17" Laptop Wanted

[unionpac2004]

Looking for a 17" laptop that meets my preferences, if possible.

1. Absolute limit of $1250USD

2. Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, but a DECENT one

3. Good cooling

4. Space for more than one HDD

Found a version of the ASUS G750 for $1220 on Newegg, which fits all my criteria except the display is not very good.

Found a version of the Lenovo Y70 Touch for $1030 on Newegg, which seems to meet all my expectations except no internal space for an extra HDD.

Does anyone know of any other 17 inchers which might meet my preferences in my price range?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Be aware that Asus and Lenovo actually don't "make" a laptop. The sell OEM products from other manufacturer's under their own name.

You *can* have a laptop build to your specifications, which is all we have done for the last 7 or 8 years.

http/forum.notebookreview.com/threads/clevo-guide-v2-0-faq-and-reseller-info.91510/

CLEVO is a large Taiwanese computer company specializing in laptops. While the Clevo brand name is perhaps not widely known, their products are re-branded and sold by known boutique brand OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers); notably Sager, VoodooPC, Falcon Northwest, Eurocom, etc. They are also considered (by whoever knows about notebooks) to design and manufacturer the best of the best notebooks in terms of superior build quality and innovative designs. Established in 1983, as an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer), they sell barebones ranging from laptop to portable computing solutions for both AMD and Intel processors. Clevo is one of the world's most preferred ODM partners and markets their products in more than 50 countries, and have established service centers in the USA, Germany, Britain, China, and Taiwan.

http/www.lpc-digital.com/sager-np8670.html
Clevo P670SA
Cash Price: $1,109.68 delivered

Instant $75.00 Off!
17.3” Full HD 16:9 LED-Backlit (1920 x 1080) Super Clear MATTE type
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 965M with 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® Maxwell™
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4720HQ Processor 2.6 GHZ (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1 TB HGST Travelstar™ 7K1000 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
Intel® Dual Band - AC 7265 M.2 Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Module 4.0 - Special!

http/www.lpc-digital.com/sager-np7378.html
Clevo W370SS
Cash Price - $99 (delivered)

17.3" Full HD LED-Backlit Clear MATTE type (1920 x 1080)
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 860M 2GB GDDR5 Video Memory (Maxwell)
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4710MQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 1 X 8GB
1 TB HGST Travelstar™ 7K1000 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
Internal 802.11 B+G+N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module

Suggested Options....

Extra 8 GB RAM = $90
Upgrade to 1TB Seagate Solid State Hybrid 8GB ST1000LM014 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s = $60
Various SSDs
OS = $80

 

[unionpac2004]

Are you looking for gaming laptop ?

No. Don't game at all, although my last laptop was an ASUS G75.

The "wants" in my original post are my only concerns.

Well, sturdy construction wouldn't hurt either.

 

[unionpac2004]

Jack, thank you for your well crafted and thoughtful reply!

I am very seriously considering the Sager NP8670/Clevo P670SA in the first link you provided.

Even found a link to a review of it (branded as a Schenker), and it looks to be very well suited to my needs.

The only POSSIBLE question I still have is the quality of the display. I have the model number they use and hope to do some research on it.

Previously, I owned an ASUS G75, and was so dissatisfied with the panel that I replaced it myself. A friend has the successor to the G75 (the G750), and I wasn't impressed with that one, either.

Anyway, it will be a couple weeks or so until I make my final decision. Will post back when I finally choose.

Hoping to get additional suggestions before I do. Thanks again!

Be aware that Asus and Lenovo actually don't "make" a laptop. The sell OEM products from other manufacturer's under their own name.

You *can* have a laptop build to your specifications, which is all we have done for the last 7 or 8 years.

http/forum.notebookreview.com/threads/clevo-guide-v2-0-faq-and-reseller-info.91510/

CLEVO is a large Taiwanese computer company specializing in laptops. While the Clevo brand name is perhaps not widely known, their products are re-branded and sold by known boutique brand OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers); notably Sager, VoodooPC, Falcon Northwest, Eurocom, etc. They are also considered (by whoever knows about notebooks) to design and manufacturer the best of the best notebooks in terms of superior build quality and innovative designs. Established in 1983, as an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer), they sell barebones ranging from laptop to portable computing solutions for both AMD and Intel processors. Clevo is one of the world's most preferred ODM partners and markets their products in more than 50 countries, and have established service centers in the USA, Germany, Britain, China, and Taiwan.

http/www.lpc-digital.com/sager-np8670.html
Clevo P670SA
Cash Price: $1,109.68 delivered

Instant $75.00 Off!
17.3” Full HD 16:9 LED-Backlit (1920 x 1080) Super Clear MATTE type
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 965M with 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® Maxwell™
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4720HQ Processor 2.6 GHZ (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1 TB HGST Travelstar™ 7K1000 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
Intel® Dual Band - AC 7265 M.2 Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Module 4.0 - Special!

http/www.lpc-digital.com/sager-np7378.html
Clevo W370SS
Cash Price - $99 (delivered)

17.3" Full HD LED-Backlit Clear MATTE type (1920 x 1080)
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 860M 2GB GDDR5 Video Memory (Maxwell)
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-4710MQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 1 X 8GB
1 TB HGST Travelstar™ 7K1000 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
Internal 802.11 B+G+N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module

Suggested Options....

Extra 8 GB RAM = $90
Upgrade to 1TB Seagate Solid State Hybrid 8GB ST1000LM014 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s = $60
Various SSDs
OS = $80

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I have had quite a few of them .... I use them for preparation of construction plans (AutoCAD), Presnetation Graphics, Maps, Aerial phots...and in the rare instances of free time... gaming. Very satisfied with the displays.

 

[unionpac2004]

I have had quite a few of them .... I use them for preparation of construction plans (AutoCAD), Presnetation Graphics, Maps, Aerial phots...and in the rare instances of free time... gaming. Very satisfied with the displays.

I was all set to pull the trigger on the Sager in a couple weeks, when suddenly I found myself with an extra grand to spend if needed (tax refund). My unspoken 5th wish if possible was for an internal optical drive. So I have decided to get the least expensive version ($1500) of the ASUS G751. The G751 has been getting pretty much rave reviews from all the reviewers (including the new IPS display). As I was very satisfied with my old G75 (until being forced to sell it), except for the display, I figure the G751 is a perfect fit for me. I will just add a 2TB in the second bay, and swap the DVD drive out for a Blu-ray unit and I'll be set.

Thanks again for the great advice, Jack. If I hadn't found more cash, I would have definitely gotten the first Sager.