Question:
Please help, I am STUMPED as to which laptop to get...Uni Comp Sci student...HELP!
Alright guys, heres the deal. Up to now I have been quite keen on getting the XPS M1210, but I've kinda come to realize that it is quite a bit of money to get the specs I want, expecially when I can get pretty much the same specs on an Inspiron 6400 for much less. There are a couple of things I'm worried about though, the 6400 has a 7300 GeForce, while the XPS has a 7400 GeForce. I beleive though that the only difference is the power, but I havent done that much research on the difference between the two. But what I'm really worried about is if the 15.4 inch screen is just going to be too big to lug around with me everywhere, and I'm also kinda worried that a 12.1 inch would be too small...is it(IYO of course). Oh, also, Im starting school in about a week, but I've heard that Dell UK is selling Core 2 Duo's in there laptops now. Do you think I should wait? I just hope that they dont take too long to get to these shores...Well, heres all the info provided in the FAQ. Now im pretty good on those Dells, but if you guys have any other suggestions on a different laptop that better suits my needs, go ahead and suggest it :)
1) What is your budget?
$2000-2200
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Well im kinda debating between the Inspiron 6400 and the XPS M1210, which have a 15.4 in and 12.1 respectivly, so i want nothing more then 15.4 inch.
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
I am going to go to computer science for university, so quite a powerful one, as I would like to play games and render as well.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Taking it with me to tons of places.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Newest ones...:(
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Kinda like Dell, but it doesnt really matter. I do want a brand that will provide a good warrenty though!!
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
4.5ish?
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Not really, but im not goin to buy it from Tiger or anything, it would be straight from the company's site.
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
Canada
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Wide for sure
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
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
Either of those.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Doesnt matter really..
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
No
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
4-6 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
Minimum 80GB, with 7200RPM
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-RW
Any help would be VERY appreciated, THANKS! :D
Answer:
Re: Please help, I am STUMPED as to which laptop to get...Uni Comp Sci student...HELP!
Hey krazy. First of all let me say that you cant any laptops that would run for 4.5ish except the 14 inch laptops and below. Secondly, if money is the issue with the DELL XSP (which is expensive enough for me), then i would highly recommend Toshiba Satellite Pro series especially P100 with 100 GB and P105 with 105. I really dont think it matters if u get 5400 over 7200,,,, well in my opinion atleast. I am recommending Satellite Pro OVER HP Pavilion DV8000 series cause i think you want "hardcore gaming". If it had better graphic card, i'd have recommended that but unfortunately it doesnt.
Check the review for HP Pavilion DV8000 over here >
Check the review for Toshiba Satellite Pro Series : P100 >
As you have known (after reading both reviews) that battery life on the Toshiba is shorter and dont worry about the 4200 rpm, you can get one with 5400 atleast; whereas, HP Pavilion's battery life is well over 3 hrs and 15 mins. :)
Sorry mate, you can't find something for 2200 dollars with your specs. I'd recommend that you just get either of these laptops and sell it for price and purchase the Dell XSP after few years. I am sure the price would drop down a little.
D3158
Answer:
Re: Please help, I am STUMPED as to which laptop to get...Uni Comp Sci student...HELP!
hey D3158, thanks for the advice, but the laptops you recommended are all 17 inch, and I already think that 15.4 inch are a bit big, so I wont be getting any 17 inchers. I will be carrying this thing way too much...
Answer:
Re: Please help, I am STUMPED as to which laptop to get...Uni Comp Sci student...HELP!
Asus W3J is pretty good, small yet powerful. It has the 14 inch widescreen, the X1600 256mb, and it get 6+ hours of battery life with the Hot-Swappable' optical bay as your 2nd optional battery