Question:
Budget 15 inch Laptop
Hello,
I've been looking to upgrade from my terrible desktop to a budget notebook. I will be doing basic things on it like internet and homework, and also some gaming as well. I have been looking at the Dells and HPs, but and very open to other brands. The Dell catches my eye with those coupons though. $200 off of $1000 is pretty nice. I am still not sure at all which one I want with my needs:
1) What is your budget? $800, no more than $30 over that
2) What size notebook would you prefer? c
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Medium gaming, hw, internet
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Mostly on desk, but will have to bring it to father's house and other places
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? WoW, Warcraft 3, I want to play BF 2142 and Oblivion, but they are probably out of the question
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? Nope, I am a loving person
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? Not much, probably not less than 2 hours
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? I do not mind
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? Probably widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? dont care
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? hmm...have not decided yet
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Not really
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Buying it for Christmas, so end of Novemberish. Lasting until college, which is about 2 1/2 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB? 60+
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? does not matter
Thank you so much!
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
e1505 might fit well. Configured with an x1400, it can handle medium gaming.
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
e1505 might fit well. Configured with an x1400, it can handle medium gaming.
yea and with the 20% of coupon you could probably get a good deal. if you can pay $910 you could use the 30% coupon and get a $1300 notebook. the other option is to check out the dell outlet for some nice deals. I am not a gamer so I don't know how well the x1400 will play the games you mentioned. for comparison my brother plays Star War Knight(don't know how demanding it is) and it plays without a hitch on the x1400.
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
The Dell E1505 is probably your only choice if you want a dedicated video card for your budget. Most notebooks in that price range have integrated graphics.
Check the Dell Outlet for the best deals.
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
Dell outlet, absolutely.
Also, you can try grabbing the Sunday Paper when they let it out on Saturday afternoon (sorry if that makes no sense) and look for deals in the weekend mailers from Best Buy, CompUSA, Office Depot, etc. They have clearance sales all the time that you might be able to sneak your way into. Just make sure you get there early if you do!
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
Ok, thanks for help. So now chance with a HP or Asus? Not that I want them, I was just wondering.
Also, there are barely any choices for the E1505 in the Dell outlet, so should I look at the Latitudes and Precisions?
Thanks!
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
Latitudes and Precisions are business notebooks, and tend to be more expensive than the Inspiron line.
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
Well you have a chance with an Asus S96J. You can get the barebone for $600. Find a Core Solo processor for $100. Put 512MB memory in it for $50. Cheapest SATA notebook drive is $60.
That is a HEAP of machine for $810.
It will be okay until you can afford another $50 to upgrade it to 1GB memory. Wireless will cost you about $30.
Answer:
Re: Budget 15 inch Laptop
Chronic, Dell Outlet refresh's there list of refurbished laptops every so often, I have noticed the time they refresh the most is about 45 minutes after each hour. Thats just from observation, I hope that helps you a little. They also bring out a few new ones inbetween but it would only be like 3 or 4.