**OFFICIAL W860CU/NP8690 Owners Lounge**

For my power adapter, I barely can touch it.. no eggs can cook on it... ;-)

 

I'm afraid that even if it won't melt down, it would probably burn a hole in my desk in time to come. Now, someone need to come up with a notebook power adapter cooler next time.

 

How likely is it that an ATI driver update will allow the temperatures on the HD 5870 to scale down when it's idle like the 285M?

 

Just open it up and sandwich a few sheets of thermal pads in it. The PSU will "feel" hotter, but that's heat dissipating off of the unit, which is what we want. The only time you should be touching your PSU is during winter. I like to rest my feet on it when I game on those long cold December nights.

 

I never undertsood why when people ask questions about temps they never metion what their ambient temperature is...this would help us alot so that we can help you.

btw nothing to do with the above posts...just ranting from some post back

 

My ambient temperature is 26.5C (79.7F) . (Probably because there are 9 people gaming away in a small dorm room.)

Currently my CPU is idling at 51C and my GPU is idling at 57C. Kind of want the temps to stay below 50C. (The GPU fan is kind of annoying me. Really wish the card would scale down like the nvidia cards)

I already tried reapplying MX-2 with the pea method but after reading a few posts I might try using the spread method to see if the temps will improve.

(If I do decide to use the spread method, can I just use the thermal paste that is already on there?)

 

Don't think you can use the same one, as the one present now has already settled in.

 

Ok thanks, maybe I have to remove the black sticker to get better temps.
I have 2 other Questions. This "Intel PCH" in HWinfo32 what is it ? In the picture are my idle temps and it has 62 C. It´s very hot or not ? What you have for temps?

My second question I already posted in another Thread. After installing the official 10.3 Driver from ATI, the Notebook stopped to boot after Windows Boot Logo. I had to reinstall Windows and just the driver from the Clevo Homepage or from my reseller is working. Has someone the same problem or know what the problem is ?

 

Maybe you still have the sticker on covering the CPU fan underside inside of the backplate?

Also your GPU should idle about 5C or more lower unless your ambient temps are just higher. No harm in checking that your GPU is downclocking properly by using GPU-Z to view sensors.

My CPU idles at 40 - 45C and my GPU idles at 41C. My ambient temps are usually 22 - 26C so that surely has an impact.

 

cool, thanx for the temps...my ambient temp is 80F lol, we will see how my temps comapre to yours when my laptop arrives (if it ever does)

it will be 5870, i7 820, and 500gb 7200 rpm hdd...

 

Definitely remove that vent sticker. My CPU idle temps dropped from mid-50s C to low-40s C.

Did you install the right 10.3 driver version? Perhaps you installed the desktop version instead of the Mobility version? I picked their latest 10.3 preview version (just installed it last night), the one with the Eyefinity stuff and it works fine.

 

My 5870 idles at ~40 when I lower frequencies in gpu clock tool. Unfortunately unless they release a new bios for the 5870 we will not see super low idle temps on them. If the bios was updated I could see the idle temps being in the 30s as there are lower voltages present as well. Unfortunately even though they have lower power settings present in the list the only one that any of the power states are linked to is the 700/1000 setting. I would make a bios myself but I do not know how to link the states to different setting as it does not appear you can do that directly in RBE. I am hoping that one of the people who get this laptop is a bios pro that can get a better bios made up.

 

Well, I've had my laptop for almost a day and a half now. All I gotta say is, performance wise, so far so good! I got it yesterday evening, and went 10 hours straight installing and updating stuff. I think I have pretty much set up now. Only games I have on my laptop are Torchlight (which is a joke in terms of stressing out the system), Dragon Age (60 fps consistently (with V-Sync); never a dip), and BFBC2 (1080p, Mid Textures, High Details, and Low Shadows, HBAO OFF, 1x AA, 2x AF - getting 60-80 fps).

Been using the G15 Keyboard on my desktop, so I'm having a hard time adjusting to the chicklet style keyboard. Keys are responsive and all, but they're just not what I'm used to. Needless to say, my K/D ratio in BC2 was atrocious!

And yeah, the sound using regular headphones sucks, but I knew this going in.

Battery life was horrible. I need to optimize my settings to try and get over 1.5 hrs.

The laptop wasn't as large and bulky as I had anticipated, and definitely not as heavy. The Power brick is a pretty huge and heavy. The free bag...well, it was free, but it certainly won't make anyone who got the G73 backpack envious. Now I gotta look for a sturdy, stylish messenger-type bag...

 

Mid textures in BC2? Hmmm I think it could go higher than that, especially if you have the Radeon option on rather than GTX280 like mine. But then again maybe you're aiming for a higher performance vs graphics wise.

 

"My second question I already posted in another Thread. After installing the official 10.3 Driver from ATI, the Notebook stopped to boot after Windows Boot Logo. I had to reinstall Windows and just the driver from the Clevo Homepage or from my reseller is working. Has someone the same problem or know what the problem is ?"

That really sucks. I just installed the 10.3 version too w/ no problems. (not sure if your computer would even let you dl a uncompatible version). You might want to hold off on updating that till the next version tho if you had to reinstall win

 

Yeah, I think so, too. Next time I fire it up, I'll try other settings and see how much it eats up my fps.

Also, do I need to have that Bisoncam software installed to use my webcam? I assumed that was just the freeware program to take videos, but are the webcam drivers part of that also?

 

Was it the 10.3 or 10.3a? I think 10.3a has got quite a lot of problems, the 10.3 release is based on the beta release which is quite problem free.

 

Don't think you need the Bisoncam software. I have Youcam and that's pretty decent. And I think the drivers for it are seperate.

 

Hey I used this 10.3 Driver. I think its the right one.

I don´t know what teh problem is. Maybe the bios of the 5870 ? I use Win 64x Ultimate

 

Just bought a 9.5mm HDD caddy for IBM laptops to put a SSD in, it should work for 8690 right? Is it easy to change the HDD caddy? Because from what it seems, there's no screws arond the DVD area, meaning I will need to open up till the motherboard level?

 

^ no idea. let me know if you get it to work tho, you'll be BLOWN AWAY by the speed of an ssd

 

I'm sorry fzhfzh, I have got to say this. You have just got your machine returned because of inadvisable modifications and fiddling with your graphics card cooling. You are now considering ripping it apart to mb level. Please stop and think. Get a cheap desktop pc and fiddle with this.

 

How are you getting your GPU temps to show up in HWmonitor? I saw someone elses screenshot earlier with GPU temps but when I got my laptop (3/11) nobody knew how to get them to show up and I was stuck using HWinfo. I checked and I do have the latest version of HWmonitor.

 

You need 10.3 drivers.

 

im not getting gpu temps showing up on HWmonitor either.

 

There is just a single screw holding the cdrom drive drive in. Once you take the bottom cover off it is pretty easy to find.

 

great, so it means I don't have to take out the motherboard, that's good news.

 

It show after install 10.3

 

Yeah, you're right. It finally occurred to me to check under device manager and, indeed, windows already had drivers installed for it.

 

You can use HWinfo if you don't want to put on 10.3, it'll work with the stock drivers.

 

Yeah, the latest version of HWMonitor shows my GPU temps. The "Preview" version of 10.3 which is currently on Ati's website does not.

 

It only sucks if you don't use SRS Audio Sandbox.

I find the Pakuma Akara rucksack to be excellent for this laptop.

 

Actually the messenger bag included isn't too bad. First glance it's butt ugly, ok, it still looks butt ugly, but the quality is quite good, and look is the suitable for office kind rather than the normal kind making it ugly.

Wanted to buy a new messenger bag once I got it because of how bad the included bag looks, but as i went around searching for a bag, can't find any stylish messenger bag that could fit a 8690, those that can fit are all the same design as the bag included, and those with full paddings + metal ring connector for strap like the included bag all cost 100-200 dollars, moreover, they look the same as the included bag as well.

 

I got this bag for my 8690

http://www.slappa.com/aura-black-laptop-shoulder-bag?sc=2&category=133

 

HAHA wow. You guys make me feel really poor. I have a $20 dollar targus bag from wal-mart... . The laptop broke me. So cheap accessories are to be bought for it

However, great looking carrying bag.

 

Well I do carry it around a lot + a load of work. Protecting it from accidental damage is worth a few £!

 

Those are definitely some great looking backpacks/messengers!

I was also looking at some Timbuk 2 messenger bags.

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/laptop/laptop-messenger-style/

Gaaah...so many choices. I heard REI has some good bags too - of various brands - so I think I'll go in and actually look/touch them.

Honestly, I never expected to pay over $120 for a bag (most I ever spent before was ~$50), but it just might be worth it to protect a $1600 laptop. The 8690 certainly made me broke, but the way I'm justifying it is that women spend hundreds of dollars on a stupid purse that holds maybe a few lipsticks and a smaller money purse, so $120 on something so utilitarian isn't unreasonable...

 

If we're talking laptop bags. I'm using one of these;
http://www.camelbak.com/government-military/hydration-packs/bfm-500.aspx

Together with a 511 sleeve;
http://www.511tactical.com/browse/Home/Law-Enforcement/Accessories/Bags-Backpacks/MPC-Case-Modular-Platform-Case/D/30100/P/1:100:10000:10900:10905/I/56046

The practical aspect I can use the backpack for hiking and trekking, hence the hydration pack, and I like durable stuff. Personally I think most usual consumer gear is made to break after a year of so, therefore I mostly use military gear even though I am not in the army.

 

Typical. I was thinking of exactly the same. I currently have the 600GB 5400 drive and it is quite slow since I'm constantly waiting on the drive.
Down the road I am planning for an SSD however I need space as well and a cheap large drive in place of the CDrom is logical.

Now just to find a replacement caddy that fits.

 

For timbuk2 commute 2.0 and classic, medium size messenger bags, will they fit Sager 8690? I saw the laptop component dimensions, the height is only up to 1.5", while the sager 8690 height dimension is 1.65-2", actually, height is the main problem of 8690 in trying to find a fitting bag, but not sure if it's actually possible to fit even though from the bag dimensions it doesn't.

 

One question, when I got back my 8690 from Sager, I realised that the boot screen is different, meaning that the bios is changed. My current bios version is: BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies LTD CALPELLACRB.86C.0000.X.0000000000
Is this bios version 1.0? If yes, what are the advantages of upgrading the bios for 8690?

 

That's been my concern as well. I'm not sure just how much we can stretch that laptop compartment to squeeze in the 8690. I'll probably have to go into a store and take a look myself.

 

im thinking of getting the full hd screen because its only 50 more and all the reviews love it.

 

Does anyone know how long it takes to ship out if I order from xoticpc? I'm in California btw.

 

If you live in California, Sager, by default, will ship your notebook to XoticPC in Nebraska to avoid the absurdly high sales tax here in California. XoticPC will then ship your notebook to you back in California. Using a "middle man" is the quickest way to legally avoid sales tax. If you don't mind paying the extra paper to have your notebook a week earlier, than let XoticPC know that you want Sager to have your notebook shipped straight to your door. By UPS ground, your notebook will arrive within 2-3 days if you so choose to have them ship it directly to you.

Sager is located in City of Industry in the LA county. You will have to pay the LA county sales tax rate of 9.75%. http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5896691&postcount=2

 

Hello everyone, this is my first post.

I've been reading this thread since the beginning in November
and I've been debating whether to get this computer for about
the same time I've been following the thread,5 months.

I'm kind of a noob when it comes to computer internals components.
i primarily need the computer to do 2d and 3d modeling as well as
rendering. little gaming (just halo: combat evolved, 7 yr old game)

i just have a few questions regarding the graphics card. I've
search extensively and i got nothing on the following:

1. would it be possible to modify either the ATI HD 5870 or the GTX 285M
to function as a workstation graphics card?
(i know that there's an option now to upgrade to the Quadro
FX 2800M, which is my primary choice, but too expensive ($675 usd))

2. In the future, can I upgrade to any of these cards:

FirePro M7740
Quadro FX 2800M
Quadro FX 3700M
Quadro FX 3800M

...without having a professional do it or having to modified the
computer in ways that it would void warranty (i understand
that these computer are meant to be upgraded).

these are my specs:
W860CU (Lotus Series, Malibal)
Display: 15.6" 1920 x 1080 FHD LED Backlit Display
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-820QM, 8MB L3 Cache, 1.73-3.06GHz
Memory: (4GB) 4096MB, PC3-10660/1333MHz DDR3 - 2 SO-DIMM
Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5870 1GB GDDR5
Hard Drive: 320GB 7200rpm 2.5" SATA-300
Optical Drive: 8X Multi DVD+/-R/RW RAM Dual-Layer Drive
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium; 64-bit
Wireless: Internal 802.11A/B/G/N LAN and Bluetooth Card
Cooling: Stock OEM Thermal Compound, CPU & GPU

i'm dying to order it, but still hesitant.

sorry for the long post.

--

 

Do I need to uninstall Realtek first or just install SRS directly? Also, is SRS a relatively lightweight software or is it going to slow me down and stuff?

 

I'm afraid complete softmodding is impossible since quite long time ago, nowadays nvidia/ATI will laser seal some pipelines etc in consumer cards so that they are not completely the same.

It's possible partially, eg. I've soft modded a desktop 4870 to FirePro card, it's identified as a firepro but some features in 3D applications are still locked like in a consumer card, moreover, it only works for xp.

However, just so that you know, you don't need a workstation card for every type of 3D modeling, I do 3D modeling as well and I use a consumer card fine. It's very specific stuff that may require a workstation card, if you don't know for certain that you will require a workstation card, you probably don't need it.

 

No you don't need to uninstall the realtek driver. It is very lightweight, uses one process and takes around 6 megs of memory. Give it a try, I think it helps a lot.

There is a SRS thread further down in the main Sager forum, report back to that thread to let us know what you think. I was the one who started it and am interested in keeping information in one place so it's easier for people to find.

 

thanks a lot fzhfzh, very helpful
I think i'm pulling the trigger on this one.