New Laptop

Brianore · Post by **Brianore** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:21 am

I think I want replace my current one soon. I pretty much use it for work and play.

I'm currently using the HP HDX18 that was upgraded with just about everything available for laptops two or so years ago. I like the model because it has a 18" screen and full size keyboard w/ number pad (only drawback is its start to gets heavy when you're carrying it through airports).

I have a pretty flexible budget but really don't want to go over $3K (that should cover everything needed and then some).

You guys have any suggestions?

Gusai · Post by **Gusai** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:10 am

I really like my Dell XPS, it's a few years old now, and the only problem I have had with it is the ventilation getting caked with a 1/2 layer of dust, it was overheating and shutting down, but as soon as I peeled this out by opening it right up, problem was solved. It runs a bit hot, but any higher end model without built in graphics will probably be the same. I have sworn that my next laptop would be an alienware gaming laptop, but that is not likely to happen for me this year.

I would stay away from HP / Toshiba laptops. I've heard nothing but nightmares about HP laptops, but nothing I have personally experienced. My wife's laptop is a Toshiba, and while it has the full keyboard, and larger screen size, I think it's a 17 or 18, she is continually complaining about how slow it is, and she doesn't even play games on it. It does only have built-in graphics, so this i think, bundled with all the crap software and customization that Toshiba put on it, puts it in the no column for me.

I don't know what Sony laptops are like, haven't really ever heard anything bad about them, but whatever you get, obviously, avoid built-in graphics.

godpigeon · Post by **godpigeon** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:09 pm

More along the lines of separate graphics memory than built in. Lower end graphics for laptops share system memory, and that's a lot slower than separate, and it will lessen what the system has available for programs.

Brianore · Post by **Brianore** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:18 pm

Iâ€™ve actually been very happy with my itâ€™s just getting close to the time to upgrade.

I looked at aleinware but they make their laptops look like they are for games. I donâ€™t think I could bring myself to bust something like that out at a meeting.

Iâ€™m consider just giving Apple a try but the software package I use to run my business doesnâ€™t run on it.

Gusai · Post by **Gusai** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:15 pm

I would try a Dell XPS or a Sony then.

Brianore · Post by **Brianore** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:28 pm

Pretty sure Dell discontinued the XPS line since they sell Alienware now.

Alladator · Post by **Alladator** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 4:32 pm

People give Alienware crap, but I love mine. I can run 5 WoW sessions at the same time, play music AND a movie ;-)

shadowrage · Post by **shadowrage** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:01 pm

yeah i just help my friend with putting together an aleinware laptop and it owns but you will pay a bit for for the name and being able to control the bazillion lights on it. Also they are very big and gamer looking i guess so that might not be what you want.

Post by **Dartagn** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:51 pm

Brianore wrote:Pretty sure Dell discontinued the XPS line since they sell Alienware now.

Actually, Dell just introduced a brand new XPS line, and the reviews are great. I would get one in a heartbeat.

Sandy Bridge (new Intel processor) is out, and it is pretty awesome. Integrated graphics are better than ever, and they are stupid fast.

Gusai, you can't blame a vendor for a slow laptop... All computers are slow if not maintained (removing crapware from a new PC is the owners responsibility...)

I love my old Toshiba, it has stood the test of time extremely well. I have a brand new Sony VAIO from work that is pretty nice...

Remember. All laptop specs are created equal. The same processors, the same RAM/HD/Video Card combinations... All the same.

Keyboard layout/type, aesthetics, screen resolution and quality, price. Those are the competing factors and what you should shop for.

A Core i3 will do 80% of whatever you could ever want to do with a laptop. A Core i5, prolly 99%. Video cards get very confusing, but unless you are playing hardcore and new games, the new Intel integrated graphics should do you perfectly (especially for WoW.)

AMD is not particularly competitive in any segment except price. You can find some great deals on AMD, but remember, ever AMD processor is slower than every Intel at the moment. Especially in laptops, they need to play catch up in a big way...

My favorite sites for reviews and info:

anandtech.com (In depth technical reviews, and not a bad word among them.)
notebookcheck.net (Raw information, and all of it. I don't know of a better comparison site for laptop hardware.)

Croakker · Post by **Croakker** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:24 am

I've been using a HP Pavilion laptop for about 2 years now. I bought it at best buy for about 1100, and it's been the principal computer I play WoW on. I just replaced the battery, as mine was failing, and it's been struggling a bit with the higher resolution settings of WoW in 25 mans. Elsewhere, it runs fine.

It is a bit bigger and heavier, and lugging it around airports and pulling it out on the plane are a pain.

You could always have your gaming/everyday use laptop, then get some sort of tablet for meetings and such. With the number of people buying iPad 2s, you could probably score a 1st gen one fairly inexpensively.

Then you could play Angry Birds in your meetings