Desktop replacement with SSD

[HammerllFixIt]

Hello, I'm currently looking for a new laptop to replace my old ASUS.

1. What is your budget? £1000- £1500

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering? 17"

3. What screen resolution do you want? I'm not really too bothered about the resolution as long as it is half decent.

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop? Desktop replacement

5. How much battery life do you need? I'm hardly ever going to use it on battery so 1-2 hours.

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)? Skyrim at medium-high (if possible and Minecraft at high.

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, Etc.) I multitask alot so I need something that can run multiple applications at the same time easily.

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need? I have an extenal drive for storage so considering I'm after an SSD 150-200 GB will suffice.

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links. I'm really not familiar with UK sites so would appreciate suggestions.

10. How long do you want to keep your laptop? 4-5 years

11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ? I have a USB BluRay drive so don't think I really need one (but I'm not sure if it might be a good idea to have one just incase I need to do a system restore).

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. I've been told to go for a Dell/ Toshiba/ HP or Sony as they offer much better build quality but once again I'm open to other suggestions.

13. What country do you live in? England UK

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed. I would prefer something with a neutral outer design ie(not Alienwareish).

Thanks for any and all replys.

 

[WR2]

Hello HammerllFixIt;

A couple options:
Samsung RF711 £800

Core i7-2670QM 2.2 GHz Quad Core Sandy Bridge CPU, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD and 17.3" 1600x900 resolution w GT 540M graphics.
It does come with a BluRay drive, has USB 3.0, Bluetooth 3, WiFi, Webcam and HDMI, all the the usual stuff you like to see.
About 3kg and 3-4hrs battery life on power saver settings.

This model doesn't come with a SSD but has room for a 2nd internal hard drive where you could install one easily. Crucial 128GB 2.5" M4 SSD £150

The GT 540M graphics card will run Minecraft on maximum graphics and Skryim should run on medium.
THG: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: PC Performance, Benchmarked The GT 540M is a notch above the Radeon HD 5570 mentioned in the article.

Samsung RF711 review @ expertreviews.co.uk
Samsung webpage: RF711 17.3" High Performance Notebook

 

[WR2]

To get to the next level in Skryim I'm suggesting a custom gaming laptop from PcSpecialist.co.uk:
Vortex II 17 configured to order ~£1,402 Full HD resolution 1920x1080 LCD w/ GTX 560M graphics card. Includes 3yr standard warranty.
Upgrades to the basic model:
Core i7-2670QM 2.2 GHz Sandy Bridge CPU
8GB RAM
160GB Intel 320 SSD (HDD #1)
320GB Scorpio Black 7200rpm HDD (HDD #2)
Arctic Cooling MX-3 Thermal Paste

 

[HammerllFixIt]

Thanks alot WR2 I think I might just go for the Samsung. As tempting as the Vortex is I think the sensible option is to save my money, get the (still very decent Samsung) and maybe invest in a full blown gaming desktop some time later.

Should I post a review when I get the laptop?

 

[WR2]

I like your reasoning. I feel the same way being just a casual & occasional gamer.
Laptops are useful but they can't touch a desktop for overall gaming performance at a much lower price.

Owner reviews are appreciated. It's very useful to link an owner review into the next person asking for a similar laptop.