Bring Forth The Behemoth!
DragonMech
Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<div class="IPBDescription">Dragon_Mech's New Laptop!</div> <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:red'>WARNING FOR 56Kers: PRESS STOP IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DOWNLOAD THE REVIEW'S PICTURES!</span></span>
Recently I have bought a brand-new laptop, and it is amazing. I purchased it from <a href='http://www.pctorque.com' target='_blank'>PCTorque</a>, and am extremely happy with it.
It is a Sager n5690-V, and here is the little powerhouse's specs:
3.2 GHz P4 with HT
1 Gig 400DDR RAM
Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB VRAM)
60BG 7200 RPM Hard Drive
UXGA (1600x1200) Wide Angle Screen
8X DVD/ 24X10X24 CD-RW Combo Drive
Internal 802.11g TURBO 108MBps wireless network
10/100/1000 MBps Wired Network
WinXP Pro
3 Year Warranty
Total cost with shipping and tax: 2280.11$ (US) (This also includes a free carrying case.)
<b><u><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Ordering and Shipping:</span></u></b>
I ordered my laptop from the PCTorque website on August 12th. I selected UPS ground service, which is their 4-5 day shipping option. With an average 'building time' of 4 days per laptop, I expected it to arrive on the 18th or 19th. Sure enough, after a hectic move from my summer dorm room to the one I use in the fall, I found a white box waiting for me in the mailroom. Naturally I was ecstatic, and pulled out a digital camera I had borrowed and started snapping photos left and right:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/OuterBox.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
As I unpacked my new computer, I was struck by the professionalisim of how well it had been packed. Even though the outer box had obviously taken quite a beating (look at the hole below the 'R' in Sager), the laptop wasn't even scratched. There was a second box on the inside that held the actual laptop, free carrying bag and accessories:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Inner-Box.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Even said accesories had their own specially constructed (and well padded!) box:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/AccessoryPackaging.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
My laptop was also encased in a plastic foam sleeve, a plastic bag to protect it from dust, <i>AND</i> the screen was covered by an adhesive guard:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Laptop-Packaging.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/WrappedUpLaptop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/CoveredScreen.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Peeling away all of these, I realized just how beautiful this machine was. I hadn't even ordered any special colors or high-gloss paint jobs, yet it looked great:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04086/LaptopTop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the front of the laptop is a very nice media controll center which lets me play CDs even when the system is off:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/FrontClose-Up.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the left side of the laptop, you can see the power supply cord, fan vent, and PC card slot:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/LeftSide.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the right you can see my DVD player and floppy drive:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Right.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
The back of my laptop is absolutely loaded with connections and ports:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/BackOfLaptop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the bottom you can see the three fans, as well as the legs that lift the laptop up so said fans can work:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04086/LaptopBottom.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Put my lappy on my desk and you get my 1337 rig!:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/1337Setup.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'><b>PERFORMANCE REVIEW</b></span>
<b><span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>GAMING:</b></span>
I primarily bought this laptop to play games - and it plays them well. Here are my impressions on several games:
<b>Natural-Selection:</b>
It might seem pointless to use a Half-Life mod as a benchmarking tool, yet NS is the game I play the most, so I like to use it to test machines. The results? I can run NS at 1600x1200 in 32-bit color with detail textures enabled without the framerate even <i>flickering</i> below 100 FPS. Using a special command (Develpoer 1) I am able to produce a fake FPS meter that appears to bypass HalfLife's built-in 100 FPS max. In testing, my average FPS was 130, going as high as 175 and dropping as low as 110.
<b>Far Cry Demo 2</b>
I never purchased Far Cry before as my previous laptop was unable to run the game without looking terrible; I was required to run at 800x600 with all settings at low in order to achieve a good draw distance. This laptop is another story entirely. I am able to run the Research Facility demo at 1280x1024x32 with all settings on high at a good 50-60 FPS. When lights are actively rendered - such as when I activate my flashlight - my FPS drops to approxomately 40 FPS, yet is still very playble. The final result: the game looks great and runs well. I plan on buying a copy of Far Cry with my next few paychecks.
***A NOTE TO THE READER***
I have an few extremely interesting screenshots of Far Cry, showing what it looks like on my PC. However these files are HUGE (3.75 MB each!) and my current host only allows 750 KB images. I don't want to reduce the quality of these shots, so if you wouldn't mind sharing some webspace I would appreciate any hosting you could give me - even if only for one image.
<b>Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora's Tomorrow</b>
This game looks amazing. I can easly run it in 1280x1024 resolution, at High detail sttings. This gives me a nice smooth 50-60 FPS. I can even run it in 1600x1200, but the FPS then drops to ~30 FPS and the game becomes difficult to play. When using night or thermal vision modes I can easily run in UXGA resolution without any slowdown.
<b>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</b>
Simply put this game runs on High detail at 1600x1200 resolution while maintaining a buttery smooth 60 FPS. It took the adding of the 3.8 Catalyst drivers, but since there is an online tool to add Cat drivers to mobility chips, that wasn't much of a hurdle.
If anyone has a game or demo they wish me to benchmark, ask away!
<b><span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>OTHER TASKS:</b></span>
<b>Webbrowsing</b>
The n5690 handles the web perfectly. It's probably way too much machine if websurfing is all you intend to do, but it runs FireFox and Internet Explorer like a dream.
<b>Audio</b>
The n5690 has a RealTek AC '97 audio card. This enables it to play music and provide 3D audio very well. The speakers on the 5690 aren't the absolute best; they have some minor distortion when turned up to high levels of volume. This isn't a problem for me as I use an Altec Lansing AHS-502 headset. While wearing this headset I can accurately pinpoint an enemy's loaction through sound alone.
I have only one real problem with the 5690's audio: it has terrible balance. For some reason I have not been able to determine, it plays the left speaker/earpiece much louder than the right one. While this is easily solved by adjusting the balance in the volume control, it still is irritating.
<b>Video</b>
The n5690 easily plays the largest of video without any problems. I don't do any video editing, so I can't determine the 5690's performance one way or another.
One final note: <i>4000 POSTS FTW!</i>
Recently I have bought a brand-new laptop, and it is amazing. I purchased it from <a href='http://www.pctorque.com' target='_blank'>PCTorque</a>, and am extremely happy with it.
It is a Sager n5690-V, and here is the little powerhouse's specs:
3.2 GHz P4 with HT
1 Gig 400DDR RAM
Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB VRAM)
60BG 7200 RPM Hard Drive
UXGA (1600x1200) Wide Angle Screen
8X DVD/ 24X10X24 CD-RW Combo Drive
Internal 802.11g TURBO 108MBps wireless network
10/100/1000 MBps Wired Network
WinXP Pro
3 Year Warranty
Total cost with shipping and tax: 2280.11$ (US) (This also includes a free carrying case.)
<b><u><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Ordering and Shipping:</span></u></b>
I ordered my laptop from the PCTorque website on August 12th. I selected UPS ground service, which is their 4-5 day shipping option. With an average 'building time' of 4 days per laptop, I expected it to arrive on the 18th or 19th. Sure enough, after a hectic move from my summer dorm room to the one I use in the fall, I found a white box waiting for me in the mailroom. Naturally I was ecstatic, and pulled out a digital camera I had borrowed and started snapping photos left and right:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/OuterBox.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
As I unpacked my new computer, I was struck by the professionalisim of how well it had been packed. Even though the outer box had obviously taken quite a beating (look at the hole below the 'R' in Sager), the laptop wasn't even scratched. There was a second box on the inside that held the actual laptop, free carrying bag and accessories:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Inner-Box.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Even said accesories had their own specially constructed (and well padded!) box:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/AccessoryPackaging.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
My laptop was also encased in a plastic foam sleeve, a plastic bag to protect it from dust, <i>AND</i> the screen was covered by an adhesive guard:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Laptop-Packaging.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/WrappedUpLaptop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/CoveredScreen.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Peeling away all of these, I realized just how beautiful this machine was. I hadn't even ordered any special colors or high-gloss paint jobs, yet it looked great:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04086/LaptopTop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the front of the laptop is a very nice media controll center which lets me play CDs even when the system is off:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/FrontClose-Up.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the left side of the laptop, you can see the power supply cord, fan vent, and PC card slot:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/LeftSide.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the right you can see my DVD player and floppy drive:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/Right.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
The back of my laptop is absolutely loaded with connections and ports:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/BackOfLaptop.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
On the bottom you can see the three fans, as well as the legs that lift the laptop up so said fans can work:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04086/LaptopBottom.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Put my lappy on my desk and you get my 1337 rig!:
<img src='http://pics.xs.to/pics/04085/1337Setup.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'><b>PERFORMANCE REVIEW</b></span>
<b><span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>GAMING:</b></span>
I primarily bought this laptop to play games - and it plays them well. Here are my impressions on several games:
<b>Natural-Selection:</b>
It might seem pointless to use a Half-Life mod as a benchmarking tool, yet NS is the game I play the most, so I like to use it to test machines. The results? I can run NS at 1600x1200 in 32-bit color with detail textures enabled without the framerate even <i>flickering</i> below 100 FPS. Using a special command (Develpoer 1) I am able to produce a fake FPS meter that appears to bypass HalfLife's built-in 100 FPS max. In testing, my average FPS was 130, going as high as 175 and dropping as low as 110.
<b>Far Cry Demo 2</b>
I never purchased Far Cry before as my previous laptop was unable to run the game without looking terrible; I was required to run at 800x600 with all settings at low in order to achieve a good draw distance. This laptop is another story entirely. I am able to run the Research Facility demo at 1280x1024x32 with all settings on high at a good 50-60 FPS. When lights are actively rendered - such as when I activate my flashlight - my FPS drops to approxomately 40 FPS, yet is still very playble. The final result: the game looks great and runs well. I plan on buying a copy of Far Cry with my next few paychecks.
***A NOTE TO THE READER***
I have an few extremely interesting screenshots of Far Cry, showing what it looks like on my PC. However these files are HUGE (3.75 MB each!) and my current host only allows 750 KB images. I don't want to reduce the quality of these shots, so if you wouldn't mind sharing some webspace I would appreciate any hosting you could give me - even if only for one image.
<b>Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora's Tomorrow</b>
This game looks amazing. I can easly run it in 1280x1024 resolution, at High detail sttings. This gives me a nice smooth 50-60 FPS. I can even run it in 1600x1200, but the FPS then drops to ~30 FPS and the game becomes difficult to play. When using night or thermal vision modes I can easily run in UXGA resolution without any slowdown.
<b>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</b>
Simply put this game runs on High detail at 1600x1200 resolution while maintaining a buttery smooth 60 FPS. It took the adding of the 3.8 Catalyst drivers, but since there is an online tool to add Cat drivers to mobility chips, that wasn't much of a hurdle.
If anyone has a game or demo they wish me to benchmark, ask away!
<b><span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>OTHER TASKS:</b></span>
<b>Webbrowsing</b>
The n5690 handles the web perfectly. It's probably way too much machine if websurfing is all you intend to do, but it runs FireFox and Internet Explorer like a dream.
<b>Audio</b>
The n5690 has a RealTek AC '97 audio card. This enables it to play music and provide 3D audio very well. The speakers on the 5690 aren't the absolute best; they have some minor distortion when turned up to high levels of volume. This isn't a problem for me as I use an Altec Lansing AHS-502 headset. While wearing this headset I can accurately pinpoint an enemy's loaction through sound alone.
I have only one real problem with the 5690's audio: it has terrible balance. For some reason I have not been able to determine, it plays the left speaker/earpiece much louder than the right one. While this is easily solved by adjusting the balance in the volume control, it still is irritating.
<b>Video</b>
The n5690 easily plays the largest of video without any problems. I don't do any video editing, so I can't determine the 5690's performance one way or another.
One final note: <i>4000 POSTS FTW!</i>
Comments
funny, I wish I were a fish.
Beautiful machine... me wants.... me steal!
Sager machines are packed and shipped from a large installation on mars...of course we lost contact with said base a few weeks ago.
Yeah - thank god they double boxed & padded the hell out of it!
Kudos man.
I think you'll like the pegs being permanently afixed rather than the kind that fold down. Those are much better, and even more comfortable when on the lap.
What kind of wireless nic is built in? And make sure you turn it off when not needed, as those suck the battery dry pretty quick
Mine sits on a cooler with two large extra fans at home, and merrily tries to burn me when I'm away.
Er, course I use mine pretty hard resource % wise.
Utterly unnoticable <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->. The response time on this baby <u>has</u> to be less then 25 milliseconds. I just ran through the demo of Far Cry and I never noticed any ghosting. *Dances*
<!--QuoteBegin-Teh DOOMzor+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Teh DOOMzor)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I think you'll like the pegs being permanently afixed rather than the kind that fold down. Those are much better, and even more comfortable when on the lap.
What kind of wireless nic is built in? And make sure you turn it off when not needed, as those suck the battery dry pretty quick<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah the legs are great. Very comfy.
The wireless card is a GigaByte GN-WIAG miniPCI network card. Since I'm not visiting my parents (Who have a blue LinkS**t router) I keep it off. I never move my laptop out of my room, so why bother?
1 Gig 400DDR RAM
Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB VRAM)
60BG 7200 RPM Hard Drive
UXGA (1600x1200) Wide Angle Screen
8X DVD/ 24X10X24 CD-RW Combo Drive
Internal 802.11g TURBO 108MBps wireless network
10/100/1000 MBps Wired Network
WinXP Pro
3 Year Warranty
Total cost with shipping and tax: 2280.11$ (US) (This also includes a free carrying case.)