Computers: Computer recommendation

[Xellos]

So, you know how a few years ago I had a laptop? It broke down a while ago thanks to being in a fire at a friend's house, and I'm gettting it replaced. The insurance company has decided to pay us what it cost when we bought it, which was $1700.

So. Any good recommendations for a laptop from $1700 and under? I'd like at least a wide screen 17" monitor, and as long as it's strong enough to play World of Warcraft's the Burning Crusade expansion with decent graphics I'll be happy. Been looking over Newegg, but I know next to nothing when it comes to specs.

<font color="#345E81" size="1">[ March 04, 2007 01:55 PM: Message edited by: -Wiseman- ]</font>

[mrwiseman]

I'm not too updated on laptops, but here are some general tips:

- A downside to Intel-based laptops is their wireless drivers, they're shit. However, I don't know about AMD-based laptops' battery durability and performance.

- Use Tom's Hardware or someone else's benchmarks. First you set your minimum desired performance and your maximum desired price, then you see what's available in store, and divide performances by prices. The highest ratio is the smartest buy.

- 1 GB RAM is the bare minimum. Don't get anything with 512 MB RAM. For a laptop, 1 GB RAM is a good balance, but 2 GB RAM are always nice. I'd give priority to graphics and processor over an extra GB RAM past 1 GB.

- Naturally, you want to avoid Intel graphics cards. I think ATi (now AMD) is strong at mobile graphics cards, but try hard to get something with an nVidia chip better. The advantages are better drivers (stability, features) on Windows, and Linux support, which ATi doesn't have. Since Windows Vista is the shit, you'll eventually want to move on to Linux for work, which is also superior to Windows today in more ways than I can post here; that's why you'll definitely want an nVidia card if you can.

- Video chip model numbers are: generation (ATi Xxxx = nVidia 6xxx, ATi X1xxx = nVidia 7xxx, etc.), level (x8xx and above = high-end, x6xx = mid-end, x3xx and below = low-end; a generation's mid-end usually performs similarly to the previous generation's high-end, although it has more graphical features why you want it), and then you have letters which tend to determine clock speeds (nVidia: GS = standard, GT = better, Ultra = best). You need at least 128 MB VRAM (avoid "shared" VRAM whenever possible), and you prefer 256 MB VRAM for things like Oblivion or Gothic 3, although few games other than these take advantage of them. You can use Tom's Hardware excellent benchmarks to measure performance/price ratio.

- Try not to get a crazy high resolution for the monitor (fonts can be scaled but images can't, and they will look tiny), and get the one with the best contrast, lowest latency and widest viewing angle (vertical too) you can find.

- No matter how large is your hard drive, it's never enough, so just get anything (maybe the smallest size), then rely on external USB hard drives (I've bought a good 0.5 TB one (actually 465 GB) a few weeks ago for 155 ?) for anime and pr0n, keeping OS, applications and games in the internal one. An external HD has the advantage of being usable for backups, easy to carry with lots and lots (probably all) of your stuff, and easy to mirror with another disk for maximum security.

- I wouldn't care for Bluetooth or Firewire, but it depends on what you want to do with it.

- Demand that it's not preinstalled with anything, because you're buying hardware and they are shoving software they chose up your ass because Microsoft pays them to and they manage to sell more. Absolutely reject Windows Digital AIDS edition (Vista, a stinking pile of shit), and try to avoid buying any other Windows. Besides, you already own a Windows license from the laptop you had, so you can use it legally.

- For Microsoft OSes, I'd stick to 32 bit versions.

- If you want to give Linux a try, you can take full advantage of your system (AMD64 processors, or Intel processors with EM64T) and use 64 bit versions. For Linux, try Kubuntu, it's a fine way to get introduced to a better OS. You can download Kubuntu freely or have it delivered to your home for free, thanks to some great guys. It's just one CD, the rest is done through the net. It includes KDE, (IMO) the best of the big desktops, which is similar to Windows but far more powerful. Ubuntu is based on Debian repositories, so you'll get access to literally tens of thousands of free software packages, all pre-built with all dependencies and installation handled for you, all you have to use is the APT package manager (with a nice interface using Adept). For Linux, you'll find anything you can find on Windows, except games and good 2D image editing software. You can play anime and pr0n in all popular formats, although I admit getting mplayer working may not be as easy as installing CCCP and using Media Player Classic on Windows. There's a lot of information on the Internet on how to install the nVidia accelerated drivers (X driver "nvidia", not "nv") and how to use mplayer. At first, Linux may not be a walk in the park, but because Microsoft is killing Windows, you may eventually want to move on to better software.

<font color="#345E81" size="1">[ March 04, 2007 01:54 PM: Message edited by: -Wiseman- ]</font>

[Xellos]

Thanks for the help. I haven't decided the laptop yet, but I'll stick wtih Windows though (Not Vista though)