Question:
Looking for a mid-range Laptop
1) What is your budget?
Hopefully no more that $1500, but I can go up to $1700
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
Pref: 15.4" widescreen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Casual gaming (Battlefield 2, WoW, HL2), Web surfing, Word, Photoshop
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Transporting
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
All HL2 based games, Battlefield 2, WoW, Eve
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I would like an ASUS, but the Z96J is delayed :mad:
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
As much as possible
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) What country are you buying this in?
United States
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
WSXGA+
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Doesn't matter, what ever is the most viewable
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Yes
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
4 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
80-120GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-ROM req, but anything better will do.
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I'm trying to get a nice notebook for college and decided I want something that I can treat like my main PC, allowing me to leave the restictions of a dorm room. Hopefully, I would able to run the laptop in power saving mode to extend the battery when going to classes.
So far, I've looked at the:
ASUS Z/S96J (first choice)
IBM Z60m
Sager NP5750 - V
I know that ASUS is having some issues getting their notebooks from Taiwan, and I was hoping someone could either let me know if the S version is available or if there are any other laptops that could subsitute the ASUS.
Thanks,
Matt
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
Hi Matt; consider the Compal HEL80. It has more features and has better build quality than the Asus Z96J. WSXGA+ screen is also better on it.
PowerNotebooks.com sells it as the PowerPro P 15:2, std 3-yr wty:
http://powernotebooks.com/specs/PowerPro/l8-15.php
If you don't need the 3-yr wty, or want to save money, the same notebook is available with a 1-yr std (upgradeable):
http://powernotebooks.com/specs/Crown/p15-2.php
I find my HEL80 easy to carry and it runs quite cool. Look for a review of it next week.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
Thanks for the reply mate.
How much of a difference is the Nvidia 7600 compared to the x1600? Also, does the wireless network card require an attena to use? Every picture I've seen had an attena in it.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
To answer your wireless question: Most laptops today come with integrated mini-PCI wireless cards. The antena leads are usually alongside the LCD panel to get the best reception.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
Yea, thats the case with the z60. I was just curious since u had to add in the Networking option and one of the pictures had an attena attached
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
Thanks for the reply mate.
How much of a difference is the Nvidia 7600 compared to the x1600? Also, does the wireless network card require an attena to use? Every picture I've seen had an attena in it.
That antenna you see is for the TV Tuner, it needs to be hooked up. If you don't order the tuner, you don't get that.
The Go7600 is a fast card, are there any particular games you play that you would like to know about ... ? The X1600 has the edge in performance by a small amount, but as long as you have one of the two cards in your machine, you are guranteed a great gaming experience.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a mid-range Laptop
It's not a major deal, as long as the x1600 isn't extemely better. Any game that I can't run on my laptop, I can run on my PC. How does the Geforce compare to the x800 in general terms (just so I can get some sort of idea).
Other than that, it looks like this will be the laptop I get, unless I find an amazing deal before the bank opens tomorrow :) .