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- 2 Apr 2009
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I'm looking to buy a new laptop - i've asked around other places with no real help so i'll just copy and paste, you guys have helped me out in the past really well:
I'm not very well up on laptops at ALL, though i know a thing ortwo about desktops. This is my first laptop purchase ever, and i'm hoping for a little direction. I'll answer the questions in the sticky, then show what i've found myself (i've been researching for days):
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
£500-650 (can push up to 700 if need be, just being wary of shipping costs and etc.)
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
From the UK, and will likely be buying it online.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Not really. I've like to go with a relatively mainstream company though just to make repears easier.
5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Gaming (If it could play Doom 3 relatively decently that would be grand), general office applications, lots of multitasking with a million firefox tabs open at the same time, as well as photoshop and whatever else.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Assume it will be on my desk 90% of the time, weight or size isn't really an issue.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Yes, mostly older games (HL2, etc), the most intensive game i own is Doom 3 - but if i can do better then i would like the best possible.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I'm not fussed, the more the merrier - but this is very very low on the list of important features.
9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online is fine so long as it's a well known company and i can research the model beforehand.
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows, for work. I'll likely keep vista if the laptop comes with it, but i'm using xp otherwise (i'd prefer not to pay for an o/s if i can help it, i can install my own, but this seems like an impossible dream with laptops)
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
This isn't really all that meaningful to me, but from the options this sounds nicest:
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I've no idea - so long as it works.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not even remotely.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
I wish it as soon as i know what i want, within a few days - and i hope for it to last around 2 years or more.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
It's not too important, but i'd like 150GB+
I don't know what an SSD drive is, but i'd rather have a smaller, faster hard drive than a bigger, slower one.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Definitely need CD and DVD read abilities. Burning those two would be preferable but not too important. I will never use anything else like blu-ray etc
I'd like an integrated webcam if possible - but it's not too important. I need USB, sound output, michrophone and ethernet ports on the laptop. (I assume this is very very standard but you can never be sure).
In my own research i've found 3 contenders:
http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Asp...02/version.asp
http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Asp...13/version.asp
And a Dell inspiron 15, customised to be about the same specs as those two for a slightly higher price (I thin kthe graphics chip may be worse though).
Hopefully you guys can help push me in the right direction. Also, if anything strikes you about my ideas that is bad, ori should avoid, i'd like to know so i don't make a mistake.
I'm not very well up on laptops at ALL, though i know a thing ortwo about desktops. This is my first laptop purchase ever, and i'm hoping for a little direction. I'll answer the questions in the sticky, then show what i've found myself (i've been researching for days):
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
£500-650 (can push up to 700 if need be, just being wary of shipping costs and etc.)
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
From the UK, and will likely be buying it online.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Not really. I've like to go with a relatively mainstream company though just to make repears easier.
5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Gaming (If it could play Doom 3 relatively decently that would be grand), general office applications, lots of multitasking with a million firefox tabs open at the same time, as well as photoshop and whatever else.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Assume it will be on my desk 90% of the time, weight or size isn't really an issue.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Yes, mostly older games (HL2, etc), the most intensive game i own is Doom 3 - but if i can do better then i would like the best possible.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I'm not fussed, the more the merrier - but this is very very low on the list of important features.
9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online is fine so long as it's a well known company and i can research the model beforehand.
10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows, for work. I'll likely keep vista if the laptop comes with it, but i'm using xp otherwise (i'd prefer not to pay for an o/s if i can help it, i can install my own, but this seems like an impossible dream with laptops)
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
This isn't really all that meaningful to me, but from the options this sounds nicest:
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I've no idea - so long as it works.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not even remotely.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
I wish it as soon as i know what i want, within a few days - and i hope for it to last around 2 years or more.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
It's not too important, but i'd like 150GB+
I don't know what an SSD drive is, but i'd rather have a smaller, faster hard drive than a bigger, slower one.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Definitely need CD and DVD read abilities. Burning those two would be preferable but not too important. I will never use anything else like blu-ray etc
I'd like an integrated webcam if possible - but it's not too important. I need USB, sound output, michrophone and ethernet ports on the laptop. (I assume this is very very standard but you can never be sure).
In my own research i've found 3 contenders:
http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Asp...02/version.asp
http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Asp...13/version.asp
And a Dell inspiron 15, customised to be about the same specs as those two for a slightly higher price (I thin kthe graphics chip may be worse though).
Hopefully you guys can help push me in the right direction. Also, if anything strikes you about my ideas that is bad, ori should avoid, i'd like to know so i don't make a mistake.