GCFC
Davide Santon
+45|5900|NY/CT
So I'm in the market for a laptop
It'll be the first one I've "purchased" so I might need some help choosing a specific model

I'm really looking for a good battery life (5+ hours)
Screen size 13-15 inches would be best
Would prefer an Ivy Bridge Processor but Sandy Bridge is ok too, probably i5
Backlit keyboard would be nice but not necessary
I want it to be lightish but still be able to do light gaming (such as League of Legends, maybe FIFA 12, and the usual Steam games like L4D, TF2, L4D2) so I dont think HD3000 graphics would cut it, idk about the 4000 though 600M series looks promising
Would try to keep the brand an Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, etc. (Reliable)
The new ultrabooks coming out soon look nice but I'm trying to keep it around $1000 (USD), if the 4000 or the 600M can handle light gaming with decent quality I'd most likely go with an ultrabook even though I'm sure most on here would flame me for it

Specs from my school for the laptop, I could always use an external DVD-drive if I go the ultrabookish route

"Beginning Fall 2010, junior and senior Business undergraduates as well as full-time MBA students at the Storrs campus are required to have a personal laptop for class. The following laptop specifications are recommended for 2011-2012 academic year: (Specifications will change as technology evolves)

Multiple Core processor at 2.5 GHz or greater
4GB Ram (minimum)
160GB, SATA, 7200RPM hard drive or greater
CD/DVD writer
Integrated 1.0 Gigabit Ethernet
802.11 b,g wireless
multiple USB ports
Ability to run Windows 7 (64 bit)
ability to run Microsoft Office 2010 Professional
Anti-virus software - the University offers students a lifetime subscription to Symantec Antivirus for free. Available at: http://antivirus.uconn.edu/
3 year on-site warranty service (this is critical)
Insurance coverage for both damage and theft (strongly suggested)
Suggested Option: USB external hard drive or other means of backing up data files
The use of a Macintosh laptop is neither recommended nor supported by the School of Business IT staff.. In order to use a MAC you will need to run a parallel program - this should be limited to ADVANCED users only."

Overall, just want a decent laptop to last me 3 or 4 years in college and be able to enjoy it
Post any laptops you've bought or seen recently that you like or think would be a good fit
and let me know if I left anything out

I was looking at the Asus Zenbook or Acer Timeline, something along those lines maybe?

Thank you all,
                    GCFC

Last edited by GCFC (2012-05-21 11:24:56)

globefish23
sophisticated slacker
+334|6294|Graz, Austria
Check which brand has a good customer service with pick-up service.
Alternatively one that has a service center near you.

Also, battery life and gaming are quite contradictory.
I reckon that those battery lives are mostly wishful thinking under perfect conditions, load, etc.
Definitely read some tests.

Board footer

Privacy Policy - © 2024 Jeff Minard