Solved! Best sub-$1500 Laptop?

[ckaz]

Ok, so my friend asked me to find him a laptop for under $1000, but the budget is flexible. If it goes to $1200-$1500, please recommend it anyway. I want lots of options.

Here are the parameters:

4gb RAM minimum (preferably DDR3, but I don't want to be paying too much extra for it, as it isn't really that important)

500gb 7200rpm HDD. If it is a bit less gb's, then so be it, but nothing under 320gb, and the rpm speed needs to be 7,200rpm.

15.6"s or under. I mean, its fine if its a tad bigger, but 17" is to big, and 13" is the smallest I will consider. Remember, I am shopping for a notebook/laptop, but not a netbook. Also has to have a decent screen res. 1920x1080 isn't necessary, and hard to find so around 720p I suppose. I'm not sure if screen res works the same in laptops as it does with monitors and tv's.

802.11 g/n capabilities.

Has to have a disk drive.

Has to have a good battery. This here is really important, because my friend will be taking his laptop to school, and battery life is important. 5 hr. minimum i would say.

Otherwise, I will leave it to you guys to give me some recommendations, because I haven't been following the laptop/notebook market (though I have been following netbooks) and I need to know whats standard, what I shouldn't settle for etc.

Here is the one I am currently looking at - http/www.memoryexpress.com/Product...1%28ME%29.aspx

 

[jdavis1979]

Need to know his exact use for the laptop cause it makes a huge difference. Like why does he need a 7200 rpm hard drive. What programs will he be running. Will he be doing any gaming on the laptop and if so what titles. What kind of classes will he be using it for. These all make huge differences. If its no gaming and he is mostly worried about battery life its hard to beat a aspire timeline laptop with an extended 9 cell battery. I can get 10+ hours depending on what I am doing. And is under his 1k. As you start adding higher end stuff the battery life starts going down and then to get 5 hours you might have to having multiple batteries.

 

[cschulz135]

Ok, take a look at this Asus. It has a Quad core, 6 GB of RAM and a GTX 260M, suitable for some halfway serious gaming. Only 1399.00 at the Egg.

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220669

Also, they have a nearly identical version with an i7 920m processor that goes on sale periodically for the same price. If you can wait for that one, sign up for Newegg's Price Alert service or you can call customer service and try to bargain with them.

 

[ckaz]

K well he is using it for school, internet browsing, and a bit of movies, just a bit.
The 7,200 rpm drive is because this laptop needs to be able to last him for a while. 5,400 rpm isn't all that bad, but after year..not so much. I know it is the same with most HDD's, no matter the rpm, but it just makes more sense to buy the 7,200 rpm.

No gaming.

He will be using it for all classes, though im not sure the difference that would make

Battery is important, but as long as its over a standard five hours, it won't be a deal breaker.

This laptop needs to be able to last him.

 

[deadlockedworld]

K well he is using it for school, internet browsing, and a bit of movies, just a bit.

No gaming.

He will be using it for all classes, though im not sure the difference that would make

If hes not gaming he doesn't need a computer as powerful as those available for $1200. (unless he wants something as sexy as a mac)

If its going to college you want to get a medium cost computer and pay the extra $150-200 for a accidental damage protection warranty. Any other place on earth they would be a ripoff.. but in a school...

 

[deadlockedworld]

Check this out for deals:
http/www.logicbuy.com/subcategorydeals/13/Computers/119/Laptops.aspx

The dell lineup is pretty decent--and their pricing is relatively straightforward--you get what you pay for.