Laptop, again.......yeah

[bud]

So my m11x didn't pan out. *Can'tSayThisOnTV* dell. "You'll have it by the end of the week" Next day, "Hi this is Dell calling to inform you that your recent order is on backorder." *Can'tSayThisOnTV* everything about that.

Ranting aside, my vagina exodus celebration is a month away and I kinda want/kinda need a laptop. I'm looking to spend around $800. I like fast, I like shiny, I love intel, etc. Casual gaming maybe. Needs a webcam, win7, and if it comes with microsoft office, that'd be great.

I don't want a behemoth so anything 15" and below is good. Looking to buy new. I'm down with newegg.

 

[bic]

THINKPADTHINKPADTHINKPADTHINKPAD

You'd probably be happy with the x120e (12" and benches better than the ION 2 platform) or an Edge E420s. If you can swing an extra $200 you can get a T510 with an i7 and Nvidia NVS 4200.

If you want something really portable that can still do light gaming get the x120e. Yes I know I preach this thing every time someone asks about laptops but it's a really great form factor with a fantastic keyboard, and it comes with HDMI out now.

Dell's consumer-grade products are flax but their business-class ones are fantastic. Check out the SMB Latitude line, they're a LOT better than the creaky rubbish they push to home users.
http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/latitude-laptops

If you don't mind the brand stigma (and setting it up with a student discount copy of Win7), you can get last year's MacBook for $850.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC516 ... Tg0NzA2MTY

The OEM outlets usually have some pretty good deals. They stock both factory certified refurbs and customer returns. Best part? All the hardware currently exists and is sitting in a warehouse ready and waiting for them to slap on a shipping sticker. Either it's there or it isn't. No wishy-washy backorder bullflax. They're first-come first-serve, so if you see one you like you've got to jump on it.
http://www.dell.com/content/segmenter.a ... l=en&s=dfo
http://outlet.lenovo.com/

Dell Financial Services sells off-lease corporate hardware at decent prices. If you start with a good base and think of it like a barebones kit there's some good buys hidden in there. For example, here's a 15" Precision M4300 with a 2.4 ghz Core 2 Duo, 256mb Quadro FX 360, 120 gig hard drive, and 2 gigs of RAM for around $450. That leaves plenty of room in your budget for a bigger hard drive (even an SSD), more RAM, and a copy of Win7.


e: DELL OUTLET. NOW.
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSale ... l=en&s=dfb

Latitude E6510
Processor: Intel Core i7-620M Processor (4M Cache, 2.66 GHz)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional
Latitude E6510 Laptop
320 GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)
8X DVD +/- RW Drive
512MB NVIDIA NVS 3100M

$810.

 

[samjc3]

I would be willing to bet that you can find a late model Asus G53 for that price. Thats i7 and GTX 460m plus a super sexy well built chassis. Its what i would look for. Also thinkpads. X220 appeals to me much, but as I recall it might start at 900. As for dell, I still believe they are flax. Ive had nothing but trouble with all the lines Ive tried/been associated with.

 

[Mako321]

*Can'tSayThisOnTV* yeah X120e, They go for $440 with an E-350 and less if you can find a discount. The thing can play TF2 and CS:S without breaking a sweat and maxes out Bioshock at 1024x600 at a good 30fps.

 

[bic]

As for dell, I still believe they are flax. Ive had nothing but trouble with all the lines Ive tried/been associated with.

Then you have used nothing but flaxty XPSes and Inspirons and Optiplexes at school that have had staples and pennies shoved into them.

 

[XCVG]

I love my Aspire 3820TG, but they are impossible to find and outdated now. X120e is a good laptop from what I've heard but it seems you want something bigger and faster. Whatever you do, don't buy ANYTHING with Intel graphics, they are flax. Maybe one of the new Llano based laptops would be in order?

 

[samjc3]

As for dell, I still believe they are flax. Ive had nothing but trouble with all the lines Ive tried/been associated with.

Then you have used nothing but flax XPSes and Inspirons and Optiplexes at school that have had staples and pennies shoved into them.

That, and Latitude and Alienware. My buddy got an Alienware, rather agaisnst my recommendation. It arrived DOA, and the replacement died in 2 months. Inversely, her old thinkpad still runs like a boss, despite being 6 years old, and well used.

 

[vskid3]

My Alienware is doing just fine, don't make fun of it.
I can't argue with an ASUS G series, though, which is my other laptop. I wouldn't use it as a move around laptop (but that's how Palmer used his), but a nice desktop replacement that doesn't break the bank.

Your price range and requirements give you a large market. I personally would try to get a 13-14" with an i5 or i7 and Optimus graphics (Nvidia/Intel switching). Good mix of power, battery life, and size. I would have gotten one instead of my M11x R1, but I didn't want to spend much and the M11x was a couple hundred cheaper back then.

 

[bud]

13-14" with an i5 or i7 and Optimus graphics (Nvidia/Intel switching). Good mix of power, battery life, and size.

That's pretty much exactly what I want. I just don't know what I want, exactly.

 

[vskid3]

13-14" with an i5 or i7 and Optimus graphics (Nvidia/Intel switching). Good mix of power, battery life, and size.

That's pretty much exactly what I want. I just don't know what I want, exactly.

I would do some research for you, but I have lots of want for one, and plenty in my bank account to get one (and tomorrow's payday, too). Too much temptation for a guy with 2 gaming laptops already and a new car that may need some toys.

 

[bud]

Anybody have any negative feelings towards a Sony Vaio? I've used one in the past, and I liked it. I've found a pretty nice i5 at best buy. It's shiny too

 

[samjc3]

Vaio is fine, but they tend to be more expensive with no quality difference over the competition. (and by competition I of course mean Asus, IBM/Lenovo)

 

[bic]

Things may have changed, but I remember a few years ago Sony was the king of OEM bloatware. Advertisement wallpaper, half a dozen toolbars, Norton and Works demos, a 50 meg "helper" to control the Caps Lock LED... You might as well just buy a Macbook if you're going to spend that kind of money.

OOOOOOOOR you could dump it into a really nice Lenovo or Latitude.

 

[Mako321]

Things may have changed, but I remember a few years ago Sony was the king of OEM bloatware. Advertisement wallpaper, half a dozen toolbars, Norton and Works demos, a 50 meg "helper" to control the Caps Lock LED... You might as well just buy a Macbook if you're going to spend that kind of money.

Hey, sounds like Dell

 

[bic]

Consumer? Maybe.

Optiplexes and Latitudes? They come with Sonic Recorder and Office Starter, and sometimes PowerDVD.

Consumer-grade computers are garbage no matter who makes them. Only buy whitebox or business-class.

 

[Mario]

Things may have changed, but I remember a few years ago Sony was the king of OEM bloatware. Advertisement wallpaper, half a dozen toolbars, Norton and Works demos, a 50 meg "helper" to control the Caps Lock LED... You might as well just buy a Macbook if you're going to spend that kind of money.

Hey, sounds like Dell

I usually wipe the hard drive and install the OS of my choice on new computers I get.