Laptop input

Syndil

Finally found one with a backlit keyboard, eh. I sure hope Dell has gotten their quality back on track. But judging from the number of people in this thread posting about problems with that particular model, I wouldn't be too optimistic (19 pages long):

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3517/t/19372110.aspx

Toshiba has one with an AMD processor that meets all your criteria, for less money:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834214482

Also has h/k audio and USB 3.0, if that does anything for you.

obieone

How do you feel about an external BD-burner? They're about $120 @ newegg.

exalted512

Syndil wrote: »

Finally found one with a backlit keyboard, eh. I sure hope Dell has gotten their quality back on track. But judging from the number of people in this thread posting about problems with that particular model, I wouldn't be too optimistic (19 pages long):

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3517/t/19372110.aspx

Toshiba has one with an AMD processor that meets all your criteria, for less money:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834214482

Also has h/k audio and USB 3.0, if that does anything for you.

Thanks for the links. I researched it at all yet, just found one that's reasonably priced with all my criteria. I saw the Toshiba one as well, problem being that AMD processor is reallllly slow. I DID research that....haha.
-Cody

malvrich

Maybe this guy:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+14%22+VAIO+E+Series+Laptop+-+6GB+Memory+-+640GB+Hard+Drive+-+Charcoal+Black/4700601.p?id=1218515293964&skuId=4700601

Gadabout

Cody,

Since I was posting earlier, I did bite the bullet on a new laptop. I ended up with the Toshiba P750-BT4N22.

Price would be $749 for your upgrade to the blu ray player. Comes with free shipping but not tax free

For me, I upgraded to the i5 and 7200 Rpm hard drive. Had it about 2 weeks.

Just for a couple other accessories I added.

20% discount on the Toshiba dynadock? U Universal USB Docking Station
- Mainly purchased for the ease of keeping everything connected and it has a video card in it.

- Lapworks Z-Lift Desktop Stand
- Purchased for using an external keyboard while at home and keeping the laptop cool.

Asus VH242H Monitor
- Mainly used for gaming, but I have also been watching HBOgo while I do other things on laptop.

Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard

Also pictured is a Belkin n52te game pad and Razer Diamond Back mouse.

Still running the old laptop on the road but I have almost all the old files moved over from it. Just a few more things to do and to create an image and it will be the full time laptop. Good luck with your search. Hopefully, something will come up that meets your criteria.

Scott

exalted512

Okay, after 3 full months of checking around pretty much everyday, I've come to terms that it's damn near impossible to put what I want together in one package and offer it on sale...lol.

I did some more searching today on just finding a laptop that maybe just wasn't on sale and found this Sony Vaio

http://www.brandsmartusa.com/Product/158322-Sony-VPCCB25FX-B-15-5-Vaio-Laptop-Computer

I've heard a few good reviews of the Vaio's, but it seems they are scarce...and people don't tend to mention them. But that laptop has everything I want. The RAM is a little low, I'm hoping I can just add another 4GB stick instead of having to buy a single 8GB. The video RAM is also integrated, and the processor cache seems a little on the low side.

On the flip side, it does have a really nice screen (1080), USB 3.0 (x1), bluetooth, HDMI out, backlit keyboard, decent battery life, and a built in SD card reader. So it's everything I wanted, aside from being $200 over budget. The Toshiba above looks, nice, but they charge tax, so it turns it into almost $900 after everything I get with this Sony, but it would be slightly more RAM.

Having said that, it still seems like a pretty good deal and would work fine for everything I would throw at it. Mostly web browsing, and watching HD video. About the only video editing I would do is cropping in Windows Movie Maker and uploading it to youtube.

What do you guys think?
-Cody

Syndil

I think it would serve you just fine for what you intend to do with it. The 4GB RAM is on 1 stick, and I can't imagine that there is only just one RAM slot in it, so upgrading to 8GB should be straightforward. However I really don't think you'll see much improvement going from 4 to 8. 4 should be plenty for what you want.

Gadabout

The Sony will do you just fine. I know a few folks that have them and love them. They also usually spent more on my laptops than I did. The link you showed looks like a decent bargain and for what you wanted in a computer.

Never worry about low RAM, if you want more it is pretty cheap (4gb stick is around $22). If you think you need it when you get the computer go to:

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/.

Download the little active x program and it will match up Ram for you. It will also show capacitchip sethipset of your mobo. I buy most of my ram from crucial. Free 2nd day shipping and a decent guarantee. Only had one incident with them (they sent mis matched latency memory which they immediately shipped me new ones and issued a shipping label for the return.

Scott

exalted512

Thanks guys. I'm going to see if I can dig up anything else, but I'll probably go with the Sony.
-Cody