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NP9380-S Questions (new buyer)


dbocanegra

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I have an ASUS G53 before this bought in 2011 so this is a huge upgrade.

I'm super excited I placed my order with 780M SLI and 24GB of ram, only thing I didn't upgrade was the processor I took the 4700mq we'll see how that plays out.

As it says in title, I just purchased this item and wanted to know a few things:

1) If any other users have experience with the Sounds system on it?

2) Average weight of this pup for those who have SLI

3) What kind of bag will this monster fit into?

Thanks!

-Dylan

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Hey I have the NP9380 non-3D version (actually bought from Mythlogic but same idea) and I can answer the first 2 questions

1. The sound system may take some getting used to at first. When I first used my laptop I could've sworn I got stuck with faulty speakers, since there seemed to be a bit of echo, and the sound seemed louder from the right, especially at certain frequencies. Then after a good chat with the support guys I realized the subwoofer is on the right side and points down, which explains why the "unbalance" is more noticeable at certain frequencies. Does take a bit getting used to but you could always adjust the balance towards the left speaker to counter this a bit. I find setting right speaker to 85-90% loudness of the left helps.

Also, the laptop comes with the X-Fi MB3 software from Sound Blaster -- USE IT! Whatever you do, make sure you set the profile to "Built in speakers" instead of "surround", otherwise the sound becomes muffled, at least in my experience. It may also be worthwhile to play around with the different SBX Pro Studio settings within the software to see what your ears like best.

2. With the 780M SLI the laptop feels like it's about 10 pounds in weight. Honestly though since the weight is pretty evenly spread out you don't really notice it. If anything it's the sheer bulk that would cause more inconvenience.

3. I'm kind of interested in getting an answer to this question as well. Let's see if anyone has any recommendation.

Also, I don't know how much the ram upgrade cost you, but 16GB should be more than enough for 99% of the games on the market today. For your money I would've recommended an upgrade to the 4800MQ processor since AnandTech has shown that certain games do get bottlenecked by the 4700MQ (SC2, Skyrim to name two)

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I suppose you could certainly try overclocking the 4700MQ, but you won't be able to OC it by much, at least not without messing with the voltages. Check out some of the discussions they have over at Notebookreview regarding 4700 vs 4800, I think you'll find them helpful.

My personal opinion: if you're not absolutely strapped for cash and can afford the extra $150-200, definitely get the 4800, you won't regret it.

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Hi guys, I'm a recent 9380-S buyer as well, and spent some time shopping for a bag. I have yet to buy one, but I can at least offer the information that I've found.

First, if you're looking for a laptop sleeve, I bought this one: Tucano 18" Neoprene . It fits the 9380 pretty snugly, with a little give to it. It's a nice fit that offers some protection if you're looking for extra (I've encountered laptop bags with less-than-ideal surfaces in the laptop compartment before). I've found it's best to look for equipment made to accommodate 18" laptops. Most of the "larger" 17" bags seem to cap out at a size that holds an Asus G75, which, while big, is a bit more compact than the 9380-S.

I've heard that the Targus XL bag will fit the 9380, but I have my doubts (I've seen conflicting reports on the dimensions of the laptop compartment), and it doesn't seem like the best bag to begin with. My personal choice for the bag is the Everki Titan . The cheapest price I've seen is about 166 through newegg (link posted). This bag will definitely accommodate the 9380. (For reference, the dimensions I've found for the 9380-s are: 16.50" x 11.54" x 1.96"). I've heard that the Everki Beacon is another good choice (and it's a bit cheaper than the Titan). However, the Beacon advertises a width of 1.38", which is smaller than the 9380-s. It could be made up for by the additional room of the length and height, but I have my doubts. Slappa offers some bags that advertise holding an 18" laptop, but I can't seem to track down reliable info on the dimensions of the laptop compartment. I'll post as I find more information. At the moment, the plan is to purchase an Everki Titan in a few weeks. If so, I'll report back here how it works.

TLDR; The Everki Beacon may work, and is a solid "runner-up", same goes for the Targus XL, if budget is a huge concern. The best option I've found is the Everki Titan, which will definitely fit and protect, but is pricey. The way I see it, with what we've spent on our laptops, it's worth spending an extra 50-100 to protect our investment. No sense cutting corners.

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Hi guys, I'm a recent 9380-S buyer as well, and spent some time shopping for a bag. I have yet to buy one, but I can at least offer the information that I've found.

First, if you're looking for a laptop sleeve, I bought this one: Tucano 18" Neoprene . It fits the 9380 pretty snugly, with a little give to it. It's a nice fit that offers some protection if you're looking for extra (I've encountered laptop bags with less-than-ideal surfaces in the laptop compartment before). I've found it's best to look for equipment made to accommodate 18" laptops. Most of the "larger" 17" bags seem to cap out at a size that holds an Asus G75, which, while big, is a bit more compact than the 9380-S.

I've heard that the Targus XL bag will fit the 9380, but I have my doubts (I've seen conflicting reports on the dimensions of the laptop compartment), and it doesn't seem like the best bag to begin with. My personal choice for the bag is the Everki Titan . The cheapest price I've seen is about 166 through newegg (link posted). This bag will definitely accommodate the 9380. (For reference, the dimensions I've found for the 9380-s are: 16.50" x 11.54" x 1.96"). I've heard that the Everki Beacon is another good choice (and it's a bit cheaper than the Titan). However, the Beacon advertises a width of 1.38", which is smaller than the 9380-s. It could be made up for by the additional room of the length and height, but I have my doubts. Slappa offers some bags that advertise holding an 18" laptop, but I can't seem to track down reliable info on the dimensions of the laptop compartment. I'll post as I find more information. At the moment, the plan is to purchase an Everki Titan in a few weeks. If so, I'll report back here how it works.

TLDR; The Everki Beacon may work, and is a solid "runner-up", same goes for the Targus XL, if budget is a huge concern. The best option I've found is the Everki Titan, which will definitely fit and protect, but is pricey. The way I see it, with what we've spent on our laptops, it's worth spending an extra 50-100 to protect our investment. No sense cutting corners.

The bag you bought though is $25 right? Or is that just the sleeve? Thanks again for the post this is helping tons!

I suppose you could certainly try overclocking the 4700MQ, but you won't be able to OC it by much, at least not without messing with the voltages. Check out some of the discussions they have over at Notebookreview regarding 4700 vs 4800, I think you'll find them helpful.

My personal opinion: if you're not absolutely strapped for cash and can afford the extra $150-200, definitely get the 4800, you won't regret it.

I'm sure I won't, however I also have SLI and I've heard from others once you have SLI running the difference between the 4700 and 4800 is not comparable at all.

I'm using this primarily for work 75% and gaming 25% plus the games i play are mainly CSGO and TF2 which the laptop is overkill for, I'm hoping the SLI will help max out skyrim with some of the mods going as well.

Time will tell!

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I got my 9380-S with SLI in late August. Apart from having to send it back to Reflex Notebook because of an issue with one of the GPU's, I've been very happy with it.

The bag I'm using is a backpack that fits an 18" laptop, since I used it on my M980NU.

I've also been getting a flickering issue that's been discussed and solved in another thread though. It's pretty much what led me to these forums.

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I'm sure I won't, however I also have SLI and I've heard from others once you have SLI running the difference between the 4700 and 4800 is not comparable at all.

I'm using this primarily for work 75% and gaming 25% plus the games i play are mainly CSGO and TF2 which the laptop is overkill for, I'm hoping the SLI will help max out skyrim with some of the mods going as well.

Time will tell!

Funnily enough Skyrim was one of the few games that actually was CPU bound, at least according to AnandTech's tests (AnandTech | Mythlogic Pollux 1613 / Clevo P157SM Review)

That being said it still runs close to 60 FPS so if you're not terribly picky about framerates I doubt you'll notice a huge difference. What I can tell you about 780M SLI is that you should aim to get your FPS above 45, because anything below that and it doesn't run as smooth. It's far from a lagfest, but it loses the butter-smooth feel to it, I think it's probably the micro-stuttering that's kicking in. But really, even Crysis 3 will run 50+ frames on Ultra as long as you don't go nuts with AA.

With 1080p and most modern games I can hardly tell the difference beyond 4x MSAA. AA off vs 4x yes, 2x vs 4x in some instances, but 4x vs 8x I literally have to take static images and then look at them with a magnifying glass to see any difference, so the performance penalty with 8x MSAA is just not worth it (that being said 780M SLI is powerful enough to max out the AA in most games and still average 60+ frames).

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Hi guys, I'm a recent 9380-S buyer as well, and spent some time shopping for a bag. I have yet to buy one, but I can at least offer the information that I've found.

First, if you're looking for a laptop sleeve, I bought this one: Tucano 18" Neoprene . It fits the 9380 pretty snugly, with a little give to it. It's a nice fit that offers some protection if you're looking for extra (I've encountered laptop bags with less-than-ideal surfaces in the laptop compartment before). I've found it's best to look for equipment made to accommodate 18" laptops. Most of the "larger" 17" bags seem to cap out at a size that holds an Asus G75, which, while big, is a bit more compact than the 9380-S.

I've heard that the Targus XL bag will fit the 9380, but I have my doubts (I've seen conflicting reports on the dimensions of the laptop compartment), and it doesn't seem like the best bag to begin with. My personal choice for the bag is the Everki Titan . The cheapest price I've seen is about 166 through newegg (link posted). This bag will definitely accommodate the 9380. (For reference, the dimensions I've found for the 9380-s are: 16.50" x 11.54" x 1.96"). I've heard that the Everki Beacon is another good choice (and it's a bit cheaper than the Titan). However, the Beacon advertises a width of 1.38", which is smaller than the 9380-s. It could be made up for by the additional room of the length and height, but I have my doubts. Slappa offers some bags that advertise holding an 18" laptop, but I can't seem to track down reliable info on the dimensions of the laptop compartment. I'll post as I find more information. At the moment, the plan is to purchase an Everki Titan in a few weeks. If so, I'll report back here how it works.

TLDR; The Everki Beacon may work, and is a solid "runner-up", same goes for the Targus XL, if budget is a huge concern. The best option I've found is the Everki Titan, which will definitely fit and protect, but is pricey. The way I see it, with what we've spent on our laptops, it's worth spending an extra 50-100 to protect our investment. No sense cutting corners.

i have a NP9370(P370em) and i have no issues using this bag

Amazon.com: Targus CityGear Backpack Case for 17 Inch Notebooks TCG216 (Black with Grey): Electronics

it fits with quite a bit of room to spare. My brothers NP8180(P180hm) fits in it as well. I bought this bag years ago when i got my gateway p7805 and the only damgae the bag has sustained was the little rubber dealies on the zippers came off (they are those black things coming off the zippers that say targus in yellow in the pic)

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If there's anything I don't like about the NP9380-S, it's that the Optical Bay is on the right side. Being right-handed, it's more of an inconvenience than an actual problem since I'd have to move my mouse pad/wrist rest and the mouse away to open it.

Other than that, everything is just peachy, especially after that vbios flash.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Speaking of optical bay...

I should've NEVER shelled out $90 to upgrade to the Blu-Ray writer, since the stock that comes with P370SM/NP-9380 are all Panasonics, either the UJ240 or UJ260. Both of these are irritatingly loud, and particularly aggravating during quiet scenes in movies, since all I hear is a "whiirrr whirrr whirrr hum whirrr whirrr".

Annoyed me enough that I threw another $120 for a Sony Optiarc BD-5750H and MY GOD is this a silent drive. I actually have to press my ear against the casing to hear the spinning rotor. I hear the LG BT30N is also a very good option, and cheaper too (Newegg has them for $95 + shipping).

Sorry if it's a bit off-topic, but I just realized it's much cheaper to leave the default optical drive as it is and do any upgrades yourself, so this way you're not at the mercy of whatever Sager/Clevo/whichever reseller decides to stick in the optical bay. Plus you can always sell the one that came with the laptop and lower your costs even more.

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The bag you bought though is $25 right? Or is that just the sleeve? Thanks again for the post this is helping tons!

Sorry it took a while to get back to you. The $25 was for the sleeve. The cheapest I've seen for a back is $50-70 for a Targus (depending on specific model). Let me know if you have other questions.

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Hello, I just got a Sager np9380-s with 2x 780m with 120Hz 3D screen. I was just wondering if anyone who installed windows 8.1 on any similar laptop has the 3D LED indicator under the screen always on. Even when you are not in a game or anything?

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Hello, I just got a Sager np9380-s with 2x 780m with 120Hz 3D screen. I was just wondering if anyone who installed windows 8.1 on any similar laptop has the 3D LED indicator under the screen always on. Even when you are not in a game or anything?

This model does not have Optimus, so the Intel gpu will never come on. This is the only way the 120Hz screen would work, as it has to bypass the intel gpu.

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This model does not have Optimus, so the Intel gpu will never come on. This is the only way the 120Hz screen would work, as it has to bypass the intel gpu.

AFAIK all of Clevos SLI systems lack Optimus in order to work correctly.

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AFAIK all of Clevos SLI systems lack Optimus in order to work correctly.

Yes, true. Thanks for clarifying, I should have added that as well. Sli and 120Hz prevent optimus on the Clevos, from what I understand. Thus no optimus, thus the discrete gpu runs all the time.

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To add to what's already been said, for Clevo systems that are SLI capable (P37xSM), even if you just have 1 GPU installed Optimus is still disabled. I think this is a great option for people who want a single card solution without the hassles of Optimus.

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