Question:
Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
1) What is your budget?
Around $1200, would prefer not to go to much over
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
I am a college student so lots of word processing, internet usage, multimedia apps (like itunes), some gaming
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Yes, would like to bring it to class
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Some, I am not a hardcore gamer but I would like to be able to play games like Oblivion, and Sims 2, and Civlization
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No, not really
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I would Like 4-6 the higher the better, I'm sick of my hour and 30 min batter life
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Nope
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
US
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Wide
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Don't know too much about resolution and screens, i'll try my best to pick
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.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Either
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?
When ever I can find the right deal, and about 3 or 4 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
Around 80GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes, I would like to R/W CD's and DVD's
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
Your battery life requirement is a killer, especially if you want to be able to play Oblivion. That being said, you should be able to get 2.5-3 hrs of battery out of a powerful 14". You also won't get higher than 1280x800 in a 14.1" screen.
And that $1200? You can't get something for nothing. If you really want a nice machine that'll do everything you want, you have to pay for it. That's really all there is to it. I'd consider upping that to $1500 if at all possible, so you can get a worthwhile machine.
I'd suggest looking at an Asus A8jm or a Compal HGL-30 like I'm getting, though, they sound like they match your requirements the most.
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
the only one that comes close to what you wan't would ne the sony sz. right now you can get it for around $1300 at some places. Gets good battery life has a dedicaited gpu and is very light
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
The $1,200 budget as posted is the limiting factor; the Compal HGL-30 would be an ideal fit, but is around $1,400 (ideally $1,500) with a good configuration.
To stay under your budget, look at the HP dv2000t, which offers a dedicated video card and Core 2 Duo processor. However, the video card is rather weak (128MB Go7200) and will not be able to play the latest games well, if at all (Oblivion is probably a no-no). You will need to get the extended 12-cell battery to get the battery life you need - it will provide about 5 hours.
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
To stay under your budget, look at the HP dv2000t, which offers a dedicated video card and Core 2 Duo processor. However, the video card is rather weak (128MB Go7200) and will not be able to play the latest games well, if at all (Oblivion is probably a no-no). You will need to get the extended 12-cell battery to get the battery life you need - it will provide about 5 hours.
Weak! more like almost as bad as an intigraited GPU. have fun trying to play Oblivion on that. The Go7400 can hardly do it at low resolutions with a gig of ram. and come on only a $100 over budget thats not to bad. but realy with the type of requirements he has if he could do $1400 that would get him a much better notebook.
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
So looks like Im going to have to up it to get what I want.....so new price range $1400 - $1500, what can I get with that???
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
As noted the Compal HGL30 seems ideal.
Answer:
Re: Can't seem to find the right laptop....any help?
With your new budget the Compal HGL30 is an excellent option.
The Asus A8Jm is a nice choice as well, but if you can wait, the upcoming A8Js is a little more powerful.