Halp! Buying a new laptop, and need some input.

[Artreynne]

So, my HP notebook that I love so very much got yanked off the desk in my dorm and now the screen is busted. It was about a year and a half old, so instead of going through with the costly repairs, I've decided to purchase a new one....but that's about as far as the plan has gone. I'm a heavy gamer and spend a lot of time playing games on my laptop. At the moment I've been really into Leage of Legends and Metro 2033. So, I need something with a bit of power under the hood. I'm willing to spend around $1,000 on this new rig. What do should I be looking for?

 

[zfactor]

Asus has some great gaming laptops. Look into those, they are expensive though...

 

[Tasachan]

Avoid Acer. They're cheap, but for a reason. On my old one the power input was directly attached to ... everything.... so when that blew (after maybe a year), it took everything with it - the hard drive doesn't even work anymore. (I don't know how laptops are usually configured, but it just seemed strange to me)
My husband's has managed to survive, but the wireless is so, so weak that he can't get a strong signal from the other end of the house sometimes.
That's all the advice that I can offer, sadly. =\

 

[blipblop]

alienware or macbook pro maby??

 

[Shadowsafter]

I personally lve Apple hardware but fucking despise Apple software, so buy a Macbook and ASAP replace that bugged-out piece of shit OS of theirs with windows or whatever your flavour is.

 

[fix-the-spade]

What do should I be looking for?

For a Laptop in the US?

ASUS or Msi.

Alienware (by extension Dell) is cheap parts marked up to the sky, same for anything with a Mac logo on it.
As mentioned before avoid Acer as though they had threatened to hurt your mum.

Msi and ASUS stuff is pretty good, for a relative spec they're cheaper than Alienware/Dell but use more expensive parts. Go figure.

#Edit, if you've got that kind of money to spend, why spend $7-800 on a desktop base unit and the remainder on a netbook type machine for working on. Gets your expensive gaming hardware out of reach of accidents and give you portable computing power.

 

[Artreynne]

I've heard ASUS is a super reliable brand. I'll look into those. I love my iPhone, but hate any sort of Mac notebook or desktop. Thank you guys for your input!

A local store is selling a Toshiba with a triple core processor, 4GB OF DDR3, a 500BG harddrive, with windows 7 and a pretty nice ATI graphic card. They're wanting 899.99 for it. How would you rate that?

 

[mew4ever23]

My HP hardware has been fairly reliable - the only Hardware failure I've had on it was a powerbrick dieing - and that time some ass spilled pop on it.

 

[Starke]

alienware or macbook pro maby??

Macbooks start at a grand, and good luck gaming on one of those things these days. Alienware for a grand? Not unless their prices have come way the hell down. As far as I can tell, they're still custom made, so, not cheap by any stretch.

I've heard ASUS is a super reliable brand. I'll look into those. I love my iPhone, but hate any sort of Mac notebook or desktop. Thank you guys for your input!

A local store is selling a Toshiba with a triple core processor, 4GB OF DDR3, a 500BG harddrive, with windows 7 and a pretty nice ATI graphic card. They're wanting 899.99 for it. How would you rate that?

I think I saw an ASUS with a i7 processor and a GeForce 360 Radeon HD 5870 for a little over a grand at best buy recently. The one word of warning would be it's a desktop replacement, so it'll weigh in at around 10 lbs.

Edit: ASUS, not Acer... Acer systems are shit in my experience.

Edit 2: I found it online. [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i7+Processor+/+17.3%22+Display+/+6GB+Memory+/+640GB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/1257894.p?id=1218243761956&skuId=1257894]

 

[Baby Tea]

Asus has some great gaming laptops.

Totally and utterly this.
Also:

Avoid Acer.

Very very that.

Acer is balls-in-your-face terrible, and ASUS is punching-a-wiener-dog awesome (Not that I condone punching a wiener dog).
Another bit of advice: Do not buy your laptop, whatever you get, from a big box store. Order directly from the manufacturer. Seriously. Goto the official ASUS storefront or something, but avoid Staples, Futureshop, Bestbuy, and all those stores like a monkey on fire in a nitroglycerin plant. They get cheaper versions of the laptops with cheaper parts and way worse warranties.

In short: ASUS = Awesome.
Acer = Ass.
And order from the manufacturer, not a big-box store.

Now off you go, you little scamp.

 

[Arachon]

I just got to ask, why not get a desktop computer? They're *way* cheaper, and a gaming laptop really isn't very portable, nor will it hold if you try to run it without having it plugged in.

 

[zfactor]

I've heard ASUS is a super reliable brand. I'll look into those. I love my iPhone, but hate any sort of Mac notebook or desktop. Thank you guys for your input!

A local store is selling a Toshiba with a triple core processor, 4GB OF DDR3, a 500BG harddrive, with windows 7 and a pretty nice ATI graphic card. They're wanting 899.99 for it. How would you rate that?

Considering AMD processors are the only ones I know of with three cores, I'd say no. I prefer Intel, go with the i7. And get a multiple of 3 RAM (3, 6, 9, 12, etc) that usually means it is triple-threaded, therefore slightly faster read/write times than dual for the same speed and amound of RAM.

I think I saw an Acer with a i7 processor and a GeForce 360 for a little over a grand at best buy recently. The one word of warning would be it's a desktop replacement, so it'll weigh in at around 10 lbs.

I saw that one too, $1200, i7 insane amount of RAM and two ATI HD5870 somethings. So it kicks ass, buy it now.

 

[Starke]

And order from the manufacturer, not a big-box store.

More or less seconded. I've only won the laptop roulette at a mass retailer once. Even then, I'm not sure I'm not holding this system together with sheer skill.

As near as I can tell Acer is aimed at the computer illiterate crowd.

One weirdness, I've had good luck with my Gateway FX, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

 

[Starke]

I think I saw an Acer with a i7 processor and a GeForce 360 for a little over a grand at best buy recently. The one word of warning would be it's a desktop replacement, so it'll weigh in at around 10 lbs.

I saw that one too, $1200, i7 insane amount of RAM and two ATI HD5870 somethings. So it kicks ass, buy it now.

No, only one 5870, but it's got a gig of onboard video memory, so, it's still completely fucking insane. AFIAK you almost never see crossfire or SLI cards in laptops except for Alienware and maybe the other built to order shops.

 

[zfactor]

I think I saw an Acer with a i7 processor and a GeForce 360 for a little over a grand at best buy recently. The one word of warning would be it's a desktop replacement, so it'll weigh in at around 10 lbs.

I saw that one too, $1200, i7 insane amount of RAM and two ATI HD5870 somethings. So it kicks ass, buy it now.

No, only one 5870, but it's got a gig of onboard video memory, so, it's still completely fucking insane. AFIAK you almost never see crossfire or SLI cards in laptops except for Alienware and maybe the other built to order shops.

Oops...

Guess I thought that because I looked at the back and there were two exhaust ports on the sides... So maybe there is room for two? (that would be UBERKICKASS)

 

[zfactor]

And order from the manufacturer, not a big-box store.

More or less seconded. I've only won the laptop roulette at a mass retailer once. Even then, I'm not sure I'm not holding this system together with sheer skill.

As near as I can tell Acer is aimed at the computer illiterate crowd.

One weirdness, I've had good luck with my Gateway FX, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

I've got a Gateway FX desktop and it runs fine.

Ok, I'll admit it: I upgraded most of the internal parts (Graphics card, PSU, RAM, more fans, heatsink, etc). So it is pretty much a different computer, but initially it ran fine.

 

[Starke]

I think I saw an Acer with a i7 processor and a GeForce 360 for a little over a grand at best buy recently. The one word of warning would be it's a desktop replacement, so it'll weigh in at around 10 lbs.

I saw that one too, $1200, i7 insane amount of RAM and two ATI HD5870 somethings. So it kicks ass, buy it now.

No, only one 5870, but it's got a gig of onboard video memory, so, it's still completely fucking insane. AFIAK you almost never see crossfire or SLI cards in laptops except for Alienware and maybe the other built to order shops.

Oops...

Guess I thought that because I looked at the back and there were two exhaust ports on the sides... So maybe there is room for two?

Doubtful, it's more likely that the second port is for... well... whatever. Heat is the major issue with laptops. So you vent it out everywhere you can. The one I'm typing on right now vents the card and the processor on opposite sides of the rig.

 

[Starke]

And order from the manufacturer, not a big-box store.

More or less seconded. I've only won the laptop roulette at a mass retailer once. Even then, I'm not sure I'm not holding this system together with sheer skill.

As near as I can tell Acer is aimed at the computer illiterate crowd.

One weirdness, I've had good luck with my Gateway FX, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

I've got a Gateway FX desktop and it runs fine.

Ok, I'll admit it: I upgraded most of the internal parts (Graphics card, PSU, RAM, more fans, heatsink, etc). So it is pretty much a different computer, but initially it ran fine.

I'm running on the stock configuration, and the only problem I've had so far was a case screw getting loose, falling out, and then gradually working other screws out, which was a really quick fix, (I cannibalized a screw from another laptop.)

The reason I'm hesitant to recommend it is, with you, I've only heard back with these on three
units, that said, what I've heard has been universally positive.

The other thing is, at this point, it's two years old and I've only had the single issue, which, in my experience, is incredibly rare for a laptop.

 

[RobCoxxy]

If you're getting it for gaming, just get a desktop.
Buy a cheaper laptop for work, and the desktop for gaming. Done.