Help with build on Sager NP2090 / Compal IFL90

Hello Everyone,

I have been looking for over a week now very extensively at which route I want to go with in terms of my new laptop. I created a thread originally before I was more sure of which model I wanted to go with which can be found http://forums.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=146123 regarding my needs. Based upon the needs I identified in that thread and my goal to get the price close to $1,400, what would be the best way to do it with a 2090?

So far the best two sites for purchasing it in terms of price seem to be www.xoticpc.com and www.powernotebooks.com. The full build and my plans for use are extensively identified in the thread above, so if any Compal/Sager knowledgable folks here can give me some advice it would be great appreciated.

Here are my questions:

1. Is there a way to get all of the specs I want somewhere for under $1,400? Do either of these sites or any other retailers offer larger discounts at different times? It seems the WSXGA screens are severely back-ordered right now so I am guessing a price reduction is unlikely unless I switch to getting a Dell 1520 which I would strongly like to avoid. Since I made that post yesterday it seems the price and warranty has already changed on www.xoticpc.com after checking again today (smaller warranty).

2. Based upon my planned use is there anything excessive that I would be better off going with a less expensive model? I am particularly unsure about my video card needs for running Starcraft II without lag and using the fancy Vista graphical options.

3. Do you think I would be better of going with Vista Home Premium at this time and upgrading later?

I definitely want to keep the bluetooth options and the RAM on 1 board for an easier and less expensive update.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

 

1. I think the best way to keep specs under $1400 and be set for future computing would be to invest more in a fast processor, namely, the T7300, which is the best bang for your buck. You can always upgrade RAM and hard drives later, processors are a bit more tricky, so if I were you, I would try to invest more in things that can't be upgraded, perhaps the screen resolution and the processor would be ideal, and you can upgrade later when you have more money.

2. The Sager has the 8600m GT which sounds ideal for Starcraft 2, but no one can be sure what the minimum required specs for that game is as of yet, but from telling from screenshots, the game doesn't look too graphically intense, so I think you're fine.

3. From what I hear, Vista Home Premium seems to be the best value for Vista OS choices, as it has the most features for the money. I don't think you'll have a huge need to upgrade to ultimate unless you completely plan to utilize all the special features Ultimate has over Home Premium.

 

I agree with most of Syntax Error's points and will add my own comments.

There's simply no way to get the exact specs you want for $1400 or less. You need to scale down your configuration to meet your budget. You can easily save money on RAM by going with less, or say 2 x 1 GB modules. If you buy a laptop with 1 GB, you could easily buy anther 1 GB from another reseller / vendor and install it yourself to save even more money.

A Geforce 8600 GT will be more than enough for Starcraft II (it's overkill for the game IMO). Blizzard has always designed their games to work on an average PC. Wacraft III, WoW... none of their games have ever required powerful video cards. In fact, most of the games will run decently on low-end video cards. I'm not familiar with less expensive Sager models. You might need to look into other laptop brands for something less expensive, but slightly less powerful in the video chipset.

Going with Home Premium and opting to upgrade later is definitely a better idea. Maybe you're the type of person who prefers the built-in applications that come with Windows, but I tend to go with 3rd party programs. If you buy Home Premium, you can decide to spend more money to upgrade to Ultimate (by paying the difference) or go with 3rd party applications.

 

Thank you very much Syntax Error and Wolve for your help, as well as Chaz for the help in my previous thread. I have decided to go with a Sager NP2090 from either www.xoticpc.com or www.powernotebooks.com as they seem to have the best combination of price/service (although it seems more like Xotic right now due to a minor extension in their labor warranty of 2 years, parts not included).

I was able to get most of the specs I want for $1,502 which is about as close to my goal I was will get without regretting some lack in performance.

My next questions is regarding the cooling unit being offered on www.xoticpc.com with the notebook. It looks like http://www.xoticpc.com/wmt_options_images_popup.php?oID=1451 and costs $48.00. I saw in the thread listed at http://forums.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=145900 with what appears to be a more powerful unit for the same price. Is the one shown with the laptop better suited size wise for this PC and hence why it is listed, or would I be better off looking at the Titan TTC-G4TZ for my NP2090 when I order it? Additionally, is a cooling unit something I really need to maintain the life of my laptop or is the benefit minimal on top of the internal fan and Arctic Silver 5 if I place it on a hard surface and not something like my lap?

I think I will place my order tonight once I determine whether or not I need cooling and whether or not I should get it with my PC instead of having it shipped seperately depending on whether I want this unit or a different one for my particular model.

Thanks again for all of the help. This is an excellent community here that is very active. I see myself becoming a more regular user outside of when I am making purchases just to keep up to date on things.