Not sure if it makes you feel any better, but I don't think it was robbery as much as pushing the tech edge and resulting crappy design. The heat seems to fry the sensors over time, especially as the dust builds up. I believe Sager is really just purchasing the d900 bodies and possibly motherboards anyway. They have a number of additional issues - a poor keypad/motherboard connector, questionable rubber feet to lift the fans away from underlying soft surfaces that can clog the intakes and a power plug that can be partially plugged in upside down with corresponding circuitry damage. The plug seems to also lack physical reinforcement, relying on the solder connections with the motherboard to keep the port in place when the power plug is inserted, removed or pushed sideways. Other issues? The plastic and brushed metal surfaces wear quickly, resulting in a pretty battered looking machine after a few years.

Another 9860 disaster to add, mine just died for the second time in a year. First it was the power circuit on the motherboard--about a month after the warranty was up and just a few weeks before I deployed so no time to send it to Sager. Luckily I found a great little repair shop here in OKC that found a new power circuit and stuck on (since Sager wouldn't sell them the part--they insisted that I send it in to them). Now a few days ago I got that "windows did not start successfully" message. Can't start in safe mode, can't recover with recovery disc, can't even re-install windows. Being told that it's the hard drive, but I haven't had a professional look at it yet. If it didn't cost me so damn much I'd just toss it and get something new, I'm so frustrated with it right now. I have no doubt that shortly after I fix this something else will go wrong. I never thought I would say this, but I wish I had gotten the Dell XPS instead. I'm not a big Dell fan, but not seeing nearly as many problems over there as I have with the 9860. And I'm drooling over their new 20" XPS. That thing is beautiful.

My 9860 finally bit the dust a few weeks ago. I took the screwdriver to it, and pulled it entirely apart. I'm in the market for a new laptop, but I can tell you this... I'm not buying a clevo/sager clone. Ever again.