Question:
Hard choices for notebook
For my price range there are many laptops but i dont know which one to go with!?!?!?
General Questions
1) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
preferably a 17" but am more than willing to go to 15 if i need to.
2) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
some word for school projects but mostly gaming.
3) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
i will probably take it to a friends every once in a while but mobility is something that doesnt really matter
4) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
ohhh yesss...Mostly World of warcraft and guild wars but possibly some Half life 2 on low settings to accomodate with my budget
5) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
open to try anything
6) How many hours of battery life do you need?
i dont know what the standard for laptop battery life is but i would guess something decent
7) What is your budget?
preferably closer to $1000 but willing to spend about $1300
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
online is fine
9) What country are you buying this in?
USofA baby!
Screen Specifics
10) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
a. XGA = eXtended Graphics Array; 1024x768; This resolution will give you the largest viewable text and images while offering the least amount of screen real estate.
b. SXGA = Super eXtended Graphics Array; 1400x1050; This resolution offers a middle ground between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA = Ultra eXtended Graphics Array; 1600x1200; This resolution will give you the smallest viewable text and images while offering the greatest amount of screen real estate.
d. WXGA = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array; 1280x768 or 1280x800; This resolution offers the same as XGA except that there is more horizontal real estate; 1280 versus 1024. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
e. WXGA+ = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array+; 1440x900; This resolution is offered on 17” widescreen notebooks and is comparable to WXGA in terms of text and icon size versus available screen real estate. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
f. WSXGA+ = Widescreen Super eXtended Graphics Array; 1680x1050; This resolution is comparable to SXGA in that it offers a middle ground between WXGA/WXGA+ and WUXGA. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
g. WUXGA = Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array; 1920x1200; This resolution offers the smallest viewable text and images while offering the greatest amount of screen real estate.
doesnt really matter
11) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
dont care
Build Quality and Design
12) Are the notebook’s looks and stylishness important to you?
i like if it is cool looking but do not want to spend more just because of looks. EXAMPLE:Alienware
13) How long do you want this laptop to last?
preferably through college(i am currently a junior in high school.)
Notebook Components
14) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
a happy medium
15) Do you need a DVD, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-R drive?
preferably CD/RW-DVD
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
$1,300 is too low for a 17" gaming notebook unfortunately . .
I'd take a look at the Compaq V4000t. It starts at $849 on www.HPShopping.com, and comes with a powerful ATI Radeon X700 128MB graphics card, great for games. It can easily handle Half Life 2 and WoW on the highest settings. I recommend getting the 5400RPM hard drive for best performance. You can save yourself a good deal of money by upgrading the memory aftermarket.
If you are willing to go more toward your budget limit, the MSI-1029 offers higher quality than the Compaq. Give that a look, there are two reviews of it on this site. ;)
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
Im liking the v4000T but what do you recommend i put in for the processor. I currently have the 725 selected(1.6GHz) should i upgrade to something higher for the games i want to play?
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
What games are you playing? If you aren't really doing anything too intense, then a 1.6GHz CPU will suffice.
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
For a better build quality you can also look at an MSI MS-1029 though it will top out your budget with a conservative config.
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
The 1.6Ghz GPU is ok for most games, but 1GB of RAM is a must for smooth gameplay along with a 5400RPM HDD. 512MB RAM doesn't cut it on a laptop as you have a much slower HDD than your common desktop counterpart(7200RPM).
If you have the money though, go ahead and get a better processor. I personally got the 1.6Ghz processor because I wanted the most battery life (it's the only one with a 400Mhz FSB, all the other Pentium M's run at 533Mhz FSB, which means more power is needed). I'd say get a 1.73Ghz PM or 1.86Ghz, depending on whatever else you might want to do with your lappy.
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
Keep in mind when gaming the card does most of the work. As noted, more memory will help. The 1.6Ghz which is a Dothan Pentium M runs cooler and has better batter life.
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
I would not buy memory from HP. They are overpriced, as are all manufacturers when it comes to upgrading the RAM. Order the notebook with the minimum and then pick up a 1GB stick off of Newegg for around $67.
If you want some more performance, bump the CPU to 1.73GHz. However, you won't have any problems with the 1.6GHz.
Answer:
Re: Hard choices for notebook
thanks for the input guys, i think ill go with the 1.6.