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gsferrari's ***SAGER 8790** report

post #1 of 184
3/11/04 at 7:56pm
Thread Starter 
Hello there...

I have just swallowed my fears and financial concerns and ordered my Sager 8790 notebook.

My configuration was created keeping in mind the following points :-

1] My needs
2] My financial situation
3] Performance envelopes and Price Brackets (Bang for the Buck)

For those of you who know me from before and those who've read my Sager 5660 review last year - its probably nothing new that I have never gone for the highest possible configuration...I have instead stayed a few levels below to try and NAIL the best price to performance ratio...almost like the Golden Ratio

the best possible configuration at this point of time would be the 3.4HT northwood with 1GB of RAM (I will not even discuss 2GB at this point of time for reasons of sanity) and a dual 60GB 7200 rpm RAID 0 setup.

I however chose to go the 3.2 Northwood route because I dont think the 3.4 offers a justifiable performance leap over the 3.2 while accounting for an additional $100 - $150 to the price.

I did choose the 1.0 GB of RAM because this is something I need with my Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, DivX and other programs. Also - its cheap enough to consider this option without cringing from Wallet Shock

At the moment I have ordered my notebook with only a single 60GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive because I am going to make a little more $$$ from work and then add in the second drive...or maybe two 80GB 7200 rpm HDD's when they become available

No DVD writer for me...I have an external 4X +/- drive

I chose the 12 Cell Battery because I dont care for the subwoofer/TV Tuner...The Subwoofer has no chance against my Sennheiser/grado headphones and the Tv Tuner is only for those who DO watch TV. I play games...so this was an easy decision for me.

I dont believe in the future of bluetooth technology...So i left out this option as well...

UPS ground shipping cost me another $30.00 which could have gone towards my hardware but no point creating a laptop and leaving it in the store

So the final configuration is :-



Item Description Qty Unit Price Price
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
84 Sager 8790-C Notebook: 8790-C 1 $2268.61 $2268.61
1006 Display: 17" WXGA+ LCD (WideScreen
1440 X 900)
1032 Processor: P4 3.2GHZ Northwood CPU
1009 Video: 256MB ATI Radeon Mobility 9700
(M11)
849 RAM: 1024MB 400DDR Dual Channel
(2-512MB)
842 Main Hard Drive: 60GB 7200RPM
539 Media Drive: 8X DVD/24X10X24 CDRW
Combo Drive
1064 Bay 2 Hard Drive: Bracket for 2nd
hard drive
372 RAID: No
702 Keyboard Layout: USA
1024 TV Tuner/Subwoofer: 12 Cell Li-Ion
Smart battery
372 Floppy Drive: No
1010 Modem: 56K RJ11 Phone Modem
853 Network Card: 10/100/1000 NIC
494 Operating System: No Operating System
1023 Battery: 8 Cell Li-Ion Smart battery
355 Case: Basic Black business case
372 Spare AC Power Adapter: No
372 Car adapter: No
372 Port Replicator: No
372 Spare Battery: No
1041 Wireless Network: Internal 802.11g
TURBO (108Mbps) wireless
372 Bluetooth: No
1028 Card Reader: Internal 7-in-1 Card
Reader
1029 Camera: Integrated Digital Video
Camera
372 Software Bundle: No
372 Office Software: No
356 Warranty: 1 year warranty, lifetime
tech support
372 Repair Transit Coverage: No
372 Export Coverage: No
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal $2268.61




Cant wait for it to get here...sometime next week...I should be done with my mid-terms by then and the banana smashing can begin

oh hell



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post #2 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:02pm
isn't it free shipping with PC Torque?
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post #3 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:08pm
Thread Starter 
This is my first laptop with a HT CPU and I am pretty excited

Yes shipping is free with PC Torque but we had to work a few things out to avoid the Sales Tax in FL...involved shipping it to a few places but it worked out a lot cheaper than the actual sales tax
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post #4 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:09pm
was for me.. ah yeah gotta hate TX... hope u enjoy GS I ordered one to
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post #5 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:16pm
Thread Starter 
the rep at Sager told me that most LCD's have between one and five dead pixels...you either see them and die or dont see them (read - dont try to see them) and be happy

Im not gonna look for them and even if I see them - Im gonna keep the notebook...

Another point is that they did not try to push the M-11 in the Sager 8790. It was clocked VERY conservatively to err on the side of caution. This is encouraging...

Also - the 8790 seems to have separate cooling for the RAM!! This is something I havent noticed with the 5660, 5670 etc. so its cool!!

I will reecive my tracking number sometime tomorrow...the countdown begins...not as excited as I was when I ordered my Sager 5660
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post #6 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:25pm
Well, lucky you, here are some bananas , I wish you good luck with your purchase and hope that everything wirks out alright.

Just one question though, what kind of stuff do you do in 3Ds max? I have been messing around with that program for some time and am having fun with it. Just curious. Thanks.
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post #7 of 184
3/11/04 at 8:48pm
Thread Starter 
Mostly animations for my MEMS devices...3DSMax is the only 3D program with a Coventorware port programmed in...we enter our CAD diagrams and get superb rendered 3D images for our proposals etc. I dont do much else...

thanks for the support and nanner smashing guys
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post #8 of 184
3/11/04 at 9:39pm
No dead pixil free screens?? Thats a major bummer . O well, im probably going to be ordering my 8790 in a few weeks
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post #9 of 184
3/11/04 at 9:47pm
damn, my 4780 cost a hundred more when i got it in december. but it has practically the same specs plus the dvd burner. oh well.
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post #10 of 184
3/11/04 at 10:26pm
Thread Starter 
Sager makes sure that the pixels are away from the center of the screen.

The rep told me that they tried to pay more and buy flawless screens but the demand for these LCD's is so high that the manufacturer told them to take it or leave it...This screen is used by Apple, Toshiba, eMachines and loads of other manufacturers...so whoever bids for the best screens has to be outbid by Sager if we are to get them...and no one outbids apple
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post #11 of 184
3/11/04 at 10:39pm
On the bright side, the eMachines screens are probably worse than Sager's. If anyone could underbid Sager, it'd be them.
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post #12 of 184
3/11/04 at 10:52pm
Hey GS how long do you think you can wait until you open the package this time?

You only got up the stairs and into your room last time.

(that is, if my memory serves me right.)
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post #13 of 184
3/11/04 at 11:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsferrari
... and the banana smashing neednt begin because I have a guarantee on my LCD
gsferrari,

How did you get a guarantee on your LCD? This is the one thing that keeps me from spending $3,000 on a laptop.

Regards,

zakaluka2.
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post #14 of 184
3/11/04 at 11:44pm
I've studied mine very closely. No dead or always on pixels
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post #15 of 184
3/11/04 at 11:59pm
GS,

I'm confused you say that you ordered today and will get tracking number tomorrow and then in another thread you state that you will be "wiring" the money tomorrow.

Then you indicate that you are going to get a unit that has a perfect screen "and the banana smashing neednt begin because I have a guarantee on my LCD"

Then you refute what you said as follows: "Tony at Sager and he told me that THERE ARE NO 17" LCD'S THAT ARE DEAD PIXEL FREE. most of them have between one and 5 dead pixels...you either see them and die or dont see them (read - dont try to see them) and be happy"

Rather odd, if you ask me........
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post #16 of 184
3/12/04 at 12:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcc2k4
Hey GS how long do you think you can wait until you open the package this time?

You only got up the stairs and into your room last time.

(that is, if my memory serves me right.)
LOL...

Actually I am a lot less excited this time round...money means more to me now because I have to work to earn it - so the config is not quite what I would have liked to have...I would have liked 3.4 Ghz and dual 60GB 7200 rpm HDD's in a RAID 0 configuration...but this is also fairly decent - see my justification above

I think i'll make it with the package into my room AND then have enough patience left behind for a quick trip to the toilet before I am compelled to open the package...
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post #17 of 184
3/12/04 at 12:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-Omaha
GS,

I'm confused you say that you ordered today and will get tracking number tomorrow and then in another thread you state that you will be "wiring" the money tomorrow.

Then you indicate that you are going to get a unit that has a perfect screen "and the banana smashing neednt begin because I have a guarantee on my LCD"

Then you refute what you said as follows: "Tony at Sager and he told me that THERE ARE NO 17" LCD'S THAT ARE DEAD PIXEL FREE. most of them have between one and 5 dead pixels...you either see them and die or dont see them (read - dont try to see them) and be happy"

What's going on? Are you off of your meds or are you "sleep serfing" and full of $#!+?

Rather odd, if you ask me........

Now I wonder, Is that gs or bs.....
Being me has certain perks

and its still gs...I send the money tomorrow..should have tracking around the same time as well

No comments on the LCD business...But it looks like it might be in vain because all the LCD's are supposedly flawed with a dead pixel.
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post #18 of 184
3/12/04 at 12:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsferrari
Sager makes sure that the pixels are away from the center of the screen.

The rep told me that they tried to pay more and buy flawless screens but the demand for these LCD's is so high that the manufacturer told them to take it or leave it...This screen is used by Apple, Toshiba, eMachines and loads of other manufacturers...so whoever bids for the best screens has to be outbid by Sager if we are to get them...and no one outbids apple

Just reviewed yesterday (well, it's now early in the morning where I stay and thus I soon have to fall to sleep...) the new Clevo D870P (Sager 8790).

This Notebook is pretty beautiful and looks very stylish. It's very well build and I would also say so far that it is pretty solid. I was impressed by it's keyboard which is really good and much better than I expected. The keyboard was steady didn't bend or flex nowhere and offers a nice typing feeling (much better than those flimsy flexing 5680 keyboards and equally good to the one of the latest 8890).

The display of the 8790 was also better than I expected, there were absolutely no dead or stuck pixels on the one I've reviewed and it looks nice once you get a feeling for it (usually I'am not a big fan of WXGA displays...). -So the screen is actually good for a 17" Display. Well, this Notebook has it's weight too and when you see it first time in reality before you lift it up, you won't think that it's this heavy.

The one I've played with yesterday had a brand new "3.4 Prescott" assembled inside and thus the notebook fans where pretty loud working most of the time. But I believe that with a more downgrade moderate CPU in TDP (one which doesn't get as hot like a P4 Nothwood based one) it will not be that noisy. So far I can't recommend to use this Notebook with an assembled Prescott CPU since it gets too loud (even when in idle mode).

I've just realized one odd thing, it's the rubber protection for the card reader. This protection gets off too easily by accidently coming close to it. Thus it can be lost easily when on the road or when the notebook is carried around. - So people should take care for this little protective thingy.

Verdict:

...all in all a very nice looking, solid build and impressive notebook. I believe many people will love it...if they can live with the noise...

PS. At the europen dealer where I reviewed the 8790, you get for all Clevos a "Zero pixel fault warranty", since that dealer only resells the more expensive Clevo barebones with A-Graded displays. That "Zero pixel fault warranty" is included in the pricing and doesn't cost extra.
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post #19 of 184
3/12/04 at 12:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsferrari
No comments on the LCD business...thats a favour someone is doing for me But it looks like it might be in vain because all the LCD's are supposedly flawed...
I really hope you are joking or this statement isn't true. If I would have known that I would have reconsidered my order. Why would someone buy a machine knowing that there is going to have something wrong with the screen. If they knew this they should have mentioned it to alert everyone. I will be calling them tomorrow to ask this question. Thanks for the info.
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post #20 of 184
3/12/04 at 12:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsferrari
Being me has certain perks

and its still gs...I send the money tomorrow..should have tracking around the same time as well

No comments on the LCD business...thats a favour someone is doing for me But it looks like it might be in vain because all the LCD's are supposedly flawed...
Frankly, I didn't shell out $3,222 so that I can get an intentionally flawed LCD on a high powered laptop. I've seen three reviews so far that indicate no problems. Hope you are totally "all wet on this".
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