Sager NP7680 Unboxing: Special Keys and the Fingerprint Reader
Okay, the packing tape has come off of my Sager NP7680. Eventually, I would actually use this thing—and I have done—and still do… The foremost word to describe everything tactile about the Sager NP7680 is stiff—the keys are stiff the clamshell lid is stiff—even the spring for the ExpressCard slot is stiff. This rig is built for durability without any of the tactile advances in keyboards and spring-loading that, say, a Mac user might take for granted. The only bit that is strangely limp is the rubber cover for the multi-format card reader.
I seem to be getting used to the stiff keys. In case you saw some YouTube.com video showing keyboard flexing with Sager models, be advised that the NP7680 has none such problems. What is definitely annoying is the implementation of Alt-key combinations that require the numeric keypad. Enabling the numeric keypad means hitting Fn-NumLk first, a combination that requires two hands as these keys are almost the farthest apart. After you hit the combination, then you can type numbers. This slows me down when I want to write an em dash or “smart quotes” in the midst of prose.
The NP7680 controls audio with the keyboard through Fn combinations. I actually prefer this over some kind of set of Sony Walkman buttons (especially when this significantly reduces cost). What is lacking is a complimentary, on-screen-display when the volume keys are pressed.
What seemed like a useless bit of candy was the fingerprint reader. I registered two of my fingers with Protector Suite QL and was impressed when my other fingers really did not work. It is a convenience not to have to type my password just to use my own computer in the privacy of my squalid hovel!