Question:
High resolution gaming laptop
General Questions
0) Previous Laptop
Inspiron 8600
15.4” WUXGA
1.7 GHz Pentium M
ATI 9600 Pro turbo
1/2 Gb ram (ya, it needs more)
1) What is your budget?
$2000-$4000
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
I would like 15.4”
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Games and other stuff
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Mostly desk but would like some portability for long trips or to bring to school
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Right now I play Dawn of War and Unreal tournament 2004 but would like to be able to play battle field 2 (without extremely long loading time) or a new version of unreal when it comes out or HL2.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Prefer Dell. Don’t like Sony too proprietary.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
At least 2 hours would like more
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Online
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
USA
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Don’t care.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
UXGA / WUXGA
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Not sure. My old laptop has a non-glossy and seems fine to me.
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?
Yes, I want laptop that will be powerful enough to last for a couple of years like my Inspiron 8600.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
Would like a 100Gb 7200RPM.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Don’t really care much but a blue ray with WUXGA high def would be cool.
Laptops that I am considering:
Priority: Gaming
Dell XPS M1710
Editor Rating: 4.5/5
Editor Pros: Outstanding performance. Integrated 802.11n wireless.
Improved gaming performance. Netgear 802.11n router included with
purchase.
Editor Const: 802.11n requires tweaking for maximum range. Cheaper
than other Core 2 Duo laptops, but still pricey.
17" display WUXGA
3D mark: 8679 (nVidia GeForce Go 7900GTX)
Battery life: 2.33 hours (80 Whr battery)
Size: 15.5" x 11.3" x 1.6"
Weight: 8.8 lb
My configured price: $4076.00
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2008177,00.asp
Priority: Gaming + Size
Alienware Area-51 m5550
Editor Rating: 3.5/5
Editor Pros: Blazingly fast speeds. Chart-topping benchmark test
scores. Over 20 percent faster than other systems on video-encoding
tests. Sci-fi design.
Editor Cons: Heat issues. Poor battery life. Pricey.
3D mark: 3567 (nVidia GeForce Go 7600)
15.4" display WUXGA
Battery life: 1.52 hours (48 Whr battery)
Size: 14.25" x 10.75" x 1.36"
Weight: 6.8 lb
My configured price: $2,604.00 - $100 rebate
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2008138,00.asp
Old laptop (for comparison):
Dell Inspiron 8600
Editor Rating: 3.5/5
Editor Pros: Great battery life. Good price.
Editor Cons: Bulky. Better screens out there.
15.4" display WUXGA
Battery life:4.21 hours
Size: 14.2" x 10.3" x 1.4"
Weight:7.1 lb
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1722283,00.asp
Any other sugestions?
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
The m550 is the only 15.4 inch gaming notebook that has wuxga resolution on the market currently. Consider Sager/Clevo.
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
I would add the Compal HEL80 to your list:
Great build quality + a beautiful WSXGA+ display. I know it is not the WUXGA you specified, but that is an exceedingly hard resolution to find. The Alienware vespoli suggested is a fast machine although it runs warm.
I reviewed both the HEL80 and m5550 so if you have any questions about comparisons between the two be sure to ask:
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
WSXGA+ is probably the best you'll be able to do unless you're willing to go with the Alienware or a 17" system.
The Compal HEL80 is an excellent suggestion. There's also the Asus Z96J and HP nc8430. They also offer WSXGA+ resolutions.
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
nc8430 for that WUXGA resolution you need
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
nc8430 for that WUXGA resolution you need
I don't believe that that the nc8430 offers a WUXGA res. My research shows that your options are limited to either wxga or wsxga+
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...1-1839150.html
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
I'm surprised no one mentionned the ASUS G1 .. You should definitely check it out.
EDIT: Only WSXGA+ available for this model.
Cheers.
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
Frankly, the Dell XPS M1710 looks hard to beat. If you order through Dell's Small Business section, you can get some money off. Here is one I configured that gets you Core 2 Duo T7600G, 2 gig of ram (667 mhz), and the 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX, all for only $3,690.
Plus, Dell is running a special: "$250 OFF if priced $1,149 or more on select notebooks." If you are spending upwards of $3K, I'd call them up and demand they apply that $250 coupon to your rig.
Seriously, I think this is the clear winner:
And who can beat the light show:
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
If you're seriously considering the XPS M1710, I'd urge you to take a quick look at the Sager NP5760 (Clevo M570U) before purchasing. A similar configuration can be had for much less with a superior build as icing on the cake.
Answer:
Re: High resolution gaming laptop
That does look nice.