Looking to buy a laptop...

[Sonic7145]

A "gaming" laptop, if there is such a thing. Yes, I know desktops are better for gaming, but it's required of me that I get a laptop, so I'm trying to do my best here.

Basically, I've got around $1300 to spend. I've been able to find a Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83GHZ processor (T5550), 320GB HD (5200 RPM), but it comes with an Nvidia 8800 GTS.


Do you guys think this is a good deal for this price range? If not, any better ones?

Thanks

[Rijnzael]

Sounds like a decent laptop for the price and what you want to do with it. Are you also using it for school?

[Sonic7145]

I'd likely do some work with it on the side, but I'd like to be able to game on it too. No real 'hardcore' gaming, though.

[MagicVII]

The XPS m1330 was just on sale for around $1000, 2.0 ghz, 250 gb HD (5400 rpm), but think it came with Nvidia 8400M.

Thinking of getting that myself, but not sure. It's on sale with an online coupon code (20% off). New to forums so not sure how good of a deal it is, just starting to mess around with computers and such.

[TheMindRapist]

Sonics did you look at my list?
It's a few topics down.
If you already have windows XP, monitor, keyboard, and mouse it would be well within your price range.

[OneArrow]

Speaking from personal experience, I'd avoid Lenovo like the plague. My ThinkPad T42 (and their shoddy support for it) has given me nothing but trouble for four years - I've experienced almost every kind of hardware failure imaginable (fans, HDD, memory, monitor, power, you name it). In the end, I gave up and bought a Fujitsu tablet to replace it, but I digress.

[Sonic7145]

Thanks for all the replies.

Oh, and I totally agree with you about Lenovo.

[Rijnzael]

Hmm, I have a Thinkpad T61 and haven't had any problems so far. I have had to contact support, and they were indeed incompetent, but I think the engineering of the device is solid. Likewise, I didn't even feel the need to completely remove all the software that came with it.

[OneArrow]

Hmm, I have a Thinkpad T61 and haven't had any problems so far. I have had to contact support, and they were indeed incompetent, but I think the engineering of the device is solid. Likewise, I didn't even feel the need to completely remove all the software that came with it.

I wouldn't know what comes stock as far as software goes; the Thinkpads through our college's laptop program were custom-spec'd, and came with an image of everything that I didn't need (in their defense, I was an Electronic Media major going to an engineering school). Whether that was the source of any or all of my woes, I'm still not sure.

Then again, it could just be my own bad luck... every Maxtor drive I've owned has failed within two years, and I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole anymore, but other people I know swear up and down that they're solid. So I'd take my ranting with a grain of salt either way. ;]

[Kerowren]

suuuhweet! sorry to bring this post back from the graveyard but I didn't want to double post if the discussion was already begun. I'm looking to buy a laptop too, but I pretty much want this thing to be killer, I mean, I'd take it freaking AI if I could, but anyway, I'm looking for something with a fast acceleration and a great cooling and power-saving system so it doesn't spaz out on me.

I'm thinking of something customized for gamers coz that's the most intense laptop mods i know of so far. Can you guys list what type of hardwares and customs you've got on yours and any advice, pro and cons (like things to stay away from :cough:Acer:cough:)? Thanks much!