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Help This HS Graduate Find a Laptop!

S

Scionix

Senior member
Hey guys, headed off to Austin, TX for college (woo Cockrell school of Engineering!). Basically, I am absolutely terrible at scoping out laptops. I'm not too familiar with the mobile GPU/CPU models, nor am I too good at judging screen quality. Could a wonderful AT friend help me out here?

In order of importance, I'd like:

1.) Something comfortable to type on, because I will be typing papers/schoolwork/all manner of things, and I'll need to type quickly with notes, etc. I've tried a friend's ASUS G73J, and while it is a gaming laptop, I really like the way the keyboard feels, although I'm unsure what "type" of key style it uses.

2.) Good screen quality. I'd rather not try and save money on a cheap LCD.

3.) Something that strikes a balance between form and power. I need something that I can carry around for awhile without being too awkward, but at the same time I'd like something I can take to LAN parties in place of my desktop without weeping at performance. (see specs, watercooling + full atx = heavy!)

4.) Around or under 2,000 dollars.

5.) An SSD would be great, but if that pushes way over the budget over it's a no go. At least a 7200RPM HD would be a necessity, though.

I'm sorry if I'm being difficult, and I understand that finding a laptop for a lazy/ignorant buyer is no fun, but I would definitely appreciate the help, as laptop specs are not my forte, as I've never owned one! Any assistance would be awesome.
 
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How important is battery life to you? You said you want a balance between form and power, but how important is weight to you? Are you planning on this going to class with you everyday? What are you going to be studying?

Will you be taking your desktop with you as well? Do you think you would be comfortable with having a smaller laptop screen and then doing more heavy duty work on your desktop?
 
TheStu said:
How important is battery life to you? You said you want a balance between form and power, but how important is weight to you? Are you planning on this going to class with you everyday? What are you going to be studying?

Will you be taking your desktop with you as well? Do you think you would be comfortable with having a smaller laptop screen and then doing more heavy duty work on your desktop?
Click to expand...

Battery Life: Moderate to Very Important. I have about 3-4 hours of classtime straight on the longest days, so I would need to be able lightly use it for that long. I can't imagine I'd study outside for longer than four hours at a time, either. Everywhere else I'd plan to have it plugged in.

Weight: Of moderate importance. Basically, not as bulky as the huge gaming laptops (ASUS G37, Alienware, etc), but can be bulkier than your average consumer laptop if necessary.

Class Everyday: I would imagine so.

Desktop: I will be taking my desktop to school with me, but I'd like to keep the schoolwork on the laptop and *most* of the gaming on the desktop. The reason I ask for some horsepower for the laptop is my desktop will not be traveling out of my dorm, ever. It's watercooled, big, etc. I'd like to have a laptop that can also hold its own for some gaming at LAN parties, etc.

Major: Electrical Engineering (hopefully), but you can never say 100%. As long as I don't abhor it, that's what I'll be doing. I'm in the Engineering school, so I'd imagine I'd really have to dislike it to move!

Screen: I don't mind doing *super serious schoolwork* on my desktop, if that's what "heavy duty usage" is, although I'm not sure what that entails 🙂 I'm thinking around 15" would be good for screen size.

Sorry for not thinking of these things in advance, thanks for bearing with me!
 
Hook 'em Horns!

Since you're bringing your desktop to school with you (something I don't really recommend since it's such a pain in the ass to move and desk space in the dorms is a scarce commodity), I would suggest you to focus your laptop on something thin and light.

In terms of importance, I would rank:
portability>battery life>performance

Unless EE is very different from ASE, you will not need/want a laptop for classes. Most of the notes will be digram and mathematical symbols and you will not be able to keep up on a keyboard. And you don't want to be the one person who click-clacks away in a silent classroom during lecture. And if you aren't furiously typing during lecture, the professor will know that you're not paying attention.

I never did any serious computation work on my personal computers. Assignments that require strong computers are few and far between so you'll be spending most of your time in Office/web/code. Also, the computer in the computer lab are usually very good and loaded with software that you need. In addition, it's nice to work on assignments in the labs where you can meet people and bounce ideas off one another. Free printing in the lab is also a bonus. I rarely studied in libraries because the computer lab was available. If I really needed peace and quiet for focused studying that required a library, a laptop would be too distracting anyways.

I had a 15.4" laptop my freshman year that I very rarely took it out of my room. It was just way too bulky and heavy. I got a 14" laptop that's two pounds lighter in my junior year and it was much much better. I actually carried it to project group meetings and days that I figured the lab would be packed. Project group meetings are the only times I think a laptop is really beneficial.

So for school work, I think a dual core UCLV 13.3" would be a good balance of portability and have enough power. Since you also want to game with it occasionally, maybe a 13.3" with switchable graphics would be a good choice. In my opinion, you shouldn't let the gaming requirement drive the decision. LAN parties won't happen very often when you're too busy drinking and chasing girls. The times we did LAN, it's generally very old games like starcraft/WC3/CS since you have to cater to the person with the slowest computer.

On a different note, if you're staying the dorms, you will need MUCH less stuff than you think. I remember packing so much stuff freshman year that I thought I needed, but never did. After my freshman year, I learned my lesson and decided to throw everything into well labeled boxes, then only take stuff out when I needed it. After the end of the first semester, I took about half of my boxes that remained unopened home. At the end of the year, I managed to move myself and my roommate out of the dorms in my mazda3 hatchback in one trip.
 
jchu14 said:
Hook 'em Horns!

Since you're bringing your desktop to school with you (something I don't really recommend since it's such a pain in the ass to move and desk space in the dorms is a scarce commodity), I would suggest you to focus your laptop on something thin and light.

In terms of importance, I would rank:
portability>battery life>performance

Unless EE is very different from ASE, you will not need/want a laptop for classes. Most of the notes will be digram and mathematical symbols and you will not be able to keep up on a keyboard. And you don't want to be the one person who click-clacks away in a silent classroom during lecture. And if you aren't furiously typing during lecture, the professor will know that you're not paying attention.

I never did any serious computation work on my personal computers. Assignments that require strong computers are few and far between so you'll be spending most of your time in Office/web/code. Also, the computer in the computer lab are usually very good and loaded with software that you need. In addition, it's nice to work on assignments in the labs where you can meet people and bounce ideas off one another. Free printing in the lab is also a bonus. I rarely studied in libraries because the computer lab was available. If I really needed peace and quiet for focused studying that required a library, a laptop would be too distracting anyways.

I had a 15.4" laptop my freshman year that I very rarely took it out of my room. It was just way too bulky and heavy. I got a 14" laptop that's two pounds lighter in my junior year and it was much much better. I actually carried it to project group meetings and days that I figured the lab would be packed. Project group meetings are the only times I think a laptop is really beneficial.

So for school work, I think a dual core UCLV 13.3" would be a good balance of portability and have enough power. Since you also want to game with it occasionally, maybe a 13.3" with switchable graphics would be a good choice. In my opinion, you shouldn't let the gaming requirement drive the decision. LAN parties won't happen very often when you're too busy drinking and chasing girls. The times we did LAN, it's generally very old games like starcraft/WC3/CS since you have to cater to the person with the slowest computer.

On a different note, if you're staying the dorms, you will need MUCH less stuff than you think. I remember packing so much stuff freshman year that I thought I needed, but never did. After my freshman year, I learned my lesson and decided to throw everything into well labeled boxes, then only take stuff out when I needed it. After the end of the first semester, I took about half of my boxes that remained unopened home. At the end of the year, I managed to move myself and my roommate out of the dorms in my mazda3 hatchback in one trip.
Click to expand...

You are awesome. I will definitely consider smaller stuff than before, you raise some good points. I just get scared typing on something small will be like pulling teeth, but then again I have freaky man-baby hands, so...

Do you mind me asking if you're still a student there? Also, I think you might be my doppleganger because I am the proud owner of a 2010 mazda3 6-speed myself! Zoom Zoom? 😀
 
Scionix said:
You are awesome. I will definitely consider smaller stuff than before, you raise some good points. I just get scared typing on something small will be like pulling teeth, but then again I have freaky man-baby hands, so...

Do you mind me asking if you're still a student there? Also, I think you might be my doppleganger because I am the proud owner of a 2010 mazda3 6-speed myself! Zoom Zoom? 😀
Click to expand...
'Freaky man-baby hands', I am not sure what that means and not sure I want to find out! 😀 Keyboards on 13.3" widescreen and above are essentially full-size. Even 11.7" laptop keyboards are 95% full size or somthing like that.

I graduated from undergrad in 2008 and just finished my 2nd year in graduate school in the aerospace engineering department going for Ph.D.

Mazda 3 are great cars. Very happy with my 2006 model.
 
I was EE for two years, and did that sans laptop. For SE, I needed the laptop, and MEs probably would for CAD work and whatnot but EE not so much.

Go for a lighter system with good battery life.
 
TheStu said:
I was EE for two years, and did that sans laptop. For SE, I needed the laptop, and MEs probably would for CAD work and whatnot but EE not so much.

Go for a lighter system with good battery life.
Click to expand...

Alright, I think I'm beginning to get the picture here 🙂

Portability>Battery Life>Performance.

I'll shop around, see what I can dig up.
 
http://us.acer.com/acer/productv.do...tx1g.c2att92=447&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=4140924898

This thing seems perfect: 14 inches, 8 hours battery life, perfectly serviceable performance, and a well known supplier. The only thing I don't really have a gauge on is screen quality, but I'm digging up reviews.

Edit: It's only around 800-850 dollars with the i5 and 5650. Wat. Am I missing some gaping problem, because this thing seems utterly fantastic.
 
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Scionix said:
http://us.acer.com/acer/productv.do...tx1g.c2att92=447&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=4140924898

This thing seems perfect: 14 inches, 8 hours battery life, perfectly serviceable performance, and a well known supplier. The only thing I don't really have a gauge on is screen quality, but I'm digging up reviews.

Edit: It's only around 800-850 dollars with the i5 and 5650. Wat. Am I missing some gaping problem, because this thing seems utterly fantastic.
Click to expand...

Can you link me to where you would buy it in the US? I tried to find it at some online retailers but they don't seem to have it (I'm considering getting this one).

If you want even more portability, you could go for the 3820TG (Pretty much the same thing, but 13 in). It's not out yet in the US yet though. 🙁

Since you're willing to spend $2000, I would look into the Sony Vaio Z.
Core i5 520M
13.1 in (Don't know how good the screen is)
128 GB SSD.
GeForce GT 330M
4GB RAM
Sony says it has 7 hours of battery life.
3 lbs.

If I had $2000 to spend, I would definitely go for the Vaio Z.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666222151
 
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qqqqqqqq said:
Can you link me to where you would buy it in the US? I tried to find it at some online retailers but they don't seem to have it (I'm considering getting this one).

If you want even more portability, you could go for the 3820TG (Pretty much the same thing, but 13 in). It's not out yet in the US yet though. 🙁

Since you're willing to spend $2000, I would look into the Sony Vaio Z.
Core i5 520M
13.1 in (Don't know how good the screen is)
128 GB SSD.
GeForce GT 330M
4GB RAM
Sony says it has 7 hours of battery life.
3 lbs.

If I had $2000 to spend, I would definitely go for the Vaio Z.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921666222151
Click to expand...

Also looks fantastic. Is the 1,000 dollar difference in the SSD/CPU? I'm not familiar with the horsepower difference between a i5-450 compared to a 520. The styling is gorgeous too.

Decisions! Agh!
 
Scionix said:
Also looks fantastic. Is the 1,000 dollar difference in the SSD/CPU? I'm not familiar with the horsepower difference between a i5-450 compared to a 520. The styling is gorgeous too.

Decisions! Agh!
Click to expand...

The sonly z also have
-gorgeous LCD screen (supposedly)
-good graphics card
-internal optical drive (very rare in this size)
-carbon fiber body

The Sony Z is ridiculously nice. But I would almost recommend something not so nice just because risk of theft. You never know what will happen. The 14" Acer looks pretty awesome too.
 
I think there's a pretty big premium on how small and light it is too (Weighs a few ounces more than most netbooks). It's definitely not the best bang for the buck. ;D

You should look up some reviews to see the build quality / keyboard / LCD / other comments.

@jchu14
Yeah I have no idea how they put an optical drive in that thing....
 
Scionix said:
http://us.acer.com/acer/productv.do...tx1g.c2att92=447&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=4140924898

This thing seems perfect: 14 inches, 8 hours battery life, perfectly serviceable performance, and a well known supplier. The only thing I don't really have a gauge on is screen quality, but I'm digging up reviews.

Edit: It's only around 800-850 dollars with the i5 and 5650. Wat. Am I missing some gaping problem, because this thing seems utterly fantastic.
Click to expand...

No, no problem, it is just a really great deal.
 
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