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I've been using a dell xps m1730 for over a year now and its great. Only downside is that its heavy and the ac cord is huge, so its not that portable. I still recommend it though
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SC2 and Diablo2? Buy a desktop comp
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I always wanted a Dell XPS M1730. But I'm a poor college student 
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United States37500 Posts
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I'd get one like Acer Aspire 8930G-644G32MN for about 700 euros if you want gaming, has a geforce 9600 which is probably what you're looking for? Anyway I suggest looking that one up.
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The XPS M1720 is rather outdated, if cost isn't a problem and you want something with huge gaming capability that will continue to be incredibly powerful for the next 5-6 year i reccomend thehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220527 Asus W90Vp-X2
18.4" Screen
6GB RAM
Core 2 Quad Q9000 @ 2.0ghz
Radeon 4870M X2 (!!)
320GB 7200RPM HDD
2,249 USD.
Seriously this thing is a monster, faster than most desktops nowadays (unless they're beastly)
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Just a word of advice, if you don't have to don't get anything above a geforce 8800 GTS or the ATI equivalent ... the "newer" GPUs really are the same, just rebranded for marketing purposes. The technology is identical and the 8800 GTS has served me well for gaming even with the newer games. If you want to be on the safe side you can go with the 9800.
If you're going to be gaming a few years down the road I really suggest not getting a laptop though.
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On June 09 2009 23:51 demonix wrote:
Just a word of advice, if you don't have to don't get anything above a geforce 8800 GTS or the ATI equivalent ... the "newer" GPUs really are the same, just rebranded for marketing purposes. The technology is identical and the 8800 GTS has served me well for gaming even with the newer games. If you want to be on the safe side you can go with the 9800.
If you're going to be gaming a few years down the road I really suggest not getting a laptop though.
Wat?
Good job spewing the same mentality over and over. Yes, because having both a much faster memory core and shader clock, more stream processors, and 4x the video memory means that the radeon X2 and gtx 285 are exactly the same right? Pls lrn2 understand GPU's and the intricacies of their technology. Seriously i hate when random kiddies who barely understand how hard manufacturers work on these cards start saying things like this. There is at least a 3x power increase between the newest Nvidia card (GTX 285) and the 8800GTS. I could just as easily say that Starcraft 2 is exactly the same as SC1, just rebranded, so why should we buy it?
GTX 285 Core, Memory, and Shader Clocks:
648 MHz
2484 MHz
1476 MHz
Memory: 1 or 2GB GDDR3
8800 GTS Core, Memory and Shader Clocks:
500MHz
1480MHz
400 MHz
Memory: 512MB DDR2 or DDR3
Seriously the only resemblance is in the core clock. Please do your research before you say things like this.
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If you want a laptop for the use that they were intended for, mobility, don't even look at the 17 inch monsters that people are linking - those are called "desktop replacements" for a reason, you wouldn't want to lift them off the desk.
I think the best choice for mobility would actually be some of the tablet convertibles around 11-13 inches, like Dell XT2 if money really isn't an issue, Fujitsu T5010 or T2020 to save some, or for slightly better GPUs the AMD based HP tablets that seem to be changing names with combinations of tx, tz, 2, 25, 2500 a lot since they were around :p right now they seem to be TouchSmart tx2z.
EDIT: Also there were some Gateway models a couple years back, maybe you should look at them too? by now they are probably also updated to have multitouch and whatnot... I just disregarded them because they aren't an option for me (outside of America)
Bear in mind that some of the mentioned models (namely the Fujitsus, but perhaps also some HP variants) could be configured with non-multitouch screens last time I looked at them, and you wouldn't want that.
Why I recommend multitouch tablet convertibles at all? Well, Windows 7 will launch by the end of the year and then you will see why.
A problem with buying those tablets that I listed however, is that their platform is getting quite dated already. By one year I expect the next gen to have made them all obsolete. They are also gonna see some stiff competition from cheaper netbook tablet variants, like the eventual replacements of my gigabyte M912X, but it will take more than a couple of years until this happens.
If you want some more GPU power, you'll have to give up some battery life, the tablet and touchscreen functions, go up to a 14-15 inch model and the increased weight that comes with that. Or you may just stick to your desktop too.
Figure out what you want from this laptop. Are you ever really going to use it on the go? If so, just give up playing the latest and greatest on it before you even bought it. But if you want mobility and are ready to lower details in your games, perhaps the tablets that I recommend will run even SC2 and Diablo 3 - Blizzard is known for having their games work on mainstream and more humble systems.
If you aren't sure yet and don't need it right now, the best course is always to wait until you do need it, so you can take advantages of the new developments that will happen until then.
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United States22883 Posts
Asus has been putting out great laptops lately, but like georgir said, you should probably wait until you do need it.
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What are further requirements? Do you really need the mobility? If I wouldn't travel between home and my apartment at university I would probably use a desktop pc and a nice netbook. I need a laptop that I can afford, which I can take to university and on which I can work and play. All these goals contradict each other of course  .
Make up your mind on what you really need. If you don't need the mobility, you don't need the notebook. 17'' sucks for mobility, but on smaller notebooks you don't get as good hardware.
I am currently in the process of buying this one:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-MSI-Megabook-GT627-Gaming-Notebook.14601.0.html
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If at all possible go for split laptop/desktop.
Laptop hardware lags behind quickly and with D3 so far off, you're better off getting a mobile laptop and a powerhouse desktop.
You also won't be able to run SC2/D3 at high settings and resolution (read: 1600-1900) without 8800+. Don't even bother with "gaming" laptops.
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Kentor
United States5784 Posts
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17'' sucks for mobility
Lies!
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infinity21
Canada6683 Posts
On June 10 2009 03:34 naventus wrote:
If at all possible go for split laptop/desktop.
I 2nd this if you care about having nice resolutions for gaming / don't want to buy a new computer for at least 3 years.
Laptops that are powerful enough to play games have 0 mobility -- battery life of 1 hr, heats up very quickly, weighs like a few bricks. If you're not looking for mobility, then you might as well get a desktop.
What I did was compromise on both ends.. got a medium range gpu (9600gt) that lasts 4 hours with 15.4 inch screen. If you're looking for true mobility, I suggest at most 14 inch screens + desktop at home. 15.4 inch laptops are ok but are still a pain to carry around everywhere all day (to lectures in my case).
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On June 10 2009 04:48 infinity21 wrote:Show nested quote +On June 10 2009 03:34 naventus wrote:
If at all possible go for split laptop/desktop. I 2nd this if you care about having nice resolutions for gaming / don't want to buy a new computer for at least 3 years. Laptops that are powerful enough to play games have 0 mobility -- battery life of 1 hr, heats up very quickly, weighs like a few bricks. If you're not looking for mobility, then you might as well get a desktop. What I did was compromise on both ends.. got a medium range gpu (9600gt) that lasts 4 hours with 15.4 inch screen. If you're looking for true mobility, I suggest at most 14 inch screens + desktop at home. 15.4 inch laptops are ok but are still a pain to carry around everywhere all day (to lectures in my case).
Hey, so 17" is bulky and awkward to haul around, but common, it's fine...
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I really suggest going to notebookreview.com and looking in their forums. But the guy who suggested xoticpc.com knows whats up. I would say definitely a big NO to dell. I would look at asus, clevo, arima, ocz, msi, and compal ( I have a compal hel80) Two really good websites are powernotebooks.com and xoticpc.com. Most of those brands are sold under sager. Sager usually sells clevo. Alienware sells arima and ocz but I wouldnt suggest buying from alienware. And never buy from ibuypower.com and cyberpower.com. Also if you find a laptop seller, always check their rating at resellerratings.com
http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16
Ask there and read through their stuff. It really helped me understand more about laptops
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Alienware... fucking amazing for anything
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Except dragging it around with you.
I heard they are huge :o
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Pete, make the smart decision and go for the desktop / laptop split as others have been recommending.
Gaming laptops suck.
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infinity21
Canada6683 Posts
On June 10 2009 05:42 AoN.DimSum wrote:I really suggest going to notebookreview.com and looking in their forums. But the guy who suggested xoticpc.com knows whats up. I would say definitely a big NO to dell. I would look at asus, clevo, arima, ocz, msi, and compal ( I have a compal hel80) Two really good websites are powernotebooks.com and xoticpc.com. Most of those brands are sold under sager. Sager usually sells clevo. Alienware sells arima and ocz but I wouldnt suggest buying from alienware. And never buy from ibuypower.com and cyberpower.com. Also if you find a laptop seller, always check their rating at resellerratings.com http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16Ask there and read through their stuff. It really helped me understand more about laptops
i can vouch for xoticpc.com. Got my current laptop from them. no complaints!
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On June 09 2009 23:10 StarN wrote:I always wanted a Dell XPS M1730. But I'm a poor college student
I have one of those.
serves me right .
Dell warranty is also a bitch, but they always deliver.
And yes as someone said above, it's fucking huge and weights a ton more. If you are into it, get a desktop and then get a netbook (those thingies, are pretty powerful for such a small price/size). I really like some netbooks, and I've heard the Dell Mini 9 is pretty powerful for a netbook. Then Spend the rest you've got (or decided) to waste on the desktop and have yourself a merry little (more like fucking huge) christmass.
Good luck Insano.
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I used the Microsoft discount during my internship to get a sweet hp laptop for $1000: duocore 2.5ghz proc, ATI 2600 ghx, 4 gb DDR3 RAM, 17" screen. Are you going to intern there again this summer? If so, you should wait and take advantage of it xD
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On June 10 2009 05:42 AoN.DimSum wrote:
... but I wouldnt suggest buying from alienware. And never buy from ibuypower.com and cyberpower.com.
Somewhat off topic, but just out of curosity, why?
To OP: I currently bring an EEE pc to school everyday and its an absolute life saver; lugging my old 2.5KG laptop with 20 min battery life was an immense pain in the ass. Do the Desktop / Netbook split, like everyone has advised. Netbooks even have a donkey 4+++ hrs of battery life that will bring you thru lectures and lunchtime surfing.
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On June 10 2009 13:53 Cali wrote:
A good netbook gets 8 hours
depends on battery but yeah it's absurd how long the battery can last.
most standdard netbooks get 4+ but with a 9cell battery they get around 8
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most netbooks are standard with 3 or 4-cell battery good for under 3 hours, possibly with options for 6-cell replacements. 9-cell was rare to see, but finally becoming more common for the big names in the segment - msi wind, acer aspire one, asus eee all finally have that option.
its a pity netbooks suck in resolution and gpu though.
it's not just netbooks, more expensive ultra-portables also have similar good battery life. the dell xt2 tablet that i recommended is advertised with 11 hours of battery life.
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EPT
