Genbu
06-30-2010, 08:16 PM
1) What is your budget? $3500-ish, could push it up if it is REALLY worth it
2) What size notebook would you prefer? 17"+ screen
3) What country are you buying this in? US
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I'm liking Sager and Asus, not so much Dell, Alienware, HP
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Heavy video editing, encoding and rendering large files, HD, multiple programs in CS5 (After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere) and probably any game I can get my hands on.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Mobile desktop replacement, mostly using a cord with occasional travel.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? Anything new.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? Around 2 would be ok, would like to be able to watch a movie off batt if possible but not necessary.
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? No
10) What OS do you prefer? (more details below)
-Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? (more details below) Widescreen 1080 or above
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non glossy screen?
Gloss
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Solid build is best, don't care about lights or anything.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Buying in the next month or so, and would like as much longevity as possible, 3-5 years ideally.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want? 1TB
16) Do you need an optical drive? Yes Blu-Ray burner
17) What speed CPU/Processor would you like? Dual core or Quad Core CPU? Quad
I would love any input as this is a MAJOR purchase and needs to last a while. Filming and editing is what I do for a living and this upgrade makes my last comp laughable, it needs to be shot and buried.
I see roughly 2 options with +/- to each:
Sager NP8850
i7-920XM
GTX 480M
8,192MB DDR3 1333MHz
6X Blue-Ray Burner/Reader
500GB 7200RPM (X2)
$3610.43 (w cash discount)
(http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g73jha1-order-p-2731.html)positives:
-i/o ports that i will need (firewire, esata, express slot)
-nvidia card w/ cuda (not sure if it is needed but the video rendering demos with CS5 are fast as they are built to utilize cuda. If anyone has input on that let me know)
negatives:
-less ram - I will have multiple projects open at once across multiple applications and screens.
-more expensive
Asus G73JH-A1
i7-940XM
HD5870
(16GB) DDR3 1333MHz
6X Blu-Ray Writer/Reader
500GB 7200RPM (X2)
(http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g73jha1-order-p-2731.html)$3475.66 (w cash discount)
positives:
-slightly better processor
-16gb ram nice!
-cheaper
negatives:
-lack of i/o may be a dealbreaker unless there is a workaround. (Suggestions?)
-ati card (no cuda, again if anyone has info about this please let me know as it may not make a difference)
-have heard the horrors of them bricking, which would not be cool on deadlines and loss/transfer of large files
the A1 has more + but also more -
a third option might be the NP9285 set up as a mix between them, yet it still maxes at 12gb ram and ends up being slightly more for a marginal increase (that is in the realm of the budget)
any thoughts on workarounds and input would be much appreciated!
2) What size notebook would you prefer? 17"+ screen
3) What country are you buying this in? US
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I'm liking Sager and Asus, not so much Dell, Alienware, HP
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Heavy video editing, encoding and rendering large files, HD, multiple programs in CS5 (After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere) and probably any game I can get my hands on.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Mobile desktop replacement, mostly using a cord with occasional travel.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? Anything new.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? Around 2 would be ok, would like to be able to watch a movie off batt if possible but not necessary.
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? No
10) What OS do you prefer? (more details below)
-Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? (more details below) Widescreen 1080 or above
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non glossy screen?
Gloss
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Solid build is best, don't care about lights or anything.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? Buying in the next month or so, and would like as much longevity as possible, 3-5 years ideally.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want? 1TB
16) Do you need an optical drive? Yes Blu-Ray burner
17) What speed CPU/Processor would you like? Dual core or Quad Core CPU? Quad
I would love any input as this is a MAJOR purchase and needs to last a while. Filming and editing is what I do for a living and this upgrade makes my last comp laughable, it needs to be shot and buried.
I see roughly 2 options with +/- to each:
Sager NP8850
i7-920XM
GTX 480M
8,192MB DDR3 1333MHz
6X Blue-Ray Burner/Reader
500GB 7200RPM (X2)
$3610.43 (w cash discount)
(http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g73jha1-order-p-2731.html)positives:
-i/o ports that i will need (firewire, esata, express slot)
-nvidia card w/ cuda (not sure if it is needed but the video rendering demos with CS5 are fast as they are built to utilize cuda. If anyone has input on that let me know)
negatives:
-less ram - I will have multiple projects open at once across multiple applications and screens.
-more expensive
Asus G73JH-A1
i7-940XM
HD5870
(16GB) DDR3 1333MHz
6X Blu-Ray Writer/Reader
500GB 7200RPM (X2)
(http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g73jha1-order-p-2731.html)$3475.66 (w cash discount)
positives:
-slightly better processor
-16gb ram nice!
-cheaper
negatives:
-lack of i/o may be a dealbreaker unless there is a workaround. (Suggestions?)
-ati card (no cuda, again if anyone has info about this please let me know as it may not make a difference)
-have heard the horrors of them bricking, which would not be cool on deadlines and loss/transfer of large files
the A1 has more + but also more -
a third option might be the NP9285 set up as a mix between them, yet it still maxes at 12gb ram and ends up being slightly more for a marginal increase (that is in the realm of the budget)
any thoughts on workarounds and input would be much appreciated!