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Laptop hunting

carnoj
edited 10/24/2010 @ 3:16:12 AM in Computer / Tech Help
My son is currently looking at picking up a laptop. He is studying computer software engineering with a specialty in Gaming.

He is looking at an Asus i7, ATI 5870, 8GB Ram.
http://www.futurepowerpc.com/scripts/product.asp?PRDCODE=1016-G73JH-A2&REFID=FR

Any suggestions or comments?

Comments

  • iggy8n
  • carnoj
    Thanks Iggy. He doesn't carry a lot of books. He is pretty responsible with his current laptop, never had an "accident" with it.

    The main reason for the new laptop is to take advantage of virtualization, that his current processor does not support.

    He does want to be close to cutting edge, but wants to try and spend 1200-1300 max.
  • cyclo
    I would probably go for a laptop with a smaller form factor. I agree with Iggy that a 17" is a little too big. A smaller laptop could easily be hooked up to a "proper" LCD monitor, say a 22" which could display 1680x1050 legibly.

    There are laptops with 14" or 15" displays that you can configure with an i5 or i7, 8GB RAM, and fast hard drives.

    BTW, any CPU even without the built in VM hardware accelerator can run VMs... just use the free VMWare Player. There is at most a small performance hit.
  • JeffereyJefferey
    You may think to buy Dell brand laptop.
  • Cngevpxhaqrefpber
    I wonder if that Surface RT tablet sorta thingy (the one with the attachable keyboard/stand -- commercials ran for it all the time a couple months ago) from Microsoft (that runs Windows 8) would be a good substitute for a lappy these days...
  • iggy8n
    I have a young neighbor(age 25)who just got a job teaching English in South Korea. There have been some delays with getting the visa because of the North Korea rocket club playing their games.
    He went to Costco and bought a laptop with Windows 8. He returned it after a few days because he didn't like the human interface. He ended up with some Mac - more expensive - but he likes the operating system a lot better.
    I'm staying away from Windows 8 machines. The high school kids are also not getting pc laptops anymore - according to Sabuk. We'll be looking for something to get him for college next year. Maybe it's time to sell the Microsoft stock...

    How do you guys take notes at class? Smartphone, iPad, pen and paper pad? Do you end up rereading the notes after you've taken them? Any advice on how to learn Calculus, Physics, and Biology along with Creative Writing? Those will be his first courses.
  • TechGuy
  • Cngevpxhaqrefpber
  • Cngevpxhaqrefpber
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