Is Sager NP6350 good?

Hi, I am trying to get a new computer for school and some amount of gaming. I have looked through online for two weeks and think Sager NP6350 is something that would fit my need.
I found out reflexnotebook as one of the resellers in Canada, and the following is my current build. Is this a good enough build? Right now, I just want to play some Dota2 and AC3 which is coming out soon.

Are Zero Dead Pixel Insurance and IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU needed?

Sager NP6350
Core
1 x Sager NP6350 Base Price CA$972.73
Display
1 x 15.6" Full HD LED-Backlit Display with Matte Finished Surface (1920 x 1080) CA$30.75
Video & Graphics Card
1 x Nvidia GeForce GTX 660M GPU with 2GB GDDR5 Video Memory CA$0.00
CPU Processor
1 x 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.40GHz) CA$71.75
Thermal Compound
1 x Stock Standard Thermal Compound CA$0.00
Operating System
1 x No Operating System License CA$0.00
Memory
1 x 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB CA$0.00
RAID Storage Options
1 x Non-RAID Storage CA$0.00
Primary Hard Disk Drive
1 x 750GB 7200rpm SATA2 Hard Drive CA$20.50
Optical Drive Bay
1 x 8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software CA$0.00
Wireless Network Card
1 x Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module CA$30.75
Primary Battery + AC Adapter
1 x Smart Li-ION Battery Pack + AC Adapter CA$0.00
Integrated Security Device
1 x Fingerprint Reader CA$0.00
Microsoft Office
1 x Microsoft Office Starter 2010 CA$0.00
Warranty
1 x Sager 1 Year Limited Parts and Labor Warranty CA$0.00

Thanks for any reply.

 

Good, absolutely but not great. The GTX 660M is the only thing holding it back but that could be all you need depending on what games you're looking to play. Dota 2 should run fine on it but AC3 probably wont run very good on max settings but on high/medium you should have very playable FPS.

 

Thanks for the reply!!
For this one, 660m is the only available graphic card. And my friend is telling me 670m is not really that much better due to Fermi, that is why I did not go for the NP9130. And 9150 with 680m is definitely out of my budget.

 

zero dead pixel is not needed imo and IC Diamond Thermal Compound is if you're not comfortable doing the repaste yourself

 

The 670m is faster and is upgradable later as it is mxm while the 660m is not. It does run hotter however. Look out for 670mx notebooks perhaps?

 

As I see it, you have 2 major options right now.
A.) Save money for a heavy-duty laptip (I call the 180W+ DTR's "heavy duty")
B.) Buy the W350ET now and enjoy its features

This would depend on the games you want to play AND whether you want to max them out settings-wise.
If you are taking option B), then I advise you to buy the W370ET (instead of W350ET) for several reasons:
1.) very small price difference (30 EUR here)
2.) 17.3" screen is just awesome for gaming and work as it doesent strain the eyes as much
3.) very very good price-performance ratio. The best laptop in this class segment out there.
4.) VERY good cooling, despite what some might think. I own it, I know and have tested it thoroughly.
5.) Performance is just awesome. Both CPU and GPU can turbo boost while gaming, with very low temps and perfect stability. Maintains turbo boost constantly. Yes, Im using ThrottleStop.
6.) There is an awesome BIOS for it, modded by our forum member Prema. Easy to flash. Tons of useful features. I love Prema. I also love jaybee83, but thats another story. Both guys are very helpful around here.
7.) Size in laptops matters when it comes to looking for a backpack and sleeve. This one is standart-sized, making the search for backpacks easy.
8.) Weight is very good for its size - only 3.2kg and you dont have to lug around a heavy PSU. Most DTR's with 180W+ power supplies are a pain to carry around. This laptop uses a 120W one and you can also buy a 90W one for travelling and working. It should be enough if you dont use your dedicated videocard while watching movies and working.
9.) Chassis-wise its very sturdy and clean. No rubberized finish that attracts dust. No glossy bezels or parts that can leave fingerprints.
10.) Easy to clean!!!!! Only one fan. And only 2 holes on the back plate. That means less dust can get inside. That means less time spent in cleaning it. Unlike the P370EM, this one is just a breeze to clean and maintain. Less heatsinks too.
11.) Sound is nice. Better sound output (talking about powering your average headphones) than the EM series.
12.) Decent battery life, compared to the EM series.

Read my review HERE!! >>>>>>CLICK!<<<<<<<
Wondering how much frames-per-second your laptop can achieve, running various games under various settings?
Read all about the GTX660m card here: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

Any questions? Feel free to ask.

 

Your friend is right about it being Kepler vs the Fermi but the 670M still does about 15% better in benchmark programs so it be better for games. You probably wouldnt see too much of a FPS difference until you went up to the next step past that like the 675M or 670MX and those would be available on the NP9150 and you'll also get a back lit keyboard. But once you get up to that model you'll start knocking up that price a few hundred.

 

I know this computer is not that good for gaming. I am going to year 3 of university starting Jan. I intend to keep this laptop for 2-3 years(mostly likely two years). After university(unless I decide to pursue a higher degree), I may just get myself a desktop for gaming which would be much better.
I do not think my self as a very high end gameplayer. To me, medium/high setting is probably good enough for me.
Under these conditions, would this computer suit my need? Thanks for the help

 

For school use it will do everything you need, and for medium gaming it will do fine for you. With that in mind i think it would be a good option.

 

And just wondering, is the "Zero Dead Pixel Insurance" and "IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU" good deals to have?

 

IC Diamond does help keep CPU/GPU temps lower especially while under load like gaming. We typically see 2-5C lower. I would suggest it on this model since there is only one exhaust fan the cooling isnt quite as good as the ones with 2. IC Diamond will help with that.
The 0 dead pixel policy is always a tricky one. Sager will require 5 total or 1 in the middle before its covered under the standard warranty. While dead pixels are rare they do happen. It can be pretty disappointing when you take your time and pick out everything you want, then get the computer and it does have or develop dead pixels which arent covered. If you add that coverage they will have 4 techs visually inspect the screen as well as run a program designed to look for any.

 

Just another quick question, anyone knows which one of the following is better?

Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module
vs
Killer™ Wireless-N 1202 802.11 A/B/G/N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Module

 

The killer has lower power consumption, the intel better drivers imo.

 

Go with Intel. You get WiDi (Intel Wireless Display) output per WiFi.

Intel is very good on the hardware part too. The bigfoot is just a rebranded Atheros adapter.

Go with intel!

 

Hi b0b1man, I read your previous reply and thanks for the detailed comparison. Right now, on reflexnotebook, there are a lot holiday deals for the NP6370 which makes the price just 20 dollars more than NP6350 with everything the same except NP6370 with 16GB and NP6350 with 8GB of ram. I talked with my friends, and the main concern is on the size and weight as I am in university, so even I try to minimize the times to bring laptops to school, it still would be a lot. And the extra 8 gb of ram does not seem that necessary.
So, I am not sure if the NP6370 is a better idea for me.
Any idea?

 

Weight:
6350 = 2,7kg inkl. Battery
6370 = 3,2kg inkl. Battery

Size:
6350 = 374 x 250 x 16,3-42,7 mm
6370 = 413 x 277,5 x 17,5-44,0 mm

So, about the size - they are almost the same! The 17.3" machine is just 3.9cm wider and just 1.3cm thicker. Noone will ever notice that few centimeters of difference.
The weight is about 500gramms difference. Depending on the quality of your backpack, you may not even notice the difference.

Consider these points:
1.) 6370 offers a bigger screen, meaning it will be a lot better for gaming, working or watching movies
2.) 6370 should remain a few degrees cooler than its 15.6" brother, as there is more room inside it
3.) There is virtually no price difference between the two
4.) 6370 has a MATTE screen bezel!!!! Very important (at least for me). Read below.
5.) 6370 has shortcut buttons for WiFi, Mute Sound and one more that I think is for the Camera...or the touchpad. Anyways, its better to have these buttons!

^This looks BAD and low-quality to me.

Look here, the buttons:

^No shortcut buttons on 6350

^This is the 6370 with buttons


Go with 6370 and you wont regret it. I love it and the screen is just AWESOME!!
P.S. Im really digging the screen....makes a world of difference for me in StarCraft 2, compared to my other 15.6" laptop....

 

On the note of 660M vs a 670M, how much does it really effect battery life? I know Kepler architecture is more power efficient, but would like ot know how much time difference there would be on the power drain.

 

Not much. But I'd take Kepler over Fermi any time. So would many others here on this forum.
gtx670m = 75W power consumption
gtx660m = 55W

20W is a good deal of difference, for a mere 5fps more in the old 670.
Choose wisely. Stop buying old tech, with all that rebranding going on, its just stupid.

 

I would take the 670M because it's up-gradable and more overclockable myself but I guess you need to weigh up what is important to you.

 

SO what about memory
its dual channel but you can run it all in single channel right?
but worried about performance and such
Also
i saw the NP6110
ya my brother got it and wow that is awesome seriously way fast and just is nice for mobility purely power mobile work house haha

 

Memory performance is still pointless to ponder over, for 99% of us.

The best advice? Spend as little as you can, in this department.

 

I'd be with Meaker on this one as I too would tend to get the 670M as it would give the option of being upgradeable in the future. But this is just my preference.

Hutsady is dead on in this one and I too think IC Diamond would be money well spent if you don't have any plans of doing a re-paste by yourself. I think the key reason being that it's a single fan design laptop.

 

Some notebooks get better results in my experience with mx4 if they are lower pressure designs.

 

The W350ETQ has a Wifi shortcut button, it's on the right side of the speaker grill alongside one for the gpu switching. The only real flaw in my opinion is the glossy bezel, but you do get used to it and the great 1080p screen will grab your attention. I chose for the W350ETQ instead of the 370 mainly for it's size and weight, which is still nowhere near to being a light weight laptop.

 

It's better a slightly heavier design with better cooling than a slag pool in your lap

 

Yesh...cooling is good on both W models. Not sure why the PCH temps are that high though. One thing I know for sure - the GPU is staying cool 58-60'C when under load.
Im getting 27'C when in idle, lol.

 

The PCH does tend to get a little forgotten about these days and with lots of IO they can heat up a bit, hopefully the new chipsets will move forward another process and reduce this in future.