Sager NP5160 vs NP5125 Chassis

Have there been any improvements to the NP5160 chassis? (from the NP5125).

 

Besides the internal changes with the video card and motherboard etc. The only other change can be seen here which is a different face on the laptop itself.

http://sagernotebook.com/images/products/5160_2.jpg

 

Okay thanks, the unsettled keyboard and plastics used seemed to be a problem though. But the price/performance/resolution/new technology look great...

 

Someone from xoticpc is posting here so may be he'll notice these questions.

My current machine, 3+ years old, is described below. That machine has been good to me, with a few minor gripes. I'm holding out for a sandy machine with WUXGA, under 6 pounds and about the same size as my D820. I'm shopping for a Latitude with an attitude. The most promising machine announced so far is the NP5160. (I owned two Sagers back in the laptop stone age.)

I call myself a 'power user', which means to me, a good all around performer. Real world simulation games interest me but not the mainstream fantasy games. Regardless gaming is a minor note.

So some questions.

Is it safe to assume that switchable graphics will allow for significantly better battery time or is there more too it when the laptop is called a 'gaming' machine?

Do you know the realistic battery time in low powered sessions?

Is there any way to get a 9 cell battery in the 5160, OEM or aftermarket?

Replacing the keyboard on the Latitude was a $25 part and an easy swapout. Is the 5160 that easy?

Is 8MB of RAM a good choice or just wasteful of battery power?

Is the stock memory good enough or should I get the minimum memory and upgrade with something better after the purchase?

Is there any way to mount the optical drive in a caddy so it can be used as an external drive? (eventually I might add a second HD.)

Is there any reason to pick one of the intel wifi cards? Does one of them have superior range or sensitivity to the others?

Is there any chance a WUXGA mat screen might become available on the 5160?

Overall do you think the 5160 might satisfy someone who liked his D820?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

np5125 had 1x usb 3, 3x usb 2
np5160 has 2x usb 3, 2x usb 2

 

See below:

Do you know the realistic battery time in low powered sessions?

4-5 Hours on the iGPU only, 2-4 on the dGPU depending on what you are doing.

Is there any way to get a 9 cell battery in the 5160, OEM or aftermarket?

Not at this time no

Replacing the keyboard on the Latitude was a $25 part and an easy swapout. Is the 5160 that easy?

As the 5135 is the same chassis along with the 5125, yes its a pretty easy swap, takes a little dissassembly but nothing too bad.

Is 8MB of RAM a good choice or just wasteful of battery power?

8MB a little low 8GB is becomming the new sweet spot if you have the software that can eat it up

Is the stock memory good enough or should I get the minimum memory and upgrade with something better after the purchase?

Depends on the reseller and what they put in there, could be anything from a-data or kingston, but it should all be at least DDR3-1333

Is there any way to mount the optical drive in a caddy so it can be used as an external drive? (eventually I might add a second HD.)

Yes, use a 12.7mm ODD bay caddy some of the resellers can do that from the shop if you want.

Is there any reason to pick one of the intel wifi cards? Does one of them have superior range or sensitivity to the others?

Intel wireless cards are going to have better range and throughput than the stock wireless card along with most of the intel line also being dual band.

Is there any chance a WUXGA mat screen might become available on the 5160?

Maybe but I doubt it

Overall do you think the 5160 might satisfy someone who liked his D820?

Abosolutly