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[eosos]

Alright Gaf, its come down to two notebooks.

This 14.5" HP envy
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-740QM Quad Core processor (1.73GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
• 1GB DDR3 ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5650 graphics [HDMI] - For Quad Core Processors
• 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard) -
• 14.5" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display (1366x768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support

$1.364

versus

Sony Vaio S Series


•Intel® Core™ i7-2620M processor (2.70GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.40GHz
•Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
•13.3" VAIO Display with LED backlight (1366 x 768)
•AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics with Intel® Wireless Display technology
•500GB Hard Drive (7200rpm)
•4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
•CD/DVD Player / Burner
•Extended Sheet Battery

$1,449

They both seem real nice to me, but I'm leaning towards the S series because of battery life and form factor. I was thinking of putting an SSD in them after I get them too. What does everyone think?

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Alright Gaf, its come down to two notebooks.

This 14.5" HP envy
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-740QM Quad Core processor (1.73GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
• 1GB DDR3 ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5650 graphics [HDMI] - For Quad Core Processors
• 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard) -
• 14.5" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display (1366x768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support

$1.364

versus

Sony Vaio S Series


•Intel® Core™ i7-2620M processor (2.70GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.40GHz
•Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
•13.3" VAIO Display with LED backlight (1366 x 768)
•AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics with Intel® Wireless Display technology
•500GB Hard Drive (7200rpm)
•4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
•CD/DVD Player / Burner
•Extended Sheet Battery

$1,449

They both seem real nice to me, but I'm leaning towards the S series because of battery life and form factor. I was thinking of putting an SSD in them after I get them too. What does everyone think?

For general computing, they're fine. For Gaming, they're very weak. Read this thread if you'd like suggestions for laptops that actually play games well.

 

[eosos]

For general computing, they're fine. For Gaming, they're very weak. Read this thread if you'd like suggestions for laptops that actually play games well.

I feel like they'd be able to play most games pretty well. Given the i7 and the cards.

 

[Finaika]

My good old Dell XPS M1530 finally died of graphics card overheating, so last week I bought a Toshiba Qosmio. It was tough finding a performance laptop with an English OS here in Japan, but I think this is good enough.

Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q892 Laptop
- Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- Intel® Core™ i5-460M Processor
o 2.53 GHz (2.80 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology), 3MB L3 Cache
- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460M with 1.5GB GDDR5 discrete graphics memory
- Configured with 4GB DDR3 1066MHz (max 8GB)
- 500GB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive
- DVD SuperMulti drive with Labelflash® supporting 11 formats
- 18.4” diagonal widescreen TruBrite® TFT LCD display at 1680 x 945 native resolution (HD+)
- Built-in harman/kardon® stereo speakers

 

[Quixzlizx]

I feel like they'd be able to play most games pretty well. Given the i7 and the cards.

The cards aren't very good.

 

[gdt]

My Witcher 2 settings on my HP DV6QE:

AMD 6770m.

Pulling 25-30 in the prologue, only drop a frame or 2 in combat. Fucking ecstatic with how it looks. I could probably tweak a bit more, but I'm happy with the way it is now. It auto detects to medium, but I push up a few options (texture memory, decal, shadows, etc)

No invert mouse is killing me though. But I assume there'll be a patch for that.

Ugh, just took some pics, but fraps didn't include the framerate counter. But yeah, 25-30, pretty solid. Doesn't really move from that. Very happy. On a 6770m/quad core.

And yeah yeah, compressed, I know.

I know the Ulta-lites look down on me, but don't ruin my party! I was expecting super low crap :lol.

People have advised me to turn off SSAO for a big boost, I'll do so.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

I feel like they'd be able to play most games pretty well. Given the i7 and the cards.

CPU doesn't mean much... those videocards will play most games @ Low to Medium settings. They're much slower than what you can get for less.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Just bought an Alienware M17x R3.
Specs:

17.3" 1080p screen
Intel Core i7 2630m quad-core processor
4 GB DDR1333
Radeon 6970M 2 GB GDDR5
320GB HDD

Total was $1282 after tax (fuck California!), free shipping, and using a $250 discount coupon.

As much as I dislike Alienware, I couldn't pass up such an amazing deal.

 

[Noogy]

Just bought an Alienware M17x R3.
Specs:

17.3" 1080p screen
Intel Core i7 2630m quad-core processor
4 GB DDR1333
Radeon 6970M 2 GB GDDR5
320GB HDD

Total was $1282 after tax (fuck California!), free shipping, and using a $250 discount coupon.

As much as I dislike Alienware, I couldn't pass up such an amazing deal.

That sounds awesome. I cant find it on Alienware's site, or did you do a custom build?

 

[Minsc]

Just bought an Alienware M17x R3.
Specs:

17.3" 1080p screen
Intel Core i7 2630m quad-core processor
4 GB DDR1333
Radeon 6970M 2 GB GDDR5
320GB HDD

Total was $1282 after tax (fuck California!), free shipping, and using a $250 discount coupon.

As much as I dislike Alienware, I couldn't pass up such an amazing deal.

That 6970M is pretty awesome for sure, The Witcher 2 on mostly Ultra. What's the nVidia equivalent for it?

 

[Oni Jazar]

That 6970M is pretty awesome for sure, The Witcher 2 on mostly Ultra. What's the nVidia equivalent for it?

GeForce GTX 485M. Fastest mobile card on the planet.

 

[nelsonroyale]

GeForce GTX 485M. Fastest mobile card on the planet.

For gaming purposes its pretty close. For instance, crysis games and metro seem to run a bit better on the 6970m from the benchmarks I have checked, while other stuff runs better on the GTX 485

 

[cnizzle06]

Alright guys, so I'm looking to get a laptop through Dell since I have a line of credit open with them. So the XPS 15 loaded with these components for about 1250:

PROCESSOR 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2620M processor 2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
OFFICE SOFTWARE Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2010
SERVICE PLAN 1 Year Basic Service Plan
VIDEO CARD NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M 2GB graphics with Optimus
MEMORY 8GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
HARD DRIVE 750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
HD DISPLAY 15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) and Skype-Certified 2.0MP HD Webcam
INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Tray Load Blu-ray Disc BD-Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)
WIRELESS + BLUETOOTH Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1030 & Bluetooth 3.0
BATTERY 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
SOUND JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3

So what do you guys think? Overkill? Underpowered? Overpriced?

Appreciate the help.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

That sounds awesome. I cant find it on Alienware's site, or did you do a custom build?

outlet.dell.com

I *think* (I'll check) the $250 coupon expired. I found that laptop literally 30 mins before the coupon expired.

Edit: Coupon is still good!

That 6970M is pretty awesome for sure, The Witcher 2 on mostly Ultra. What's the nVidia equivalent for it?

GTX 485M as mentioned above. The 485M isn't worth buying because A. it's on par or slightly faster than the 6970M and B. it's more expensive. Apparently the 6970M + Sandy Bridge on the M17x R3 is the ultimate combination: it lets you use the Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics, and unlike the Nvidia cards, when you switch to IGP with the AMD card it completely powers down the GPU.

What does this mean? 4-5 hour battery life.

My dream laptop? Hell yeah. Includes HDMI input as well, so I can use the laptop screen as a portable HDTV. Impressive.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Alright guys, so I'm looking to get a laptop through Dell since I have a line of credit open with them. So the XPS 15 loaded with these components for about 1250:

PROCESSOR 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2620M processor 2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
OFFICE SOFTWARE Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2010
SERVICE PLAN 1 Year Basic Service Plan
VIDEO CARD NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M 2GB graphics with Optimus
MEMORY 8GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
HARD DRIVE 750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
HD DISPLAY 15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) and Skype-Certified 2.0MP HD Webcam
INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Tray Load Blu-ray Disc BD-Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)
WIRELESS + BLUETOOTH Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1030 & Bluetooth 3.0
BATTERY 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
SOUND JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3

So what do you guys think? Overkill? Underpowered? Overpriced?

Appreciate the help.

If you go to outlet.dell.com RIGHT NOW, there's an M17x R3 with a 6970M (basically the same thing I got) for $1529 - $250 = $1279 before tax + free shipping.

If any GAF'er wants me to drop it from my cart, reply to this thread NOW or PM me and I'll drop it from the cart in coordination so you can purchase it.

Coupon code = JNZCZ9RDGHP$DV

Specs:

Processor Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM processor (2.20 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.30 GHz)
Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
Base Alienware M17x R3 Laptop
Hard Disk Drive 320 GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
Memory 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz (2 DIMMs)
Media Bay 8X DVD +/- RW Drive
Video 2 GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6970M
System Color Soft Touch Stealth Black
Laptop Screen 17.3 inch Wide FHD (1920 x 1080 60Hz) WLED Display
Laptop Battery 9 Cell Battery
Network Interface Card Dell 1501 Wireless-N
Bluetooth Wireless Dell Wireless 375 Bluetooth Module
Keyboard Internal English Single Pointing Keyboard
Hardware Upgrade 210W/240W switchable Slim 3P A/C Adapter
125V Power Cord
Software Upgrade 64BIT Operating System

 

[BoobPhysics101]

It's about to drop out of my cart... :\

Edit: Found a loophole to hold it in the cart. Just PM me or reply to the thread.

 

[ZedIndyLil]

Just giving a thumbs up to this thread and all of the helpful knowledgeable people in it. Kind of bummed, however, to only now realize that the 540m in the Dell XPS 15 soon to be sent my way is not great, especially at the native 1080p resolution. But then I have to remind myself of the improvement it'll still be over the integrated graphics in my 3-year-old Thinkpad, which gets taxed by fricking Bejeweled 3.

I also have to remember that it's primarily a work machine, and, as such, is costing me about $0.00US...

 

[cnizzle06]

Just giving a thumbs up to this thread and all of the helpful knowledgeable people in it. Kind of bummed, however, to only now realize that the 540m in the Dell XPS 15 soon to be sent my way is not great, especially at the native 1080p resolution. But then I have to remind myself of the improvement it'll still be over the integrated graphics in my 3-year-old Thinkpad, which gets taxed by fricking Bejeweled 3.

I also have to remember that it's primarily a work machine, and, as such, is costing me about $0.00US...

Damn, is the 540M really that bad?

 

[K.Jack]

Just bought an Alienware M17x R3.
Specs:

17.3" 1080p screen
Intel Core i7 2630m quad-core processor
4 GB DDR1333
Radeon 6970M 2 GB GDDR5
320GB HDD

Total was $1282 after tax (fuck California!), free shipping, and using a $250 discount coupon.

As much as I dislike Alienware, I couldn't pass up such an amazing deal.

Just in time to miss out on the 6990M. Congrats.

I'll be interested in seeing how well it overclocks. My 6980M is kinda weak sauce, currently running at 830/1050.

Damn, is the 540M really that bad?

Depends on what you plan to do with it.

 

[Spiderjericho]

Damn, is the 540M really that bad?

Yes.

GT555M seems to be pretty decent. GT560 is nice. As someone mentioned, GT460 or 485 are great too.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

I just ordered a Lenovo Y470 yesterday. It comes with a GT550M. It's fine for what I plan to do (hardly game except for SFIV, SSFIV, GGPO, solitaire). I mainly bought it for the i7 2630, 8GB of RAM and 7200 rpm hard drive, which are an upgrade to my Y460 (ATI 5650m, i5 520, 4 GB and 320 5400 RPM).

I want something semi portable and has RAM and a good processor for my IT certification studies (but has a little kick for gaming).

 

[K.Jack]

I just ordered a Lenovo Y470 yesterday. It comes with a GT550M.

When you receive it, would you please post a GPU-Z screenshot for me?

I need the GT 550M for my records.

 

[Noogy]

It's about to drop out of my cart... :\

Edit: Found a loophole to hold it in the cart. Just PM me or reply to the thread.

I'm sure it's out of your cart by now? I'm so tempted, but I really wanted to get one with a bluray drive. And while its a bit silly, I've always been partial to nVidia.

 

[cnizzle06]

damn it all, the 540M seems to run pretty well on youtube videos.

 

[ZoddGutts]

Ha I was also planning on getting a acer inspire which had a 540M. Guess I'll go with Lenovo Y570 that has a 555M and 2nd Gen icore 5.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...=F41BC8E1656C5F85171FBDB172571912&action=init

 

[hteng]

don't expect to play this year's games on high at 1080p with 540m or 555m, they should be able to handle medium though.

in general, the lowest highend mobile gpu in the market at the moment is the GTX460m and HD 5870, you'd need to at least get those. If you have money, might as well get the HD 6970m. best GPU for your money, gtx485m is like 200 bucks more expensive.

 

[Azure J]

Just in time to miss out on the 6990M. Congrats.

What are the specifics on this one?

 

[K.Jack]

What are the specifics on this one?

Well, it's still under NDA, but the realistic speculation (because an unlocked 6970M engineering sample found its way to an NBR member), is:

Full Barts XT, which means 1120 shaders (6970M has 960)

Leaked chip:

I am not confirming that shit, though, so for now rule it as an anomaly.

Bottom Line: 6990M will either come from the 6870 or 6950. The latter would be SIIIIIICK.

 

[Azure J]

Beyond hyped now.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Well, it's still under NDA, but the realistic speculation (because an unlocked 6970M engineering sample found its way to an NBR member), is:

Full Barts XT, which means 1120 shaders (6970M has 960)

Leaked chip:

I am not confirming that shit, though, so for now rule it as an anomaly.

Bottom Line: 6990M will either come from the 6870 or 6950. The latter would be SIIIIIICK.

If it comes from the 6950, it'd be a somewhat worthy upgrade from the 6970M. If it's a 6870 (and I suspect it will be), it wouldn't be worth upgrading to.

Let's hope AMD decides to take the crown and makes it a 6950.

 

[K.Jack]

I was just teasing, really. Clocks pending, coming from the 6870 would give the 6990M a ~15% advantage.

I'm sticking with the 6970M, unless it does come from the 6950.

Hint: this will not happen.

I mean, we're not looking at a zero percent chance, but it's razor thin.

We'll know within the next two weeks.

 

[Biff]

Are there any 15" laptops that offer the GTX 470m or 480m?

Saw them ranked pretty high in the mobile GPU ranking page posted earlier.. Haven't seen them in any laptop specs yet though.

 

[K.Jack]

The 470M and 480M are dead, buried. The new kings are the 485M and 6970M, of which you need to choose the latter every time.

You are looking for the Sager NP8150.

 

[Owzers]

Ha I was also planning on getting a acer inspire which had a 540M. Guess I'll go with Lenovo Y570 that has a 555M and 2nd Gen icore 5.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...=F41BC8E1656C5F85171FBDB172571912&action=init

That lenovo one looks interesting actually, i'm trying to check if the 555 and 550 in the Y570 have optimus switching though, i really don't want to buy a laptop without atleast 4hrs of battery life.

on the promotional video on youtube it says it h as switchable graphics. Hmmmm maybe i will buy the 14'' i3-2310m Nvidia 550m graphics. I really want a 14'' for everyday use, 15.6 is a little too big /debates.

 

[MNC]

damn it all, the 540M seems to run pretty well on youtube videos.

I have an Asus k53sv with an i5 and GT 540m. It's a good card at 720p native resolution, runs current gen games at 30-50fps at medium-high, depending on the game.


Crysis 2, 30-40fps, gamer graphics (gamer is low, but there is barely any difference from high visually and I prefer the higher fps count)
Bad Company 2, 30fps, medium graphics
Mafia 2, 30-40 fps, high? I think, I forgot, I only played the demo.


I doubt The witcher will run at anything above low at a decent framerate but it will still run it My last card was a ati mobility hd 2400...

I'm quite content with my gaming capabilities as it is still a schoollaptop first, gaming later, and for the low price of 517€ it's a great device. And I *love* the design.

 

[Owzers]

is an i3-2310m too slow of a processor to play modern games, like the witcher 2?

 

[ZedIndyLil]

The 470M and 480M are dead, buried. The new kings are the 485M and 6970M, of which you need to choose the latter every time.

You are looking for the Sager NP8150.

Hi K.Jack, I see you recommending Sagers through XoticPC.com regularly in this thread. Do you know Xotic's typical turnaround time? I'm strongly considering the laptop you linked above with options that don't delay the order.

The reason: I received a polite email from Dell this morning saying that the XPS 15 I ordered originally to be shipped yesterday, has been delayed for 3 weeks. Byebye, Dell. It probably was the SSD that did it. At this point, I'm basically willing to get anything off the shelf or which I can have in my hands within a week. Since it's a work PC, money is not a major barrier (~$2k range is OK). I'd still like a >200GB SSD, though, plus a nice graphics card, great screen, etc, etc...

 

[nelsonroyale]

I was just teasing, really. Clocks pending, coming from the 6870 would give the 6990M a ~15% advantage.

I'm sticking with the 6970M, unless it does come from the 6950.

Hint: this will not happen.

I mean, we're not looking at a zero percent chance, but it's razor thin.

We'll know within the next two weeks.

Is it possible to switch out ATI cards...the computer I bought is from Kobalt, but I am wondering if I will be able to upgrade in the future? I prefer to upgrade in general than keep on buying new stuff. Laptops usually last about 3 to 4 years, while desktops can last much longer...

Obviously I am not considering upgrading it for a while

 

[Owzers]

Ha I was also planning on getting a acer inspire which had a 540M. Guess I'll go with Lenovo Y570 that has a 555M and 2nd Gen icore 5.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...=F41BC8E1656C5F85171FBDB172571912&action=init

random reviews of last years model Y560 seem to be really bad Xo , but on notebook forum a couple people seem to like their Y570. :O

 

[cnizzle06]

I have an Asus k53sv with an i5 and GT 540m. It's a good card at 720p native resolution, runs current gen games at 30-50fps at medium-high, depending on the game.


Crysis 2, 30-40fps, gamer graphics (gamer is low, but there is barely any difference from high visually and I prefer the higher fps count)
Bad Company 2, 30fps, medium graphics
Mafia 2, 30-40 fps, high? I think, I forgot, I only played the demo.


I doubt The witcher will run at anything above low at a decent framerate but it will still run it My last card was a ati mobility hd 2400...

I'm quite content with my gaming capabilities as it is still a schoollaptop first, gaming later, and for the low price of 517€ it's a great device. And I *love* the design.

Thanks for the info! Being that this is pretty much my first excursion into PC gaming, I think it'll be adequate. Also, much like yourself, it's going to be a college laptop first and foremost.

I'm still on the fence though

 

[K.Jack]

Is it possible to switch out ATI cards...the computer I bought is from Kobalt, but I am wondering if I will be able to upgrade in the future? I prefer to upgrade in general than keep on buying new stuff. Laptops usually last about 3 to 4 years, while desktops can last much longer...

Obviously I am not considering upgrading it for a while

Yes. If Clevo adds a card to the its product lines, it's as simple as updating the BIOS then swapping out the cards.

Hi K.Jack, I see you recommending Sagers through XoticPC.com regularly in this thread. Do you know Xotic's typical turnaround time? I'm strongly considering the laptop you linked above with options that don't delay the order.

The reason: I received a polite email from Dell this morning saying that the XPS 15 I ordered originally to be shipped yesterday, has been delayed for 3 weeks. Byebye, Dell. It probably was the SSD that did it. At this point, I'm basically willing to get anything off the shelf or which I can have in my hands within a week. Since it's a work PC, money is not a major barrier (~$2k range is OK). I'd still like a >200GB SSD, though, plus a nice graphics card, great screen, etc, etc...

I don't know the Sager turnaround, so your best bet is to call.

I'd also give ProStar a call. They tend to have the fastest delivery schedules, and is a company I've bought from in the past. They aren't merely a go-between like Xotic; Pro-Star is the second largest direct Clevo dealer in the US behind Sager.

I would've bought mine from PS, if they had the screen I was looking to acquire. They're your best bet.

 

[Downhome]

What do you guys think of this machine? Should I be good to go for most games? I have never been a PC gamer, but I think I'll dive in if this machine is up to it. I have missed out on a ton of games over the years.

After coupons, rebates, and various credits I got my following order down to $795/shipped:

HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition customizable Notebook PC

• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• FREE Upgrade to Norton Internet Security(TM) 2011 - 15 Month Subscription (activation required)
• One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
• 17.3" diagonal HD+ HP BrightView LED Display (1600 x 900)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader
• Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN with Wireless Display Support
• Standard Keyboard
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

[ZedIndyLil]

I don't know the Sager turnaround, so your best bet is to call.

I'd also give ProStar a call. They tend to have the fastest delivery schedules, and is a company I've bought from in the past. They aren't merely a go-between like Xotic; Pro-Star is the second largest direct Clevo dealer in the US behind Sager.

I would've bought mine from PS, if they had the screen I was looking to acquire. They're your best bet.

You are a scholar and a gentleman, thank you.

UPDATE: Bought a P150HM through ProStar. They just called to apologize and say they would not be able to ship it until Tuesday. I sure didn't expect anything sent out before Tuesday anyway due to Memorial Day, so the fact they called is already a big plus sign for them. So far, I'm hopeful the Dell screwup will end up being a blessing in disguise.

 

[weekend_warrior]

I'm not looking for a gaming laptop per-se but posting this here for additional input regardless.

As can be documented HERE I recently broke the LCD screen on my laptop, and it's actually gotten much WORSE since then. You can imagine how annoying it is to use a laptop with a giant black splotch in the middle of the screen. So I'm in dire need of a new computer.

What I've been looking at:

- Small/Light (netbook- 14")
- Cheap (< $500)
- Windows 7
- High durability (>.<)

My top two choices so far are the Thinkpad x120e with a single core AMD Fusion 1.5gz and theThinkpad Edge 14" with an i3-290m. I've also been considering the HP Probook and ASUS UL20 12.1". I've been reluctant to pull the trigger before I'm satisfied I've looked at every option for the best deal.

The Lenovos are my top choice because of their reputation for reliability and durability. If I got the x120e I'd be able to upgrade it to 6gb ram and a 64gb SSD. I've stayed away from anything that has a duo core 2 processor because it seems like old tech this point, and I assume the i3's are a lot better.

So what should I get? How good are the new Fusion CPUs? Anything else that I should be looking at?

 

[Archer]

What do you guys think of this machine? Should I be good to go for most games? I have never been a PC gamer, but I think I'll dive in if this machine is up to it. I have missed out on a ton of games over the years.

After coupons, rebates, and various credits I got my following order down to $795/shipped:

HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition customizable Notebook PC

• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• FREE Upgrade to Norton Internet Security(TM) 2011 - 15 Month Subscription (activation required)
• One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
• 17.3" diagonal HD+ HP BrightView LED Display (1600 x 900)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader
• Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN with Wireless Display Support
• Standard Keyboard
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

wow. nice.

 

[teeny]

Hi GAF. I need to buy a lap top this month for work, but I wouldnt mind being able to run some older games, or even newer ones at lower settings. Having / Running all my media on it is a massive plus as well, as Im low on physical space where I live.

Does this sound good?

HP Pavilion dv7-6052ea Laptop PC

Featuring Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium for a superior digital entertainment experience
An Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM for incredible performance
6GB memory for top system performance
1TB Hard Drive for storing all your digital files
43.9 cm (17.3") High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display
The latest AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics technology
Finished in a Dark Umber Metal
Watch the latest High-Definition media on the Blu-ray player
1 year, pick-up and return, warranty. Optional upgrade to 3 years accidental damage cover for peace of mind
Featuring Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an Integrated Webcam & Microphone, ideal for social networking and communications
Includes Beats™ sound system with integrated subwoofer

http://h40059.www4.hp.com/uk/homelaptops/product.php?id=LC734EA&experience=direct

I also really wouldnt mind knowing what the "Dark Umber Metal" acctually looks like in real life. I thought the Envys looked nice until I saw them in a store. :-(

 

[Downhome]

I also really wouldnt mind knowing what the "Dark Umber Metal" acctually looks like in real life. I thought the Envys looked nice until I saw them in a store. :-(

It is a very dare brown, almost black, you could say "coffee colored". Here is a video of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PQJDhi-xZg

 

[teeny]

It is a very dare brown, almost black, you could say "coffee colored". Here is a video of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PQJDhi-xZg

Okay, Im sold - that video is this exact laptop, right?

 

[gdt]

I love the color of the DV6/7's. My laptop looks a very cool black under yellow light, a really really dark brown under white light.

Very cool.

Edit: Oh and upgrade the graphics card to the 6770! It's not that much a price difference, IIRC.

 

[teeny]

I love the color of the DV6/7's. My laptop looks a very cool black under yellow light, a really really dark brown under white light.

Very cool.

Edit: Oh and upgrade the graphics card to the 6770! It's not that much a price difference, IIRC.

Thanks for the info.

I cannot see an option to upgrade on their site, though.

 

[gdt]

Thanks for the info.

I cannot see an option to upgrade on their site, though.

Dv7>Base configuration (customize and buy)>GPU>6770. There is now a 2gb version of the 6770, someone else can tell you if it's worth the upgrade over the 1gb version.