Question:
Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Hey guys, thanks for the advice here.
NExt year I am off to university and I need acomputer that will be powerful, portable, and do some mild gaming.
I think I am looking for something with a go7400 gpu, or some kind of the 8400go line. 14 inch screen prefered, but if there are awesome deals on 15 inchers with the following specs, please let me know as well.
The computer must have 2 gig ram, 2.0ghz core 2 duo, preferably santa rosa
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Around $1800
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
Maybe: c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.
USA
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
NA
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Mostly software developement, some gaming
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Taking it everywhere
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes! Starcraft, CS:S, Command and Conquer 3
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
~3? more with the option of a bigger or secondary battery
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
not at all
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
vista, but i have a copy already, so it doesnt matter
Screen Specifics
11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
no pref.
12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Largest resolution possible, no less than 1200*800
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I like sleek things, but not a huge deal
15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Buying ASAP, want it to last 3 years
Notebook Components
16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB?
~120 gigs
17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-RW
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Your options include the HP Pavilion dv2500t, the Dell Inspiron 1420, as well as the upcoming Compal IFL100. The Dell XPS M1330 is an attractive option as well, but may exceed your budget.
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Ive been looking at the dv2500t but I am concerned about its durability...
Any thoughts?
Here are the two systems I am looking at closely:
HP Compaq 6910p Notebook PC GM120UT#ABA
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7500* (2.2 GHz, 800 MHz
14.1-inch WXGA
2048MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
160GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
Multibay II DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL drive
ATI Mobility RadeonTM X2300, with 128MB video memory
Integrated Intel® Pro Wireless 4965AGN
Intel® Centrino® Pro processor technology
6 cell Li-Ion battery
3 year worldwide limited warranty
$1600
or
Hp dv2500t
of similar specs, just has a 8400 go.
Will the difference between the gfx cards be huge?
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Ive been looking at the dv2500t but I am concerned about its durability...
Any thoughts?
i'm in the same boat. durability really seems to be the only questionable aspect (how non-durable is it?) - otherwise, i am leaning towards this one...
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
same here. I also have a bunch of accessories for the business line of HP laptops... so that makes me kind of want the 6910p.....
Argh.... if only i could get them to toss a 8400 in there instead of the x2300 :)
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Andykayner with your budget in mind you could get a well configured Compal Ifl-90, but it is not sleek and it is a little bigger then what you want, but you get a better graphics card for better gamming. But if you are strickly into the thin and light market then get the Dell 1420, but don't get the XPS 1330 the Dell 1420 is cheaper, and both lappies have the same hardware. But I am not too sure if either are durable "DELL". Anyway I woud go with the Compal in this case. Hp might be a good choice they are comming out with a new thin and light notebook that is very stylish and is made for students, forgot the name. Last, get the 8400m over the 7400gs because when DX10 games roll out you don't want to be outdated. 7400gs is cheaper.
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
where would i buy this "Compal" computer?
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Powernotebooks.com is a reputable resellers of Compal notebooks. For more information about Compal notebooks, refer to this .
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
In response to your earlier post...
The 8400M on the dv2500t is more powerful than the X2300 on the 6910.
If you can increase your budget a little, you could consider the more powerful HP 8510p, with the X2600 HD graphics card. Although the HP 8510p is 15.4 inch, it is still thin and light enough to be portable.
Answer:
Re: Student laptop: portable, competent gaming
Jetstar - the 8510p looks perfect for me. Is it available yet? Hp's website says available soon.....
If not yet available, any idea what the price will be? When available?