Looking into getting a laptop for school

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

Getting my Financial Aid for school, and they gave me enough to get books/supplies and a laptop. Any Suggestions. I want to spend less than 1100.

I liked the Dell Studio 17, but there was another Gateway one that I liked.

I definitely want a big screen and a full keyboard(i use the 10-key alot)

And will be using it for gaming, Web design, and what-ever else I can cram in there.

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

I am liking dells, Here is one that I customized. Do you think it will last. I don't know What the PC games usual requirements are. $919

SYSTEM COLOR Jet Black edit
PROCESSOR Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6500 (2.10GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Service Pack 1 64 Bit

WARRANTY AND SERVICE 1Yr Ltd Warranty and Mail-In Service
HD DISPLAY Glossy widescreen 17.0 inch display (1440x900)
MEMORY 3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz edit
HARD DRIVE SIZE: 250GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor
VIDEO CARD 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650
OPTICAL DRIVE 8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
BATTERY OPTIONS 85 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
WIRELESS CARDS Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Half Mini-Card
INTEGRATED WEBCAM Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
SOUND OPTIONS Soundblaster X-Fi Hi Def Audio - Software Enabled
KEYBOARD Back-lit Keyboard edit


My Accessories
SECURITY SOFTWARE McAfee SecurityCenter, 30-Day Trial edit

DATASAFE ONLINE BACKUP Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year

LCD and Camera Glossy widescreen 17.0 inch display (1440x900) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera

[[LMB] Demolitio]

I'm a big PC gamer, so I'll help you out here. I'm a few days late, so I'll ask if you already got it or not before helping.

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

Aug 26, 2009 17:27:49 GMT -5 [LMB] Demolitio said:

I'm a big PC gamer, so I'll help you out here. I'm a few days late, so I'll ask if you already got it or not before helping.

Nope, I get FA on the Sept 21st.

[psychopath666]

Thats the day I leave for campin :-)

[[PAs] Sw3RvE_]

id stay away from a 64-bit OS. not all software and programs will work on it. try to find a laptop that still supports windows xp. if you want to play a game xp is the os to go with on a laptop. vista hogs too much resources like ram and cpu.

if you LOVE vista... get as much ram as you can like 3 or 4 GB.

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

what about windows 7, whatever the hell that is.

I am not all up on the different OSs

[[RMD] IRISH-x-]

Aug 27, 2009 18:30:31 GMT -5 [GSO] IDEVILMANI said:

what about windows 7, whatever the hell that is.

I am not all up on the different OSs

I'm running Windows 7 as we speak and its much, much better than Vista.Windows 7 will be a cheap upgrade and more than likely any new computer that you purchase between now and October 22nd will be cheap if not free to upgrade to Windows 7.

[[HOD]Drago13]

I am with you Devil.. I have to get a new laptop.. Mine works fine , but CS4 and the different plugins i use, is gonna eventually burn mine up. It will get so hot , i have to put a blanket on my leg..lol..

I am probably gonna sell mine and some other stuff on ebay to get another one. My main prerequisite it back-lit keys... I am soo tired of straing in the dark to see mine.. I am figuring a gaming comp... I figure that should be able to handle all the graphics programs I run..

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

Aug 28, 2009 17:21:11 GMT -5 [HOD]Drago13 said:

I am with you Devil.. I have to get a new laptop.. Mine works fine , but CS4 and the different plugins i use, is gonna eventually burn mine up. It will get so hot , i have to put a blanket on my leg..lol..

I am probably gonna sell mine and some other stuff on ebay to get another one. My main prerequisite it back-lit keys... I am soo tired of straing in the dark to see mine.. I am figuring a gaming comp... I figure that should be able to handle all the graphics programs I run..

Yep, that is a big thing for me too. So much that I am going to get a backlit keyboard for my PC too.

I am all for graphics, but at the same time, i have no problem playing games on its lowest graphical settings to play them. But at the same time I am not a big PC gamer. I just want to have enough juice in it to at least get by on it if I decide to pick up a PC game. I don't plan on playing crysis on it,

[[GSO] IDEVILMANI]

Ok, I found a toshiba laptop. Toshiba isn't a lame ass brand, At least I don't think they are.

Here is what I am thinking about.
18.4 inch screen.
2.1GHz 3MB cache, 1066FSB
3GB ram,
ATI Mobility Radeon 4650 1GB dedcated graphics card with an integrated 256MB-1GB shared ram.
250GB HDD(5400 rpm SATA) I know the big thing is 7200rpms, but will it be that bad to have a slower rpm?

HDDs can be easily replaced on a laptop right? I have no experience with any laptops.

www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?seg=HHO&poid=446072

[psychopath666]

One thing I know about laptops is there powercords break often and at 50 bucks a pop can be costly. My GF is on her 4th in a year & half.