Hardware Laptop suggestion thread

[Mangofett]

I'm going on a 1 month trip, so I'm getting a laptop. I'm looking for suggestions. It should be around 1000$. 14.1" or 15.4", the smaller one preferred, but nothing smaller. Heres the best I found so far. It needs to have an express slot so I can use WWAN.

Components

* • Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
* • Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.20 GHz, 4 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
* • 14.1" WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
* • 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* • 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
* • HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Webcam + Microphone
* • Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth™
* • FREE Upgrade to 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive from 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive!!
* • FREE Upgrade to LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support!!
* • No TV Tuner w/remote control
* • High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* • Microsoft® Works 9.0

Also, what are some nice singleplayer games I should consider?

 

[SavageWaffle]

Singleplayer games you can play:
CoD 4 Free demo trial on the site. Google it
WoW Fun but gets boring for me.
Unreal tournament 2 never actually played it but heard it was fun.

 

[ZeWarrior]

With an 8400M GS, TRUST ME. You will NOT be running anything too intense. Basically no CoD4, Crysis, GoW, Halo 2, etc..
But if you aren't gonna play games, that laptop is fine. What brand/ model?

 

[Volsfan91]

ZeWarrior, he could easily play games on that thing... especially Call of Duty 4, as it's pretty scalable.

 

[notnarb]

zewarrior is right to an extent, the 8400 is a little weak, add in the puny 128MB of dedicated VRAM and most newer games won't be enjoyable. Might I also add that if you were to get a 64bit version of windows, it opens up the window to emulate games from last gen (GC and PS2). I personally cannot say how well PS2 and GC games are emulated, but I've heard it's pretty good.

 

[fischju]

1280x800...blah

You can get a good laptop from Dell or Alienware with a 1920x1200 screen for $1200, you should look those up. (Or try to find other laptops with the screen)

 

[Mangofett]

I can't really get better than an 8400GS in a 14.1" small laptop. Its an HP, which is a brand I trust. Our family has had 4 computer from them total, all which still work today.

Also, something interesting to note, the 8400GS uses the same processor and core clock as the 8500gt, just with slower memory. I'm not intending to play Crysis on it to begin with... or for that matter, any of the other games you mentioned. I'm most likely going to play things like Half Life 2, Age of Empires 3, and emulators for 3D consoles. You're wrong on the Halo 2 part, cause I can run it on a geforce 6200 fine.

And you can run those emulators on a 32bit windows too, notnarb, I'm already running PS2 on this PC.

offtopic: those screens are for the 17" model, which is too big for me. Larger laptops also seem to have wore battery life. On the laptop I posted, i would get 4 hours on the 6 cell battery, and 7 hours on the 12 cell battery...

 

[fischju]

15.4" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD is an option for a very expensive alienware - which means there is a much cheaper and better laptop with that screen somewhere....I must find it...15.4" WSXGA+ TFT LCD (native 1680 x 1050) are also around...

 

[Mangofett]

I saw that but it wasn't around 1000$

Although, dont bother. The current pixel density is enough for me, any more and I'll probably need glasses >_>

 

[fischju]

Ok, how about one of these?
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Xplorer...-9520_Notebook/
Take off Windows and it's $916
Radeon 2600 Mobile 256mb

Or this
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=687
8600M GT 512MB

This one has a 1680x1050 screen
http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_custo...ction=customize

 

[Mangofett]

First one: the processor isn't the greatest, but seems ok otherwise.
Second one: Slow proc, 1GB RAM, 80GB harddrive

 

[Pigiot]

How fast of a processor do you want? How much ram at the bare minimum, battery life, hard drive capacity ect. Give me a rough estimate so it's easier to locate exactly what u want in your price range.

 

[fischju]

First one: the processor isn't the greatest, but seems ok otherwise.
Second one: Slow proc, 1GB RAM, 80GB harddrive

You can customize all of those for more ram or faster proc

 

[Mangofett]

First one: the processor isn't the greatest, but seems ok otherwise.
Second one: Slow proc, 1GB RAM, 80GB harddrive


You can customize all of those for more ram or faster proc

Then it would go over budget

@ other person: better than the specs in my first post.

 

[fischju]

http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configurator.aspx?mid=261
$1080 (take off Vista)
2GB of RAM
T7250 (+$44 for T7500)
8600GT 512mb
120GB HDD



http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configu...?mid=249#header
$1014 (Take off Vista)
2GB of RAM
T7500
8600GT 512mb
120GB HDD

 

[ZeWarrior]

LOL@ Offtopic suggesting iBuyCrap and CyberCrap. Those are crap brands. Linki, stick with the HP you had.

 

[Javacat]

I was going to suggest a Dell XPS M1330, but the cheapest one is $999 and the one with dedicated graphics card is $1479

http://www.dell.com/content/products/produ...spx/xpsnb_m1330

 

[fischju]

LOL@ Offtopic suggesting iBuyCrap and CyberCrap. Those are crap brands. Linki, stick with the HP you had.

You've bought from them? Because I have, many times. And there isn't anything wrong with them.

 

[mojoex]

everything is wrong with them.

 

[Mangofett]

To be honest, I've heard horror stories from iBuyPower but not from CyberPower.

That being said, I'll probably go with the laptop I first posted. (I mean, am I really going to get a lot of hardcore gaming done on an RV? And it's more balanced.)

Now, what games should I download? Things in the league of Oblivion, Half Life, Age of Empires, etc.