Gateway, MSI, or ASUS

[blktiger0]

Hi, I'm new here and I need some advice on a laptop, as i am getting ready to go off to college. I have 3 in my sights right now that i am trying to decide between. They each have features that I am looking for, but i am no pro in this field. I mostly need some attention-to-detail advice, as i have never owned a laptop and don't know things to look for on them. However, each one has the processor i am looking for along with enough space and a decent enough graphics card. Any educated advice you can give will be well appreciated. I am going to school for graphic design and i plan on using it for multi media-type projects also. I'm not a computer gamer, so I don't need to be able to run Crysis at max res and ultra high detail settings, but i do want plenty of room for exploring my computer possibilities. Thanks ahead of time.

Here is the link:
http/www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2034940032%201039353928&page=2&bop=And&CompareItemList=32|34-220-734^34-220-734-02%23,34-101-222^34-101-222-TS,34-152-190^34-152-190-TS

It compares all 3 computers and their respective specs. So far, i have my eye on the MSI, but the ASUS and Gateway both come close at second...Thanks again for any help you can offer.

 

[WR2]

Mobility Radeon HD 5145 is a renamed Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with slightly higher clock rates so it has no DirectX 11 support and performance between the 4570 and 5470.
The Gateway has the higher 1600x900 LCD resolution like the Asus.
The MSI has that 3yr warranty. The HD 5730 is actually a slightly faster 5650.

There are some tasty new options rolling in this summer before the back to school buying heats up. Are you in a rush to get your laptop now?

 

[blktiger0]

I'm in no huge rush, but the sooner the better. I did like the option of better resolution on the Gateway, but the keyboard has all flat keys which are killer IMO. I knew the ASUS had the worst card, but i didn't realize it didn't have DX11. I'll probably avoid it. I also like the fact that the MSI had a better sound setup than the Gateway, plus a 7200 HDD RPM versus the 5400 HDD RPM of the Gateway, which appealed to me quite a bit, but does it really make that big of a difference?

 

[WR2]

"better sound setup" in a laptop usually means going from 'terrible' to just 'bad'.
I zero'ed in on the higher 1600x900 screen size as being a major plus. Enough of a plus to overlook lack of DX11 (only of use to a gamer) and then the faster i5 450M CPU of the Asus.
Asus has a general reputation of being a more reliable brand as well. (or course that survey measures past history and not current models)

 

[blktiger0]

understood...i can always haul my stereo with me...so the ASUS is truly a better option for me? or should i go with the Gateway, which also has the high res, but lacks the 7200RPM and better i5, but the Gateway has a better Graphics Card. Will the better i5 and the RPMs really have that much impact on my laptop's computing speed? I am still pretty new to a lot of this information, so sorry about that, but i'm working on it . Also, how many MegaPixels am i getting on the Gateway/Asus webcams? Newegg doesn't specify, and i want a decent one so that i can keep in video-touch with my family/friends. i don't really want to have to buy a better one, but if i have to, it's a small price to pay for better built-in features.

 

[WR2]

It looked like the Asus would have been my first choice. But you want to get as many expert opinions as possible. And double check the specs at the MFGR website. Etailers like NewEgg get the specs wrong occasionally and you get a chance to look at the minor details like webcam res and keyboard layout and other features.
Gateway NV7901u
Or course it's harder to do that when it's a new item on the market and not a 1st choice of the usual review sites: MSI GE600-002US
Asus K72JK (not identical model)
Notebookcheck website is handy for checking the hands-on details if you can fine a review or links to other reviews. Handy for keyboard, touchpad, screen, speaker functionality and a battery reality check.

 

[blktiger0]

Thanks a lot...i really appreciate the info, help, and advice. I asked a few of my friends who are more computer savvy than I am and they both suggested the ASUS also, so i think i am safe sticking with it. I have a teacher at my school that is probably the most tech savvy person i know, so i might ask his opinion also, but i expect similar results. Thanks again for the help

 

[blktiger0]

Best answer selected by Blktiger0.