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looking for a good notebook

post #1 of 34
7/31/07 at 11:14pm
Thread Starter 
Max budget $2000, no more than that.

I'll be using it for College stuff, computer science stuff, some gaming, and music. I’m a music arranger and these programs I use chew up a lot of performance.


It'll remain on the desk most of the time but 2 years from now I'll be in a dorm. So I'll be taking it to classes 2 years from now.

battery life: minimum of 3hrs. prefer MORE.
OS: Windows Vista
I prefer the glossy widescreen. specifically I dont know which resolution or kind yet...

DVD-CD/RW

160gb-200gb (5400rpm or 7200rpm) I like 7200rpm though.

2gb of ram.
Santa Rosa
At least 256mb of graphics memory (basically for gaming and productive multimedia).
Fast internet connection (wireless)
1.8ghz+ duo 2 core processor, 800fsb. It is important that the computer does not skip, stutter, or lag one bit while playing games. Moreover, it MUST run smoothly while playing back music using notational software such as Finale 2008 (while running anti-virus, updates, etc.). Finale 2008 is a real performance hog and a slight cpu spike can cut the notes short. hmm is that possible? I have no experience with these processors.

Sound quality. I’m looking for a laptop that provides the best sound quality. I will mainly be using high-end headphones coupled with an amplifier to facilitate it, but it’s up to the computer to provide clean signals coming out of my laptop without any audio degradation to the amplifier.

I also am looking for a notebook that doesn't get its paint scratched off. sometimes the letters on the keyboard begin to wear off.

I've also heard about the certified wireless usb on the frontpage.
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post #2 of 34
8/1/07 at 10:52am
Have you considered the Dell Inspiron 1520? It meets most, if not all of your requested specs. I got mine for about $2200, but you can lower the specs a bit and hit around $1000 - $2000 easily.

However, I have heard that there's a problem with the sound while using earbuds or something.
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post #3 of 34
8/1/07 at 11:52am
I would stick with a 15.4" since you want to take it to class in a couple of years and you need a decent dedicated GPU.

Dell 1520
Dell Vostro 1500 (Small Biz section)
Sager 2090 http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info....oducts_id/1876

These are the 3 notebooks I've been looking at lately. If I were you I'd sway towards a dell and make sure you get the 3 year warranty w/ complete care this way you won't be SOL later on in college. There is a $300 off the 1520 configured higher than $1299 floating around that you can use (it expires today though)

Just make sure you get at least a 2.0Ghz C2D, the 8600gt GPU, the new Intel AGN wireless card and buy the RAM from Newegg for $80 (2x1gb) and put it in yourself (instead of upgrading for $150 through Dell)

If you don't like the audio quality from the mobo then you can always get the new express card by creative.
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post #4 of 34
8/1/07 at 3:44pm
Thread Starter 
thanks for the replies. they look good. I can't decide which ones though...
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post #5 of 34
8/1/07 at 4:28pm
Just research each one as much as possible. Read reviews, look at pictures, ask questions, etc. Eventually it'll come down to which one is better for you, and then you can make a decision.

It isn't easy when you have 3+ different notebooks to choose from.
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post #6 of 34
8/1/07 at 9:56pm
Thread Starter 
do you know where can I find pictures of different screen resolutions for comparisons? I tend to open a lot of applications though

btw, what is this Intel® Robson Turbo Memory I find in Sager that I don't see in Dell? and also this DX10 I heard about that I don't see in Dell also.
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post #7 of 34
8/2/07 at 1:10am
Thread Starter 
1680 x 1050

Matte or Glossy? hmm, well I deal with stuff consisting of graphics and music. actually I'll just go to a store and check them out.
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post #8 of 34
8/2/07 at 6:53am
if you're looking at screens in most stores, it will be much less common to find a non-glossy (whether it be matte or semigloss, as opposed to high gloss) screen, or any screens higher than the standard (1280x800 for 12"-15.4" and 1440x900 for 17"). i was at microcenter the other day and i don't recall seeing (m)any non-glossy screens, though i was not looking at them too carefully, as i have two perfectly capable systems that will last awhile.

i actually find the high gloss screens a bit distracting, but that's just me. also, one possibilty might be to go to an apple store if there is one around you to look at their screens. the 15" MBP has a slightly higer resolution than the standard windows notebook at 1440x900, which is not quite as much as you might be able to get on a customized system (which may be 1680x1050 or 1920x1200), but it might give you a better idea of the amount of "space" you'll have. you could also look at the 17" MBP screen for a sense of the amount of "space" that 1680x1050 will give you too, but imagine it on a slightly smaller screen. also, i might have been imagining it a bit, but the MB's seem to have a not-as-glossy screen compared to some of the windows-based ones i've seen. it's been awhile since i looked at one.

knew it was around here somewhere, but here's a link to some screen comparisons. http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=192592
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post #9 of 34
8/2/07 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 
thanks for the reply and link. I would like to see the actual size though

Edit: actually I used photoshop to compare the different sizes. 1280 x 800, 1440 x 900, 1680 x 1050, and 1920 x 1200. I'm running a resolution of 1280 x 1024 on a CRT monitor. I then print screen and pasted it in there. I could then see the white gap that was missing, that's where I used photoshop to fill it up, to see what it was like having more space. it's awesome. Although, having higher resolution means smaller text and stuff right? or not all the time?
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post #10 of 34
8/2/07 at 10:41pm
As far as I know the higher the resolution the smaller the text.
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post #11 of 34
8/4/07 at 1:30am
Thread Starter 
can someone tell me what's this DX10 and Intel Robson Turbo Memory? Is it in Dell (1520) too?
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post #12 of 34
8/4/07 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
are there any other notebooks you guys recommend besides the Dell 1520 and the Sager 2090? just want more opinions. but if it boils down to those two, then I'll look into them.
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post #13 of 34
8/4/07 at 10:53pm
Thread Starter 
Here are the Specs

XOTIC / SAGER NP2090 ( COMPAL IFL90 ) Intel Core 2 DUO / 15.4" WS/XGA / 512MB PCI-Express GeForce 8600GT Video / DDR2 667 / SATA
- 15.4" WSXGA+ "Matte" Type Super Clear Ultra Bright Screen (1680x1050)
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- Standard Dead Pixel Policy
- ~Intel® Core™2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz w/4MB L2 On-die cache - 800MHz FSB
- 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 8600GT DX10
- None Standard
- ~ 2,048MB DDR2 667 PC2 5300 (2 SODIMMS) Dual Channel Memory
- 1GB Intel® Robson Turbo Memory (Vista Only)
- Standard Finish
- - Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti 8X DVDRW Drive w/ Software
- ~ 160GB Seagate Momentus 3GB/S SATA 300 7200RPM Hard Drive
- None Standard
- Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- None Standard
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Integrated System Speakers - Included
- Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
- Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n
- None Standard
- Carying Case Optional (Select if desired)
- Smart Li-ion Battery (9-Cell)
- 110/220V 120W Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
- None Standard
- None Standard
- None Standard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- None Standard
- None Standard
- ~Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's
- None Standard
- None Standard
- 3 Year Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime Toll Free Tech Support (Extra 2 Year Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)

Sub-Total: $1,654.00
Sub-Total: $1,604.38 (after rebates)










My Components

SYSTEM COLOR: Jet BlackPROCESSOR: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
OPERATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition
DISPLAY: High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1680x1050)
VIDEO CARD: 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
MEMORYFREE!: 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
HARD DRIVE: 160G 7200RPM SATA HDD
OPTICAL DRIVE: CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
WIRELESS NETWORK CARDS: Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
INTEGRATED WEBCAM: No Webcam Option
BATTERY OPTIONS: 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
SOUND OPTIONS: High Definition Audio 2.0

My Software & Accessories
OFFICE SOFTWARE: Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
BURN & DIGITAL EDITING SOFTWARE: Yahoo! Music Jukebox - Music Player

My Service
WARRANTY AND SERVICE: DellCare Plus
GETTING-STARTED HELP: No Dell On Call
DATASAFE ONLINE BACKUP: DataSafe included with DellCare Service bundle

DIAL-UP INTERNET ACCESS: No ISP requested

ALSO INCLUDED WITH YOUR SYSTEM
BLUETOOTH OPTIONS: Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR)
Network Card and Modem: Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe Software: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.08
Doms Camera Module: Jet Black color w/o Camera
Labels: Windows Vista™ Premium
Processor Branding: Intel Centrino Core Duo Processor
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE: I chose Security with Value, Plus,or Premium Warranty Bundle

Sub-Total: $1,643
 Sub-Total: $1,594.95 (after discount and coupon)

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post #14 of 34
8/5/07 at 12:25am
Does that mean you're going for the Dell?
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post #15 of 34
8/5/07 at 12:44am
Thread Starter 
yeah. unless Sager has a coupon. If not, Dell wins and I'll ask my parents.
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post #16 of 34
8/5/07 at 1:50pm
have you considered HP?

you can get Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz Processor and Geforce 8 series and pretty darn amazing speakers for a laptop.
Just a sugesstion look at hp.com and check out the Pavillions, the DV9500 is around $2200
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post #17 of 34
8/5/07 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 
oh johnny, you just made me research some more. the 17" are starting to tempt me lol. Tempting... both Dell and HP, the 17" is much much harder to compare than the 15.4" ones.

Which is better, Dell 1720 or HP DV9500t?
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post #18 of 34
8/5/07 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mitcity22 View Post

ftw!

or the Asus s96s too

soulsaver
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post #19 of 34
8/5/07 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by brncao View Post
oh johnny, you just made me research some more. the 17" are starting to tempt me lol. Tempting... both Dell and HP, the 17" is much much harder to compare than the 15.4" ones.

Which is better, Dell 1720 or HP DV9500t?

have you owned a 17 inch before?

trust me if you havent, its heavy for a first laptop, my brother and dad both got a HP 17 incher, and they kinda regret it

start with 15.4 inch, you can find 9 cell laptops so you can get that 3 hour battery

soulsaver
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post #20 of 34
8/5/07 at 6:32pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks soulsaver! Can someone tell me if dell 1520 has Intel® Robson Turbo Memory? After reading an article about them, this is a must have for me.

If Dell has it, then Dell wins. If not, man this is going to take awhile. I have the list compiled in the previous page, so look at that and decide for me please.

Edit: spoke with a Dell Representative and they said Dell doesn't have it.

Should I sacrifice the extended Service, Warranty, and protection of dell to get more features such as Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 512MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce 8600GT DX10, 1GB Intel® Robson Turbo Memory, Internal 4-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO), Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera, and Integrated Fingerprint Reader. OR should I sacrifice those features in Sager to get the extended warranty and protection of dell? everything else are the same such as the processor, RAM, hdd, etc.

Just a reminder. I tend to open a lot of intensive applications at once.
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