seanmcc :
Hello everyone,
I am in the market for a new ivy bridge laptop (I am willing to wait a few months for the full lineups to arrive). I was hoping to get a good 15 inch screen with an i7, but I loath keyboards with squished keys and ridiculously off-center trackpads.
Does anyone know of any options?
Thanks!
First thing's first: Don't hold it to priority to get a Core i7 processor unless you have a particular need for one. If you are looking for game performance, then you should look for fast GPU instead a fast CPU. If you have performance requirements other than game performance, then list them.
If you don't have a particular requirement for game performance, then consider the
Lenovo Thinkpad T520.
To get the best discount for the Lenovo Thinkpad T520, go through the Barnes and Noble Gold discount.
- Follow
This link to the Barnes and Noble Gold Lenovo page and create a free account. Log into your free account.
- After logging in, visit
this link to see the base models available for the Lenovo Thinkpad T520. Generally, you should base your configuration off of the cheapest base model.
- This is important:
Select at least the HD+ (1600x900) display upgrade. Do not buy the Lenovo Thinkpad T520 in any configuration that includes the non-upgraded HD (1366x768) display. 15.6" 1366x768 displays limit multitasking because they make things onscreen large, and they tend to have terrible image quality due to low contrast.
- Consider the free upgrade to the Intel WiFi Link 1000 wireless card.
- Consider the 9-Cell battery.
- Apply the listed coupon
USXMAYSAVINGS2012 to your configuration once it's in your cart. The cheapest configuration for the Lenovo Thinkpad T520 with the upgraded 1600x900 display will be
$607.
If you have more of a gaming requirement, then consider the Lenovo Thinkpad W520. The stock GPU is comparable to a GT 540M/GT 630M in terms of game performance. Follow
This link. Same thing about upgrading to either the HD+ (1600x900) or FHD (1920x1080) display applies.