Sager NP8662/M860ETU Review

Well I figure that since these reviews helped me out so much when I was looking to buy my laptop I might as well return the favor and write one myself. To be updated with more benchmarks and pictures

First a bit about me and my qualifications:
I am a student entering college who was looking for a portable gaming notebook that didnt look flashy and wasnt covered in lights or obnoxious colors. During highschool I worked, and still work, as a Staples EasyTech both selling as well as repairing computers. Despite my age I have had extensive experience with many different types of notebook and desktop computers and frequently test many of the newer retail offerings from some of the leading notebook manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Acer, Toshebia, Sony and more. As for repair work my store is one of the top 25 stores in the entire company for tech work and we frequently have between 40 and 50 computers in the store for service at a time. While I certainly consider myself no expert tech or notebook expert I have had a wider experience with many more different notebooks than the average consumer and therefore consider myself well informed in comparisons between notebooks.

Now onto the review:

Contents
1) Ordering Process -XoticPC review
2) Configuration
3) Chassis Review
4) Battery, Screen, Performance Review
5) Benchmarks
6) Conclusion and Overall Thoughts



1) Ordering Process
After much thought I decided to order my notebook through XoticPC. I had been looking primarily at XoticPC and PCTorque as resellers and I have to say that the sales support for both was amazing. I was in contact with Justin from XoticPC and Jason from PCTorque for over a month and both were quick to respond to my questions and help me out with my decisions. When I was somewhat turned off by the fact that XoticPC did not offer a comprehensive Accidental Warranty Justin recommended me to Safeware, an external company which actually provided the most comprehensive protection that I could find. Though both resellers offered excellent customer service to me in the end I went with XoticPC because of 1)their higher reseller rating and 2)the 24/7 phone support as opposed to PCTorque's email support. When it came to actually ordering the laptop I was once again extremely impressed by the customer service I received. It turned out that Justin, the rep I had been dealing with, was actually on vacation and when I emailed him I got back the automated email informing me of that. The email also recommended me to Joseph, another rep at XoticPC. I figured I would email Joseph in the morning as I had emailed outside of regular business hours. As I went to send the email the next morning I was surprised to find an email already waiting for me from Joseph which answered my question perfectly. Joseph then helped me order the exact system I wanted and helped with all my requests. One thing I was particularly looking for was rushed shipping, something hard to accommodate because of the notebooks extensive quality assurance testing. I was going on a vacation for a week the week after the one I ordered and I really wanted the notebook before then. Joseph was able to work with me to make this happen as well as assure that I got the cash discount. He also helped expedite my order as soon as it came to him and, after ordering the laptop Monday morning it arrived at my house Friday afternoon as promised. Everyone I dealt with including Jason from PCTorque and Joseph and Justin from XoticPC was amazing and I would recommend XoticPC to anyone else.

2) Configuration
Sager NP8662 w/
15" 1680x1050 "Glare Type" Display
4gb DDR3 RAM
Intel Core2Duo P9700 2.8Ghz Processor
Nvidia 260M GTX Video Card
320gb 7200rpm Seagate Momentus HDD

3) Chassis
This part of the review will consist of reviewing the actual case, the keyboard and trackpad, fingerprint reader and webcam, speakers, and other M860ETU features.
Case:
Im entering college this year and I was looking for a good mobile gaming computer that could handle everything I threw at it, was durable, and, most importantly, didn't look like a gaming computer. The M860ETU really meets all of these requirements and actually exceeds them. Performance you can see below but the other two relate to the actual case itself. In terms of durability this things looks like it could withstand a few drops and bumps. Its solidly built with a metal case, not the plastic found on so many laptops today. The screen hinges are tight enough to keep the lid from opening on its own and prevent any type of flex or travel seen with some of the cheaper or more mainstream models such as HP or Dell yet they are loose enough so that the screen could be opened with one hand. As for size the notebook is slightly thicker than many similar 15" models yet not unreasonably so. It is also a bit heavier than others coming in around 7.5 pounds which is about 2 pounds heavier than your average 15". That said 2 pounds really doesnt make a difference to me. I carried it in a backpack through the airport and I really didnt notice any difference between it and my older 13" 4 pound sony Vaio. I think the emphasis on laptop weight is overrated. It is more than bearable for anyone of moderate physical ability and hey, the performance is worth the extra weight.
As for appearance this computer looks amazing. It is a sleek brushed metal black everywhere except for the silver accents on the sides and the small white sager logo on the top of the lid. The laptop looks very classy and does not scream gaming laptop which, while fine at LAN parties, can be a bit undermining in real world situations. The only downside to the appearance is that it is a real fingerprint magnet. They get everywhere and you need to put a bit of pressure into it to actually wipe them off. For me this isnt a big deal but for some it might be. Other than that the look is great.
Keyboard and Trackpad:
I was initially a bit worried about the keyboard on this as I had heard some negative reviews but, in actual use I highly recommend it. There is no noticeable flex and the keys are all very well spaced. They do take a bit more effort than average to register a press but this was no problem with me as I am typically a forceful typer. The only thing that does bother me is that, occasionally a double letter does not register the second letter (such as when typing www quickly it will, on occasion type only ww) not a big concern again as it is hardly frequent but somewhat of a minor annoyance. Overall though, this keyboard is highly preferable to the one of my older Sony Vaio or the one on my dads newer Sony Vaio. As for the trackpad it is a bit smaller than average and you need to press a bit harder than normal to click but after some getting used to it becomes natural. Also the trackpad never gets sticky even after extended use, a problem I have seen on a lot of HPs and Dells.
Fingerprint Reader and Webcam:
These are simply added extras to the whole package but they work well so I thought it was useful to cover them in the review. The fingerprint reader took a bit of time to set up as I had to find drivers for it for Windows 7 but after I got it up it works great. It is much faster than typing a password and registers the finger the first time 99% of the time, something I have found to be a problem with some other fingerprint readers. As for the webcam the quality is decent. It is a little dark but the picture is clear. The sound quality is very good too even though the mic is located right next to the touchpad.
Speakers:
The speakers are a weak point of this computer, and something I expected would be better on an entertainment/multimedia notebook. They are too high and tinny and lack a substantial bass. They certainly arent terrible sound quality but they are lacking. Compared to some of the nicer Altec Lansing speakers found on some HP's these could definitely use some improvement.
Other Things:
Ports are abundant and well placed on this computer. Aside from the firewire port in the front they are well spaced and in accessible places. I like how the power port is in the back as putting it on the side of the computer seems to only take up more room. Some quick complaints though are that the power cable frequently will become disconnected without coming out of the computer. Even if it slides just slightly it can stop power which is somewhat of an annoyance. Also the power button needs to be held down just a bit longer than average for most computers. Again, easy to get used to but still a minor annoyance on an otherwise great machine.

Battery, Screen, and Performance
Battery:
The battery is better than I originally thought when purchasing this computer. I tested it myself by fully charging it and then unplugging it and continuously web surfing until the computer forced itself to shut down. During this I had the screen at moderate brightness ~50-60% and was in Windows 7 powersaver battery mode. The battery lasted 2 hours and 27 minutes for me doing this and this was before any battery life enhancement optimizations which I intend to try. I find this more than reasonable for a laptop of this performance however.
Screen:
I went with the 1680x1050 "glare type" screen and I am glad I did. The resolution is plenty high and I couldnt imagine using it effectively at 1900x1200. My eyes just arent that good. As for the "Glare Type" part I really have yet to notice any problems with it. The glare isnt nearly as bad as I have seen on some other notebook screens and I havent been bothered by it at all. On the plus side it make the colors and text that much more vivid which is a good feature. Overall the screen is bright and easy to read with no dead pixels or bright spots.
Performance:
The performance of this laptop is amazing. I loaded it up with x64 Windows 7 and boot times are incredibly fast. There is basically no wait upon logging on and application load times are very quick. I have played Team Fortress 2 on this so far at maximum resolution and settings and had no problems at all. I intend to bench is more with games like Crysis and FarCry2 when I get back home but I'm away on vacation now and have no access to those games so TF2 was the best I could do. As for overall performance I could not be happier as the computer performs just as well, if not better than my year old desktop with a 3.3GHZ Athlon 64 X2 Black Edition 6400+ CPU, a Evga GTX 260 Core 216 GPU, 4gb RAM and 2 250gb 7200RP Seagate HDDs. I cant wait to really push this thing.

Benchmarks
3DMark06 - 10310 3DMarks
3D Mark Vantage - P4559
GPU Score - 4344
CPU Score - 5353

More Benchmarks Coming Soon!

Conclusion and Overall Thoughts
Overall I am extremely happy with this computer. It is a sturdy gaming laptop that doesnt look like a gaming laptop. They keyboard is comfortable to type on and the touchpad is great for the times I wont be using a mouse with it. The battery life is acceptable though I wish and extended life battery was an option and the performance more than makes up for the weaker battery life. So far this has been a great laptop and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a portable, professional looking gaming rig.

Pros:
-Amazing Performance especially for a 15" laptop
-Portable
-Solid, Sturdy Keyboard
-Classy, not flashy look
-Great Trackpad
-Great Customer Service From Resellers

Cons:
-Poor Quality Speakers
-Slightly Heavier than average
-Could have a longer battery life
-Power cord could have a more snug fit.

Overall:
Amazing 15" Laptop I would recommend to anyone.

Hope this review helps and more pics and benchmarks to follow as soon as I get my camera and more time.

 

Good review, danr22. 7/10.

 

We got a winner!

Job well done

 

You sir, are one of the few reviewers I have read here who does such a good job that pictures aren't necessary. WELL DONE. Objective, yet subjective, and honest. You don't have the honeymoon complex even with this computer. +Rep.

 

the usual thing that people do with their M860ETUs on the first night is to sleep with them...lol

 

Ya mean yours fits there?!

 

well mine was being bad the first night i got it, so i made it sleep outside =\.

on another note, great review danr22.

 

ya i mean hug the laptop..you dirtyminded freak