My old Pavilion HDX 20.1" Lapcrusher (8.2kg is... painful) is finally on its way out. I've had it since 2008, so it's had a healthy lifespan, and will likely go on to become a more stationary media center. It's clearly time for a new machine.
Per the FAQ sticky:
1. Budget is around $2000. This is flexible, obviously cheaper is preferable, but I'm not afraid to spend a little extra to get exactly what I need, or for something that will last a little longer.
2. Because this is replacing such a huge machine, I'd like to stick with 17"+. Weight is not so much an issue, since anything is lighter than what I have.
3. As high as is reasonable, not super familiar with this in general. Currently working with 1640x1080, so better is better?
4. This will be a replacement for a desktop replacement.
5. I'm used to having about six minutes of battery life. I don't generally take my machine places, but it would be nice to have at least an hour of battery life. In any case, battery life takes a backseat.
6. I'm an avid gamer, though I don't generally play incredibly high-requirement games. I would like to be able to run games on higher settings than I already do (not a long stretch). I play a lot of Dota2, so I'd like to be able to at least run that at higher/max settings.
7. I do a fair deal of web browsing/media consumption/similar, but aside from games rarely do much heavy lifting in terms of processing power. This doesn't need to be able to render a to-scale version of the solar system with all orbital bodies larger than a van.
8. Currently running with dual-bays, one 320gb and one 500gb, both near capacity with general data (movies/music/projects/etc). I'd love to have a similar setup with a SSD in one bay for performance, and a cheaper large-volume drive in the other for storage, though I don't know how viable this is. I would say the minimum I'd be comfortable with is 256gb, and I'd have to depend a lot on external storage.
9. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to buying computers, as evidenced by my purchase of two Dells and an HP in my lifetime. I've looked at various sites, but reviews are often difficult to gauge for things in my price range. It's hard for me not to end up customizing on sites like Falcon Northwest, but I have some confidence that I won't find what I want for the right price at those kinds of sites. Several of my somewhat techie buddies have recommended Alienware, but I am quite leery of Dell, due both to personal experience (given that was ten years ago), and reviews I've read.
10. I'd like it to last at least 3 years, with 5 being the sweet spot for me with most tech replacements. I am finally at a career-stage where I think I might be able to step up my replacement rate, but I'd like to plan for a future where I still have to eat ramen some weeks (and not just because I love ramen).
11. DVD/Bluray is a bonus, but mostly unnecessary. Rarely watch media on my computer that isn't streaming, though I'd like to have the option to burn media.
12. I have very little experience with most companies. My previous computers were either purchased by parents, or purchased back before I had the resources to properly research my machines. Again, I have had bad experiences with Dell, and HP scares me lately. Most Alienware laptops I've seen have gone obsolete in half the time they should have, but those were ones purchased 8+ years ago. I've owned several pieces of Asus hardware (routers etc), and they tend to work well, though I'm less familiar with their actual computers.
13. I live in the United States, though I may be moving to Japan in the next ~6 months depending on a job opportunity my significant other is pursuing. Regardless, I intend to keep this machine close at hand.
14. I'd love to have a backlit keyboard. A lot of these Steelseries keyboards I've seen int he last couple years are really attractive pieces of hardware, and I've always hated not being able to see my keyboard in the dark. Customizable colors/graphics (keyboard lights/case/etc) are a bonus. Cooling is relatively important, especially if I end up moving to a hot, humid part of Japan.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice/criticism!
Per the FAQ sticky:
1. Budget is around $2000. This is flexible, obviously cheaper is preferable, but I'm not afraid to spend a little extra to get exactly what I need, or for something that will last a little longer.
2. Because this is replacing such a huge machine, I'd like to stick with 17"+. Weight is not so much an issue, since anything is lighter than what I have.
3. As high as is reasonable, not super familiar with this in general. Currently working with 1640x1080, so better is better?
4. This will be a replacement for a desktop replacement.
5. I'm used to having about six minutes of battery life. I don't generally take my machine places, but it would be nice to have at least an hour of battery life. In any case, battery life takes a backseat.
6. I'm an avid gamer, though I don't generally play incredibly high-requirement games. I would like to be able to run games on higher settings than I already do (not a long stretch). I play a lot of Dota2, so I'd like to be able to at least run that at higher/max settings.
7. I do a fair deal of web browsing/media consumption/similar, but aside from games rarely do much heavy lifting in terms of processing power. This doesn't need to be able to render a to-scale version of the solar system with all orbital bodies larger than a van.
8. Currently running with dual-bays, one 320gb and one 500gb, both near capacity with general data (movies/music/projects/etc). I'd love to have a similar setup with a SSD in one bay for performance, and a cheaper large-volume drive in the other for storage, though I don't know how viable this is. I would say the minimum I'd be comfortable with is 256gb, and I'd have to depend a lot on external storage.
9. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to buying computers, as evidenced by my purchase of two Dells and an HP in my lifetime. I've looked at various sites, but reviews are often difficult to gauge for things in my price range. It's hard for me not to end up customizing on sites like Falcon Northwest, but I have some confidence that I won't find what I want for the right price at those kinds of sites. Several of my somewhat techie buddies have recommended Alienware, but I am quite leery of Dell, due both to personal experience (given that was ten years ago), and reviews I've read.
10. I'd like it to last at least 3 years, with 5 being the sweet spot for me with most tech replacements. I am finally at a career-stage where I think I might be able to step up my replacement rate, but I'd like to plan for a future where I still have to eat ramen some weeks (and not just because I love ramen).
11. DVD/Bluray is a bonus, but mostly unnecessary. Rarely watch media on my computer that isn't streaming, though I'd like to have the option to burn media.
12. I have very little experience with most companies. My previous computers were either purchased by parents, or purchased back before I had the resources to properly research my machines. Again, I have had bad experiences with Dell, and HP scares me lately. Most Alienware laptops I've seen have gone obsolete in half the time they should have, but those were ones purchased 8+ years ago. I've owned several pieces of Asus hardware (routers etc), and they tend to work well, though I'm less familiar with their actual computers.
13. I live in the United States, though I may be moving to Japan in the next ~6 months depending on a job opportunity my significant other is pursuing. Regardless, I intend to keep this machine close at hand.
14. I'd love to have a backlit keyboard. A lot of these Steelseries keyboards I've seen int he last couple years are really attractive pieces of hardware, and I've always hated not being able to see my keyboard in the dark. Customizable colors/graphics (keyboard lights/case/etc) are a bonus. Cooling is relatively important, especially if I end up moving to a hot, humid part of Japan.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice/criticism!
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