Looking for a laptop under US$ 1100

[smilingbird]

I've searched the forum, but I could not find the exact same thing (most of them are unresolved).. I'm looking for a new laptop, and here's my criteria:

m in the market for a new mainstream laptop.

1) Budget: below $1100

2) Size: 15" - 16" screen

3) Screen: prefer non-glossy, must be full HD (not 1366x768), confused about LED and LCD

4) Portability: I don't lug my laptop around so much, but I'm not sure if I want something like ASUS G55. Just way to heavy for me if I do have to carry my laptop around (plus it has a very short battery life).

5) Battery life: Like I said, this new laptop will probably spend most of its time on my desk, but I think 3-4 hours on full charge is desired (standard usage, MS office, browsing, NOT gaming).

6) Games: sometimes (Assassin's creed, witcher 2, civilization 5,etc.), doesn't have to be High. Medium is what I usually go with

7) Tasks: mainly for school, but like I said, I game sometimes

8) Storage capacity: at least 500 GB (I think that's enough for me)

9) considerations:

ASUS N56VZ-RB71 -> http/www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0394503

Lenovo Y580 -> https/shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?GroupID=457&Code=209945U&category_id=AC523278A4F13F27A84F5F5622D1AC7A

MSI GE60 -> http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152339

10) Laptop life: at least 5 years. I intend to keep it forever

11) Optical drive: don't really use it

12) Brand preference: I heard ASUS has the best build quality (the reason why I'm leaning more towards the ASUS laptop). However, I've received mixed reviews on Lenovo and MSI. Some say the IdeaPad line doesn't have a good build quality (only the ThinkPad does). and I'm not experienced with MSI quality.

13) Country: United States (USA)

14) Other considerations:
I also put a special emphasis on build quality. I don't want to deal with customer service, and I don't think I can spend the time (with school and stuff). I don't abuse my electronics (other than gaming), so I wish this new laptop would last for as long as possible (forever , at least 5 years).

I'm not in a hurry, so you could suggest me to wait for a better deal (if you think that's going to happen, a price drop).


what would you recommend?

 

[smilingbird]

so what? there is still the whole case which is hot

so a regular cooler will work just fine? is that the whole purpose of cooler? I thought it's supposed to help the airflow to/from the vent..

 

[hpfreak]

so a regular cooler will work just fine? is that the whole purpose of cooler? I thought it's supposed to help the airflow to/from the vent..

Some companies that make coolers market it them that way.. saying that it helps improve airflow and all that other yada yada..
But like junky is saying, it will help cool the case- which can an impact.

 

[smilingbird]

Some companies that make coolers market it them that way.. saying that it helps improve airflow and all that other yada yada..
But like junky is saying, it will help cool the case- which can an impact.

any suggestion on which brand or specific model, or guides on buying a cooler?

 

[hpfreak]

Personally, I use a Cooler Master SF-19. It's powerful, and uses 2 standard desktop 140mm fans.

 

[smilingbird]

thanks guys! I learned a lot from this thread.. I'll think I'll go with Sager NP6165 for now, but I'll probably get it when school starts. lol

 

[hpfreak]

Alright, Good luck,

 

[ayobmx]

This thread has also helped me a lot, since I am in the same situation. I have a few followup questions :


Does sager have good customer service ?

at 6 pounds, is that not extremely troublesome to carry around as a student?

pros / cons compared to a mac book pro ? ( Sister is offering to buy me a 13" Macbook pro, but I am trying to look for better alternatives )

 

[ayobmx]

Alright, Good luck,

opinions on my questions ? :X

 

[computernewb]

This thread has also helped me a lot, since I am in the same situation. I have a few followup questions :


Does sager have good customer service ?

at 6 pounds, is that not extremely troublesome to carry around as a student?

pros / cons compared to a mac book pro ? ( Sister is offering to buy me a 13" Macbook pro, but I am trying to look for better alternatives )

i only had to call customer service once to change my order. I initially ordered a np3260 but found that the np6165 was a better deal. They canceled my first order and placed my new order immediately. Got the new order number in my email within 30 mins and got the laptop in 3 days. I would say it was outstanding.

i work out regularly so 6 lbs isnt that heavy for me. But i think my backpack makes it FEEL even lighter. Sometimes it doesn't feel like anything is inside even though i have my laptop and charger inside. I think a good backpack makes all the difference. This is the one i have... a swiss gear jupiter 15.6 which fits my laptop perfectly.
http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005B156VG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

i looked at the specs of a 2012 macbook pro 15 inch. It has a 1440 x 900 resolution, 4gb 1600hz ram, 500 gb 5400 rpm hard drive, gt 650m 512mb vram, and i7 2.3 ghz quad core cpu for $1800 pre tax. (you can configure parts for more $)
the 13' macbooks come with a dual core cpu and 1280 x 800 resolution for a starting price of $1200 pre tax.
http/www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/13-and-15-inch/

in comparision the 15 inch sager 6165 i bought has a 1920x 1080 resolution, 8 gb ram 1600hz ram, 500 gb 7200 rpm 4gb ssd hybrid, gt 650m 1gb, same i7 quard core for $1000 pre tax. So i got a better resolution, more ram, a faster hard drive, more v ram for $800 less than a comparable macbook.

If youre looking for the most bang for your buck, you should avoid macbooks.

 

[ayobmx]

i only had to call customer service once to change my order. I initially ordered a np3260 but found that the np6165 was a better deal. They canceled my first order and placed my new order immediately. Got the new order number in my email within 30 mins and got the laptop in 3 days. I would say it was outstanding.

i work out regularly so 6 lbs isnt that heavy for me. But i think my backpack makes it FEEL even lighter. Sometimes it doesn't feel like anything is inside even though i have my laptop and charger inside. I think a good backpack makes all the difference. This is the one i have... a swiss gear jupiter 15.6 which fits my laptop perfectly.
http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005B156VG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

i looked at the specs of a 2012 macbook pro 15 inch. It has a 1440 x 900 resolution, 4gb 1600hz ram, 500 gb 5400 rpm hard drive, gt 650m 512mb vram, and i7 2.3 ghz quad core cpu for $1800 pre tax. (you can configure parts for more $)
the 13' macbooks come with a dual core cpu and 1280 x 800 resolution for a starting price of $1200 pre tax.
http/www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/13-and-15-inch/

in comparision the 15 inch sager 6165 i bought has a 1920x 1080 resolution, 8 gb ram 1600hz ram, 500 gb 7200 rpm 4gb ssd hybrid, gt 650m 1gb, same i7 quard core for $1000 pre tax. So i got a better resolution, more ram, a faster hard drive, more v ram for $800 less than a comparable macbook.

If youre looking for the most bang for your buck, you should avoid macbooks.

I am about to copy your build; are you a student ? ( If so, would you think a mac vs y our sager makes any difference in terms of using it for academics? ) Mobility, bulkiness etc.


What do you feel like you would improve in your build? (like screen, speakers, etc. )

What made you decide on those parts exactly? (were they the best bang for the buck? )

money isnt really the problem right now i suppose, since the macbook is the primary choice atm ; i'm looking for a better alternative !

i would like your opinion on an alternative, if sager isnt what you mostly recommend . what i'm looking for is performance, mobility, sleek, long battery life.

need to order a computer this week, hopefully this will be the one

 

[computernewb]

I am about to copy your build; are you a student ? ( If so, would you think a mac vs y our sager makes any difference in terms of using it for academics? ) Mobility, bulkiness etc.


What do you feel like you would improve in your build? (like screen, speakers, etc. )

What made you decide on those parts exactly? (were they the best bang for the buck? )

money isnt really the problem right now i suppose, since the macbook is the primary choice atm ; i'm looking for a better alternative !

i would like your opinion on an alternative, if sager isnt what you mostly recommend . what i'm looking for is performance, mobility, sleek, long battery life.

need to order a computer this week, hopefully this will be the one

i was a student couple years ago If youre just going to take notes, it really doesnt matter if you choose a mac or pc. If youre a computer science major, you may want to ask your department which system will be ideal for your classes because im not sure

The only thing i dont like about this particular model are the locations of the speakers. As i mentioned above, they are on the bottom corners. They still work fine but placing them above the keyboard would be optimal in my opinion. Its weird cause the other sager models have them on the top. Also, I prefer matte screens over glossy screens, but i didnt want to spend another $100 bucks on the upgrade. its not that big of deal to me. Other than the speakers, i have no other complaints.

i chose this model because im occasionally on the move and wanted a good looking, decent gaming laptop for around $1000. The design was really nice and i liked the all-black look. 1920 x 1080 was a must on my list because I dont like gaming at resolutions lower than this. and at this resolution, i was advised to get a minimum of a gt 650m. I upgraded to the i7 because many games utilize quad cores and it would last longer than an i5. the i5 on laptops are dual cores.

From what ive read, leenevo and asus make good gaming laptops. alienware laptops are nice too but they are expensive and ugly (in my opinion). And since money isnt a problem for you, macbooks are nice too. Whatever you choose, you probably want a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 3rd generation i7, and a minimum of a gt 650m graphics. If you want a longer battery life, you should look for "nvidia optimus technology" (im not sure if all intel/nvidia combo laptops come with it). It switches to integrated graphics when the tasks are less demanding which is why i would get the 3rd generation intel cpus with hd 4000. its much better than its predecessor hd 3000. and remember, the better the graphics card, the thicker, heavier, and more power hungry your laptop will be. (a major reason, along with price, why i chose the gt 650 over 675). good luck on your search for a laptop!

 

[jamk hdsaf]

i did not know too much about the msi but i think msi is also bulid in high quality coz just like asus the mis was depend on building the motherboard so i think it should be in quality

then when it comes to the lenovo no matter the thinkpad or just sample levono product are also in excellent quality , which i trust all the same. a got a relative who own a repaire shop he told me that there no lenovo and asus product which spent to him

and i think the gtx 660 is far more enough for you and y580 can offer i7 cpu rather than just i5 3210 even tough i think it might not offer ssd

 

[smilingbird]

I just placed an order today. here's my build:

Sager NP6165 (Clevo W150ER)
15.6" Full HD LED-Backlit Display 95% NTSC Colo... $75.00
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor... $70.00
500GB Seagate Momentus XT 7200RPM 500GB (w/ 4GB... $0.00
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $0.00
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software $0.00
Fingerprint Reader $0.00
FREE UPS Ground Shipping! $0.00
Genuine Microsoft Windows® 7 Home Premium 32/64... $80.00
Internal 802.11 B+G+N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth ... $0.00
LIFETIME Limited Labor and 1 Year Premium** Par... $0.00
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 650M 1GB GDDR5 with Optimus... $0.00
Remove All Branding $0.00
Smart Li-ION Battery Pack $0.00
Stock Standard Thermal Compound $0.00

I choose LPC digital, and with the screen upgrade, i7 processor, and windows, it only costs me $1030~
can't wait till it arrives..

 

[hpfreak]

I just placed an order today. here's my build:

Sager NP6165 (Clevo W150ER)
15.6" Full HD LED-Backlit Display 95% NTSC Colo... $75.00
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor... $70.00
500GB Seagate Momentus XT 7200RPM 500GB (w/ 4GB... $0.00
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $0.00
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software $0.00
Fingerprint Reader $0.00
FREE UPS Ground Shipping! $0.00
Genuine Microsoft Windows® 7 Home Premium 32/64... $80.00
Internal 802.11 B+G+N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth ... $0.00
LIFETIME Limited Labor and 1 Year Premium** Par... $0.00
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 650M 1GB GDDR5 with Optimus... $0.00
Remove All Branding $0.00
Smart Li-ION Battery Pack $0.00
Stock Standard Thermal Compound $0.00

I choose LPC digital, and with the screen upgrade, i7 processor, and windows, it only costs me $1030~
can't wait till it arrives..

Awesome smilingbird!
Good luck, that's a great computer.

 

[smilingbird]

Awesome smilingbird!
Good luck, that's a great computer.

thanks hpfreak! thanks for all your help

 

[hpfreak]

thanks hpfreak! thanks for all your help

No problem, glad I could assist.

 

[ayobmx]

I just placed an order today. here's my build:

Sager NP6165 (Clevo W150ER)
15.6" Full HD LED-Backlit Display 95% NTSC Colo... $75.00
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor... $70.00
500GB Seagate Momentus XT 7200RPM 500GB (w/ 4GB... $0.00
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $0.00
8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software $0.00
Fingerprint Reader $0.00
FREE UPS Ground Shipping! $0.00
Genuine Microsoft Windows® 7 Home Premium 32/64... $80.00
Internal 802.11 B+G+N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth ... $0.00
LIFETIME Limited Labor and 1 Year Premium** Par... $0.00
NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT 650M 1GB GDDR5 with Optimus... $0.00
Remove All Branding $0.00
Smart Li-ION Battery Pack $0.00
Stock Standard Thermal Compound $0.00

I choose LPC digital, and with the screen upgrade, i7 processor, and windows, it only costs me $1030~
can't wait till it arrives..

what's LPC digital ? :X .

I'm basicaly getting the same thing, except I'm unsure which CPU to choose ..

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.30GHz)
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.60GHz) [+$160.00]
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3820QM Processor ( 8MB L3 Cache, 2.70GHz) [+$350.00]



If I copy your build, it still adds up to 1094. . (?) ]

Also, how did you get it to have " Remove all branding " ?

 

[ayobmx]

No problem, glad I could assist.

could you help me on choosing a CPU ?



3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.30GHz)
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.60GHz) [+$160.00]
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3820QM Processor ( 8MB L3 Cache, 2.70GHz) [+$350.00]


between these three, in my mind I am only putting the 3610 and 3720 into consideration. Is the .30 GHz really worth the extra 160 ?

 

[teribithia]

http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CWJABQ/ref=s9_hps_bw_g147_ir03?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=1WR6VW77C3EYSGD5FV4J&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1380422582&pf_rd_i=2956501011 $1049

 

[computernewb]

could you help me on choosing a CPU ?



3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.30GHz)
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.60GHz) [+$160.00]
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3820QM Processor ( 8MB L3 Cache, 2.70GHz) [+$350.00]


between these three, in my mind I am only putting the 3610 and 3720 into consideration. Is the .30 GHz really worth the extra 160 ?

i would get the cheapest one. 300 mhz is not worth $160 in my opinion. the first one, 3610qm, also has turbo up to 3.3 ghz
http/ark.intel.com/products/64899/