Anyone have hands on with a NP9170 and maybe a MSI GT70 as well?

I've narrowed down my laptop choice to one of these two. The price and hardware choice from my chosen shop is close enough to make no odds.

So the real thing I'm interested in is the trackpad and keyboard. If you've had hands on both, any opinion as to which one has the better one and why? We are talking feel and usability here, not bling.

If you've only had hands on the Sager, which is how I'm leaning, then how do you feel the keyboard and trackpad are in general?

On my current laptop (an MSI GX640) I am not all that pleased with the screen, keyboard, and trackpad, so I'm trying to make sure my next one is good in those areas (as well as just bigger/more powerful). The screen is no problem, I can get that swapped out hence my question on the other two.

 

Not sure about anyone withe the P170EM, but here is somebody with the GT70:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi/660266-viciousxusmcs-ultimate-msi-gt70-unboxing-review.html

 

I recently got my np9170 and the keyboard is definitely better than alienware and asus' in my opinion, have tried all 3 within the past month. The only thing that bugs me about the keyboard is the key placement, it's quite different and takes getting used to, but once you do you'll be happy with it. The trackpad... I don't use them too much, but the buttons are definitely better than alienware's for sure, never had a complaint about asus' trackpad and will never have a complaint about this one I s'pose. The trackpad on the np9170 definitely looks best out of them though. Not being bias'd, have just experienced them all and this is definitely my favorite.

 

What in particular is strange about the key placement on the Sager?

 

how is better? if you don't mind elaborating, souman. would be very appreciated.
i'm a bit skeptical myself regarding np 9170 keyboard not being island style, which i've been accustomed to.

 

The keyboard registers taps easily, not too spread out, and just feels nice, I'm very big on laptop keyboards so if they don't work how I want them to I skip the laptop (asus made me very angry with theirs). The brushed aluminum touch feels really smooth and just looks amazing, the buttons on the touchpad also definitely register better than Alienware, and the roughness on them lets you know when you move your fingers over from the touchpad which is also nice. The keyboard keys are placed a tad differently like the right shift is smaller which might irritate you at first and no left start key. The LEDs are pretty amazing too, you don't see the lights bursting out under them. The number pad has a small 0 too which might also bug you at first, and the f keys are really bunched in which I personally like due to key bindings being easier in games to get to. Also the laptop itself is actually a little bit smaller than others so you don't have to have your arm lifted too much to use the keyboard. If I made random typos blame my phone, auto correct is retarded sometimes. I don't know if the Msi has the charging port on the back too, but I love that due to it not getting in the way of my mouse.

 

sounds amazing, i never have problems with my current asus keyboard, so i assume my next p170 would really satisfy me in the keyboard department.
rarely use right shift key so not a problem for me.
not having left windows start key?!?!?! its a plus!!! especially if you play fps games where having the start key might means you accidentally pressing it instead of shift or ctrl and minimized your game and thus got killed.
i'm worried about the aluminum hand rest tho, metallic finish in my experience are prone to produce static that can prickle your hands. not harmful but just annoying.
thank you for the great keyboard review souman +rep

 

Anytime, but my asus g74 keyboard only registered keys correctly by pressing hard or in the center, and with their spaced out keys I constantly just hit the sides and it was so frustrating . I s'pose your right about the start key now that I think about it, never used it anyway haha.

 

my current laptop is asus g73, so ours should be pretty identical in terms of keyboard. i've heard about some ppl in asus forums complaints about the key not registering when you typed fast, and i think its have to do something about the trackpad driver, if i remember correctly.
i do remember i had that same problems when i first got the laptop, and i remember finding the solution in the forum. but i don't remember what was the solution. anyway i assume you got rid of the laptop, so i don't think we should bother retracing the problem and solution of asus g series.

 

I tested the MSI Steelseries Keyboard on there notebooks and if you are doing heavy gaming it makes alot of sense and is good. The Keyboard is laid out (for Me) awkwardly and for regular typing it was apin in the A (in my opinion) but that was with only 24 days of testing and trying to get used to it. It may get better with some extended use.

My NP9170 hasn't come in yet so I can't comment on it.