Best Laptop for an Architecture Student?

[blushboy_24]

Hello, I am going to be an architecture student, and i want a laptop that is best in performing architectural programs (AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, SketchUp, Rhino, 3d Studio max, and all other architectural programs). I am not a serious gamer, but i do want to play games (like the sims, counterstrike, and i also want to play a fifa game, if there is one for computers), and i want those games to be very realistic and not lagging when i play it. I am also a Sound tripper, i like hearing music. I also want a laptop that can play videos at full HD. And when i surf the Net i want my laptop to be very fast! I want my laptop to be very responsive! I want a laptop that is Very, Very Fast!

Some of the Specs i want in my Laptop are:
Intel® CoreTM i7- 920XM Quad Core Extreme processors
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 32-Bit (or anything except Vista and Mac!)
Intel® Core i7-920XM Quad Core Extreme Edition processors
1333MHz or 1600MHz DDR3 memory and stunning ATI® FirePro® or NVIDIA® Quadro FX graphics
Long (as in very Long Battery life)
atleast 250 GB of memory.

I was thinking of trying out Alienware M11x or M17x and Dell Precision M6500. Will you recommended any of my suggested laptops for me? or there are better laptops for me to choose beside those given above.
Uhm, i don't feel like having a Macbook, doesn't matter if it is bootcamp or what ever.

1_What is your budget?
doesn't matter but the cheaper the better.

2_What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?
The bigger the better!

3_What screen resolution do you want?
i don't know, maybe a high screen resolution.

4_Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?
both...

5_How much battery life do you need?
i don't know, uhm, the longer the better? uhm, maybe 3-5 hrs?

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?
YES! The Sims 3, Counter Strike and a FIFA game!(if there is one for computers!) I want a high game setting!

7_What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)
Uhm, Web Surfing, Video Streaming, Watching Movies, Photo editing, video editing, anything, anything at all, to relief me from boredom.

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need?
Uhm, 250GB to Max! maybe 500GB!

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.
-

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop?
Uhm for about 3-5 yrs. Until i graduate!

11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?
i don't know anything about this, uhm maybe uhm CD/DVD ROM/Writer.

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.
Uhm, Dell! because they have powerful workstation laptops hehehe.
Alienware! cause i think when it is a very good laptop to play games in it!
I don't preffer macbooks.

13_What country do you live in?
The Philippines!

14_Please tell us any additional information if needed.
I told you everything i know for my Dream laptop.

 

[buwish]

I'd recommend either the ASUS N71JQ-X1, ASUS G Series G73JH-X1, or ASUS G Series G73JH-A2. However, those only have the i7-720m in them. If you really have your heart set on the 920xm chip, you may have to look into Alienware or some other company that let's you customize the laptop, as I really haven't seen too many of those chips out there. If you can find a good one with an 820 in it, I think that it would do the job as well.

I did find this one, but it's $5k:

http/www.onsale.com/p/6082903?dpno=8055965&store=onsale&source=BWBGoogleBase

 

[blushboy_24]

I'd recommend either the ASUS N71JQ-X1, ASUS G Series G73JH-X1, or ASUS G Series G73JH-A2. However, those only have the i7-720m in them. If you really have your heart set on the 920xm chip, you may have to look into Alienware or some other company that let's you customize the laptop, as I really haven't seen too many of those chips out there. If you can find a good one with an 820 in it, I think that it would do the job as well.

I did find this one, but it's $5k:

http/www.onsale.com/p/6082903?dpno=8055965&store=onsale&source=BWBGoogleBase

The Lenovo W701 is indeed, the laptop that i need. but i don't think that my dad will let me buy this laptop, because of the price. but it won't hurt if i'll try to talk him to buy me one. but if he didn't budge, can you suggest other laptop that are a little more cheaper, than the lenovo W701. hehehe
I kinda like the digitzer pen thingy...hehehe

 

[jbrown67]

I definitely recommend an Alienware, as both an owner and an Engineering Student with a minor in Architechture. even though it has had its problems, my laptop has lasted a good 4 years, runs graphic intensive programs like auto CAD, and all of the design programs I have needed well enough(and we are talking a 4 year old laptop here). I noticed however that you wanted a long Battery life, Alienware is known for making computers with the battery life a 6-month old. They are also a bit bulky and heavy, but the screen is huge and bright and the laptop looks really cool. My vote is an Alienware M15x but look a little more into it at the Alienware homepage and some customer review sites to see if its what you need.

 

[blushboy_24]

I definitely recommend an Alienware, as both an owner and an Engineering Student with a minor in Architechture. even though it has had its problems, my laptop has lasted a good 4 years, runs graphic intensive programs like auto CAD, and all of the design programs I have needed well enough(and we are talking a 4 year old laptop here). I noticed however that you wanted a long Battery life, Alienware is known for making computers with the battery life a 6-month old. They are also a bit bulky and heavy, but the screen is huge and bright and the laptop looks really cool. My vote is an Alienware M15x but look a little more into it at the Alienware homepage and some customer review sites to see if its what you need.

can you tell me what are the problems? can you also tell me if the problems are only minor. but they say that the processor should be NVIDIA Quadro FX. the Alienware is NVIDIA Ge Force thingy. do you think that's ok? i mean i will run programs like Sketch Up, that needs to be very fast to prevent the lags and all.

 

[Saga Lout]

I always believed all the drafting and creative disciplines went for Macs.[/#000ff]

 

[blushboy_24]

tnx for your suggestions anyway...
but...
Uhm, i think i'll be choosing Dell Studio XPS 16.
Tell me what ya'll think...

 

[WR2]

Tell us what's in your Dell Studio XPS 16. There are a wide range of configuration options.

 

[blushboy_24]

Tell us what's in your Dell Studio XPS 16. There are a wide range of configuration options.

well, ive been thinking to myself, a workstation is not worth it, and the price aint worth it also! I'm just a student! A workstation is too early for me. And the prices are so high. Uhm, if you look at the specs of a Dell Studio XPS ranging in the price of $ 1200. it's enough for my everyday use, gaming, and project. if i'll be having one.
What do you think?

 

[jbrown67]

can you tell me what are the problems? can you also tell me if the problems are only minor. but they say that the processor should be NVIDIA Quadro FX. the Alienware is NVIDIA Ge Force thingy. do you think that's ok? i mean i will run programs like Sketch Up, that needs to be very fast to prevent the lags and all.

Sorry I could get back to you very fast and I see you have chosen the dell, but I will answer your question anyways as it may be good information for someone else. The problems are the weight and the fact that it runs incredibly hot, so hot that I had to build a custom cooling system as it melted the store bought one. It definitely runs programs fast though, I run the sketch up program myself, it work perfectly and the screen is so bright and nice and big that its easy to see what I am working on. Well good luck anyways with your decision let me know how the dell works in a message or something, I would be very interested to hear about its performance.

*edit*
The problems are in fact only minor, the weight issue is no big deal, I need my laptop on a desk anyways so I can do calculations and dimensions on paper right next to my laptop. The weight issue is a small price to pay for the power and size of the computer. The heating problem is a bit more serious, though Alienware may have fixed their overheating problem by now, I am not sure, but in the end all it took was a external cooling source. Like I said my computer is aging a bit, the heating problem did not even start until about 3-4 months ago, in a 4 year run.