Azure Delusion

Looking for a laptop to use with school/take with me on trips/ go to work with/ go to friends etc. I have a desktop from gateway i've been happy with, its had a few problems, like i've had the bsd once or twice. I'm preferring something to go along with my desktop, whatever needs that kind of power can use the desktop, but i'd like it to be able to share stuff if needed to, (desktop has windows media center addition, and is about 1 year old). Both of my parents have gateway laptops with vista and like them, my dad had a dell inspiron that was 17" but i think i might go smaller. i did the questions then made this and am about to leave to take my placement test then i'm off to work. I'm browsing around myself but require second opinions and other choices that i hadn't thought about.

1. Budget: Trying not to break past $1,200 would love to be lower by a few hundred if possible

2. Screen: 15.4 - 17

3. Brands: Not really

4. Mobility: For class use, vacationing (would be near powersource) car use, outside roaming around.

5. Durability: Eh, my problem with that is my dog, he finds ways while i'm gone to chew my headphones up when they are in a drawer... but that doesn't really need to be considered i guess ^^;

6. Multitasking: I am have bad adhd, and i alt tab alot, music, videos, webcomics, general web browsing, aim, aswell as school work

7. Gaming: I'm and avid gamer, tho at this time, i think WoW and similar mmo's are all i'll be doing, i have a desktop that if i really want to play a more intense game on i'll move too

8. Calculations: maybe? programming is what i'll be going for school for but i don't think i'll be doing anything to be considered calculations

9. Storage: 500GB desktop hdd, so really, aslong as i can do school stuff and wow, i don't think i'll need a terribly big one

10. Optical Media: possibly

11. Operating System: Compatible with most, i think i'll be useing Vista tho

12. Location: VA, USA

Thanks for all the help,
~Mitch

ebackhus

I recommend either Acer or IBM. Acer for price/power and IBM for durability/power.

TheMatt

Hi Mitch, and welcome to TSF!

Unfortunately all the good laptops with the GeForce 8 series are pricey, but you can still get decent graphics and the new Santa Rosa chip:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220165

Azure Delusion

Sorry about bring this back up, couldn't find the edit button, and thought it would be better to use this thread than re-making, I've thought more on it and after going through some classes in college decided I really do need one and revised my priorities for the laptop.

From what I've heard, a laptop would only last 2ish years before I'd need to replace it for school specs TT-TT unless i went bigger now. So the budget can change, If i went for something that would last 4+ years to last all of college, or go smaller if i was gonna get somthing to get me through Comm. College and then get something for finishing at a University.

I'll mostly be using it for typing papers, class notes, research (for papers) and programming. I would like to only have those things on it so a large hdd isn't required. We are using Java for Comp Sci 201 and those weren't as big as CPP files were in high school programming courses.

I'll post another thing about the dimensions if possible, my parents got me a bookbag for class that has a built in spot for a laptop, but there 15.4 wouldn't fit in (by about an 1") so before i go to best buy to ask them to put a 14.1" I would like second opinion, also I think i saw one on the best buy site that I'd like an opinion on.

If you have any advice on going for $ and getting one that will last a long time with still being usable for all of college w/out slowing down too much vs. getting a cheaper one that will last 2+ years that I could give to my brother or donate to some place. Thanks guys, again I apologize for the repost but, I really value second opinions to my own, esp. with that size of a purchase.
~ Mitch


1. Budget: I would like to spend around 900 give or take 300, but my max is 1,200

2. Screen: 12-15.4 (pref 14.1)

3. Brands: Not really, I'm gonna take most of the outta box programs off

4. Mobility: whatever i can get for budget

5. Durability: average

6. Multitasking: I am have bad adhd, and i alt tab alot, music, videos, webcomics, general web browsing, aim, aswell as school work

7. Gaming: only World of Warcraft at low settings, so i'm sure anything will do not a top priorty

8. Calculations: not really

9. Storage: Doesn't Matter if low, got a desktop for spacious files

10. Optical Media: possibly

11. Operating System: Compatible with most, i think i'll be useing Vista tho

12. Location: VA, USA

Azure Delusion

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1183160885758
forgot the link ^^;;

and the laptop dimensions are from this
"Fits laptop 12½"H x 10½"W x 1¼"D."
thats not a req, just curious on what the size is for the screen for that.

thanks again

Azure Delusion

Sorry I seem to be too slow to be able to use the edit button again, but here is another link i found that looks a bit better than my previous link:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1180743805755
thanks for input, off to work now

Azure Delusion

Had a few minutes and wanted to add in, would it be better to go with hp/compaq/dell since i get % discounts (12 for dell, dunno the one for hp/compaq) All I really know from what i've learned reading threads on this forum for a few months is that I should prolly go for 2gigs ram, and a cpu with about 2mb l2 cache (core 2 duo). Sorry this is a little unorganized. Lotsa questions btwn my posts sorry ^_^;;;
~Mitch

TheMatt

I have found a few high quality laptops for you to evaluate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834152031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220156

On the higher end (better for gaming):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220165
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220163

I would not go with an HP/Compaq/Dell when you can get an Asus, MSI, or Fujitsu for the same price or just a little more.

Azure Delusion

The first two you linked are more what i might go for, I'm still talking with my parents and friends about how i should do the budget for a laptop, whether i would go higher and go with the last 2 links you provided vs the first two. I'll most likely have to upgrade/ change out to a laptop that the school will make you have if i transfer to longwood, but what would you do btwn the MSI and first Asus, the biggest things towards them I have is that I've never heard of MSI, and there where no reviews, i like to look at the cons in reviews to see what the problem will be if i have them. The asus seems to run hot as the biggest problem, but also the MSI, i can't tell if it is 1 gig of ram by (1x 1024 or 2x 512) cuz i will def upgrade the ram w/vista, maybe even go for a larger battery than the 6 cell provided
any thoughts?

TheMatt

MSI makes quality laptops. All laptops will eventually have some heat related problems, but these can usually be resolved. As for the RAM, you can always put in two completely new sticks.

Azure Delusion

Which would you pick between the two?

TheMatt

If money was no object I would pick the Asus in the last link or at lest the second to last link. But if you would rather not spend the extra money, go with the MSI in the first link.

Azure Delusion

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1185265539418
there is link for laptop, i dunno much about the Intel Pentium Dual-Core mobile Processor T2080 but for 2 years of comm college before i go for an upgrade when i transfer to a univ, it can't be but so bad for having 2 gigs ram for only 599.00 USD right?

TheMatt

The Pentium Dual core is really like the Celeron of the Core 2 series. If you really want to GB of RAM, go with the MSI and add more RAM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231116

Azure Delusion

My dad told me to hold off on a Laptop, that he wants me to get one that he will recommend for me from either Best Buy or Circuit City... so I'll pick through their online stock and pick out laptops that look nice. The trade off is that he will pay some of it if he likes it so that saves me some cash since being stuck working for my neighbor isn't very profitable. So far one I saw in the store at both Best Buy and Circuit City is:
Best Buy:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1180743805755
Circuit City:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gatew...oductDetail.do

Is there a big difference in the two? I still gotta get Microsoft Office Student. And I would like to say that I greatly appreciated the help you've been Matt. If you happen to see any better quality ones on either site that I could upgrade the RAM in maybe, but my parents are kinda stuck on Gateway, as they both have Gateways and said that it will be what I should go with. My desktop is also a Gateway, that I got from Best Buy.

TheMatt

See if you can get something like this one:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Lenov...oductDetail.do

Or something like this:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Acer-...oductDetail.do

Azure Delusion

I'm really sorry for raising the dead again but, the gateway I was looking at didn't go on sale this week either, so I'm looking around, and there was no bestbuy paper, i checked out there site and they don't really have anything I'm to particularly happy with. Tho they do have the 14 day policy of if it goes on sale, then you get refunded the difference in the prices. Circuit City tho, for the same price as that gateway did have this HP:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/HP-Pa...Detail.do#tabs
this Acer:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Speci...cation.do#tabs
and this Toshiba:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Toshi...oductDetail.do

My main concerns for them compared to that gateway are that well, I like gateway and have never had a problem with them, we have 2 gateway laptops and my gateway desktop that we don't have problems with, but i feel that compared to that HP the HP might be a better deal, although we have had problems with HP. My dad doesn't want me to get an Acer for the fact that he doesn't like them for not really knowing much about them. That toshiba says that its not great to travel with, which i would hope doesn't mean that from my desk, to school, and vacation wouldn't be too much travel. I'm gonna have my brother check this site for me while I'm at work, because I would prefer to purchase a laptop today before school comes back from this break. Also I do have a giftcard and coups from best buy (10% - 12% off) for any 3 non new release items. So i could use it for Microsoft Office Student 07, WoW TBC, and a prepaid 60 day card on WoW. Otherwise I'll prolly go to Wal-mart for the software if i get a laptop at Circuit City. Thanks guys and again I'm sorry for this, but didn't want to make a new topic. Should be the last time I'm in this thread, but not my last on the forums ^_^ and hopefully thats not gonna be from problems I'm having. Have a great weekend.
~Mitch

TheMatt

Go with the Acer. It has 2 GB of RAM which Vista will much appreciate.

Azure Delusion

Hi and thanks everyone,
thematt, you've been a great help, when I get a paypal set up I am donating to TSF and hope to be a regular in the programming forums. I ended up getting the Toshiba due to the pricing, I played with store models and the keyboard felt better and I spammed some stuff with the task manager on the gateway, acer, and toshiba and the toshiba preformed the best so I went with it. Feel free to delete this thread if you like. Thanks again everyone!
~Mitch

TheMatt

Hope that Toshiba serves you well. You're welcome.