INFO: Building/Buying a Laptop (PC or Mac)

[Believe]

Any good deals for laptops currently?

Leaving for the Airforce in a month and looking for a good gaming laptop to get me by at DLI.

[Kuriin]

I'm probably going to suggest a dell or something by a huge manufacturer. Like I said previously, avoid Sager at all costs. :P

[USAWrestler]

I would avoid Dell... a lot of people have problems with the laptops. And in some cases, the replacement ones were refurbished and had problems all their own.

go to portableone.com and check out the Asus and other laptops. Guaranteed customer satisfaction if you buy from them.

[cuervos]

Im looking for a laptop (surprise!) for school mostly. Using mostly powerpoint, photoshop, word processing, not much of a gamer anymore, so none of that really. Would be carrying it around to my various classes for note taking and digital design crap.

Price range is up to 1000.
I also need a nice display... preferably 1680x1050. Can't stand shitty displays.

Looking at Dell atm, and I'm Canadian so I'm probably a minority on these boards but I would like something shipped from Canada.

AND another question... is it worth it to get 160GB Free Fall Sensor Hard Drive, 7200RPM for 125$ more than 160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

[Phoenix]

Dell's Vostro 1500 is still pretty reasonably priced for a gaming laptop. I picked one up for $850 two weeks ago that came with a 2000mhz core2duo 1gb of memory and a 8600GT. Their up to $900 right now with the mentioned specs but even then thats still a great deal.

Vostro 1500 Notebook

[Delenar]

Okay, I live in Canada and I need a laptop for work that can also comfortably play WoW. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to computers.

Is this:
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...097945&catid=#

Something that would fit those criteria? If not, could someone explain what it lacks or if I had more of (x) it would be better? Or even suggest somewhere better in Canada to pick one up.

[Phoenix]

It fits, but there are a lot better options out there. You really wanna get a core 2 duo processor, as they vastly out perform current mobile AMD processors. Video card should matter too much, as WoW barely even uses one.

[cuervos]

well basically, you want to put an emphasis on RAM and video card.

I suggest 2 gigs of ram, and at least 128mb video card. highest capacity laptop battery is also very beneficial, unless you are planning to use it solely as a movable desktop.

[Jabberwhacky]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

It fits, but there are a lot better options out there. You really wanna get a core 2 duo processor, as they vastly out perform current mobile AMD processors. Video card should matter too much, as WoW barely even uses one.

I wouldn't say that at all. I have an 8400GS in my Vostro 1400 along with a core 2 duo 2.0 ghz processor and 2 gigs of ram. WoW averages 20-25 fps, with dips into the teens when I'm outside overlooking large areas, like Hellfire Peninsula. Everything is maxed, but low 20's FPS is not "barely using a video card."

[Phoenix]

All depends how youre running it. I mean, I was able to play it on a 1.8gig celeron, a GMA950 and a gig of memory. Ofcourse all the settings where on low, even then I only got 20fps or so, which is more than playable for a game like WoW. With most newer laptops coming with the newer intel X3100 or some form of nvidia/ati graphics, the card isnt going to really be the issue.

As long as you dont get a laptop with a GMA950/900, you should be fine as far as WoW goes.

[Kaio]

Originally Posted by Jabberwhacky

I wouldn't say that at all. I have an 8400GS in my Vostro 1400 along with a core 2 duo 2.0 ghz processor and 2 gigs of ram. WoW averages 20-25 fps, with dips into the teens when I'm outside overlooking large areas, like Hellfire Peninsula. Everything is maxed, but low 20's FPS is not "barely using a video card."

I have the 8600gt but the 8400gs should do better. What OS are you using? Some version of windows that the laptop ships out with doesn't use both processing cores and just reformatting the vostro yielded massive improvements in everything I played.

[Jabberwhacky]

I'm using Vista, I think the Home version. Whatever the most basic form is. It doesn't even have Aero.

I never did bother to reformat, guess I'll give that a whirl and see if the performance picks up.

[Kaio]

I went to my performance edition of xp pro... (pirated version i really like, doesn't install a lot of legacy clutter that normally comes with xp and thus speeds things up).

[Tbird]

Got a Vostro 1500 from dell. Total price: $725.47
Vostro 1500, Intel Core 2 Duo T5270, 1.4GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache
15.4 inch
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 DIMM
128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Genuine Windows XP Home Edition, SP2
8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+R write capability, w Roxio Creator
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery, for Vostro 1500 (could have upgraded)

They were offering the deal here: But I no longer see the Vostro 1500 discount that I got (saved $270)
Dell Notebooks

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Kaio

I have the 8600gt but the 8400gs should do better. What OS are you using? Some version of windows that the laptop ships out with doesn't use both processing cores and just reformatting the vostro yielded massive improvements in everything I played.

What? A 8600GT is easily 2x as powerful as a 8400GS.

Also with Dell laptops, you really need to go into msconfig and turn off all extra bullshit they add. When I first booted up my laptop it was using close to 300 megs of memory on a fresh boot, but after I went in and turned off all the junk I was down to 140ish, which gives a massive difference in performance.