Sager NP9370 / Clevo P370EM First Look and Review - WingNut Style! (LOTS OF IMAGES)

Hi ClarkD!

Here are the specs i ordered.

Mobile Chassis: MYTHLOGIC Nyx 3712 Chassis (Clevo P370EM)
Exterior Finish: Rubberized Finish
Mobile Display: 17.3" Full HD (1920x1080) 120Hz Matte LED Backlit LCD, and NVIDIA 3D Glasses Kit
Dead Pixel Guarantee: MYTH Pixel Perfect Guarantee
Monitor Calibration: Free MYTH Professional Monitor Color Calibration
CPU: Intel Core i7-3840QM 2.8GHz, 8M L3 Cache, 22nm, DDR3-1600MHz, Quad-Core Mobile Processor
Thermal Compound: Free IC Diamond Thermal Compound
System Memory: 32GB (4 x 8GB) , PC3-12800, 1600MHz SODIMM
Video Adapter: 2 x NVIDIA GTX 680M 4096MB GDDR5 DX11 Compliant Video Cards
Video Adapter Accessories: Additional AC Adapter (300W) and Power Converter Box Required for CPU+GPU Overclocking
Optical: Notebook Black 6X BD-R/8X DVD+R Blu-Ray Combo Drive
mSATA Solid State Drive: Crucial m4 128GB mSATA Solid State Drive
Hard Drive: 750GB (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) 7200 32MB Cache SATA Momentus XT Hybrid Drive
Hard Drive: 750GB (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) 7200 32MB Cache SATA Momentus XT Hybrid Drive
Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi„ MB2
Keyboard: Standard Backlit Keyboard - NON Chiclet
Network Card: Onboard Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbits/sec) LAN
Wireless Card: KILLER WirelessN 1202
Bluetooth: Integrated Bluetooth 4.0
Operating System: Windows 8 Professional
Extra Battery: Extra Battery (Nyx 3712)
Extra AC Adapter: Extra AC Adapter (Nyx 3712)
MYTHLOGIC Assurance: MYTH Lifetime Assurance with Lifetime Labor + 2 Years Parts Warranty
Accidental coverage and Insurance: Accidental LCD Only coverage - 2 Years

 

Wow, what a machine! Congrats and don't have to much fun with it.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2

 

Is it better to get an mSATA 830 samsung 128GB and 2 750GB ish, or just get 2 x SSDs?

 

I'd say have at least 1 hdd to have storage space. If you're like me, you'd have trouble living with 1TB already so let alone 500 TB.
Edit : Why not like a 256 or 512 ssd + 750 or 1 TB hdd ? I'm not even sure the mSATA has a SATA3 connector.

 

The msata is gen2 but in normal usage you would be hard pressed to tell. It works great for os dutyvso the really spwce hungry you could have 256gb msata + 2x 1tb hdd.

 

Yeah I've actually been thinking of getting a 512 ssd, and NO mSATA, probably will add 1TB HDD later on. I thought all the time that an mSATA SSD is equal to a SSD SATA3, that's why I asked if I should get the mSATA (OS only).

Yeah, it seems the msata is slightly slower than the ssd sata3 diks, and I want to run my system faster, because you really do experience the difference.

 

If you're willing to wait for the hdd you might even get the new >1 TB that Seagate promised for 2013 Seagate reaches 1Tb per square inch, hard drive to reach 60TB capacity | Data-driven - CNET News

 

Yeah in another 5 years. I could use $100 4TB drives today, thanks.

 

Yes if HDDs are going to last much longer they need to either drop seriously in price or go up in capacity by a large amount.

 

Next year is going to see some new sizes.. so you are definitely right on that front, the price... yeah that might be a problem

 

512GB of super fast storage or 4TB of really slow storage.... maybe as a secondary drive, maybe they need to partner up some kits of HDD + Msata combos.

 

Well it'd be better than that once the seagate momentus xt gets adapted to the HAMR.

 

I just want large inexpensive hard drives for my home server. I don't care if it's SSD or HDD, just make it reliable, large and cheap.

 

I just got my laptop in the mail today. I got it with no os or drive. After doing driver updates and such to it from the sager site I can't seem to get it to see an audio card no matter which driver I am install. Anyone had an issue with this system like this? Can't get audio to work for the life of me.

 

Ok. I managed to resolve the issue.

What kind of optical drive dies this system use I want to get an after market Bluray burner. Any specific type of drive?

 

I don't know, and you might have uses for it, but just saying, 6 BD-R are at about 30$ for 150 GB ie 0.20$/GB (plus you have to drive the optical drive), when external hdds are 0.08$/GB, on top of being rewritable and taking less space. Just saying that in case you considered bluray discs as a storage option (as I very shortly did).

 

what version of windows did you install, 7 or 8? windows update didn't find a driver on its own? only issue i had was microphone didn't work with the driver windows update installed, but manually installing the realtek driver resolved it. this audio driver from sager website is the actual realtek driver and should work.

12.7mm optical drive is the only requirement. ( source, listed in storage section)

 

Thanks! I had a bad windiws install that caused that glitch. Rebuilt it. Isolated the drivers. It's working now. So I. Been looking at vbios files for this 680 m. I have flashed the card with a 80.04.33.00.10 vbios. Anyone run any good clock speeds with this vbios? Currently just with an 800 gpu clock and 1800 MHz mem clock fur mark hits about 90 c at load. This seems way to high. I ordered some ic diamond compound to redo the 680 gpu with. Anyone redone thier thermal paste on the gpu? Pretty simple? First time owning thing kind of laptop.

 

Allright, Ive decided 256GB mSATA + 512 SSD + 1TB HDD

 

After a week and a half at stage 3, my machine is currently at stage 5 (being built)!! Getting very excited to see what the guys at Mythlogic can do!!

 

After working out my issues. I love this system. I only have one 680m. With a 3740qm and 16gn of DDR 3 corsair vengence mem. So far this card over clocks so easy it's nuts. Loaded the moded vbios and currently pushing it up bit by bit. 900mhz gpu 2325 gpu mem clock. While gaming I'm at about 85 c. Or so. Sometimes lower. It crushes any game I throw at it. I can't imagine sli. I'm still enjoying the overclocking it.

 

stubakka,
Did you get the 8GB Corsair DIMMs? or 4GB?
I may try svl7's vBIOS. Scared though.
Glad you're enjoying your Clevo. Me too, but unfortunately not gaming, but working with getting several servers deployed. VMware Workstation is an awesome tool for development.
By the way, NewEgg had the 512GB Crucial M4 7mm for $335 yesterday. Missed it.

 

SVL7's vbios have already been used by lots of people.

What a deal on a 512GB SSD though, wish we had them that good in the UK

 

I got 8X2 = 16GB of Corsair Vengence 1600 MHZ ram, So right now running Hitman Absolution at 1080P settings maxxed out my Core mhz is 915 and Memclock is 2325 mhz, how high have you others got your overlcocks with stock paste? i have some IC Diamond coming that im going to redo the heatsink with but just curious what i should be shooting for with my overclock, the highest iv seen it get during a game is like 84c. I love gaming on this system, it is just so solid.

 

90c is where the gpu will automatically throttle. You are close to the limit of a stock setup.

 

Meaning if I redo it with an application of ic diamond ill get better results I assume? I also got my system witch a intel 3740qm which should be overclockAble. But haven't messed with it yet.

 

You should definitely get better temps with an application of ICD paste. Stuff works great.

 

Thanks stubakka and Meaker.

I may get this: (+ $10 off w/ promo code EMCJHJB36, ends 12/23):
G.SKILL 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800 CL10) Model F3-1600C10D-16GSQ:
Link: Newegg.com - G.SKILL 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model F3-1600C10D-16GSQ

Big Holiday Sale on Steam right now.

 

i have a major problem..
when i reapplied thermal paste to my gpu today on the np9370 the 3rd heatsink screw broke off inside the thread!

I'm currently running my system on 3 gpu heatsink screws, and thank god my temperatures are still extremely good under load (better than before).

Any thoughts and suggestion on this problem will be greatly appreciated.

Does anyone know about those posts the screws actually screw into? Are they apart of the graphics card? Can they be changed?

 

Whew, now you got me worried, I am waiting for my IC diamond Compound to arrive in like a Day and wanted to REpaste my GPU also, was it pretty striaght forward to remove this GPU , any scary moments? ANyone have video or pics of this process? Timelord, You may be able to get a dremmle tool and see if you can lightly drill into the screw, gently, and then screw in a smaller screen into the base of that screen kind of like a Wine Cork, then use neddle nose to slowly and gently remove the stripped one and replace it. I have never done anything like that on a delicate piece of equipment but the premiss has been used in many home repairs. Also use a Magnet or some kind of magnitized tips tool to collect the metal shavings if you choose to go this way. In principle it may work great, or horrible wrong lol

 

Yeah, I honestly wouldn't worry too much in your case. I just got new tools to fit all the different screws better and prevent stripping them and they allowed me to overtighten easily. Those screws are not very strong but you don't need to crank them, when they stop turning easily you are finished - don't do what I did, it won't help to get them as tight as possible.

Like I said, even though I'm running only 3 screws for the GPU heatsink my temps are way down. For the first time since getting my laptop I'm seeing max temps below 70*C on GPU2 which is usually hotter. I've seen 92*C without any overclocking before and now I'm doing just fine. I really recommend the re-pasting. I ordered the upgraded ICD paste bu the factory job was not good at all, as most will report.

I've no experience with pasting before so I ended up reapplying 4 times since I got the computer and this time would've been right on the money if I didn't break the screw. I really thought my computer was gonna be out of commission until the new year but my wife convinced me to chill out and put it together as is and see.

 

That's sad to hear TimeLord. If you overtightened to the point of the screw breaking off, it's likely the other three are tight enough to form a pretty good seal which is why you're still seeing improved temps. Definitely don't need to really torque these things, as long as you do that the application is pretty straightforward with a little bit of practice.

 

I applied the icdiamond today. Haven't had a chance to see difference in temps yet. Did you just redo the CPU or the mem also? I see that the mem chips have thermal pads on them. Also what over clock speeds have any of you gotten ? Currently I'm running 900mhz gpu. 2300mhz ram. No issues. Now with the icdiamond I'm going to see how much further I can get.

 

So rough estimate are that my temps are down by 6-8 c. Just from repasting. I am going to push the card a little further and see where I get. Not that any game I play at the moment even needs it however.

 

No point on RAM chips. Heat is usually not an issue with them even when overclocked. Not only that but you'd need a thermal glue instead of a thermal removable paste because the spreaders wouldn't stick. Heat spreaders a bit overkill for RAM imho. IC Diamond likely will only help with temps but not with OC. Unless your temps were insanely high (i.e. 90C+) with regular gaming/benching, then the IC Diamond won't help much with overclocking.

 

anyone have a picture of internal with only 1 gpu installed?
also anyone have this laptop with single 7970?
foil mod is needed for this laptop?

 

whats the max sli oc at stock volts and overvolts please let us know?

 

depends on the card

the overvolt vBIOS' have no limit, only your particular card does, until it either breaks down, shuts down, reaches peak temp or just gets artifacts

 

I think he more meant for this system for over volting since it's entirely temperature limited when you reach 1100mhz core clocks.

 

There you go: http://pctuning.tyden.cz/ilustrace3/Sulc/goldmax_scorpius/spodek_velky.jpg

I have single 7970M. I havent done anything with cooling so far and i didnt saw higher temps than 75°C as far as i recall....

 

It's funny how sparse the PCB routing is around that socket, shows you how tight they can pack the motherboard components these days.

You could try ducting that 3rd fan but without the stress of the second card on the heatsink system it should not be needed.

 

Looks like everybody have 680.Anyone with dual 7970? I would love to see review 7970xfire.
In my region I can get dual 7970 for same price as single 680.

 

I wonder how GTA IV would run on that config.

 

Awesome review and very in depth. I already ordered the NP9370 and waiting for it to arrive. Just wanted to say fantastic review. Thank you

 

About as good as it can on a computer really

 

Hello, first time poster here! Absolutely the best review I have ever seen on a laptop. So thorough!

That said, I'm little concerned about the keyboard ghosting issue. I don't entirely understand how ghosting works. I believe it has to do with multiple keys being pressed at the same time, and due to the mapping and coordinates of the keyboard, the computer has trouble interpreting the keypress data and does not register certain key presses.

Not sure if that's a correct understanding, but in any case, I was curious if any owners of the Sager NP9370-3D (I think the non-3D version has the same keyboard) experienced problems with ghosting?

I think I'm either going to buy a 3D Sager or a 3D Alienware M17X. Granted, I'm not sure if the M17x has an emitter for its 3D screen, but I know they offer a 120hz version. The two things I care the most about are the 3D screen quality and then performance. If the Alienware has the same capabilities/upgradeability and 3D screen as the Sager but with a better keyboard, I may go with the M17x instead.

What do you guys think? Hopefully some of you have owned the Sager NP9370 for a couple months now and can give some more feedback?

Thanks!

 

You have it right Tchay777, and welcome to NBR!

See here for more details on ghosting, and try the keyboard check at top of the page: Microsoft Applied Sciences Group

On the Sager models W+E won't allow Z,X,C or Space to be used simultaneously.

 

Excellent review HTWingNut. Could you run ArmA II at good frame rates with FRAPS video recording at the same time?

 

I no longer have the 9370 in my possession. It was a review sample loaned to me by LPC-Digital. I believe ArmA II is limited to 60fps anyhow.

 

Thanks for the reply. Does anyone have experience with playing ArmA II and recording video with Fraps?