty.

Comparing the 2 screens, I'd say the xps would win. But for performance, maybe the 8660. And try to see what kind of graphcis card u can get with the xps, If you can get a pretty powerful one, I'd go for that one.

For me I chose the 8660 b/c I do alot of gaming on the go, and it's a nice size for me to carry it around. and the heat isn't a issue at all for me.

Oh and as for the 5797, not really sure, I haven't touched it b/c I was only intersted in the 15.4 inch.

 

Btw, if ur interested read this review about the xps16. God I wish my 8660 Screen was the same as this.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4764

 

Yep--I frankly am still have some "should i or shouldnt i" even after the order has been placed to XOTICPC! I wish i could see both in-person... i prefer the XPS 16 look over the NP5797... and its screen looks beautiful.

But... i'm a little leery of the newness (i.e. potential bugs.probs with the dell), and the Sager definitely has more oomph behind it.

I would love to get someone's take (maybe the notebook review guys) on this, if they've used both.

Main question--i'm paying $1000+ more for the 5797 over the XPS 16 (after using my Dell Giftcard of $200)... i'm still wondering if i should save that $1000 and put it towards another lappy for me later in the year (or buy my bro a new one! He lives alone in minnesota and doesnt have one )

 

You should get the NP5797 with the WUXGA screen (1920x1200). On my NP9262 (definitely not a lappy for bringing to coffee shops), the 17" screen with WUXGA looks amazing for movies, and when my friend was doing an engineering project on it a while back, he had so much crap open that I was thankful for getting WUXGA. It's just the right size. You're going to be coding, which I assume involves heavy multi-tasking. You need maximum retail space without squinting.

While the NP5797 may be more expensive, it has tremendously more power (especially if you put the mobile quad core in it). Its cooling system is unrivaled, and will keep your temps in a tolerable level. I believe it does have a battery life of about 2 hours, and I know if you enable PowerMizer, dim the screen a few levels, you will be able to squeeze more battery life out of it (also varies on what you're doing).

If you choose to buy the NP5797, Sager offers a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If during that time you decide you don't like it, you can get a full refund, no questions asked. It will give you time to think about your purchase. You can put it through its paces by going about what you would be doing day to day, like coding and such. Just to see if it can handle it well.

The graphics in the Studio 16 (ATi 3670m, according to the review on this site) vs the graphics in the NP5797 (nVidia 9800M GTX), is basically no contest. The 9800M will demolish anything you throw at it. The 9800M is very DX10 capable and has 1GB of dedicated graphics RAM. The NP5797's graphics card is also user upgradeable, so if the machine is capable of handling the G280m (is that what it's going to be called?), then you can upgrade to that for even more graphical horsepower.

For processors, on dell.co.uk, the studio 16 does not have an option of going quad core. The NP5797 does, and you can upgrade it down the road should you now not have enough dough for quad core right off the bat.

I realize I'm biased towards Sager/Clevo, but I think the NP5797 is more suited for you, specifically because you're going to need a laptop with lots of muscle, and is rather future proof. I'm sure Gophn will chime in soon to further elaborate. I hope this helps.

Edit: The NP5797 comes with a free carrying case too!

 

well, good to hear the 5797 screen is very nice.

the order is already in (lastnite), so i'll likely stick with this and give it a run. if i'm not all googly eyes with it before the 30 days, i'll return it.

and yes, i'll be doing a lot of coding (and DX10 stuff), so i expect the 9800M GTX to be significantly better then the ati 3670... just wondering if it's worth the extra $1000+.

as for quad core--i kinda doubt i'll upgrade to quad core, as the bang for buck probably isnt there. maybe i'm wrong. it's nice to know i CAN upgrade if i want to. right now, i went with the P9600 and 4GB... i'm guessing i'll be more inclined to buy a brand new latest greatest in a year or so rather than try upgrading... but maybe i'm wrong.

thx for the input. as long as the screen rocks and the keyboard is a good one, the rest (card, memory, etc.) is clearly excellent. the weight difference between the two is negligible.

 

Or u can wait till late q2/q3 for the new i7 processors which would crush ANY of processors out to this date. Don't know if Sager is gona put these in the 5797 or any other new notebooks that we don't know about. But know for sure it's coming out for the D90. Wish they put it in the np8660, the 15.4 inch lappy =D

 

waitin aint an option work calls for a new laptop now.

but ask me in a year, and i may be doing an upgrade

 

Good to hear you ordered the NP5797. I sure hope it will not let you down!

 

The i7 they're putting in the d90xc is a desktop version. The mobile ones (that'd fit in the m570/860TU successors) won't be out for ages...

 

=D, wish it did come out for the 8660 at the same release time of d90, hahaha. Would b awesome.