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AX20 (aka Sager NP5960) Review

post #1 of 29
1/13/07 at 6:34am
Thread Starter 
Hey fellow notebook people! I could only uploaded pics right now but will have too finish this review at a later time due to work and school kicking my @#$

Aviator AX20
# Non-Operating System Setup (Blank HD). Only Testing and Burn-in - Qty: 1
# Integrated V.92 56K Fax/Data Modem - Qty: 1
# Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Controller - Qty: 1
# Internal 802.11G 54Mbps Wireless Mini PCI Network Adapter - Qty: 1
# 1 Year Platinum Warranty with 24/7 Toll-Free Tech Support - Qty: 1
# 100GB 7200rpm Serial-ATA Hard Drive with NCQ & 8MB Cache - Qty: 2
# (No Disaster Recovery DVD) - Qty: 1
# 8X DVD ± R/W Drive Dual Layer w/ DVD Recording Software - Qty: 1
# NVIDIA® nForce4 SLI™ (CK804) Chipset Mobile Motherboard - Qty: 1
# Built-in Serial-ATA I/II Controller - Qty: 1
# Built-in 4-Speaker AC'97 3D Sound System with SRS WOW - Qty: 1
# 1024MB PC5300 DDR2-667 SODIMM - Qty: 2
# Aviator AX20: State of the Art SLI Dual Graphics Notebook with 20" Display - Qty: 1
# 20" WSXGA+ 1680x1050 VividView™ Display w/ Super Clear Glossy Surface - Qty: 1
# DUAL Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX PCI-Express 512MB in SLI - Qty: 1
# Internal Bluetooth™ Module for AX20 - Qty: 1
# Aviator AX20 in Silver with Graphite Accents - Qty: 1
# AMD Turion™ 64 X2 TL-56 Dual Core Processor - Qty: 1


If you have any questions about the notebook, feel free to ask. I'll be glad to help.


Came packaged very well.



















I was really surprise to see a detailed manual, as my old Dell and Gateway both came with notta. The manual is very good and tells you everything about the computer.





On the display is the start up screen for the driver disk. Sager by far has got to have the easiest setup to put on the drivers. Drivers are order 1-9. Just click them one after another and they install perfectly.









Five fans.







Distance shot.







Closer shot.







With flash.







With flash.







Non flash.



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post #2 of 29
1/15/07 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jascias
If you have any questions about the notebook, feel free to ask. I'll be glad to help.
Benchmarks? Heh I know your busy but just a quick reply what do ya think? I wanna get it for the monitor so if you think its worth the money i'll definetly pick it up. Lemme know what you think... when you got time
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post #3 of 29
1/16/07 at 5:32pm
Jascias:
Awesome pictures, that is one seriously beautiful LCD screen. I've heard people say great things about the LCD on the clevo M590K and KE series, but those pictures just prove it...
Enjoy the monster!
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post #4 of 29
1/23/07 at 11:00pm
haha they use the same weird numeric keypad arrangement where the decimal is above the number 7.
Those speakers look like their the harmond karmon ones that the toshiba qosimo's have.
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post #5 of 29
1/25/07 at 10:48am
Jascias,

What version of video drivers are you using? and have you had a chance to get any benchmark numbers yet? (I think my new one is actually a little slower than my original one by about 5% in all the benchmarks i run)
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post #6 of 29
1/25/07 at 12:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoramac
Jascias, What version of video drivers are you using? and have you had a chance to get any benchmark numbers yet? (I think my new one is actually a little slower than my original one by about 5% in all the benchmarks i run)
Hey Zoramac I run nVIDIA ForceWare 97.92 for Windows XP/2K. http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/...howtopic=12366 I havn't had a chance to run benchmarks but in real world performance I can see a big difference in games like fear, compared to the drivers that came with the notebook. Good driver, but the new nVidia control panel sucks big time compared to the old one.
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post #7 of 29
1/29/07 at 8:20pm
Hey Jascias,
I thought that I would ask a few questions regarding the ax20 since you now have one in your possession, hopefully you don't mind me asking and you've had time to find out what the system is like. I bought one a few days ago with similar components and await its arrival. However, quite frankly, I'm a bit nervous.

First, how loud is the thing? With the five fans how loud does it get with normal usage, and with graphic intensive applications?

Secondly, have you dabbled with raid with your machine? If so, how has that worked for you?

Lastly, how do you like the tl-56 processor? Is it a noticeable change from your last system?

Thanks, and enjoy!
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post #8 of 29
1/30/07 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonQuePaso
Hey Jascias, I thought that I would ask a few questions regarding the ax20 since you now have one in your possession, hopefully you don't mind me asking and you've had time to find out what the system is like. I bought one a few days ago with similar components and await its arrival. However, quite frankly, I'm a bit nervous. First, how loud is the thing? With the five fans how loud does it get with normal usage, and with graphic intensive applications? Secondly, have you dabbled with raid with your machine? If so, how has that worked for you? Lastly, how do you like the tl-56 processor? Is it a noticeable change from your last system? Thanks, and enjoy!
Hi, No need to be nervous, the system is a joy. My pentium 4 with just 3 fans drove me nuts with how loud they were. I can't stand loud fans, and was also worried about this beast being to loud, but to my surprise it turn out to be more quiet then I thought it would be. Very very quiet. As of raid: I chose to not go with raid as I like just the 2 hard drive option. Sorry, wish I could be more help there. The last system was a sager 5950 with a Turion 64 ML-44 which runs at 2.4 ghz. The TL-56 runs at 1.8 ghz but is dual core. So in single tasks the ML-44 runs somewhat faster then the TL-56, but lets say your playing a game and your anti-virus starts running in the background doing a system check. Then the ML-44 system would slow up significantly, while the TL-56 runs smooth. I can also Alt\\Tab with ease, which I could not do as well with the ML-44. In real world peformance they both run over my old pentium 4, so just in that case, I am happy.
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post #9 of 29
1/30/07 at 2:11pm
Fantastic! I feel more at ease. Noise has always been one of my peeves so I try to find ways to minimize it. I'm also relieved that the processor is substantial enough to avoid any slow downs. I currently have a 17" Dell i9300 that has been upgraded as far as it can go: 7800gtx, 2gigs of RAM, 80gb 7200rpm HD, and the Pentium M 780 (2.26ghz) processor. As I've been researching the 5960 I've discovered that the 780 does as well or better than the AMD Turion chips in half of all regular applications. That doesn't worry me too much given that some apps are just geared towards single core processors, but I don't want to spend 3 g's for a downgrade.

Well, that's my two cents- and again, thanks for the pics and the responses.
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post #10 of 29
2/9/07 at 4:45pm
Hey, GREAT PICs!. So I've been looking for a new Powerhouse laptop so hard my eyes have gone crosseyed.... then I saw the AX20 and they righted themsleves straight away. I've now talked with a sales rep and I think my Order for the AX20 will be placed today.

Here is the setup I think I'm gonna go with:

Aviator AX20: State of the Art SLI Dual Graphics Notebook with 20" Display / 1
Aviator AX20 in Silver with Graphite Accents / 1
(No Keyboard Selected) / 1
(No Mouse Selected) / 1
AMD Turion™ 64 X2 TL-60 Dual Core Processor / 1
NVIDIA® nForce4 SLI™ (CK804) Chipset Mobile Motherboard / 1
1024MB Mushkin PC5300 DDR2-667 SODIMM - Low Latency (5-5-5-15) / 1
1024MB Mushkin PC5300 DDR2-667 SODIMM - Low Latency (5-5-5-15) / 1
DUAL Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX PCI-Express 512MB in SLI / 1
(No Digital Video Adapter) / 1
Built-in TV Tuner with Remote Control for AX9/AX20 / 1
Built-in Serial-ATA I/II Controller / 1
RAID (0) Striped Drive Configuration - Best Performance / 1
100GB 7200rpm Serial-ATA Hard Drive with NCQ & 8MB Cache / 1
100GB 7200rpm Serial-ATA Hard Drive with NCQ & 8MB Cache / 1
8X DVD ± R/W Drive Dual Layer w/ DVD Recording Software / 1
(No Additional Battery Pack) / 1
20" WSXGA+ 1680x1050 VividView™ Display w/ Super Clear Glossy Surface / 1
Built-in 4-Speaker AC'97 3D Sound System with SRS WOW / 1
(No Speakers Selected) / 1
Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Controller / 1
Internal 802.11G 54Mbps Wireless Mini PCI Network Adapter / 1
Internal Bluetooth™ Module for AX20 / 1
Integrated V.92 56K Fax/Data Modem / 1
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium / 1
Custom Hypersonic Disaster Recovery DVD (Recommended) / 1
Deluxe Canvas Backpack for 19"/20" Laptops / 1
(No Accidental Damage Protection) / 1
1 Year Platinum Warranty with 24/7 Toll-Free Tech Support / 1

I'm gonna use this bad boy for some heavy video editing and possibly upgrade to the dual quadros in the future for some Maya and 3D CAD goodness. Oh yeah and who could forget the games?

I really would like to know more of your opinions of this machine since you have had it for almost a month.
Have you run benches yet? I need more info cause I'm on the EDGE of my seat here!!
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post #11 of 29
2/12/07 at 3:15pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Perthos, I'll try to make this quick, cause I am in class.

3D Mark 05 = 10,400 (out of the box 9,450)
3D Mark 06 = 6,400

Love the screen, and you get use to it. Ill never go back to a 17 inch wide screen after this, it would just be to small to me. Touch pad gets in the way, but you can disable it with FN + F1. You can also turn on max fans with FN + 1. (But you can tell they really engineered this notebook really well, because it is always quiet.) Gotto go, teacher is looking at me crazy.
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post #12 of 29
2/16/07 at 7:56pm
WooHoo!!! I just placed the order for the AX20 today. I made the gamble to install with vista. I know SLI doesnt work just yet but hopefully by the time I get the beast, Nvidia will have that issue resolved. I'll get back with my own impressions of the system once it arrives
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post #13 of 29
2/21/07 at 4:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perthos
WooHoo!!! I just placed the order for the AX20 today. I made the gamble to install with vista. I know SLI doesnt work just yet but hopefully by the time I get the beast, Nvidia will have that issue resolved. I'll get back with my own impressions of the system once it arrives
Very nice! I've placed my order way back in January 12th I believe. And its still not shipped. Nice 5-7 business days huh? This was the latest update from Hypersonic last week (the 16th) >At the moment all the AX20's are being retrofitted with new motherboards. >These new revision motherboards are capable of utilizing up to 4GB of memory >within Windows Vista x64 Operating Systems. Once this is done, your system >will be tested and will ship. >We believe this to be at some point next week. Well, all I can say is be prepared for delays and best of luck to you.
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post #14 of 29
2/21/07 at 1:49pm
Holy Crap!... now thats something I don't want to hear... well at least we are getting the lastest vers. Mother boards = /

Funny thing, before I placed my order, I asked if there was any issues with the AX20 that might delay shipment, and they said no. Maybe that means they are done with the upgrades... oh well... I'm more worried about my courageous decision to go with Vista Preinstalled... I know there are gonna be some issues there... I did ask about a dual boot installation though, and I might take that route.
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post #15 of 29
2/22/07 at 12:39pm
Well Gentlemen, I have an update regarding this particular model that you might find interesting. I just received my Sager 5960 (Hypersonic AX20) yesterday after having waited for a month after the initial order. The shipments of all Clevo 590KE's was severely delayed due to problems with the motherboards and SLI configuration with Windows Vista- (this is what I was told anyway). I also believe that there were problems with other components.

I ordered the barebones system so that I could install the processor, memory, HD's etc mysef. This has saved me between $500-1000 overall and only requires that one have a screwdriver and some patience. Unfortunately for me, the computer did not come with the WLAN card that was promised and seems to generate more heat than I like. This is due to location of the processor, memory, and video card. They are all placed right next to eachother...hmmmm. While the left side of the computer stays cool the right side heats up quickly. Thankfully, the heat is not overpowering and I don't fear that the system will suffer any damage, but I will try and find out if I can cool the thing off a bit some other way.

Good luck with your systems, and enjoy the beautiful screen.

el Don
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post #16 of 29
2/22/07 at 1:59pm
Don,

Yeah I thought this thing might pack some heat. Considering the hardware in this baby, this was to be expected. However I also am a Fan (lol) of keeping things cool, so I wonder if they make 20'' laptop coolers? Also, since SLI seems to not be working in Vista... yet... , it goes to follow this thing will heat up even more once the new drivers come out. Have you checked out how hot your processor is getting yet?

Overall how are you liking your new system? was it worth the wait?
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post #17 of 29
2/24/07 at 11:24am
Perthos
if you didnt see the link on the amdmb forum, here is the cooling pad i made for my 5960 http://www.notebookforums.com/thread185267.html
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post #18 of 29
2/24/07 at 12:54pm
Hey Perthos,
I have looked at some cooling pads and the heat generated by the computer. All-in-all the computer does not get that hot. In fact, since I ordered a barebones system that allowed me to choose my own components I was able to put some high density AS5 compound on both the processor and the GPU, which appears to be keeping everything sufficiently cool. However, I have noticed two key problems. The heatsink assembly for the processor has two fans and a strange looking copper heatsink that attaches directly to the heatpipes. This copper portion that actually touches the processor heat transfer is not well designed. In it there are two notches that indicate where the processor should be, but they are turned 90 degrees. This means that there are two substantial gaps between the processor and the heatsink, which must be filled to allow for more efficient heat transfer. With that said, when the processor has been on for an hour or so it begins idling between 55-58c. I don't believe that this is normal. I've never had a processor idle at such high temps. It makes me a little nervous and I wil probably have to find some other way- other than notebook coolers- to keep it cool.

Let me know if your processor runs that hot and how everything else goes.

el Don (it's a nickname, not my real name)
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post #19 of 29
3/9/07 at 1:08am
Hey there fellas!,

Thought you would all like to know my AX20 (NP5960) arrives tomorrow! I'm so stoked, I can hardly contain myself

I'll be sure to give you my initial impressions soon
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post #20 of 29
3/10/07 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perthos
Hey there fellas!, Thought you would all like to know my AX20 (NP5960) arrives tomorrow! I'm so stoked, I can hardly contain myself I'll be sure to give you my initial impressions soon
Good to hear. Congrats Perthos
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