Hi all,
I am US student trying get a notebook by the end of March, before school starts again. I am looking into getting a 15'' one with a Core Duo that is light enough to carry around the campus. I would like one with a decent graphics card so I can play newer 3D games like F.E.A.R. The price range I am thinking of is $1100-$1300.
I have been looking at different models from Dell, HP, Toshiba, Gateway, Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, etc. IBM and Sony notebooks are nice, but their prices are way out of my range. The most common graphics card I have seen is ATI x1400. All the 15'' I have seen had either nVidia 7300, 7400, or ATI x1400. An nVidia 7600 sounds a lot nicer, but not many notebooks seem to have them and I don't know how it would affect the weight.
The one I like the most is an Acer model being sold at Newegg.com. It has some good options like a gig of memory and a DVD burner while being cheaper than other brands with worse specs. It's currently out of stock, but hopefully, it will be available before school starts: Acer Notebook at Newegg
Making a decision has been hard because all the notebooks I have seen with dedicated graphics weigh at least 6.5 pounds, which sounds kinda heavy. One person told me that weight can be a big issue if I am frequently carrying the notebook, so I am even thinking of just foregoing the dedicated graphics and getting a lighter one with an integrated graphics card.
I would appreciate it if you could refer me to a quality, relatively light notebook with a dedicated graphics that I missed. Also, any insight about weight of the notebook would be great. Basically, any tips that would help me make a purchase is welcome. Thanks a lot.
I am US student trying get a notebook by the end of March, before school starts again. I am looking into getting a 15'' one with a Core Duo that is light enough to carry around the campus. I would like one with a decent graphics card so I can play newer 3D games like F.E.A.R. The price range I am thinking of is $1100-$1300.
I have been looking at different models from Dell, HP, Toshiba, Gateway, Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, etc. IBM and Sony notebooks are nice, but their prices are way out of my range. The most common graphics card I have seen is ATI x1400. All the 15'' I have seen had either nVidia 7300, 7400, or ATI x1400. An nVidia 7600 sounds a lot nicer, but not many notebooks seem to have them and I don't know how it would affect the weight.
The one I like the most is an Acer model being sold at Newegg.com. It has some good options like a gig of memory and a DVD burner while being cheaper than other brands with worse specs. It's currently out of stock, but hopefully, it will be available before school starts: Acer Notebook at Newegg
Making a decision has been hard because all the notebooks I have seen with dedicated graphics weigh at least 6.5 pounds, which sounds kinda heavy. One person told me that weight can be a big issue if I am frequently carrying the notebook, so I am even thinking of just foregoing the dedicated graphics and getting a lighter one with an integrated graphics card.
I would appreciate it if you could refer me to a quality, relatively light notebook with a dedicated graphics that I missed. Also, any insight about weight of the notebook would be great. Basically, any tips that would help me make a purchase is welcome. Thanks a lot.
