Please help me configure my Sager 9150!

Hello, I will soon be purchasing a new Sager 9150 from Xoitic PC and I don't know which upgrades will be most worth my while. I like games like Bf3 and maybe skyrim, and I like to do other things on my laptop as well. My budget is $2000. You can see the list of available upgrades here Sager NP9150 / Clevo P150EM - Gaming Laptops

I simply want the best bang for my buck overall. I think the RAM would be easy to upgrade by myself so you don't have to upgrade that unless you have room still in the budget for it. Below I have listed two configurations that I think would work well ,but I want to know which is better, or if I should go with a different configuration.

Configuration #1

Component - My Upgrades - Added Price

Screen - Glossy Screen with 95% color gamut (1920x1080) - $95

CPU - 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHZ - $160

Cooling feature - IC Diamond Thermal Compound for cooling - $35

GPU - nVidia GeForce 675M 2gb - $100

RAM - 16gb DDR3 1600MHZ Dual Channel Ram - $80

Hard Drive - 750gb 7200RM hybrid hard drive with 8gb SSD storage - $115

Internal Networking Card - Bigfoot Networks Killer Wireless-N 1103 - $60

Extra Software - Antivirus Software with 2yr subscription - $35

Total $1999


Configuration #2

Keep the 95% Glossy screen - $95

Downgrade to the 3610QM - now $0

Keep the IC Diamond thermal compound - $35

Upgrade to the nVidia GTX 680M 4gb GPU - now $495

Downgrade to the standard 8gb Ram at 1600MHZ - now $0

Keep the 750gb hard drive with 8gb of SSD - $115

Take away the bigfoot networks killer sound card and go with stock - now $0

Take Away antivirus software - now $0

Total $2059

 

2nd one looks better. You could save some money getting a 7970m. You don't need more than 8gb, and its easily upgraded. You could also do the paste yourself. I'd bin the hybrid hdd and get an ssd yourself. You will see the difference.

 

If I were you I would go with the stock ram and grab some off Newegg when it goes on sale if you want better quality, 8 gigs should be fine.

Hybrid Drivers are not really worth the price in all honesty. I would just dual it with a standard drive (Exactly what I did, Crucal m4 128 and a 750 HDD) it is an amazing combination.

If you are SET on the 680 then grab it and the 3610, however you could grab the 7970m and save yourself a bit. The 7970m does have a few problems that people are up in arms about on the forums, however there are quite a few of us (me included) who's cards run perfectly right now and drivers are only going to make it better. (I ran a P6500ish 3DMark11 earlier today and I do receive full utilization.)

If you are on wireless a LOT then yes the bigfoot card is worth it. I would drop the anti virus.


TLDR: Hybrid is not worth it, get a true SSD. Consider the 7970, Don't get the 675. 8 Gigs is fine, Newegg upgrade is a good option for ram later. (Best option, look for a good sale).

My personal opinion.

 

The hybrid drive is really "just" an excellent 7200 RPM drive. If you're looking for best bang for your buck, pair it (or a conventional platter drive) with a 64 GB mSATA SSD for Intel SRT caching. It really does work.

 

I'll second the notions above. I like the second configuration but if you're looking to stick within a budget, get the 7970 instead and use the extra budget to upgrade other things. Like the SSD/HDD solution mentioned by everyone above.

 

Thanks for all of the input everyone, I just have a few more questions. I have heard that battlefield 3 was made with the nVidia GPU's in mind, so I'm not sure if I should try the 7970. I have heard that it sucks up battery life as well. Not that a quad core 680 wouldn't do the same, but it's different technology. Also, if I go with the option of getting a 64gb SSD paired with the 750gb HDD, would my computer auto format itself to put the things I use most on the SSD? Would windows install to SSD, etc?

Those things aside, is there any practical way to really extend laptop battery life these days?

 

Also the mSATA options are 40gb for $130 and 80gb for $210, no 64 on there :/

 

Alright so here is my latest configuration, doing the 40gb mSATA and the normal 750gb HDD only added on $40 compared to the hybrid drive, so I feel dumb for not doing it before honestly.

Keep Glossy screen with 95% color Gamut - $95

Upgrade to 3720QM CPU - now $160

Keep the IC Diamond thermal - $35

"Downgrade" GPU to 7970 - now $200

Keep 8gb of RAM - $0

Add in 40gb mSATA drive - $130

Downgrade 750gb hybrid drive to standard 750gb drive - now $15

Add back in the Bigfoot networks killer - $60

New total is $2019

 

The 7970M has Enduro. With this, the laptop will use the iGPU (HD 4000) by default and will only use the 7970M for tasks that require it (gaming). The idea is that since you shouldn't be gaming on a battery, you will be using the iGPU on battery power.

You can do various things to extend battery life. Lower the screen brightness, disable wireless/Bluetooth, disable keyboard lighting, etc. You are looking at approximately the same battery life whether you pick the 680M or the 7970M. I believe the card still takes some power, even when inactive, and I'm not sure what the difference is between the 680M and 7970M. But it's not going to increase battery life from 3-4 hours to 5-6 or anything. You shouldn't be buying a gaming laptop if you want a long battery life.

On the iGPU, you should get 3-4 hours on battery.

As for AMD performance in BF3, performance isn't going to change drastically because of the hardware. The main difference is the drivers. Nvidia has much better driver support and will have good drivers working for the 680M faster than AMD can get good drivers working for the 7970M. Outside of that, the game isn't going to punish you for having an AMD GPU because Nvidia pays EA to get their logo on the box. With all that said, yes, there are reports that BF3 does not work perfectly with the 7970M. The problems come from GPU utilization with is a driver issue. There is a whole thread dedicated to this topic: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/676148-bf3-multiplayer-working-normal-anybody.html

And as for the drives, are you planning on installing Windows yourself? If so, when you go to install it, just tell it to install on the SSD rather than the HDD. Your computer won't do anything automatically (and you generally can't just move programs between drives by draging and dropping). When installing programs, you just think whether you want it on the SSD or the HDD and tell the install program to install there.

For general build advice, the 3720QM is not worth the additional cost if you are gaming. It will add maybe 1-2 FPS on average. It will benefit you if you plan on doing rendering, Photoshop, etc. But if you aren't doing that on a daily basis, the 3610QM is more than enough.

You can also do the thermal paste yourself and save quite a bit of money. The paste costs less then $10. There is a thread on this forum showing how to paste yourself. It's pretty easy.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, the only thing that is confusing to me is that I keep hearing conflicting reports about the 7970. Some say it is the best card known to man and others can't stop complaining because of all the bugs associated with it. Also if it screws up on battlefield 3 would it be worth it? That is the game I plan on playing the most.

 

well this has assuaged my fears a bit, lol Battlefield 3 | ULTRA Max Settings 1920 x 1080 | Radeon HD 7970 Review- YouTube

 

Even with current crappy driver support the 7970M is still a steal in comparison to the 680m. Once both chips are supported by fully optimized drivers, the 680m will still be a huge ripoff. Hell, even now the 7970M gets better FPS in some games, notably Skyrim. The difference is $300, which is huge man.

 

it really is, I can use that money to upgrade my CPU and put in the Network card that I want. I think I will go with that latest configuration. Thanks for all of the help everyone!

 

Any way to find out how much my configuration will weigh?

 

My laptop will arrive this afternoon. BF3 will be the first thing I will try and I will let you know how it works.

EDIT: That video was for the desktop card, not the mobile one by the way.

 

Thank you! I will look forward to your review of it. I have not paid for it yet so I can still make changes.

 

Could you send me a link to Newegg of the type of RAM that I will want once it goes on sale (or doesn't I'll still buy it later!). It just needs to be 1600MHZ and 8gb right?

 

If you want to use the SSD in a caching configuration, the procedure is - set the SATA mode to RAID in the BIOS, install Windows on the regular HDD, install the Intel SRT drivers and enable SRT. The next time you boot, Windows will be cached on the SSD as it's booting. The boot after that will be much faster.

The 40 GB mSATA for $130 is a ripoff though. You should be able to find an OCZ Nocti 60 GB for around $80 - if you can handle a screwdriver, it's easy to install yourself.

 

would putting in the mSATA be as easy as this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9rVFqQ9Z3s

 

Just be aware you will get better performance from a proper sata3 ssd than from an msata, then use an hdd for storage. Of course that means loosing the internal optical, but that isn't used much these days and you can get an external one cheap.

 

Pretty much. You don't have to remove the battery. To take off the back plate you remove 4 screws and pop in the mSATA as in the video.

 

Yes, there's a difference but it's only about 30%. I've done a lot of benching before settling on my current setup (which DOES use a SATA3 cache drive). Windows 7 boots in 13.8 seconds with an mSATA cache, 10.8 with a SATA3 cache.

If you don't need the ODD, sure, go with the SATA3. But if you do keep the ODD and use an mSATA drive, you can rest easy knowing that the performance difference is really not that big in real world benchmarks.

 

Actually, to prevent accidental static discharge and reduce the risk of frying something, it is always recommended that the AC adapter and battery are removed before performing any service on a laptop.

 

Ooops, right you are, good advice. I stupidly assumed they only removed the battery in the video to get at some screws.

 

I think I will go with this mSATA since it is basically the same price as the 40gb one that was $130 http://www.amazon.com/Mushkin-Direc...b+sata+iii+mlc+internal+solid+state+drive+ssd

 

Just did a quick test, 32 player Metro.

The auto settings were mostly ultra/high, no AA. The game ran perfectly at 60 FPS.

Ultra preset gave me 30-50 FPS. Very smooth, no drops.

I haven't changed drivers. Everything is factory.

 

That's fantastic! Could you make a recording with fraps with both of the settings tested?

 

Recording with FRAPS would drop the FPS. I may be able to do camera recording if I can get access to one.

 

Wow thank you for the results, I am very excited to receive mine in the next couple of weeks!

Since I am purchasing my mSATA drive separately could anyone please tell me how I should set it up? I will be installing windows myself from a disc so I will be able to put in the mSATA prior to that install. I just need some info on whether to go with the RAID settings or set it up as a separate drive or what. Also it should be listed as the primary drive if I am going to install windows on it right?

 

What you will need to do, if you are installing the mSATA drive yourself, is be sure you remove the AC adapter and battery from the laptop first and foremost.

Next, you will want to remove the large panel on the bottom (the one where you get access to the CPU, GPU, and 2 memory slots). On the right, under the CPU fan, there should be a metal post with a screw in the top of it, remove that screw and don't lose it. Insert your mSATA SSD at a 45 degree angle and then press it down flat and the screw hole should line up with the post, insert the screw.

I personally wouldn't recommend configuring it into RAID, as you would lose TRIM support on your SSD. I don't think you would noticed that much of a difference in performance either unless you are doing a massive amount of data processing.

As far as how it will be designated when you are installing your OS, you may want to check your BIOS first to get the model numbers and what slot your laptop is showing your SSD installed in as it might be Disc 0 or Disc 1 or even Disc 3. Just keep an eye out for the model number and generally it will give you the size of the drive in that model number as well depending on the manufacturer. Once you have determined that, when you go in to install your OS, just select that drive (it will list disk capacity and what slot) and have it install the OS on that drive.

From there, your laptop will not care where it boots from so long as it can find the boot files and the OS. You can have your hard drive in the optical drive bay and your laptop will boot up without any of the other drives so long as the OS is on that drive.

 

I just ordered a 9170, and here's what I ordered and why:

"Regular" Matte screen - If you've ever tried to play a game like DeadSpace or anything dark and ominous during the day, you might want to consider a matte screen if reflections bug you. If not, save the money. I personally prefer glossy to matte in perfect conditions, but I don't find myself in perfect conditions very often.

"No Dead Pixel Guarantee" - I'll be staring at this thing for hours at a time. I know that if I have 4 messed up pixels, it will just drive me nutty. Every day I'll look at them and they'll mock me. Taunting me. No way! Leave me alone! Stop it! Arrrrrrrrgh!!

Ehrm. If you can deal with POSSIBLY having a few oddball pixels, then you should be fine. Of course, I've owned a total of 10+ LCD screens over the last 10 years and I don't think I've ever noticed a single dead pixel. I don't think it's as common as many people think it is. I could be wrong though. Or blind.

i7-3610QW - From my research, I've come to the conclusion that if you aren't doing any PROFESSIONAL video work, or virtualizing more than 4 machines at once, the default processor is more than adequate. Especially considering how much the upgrades are.

IC Diamond Thermal Paste - I don't like dealing with thermal paste. It's less than $50 and they apply it from the factory. I could do it myself, but I literally fried a processor ten years ago. I can still remember the "POP!" sound it made and the smoke. I'm paranoid and it's relatively cheap so it's a win-win.

GTX680 - I don't like AMD. It doesn't really matter why, because I know my decision, like most people's, are based on emotions and anecdotes. The only REAL reasons to pick one over the other are (in my opinion):

Nvidia - Their linux drivers are FAR better than the AMD drivers for gaming in Linux (which I plan to do when Steam is released for Linux later this year). Go Team Green!

AMD - Why would you pay an extra $300 for a videocard that BASICALLY does the same thing? Go Team Red!

I like NVIDIA, I can afford the premium, so I bought what I wanted. If I was hard pressed for cash, and didn't almost hate AMD (for purely personal reasons), I'd go with AMD. Either way, you'll have an awesome card.

8GB 1333mHz RAM - I'm completely comfortable with RAM upgrades. All my research shows that for my primary activity (gaming) 1600 RAM is almost unnoticeably faster. To the tune of 1-3fps improvement. Not worth the extra cash in a pinch.

Plus, all the other RAM I have lying around is 1333 so it's essentially a "free" upgrade for me once I yank it out of my old machine. If you want to save a little money or get a little more RAM, look here. Honestly, 8GB is fine for people who don't do (professional) video work or heavy virtualization, so anything above that is icing.

mSATA and HDD - The HDD was included in the price and only would have saved me $20 to downgrade, so why bother.

I bought a 256GB mSATA from someone else. The reseller didn't have one that big listed and it probably would have been more expensive anyway. Depending on what you have, and what you're willing to buy, you want to put your OS on the fastest drive and your media (mp3s, videos, etc) on the cheapest drive. I'd say organize your options and use this list to figure out how to set everything up. Here is a list of drive types from fastest to slowest. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong anybody):

-SATA3 SSD
-SATA2 SSD
-SATA3 HYBRID
-SATA2 HYBRID
-SATA3 HDD
-SATA2 HDD

Remove any drive/connector type you don't have from the list, and then put your OS on the fastest drive left. Everything else can probably go wherever.

If you don't know about RAID and RST, then don't use it unless you have someone physically near you that you can give your laptop to and ask them to fix it for you. Once you learn more about it, then you can set it up yourself and fix it if anything goes wrong.

Upgraded Wireless - The stock is probably fine, but I went with the highest option they had that still gave me Bluetooth. I'm primarily wireless, so I figured it was worth the investment. Plus it was only $25.

So that was my thought process. Hopefully it helps you decide on some things one way or the other. Good luck and have fun!

 

wow just saw your specs 24gigs of ram :O wont you get bottlenecked by the cpu before you even utilize the 24gb?

 

Maybe, I don't know. I ordered the machine with 8 and I already have 16 in another, so I figured I'd just put it all into my new box. Plus, I like running virtual machines, and I regularly have like 50 tabs open in my browser so it comes in handy.

I know it's overkill, but honestly, I just like having way more RAM than I need.

Plus, I've spent way more money than I should have this year so I need to take a break and not buy any "computer stuff" for the next few years or my wife will kill me. This guy needs to last for a while, so I decided to push the limits of practicality a little when I ordered.

 

I really liked a lot of your reasons and outlined details on your selection, Pope. There is one slight issue though, in your reason for choosing nVidia, you stated that you can run Linux with it. Optimus is known to not play well with Linux. Linus Torvalds even expressed his frustration Torvalds blasts Nvidia over Linux support, gives them the middle finger during speech - TechSpot News in a "colorful" manner.

Either way, nVidia or AMD is fine and I won't knock anyone for picking one over the other. I just wish to make sure that the facts are straight on the subject for any future readers that could have been misled by the statement.

I should actually mention that project Bumblebee MIGHT be a work around of sorts but I believe it only works if Linux is running in a virtual environment.

 

Yeah, I saw that speech. It was pretty funny.

I was unfortunate enough to own a "Thunderbird" processor that gave me nothing but headaches a long time ago. Then, several years after that, I had a Radeon X300 and X1300 that gave me nightmares trying to configure for multi-monitor use in Linux. I wasted hours tweaking my XF86Config file.

After that, I just gave up on AMD. I've heard they aren't that bad anymore and that the open source drivers are actually pretty good, but I'll probably be in the Nvidia camp until they do something to make me angry, then I'll give AMD a try again

I actually tested Bumblebee on this MSI laptop of mine and it seemed to work pretty well. Granted, I only tested Minecraft, but I was able to run it with both the Intel and Nvidia cards. Setup was easy and it worked without problems.

Once I get my machine, I plan to do quite a bit of thorough testing and benchmarking (especially in Linux), so I'll be sure to share what I learn. I've got my fingers crossed