Looking for first laptop, opinions on refurb'd Toshiba w/A6-3400M?

[elmer92413]

I have a desktop that is getting a little long in the tooth, and I'm looking to upgrade the GPU soon and add a SSD. But I'm also looking for my first laptop, and cheaper is better as it leaves more for a better GPU. Can I do better than this: TOSHIBA Satellite L775D-S7206 for either around the same price or cheaper for a comparable laptop? I did read the review for it and like the performance, and getting a SSD later is always an option. But I'm also thinking about size. I could really go for something smaller with a 14" screen. Exactly how portable is a 17" laptop? I've messed with other people's 15" & 10" laptops and for the most part don't think they are to bad. But I don't really want anything smaller than maybe a 13".

I plan on some light gaming, a lot of indy games and older games like KoTOR. I'll try some more modern games like Portal, Mass Effect, and Fallout. Torchlight 2 and Path of Exile are two games that if I can play them it would be great.

I was waiting for something based on Kepler, but I've realized that I could get something like the Toshiba now and still have enough money to get a better GPU for my desktop. The biggest thing I want to play on a laptop would be D2 and that should have no problem running on anything I get. I just don't want Intel's 3000 gpu unless it's a really, really good deal. And I want something with decent battery performance.

 

[rabbitz]

It is portable in the sense that you can move it from one place to another, but if you are going to be carrying it around for extended periods of time (walking to class, carrying it on public transportation without setting it down, etc...) you might get sore shoulders.

If you can wait, ivy bridge laptops + kepler graphics seems to be worth it... try googling for some leaked benchmarks from those acer ivy bridge laptops that broke the nda.

Otherwise, I don't know about price where you are but, in Canada, that is a terribly high price for just an a6.... right now you can get a refurb vostro 3555 with a8 for 479ish.. I think a6 laptops have been spotted for under 400.

edit: here check this out if you're set on the a6-3400m.... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834131252 same processor in 15'' for 369.. you can buy another 4gb ram (dunno if it fits... do your research) for at most $25 and an older 120gb sata2 drive for $100~ and you'd still be under what that toshiba costs. As for build quality, etc... I don't know. I wouldn't expect much for a sub $400 laptop anyway.

 

[fralexandr]

if you really want bluray, it's kind of hard to find on cheap notebooks
otherwise, i think 14" is the smallest a6 notebook atm $600
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Satell.../dp/B0054QJ2XQ
if you're spending that much though, might as well get a 14" core i5 + 540m notebook for $680 hah :S

rabbitz posted a link to this earlier http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cabsdt1&l=en&OC=NB_V3555_IC_E
A8 15.6" dell notebook, pretty nicely spec'd for $480 new

 

[elmer92413]

Thanks for the input guys. I've been thinking it over and having a look at the links, and I still haven't made up my mind!

@rabbitz, I've seen the acer numbers and they look real promising, but anything based on them is still 2 months away, right? And then maybe a few months until something real good comes out?
@flalexandr, if I go up to $680 I might as well make it $750-800 which I wouldn't mind, but then I'd have to wait for Kepler to spend that kind of money, I'd need to save a few more bucks. I was really thinking though of finding a laptop for less and then I could justify trying to sell it later when I find a nice IVB + Kepler laptop... I'll have to think this over a little while longer, but again thanks guys.

 

[rabbitz]

Thanks for the input guys. I've been thinking it over and having a look at the links, and I still haven't made up my mind!

@rabbitz, I've seen the acer numbers and they look real promising, but anything based on them is still 2 months away, right? And then maybe a few months until something real good comes out?
@flalexandr, if I go up to $680 I might as well make it $750-800 which I wouldn't mind, but then I'd have to wait for Kepler to spend that kind of money, I'd need to save a few more bucks. I was really thinking though of finding a laptop for less and then I could justify trying to sell it later when I find a nice IVB + Kepler laptop... I'll have to think this over a little while longer, but again thanks guys.

If you want to buy something cheap to use for now and sell later you should get an older used laptop instead... imagine if you are buying a car. If you plan to sell the car soon, it is foolish to buy a brand new one and eat the depreciation cost as soon as you touch it. However, if you buy an older car, you will be able to sell it for nearer to as much as what you got it for, and in some cases even more!

As for when ivy bridge is coming out.. I really can't say. But there will always be 'something better' coming soon... so what you really need to do is ask yourself if the next generation is worth the wait, and if you need it RIGHT NOW or not. If you can wait, you should... everything will always be better and cheaper in the future =)