Review: Sager NP8660

The Sager NP8660 asserts to be the world's best ever 15.4-inch gaming laptop. It is dependent on the new-fangled Intel Centrino 2 platform and captures a top-of-the-line 512MB NVidia Geforce 9800M-GT graphics accelerator card.


Design

The NP8660 seems solid and business-like. Its framework is practically all black, put aside for a silver trim portion around the margin of the cover and bottom of the laptop. The NP8660 has a customary squared-off intend: there are no visualize design curves on this laptop as there are on typical multimedia consumer laptops. The back of the cover and around the keyboard is enclosed in black brushed aluminum, which both seems and feels of high excellence. There are only 2 places on the NP8660 where lustrous plastic can be spotted: a thin ribbon bordering the keyboard, and a slender trim section going around the far exterior of the indoor lid.


Performance

The NP8660 arrives with no operating system as the bottom of the variant; our adaptation has Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (32-bit edition also incorporated). Windows XP and other adaptations of Windows Vista are also accessible. There is a negligible amount of software pre-installed. This arrangement goes for a shadow over $2,350. The NP8660 begins at $1,742 as of writing.

Items appeal noting in our design are the DDR3 memory and Intel Turbo Memory 2.0. Both approach as an ingredient of the new-fangled Intel Centrino 2 codename "Montevina" platform.
The NP8660 is accessible with 2 diverse resolutions: WSXGA+ (1680x1050) and WUXGA (1920x1200); ours has the previous. The display is lustrous though not exaggeratedly so; the silken finish on this exhibit is not as deep as other glossy displays I have used. Brightness is additional than sufficient and contrast is razor-sharp.

These speakers are in relation to the identical as typical laptop speakers. They have essentially no bass and too much treble. I establish the upper assortment of these speakers to be insensitive. The NP8660 has a solitary large fan that crops air through a colossal vent in the rear of the laptop. At leisure, the fan clamor is chiefly non-existent.

The 8-cell battery power pack afforded about 2 hours of battery life during my testing, with the display at 1/3 brightness and while surfing the Internet. This battery sprint life is lower than a archetypal 15.4-inch gaming laptop, which accomplish around 2 and a half hours with a 6-cell battery.


Overall

The Sager NP8660 is an outstanding high-performance laptop. It is as dominant as the majority of 17-inch gaming laptops, yet sits in a 15.4-inch framework. The build excellence is stupendous. The input devices and display of are excellent quality, and the power pack life is sensible for a laptop with this kind of power. The hallmark of this arrangement is its astral cooling system, which does its trade inaudibly and proficiently.


Pros

+ Top notch performance
+ Brilliant build eminence
+ Concrete input devices
+ High-quality display


Cons

- Keyboard might have additional tactile feedback
- Bulkier than a archetypal 15.4-inch laptop.


Value For Money

Our Rating

Review: Sager NP8660

Our Sager NP8660 has the following specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 (2.53GHz/6MB L2/1066MHz FSB/25W TDP)
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
• 15.4-inch WSXGA+ glossy display
• Intel PM45 + ICH9M chipset
• 4GB DDR3-1066 RAM
• 4GB Intel Turbo Memory 2.0
• Nvidia GeForce 9800M-GT w/ 512MB GDDR3 video memory
• 320GB 7200RPM Seagate SATA II hard drive
• Dual-layer 8X DVD burner
• 7-in-1 memory card reader
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300 + Bluetooth wireless
• 8-cell Li-ion battery

This configuration goes for a shade over $2,350 on PowerNotebooks.com. The NP8660 starts at $1,742 as of writing.

Conclusion

The Sager NP8660 is an excellent high-performance notebook. It is as powerful as most 17-inch gaming notebooks, yet sits in a 15.4-inch chassis. The build quality is outstanding. The input devices and screen of are good quality, and the battery life is reasonable for a notebook with this kind of power. The hallmark of this system is its stellar cooling system, which does its job quietly and efficiently. Users of this notebook will not have to worry about it overheating, because it will not.

It is my pleasure to give the Sager NP8660 my full recommendation for a portable powerhouse and gaming machine.

Pros:

• Top-of-the-line performance
• Excellent build quality
• Solid input devices
• Good screen
• Outstanding cooling system
• Decent battery life
• Input/output port variety

Cons:

• Keyboard could have more tactile feedback
• WSXGA+ screen not quite as clear as those on other 15.4-inch notebooks
• Thicker/heavier than a typical 15.4-inch notebook