OGRE's 4750 REVIEW
PROLOGUE
My search for a laptop began once I had realized how small dorm rooms were and how important portability is to a college student. May of this year I started doing some research and I came across this forum. I soon learned the truth about the lappy world and decided I would settle for nothing less than a top-of-the-line Sager. I initially had my heart set on the 8790, but I wouldn't be able to order for many months so I joined the forums to pass the time. Rumors of a Sager with AMD began circulating about June, and I had always wanted an AMD machine so I followed the news closely. The rumors soon materialized in the form of the Clevo 470K and some resellers in Europe had already shipped a few units. Soon afterwards PC Torque posted the specs of their new model, the 4750. It was everything I wanted and needed without the extras of the 8790 that I didn't want. I was sold.
ORDERING AND SHIPPING
I ordered my 4750 July 26th from PC Torque. The next day I mailed a check to their headquarters (an ice fortress in an underground volcano in Florida). Here's what I ordered:
Sager 4750-V Notebook: $2570.49
Display: 17" WSXGA+ LCD (WideScreen 1680 X 1050)
Color: Standard Factory
Finish (custom color option only): Regular low gloss finish
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3400
Video: 128MB ATI Radeon 9700 (M11)
RAM: 1024MB 400DDR (2-512MB)
Hard Drive: 60GB 7200RPM
Media Drive: 4X DVD+R/-R/RW/CD-RW
Modem: 56K RJ11 Phone Modem
Network Card: 10/100/1000 NIC
Operating System: Windows XP Home (changed to Pro)
TV Tuner: No
Battery: Primary Li-ION battery pack
Case: Targus TSB315 Deluxe Backpack
12V Car Adapter: No
Spare Battery: No
Spare Power Adapter: No
Floppy Drive: No
Port Replicator: No
Wireless Network: Internal 802.11g TURBO (108Mbps) wireless
Bluetooth: No
Card Reader: 4 - in - 1 Card Reader
Camera: Integrated Digital Video Camera
Software Bundle: No
Office Software: No
Warranty: 1 year warranty, lifetime tech support
Repair Transit Coverage: 1 Year Shipping Coverage to Sager (US only)
Export Coverage: No
It took about 4 days for the check to reach them, and then it took 2 days to clear. They emailed me my shipping number and the laptop was scheduled to arrive Monday, August 9th.
Throughout this process PC Torque (especially Tom and Luke) was very helpful, and they answered my few emails very quickly. They also helped me upgrade from XP Home to Pro with a debit card and that was painless.
Monday came and I tried to keep myself occupied but I kept looking outside everytime I heard a big, noisy truck. Finally at around 3 o'clock a UPS truck pulled up to my house, put down a box labeled "Sager: The Portable Power People". He rang the doorbell and left. It irked me that UPS would leave my laptop just sitting on my front porch like that, but at least they got it to me on time.
The packaging was good, the laptop was very well protected. The screen, palm rests, and various ports were covered in protective plastic. The black business case it came with held the power brick, manual, and cd's. It's not a bad case, but I'll be using my Targus pack instead.
I had to wait about two weeks to get my machine, but that was mostly my fault for being cheap. At least I didn't have to go through "phases" for over a month ...
PC Torque:
UPS:
And now ... the 4750 ...
SCREEN
There are no words ...
I've changed underwear three times, filled several buckets with drool (5 gallons wasn't enough), and had to go to the ER because my eyes were bleeding so badly. And yes, no dead pixels!
Nothing I've seen compares to the quality of this screen. WSXGA (1680x1050) is the perfect resolution IMO. Being able to have two full-sized windows open at the same time and still being able to read everything from a comfortable distance is truly amazing. The viewing angles are incredible, I can see it perfectly from anywhere. Great for movies.
I've tried many resolutions, and I don't see the blurry effect that some screens have. Even 800x600 is crisp and clear.
Screen:
KEYBOARD
The keyboard is very solid, no bending, flexing, moaning, or groaning. The keys are very responsive, gaming is a breeze. The layout is somewhat different from regular desktop keboards, but I became accustomed to it quickly. Having the numpad is a big plus for 17" notebooks too. Although I still prefer regular keyboards, this is very nice for a laptop.
Keyboard:
SOUND
The sound really surpised me. It doesn't shake any walls, but the quality is very good. Great for listening to music and gaming when you don't have some good external speakers and a sub.
Sound: 1/2
OVERALL BUILD QUALITY
This laptop is very sturdy. Everything is solid and well designed. The LCD hinge doesn't bend or squeak and isn't difficult to open. The latches work well too. When shut, it doesn't feel flimsy, everything feels tight and secure.
Some were complaining about the port placement, but I think the ports are right were they should be. Having the USB ports on the left side keeps the cable to my mouse (mx510) from bunching up. The DVD burner is also sturdy, it doesn't feel loose when opened like most lappy drives I've seen.
Build quality:
APPEARANCE
This laptop is ... dare I say it? ... sexy. Yeah, if it were a girl ... nevermind.
It looks very sleek and modern, no fancy curves or alien eyes. I can't wait to show it off. I almost wish I had gotten it painted, but then I would worry about it being stolen all the time.
Appearance: 1/2
FAN NOISE AND HEAT
While doing light tasks, the fans rarely come on. This is where Powernow! shines. Right now my 3400+ is running at 833MHz. Once it reaches about 55C the fans come on and within a minute or two the proc is down to 40C. While doing this the fans are quiet, you won't piss off people in the library.
When gaming, I don't even notice the fans. They stay on medium speed most of the time and occasionally kick up a notch for a few seconds. While gaming the proc is around 65C. I don't notice much heat on the keyboard or palm rests, it's always comfortably warm. I never use the touchpad but it gets borderline hot. Not so warm that you can't use it, but I wouldn't want to be without a mouse for extended periods of time.
The hard drive (60G 7200rpm) stays around 54C all the time. As others have reported, it is underneath the left palm rest, but again that stays comfortably warm.
Overall the machine does a good job keeping itself cool and quiet, especially considering the top-of-the-line, power hungry components inside of it.
Fans noise and heat: 1/2
PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS
This machine is blazingly fast. Everything loads very quickly (glad I got the 7200rpm HD) and games run very smooth. I would give it a perfect score but the 9800 is now available and the 5690 still has a slight edge over it in benchmarks. Still, I'd be a fool to complain about the performance. I could go on, but I'll let the numbers speak for themselves. All of these benches were done on the stock drivers and clock speeds unless noted otherwise.
3dmark'01:
12197 472/250 (stock), Sager's drivers
3dmark'03:
3422 472/250 (stock), Sager's
3697 500/365 Omega's
3833 520/275 Omega's
3964 540/285 Omega's
Aquamark3:
28726 (gfx-3438,cpu-8741) 472/250 (stock) Sager's
Performance: 1/2
BATTERY LIFE
After a full charge, setting it to laptop/portable mode, dimming the screen, and doing very light tasks (web surfing, typing) the 4750 lasted 2 hours on battery power. For a desktop replacement notebook, this is fairly amazing. Most Pentium 4 machines (8790, 5690) last around 1:15-1:30 on battery power. However, the 4750 doesn't hold a candle to Dothan machines that can last over 4 hours on a similar 8-cell battery.
Battery Life:
GAMING
I ran the Far Cry demo at medium settings on the stock drivers and everything was smooth. I bought Unreal Tournament 2004 and it runs at the highest settings with no difficulty. I'm goin to be installing Doom 3 soon, and I will update this section with in game FPS measurements.
Gaming:
MISCELLANEOUS
The integrated camera is really nifty. You need to be in a well-lit room, but for it's size and convenience you can't ask for more.
The Targus Sport Deluxe backpack that I ordered with it is excellent. The build quality shows. It holds the 4750 easily and there's room for books and cd's and anything else. Very comfortable to wear and quite sexy too.
The power brick does its job, I mean it's just a power brick.
The Logitech MX510 is probably the best mouse in existence right now. All of the convenient buttons are intuitive and you barely even notice that you're actualling holding a mouse. It's more like an extension of your hand. Great price too, ~$45 for the fastest mouse in the world ain't bad.
I also have the Logitech Z-640 speakers. They're great speakers for the price ($43 from Newegg). The sub is powerful enough to get your heart pumping while gaming. Only problem is I'm having trouble hooking them up to the 4750. I might have to buy an external sound card.
OGRE's OVERALL RATING OF THE 4750:
This machine is everything I had hoped for and more. I highly recommend this notebook to anyone shopping in the DTR category.
I will be updating this review soon and will hopefully have some pics for everyone to drool over.
I'll be happy to answer any questions.
PROLOGUE
My search for a laptop began once I had realized how small dorm rooms were and how important portability is to a college student. May of this year I started doing some research and I came across this forum. I soon learned the truth about the lappy world and decided I would settle for nothing less than a top-of-the-line Sager. I initially had my heart set on the 8790, but I wouldn't be able to order for many months so I joined the forums to pass the time. Rumors of a Sager with AMD began circulating about June, and I had always wanted an AMD machine so I followed the news closely. The rumors soon materialized in the form of the Clevo 470K and some resellers in Europe had already shipped a few units. Soon afterwards PC Torque posted the specs of their new model, the 4750. It was everything I wanted and needed without the extras of the 8790 that I didn't want. I was sold.
ORDERING AND SHIPPING
I ordered my 4750 July 26th from PC Torque. The next day I mailed a check to their headquarters (an ice fortress in an underground volcano in Florida). Here's what I ordered:
Sager 4750-V Notebook: $2570.49
Display: 17" WSXGA+ LCD (WideScreen 1680 X 1050)
Color: Standard Factory
Finish (custom color option only): Regular low gloss finish
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3400
Video: 128MB ATI Radeon 9700 (M11)
RAM: 1024MB 400DDR (2-512MB)
Hard Drive: 60GB 7200RPM
Media Drive: 4X DVD+R/-R/RW/CD-RW
Modem: 56K RJ11 Phone Modem
Network Card: 10/100/1000 NIC
Operating System: Windows XP Home (changed to Pro)
TV Tuner: No
Battery: Primary Li-ION battery pack
Case: Targus TSB315 Deluxe Backpack
12V Car Adapter: No
Spare Battery: No
Spare Power Adapter: No
Floppy Drive: No
Port Replicator: No
Wireless Network: Internal 802.11g TURBO (108Mbps) wireless
Bluetooth: No
Card Reader: 4 - in - 1 Card Reader
Camera: Integrated Digital Video Camera
Software Bundle: No
Office Software: No
Warranty: 1 year warranty, lifetime tech support
Repair Transit Coverage: 1 Year Shipping Coverage to Sager (US only)
Export Coverage: No
It took about 4 days for the check to reach them, and then it took 2 days to clear. They emailed me my shipping number and the laptop was scheduled to arrive Monday, August 9th.
Throughout this process PC Torque (especially Tom and Luke) was very helpful, and they answered my few emails very quickly. They also helped me upgrade from XP Home to Pro with a debit card and that was painless.
Monday came and I tried to keep myself occupied but I kept looking outside everytime I heard a big, noisy truck. Finally at around 3 o'clock a UPS truck pulled up to my house, put down a box labeled "Sager: The Portable Power People". He rang the doorbell and left. It irked me that UPS would leave my laptop just sitting on my front porch like that, but at least they got it to me on time.
The packaging was good, the laptop was very well protected. The screen, palm rests, and various ports were covered in protective plastic. The black business case it came with held the power brick, manual, and cd's. It's not a bad case, but I'll be using my Targus pack instead.
I had to wait about two weeks to get my machine, but that was mostly my fault for being cheap. At least I didn't have to go through "phases" for over a month ...
PC Torque:
UPS:
And now ... the 4750 ...
SCREEN
There are no words ...
I've changed underwear three times, filled several buckets with drool (5 gallons wasn't enough), and had to go to the ER because my eyes were bleeding so badly. And yes, no dead pixels!
Nothing I've seen compares to the quality of this screen. WSXGA (1680x1050) is the perfect resolution IMO. Being able to have two full-sized windows open at the same time and still being able to read everything from a comfortable distance is truly amazing. The viewing angles are incredible, I can see it perfectly from anywhere. Great for movies.
I've tried many resolutions, and I don't see the blurry effect that some screens have. Even 800x600 is crisp and clear.
Screen:
KEYBOARD
The keyboard is very solid, no bending, flexing, moaning, or groaning. The keys are very responsive, gaming is a breeze. The layout is somewhat different from regular desktop keboards, but I became accustomed to it quickly. Having the numpad is a big plus for 17" notebooks too. Although I still prefer regular keyboards, this is very nice for a laptop.
Keyboard:
SOUND
The sound really surpised me. It doesn't shake any walls, but the quality is very good. Great for listening to music and gaming when you don't have some good external speakers and a sub.
Sound:
1/2OVERALL BUILD QUALITY
This laptop is very sturdy. Everything is solid and well designed. The LCD hinge doesn't bend or squeak and isn't difficult to open. The latches work well too. When shut, it doesn't feel flimsy, everything feels tight and secure.
Some were complaining about the port placement, but I think the ports are right were they should be. Having the USB ports on the left side keeps the cable to my mouse (mx510) from bunching up. The DVD burner is also sturdy, it doesn't feel loose when opened like most lappy drives I've seen.
Build quality:
APPEARANCE
This laptop is ... dare I say it? ... sexy. Yeah, if it were a girl ... nevermind.
It looks very sleek and modern, no fancy curves or alien eyes. I can't wait to show it off. I almost wish I had gotten it painted, but then I would worry about it being stolen all the time.
Appearance:
1/2FAN NOISE AND HEAT
While doing light tasks, the fans rarely come on. This is where Powernow! shines. Right now my 3400+ is running at 833MHz. Once it reaches about 55C the fans come on and within a minute or two the proc is down to 40C. While doing this the fans are quiet, you won't piss off people in the library.
When gaming, I don't even notice the fans. They stay on medium speed most of the time and occasionally kick up a notch for a few seconds. While gaming the proc is around 65C. I don't notice much heat on the keyboard or palm rests, it's always comfortably warm. I never use the touchpad but it gets borderline hot. Not so warm that you can't use it, but I wouldn't want to be without a mouse for extended periods of time.
The hard drive (60G 7200rpm) stays around 54C all the time. As others have reported, it is underneath the left palm rest, but again that stays comfortably warm.
Overall the machine does a good job keeping itself cool and quiet, especially considering the top-of-the-line, power hungry components inside of it.
Fans noise and heat:
1/2PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS
This machine is blazingly fast. Everything loads very quickly (glad I got the 7200rpm HD) and games run very smooth. I would give it a perfect score but the 9800 is now available and the 5690 still has a slight edge over it in benchmarks. Still, I'd be a fool to complain about the performance. I could go on, but I'll let the numbers speak for themselves. All of these benches were done on the stock drivers and clock speeds unless noted otherwise.
3dmark'01:
12197 472/250 (stock), Sager's drivers
3dmark'03:
3422 472/250 (stock), Sager's
3697 500/365 Omega's
3833 520/275 Omega's
3964 540/285 Omega's
Aquamark3:
28726 (gfx-3438,cpu-8741) 472/250 (stock) Sager's
Performance:
1/2BATTERY LIFE
After a full charge, setting it to laptop/portable mode, dimming the screen, and doing very light tasks (web surfing, typing) the 4750 lasted 2 hours on battery power. For a desktop replacement notebook, this is fairly amazing. Most Pentium 4 machines (8790, 5690) last around 1:15-1:30 on battery power. However, the 4750 doesn't hold a candle to Dothan machines that can last over 4 hours on a similar 8-cell battery.
Battery Life:
GAMING
I ran the Far Cry demo at medium settings on the stock drivers and everything was smooth. I bought Unreal Tournament 2004 and it runs at the highest settings with no difficulty. I'm goin to be installing Doom 3 soon, and I will update this section with in game FPS measurements.
Gaming:
MISCELLANEOUS
The integrated camera is really nifty. You need to be in a well-lit room, but for it's size and convenience you can't ask for more.
The Targus Sport Deluxe backpack that I ordered with it is excellent. The build quality shows. It holds the 4750 easily and there's room for books and cd's and anything else. Very comfortable to wear and quite sexy too.
The power brick does its job, I mean it's just a power brick.
The Logitech MX510 is probably the best mouse in existence right now. All of the convenient buttons are intuitive and you barely even notice that you're actualling holding a mouse. It's more like an extension of your hand. Great price too, ~$45 for the fastest mouse in the world ain't bad.
I also have the Logitech Z-640 speakers. They're great speakers for the price ($43 from Newegg). The sub is powerful enough to get your heart pumping while gaming. Only problem is I'm having trouble hooking them up to the 4750. I might have to buy an external sound card.
OGRE's OVERALL RATING OF THE 4750:
This machine is everything I had hoped for and more. I highly recommend this notebook to anyone shopping in the DTR category.
I will be updating this review soon and will hopefully have some pics for everyone to drool over.
I'll be happy to answer any questions.
I was about to order this when the 3790 became avalible. There will however be a few features that I will miss that the 4750 has including the awsome 17 inch screen, the athlon 64 processor, and I think the 4750 looks better but I can't be sure cause i have never seen the 3790. THe only thing that turned me off to the 4750 was the battery life, which actually isn't that bad. You made a great decision and I hope i'm as happy with my laptop as you are with yours.
you should try putting AS5 on the CPU and GPU and perhaps trying a bit of OCing a la maya as well as doing some stock temp measurements to see how much it improves. just curious since there have been those reports of overheating/excessive heat on the 4750. 
