Question:
Some help guys??
Hey all,
Pretty much narrowed down my notebook search (finally) to the Dell i9300 and the Acer TM8104. The Dell i have configured pretty comparatively to the Acer model (2ghz, 1 gig RAM, 100 gig HD, etc.) The only big difference i'm looking at here is the screen size/quality and GPU. What do ya'll think? I'll honestly admit that this thing will be used HEAVILY for gaming, but I'm honestly a little shy at the lack of mobility in the 17" i9300. Also, after hearing many of the horror stories regarding the LCD's on the 17" dells, I really need some advice from ya'll who own these machines. I REALLY like the looks and size of the Acer, but I guess it really comes down to right now is hows the build quality, the LCD quality, and how will that X700 do with modern games (Call of Duty 2 for example)?? Sorry to be full of so many questions, but this will be my sole machine for quite a time to come (ohh college, lol).
P.S. - If ya'll know of another make/model to recommend, by all means make a suggestion (my price range is nothing over $1700).
Thanks everyone!
John
Answer:
Re: Some help guys??
Well, if you really want to gauge the size of the Dell, get something (a board, etc.) that's near the size of it, and carry that around for a day. It's the bulk that will get you with the i9300, not it's weight.
I never liked Acer notebooks for gaming, the cooling solutions aren't great. The i9300 is by far the superior choice for gaming. Better graphics and cooling system.
You can also look at the Asus Z70VA, with the 128MB X700 if you want something smaller. The Dell i9300 is your best bet for a 17" under that price range.
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Re: Some help guys??
That Asus looks nice, whats a good place to look into 'em?
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Re: Some help guys??
www.PROPortable is the dealer I recommend all the time. Very nice people over there, great to deal with. Check their rating on www.resellerratings.com. ;)
PowerNotebooks.com also sells Asus notebooks, give them a look as well.
Answer:
Re: Some help guys??
If you want the notebook to last for awhile I would really consider the I9300. You have an upgrade path for the GPU. Currently you could stuff the 7800GTX in there if you wanted to, but it voids your warranty, but you could do it somewheres down the line after your warranty ends. Also, I have no doubt that once Nvidia releases their next latest and greatest GPU Dell will make a solution for the XPS and through that the I9300 since they are the same laptop.
As for weight. There are no light "gaming" laptops. And if you do find a light one I'd be really skeptical of their heating solution. Gaming rigs tend to run hot cause you're utilizing 80% and usually more CPU and GPU loads when gaming. That generates a lot of heat and you need a lot of room and copper and fans to dissipate all that heat. This is why you won't ever find a serious "gaming" laptop under 6 pounds. When you're talking about laptops this heavy I would start to think the weight becomes less and less of an issue.
As for the Asus and other notebooks like it I really prefer RJTech.com to give me an overview of what's out there. The way they present their information is superb. They split the notebooks into LCD size and then they provide you a table with all the information neatly organized. Should you buy there? No idea. They might have the best price at the time or they may not. I just suggest you check there for a comprehensive list of your options. Then once you have decided on which model you like by all means go shop around for the best price.
Answer:
Re: Some help guys??
Yea, the i9300 is definitely the superior gaming choice, but I think i like the size and the Acer, so where does this leave me? Will the Acer be able to perform, or should I just bite the bullet and go with the Dell? (Also, is there truth to the horror stories regarding Dell LCD's)
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Re: Some help guys??
The Asus Z71v with the 6600 go card is another option if you want to stay under $1700. Not quite as sturdy as the Z70va though. Discountlaptops is another good Asus reseller.
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Re: Some help guys??
Personally, I'd steer clear of the Acer, but that's personal preference. Here's a link to a thread where people had similiar questions about the Acer.
Basically, you get some people complaining about it and some people that say it works flawless. I'd say that's the typical response for most any budget laptop. If you do go ahead and buy the Acer, my suggestion to you is to make sure you check out your return policy beforehand. Cause if it's gonna fail it's gonna do so pretty soon after you get it.
As for biting the bullet and getting a Dell, I already did. If you're worried about the Dell, just remember. They have a no hassle 30 day return policy. Compare that to boutique laptops that charge you $200 for a "no dead pixel" laptop. You get a dead pixel in your Dell, you just return it and get another one. Plus you don't pay stupid restocking fees.
As for the horror stories, I haven't heard any recently. This makes me assume they have licked whatever problem it was and besides, just remember that 30 day return period. If the LCD does manifest the problem you're referring to it'll do so immediately. Definitely within the first 30 days. You'll have plenty of time to address any issues you have with the Dell and then promptly return it.
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Re: Some help guys??
Someone posted Dell is charging a re-stocking fee now.
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Re: Some help guys??
Wow, thats a really encouraging piece of info. Thanks kingjimmi! How have you like your Dell? Build quality up to par?