Question:
Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
Hi All, :)
1) What is your budget?
Approx $1500 AU
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
Not fussed , mainstream I guess.
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Bit of gaming with friends, business records and notetaking for new lifecoaching business.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Combination of both, will have mains available for gaming, and probably most of the time for life coaching sessions, but at least 2 hrs run time would be good if I need to do a couple of sessions in a row without mains available.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes I will, not sure what games, I've been out of the loop for a couple of yrs, best possible gaming for my budget.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
My desktop is an ASUS with an AMD Athlon XP, most stable system I've ever had, so I like them obviously, but open to suggestions. Anything that has decent warrenty, and good service reliability reports.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Minimum 2hrs, longer the better obviously. : )
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No problem.
9) What country are you buying this in?
The great and powerful Oz, ( just don't look behind the curtain.. ) LOL
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Not fussed.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Don't mind, I tend to run in 800 x 600 most of the time, so long as it has decent graphics for watching DVD's, and best possible for games on a budget.
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.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Given the mixture of environments I'll be working in, I'm thinking matte would probably be best, especially if I'm meeting with somebody in an outdoor setting. Yes?
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
To a point yes, as it will be a business laptop, but they all look pretty good these days don't they? ; )
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
Approx 3 yrs I'm guessing. Is it still 3 yrs for computer stuff to become obselete? lol
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
Approx 60 GB, I can always upgrade it myself. ( I'm an ex-systems engineer, changing a hard drive isn't a prob.)
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yep, Super Multi if possible, min DVD+-R dual layer, not fussed re: rw.
I've spent months jumping on the net from time to time trying to sus this one out guys... any input you have would be much appreciated. Trying to sus out the fastest system and find the weakest link re: FSB vs. memory speed vs. dedicated memory, vs. graphics adaptor vs. etc.. etc... general advise much appreciated too.
Thanks in Advance,
FunGuy55555. :)
Answer:
Re: Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
Your requirements are a bit steep for the amount of money you have to spend but I was able to come up with this that might suit your needs:
http://h50025.www5.hp.com/hpcom/au_e...9_EX075PA.html
Good luck and Happy computing!
Answer:
Re: Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
I'll second the HP/Compaq recommendation - the dv5000/V5000 series is a solid notebook for the money.
You could also consider the Dell E1505 if you wanted to stay more under your budget, but it won't have as good of build quality as the HP.
Answer:
Re: Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
Asus S96j.
Well configured for around $1300US.
Answer:
Re: Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
Asus S96j.
Well configured for around $1300US.
Bear in mind that this person is from Australia his requirement of $1500 is in Australian Dollars not American Dollars.
Answer:
Re: Budget Gamer, for business use too. :)
Thanks Guys,
I'll be sure and check all 'em out b4 spending the dollars.
:)