Question:
Looking for a Laptop
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General Questions
1) What is your budget? $1350.00
2) What size notebook would you prefer? 17 Inch
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ 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? Dont care
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Gaming
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Mostly at the desk.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? CNC3, Company of heroes, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? Dont care
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? Dont mind.
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc. Vista
Screen Specifics
11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? Widescreen
12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
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
PREFER THIS SET---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.
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Glossy
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Eh not huge deal I am about performance for the buck and reliability.
15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? 2-3 years please
Notebook Components
16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB? 100 GB or so
17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? DVD Drive
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I had a Dell E1705 with the 7900GS and it was pretty decent. I was wondering if there was anything out there that can beat what they have now. Currently I can get a Core 2 2.0 GHZ with 3 GIG Ram, 120 gig drive, 17 inch 1440x800 screen, and a Geforce 8600M gt 256 meg my price $1360 (after coupon).
Is there anything out there better? Thanks for your time....
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
Really would like 3+ gig ram, core 2 CPU and good gaming video card :)
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
Most places, including Dell, tend to overcharge on their RAM. I wouldn't buy more then 2 gigs from them. If you're comfortable handling aftermarket upgrades then I'd suggest picking up the Inspiron 1720 (with coupon) and grabbing some extra RAM off Newegg
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
The 8600GT on the 1720 won't beat the performance of the 7900GS - it just adds DX10 support. The 8700GT is probably a bit quicker, though. The only laptop on nVIDIA's list with that processor is the Toshiba Satellite X205 (link). But I don't believe the graphics improvement is very big - certainly not enough to justify $2500.
The other choice is to look at notebooks with the Go 7950GTX card. The nVIDIA list is here. If you want to stay with Dell, the XPS M1710 is your option.
If it didn't sound like you'd already gotten rid of the 1705, I'd advise you to keep it - graphics improvements over it will be mediocre until the 8800M comes out (who knows when), and a really big processor improvement would be very $.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
Ok so if I get the e1720 with say 1 gig (that means they install (2) 256 meg sticks I am guessing) then get two of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145172 that should work fine? I guess I can put the 512 megs on ebay....
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
I'd also recommend the Dell Inspiron 1720 / Vostro 1700. The HP Pavilion dv9500t is also worth a look.
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
Wow so really no other option in this price range other than the Inspiron 1720!
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
Most places, including Dell, tend to overcharge on their RAM. I wouldn't buy more then 2 gigs from them. If you're comfortable handling aftermarket upgrades then I'd suggest picking up the Inspiron 1720 (with coupon) and grabbing some extra RAM off Newegg
That's exactly what I'd do with your budget.
This is the cheapest 2GB SODIMM I found on Newegg. I ordered my laptop with 1gig, and am adding this when it comes in. Just make sure that the speeds and everything match up - this works for me, but maybe not for you.
NB this expires on 8/17
Answer:
Re: Looking for a Laptop
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820208323
This ram is cheaper... :) $97.99 and no rebates....