Can I have some advice please :D

[Connor_roberts]

Hey guys im currently at university using a gaming computer I built last year and Ive now realised that I will need a laptop due to there being too much hassle bringing my pc/monitor/speakers home every holiday etc to do work and if I go home on weekends I cant do work etc etc therefore im going to get a laptop but not really got a clue when it comes to laptops.

Not really wanting to spend much more than 700 unless it is the best laptop I have ever seen haha there is one that I am liking the look of which is this ---

http://www.asuslaptop.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=N56VM-S4110V-8GB

what do you guys think of it? got its own graphics card, good RAM, good processor etc but not sure on whether that is good for the price, im also hoping that as it comes to christmas time that maybe it will reduce in price also.

Will use laptop to do work on and play games such as league of legends so not needing a super fancy gaming laptop just a good all round laptop that is the best I could possibly get for the money,so what do you think of this one? if you know of any others that are decent could you please let me know .

Cheers

 

[floppybootstomp]

Looks to be pretty much top of the range for that screen size and is worth the money imo

Unless you intend to play cpu-intensive games on it though it's pretty much over the top for other student needs, all you really need for that is a good office suite, media software and maybe some graphics/photo software running on a lesser powered machine.

If you're only going to play less demanding games - which you indicate - you could get away with something cheaper but if you can afford that machine I'd say go for it.

Make sure they include software to enable playback of Bluray disks (Arcsoft & Cyberlink offer good media suites) and that you get Win 7 and not Win 8 with it plus if possible a physical disk of Win 7, too many laptop suppliers give no disk or only a backup disk which is virtually worthless. Others give a 'backup' file on a seperate hard disk partition which again is a bit rubbish.

I favour Asus as a laptop brand, Samsung and Toshiba are good as well and in fact those are the only three brands I'd ever consider when choosing a laptop. Sony are good as well, must admit, but generally pricier and I have a personal vendetta against Sony, they are bad. But that's just me

Verdict: It's a very good machine indeed but get a good copy of Win 7 with it and software that will play Bluray disks.

 

[Connor_roberts]

Sorry I forgot to say that I was a computing student so I will need a relatively good laptop well to be honest I don't really want to spend more than 650 ideally so im going to wait to see if the price drops nearer to xmas time, however I have looked at other laptop makes etc for the same price and nothing seems to compare to this one, HD screen, own graphics card etc :/.

So even though it has a blu ray player does that mean that it could potentially not have the software to read and run the discs? I never realised it needed certain software aha :/

Also just for the meanwhile up and till christmas what do you think of laptop makes such as lenovo, novatech and HP? I looked on a website and it rated lenovo one of the best laptop makes but who are they? Ive never really heard of them aha.
Also what are your opinions on ultrabooks? they look quite smart and the specs seem to be quite good however the majority lack decent GFX cards which isn't a neccessity but always an added bonus. :/


Thanks for the reply

 

[floppybootstomp]

what do you think of laptop makes such as lenovo, novatech and HP?

I favour Asus as a laptop brand, Samsung and Toshiba are good as well and in fact those are the only three brands I'd ever consider when choosing a laptop.

I've seen too much go wrong with the brands you mention and most of all I would avoid Acer.

Bought my twin daughters a mid-priced Toshiba each when they started Uni over four years ago and they still perform respectfully. One offspring recently considered upgrading but within her budget (£450) could not see a great deal of performance difference between latest generation of laptops and her humble ageing machine.

EDIT: I know nothing of Ultrabooks so can't comment.

MS lost the 'contest' between HD DVD (which they supported) & Bluray (which they didn't support) hence Microsoft's lack of Bluray playback facility in their OS. Like a spoilt kid with it's nose put out of joint.

Playstation plays Bluray disks, Xbox 360 does not...

 

[crazylegs]

That looks to be a half decent spec notebook

As Mr Flopp's has already said Asus, Sony, Toshiba all good brands whaen it comes to notebooks!

 

[Connor_roberts]

Ahhh okay cheers spent the last few days searching on every site possible haha and the asus ones seems to come out on top in specs and looks in my opinion, going to just hope this one comes down in price near christmas time aha hopefully it'll last me a a good few years throughout uni and after hence the price being a bit high as dont want to have to buy one mid-through uni as it can't run some software or w.e aha


Thanks for the replies guys cheers for the help

 

[muckshifter]

Lenovo are the second biggest 'computers' manufacturer in the world, next to HP. Asus make some motherboards for HP & Dell systems.

The lowest failure rate for laptops, in 2009 over a period of 3 years, rated Asus, Toshiba and Sony, in that order, 1, 2, 3. Asus came top.

The highest failure rate went to, Acer, Gateway and HP, in that order, up to 25% failure rate for HP after 3 years of use.

now remember, Asus make motherboards for some HP systems.

YMMV


I'd go with the one you chose.

 

[Abarbarian]

If you are a genuine student have you looked for student discounts. I know Apple does a student discount.

 

[Connor_roberts]

Haha yeah Ive had a look but they only offer like 14% off which isn't that great when the worst laptop is like £900 aha :/ so expensive

 

[floppybootstomp]

Abarbarian recommended an Apple product

My goodness.

Apple products are fine if your name is Rothschild, they are wonderful.

But they cost an arm and a leg, as does compatible software.

Such is life.

 

[Abarbarian]

Abarbarian recommended an Apple product

My goodness.

Apple products are fine if your name is Rothschild, they are wonderful.

But they cost an arm and a leg, as does compatible software.

Such is life.

Two sentences flops.

1 If you are a genuine student have you looked for student discounts.

2 I know Apple does a student discount.

No recommendation at all, just two observations

http://www.studentcomputers.co.uk/

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/intranet/LSEServices/itservices/purchases/personal.aspx

Not just for LSE students.

http://www.studentstore.co.uk/

If you are or planning to go to University, you can purchase a laptop under the National Notebook and Desktop Agreement (NDNA)

If your University is listed below, you may like to select it to visit a University microsite outlining a selection of appropriate models.

If your University is not listed, you can still purchase under the scheme but please register or login here first.

http://studentdiscountsearch.co.uk/pc-world-student-discount.html

Students can get discounts at PC World by looking at the student voucher codes and offers below.
These student codes and deals are updated daily.

There is education and then there is education. I graduated at the University of Life with a 1 - 1. Mind you I had a head start as I am a Tyke.

 

[Connor_roberts]

Hey guys sorry im back again lol my next dilemma is whether to get the asus above or theres another HP laptop found here --- http://h20386.www2.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=ECC_BUNDLE_3687500&opt=&sel=PCNB&lay=uk

I can get 15% discount so I would get it for £680 and i would get a new printer so it would be £50 cheaper, however the only bad thing with this one is the fact that the screen is not 1080p. do you think that it will look much better if it was 1080p and do you think its worth spending £50 for a better screen bearing in mind the least spent is better for me as I am a student, thanks guys.

 

[floppybootstomp]

After all the former recommendations from not just myself but others as well you're considering an HP laptop?

As my parents often said to me 'Don't come crying to me when...'

 

[muckshifter]

do you know what 1080p is ? on a computer ? with a screen that small ?

I would want it on me TV, if I had bluesid, err, blueray.

HP laptop, fine ... HP desktop? now that's another tin can. (maybe lucky and get an Asus MB in the laptop)

 

[V_R]

Lenovo are very good, the corp i work for got rid of Dell in favour of Lenovo a few years back, and that is a very well known multi national company.

Also Lenovo are one of the few laptop manufacturers that don't bundle loads of crap software with the machines. HP, Acer and Dell are the worst for that.

You wont find a laptop this day and age that isn't HD, especially on that budget.

I've ordered form these people a few times for friends/relatives. Very good company.

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/

 

[Connor_roberts]

Haha sorry ive simply been looking at the specs of the laptops and thats it aha well I now know to stay clear of HP, what are your thoughts on dell for making laptops? Can get http://configure.euro.dell.com/dell...spiron-17r-se-7720&c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1& for £650 with my brothers discount what do you guys think?



Sorry for all of the questions must be annoying just want to make sure I get the best laptop for the money and get the opinions of you techies haha


Thankyou

 

[floppybootstomp]

Your first choice is still by far the best.

I wouldn't buy a Dell if you paid me, law unto themselves...

 

[muckshifter]

Your first choice is still by far the best.

I wouldn't buy a Dell if you paid me, law unto themselves...

seconded