Purchasing a Sager NP9370. Have some questions.

Hello all. I am looking to purchase the Sager NP9370 within the next few days. Here is the configuration which I have spec'ed out so far:

Sager NP9370 - Gaming Laptop (Clevo P370EM)
- FREE!!! – U.S. UPS GROUND SHIPPING (Use Coupon Code "FREESHIP" in Checkout) [U.S. Lower 48 ONLY / Restrictions Apply]
- SAGER Spring Sale!!! - $50 OFF When you spend $1350.00* or more per system! (*excludes non-sager parts, accessories, shipping, & taxes)
- 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) (Will add 4-7 business days to build time) (SKU - X1R552)
- 60 Day No Dead Pixel Warranty (On any screen)
- NO Professional Monitor Color Calibration
- Sager - 3rd Generation Intel® Ivy Bridge Core™ i7-3630QM (2.4GHz - 3.4GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 45W Max TDP) (SKU – S2R174)
- -Stock OEM Thermal Compound
- nVidia GeForce GTX 680M 4,096MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU - S3R707)
- No Copper Cooling Upgrade
- No Video Adapter
- No External Mobile Display
- 12GB - DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (3 SODIMMS) (SKU - S4S433P)
- Sager Branding
- Standard Laptop Finish
- No mSATA SSD
- 750GB 7200RPM [Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache] - Default (SKU - S5T306)
- None Standard
- HDD Raid Settings - OFF
- 6x Blu-Ray Burner/Reader / 8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (SKU - S7R556)


I have a few questions regarding the screen.

In general, I prefer matte over glossy. Problem is, there are two matte options available, one with 120hz refresh and one without. Both offer the enhanced 72% Color gamut. They both are the same cost. What is the difference between the regular refresh rate of 60 vs 120hz ?

17.3" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) (Will add 4-7 business days to build time) (SKU - X1R552) ( + 14(

vs

17.3" Sager FHD 16:9 120Hz "MatteType" 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) - [ETA: 4/2] (SKU - S1S556) ( + 150 )

Also, is the 50 dollar dead pixel policy worth it?

 

I'd definitely opt for the 120hz option, there really isn't a downside to doing so as far as I'm concerned, all positives.

The dead pixel policy is there if they concern you. We don't typically see them pop up as a common occurence, but when they do appear and you notice them you'll always notice them. It's pretty tough to spot 1 or 2 dead pixels on the multitudes of pixels on the screen unless looking at a completely white screen, but to some people they just can't stand it. If you don't want to run the risk the policy is totally worth it as it'll be inspected by three different techs and stress tested to try and make them appear. If somehow they still show up after all that, you get a replacement screen.

 

Regarding the 120 Hz - You may or may not notice a difference in motion blur during gaming and video playback. The 120 Hz is often implemented for 3D screens and will run in 60 Hz when displaying 3D, if I remember correctly.

I've read reviews saying that the 120 Hz is indistinguishable from 60 Hz, but I've compared first hand both refresh rates, and I can definitely see smoother motion/less motion blur from the 120 Hz screen. It's all up to you.

 

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

Ok so from the sounds of it, there's no wrong going with the 120 Hz screen even if i'm not planning to go 3D. The only question now becomes, should i pick the Matte 120 hz screen or the 90% gamut glossy screen. I know i stated my preference is for matte, but was wondering what others thought of this? which is better for gaming and productivity?

Also, this is a more general question but is right now a good time to buy or are there major upgrades pending down the pipeline ? I keep hearing that the Intel haswell chips will be coming out soon, along with the nvidia gt780m cards. How long away are these and is it worth waiting?

I'm fine for waiting 1-2 months, but if they're further out, i would prefer to buy now.

 

I do all my gaming on my 72% matte 60hz led display. now productivity wise, it depends on what you want to do, if it's Microsoft word then any screen is fine, but if you do something that necessitates color fidelity (video/image editing etc etc) then you would opt for the higher gamut as it would be a more accurate representation of the color, but IMO glossy screens are unusable anywhere other than a cave lol.

as far as upgrades they're slated for june/july release and everything seems to be speculative but it appears that the next gen won't boast a significant increase over this gen (in AMD's i believe they're not even bothering lol) now all of this is speculative, but this is the nature of the beast. New parts are always coming out so you could always be waiting on the "next gen". The 9370 in it's highest configuration should be able to handle games on high-max for the next 2-3 yrs so i wouldn't worry too much.

 

Beautifully said.

 

Riktar really did hit it on the head. The news that's been leaked about Haswell is still rather ambiguous, and Ivy Bridge is plenty capable in any case. Most people report that the matte stigma of having slightly poorer image quality compared to the glossy is a moot point, as they're awfully close in overall vividness and contrast. If you're a photophile or enthusiast of a hobby that demands articulate color gamut, then the higher NTSC screen is worth the investment.

All in all, I think you will be pleasantly pleased with the system.