Decent laptops?

Post by **sag185** » 07 May 2011, 12:24

Hi, im allowed a laptop for my 16th birthday but the price range has to be under 500 pounds, which is a round 800 dollars i think, just wondering what decent laptops i can get for said price, which i can browse fast and mc well on, a graphics card would be nice too :L

Iron_Fang · Post by **Iron_Fang** » 07 May 2011, 12:26

That's alienware ruled out :/

Post by **vallorn** » 07 May 2011, 12:47

im looking for 1 in the same price range so we can probably get the same one!

Post by **sag185** » 07 May 2011, 12:59

vallorn wrote:im looking for 1 in the same price range so we can probably get the same one!

lol val :L yeah i have one i can see but i jsut wanna scope my options :L

Post by **Jake55778** » 07 May 2011, 13:24

(Have I mentioned that desktops are usually better value?)

gaming
laptop
cheap

pick two

Okay I'll stop hating on laptops for 5 mins.

Here are some decent options I found just with a quick google search (I suggest you research more thoroughly before purchasing anything).
http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/Toshiba_ ... 40587.html

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-l502x/pd?c ... redirect=2

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/ASUS_K50 ... ersion.asp

I also found this list posted on another forum, no idea how accurate or reliable it is, but it lists laptops with dedicated GPUs many for under £500

Spoiler! :

KaosuHamoni · Post by **KaosuHamoni** » 07 May 2011, 13:52

If you can, try to get it through business, because you'll end up saving a shed-load.

This is the laptop I'm looking at.

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstor ... =xps-l702x

Same laptop, just consumer price.

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstor ... 2x&vw=list

See what I mean?

Post by **sag185** » 07 May 2011, 15:15

yeah :L I would get a desktop but thats what im on now and i just want portability jake :L
I dont really care about gaming apart from Minecraft and MC doesnt need much :L i just like fast browsing :L

Post by **aflycon** » 08 May 2011, 02:45

If you can, just get the 500 pounds and continue to save for a Macbook Pro. My friend was over at my house today and he brought his, he runs 175 FPS Minecraft easy with several other programs running. Sure, it'll probably be around 900 pounds but it's worth it in the long run; Macs are almost insusceptible to viruses, and are, depending on your experience, more user-friendly than Windows computers when it comes to programming and such (if you ever want to host a small server).

There's my two cents. :3

EDIT: Disregard that last part. Don't try to host a server from a laptop.

Post by **vallorn** » 08 May 2011, 03:21

you have dissmissed Sneakys laptop that ran Escapia1. and for that you must die.

Post by **Jake55778** » 08 May 2011, 03:58

aflycon wrote:If you can, just get the 500 pounds and continue to save for a Macbook Pro. My friend was over at my house today and he brought his, he runs 175 FPS Minecraft easy with several other programs running. Sure, it'll probably be around 900 pounds but it's worth it in the long run

£900? Forget Minecraft, I'd wanna be running Crysis for that much.

Mini rant on Macs:

Spoiler! :

Post by **aflycon** » 08 May 2011, 04:36

vallorn wrote:you have dissmissed Sneakys laptop that ran Escapia1. and for that you must die.

I meant no offense, vall. :3

I understand where you're coming from Jake, you make some good points. I for one love Mac keyboards, but they're something you have to get used to. >_>

697134002 · Post by **697134002** » 08 May 2011, 11:39

Jake55778 wrote:
aflycon wrote:If you can, just get the 500 pounds and continue to save for a Macbook Pro. My friend was over at my house today and he brought his, he runs 175 FPS Minecraft easy with several other programs running. Sure, it'll probably be around 900 pounds but it's worth it in the long run
£900? Forget Minecraft, I'd wanna be running Crysis for that much.

Mini rant on Macs:
Spoiler! :
We have high end Macs in our studio at college, and I really don't get what the fuss is about them. They seem to crash just as often as any PC, and have just as many software issues. They aren't compatible with anything close to the range of software that PCs are, and of course they can't run 90% of games. They've not had any viruses while I've been using them... but then I've never had one on my PC either, I think it comes more down to being careful what you download.
They do come with nice monitors though (although there's nothing stopping you from buying one seperately and plugging it into a PC).

After a year of using them I've come to the conclusion that Macs are popular for the same reason ipods and iphones are: Apple's incredibly good marketing.

(I can't stand Macs' keyboards either, the laptop ones look okay, but I find the desktop ones unbearable.)

The ones that are in public places are so bad because people mistreat them.

Post by **Jake55778** » 08 May 2011, 12:52

697134002 wrote: The ones that are in public places are so bad because people mistreat them.

Keyboards?

Spoiler! :

Or Macs in general?

Spoiler! :

Either way the computers are kept in good condition. They're probably better cared for than most home computers. My objections with them stem solely from the fact that they're Macs. (They're getting replaced next year anyway, hopfully with PCs.)

Post by **trainreqx2** » 08 May 2011, 13:09

This.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M5GVJY
Since you are in Britain, dunno if you can purchase it, but there are plenty of similar models.
Everyone in my family has owned Toshiba laptops for as long as I can remember, I still have one lying around from '02 that works perfectly.

So this is the laptop I have. I like everything from it, the size, the screen, the graphics are amazing, and it has decent speed (triple core processor clocked @ 1.8 ghz PER CORE). The only thing I don't like is the battery life, but since it usually goes from places that I can charge it at (school, my house, etc.) It's not a big issue for me.

As for getting more in-depth for the graphics, it can handle minecraft at fancy with everything turned on, very well( no lag issues). It can handle GTA4, 90% of FPS's, and according to my system requirements, it can handle Portal 2 perfectly.

(I'd recommend this computer.)

697134002 · Post by **697134002** » 08 May 2011, 13:20

Jake55778 wrote:
697134002 wrote: The ones that are in public places are so bad because people mistreat them.
Keyboards?
Spoiler! :
The ones I use most are in our course's studio, which has a lock on the door. Only 30 or so people have access to them. A few could use a clean but none of them are damaged in any way. The fact that they're pure white with deep recesses between the keys makes them almost impossible to keep clean anyway. That's not what bothers me so much, it's more the design; which I find uncomfortable, and the hotkeys (why even have a ctrl key on there if they're going to use cmd for everything? And why move the Alt key? It was perfectly fine where it was)
Or Macs in general?
Spoiler! :
Students aren't able to install new programs except to a temporary space which is wiped periodically. If there were malware or trojans slowing down any of them it wouldn't be for long. We also have tech support just 2 doors over to respond to any software/hardware issues. The room is air conditioned to help reduce heat build up on the machines, and the place is large enough and well ventilated enough that overheating isn't really a problem.
Either way the computers are kept in good condition. They're probably better cared for than most home computers. My objections with them stem solely from the fact that they're Macs. (They're getting replaced next year anyway, hopfully with PCs.)

1: The chunky keyboards are very old.
2: The periodic wipes are likely due to the fact that they are in a public place.
3: They are used by a lot of people. Some of those people no doubt mistreat them. I bet a lot of them hold the power key to shut them down. That just causes problems.

Post by **Lord_Mountbatten** » 08 May 2011, 13:24

697134002 wrote:-snip-.

Time to bring in some maturity.

Post by **Jake55778** » 08 May 2011, 13:27

As for getting more in-depth for the graphics, it can handle minecraft at fancy with everything turned on, very well( no lag issues). It can handle GTA4, 90% of FPS's, and according to my system requirements, it can handle Portal 2 perfectly.

Really? Wow I wouldn't have expected a HD 4250 to perform so well. Minecraft is definately not taxing on graphics hardware, and Valve usually optimises well so I can believe Portal 2 would run, but GTA4 is a surprise. That game is a massive resource hog, many a gaming PC has been brought to it's knees trying to render it with the draw distance cranked up. I'm impressed a laptop can keep pace.

Post by **vallorn** » 08 May 2011, 13:33

Jake55778 wrote:
As for getting more in-depth for the graphics, it can handle minecraft at fancy with everything turned on, very well( no lag issues). It can handle GTA4, 90% of FPS's, and according to my system requirements, it can handle Portal 2 perfectly.
Really? Wow I wouldn't have expected a HD 4250 to perform so well. Minecraft is definately not taxing on graphics hardware, and Valve usually optimises well so I can believe Portal 2 would run, but GTA4 is a surprise. That game is a massive resource hog, many a gaming PC has been brought to it's knees trying to render it with the draw distance cranked up. I'm impressed a laptop can keep pace.

i have a friend whos laptop can play Crysis on almost all the highest settings... i think hes a wizard...

Post by **Jake55778** » 08 May 2011, 14:05

697134002 wrote: 1: The chunky keyboards are very old.
2: The periodic wipes are likely due to the fact that they are in a public place.
3: They are used by a lot of people. Some of those people no doubt mistreat them. I bet a lot of them hold the power key to shut them down. That just causes problems.

I can't vouch for every member of our course, but I give them enough credit to not to use a hard reset/shutdown as their routine method of logging off. It's a studio used esclusively by VFX students, 3D modellers, digital artists, and animators, in other words people who use computers a whole lot (both in and outside of college). The wipes are a deliberate measure, to clear space and to ensure security, students are given portable hard drives to store anything important.

Long story short: The Macs in our studio are up to date and well cared for. They are not the only ones I've used just the most frequent. Dispite having worked on a variety of Macs over the past 4 years I still greatly prefer a PC.

vallorn wrote: i have a friend whos laptop can play Crysis on almost all the highest settings... i think hes a wizard...

I refer you back to this:

gaming
laptop
cheap

pick two

Gaming laptops can be pretty powerful, but they're also stupidly expensive, have tiny battery lives and overheat like a b*tch. I just think desktops are much better value.

Post by **sag185** » 08 May 2011, 14:22

hey jake, i decided to go for the http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/Toshiba_ ... 40587.html Toshiba one, mainly for the reason that it has a 17 inch screen, decent size hard drive and RAM, and has a decent graphics card :L
Thanks for the suggestion

Darktaint · Post by **Darktaint** » 09 May 2011, 11:57

aflycon wrote:If you can, just get the 500 pounds and continue to save for a Macbook Pro. My friend was over at my house today and he brought his, he runs 175 FPS Minecraft easy with several other programs running. Sure, it'll probably be around 900 pounds but it's worth it in the long run; Macs are almost insusceptible to viruses, and are, depending on your experience, more user-friendly than Windows computers when it comes to programming and such (if you ever want to host a small server).

There's my two cents. :3

EDIT: Disregard that last part. Don't try to host a server from a laptop.

LOLMAC

On a more serious note. Laptop's for under 500 ehh, well my little beauty here is an acer aspire 5332 which i got for £300 and it's a nice little runner even though it's integrated graphics xD got it from dabs.co.uk

Post by **vallorn** » 09 May 2011, 12:09

No dark lets not start that again

In B4 dog Pile.

Post by **sag185** » 10 May 2011, 09:56

Just out of interest what does holding down the off button do to a computer? occasionally my computer completely freezes up and i have to do it to turn it off

Post by **Pinmissile** » 10 May 2011, 15:46

Holding it down but not clicking it?

Cuts off the power, thereby shutting it down instantly.

697134002 · Post by **697134002** » 10 May 2011, 17:42

sag185 wrote:Just out of interest what does holding down the off button do to a computer? occasionally my computer completely freezes up and i have to do it to turn it off

It cuts off the power without allowing the computer to quit all processes, which can lead to problems over time.

Post by **Sti_Jo_Lew** » 11 May 2011, 17:53

Mountbatten has obviously won this arguement, though I'm not sure for which side. For one, he says mac owners have sex with their computers, but that also means they are also smexy enough to have sex with.

Post by **vallorn** » 12 May 2011, 02:20

697134002 wrote:
sag185 wrote:Just out of interest what does holding down the off button do to a computer? occasionally my computer completely freezes up and i have to do it to turn it off
It cuts off the power without allowing the computer to quit all processes, which can lead to problems over time.

not only that but it can damage the hard drive by slowing it down too fast.

Post by **aflycon** » 12 May 2011, 08:54

vallorn wrote:No dark lets not start that again

In B4 dog Pile.

inb4vall ruins my fun

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