I'm looking to buy a high end laptop for two reasons. College and travel needs, and to replace my aging desktop. This way I can kill three birds with one stone, and only spend a little extra on the system. So far all the machines I'm interested in are in the 2500-3000 range. Which sucks because you can build an equally good desktop for half the price. Should I just buy a junker laptop for class and travel(online apps and such) and build a nice desktop? or are laptops really worth this kind of money?

I'm considering dell mostly because i can get a ~10-15% discount.

At the price range you're giving, you can configure a pretty monstrous machine. What type of applications are you going to be running. "For college" doesn't let us know much. (Sorry if I was supposed to know already)

Well I will likely later be getting into Photoshops, Quark, and some Macromedia/Adobe products. Then the usual word processors and such, most of Microsoft Office. Thats the college part. I want it to be able to handle some nice games though. I'm tired of playing things like HL2 and Oblivion and not being able to crank them up, it shows i cant even attempt the new games.

Why not a macbook pro?

Give us an example of a laptop that your considering so we can know what kind of specs, etc. that your looking for. Seriously, I bout a laptop a couple months back for $1000 that can do everything your wanting it to. Don't know what ones you've been looking at that are 3 times the price.

Well i tend to go ~3 years before buying another comp, so i like them to hold up for a while. I spent almost $2500 on my last desktop and its just now showing its age... been about 4 years

Also, to add on to what Rogue Leader asked, what type of video card are you looking at? I've been building laptops on hp.com that price really well for a lot of kick.

Operating system [INDENT]Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
[/INDENT] Processor
[INDENT]Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7250 (2.00 GHz, 2 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
[/INDENT]Display[INDENT] 17.0" WXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1440 x 900)
[/INDENT]Memory[INDENT] 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
[/INDENT]Graphics Card[INDENT]256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
[/INDENT]Personalization
[INDENT]HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Webcam + Microphone[/INDENT]Networking
[INDENT]Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
[/INDENT] Hard Drive
[INDENT]240GB 5400RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (120GB x 2)
[/INDENT] Primary CD/DVD Drive[INDENT]LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
[/INDENT]
For $1,274.99

The processor can also be stepped up some more in intervals of $100.

You know what the fastest laptop available to run windows vista is? A macbook pro. Get a macbook!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136649-page,3-c,notebooks/article.html

No?

Just out of curiosity, why NOT a macbook/pro? Educational discount knocks off $200 off the price.

Frankly, I think going small and portable is a far better idea. Macbook 13" has a really fast CPU, which works great for Photoshop/other cpu intensive stuff. The only reason to get a big macbook pro is if you want a massive screen or you absolutely need a good video card.

Actually, yes.

This man brings up a good question. Why?

Have you seen some of the more retardedly "high performance" laptops lately?

Yes. Either way they're all very, very close in performance.

You know what would be hilarious? If Microsoft made more money on MacBook Pros due to Vista licenses than Apple does selling the actual machine.

I'm not a mac guy and i have a rather bad distaste for apple. I want a PC so i can play my games, do my work, and surf the web the way im used to without any hitches at all.

Get a Falcon, the DRX is $4,500 and the TLX is $3,400 [ rounded on both ]

or this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220215

Macs can run windows 0_o. And OSX which is good for all that media stuff youre talking about.


Im just curious why the distaste with apple. allergies?

Yeah, you know Macs use the same hardware as PCs now, right?

I may love me some PC, But apple has some damned nice lappys.

I've always had a distaste for apple, I just don't like them. I know I will end up on one eventually being the industry I want to be in is graphic design, but as far as my personal machines... PC.

Well then I guess it's a good thing macs aren't any better at it than PCs.

I dunno if that was sarcasm or not so im not going to reply to that...

here is what I am considering.


Forgive me for being too lazy to type it in a better format.

It was truth.

Not really, both can make the same end results but typically mac render time is lower. It used to be that way anyways, have i missed something?

YOU MISSED THE FACT THAT APPLE SUX BY DEFUALT CUZ ITS TROO

yeah, that.

Even though alienware is extremely over priced for their desktops, in that price range u can probably get a nice laptop with SLI 8700m's from them. I'd suggest the new Dell XPS with Vista Ultimate, but I hate the Dell motherboards.

i think the biggest problem with apple is the lack of options.
i can buy a good half decent gaming pc for $600 at best buy or future shop here in canada (and have done so). for $600 you can't get anything from apple. for $750 that pc comes with a 20" monitor.
mac minis start at $689 and i'm not sure if i'd be able to play a game on it very well.
you're looking at at least $1500 for an imac and $110 for xp, $130 for vista.

most people will just go for the pc. apple should come out with a mac that will satisfy the budget conscience.

but then, steve jobs knows what we want so... that'll never happen. too bad 'cause i'd like a mac.

Quit being a fanboy and get a macbook pro. Install windows, you have an 8600GT, C2Duo E6700 (I think, maybe better for the highest end?) and 2 gigs of RAM stock. I honestly don't know why you'd want a different laptop, especially given that widescreen laptops (at least for desktop replacements) are the bee's knees. Srsly.

i just built a dell inspiron with the same components as the 15" macbook pro. the only difference is the mbp comes with a 2.4GHz processor and the inspiron comes with a 2.2.
apple - $2799
dell - $1689

the 17" dell has a higher res screen (1680x1050 vs. 1920x1200) with identical specs (incl. mfg's) and it's $1060 less expensive ($3099 vs $2039).

and i can pick the colour of the dell. i don't have to pay an extra $100 to get it in black. wtf?!?

why the $1100 differences? because it's apple? because you get garage band? **** them!

seriously, anyone who buys an apple is getting ripped off. there's no justifying it.

oh yeah, and add 2GB ram to make it 4GB total on the mbp 15" and you add $770 to the price. are they ****ing high?!?

honestly, the more i look at this the more i hate apple. $400 for an mp3 player that is cemented to itunes on your computer only. similar or same thing for less $ that looks like a removable drive and you can do anything with on any computer anywhere for any reason.

why do people continue to voluntarily be ripped off by this company? it's mind boggling.

RAM has always been expensive through mac. People are usually intelligent enough to hit up newegg for 50 bucks worth of RAM instead of Apple for 300 bucks worth.

[quote=Darth Evad]honestly, the more i look at this the more i hate apple. $400 for an mp3 player that is cemented to itunes on your computer only. similar or same thing for less $ that looks like a removable drive and you can do anything with on any computer anywhere for any reason.[/quote]
Actually the iPod is only 250 (for the 80gb version, 350 for the 160), iTunes is FAR from the only program to support the iPod anymore: winamp, amarok, windows media player...let's just say you'd be surprised...

[quote=Darth Evad]why do people continue to voluntarily be ripped off by this company? it's mind boggling.[/QUOTE]
Because some people are stupid, and other people are fanboys. Granted, their ****'s definitely got a premium to it--it's like paying for a brand name shirt instead of a shirt that doesn't have a name stitched on the front. A shirt's gonna keep you warm and clothed, regardless. One's just gonna look better doing it, feel better doing it, and last longer with fewer...structural issues.

Guess which one I'm talking about.

Basically, if you can't fit two fingers into the waist of your pants you are required to have a mac. It's like a law. You can't be indie without a mac, especially if the indie choice actually costs more and makes you look like twice the douche.

Alot of other people just don't want to give Evil Micro$oft any money. Because they're evil man. Really evil. THE MAN IS EVIL MAN

OPEN SOURSE 4EVER