This is it! 7970m, 675mx or 680mx. 9150 or 9170 whatever it is I'm buying it now.

Help please!

I've been lurking asking and reading for a good while and I simple must decide now. Basically two questions.

1) I know the way to go is the 680 but my bang for the buck preference is the 7970m, I know my way around computers and can do with some tweaking but can't stand BSODs, lock ups and older titles running slower than on my current Mobility 5870, I don't care if its underutilised as long as it runs over 35 FPS. On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is it, really?

My 5870 is still putting on a fight after 2.5 years. How much better is the 675MX? would it last 2 years? Most people say no.

2) I've been on a G73jh for the last 2.5 years. It is 17". I love the big screen but I want something that is more sober and less bulk, 9170 seems a good option but I fear that the power brick is above humongous and that I can't get a replacement quickly in my country (Mexico) if something happens to it so in that way 9150 seems better...

Have you come down from 17" to 15"? Is it traumatic or did you adapt to it quickly? If you know those two models, how leaner does the 9170 actually feels?

Thank you

 

i came from a g73jw to a 9150 with a 680m
the screen i reckon is similar, the size change needs some time to get used to. and it isn't just when you are gaming, you will have to adjust to this screen size for every day uses. Video watching, browsing internet, word etcetc.

depends what you mean by "last". what kinda game do you play and what graphic settings you can't stand?
I can stand the low graphics on BF3 multiplayer because it is smoother but i can't stand the low graphic in campaign because I want the graphics there. (but medium details isn't so bad)
My 460m could still run most games at high details even after around 3 years.
Too much details and graphics can be a negative thing, see crysis 3 with all the flashy graphic stuff, lighting, blood, nano pattern, flying particles. It's too flashy for my taste, constantly bombing your eyes with lots of shiny stuff

some people define outdated when it means you can't run games at max graphics at a smooth framerate. It really depends on you.
If you don't play games like witcher 2, crysis 3, stalker etc, then you aren't gonna hit that level for a while imo.

 

Thanks!

If you could would you get a 17" screen now? Or are you happy with the 15".

You did get the 680m though so you're basically top of the line right now. I can live without Ultra settings. High are just as good to me. The 5870 seems able to handle that in most titles now so it makes it a bit harder to justify an upgrade for me or maybe that's what I do want to pick something that is very noticeably better than the 5870.

 

I have a Sager NP9150 with a 7970m in here, and it's not what it was hyped up to be. I would have definitely spent the extra $300 bucks at the time to buy a 680m. The problem for me isn't the disparity between the two GPU's in FPS, which has mostly been fixed with driver updates at this point, it is actually the horrible support for a lot of current titles. Games like Max Payne 3, Saints Row 3, Battlefield 3, Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3 and even Fallout New Vegas have all had issues with stability such as crashing (consistent crashing), graphics artifacts and stuttering (FPS jumping from low to high in the same scene).

TL;DR The driver support is awful, and I wouldn't expect these problems to dissipate anytime soon. Buying a new title is like Russian roulette; it may or may not work.

 

You surprised me mentioning Fallout New Vegas having issues, it does seem I should steer away from the 7970. What about the 675MX would you take it instead?

 

Wow, the 675MX is actually available for clevo laptops now? I thought those were apple only .__.

Unlike the 675m, the 675MX is actually based on the Keplar core and should give you pretty good performance.

I don't think it will beat the 7970M out on raw performance however. But on the positive side, if the 675MX is anything like the 680M, you won't have stability issues.

 

Yes, it is the MX, comes with 4GB of VRAM.

 

I would totally go with the 675MX. It isn't as powerful as the 7970m, but the stability is well worth it. In fact, my brother-in-law has an MSI machine (gt-70, I think) with a 675m, and, while mine plays some games at higher frame-rates than his, he has had overall greater consistency in performance and not a single crashing issue. Games like Borderlands 2 and AC 3 even got better FPS than mine at the time we last compared them

 

I just got the 9170 with the 675mx, and I absolutely love it. Granted, I'm coming from an MX11 r1 with a 335m, but I don't regret it for a bit. All the stability talk scared me off the 7970, but I couldn't afford the 680m. I don't regret it a bit. I'm running tomb raider on ultimate with tressfx off and no tesselation and I'm getting a solid 40fps, so I'm happy.

 

yet tomb raider would have been a title where 7970M would have been strong Grats on your build however, I'm sure you made the right choice for you.

 

I didn't say that he SHOULD get the 675. I just said that I have no regrets about my decision.

From everything I've read, most of the bugs have been worked out of the 7970. I had it in my config for a loooong time. Based on the numbers, it's a helluva card.
I just have a problem with a company that takes that long to 'mostly' fix their product. I wanted to be able to justify it, but for me, I couldn't.

 

I had to get a 15" because I tend to travel too often nowadays. I find the 15" size to be quite good, a bit small for watching high def movies but it isn't a big issue. Eventually after a month or two, I am fine with it.

I got the 680m is because I don't want to have any underutilisation issue, especially when I am getting this laptop purely for starcraft 2 multiplayer, any weird in game lag or stutter or whatever will bother me a lot, especially if I spent this amount of money on it already
I read the nvidia card gives a smoother in game experience or whatever and so I thought why not just get the 680m instead just to be safe.
I just didn't want to get the 675mx because the price is similar to the 7970m while the performance is worse and so it made me felt kinda awkward if I get the 675mx.

but yea, if you aren't aiming to get the max graphics, no point to get 680m anyway. Even now I feel the 680m is kinda way too good for my games, but oh well, I can afford that extra money and it is a good card

 

Noo, guys, don't fight.

Thanks for your answers. Even the one of you who owns a 7970 suggested to go 680M instead so I think I'll shell out the extra for the 680m... if it isn't too much (need to check with my local reseller, currency, import costs, all add up).

Now just need to choose between 9170 and 9150...

 

I haven't tried out the 9170, but I find 15.6 inches to be sufficient with the NP9150. They both have 1920x1080 display options, and you end paying more for the extra 2" diagonal on the 9170 at most re-sellers; I would advise buying the 9150. You also get the advantage of increased portability with the NP9150, which is why most people buy a laptop to begin with, portability. I would go for the 680m if possible, but, if you're on a budget, the 675MX should max most modern games out at 1080p with no problem.

On another note, you should be aware of an issue with the default sound card on the Sager NP9150/9170 models. Most people are unable to output bass through the aux-jack if you have a stereo configuration, e.g., headphones. If you have the ability to upgrade the sound card, do it. There are other threads regarding the audio issue on this website, you should look them up before purchasing the laptop.

 

Still on the fence about the 2" thing. I've spent the last 3 years with a 17" and I fear I'll miss them, but I also thing shaving of 1kg is worth it...

Thank you very much for the sound card tip. I do some audio stuff too and if what you say is true it will be a big deal.

 

I got the fiio e17 for the audio, and it works great! I also like the fact that I can take it with me and use it as a headphone amp with the iPod if I want.

 

Yo Raindog, what is your budget? Would you consider buying a laptop that has SLI or Crossfire gpus (Sager NP9370)?

 

Hi there. I'm trying to run away from bulky machines and power bricks as much as I can so an SLI machine is definitely out of the question. Budget is around 1600 tops.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

I'm really starting to worry about the headphone jack issues. I really dislike the idea of a garbage sound system in an otherwise beast machine.

is there any threads about it specifically that you know?

 

I just got tomb raider on my 9170 w/ a 675mx...it glitches out all the time, the entire screen turns mud green and flickers...i can alt tab some times. also in the launcher, it says i'm on the intel HD...i'm on nvid 314.07 drivers. play everything else under the sun on ultra, even wierd crysis 3's ultra setting...msaax16. wierdness.

Could anyone post a link to the newest nvidia tomb raider fix...all i see is 314.21, but it doesn't install. erroring out with a "can't find proper hardware." so perhaps .21 is for desktop cards.

Also, my machine was build from scratch. 500gb ssd->win7ultimate->nvidia drivers. the issue might lay with win7 not properly represneting nvidia. from the desktop->\screen resolution->display=mobile PC display "intel HD."

 

i'm running .21, and it's working perfectly. It did glitch out a bit when I ran full screen before the update, but now I run windowed full @1920x1080 and it's fine.

 

Hi guys. Here's an update.

I am leaning towards an NP9170. I have been carrying a G73jh on my back and on my lap for 3 years now so I have a very strong constitution like survivorman. I want a 17" screen.

Regarding the video card I'm going to keep away from the 7970. I feel strongly for the 675mx specially since learning it can be overclocked. It should do for now and I can switch for something else in a couple of years. Maybe even the 680m wich should be rather cheap by then.

Have not placed any orders yet though and I am watching closely what you are posting here. Thanks to all.

 

i personaly jsut RMad a 9150 to a 9170 b/c of the screen size. the 9170's roughly 1'' longer horizontally and .5'' taller. the 9170 also comes with msata (sata2speeds) and 2 HDD bays (both sata 3 speeds.) i had the 675 in both. hey cba191 could you link to your 314.21 driver? b/c after a second look nvidia says the beta is not mobile compatible.

 

Just wanted to append, i OC w/ throttle stop roughly 3.4ghz, and have a nvidia 675mx. Both tomb raider at ultimate, and crysis 3 are running at 21 average fps.

 

Stay with the 17 inch. The N9170 is not a very heavy laptop. It's actually lighter and smaller than my old M15X. If you are used to 17 inch screen, you are not going to like the 15 inch.

Also, if you already have concerns about the 7970m, and worries about the potential issues, stay away from it.

As for choosing between the 675m to the 680m, I went to xoticpc,com to check the price. It's a $300 difference. Personally, it's just my opinion that if you already have the intention of upgrading to the 680m, I will advise to go with the 680m now.

That card cost $700 to $800 right now if you buy it as a standalone card. How much do you speculate that card will cost 3 years from now? That card can still cost $300, or at the lower end $200. Even if that card cost $150 3 years from now, that's only $150 extra if you pay it now (comparing to paying later). For that extra $ you pay now, you get to enjoy the top of the line equipment.

Yes, you will still have the 675m to sell to offset the cost. First of all, if the 680m drops really low, the 675m will probably cost next to nothing. Well, there is this hassle of selling the card on Ebay, plus the cost to use Ebay and Paypal. There is also a chance the card may get damaged during shipping to your buyer, or you may have an idiotic buyer who damages the card during installation. Ultimately, you are still responsible since you are the seller based on Ebay rules.

The point is that you are already paying top dollar for that laptop. You also have the intention of upgrading the card. In this case, go for the 680m and you will be happy with it.

 

there is actually a new update for Bioshock.

Articles : GeForce 314.22 WHQL Drivers: Ready For BioShock Infinite | GeForce

 

These are excellent points by Mighty_Benduru. It might hurt the wallet more now but it will pay off in the long run.

 

The 680M especially when tweaked is in it's own class. The levels of performance it can give will be relevant for some time to come and with all the cards this year being at best pretty similar to it then it will have quite some life in it.

 

Ok. I am going for it. NP9170 with the 680m.

Is it worth it getting a 32GB Crucial M4 mSATA SSD for SRT?

 

I would if you can't go for a larger SSD

 

Thank you!

Yep, I think I must hold back on the spending after going for the 680m but if a 32GB SSD is worth it I think I can afford it.

After all I also have to get an external sound card

Speaking about which and I think it's my last concern. G73jh has really good sound on the speakers, I know I can't expect much but should I expect nothing at all, like total utter and absolute crap from the speakers?

 

The speakers are average for what most people think when it comes to a notebook.

 

... and the headphone jack is even worse in my opinion. Any sort of USB interface will fix that though. I use a Fio e17 for headphones and an Avid Mbox to power my monitors and get no noise or distortion being carried over on the signal.

 

I'm loving my e17

 

Ok, this is what I am going for:

Sager NP9170

• 17.3" 16:9 1920X1080 Full HD LED backlight (Matte-Type)
• nVidia GeForce GTX680M 4GB GDDR5 DX11 w/Optimus Technology
• 3rd Gen Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7-3630QM, 2.4-3.4GHz, 22nm, 6MB, 45W
• 16GB DDR3 1600/PC3 12800 Dual-Channel (4G X 4)
• 1 x 750GB 7200rpm SATA II 16MB 3GB/s
• 8X DVDRW DL Super Multi (Standard)
• Hard Drive Caddy: None

Should be $2,158.75 with delivery and import tax.

And I am considering adding these if all under $250.

• 64GB Crucial M4 mSATA SSD - Preconfigured for Intel SRT
• Intel Advanced-N 6235 Wireless-N + Bluetooth Combo Card
• Add One Spare 220 Watts AC Adapter

It's going to be through an importer who works with GentechPC. It would be great if you could point me towards a GentechPC contact here in the forums.

Thank you ALL for your help. I still don't feel totally comfortable with this but what the hell. You've been great!

 

Good looking build. Instead of possibly adding a mSATA get a full on SSD since this model has two hard drive bays you can get that and keep the HDD in there. The SSD will be quicker then the mSATA since its on a SATA III bus vs II for the mSATA.

 

Yes, agreed with going with the SSD. It takes less than 45 seconds to reboot the computer. Every loads super fast.

 

Thanks, I'm going to see how the numbers look replacing the stock HD with a 250GB SSD and getting rid of the mSATA.

I already have a 512GB 7200rpm drive here waiting for the notebook.

 

So I placed the order.

• Sager NP9170
• 17.3" 16:9 1920X1080 Full HD LED backlight (Matte-Type)
• nVidia GeForce GTX680M 4GB GDDR5 DX11 w/Optimus Technology
• 3rd Gen Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7-3630QM, 2.4-3.4GHz, 22nm, 6MB, 45W
• 16GB DDR3 1600/PC3 12800 Dual-Channel (4G X 4)
• 1 x 750GB 7200rpm SATA II 16MB 3GB/s
• 8X DVDRW DL Super Multi (Standard)
• Hard Drive Caddy: None
• Intel Advanced-N 6235 Wireless-N + Bluetooth Combo Card

I could not afford an SSD... maybe later.

$2100 delivered to Mexico.

Time for a new sig

THANK YOU ALL for your help!

 

anyone running a 675MX with BF3? How's the performance? Can all option be turn ON and ULTRA quality? how's the fps , acceptable??

 

No way, that's way too optimistic. I would say maybe all high except shadows and anti-aliasing you'd get around 50ish on average.

Edit: depends on what your definition of 'acceptable' is as well.

 

Nixia - Unboxing & Testing MSI GT70 0NE - YouTube
So I can't expect to have my BF3 running smooth under the same setting as show in this video......?
I know this is a 680M rig..... but wondering if this rig is over-power to the game setting as shown or just barely do the job and dont expect the same results under any weaker gpu like 675mx...

 

Depends on what is your definition of smooth. It's all FPS dependent. Ideally, you will want 60 FPS all thru. Even with the 680m, you won't get 60 FPS with everything ON and Ultra on some maps. FPS will drop around explosions, smoke, dust, lighting... etc. With everything ON and Ultra, I think the FPS should be around low to high 40s on average on the 680m. 675m will be lower.