Laptop needed, mild gaming

VenomIreland

I will be needing a latptop for the start of September, I've been looking around but have not come to any conclusions on which one to get. Help would be appreciated

Requirements:
Equivalent to or better than GT540M
Screen resolution of greater than 1366x768
Price of less than €1000
Any i5 or greater

Black Swan

VenomIreland wrote: »

I will be needing a latptop for the start of September...

You may wish to wait until August or September 2012. There is a good chance that Microsoft will launch Windows 8 OS across several brands of laptops in time for autumn/fall semester student return-to-school and college/university purchases.

Plus, the storage capacity of SSD (to replace HDD) is increasing rapidly for laptops. SSDs are super fast, now with either 128 or 256 gigs storage, and may reach 500 gigs by August or September. Spinning HDDs are one of the major causes for laptop failure, and SSDs with no moving parts pretty much eliminates that problem.

VenomIreland

Black Swan wrote: »

VenomIreland wrote: »

I will be needing a latptop for the start of September...

You may wish to wait until August or September 2012. There is a good chance that Microsoft will launch Windows 8 OS across several brands of laptops in time for autumn/fall semester student return-to-school and college/university purchases.

Plus, the storage capacity of SSD (to replace HDD) is increasing rapidly for laptops. SSDs are super fast, now with either 128 or 256 gigs storage, and may reach 500 gigs by August or September. Spinning HDDs are one of the major causes for laptop failure, and SSDs with no moving parts pretty much eliminates that problem.

I have no interest in Windows 8 because of it's horrid interface, but an SSD would be nice, have a Crucial M4 in my desktop and it's amazing.

kippy

VenomIreland wrote: »

I have no interest in Windows 8 because of it's horrid interface, but an SSD would be nice, have a Crucial M4 in my desktop and it's amazing.

The interface is optional and in release builds it can be made to look like any of the last 3 versions of windows if you so wish.

VenomIreland

kippy wrote: »

VenomIreland wrote: »

I have no interest in Windows 8 because of it's horrid interface, but an SSD would be nice, have a Crucial M4 in my desktop and it's amazing.

The interface is optional and in release builds it can be made to look like any of the last 3 versions of windows if you so wish.

Is it possible to use the old start menu without fully disabling metro?

Torqay

VenomIreland wrote: »

Requirements:
Equivalent to or better than GT540M
Screen resolution of greater than 1366x768
Price of less than €1000
Any i5 or greater

The Dell XPS 15 for 919 yoyos has it all:

15.6" display, full HD 1920x1080
Intel® Core™ i7-2670QM
4 GB RAM
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M
750 GB HDD

At komplett.ie they have a Sammy with exactly the same specs but 1366x768 display and 8 GB RAM for €819.

VenomIreland

I've found an almost perfect laptop on computeruniverse.net http://www.computeruniverse.net/info.asp?id=90428426&used=all&idused=41095
but sadly, only a german version is avaiable.

Torqay

VenomIreland wrote: »

I've found an almost perfect laptop on computeruniverse.net http://www.computeruniverse.net/info.asp?id=90428426&used=all&idused=41095
but sadly, only a german version is avaiable.

Great deal indeed, but you'll have to put up with a QWERTZ keyboard (not too big a problem with a UK/Irish layout though) or replace the keyboard.

Quite amazing how 2% lower VAT rates ammount to price differences of up to 200 yoyos (or even more), them QWERTZ keyboards must be dirt cheap to make.

VenomIreland

Torqay wrote: »

Great deal indeed, but you'll have to put up with a QWERTZ keyboard (not too big a problem with a UK/Irish layout though) or replace the keyboard.

Quite amazing how 2% lower VAT rates ammount to price differences of up to 200 yoyos (or even more), them QWERTZ keyboards must be dirt cheap to make.

If I could find replacement keys for that laptop, I'd definitely buy it, even if I'd have to re-install the operating system to get it in English.

Torqay

VenomIreland wrote: »

If I could find replacement keys for that laptop, I'd definitely buy it, even if I'd have to re-install the operating system to get it in English.

I'm pretty sure, you can get QWERTY keyboards for MSI laptops.

VenomIreland

Are pcspecialist.co.uk any good? Their configurable laptops aren't that expensive compared to similar laptops elsewhere, but it means I can get a GT555M, with a UK keyboard.

Torqay

VenomIreland wrote: »

but it means I can get a GT555M

Gone from mild to extreme gaming now, are you?

Never had any dealings with them. The components are all more or less the same anyway, so your only concern should be their customer service in Ireland.

VenomIreland

Torqay wrote: »

VenomIreland wrote: »

but it means I can get a GT555M

Gone from mild to extreme gaming now, are you?

Never had any dealings with them. The components are all more or less the same anyway, so your only concern should be their customer service in Ireland.

Nah, I just figure if I can get that within much budget and so play games at higher settings, why not get it?

Torqay

VenomIreland wrote: »

Nah, I just figure if I can get that within much budget and so play games at higher settings, why not get it?

You're getting good deals there, but if something goes wrong and you'll have to send it back, you're likely to pay for the shipping (I only see a 1 month free collection and re-delivery for the UK & NI) and this can easily eat the savings on the deal.

Not saying there is anything wrong with their products but there is always a risk with shopping abroad.

They are a smaller manufacturer rather catering for a local market, they just can't compete with global players regarding worldwide customer support if they want to keep up competitive pricing while still making a living.

So, the call is yours.

VenomIreland

Torqay wrote: »

You're getting good deals there, but if something goes wrong and you'll have to send it back, you're likely to pay for the shipping (I only see a 1 month free collection and re-delivery for the UK & NI) and this can easily eat the savings on the deal.

Not saying there is anything wrong with their products but there is always a risk with shopping abroad.

They are a smaller manufacturer rather catering for a local market, they just can't compete with global players regarding worldwide customer support if they want to keep up competitive pricing while still making a living.

So, the call is yours.

I think I'll take the risk, most problems (bar some hardware replacements if anything goes faulty) I'll be likely able to fix myself.

I'll probably put the order in tomorrow, so it arrives during my easter break. Should give me plenty of time to install all the software I'll need and tweak it to my liking.

mordeith

VenomIreland wrote: »

Are pcspecialist.co.uk any good?

http://www.trustpilot.co.uk/review/www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Not sure how reliable review sites like this are but if its genuine then you shouldn't have any prblems with em.

VenomIreland

Decided that, since I have do actually have a pretty powerful desktop, that I am out of my mind and that I do not need to spend so much on a laptop.

I've decided to cut back a bit and I am looking for a 1080p laptop with a GT540M again. I might go with pcspecialist still as I've read lots of positive things about the Clevo/Sager custom-built laptops, but I'm open to persuasion if something of similar spec for less than €810 can be found.

Jaafa

VenomIreland wrote: »

Decided that, since I have do actually have a pretty powerful desktop, that I am out of my mind and that I do not need to spend so much on a laptop.

I've decided to cut back a bit and I am looking for a 1080p laptop with a GT540M again. I might go with pcspecialist still as I've read lots of positive things about the Clevo/Sager custom-built laptops, but I'm open to persuasion if something of similar spec for less than €810 can be found.

Dell xps 15 laptops from dells uk outlet store can be found we those specs for about 750 euro. Use deliveryme.ie to get it sent over here. This for example (link might not work when you see it as it might have sold by then)

These come and go quickly, but every time I've checked there's been at least one left with those kind of specs for that price.

VenomIreland

Jaafa wrote: »

Dell xps 15 laptops from dells uk outlet store can be found we those specs for about 750 euro. Use deliveryme.ie to get it sent over here. This for example (link might not work when you see it as it might have sold by then)

These come and go quickly, but every time I've checked there's been at least one left with those kind of specs for that price.

One of the cheapest I can see on the outlet site with the same spec is only €20 cheaper than a new one from pcspecialist, although it swaps USB3.0 for a Blu-Ray drive.

EDIT: Actually, it has a better processor too, I might go for one of them.

Jaafa

VenomIreland wrote: »

One of the cheapest I can see on the outlet site with the same spec is only €20 cheaper than a new one from pcspecialist, although it swaps USB3.0 for a Blu-Ray drive.

EDIT: Actually, it has a better processor too, I might go for one of them.

Whats the configuration on the pc specialist one?

VenomIreland

i5-2450M
GT540M
500GB 7200rpm drive
1920x1080 screen
I'd post the full specs but I'm a bit tired and these would be the most important.

Jaafa

VenomIreland wrote: »

i5-2450M
GT540M
500GB 7200rpm drive
1920x1080 screen
I'd post the full specs but I'm a bit tired and these would be the most important.

This the engima 2? With the above specs plus delivery its coming out at 770 euro or 645 pounds for me. And that's with keeping the ram at 2GB, make it 790 for 4GB, which IMO you really should be getting.

So yeah about the same price, but much better processor on the XPS, great sound system I hear, and one of the best screens going.

VenomIreland

Jaafa wrote: »

This the engima 2? With the above specs plus delivery its coming out at 770 euro or 645 pounds for me. And that's with keeping the ram at 2GB, make it 790 for 4GB, which IMO you really should be getting.

So yeah about the same price, but much better processor on the XPS, great sound system I hear, and one of the best screens going.

Sorry for taking ages to respond, it's with the Enigma 3.

Anyway, I'm looking to order this: http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?rn=1107&c=uk&l=en&s=dfh&cs=ukdfh1&PLikeId=1_637187_1_620185_1_452182_1_406200_1_273258_1_14264_1_544186_1_628185_1_762186_1_651187_1_404322_&Flag=1 soon, as long as I don't see anything better (although I have searched everywhere for something better)

VenomIreland

Nevermind, Dell Outlet don't ship to Ireland unless I use some forwarding service like that Deliverme thingy, which I don't trust in the slightest.

Looks like it's back to pcspecialist.

Jaafa

VenomIreland wrote: »

Nevermind, Dell Outlet don't ship to Ireland unless I use some forwarding service like that Deliverme thingy, which I don't trust in the slightest.

Looks like it's back to pcspecialist.

Deliverme is very trustworthy, loads of people on this site would swear by it. Top notch group from what I understand.

_AVALANCHE_

Jaafa wrote: »

Deliverme is very trustworthy, loads of people on this site would swear by it. Top notch group from what I understand.

+1

Bro used them with no problems.

VenomIreland

Ordered a custom spec from pcspecialist, would also make RMA's and stuff much easier since I wouldn't have to rely on a forwarder that way.

I want to thank you all for helping me find a laptop, even if in the end I did not go with your recommendations.