Passenger47
07-19-2010, 07:00 AM
Hello there,
I am looking to make a purchase for a new laptop prior to the fall semester starting in about 1.5 months time, and I have become overwhelmed with the amount of choice available. I will start with the general questionnaire and then go from there.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
I am looking to try and stay between $1000-1400. The main concern being that the extra spending is worth the performance gain.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen - Screen quality is one of my biggest concerns. I have been looking at a few brands such as Clevo particularly because they are reviewed as having some of the best/if not the best, screens on the market. Resolution is another concern, I would prefer something along the lines of at least 1680x1050 or 1920x1080.
3) Where will you buying this notebook?
Xoticpc since prices are much better than other online retailers.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: Clevo (while expensive quite a few reviews seem to say they are worth it), Asus (have always been a fan of their desktop motherboards, their laptops also seem to be highly rated), MSI (found the MSI-1656-ID4 model, great components for the money, not sure how good the screen is compared to Asus/Clevo).
b. Dislike: Don't really have any particular dislikes. If a laptop is rated well, looks good, has up to date components, I am willing to take a look.
5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
Not really, prefer to stick with a brand new unit.
6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
This laptop will be used for school work to multimedia and everything in between. For school work, programs like AutoCAD, Matlab, and the regular MS Office programs. For multimedia, high quality movie watching, browsing online, etc. Everything in between would probably consist of some gaming (few FPS's here and there, RTS, etc) would like to be able to try out new and up-and-coming games.
In general this laptop would work like a desktop replacement. I have an aging (AMD 3700, Geforce 6800 Ultra) desktop that needs to be replaced. I thought about building a brand new desktop since that can be done for a price similar to a medium-ish range laptop, but I would prefer having something mobile enough to take to class, yet powerful enough to be able to hook up to a 22" monitor and enjoy it from there. So there came the decision to purchase a laptop.
7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Both. Mostly to class and leaving it on my desk at home. Weight shouldn't be an issue since I haven't seen many 15-16" laptops that were out of my range.
8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
As stated above, for gaming it would be FPS/RTS and a few other games. I would like to be able to play new and upcoming games. Although I will be gaming, I don't expect to play crazy/demanding FPS games like Crysis with maxed AA/AF. This situation might be helpful in determining the graphics card I need since I am still on the fence about this.
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
While I would prefer a long battery life, I understand that this is something multimedia/gaming laptops are not known for. During gaming/movie watching sessions the laptop will usually (90% of the time) be plugged in. For school use I would like to get maybe 120-180 minutes worth of use. During school use I would mainly be taking notes (MS Word) and most likely have brightness on the screen turned down as well as the networking off. I have read a few battery saving techniques on this forum (under-volting, eliminating unnecessary processes, possible laptops with switchable graphics cards, etc) so while my battery outlook might be optimistic, it might be possible for just school use.
10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
While this would be great, I understand that with online purchases and lack of in-store models, this might be impossible. If there are shops that forum users might be able to recommend in the New Jersey area that would be great.
11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
My school provides free copies of Windows 7 Professional for Engineering/Comp Sci students so I plan to go this route.
Screen Specifics
12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer?
Maximum Resolutions: WSXGA+, WUXGA, FHD, 1080p
Actual resolutions: 1680x1050, 1920x1200 and 1920x1080
I would prefer to stick to these resolutions. I know some people say that 1920x1080 might be small/hard to read on a 15-16" laptop but I heard that Win 7 allows users to change the text size on icons. Does anyone have any overall advice on this issue (15-16" screen vs large resolution)? Screen quality for me is more important than resolution but both aspect are usually tied in together in the end so it makes the choice a bit more difficult.
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I don't really have a preference for this. Glossy would work since I doubt I will use the laptop outdoors much where reflections/glare will be an issue. Again overall screen quality trumps screen type in this category. I have glanced over a few posts about screen types and it seems that glossy screens usually provide an overall higher quality display.
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I prefer a minimalistic design such as the one found on Clevo laptops. I might be able to make an exception if the design isn't over the top and the laptop offers good components vs. the price.
15) When are you buying this laptop?
I plan to buy it prior to the fall semester starting on the 1st of September.
16) How long do you want this laptop to last?
As long as possible. I know after a year or two, playing the latest and greatest games might be somewhat difficult but I would still like to keep it around for 3-4 years. That is another reason why a solid cooling system is important for me. This time frame might be optimistic (not 100% sure since I have never owned a laptop before) but I will do my best to keep it safe and in the best working order.
Notebook Components
17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
I have been mostly looking at 320GB 7200 RPM drives. I plan to keep my desktop around basically as a backup storage unit so overall total storage on the laptop should not be an issue. I might purchase a smaller SSD drive down the road to use as an OS boot drive.
18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
At the start I plan on going with a basic DVD-ROM/DVD burner drive but in the future I might remove/replace it with a external one to make room for an SSD boot drive.
With the questionnaire complete, here are a few laptops that I have been looking over but have not pulled the trigger on the purchase.
Clevo W860CU
Sager NP8690 - XOTIC PC - (Built on Clevo W860CU) np8690 Gaming Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8690-built-clevo-w860cu-custom-gaming-laptop-p-2659.html)
Configured with 4GB of 1333 ram, i7 740QM, the full HD 1920x1080 screen, ATI HD 5870, Intel 6300 wireless card. The total cost comes in around $1460. Clevo kits seem to have some of the best cooling systems in laptops today so my goal of keeping it around for a long time and protecting it from heat damage should be doable. The downside is that with all of these high energy consuming parts, even with the mentioned energy saving methods getting 2-3hrs of school work time might be very difficult/impossible.
Questions: Is the cpu overkill for my needs? Would the i5 do the job just as well and future proofing is worthless? If I go with the i5, I might be able to get an SSD boot drive sooner. Also the i5 offers better power consumption compared to the beefier i7. Is it worth to add the higher end thermal paste upgrade for $30-40, is it better to just buy the same thermal paste from newegg for $10 and do it myself, or is it better to just go with the OEM branded one for free?
MSI-1656-ID4
FORCE 1656 (Built on the MSI-1656-ID4) (http://www.xoticpc.com/force-1656id4-built-msi1656id4-p-2822.html)
Configured with 4GB of 1333 ram, i7 720QM, ATI HD 5850, 15.4" WSXGA+ "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1680x1050), Intel 6300 wireless card. The total cost comes in around $1215. This setup is probably the best performance/components for the money. Although the video card is not as powerful as the one in the Clevo systems, it is also around $200 cheaper.
Questions: Is the screen decent? Anyone able to compare it to the Clevo's screen in terms of overall viewing quality. I wouldn't mind the smaller resolution, it is just that I have read some much about the Clevo screen being absolutely gorgeous while I haven't been able to find anything about the MSI screen. How would the cooling on this system compare to the Clevo? Same goes for the approximate battery life, both are very powerful systems, would power saving techniques mentioned offer near 2-3 hour school work performance on this laptop? The sites mention the MSI has a 6 cell Li-Ion battery vs.the Clevo having 3-cell Li-Polymer battery, any idea on the difference in available work time since both systems for the most part have same components apart from the graphics card.
These particular laptops were some of the main ones that I have been looking at but there have also been a few others ones as well. I will try to do a quicker summary about them since my post is becoming a novel at this point and might be a bit of a long read for those willing to help. Most of these laptops have similar components as the ones above unless mentioned otherwise.
SAGER NP2180 (Compal NBLB2)
Sager NP2180 (Built on Compal NBLB2) Custom Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np2180-built-compal-nblb2-custom-laptop-p-2776.html)
Pros/Cons: Similar screen to the Clevo mentioned above. Fairly powerful overall components. Weaker graphics card compared to the above laptops. Might to be too weak to run some games at the native 1920x1080 resolution? Not sure how good the keyboard is compared to the other two laptops. Both sites only offer Intel 6200 wireless card, I will have to replace it with the 6300 myself. Price is between $1050-$1100, much less expensive than both of the ones above.
Sager NP5125 (Built on Clevo B1500M)
Sager NP5125 (Built on Clevo B1500M) (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np5125-built-clevo-b1500m-p-2840.html)
l]
Pros/Cons: Seems like a very good screen. Weaker 330M Geforce card. Same issue as the previous Sager laptop, can it handle the 1920x1080 resolution while running any semi-decent games and movies? Design seems okay. Offers the Intel 6300 card so I will not have to replace it myself. Overall price is low enough for me to include the in-house thermal paste upgrade. Total price is around $1100. This is a new model that just came out/is being released soon, how well would it compare against the others?
ASUS G51JX-X5
ASUS G51JX-X5 - XOTIC PC - ASUS Gaming Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g51jxx5-p-2811.html)
Pros/Cons: 1920x1080 FHD screen that might be comparable to the top Clevo. Powerful Geforce 360M graphics card should do well with the high resolution. 6GB of ram vs. 4GB on the other laptops offers better performance, but also drains more battery life. Intel 6300 card already available. Comes with $100 Asus manufacturers rebate if purchased by July 31st. Win 7 not removable on either site, so the price of it is basically in the overall price of the laptop. After rebates the total price on both sites is between $1250-1275. The design of the laptop is a bit flasher than I usually prefer but might be doable. Lights on the side of the laptop cannot be turned off apparently, will be disruptive during classes/lectures.
These are basically the laptops that I have researched so far. All of them have pros and cons but I have not been able to actually make up my mind as to what laptop will be the best one overall for me.
If someone can offer other alternatives that I have not listed or might not know about, that would be great. This is a quick rundown as to what the general stats I am looking for are:
15-16" with 1680x1050 or higher resolution.
Good quality screen, paired with a graphics card that functions well at the mentioned resolutions.
Either i5 or i7
4GB of 1066/1333 RAM
320GB 7200 HDD
Prefer to have Intel 6300 wireless card added but should be able to do it myself if need be.
This is just a general rundown of the kinds of components I prefer, others might work but so far most laptops I have looked at had a combination of the above parts.
In all, hopefully someone might be able to offer me some advice as to which one of the listed laptops I should choose or maybe a model that I have not yet seen. Sorry about this post being so very long.
Thanks
I am looking to make a purchase for a new laptop prior to the fall semester starting in about 1.5 months time, and I have become overwhelmed with the amount of choice available. I will start with the general questionnaire and then go from there.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
I am looking to try and stay between $1000-1400. The main concern being that the extra spending is worth the performance gain.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen - Screen quality is one of my biggest concerns. I have been looking at a few brands such as Clevo particularly because they are reviewed as having some of the best/if not the best, screens on the market. Resolution is another concern, I would prefer something along the lines of at least 1680x1050 or 1920x1080.
3) Where will you buying this notebook?
Xoticpc since prices are much better than other online retailers.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: Clevo (while expensive quite a few reviews seem to say they are worth it), Asus (have always been a fan of their desktop motherboards, their laptops also seem to be highly rated), MSI (found the MSI-1656-ID4 model, great components for the money, not sure how good the screen is compared to Asus/Clevo).
b. Dislike: Don't really have any particular dislikes. If a laptop is rated well, looks good, has up to date components, I am willing to take a look.
5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
Not really, prefer to stick with a brand new unit.
6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
This laptop will be used for school work to multimedia and everything in between. For school work, programs like AutoCAD, Matlab, and the regular MS Office programs. For multimedia, high quality movie watching, browsing online, etc. Everything in between would probably consist of some gaming (few FPS's here and there, RTS, etc) would like to be able to try out new and up-and-coming games.
In general this laptop would work like a desktop replacement. I have an aging (AMD 3700, Geforce 6800 Ultra) desktop that needs to be replaced. I thought about building a brand new desktop since that can be done for a price similar to a medium-ish range laptop, but I would prefer having something mobile enough to take to class, yet powerful enough to be able to hook up to a 22" monitor and enjoy it from there. So there came the decision to purchase a laptop.
7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Both. Mostly to class and leaving it on my desk at home. Weight shouldn't be an issue since I haven't seen many 15-16" laptops that were out of my range.
8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
As stated above, for gaming it would be FPS/RTS and a few other games. I would like to be able to play new and upcoming games. Although I will be gaming, I don't expect to play crazy/demanding FPS games like Crysis with maxed AA/AF. This situation might be helpful in determining the graphics card I need since I am still on the fence about this.
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
While I would prefer a long battery life, I understand that this is something multimedia/gaming laptops are not known for. During gaming/movie watching sessions the laptop will usually (90% of the time) be plugged in. For school use I would like to get maybe 120-180 minutes worth of use. During school use I would mainly be taking notes (MS Word) and most likely have brightness on the screen turned down as well as the networking off. I have read a few battery saving techniques on this forum (under-volting, eliminating unnecessary processes, possible laptops with switchable graphics cards, etc) so while my battery outlook might be optimistic, it might be possible for just school use.
10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
While this would be great, I understand that with online purchases and lack of in-store models, this might be impossible. If there are shops that forum users might be able to recommend in the New Jersey area that would be great.
11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
My school provides free copies of Windows 7 Professional for Engineering/Comp Sci students so I plan to go this route.
Screen Specifics
12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer?
Maximum Resolutions: WSXGA+, WUXGA, FHD, 1080p
Actual resolutions: 1680x1050, 1920x1200 and 1920x1080
I would prefer to stick to these resolutions. I know some people say that 1920x1080 might be small/hard to read on a 15-16" laptop but I heard that Win 7 allows users to change the text size on icons. Does anyone have any overall advice on this issue (15-16" screen vs large resolution)? Screen quality for me is more important than resolution but both aspect are usually tied in together in the end so it makes the choice a bit more difficult.
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I don't really have a preference for this. Glossy would work since I doubt I will use the laptop outdoors much where reflections/glare will be an issue. Again overall screen quality trumps screen type in this category. I have glanced over a few posts about screen types and it seems that glossy screens usually provide an overall higher quality display.
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I prefer a minimalistic design such as the one found on Clevo laptops. I might be able to make an exception if the design isn't over the top and the laptop offers good components vs. the price.
15) When are you buying this laptop?
I plan to buy it prior to the fall semester starting on the 1st of September.
16) How long do you want this laptop to last?
As long as possible. I know after a year or two, playing the latest and greatest games might be somewhat difficult but I would still like to keep it around for 3-4 years. That is another reason why a solid cooling system is important for me. This time frame might be optimistic (not 100% sure since I have never owned a laptop before) but I will do my best to keep it safe and in the best working order.
Notebook Components
17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
I have been mostly looking at 320GB 7200 RPM drives. I plan to keep my desktop around basically as a backup storage unit so overall total storage on the laptop should not be an issue. I might purchase a smaller SSD drive down the road to use as an OS boot drive.
18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
At the start I plan on going with a basic DVD-ROM/DVD burner drive but in the future I might remove/replace it with a external one to make room for an SSD boot drive.
With the questionnaire complete, here are a few laptops that I have been looking over but have not pulled the trigger on the purchase.
Clevo W860CU
Sager NP8690 - XOTIC PC - (Built on Clevo W860CU) np8690 Gaming Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8690-built-clevo-w860cu-custom-gaming-laptop-p-2659.html)
Configured with 4GB of 1333 ram, i7 740QM, the full HD 1920x1080 screen, ATI HD 5870, Intel 6300 wireless card. The total cost comes in around $1460. Clevo kits seem to have some of the best cooling systems in laptops today so my goal of keeping it around for a long time and protecting it from heat damage should be doable. The downside is that with all of these high energy consuming parts, even with the mentioned energy saving methods getting 2-3hrs of school work time might be very difficult/impossible.
Questions: Is the cpu overkill for my needs? Would the i5 do the job just as well and future proofing is worthless? If I go with the i5, I might be able to get an SSD boot drive sooner. Also the i5 offers better power consumption compared to the beefier i7. Is it worth to add the higher end thermal paste upgrade for $30-40, is it better to just buy the same thermal paste from newegg for $10 and do it myself, or is it better to just go with the OEM branded one for free?
MSI-1656-ID4
FORCE 1656 (Built on the MSI-1656-ID4) (http://www.xoticpc.com/force-1656id4-built-msi1656id4-p-2822.html)
Configured with 4GB of 1333 ram, i7 720QM, ATI HD 5850, 15.4" WSXGA+ "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1680x1050), Intel 6300 wireless card. The total cost comes in around $1215. This setup is probably the best performance/components for the money. Although the video card is not as powerful as the one in the Clevo systems, it is also around $200 cheaper.
Questions: Is the screen decent? Anyone able to compare it to the Clevo's screen in terms of overall viewing quality. I wouldn't mind the smaller resolution, it is just that I have read some much about the Clevo screen being absolutely gorgeous while I haven't been able to find anything about the MSI screen. How would the cooling on this system compare to the Clevo? Same goes for the approximate battery life, both are very powerful systems, would power saving techniques mentioned offer near 2-3 hour school work performance on this laptop? The sites mention the MSI has a 6 cell Li-Ion battery vs.the Clevo having 3-cell Li-Polymer battery, any idea on the difference in available work time since both systems for the most part have same components apart from the graphics card.
These particular laptops were some of the main ones that I have been looking at but there have also been a few others ones as well. I will try to do a quicker summary about them since my post is becoming a novel at this point and might be a bit of a long read for those willing to help. Most of these laptops have similar components as the ones above unless mentioned otherwise.
SAGER NP2180 (Compal NBLB2)
Sager NP2180 (Built on Compal NBLB2) Custom Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np2180-built-compal-nblb2-custom-laptop-p-2776.html)
Pros/Cons: Similar screen to the Clevo mentioned above. Fairly powerful overall components. Weaker graphics card compared to the above laptops. Might to be too weak to run some games at the native 1920x1080 resolution? Not sure how good the keyboard is compared to the other two laptops. Both sites only offer Intel 6200 wireless card, I will have to replace it with the 6300 myself. Price is between $1050-$1100, much less expensive than both of the ones above.
Sager NP5125 (Built on Clevo B1500M)
Sager NP5125 (Built on Clevo B1500M) (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np5125-built-clevo-b1500m-p-2840.html)
l]
Pros/Cons: Seems like a very good screen. Weaker 330M Geforce card. Same issue as the previous Sager laptop, can it handle the 1920x1080 resolution while running any semi-decent games and movies? Design seems okay. Offers the Intel 6300 card so I will not have to replace it myself. Overall price is low enough for me to include the in-house thermal paste upgrade. Total price is around $1100. This is a new model that just came out/is being released soon, how well would it compare against the others?
ASUS G51JX-X5
ASUS G51JX-X5 - XOTIC PC - ASUS Gaming Laptop (http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g51jxx5-p-2811.html)
Pros/Cons: 1920x1080 FHD screen that might be comparable to the top Clevo. Powerful Geforce 360M graphics card should do well with the high resolution. 6GB of ram vs. 4GB on the other laptops offers better performance, but also drains more battery life. Intel 6300 card already available. Comes with $100 Asus manufacturers rebate if purchased by July 31st. Win 7 not removable on either site, so the price of it is basically in the overall price of the laptop. After rebates the total price on both sites is between $1250-1275. The design of the laptop is a bit flasher than I usually prefer but might be doable. Lights on the side of the laptop cannot be turned off apparently, will be disruptive during classes/lectures.
These are basically the laptops that I have researched so far. All of them have pros and cons but I have not been able to actually make up my mind as to what laptop will be the best one overall for me.
If someone can offer other alternatives that I have not listed or might not know about, that would be great. This is a quick rundown as to what the general stats I am looking for are:
15-16" with 1680x1050 or higher resolution.
Good quality screen, paired with a graphics card that functions well at the mentioned resolutions.
Either i5 or i7
4GB of 1066/1333 RAM
320GB 7200 HDD
Prefer to have Intel 6300 wireless card added but should be able to do it myself if need be.
This is just a general rundown of the kinds of components I prefer, others might work but so far most laptops I have looked at had a combination of the above parts.
In all, hopefully someone might be able to offer me some advice as to which one of the listed laptops I should choose or maybe a model that I have not yet seen. Sorry about this post being so very long.
Thanks