Solved! Worth the money?

[Micahman]

Hey I'm new to this site, I'm starting school this week and just wanted to make sure that I'm putting my hard earned cash towards something that will hold its value through school? I've been researching for awhile and this is what I came up with that fit my budget:

Asus N53JSV-A1 15.6" HD/i7-2630QM

Optical Drive: 8X DVDRW DL Super Multi
Screen: 15.6 inch 16:9 1366 x 768 WXGA glossy
IC Diamond 24 Carat Thermal Compound on CPU/GPU
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
WiFi: Intel Advanced-N 6200 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless LAN
RAM: 8GB PC3-1333Mhz DDR3 (2GBx4)
Primary Hard Drive: 500GB Seagate XT 7200RPM Hybrid Drive
CPU: Intel Core i7-2630QM, 2.0~2.8GHz,32nm, 6MB, 45W
GPU: nVidia GeForce GT 540M 1GB GDDR3


From what i've read the new SB core series are supposed to be pretty amazing, and although I dont have the cash to spring for the 2720qm or higher, the 2630 should do fine right? I don't play games very often but it would be nice if I could(if I could ever find the time) but what I really need is a multitasking machine. My main concern is battery life... I thought that the SB processer was supposed to be battery-life friendly but some have said otherwise... I know that no computer is perfect, but for this being a HUGE investment for me I need it to be close enough... Any input would be really appreciated!

 

[WR2]

Hello Micahman;
Maybe yes/Maybe no. Isn't that pretty much up to you to decide? We know nothing of your financial situation. And we know about as much about what you really need in terms of laptop. You talked about what you wanted - not what you needed. Multitasking? That is wayyyyyyyyyy more machine that you need for serious multitasking.

In any case "hold its value through school" is an unrealistic expectation of any piece of techware. Two years from now you could probably pick up a new laptop for half the price of a Asus N53JSV-A1 that performs just about as well, or maybe even outperforms it for your schoolwork.

SB processor is battery friendly, less so when you pick the four core model over the dual core. And when you package it into a gaming machine - guess what? Good gaming capability and long battery life are almost mutually exclusive.

Best value plan? Take the total price of a Asus N53JSV-A1 and spend half (maybe a bit more like $700) now on a good all-round laptop (non-gaming) and then buy a new laptop in 2 years with the other half plus what ever you can get selling the 2yr old one ($500 plus $200 sale on the old one).

An example: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 $620 14" Core i3 380M (2.53GHz) 4GB RAM 500GB HDD.

 

[Klosteral]

You have said nothing about the price of the machine, so I cannot say wether or not it will be worth it. Also, note that the GT 540M is not exactly an amazing graphics card; most of the power in that machine comes from the CPU - one of the new second generation Core iX series - and that very powerful but not necessary for your needs. Also, 8GB RAM is overkill. My gaming desktop only has 4GB DDR3 RAM with me considering an upgrade to 6GB. 8GB is down-right unnecessary.

Like WR2 says, you should spend a great deal less and get something much cheaper with one of the first generation Core iX series processors. Judging by what you are saying, a Core i7-720QM would be more than adequate for your needs and would cost you less than $700. Browse through Newegg and Xotic PC for good deals.

 

[WR2]

Still not interested in giving up on gaming? Can't live without your Tech bling?
For right around $1000 you can get a 3D video/gaming machine with Core i7-740QM 6GB RAM 500GB 7200rpm HDD 3D 15.6" 1366x768 LCD and Radeon Mobility HD 5730 GPU.
Lenovo Y560d (model 064657U)

 

[WR2]

Good gaming capability and long battery life are almost mutually exclusive.

Almost. It helps when you have an Optimus equipped graphics system which the N53JSV-A1 does have. Still the battery life is just about 2hr+40min with the wireless Lan active while websurfing and a bit less watching a DVD movie.

In case you hadn't already seen this comprehensive review of the N53JSV-A1
Looks like the price will be in the $1200 range which is a fair value for the performance and features included.