Question:
$1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
1) What is your budget?
less than $1250. (ideally under $1000.)
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Primarily internet, some spreadsheet work and moderate gaming.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Mostly leaving at home, but may lug it to a nearby coffee shop when the girlfriend gets annoyed that I'm on it too much.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
I'm getting a notebook specifically to play Galactic Civilizations II (and any sequel to that game-- so I'm trying to anticipate and have a powerful enough rig to handle the next release). I may also play other games, but generally have no interest in first person shooters like Half-Life, so I don't need a super top-of-the-line graphics card, but do want to be able to play GalCiv II at the highest resolutions without any issues.
Here are the GalCiv II requirements:
Pentium 4 1.8 GHz or equivalent processor.
512MB RAM, 128MB DirectX 9.0c compatible video card.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I'm not brand loyal. I just want to buy a laptop that is from a reputable vendor with a solid track record for producing quality products, and working well with the customer should any issues arise.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
2 hrs at a minimum
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Nope, so long as I can feel confident in my purchase (vendor reputation).
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
- Screen Specifics -
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
No real preference.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
The highest quality for my budget. Not sure if I can afford a UXGA, WSXGA+ or WUXGA but having that much of a desktop could be nice when I'm working w/ a spreadsheet.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
No real preference.
- Build Quality and Design -
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not really. While I certainly wouldn't mind having a sexy red Voodoo laptop (if only they were priced reasonably and didn't have an apparently awful reputation), I'm not out to impress anyone. It certainly WOULD be nice if I could look at my own laptop and find it appealing to the eye.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
I'd like to buy the laptop fairly soon, and it'd be nice if it could last as long as my Dell Inspriron 4100 (5+ yrs, no probs other than having to replace the hard drive).
- Notebook Components -
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
60GB should suffice. HDs are getting cheaper by the day, so if I need a larger one later, I have no problem ordering one later.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yep, I need to be able to burn CDs, or perhaps DVDs. Definitely needs to be able to read DVDs though.
Most important to me is the vendor's reputation, and the overall build quality of the laptop. It doesn't need to exude chic styling like Sony's offerings, or be as sexy as some of the Voodoo ones. I just need to know that when I turn this thing on every day, it's going to fire up reliably day in and day out for years to come... and if there are any issues, I can confidently call the vendor and make reasonable arrangements to rectify the situation.
Please feel free to comment in my other thread, when I was checking out (i.e.-- dreaming out of my budget) the WidowPC laptops in comparison to VoodooPC and Alienware.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
Take a look at the HP dv6000t and also the Dell e1505
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
If you are dreaming of a voodoo you could look at the Dell e1710, with a go7900 it is not far behind the voodoo or alienware. Build quality on the e1710 is also a step above the rest of the inspiron range do to the magnisium chassis(same one used for the precision and XPS line) and better screen options.
Other than that you could look into the Asus f3jm, Compal HEL80 or HP nc8430.
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
Refined Power, do you mean the E1705 because I'm pretty sure the 1710 is a XPS and rather expensive too.
That said, a E1705 is a 17 inch, I think he wanted a 15-16. So the E1505 would probably fit him better. I played GaCiv II and it doesn't take too much power to run that game, a X1300 could probably drive it with out a hiccup. A lenovo could also be viable. The dell model he can probably get a WSXGA+ within his budget, Dell does not offer WUXGA on their insperion 15 inch though.
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
The compal is way over his budget and it wont really be worth it for him since he isnt a hard core gamer. The dell is the best in your price range and if you get the x1400 then that will run your game very well.
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
Hel80 really isn't that overpriced, but yeah.
I recommend:
Dell E1505 (very cheap, solid GPU)
HP dv6000t (slightly more expensive, better looking)
Asus S96J (best GPU, will be quite a bit more expensive, also better build quality)
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
Refined Power, do you mean the E1705 because I'm pretty sure the 1710 is a XPS and rather expensive too.
That said, a E1705 is a 17 inch, I think he wanted a 15-16. So the E1505 would probably fit him better. I played GaCiv II and it doesn't take too much power to run that game, a X1300 could probably drive it with out a hiccup. A lenovo could also be viable. The dell model he can probably get a WSXGA+ within his budget, Dell does not offer WUXGA on their insperion 15 inch though.
yea I was talking about the e1705, I sagested it because he was looking at a powerful rig like the vodoo PCs, but yes it is a 17inch notebook. also go for the x1400 it is much better than the x1300.
I think you can config the Compal to within $1300 from xotic pc.
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
thanks for all the input.
I have to admit that I was sucked in by the sexy-looking Voodoo laptops... but their high prices really made me gasp. I could've possibly still considered them IF their customer service was up to par... but one view at resellerratings.com and Voodoo dropped right off the list, hand-in-hand with Alienware.
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2044.html
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1650.html
For the same reasons, I'm now seriously considering the Compal and Asus offerings at powernotebooks.com.
Thanks for all the input!
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
thanks for all the input.
I have to admit that I was sucked in by the sexy-looking Voodoo laptops... but their high prices really made me gasp. I could've possibly still considered them IF their customer service was up to par... but one view at resellerratings.com and Voodoo dropped right off the list, hand-in-hand with Alienware.
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2044.html
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1650.html
For the same reasons, I'm now seriously considering the Compal and Asus offerings at powernotebooks.com.
Thanks for all the input!
Yes, Powernotebooks has a great reputation and would be an excellent choice to purchase from. The Compal and the Asus are both great choices and should serve your needs well. They likely would both be a bit over your budget but would be well worth it if you can afford it. Be aware that the Compal Hel80's GPU is slightly underclocked but still should run the game you want to play just fine even at high settings. I agree that the Voodoo PC's are wonderful eye candy to look at but the price and service make them unpurchasable by most people. Good luck and happy computing!
Answer:
Re: $1250 for low-end games, internet and some work
The Compal HEL80 is an excellent machine for your needs and has a very powerful video card; it will push your budget though. Perhaps you would consider waiting a month until you have another few hundred to drop. Or, get it now and skip out on the RAM and hard drive, and possibly the operating system, as they are easily added aftermarket.
Another machine to consider is the Sony VAIO FE790 - very reasonable pricing for what you get, and it has an optional Go7600 128MB (about 2/3 as fast as a regular 256MB Go7600, but much faster than a Go7400/X1400).
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...Dept=computers