Question:
Gaming / University Laptop
Figured I'd follow the format in the FAQ and anwser these questions directly. I have been looking at toshiba and dell most recently in specific the A100-SK9 from toshiba and the P100-SD8 from Toshiba and the Inpiron 9400 and 6400 from dell. My two biggest needs are decent battery life (3-4 hours perferably) and Performance.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
$3000ish
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
Desktop replacement (17") would be nice but it is probably too taxing on the the battery so I'm thinking mainstream instead
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Some gaming and DVD watching, possibly using as a DVR, Univeristy Assignments
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Yes I want to use it during classes
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes not sure on the games yet probably the new battlefield
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I like Dell, not too many I dont like.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3-4
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Nope
9) What country are you buying this in?
Canada
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Wide
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.
d or e
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
glossy
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
somewhat not very
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
3-4 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
120
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes DVD-RW
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
Like DELL, get the XPS M1710. U wont regret.
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
Yeah I thought that was an AWESOME looking laptop, Only things I'm worried about are 1) Battery Life and 2) Portability (is the weight too much?) If anyone could tell me their experiences with both I'd really appreciate it
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
Here are the laptops I'm considering: Asus S96J - 15.4" gaming laptop, HP dv800t- desktop replcaement, Dell E1705- desktop replacement. A 9 cell battery on a 15.4" would have the most most battery life. THe most you can get on a 17" is around 2 and a half or 3hrs.
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
The XPS M1710 is a great gaming computer. As for carrying it around, its way too big and heavy imo and i think it may be a bit loud if using in class. Its a DTR so its expected and its power and its really annoying lugging around this size laptops imo.
I think the Asus W3J or the Asus Z96J is nice for you.
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
xps m1710 is too big to carry around
Answer:
Re: Gaming / University Laptop
Compal's HEL80 is a very good fit. Has 4+ hours of battery life with the 9-cell, is easy to carry in my opinion (for a 15.4"), and has excellent performance to top it off. Look for a review of it on the front page next week sometime.
DiscountLaptops.com has it as the ChemBook 4080.