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Recommend-a-Laptop
Reservoir Angel
__BANNED USERS regular
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So I've just gotten the news that I'm off to Uni this September. Meaning I have 10 days to get everything sorted out.
Top of my list is my laptop. Given the cramped room I'm going to be in I can't bring my PC, so I'm in need of a laptop. There are hundreds, even thousands to choose from, but here's where the narrowing-down makes things tricky.
Since this laptop will be replacing my desktop PC as my main computer it should be able to handle more than just Word Processing and Internet (means Netbooks are out of the equation).
But given that I'm going to be lugging it back and forth to the Uni (since my student house is about a half-hour walk from campus), so it should be relatively light and easily portable.
And then we have the age-old issue of money. Since my parents are springing for this (as a congratulatory gift sort of deal) and they're on a sort of rocky financial patch, it should be in the 'easily affordable' range.
Top of my list is my laptop. Given the cramped room I'm going to be in I can't bring my PC, so I'm in need of a laptop. There are hundreds, even thousands to choose from, but here's where the narrowing-down makes things tricky.
Since this laptop will be replacing my desktop PC as my main computer it should be able to handle more than just Word Processing and Internet (means Netbooks are out of the equation).
But given that I'm going to be lugging it back and forth to the Uni (since my student house is about a half-hour walk from campus), so it should be relatively light and easily portable.
And then we have the age-old issue of money. Since my parents are springing for this (as a congratulatory gift sort of deal) and they're on a sort of rocky financial patch, it should be in the 'easily affordable' range.
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I'll give an example: for some reason I spend an insane ammount of time, when bored, just scanning around on Google Earth. I also use Macromedia Flash a lot. So I'd like something that can hande them no problem (which is something my PC atm can barely do).
Choose any two. "Good Desktop Replacement" counts as two.
I don't want to come across as "no you're wrong, netboooook!!!!!" but it is sounding like you think they are (as someone in another thread put it) anemic. Seriously, the Eee 1005HA has a freaking 10.5hr battery (might be 7-8 real world usage, which is still fucking awesome),is small, and weighs a couple pounds.
Oh, and Amazon has them for $380 shipped.
which is awesome
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9370548&st=pavilion+dv4&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218093001786
BTW this would play Source games, not with top-end graphics features, but with decent resolution and frame rate.
That's a good laptop. I made a laptop recommendation thread a while back and someone suggested that. Very good. Trust in the PAers.
Incidentally, Carphone Warehouse is doing a pretty good deal at the moment. You get a laptop free with internet access, 30 quid a month. The deal lasts for 2 years, which is good for the University scenario. And it's easy too. You get this...thing...and when you plug it into one of the USB ports on your laptop you get the whole Interwebs available.
And no, I don't work for Carphone Warehouse. Because I'm aware that sounded like a promo. I'm just saying, it's a kick-ass deal for Uni students. So you might want to look into it.
Also, as nobody yet has said it (awful people!), congratulations on getting into Uni dude. What Uni you going to? If you don't me asking. And what course? :?:
Dell Inspiron 1720 w/ NVidia m8500 GT video: should be able to find this used/refurbished for under $600. One of my local craigslist guys just had one for $400. I would have picked it up, but instead got:
the Dell Studio 1735 w/ ATi Radeon 3650 video: a little faster on the gaming tip than the 1720, but came with blu-ray. Picked it up refurbished, but with six months of Dell warranty remaining, off of eBay for $575.
Both score about 3000 on 3DMark06, which isn't going to win you any competitions, but plays all the Source FPS games just fine (~60-80 fps at 1440x900, high quality).
I'm also a fan of the Dell e1505 series, which you should be able to get for under $400 with an Ati x1400 card. Much, much slower than the above two (3DMark06 of about 400), but very portable and reliable. Runs Popcap, Peggle, World of Goo kinda games without a problem.
Halflife 2, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, Day of Defeat: Source, Counterstrike: Source, Portal, etc.
you could have said "any game by Valve" since all of their games are on the Source engine :P