Decisions, decisions

So, I've been thinking of getting a new gaming laptop to replace my 4 year old laptop, and all my research had been pointing towards a Sager np8150. I was leaning towards buying from Malibal due to the availability of service in Canada (I am located in BC).

However, a recent NCIX sale brought my attention to the MSI GT780DXR, found here:
MSI GT780DXR-278US Intel I7-2630QM 16GB 1.5TB 17.3IN HD GTX570M 1.5GB Blu Ray HDMI W7HP64 Notebook - MSI/MicroStar - 9S7-176112-278

The specs look pretty decent for the price, not to mention the speakers + keyboard. The price, after savings + rebate, is $1620 CAD

The Malibal I had planned to get is configured as follows:
the stock Matte Screen
HD6990
12 gb 1333 ram
ICU diamond.

Rest is the default config, which, after the -$100 comes up to about $1500 US

Now, here is my dilemma: the Sager looks to be solid, with a great bang for your buck; however, since I have to order it from the US, there will be shipping + border fees, and if anything goes wrong, the hassle of returning/shipping/etc

The MSI, on the other hand, can be bought by me locally, and and spec wise, the only thing inferior on the MSI is the GPU, which to me is not TOO big of an issue (I am used to running games at lower settings)

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has any insight to this issue.

 

Find out what comes cheaper, getting the MSI GT780DXR or the Malibal you've configured.

From my personal point of view, Malibals Clevo machine is the strongest you can get, it's surely stronger than your MSI with the GTX570M which isn't even close to be good enough to be compared to HD6990M. I would recommend the Clevo. But you seem to already know that..

But its up to you, the MSI looks great though

 

I'm just worried about the time + hassle + extra costs from a laptop from out of the country. If I lived in the US there'll be no doubt which one I'd go for, but sadly, I don't.

 

The MSI and Clevo are in two different leagues. Yes, there's an extra hassle involved when purchasing a Clevo but you are getting a far more reliable and powerful product. IMHO, Clevo has only one real competitor - AW. All the rest are gimmicks.

 

MSI computers do have the advantage of a backlit keyboard and Dyna Audio which is really nice. Sager/Clevo have a better quality build for the chassis. It does depend on which is more important to you.

 

How sturdy is the MSI though? Like I said, under similar conditions, I'd go for the Sager in an instant. But the location at which I can get the MSI is REALLY convenient in case something goes wrong (which, according to Murphy's Law, something always does). My priority is always longevity. No matter how great the specs are, it's useless if you can't enjoy them because your machine broke.

BTW, does Xotic PC have any support for customers in Canada?

 

MSI makes very sturdy computers, especially when you compare the to the "mainstream" computers. Nothing will touch a Sager though, its just top notch.

While we dont offer support in Canada you can use MSI's global warranty taht comes with the comptuer in Canada.

 

it really comes down to whether you want the backlit keyboard and the 'gaming laptop' look. I think that particular model looks kinda nice. not too over the top

also dont forget about sales tax if you order from america. the UPS guy collects it at the last moment and it wont show up in your online order total. amounts to almost 200.

but otherwise go for the satori. 6990m is a considerable jump up from the 570m. and better build quality. I'm also in BC, they charge no shipping for repairs, returning defective parts etc

 

Hmm, who did you order from, and how much was your customs fee, in addition to the sales tax you mentioned?

 

I got the p150hm lotus (8150) from Malibal. +shipping I got it for $1550 USD.

No other custom charges, just $190 CoD for HST. just be sure to pick UPS expedited shipping to avoid brokerage fees.

Another thing worth mentioning is that even though exchange rates are basically 1:1 at the moment, banks will give you a crappier rate if you send Canadian money for the transfer. I lost about 70 bucks on that too.

 

if you want to stay within canada you can order from reflex notebook; they are also a sager reseller.

malibal also has a repair location in canada.

 

Can anyone confirm or deny that the Malibal repair facility in Canada actually Eurocom?

 

Config?

Also, you sent the money order to try and get the cash price, right?

 

its possible, the only information i was provided is that the unit never leaves canada, ups standard shipping and its within ontario.

malibal never mentioned if it was their own location or a third party / another reseller.

 

something else u might wanna consider, which I think will make a difference on the longevity of the machine, is heating....clevo machines are much better cooled, esp. for high temps/loads, then MSI ones are.....if I remember correctly the MSI u want has only one fan area, while the clevo has two, one per CPU and one per GPU....I think that really makes a big difference......just got my P170hm about 3 months ago, and aside from being great performance, I'm almazed on how cool both GPU/CPU stay. I have a 4 year old MSI gx720....great machine, still works, but it really overheated the entire time...and a big part I think it's been the fact that it only has one fan for both CPU/GPU....as the hardware gets faster/hotter, that tends to be more and more of a problem on most MSI laptops.....something to keep in mind...

 

I guess I'll stick with the Clevo. $1700 is a pretty hefty investment.

Now, more decisions...

NP8170 vs NP8150

Malibal vs Reflex.

buh.

 

p150hm,
stock glossy screen
6990m
2670m (i think this is negligible. drop this and get a screen upgrade instead)
8gig 4 sodimm
750gb hdd
swapped odd for caddy
icd cooling paste
intel 6230 network card

rest is stock.

for the 150 vs 170 dilemma, check this thread for some guidance.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/643588-satori-lotus.html

Ive found that Malibal is STILL cheaper than reflex even after the taxes and exchange rate etc. if you go with reflex you can get support in Canada but Malibal covers shipping for repairs for the first year anyway(I think? best if a Malibal rep clarifies this). might have to wait a bit longer though. your choice. I went with Malibal.

 

you mean the 2760? and from their site:

LIFETIME Ltd. Labor and 1 Year Parts Warranty with 24/7 Support (USA)
Lifetime Support, FREE Shipping Both Ways, Serviced In USA

I'm considering a similar setup. Looks like it would run me $1730 after the discounts

15.6 glossy
i7-2670
8gb
gtx 580m
500gb 7200 rpm
8x multi dvd
windows 7
intel 6230 advanced-n
ic diamond 7

not sure if i should settle with this or wait for that 580m price to drop (or a better card) in the next few months

malibal and xotic definitely have configs for a great value