Question:
Casual Gamer / School Laptop
Hey ya'll,
I made a similar post to this one a couple days ago, and I was going to bump it.. but then I realized what I'm about to ask is pretty diffrent than the older post.
Here's my info:
1) What is your budget?
$1000-1,300 (not a penny more!)
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
something portable, so 14-16" is fine.
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
homework, softcore gaming,I'm also going to be web browsing a lot, and having much music (about 5,000 songs).
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
taking it places
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes, WCIII, CS, Starcraft, WoW, BF2, and UT2007, and other "future-proof" games.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
willing to try anything, but amazing customer service is a must!
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3+ hours is sufficiant
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?
USA
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
Widescreen
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?
glossy - not a voting issue.
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?
2+ years, but i suspect im going to be upgrading it.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
120GB is good is 5400, or 80GB is good if 7200
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
yes; DVD and CD burner.
--
I'm looking for one with bluetooth, and great WiFi (mainly going to use that).
I've looked into the dv6000z, and seems pretty good.. and thats mainly what im aiming for now, but im looking for some more opinions.
-thanks in advanced
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
you definitely won't be able to play future games well with the dv6000z. for future games, the 7600go/x1600 is recommended. i would check out the compal hel80 or asus s96j/z96j. you can find them at powernotebooks.com, discountlaptops.com, xoticpc.com, btotech.com, milestonepc.com, among others.
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
Widescreen
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
For that resolution, you will need to look at a 15.4" notebook. In addition to the Asus Z96J that ejl mentioned, also take a look at the Compal HEL80:
The only way you are going to get amazing customer service is by going through a place like PowerNotebooks, where they have 24/7, real trained American technicians who are personable and friendly. They're not just typing what you said into a search engine and reading off of a computer screen, like a Dell/HP, and so on technician would.
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
hey,
all these computers are great.. but it seems like they cost well over my budget. Is it that i'm creating it wrong?
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
depends on how you are configuring it. and with what resolution. you can get a decent configuration with the wxga, but will be pushing your budget with the wsxga. also, you should stick with the t5500 processor.
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
The HEL80 starts at a shade over $1,100:
http://powernotebooks.com/specs/PowerPro/l8-15.php
And the Z96J starts at a little over $1,200:
http://powernotebooks.com/specs/PowerPro/a2-24.php
I would personally go for the HEL80 because I like its design/build quality better, and it is not as expensive. What is nice about both of those laptops is that they have a 3-year warranty.
If those are too expensive for your needs, then the Dell E1505 is a good bet. If you save up another $100-$150, you can get a far better machine though. Or you can get a more minimal configuration now and upgrade as you go.
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
this is what I came out with.. tell me if this is fine for what i'm going to be using it for:
is that good enough? any changes I should make?
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
hmm, sorry for the double post, but I think i'm going to get the E1505, since with a coupon, i can get it with great stuff for $1200. (without coupon, its $1500)
this is the build:
http://ecomm.dell.com/dellstore/bask...iano@gmail.com
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
Hey, im trying to bring back my topic... any more comments about the e1505? i believe im going to buy that one tomorrow; if no one "objects".
Answer:
Re: Casual Gamer / School Laptop
the dell e1505 definitely gives you a lot for the money. just know that the x1400 already struggles a bit with the newer games (low-med settings). it will not be as future-proof as a notebook with the x1600/7600go, which is twice as powerful.