Replacing desktop with notebook

[Jackthemeangiant]

So I am thinking of replacing my desktop with a notebook. I have realized that I don't really play games at all anymore, if I do they are usually older games. So I was thinking of getting something portable.

The thing is that I would have to sell my desktop to be able to possibly afford a notebook. I guestimated that I could sell my current desktop for about $800-900'ish, does this sound about right?


Currect specs:
Asus P5P800 - I think, will check this out when I get home
P4 3.0ghz
2 x 512mb Corsair dual channel, PC-3200
Saffire Radeon 9500pro softmodded, but not o/c'ed
Audigy Platinum Ex
120gb 8mb cache Seagate HDD
NEC 8x DVD burner
19" Samsung 955df
Antec Sonota case
Zalman 5.1 suround sound headphones
Firewire PCI card
Zalman Rehostat


So, if my above estimate is feesable, I'd be looking at spending about $1500 on a notebook. I am looking for decent processor, fairly light and not very bulky, decent battery life (2-3 hours or more), 15" screen, a video card that is half decent for playing games.

Do these requirments sound do'able for $1500? I have never really looked at the notebook market before, and there is just sooooo much out there, I don't know where to look. I was thinking about getting a barebones Asus one and custom building it.

Also, would it be bad to leave a notebook on all the time? I know there is a Hitachi laptop HDD that is designed to run 24/7.
Any input is appriciated.

[Steven]

I know laptop drives have to problem running 24/7
Make sure when you get your laptop, that it dosen't use a desktop chip (Pentium 4, Celeron) they consume alot of power.
Centrino's are alright, but make sure the system had a dedicated video chip/memory, Steer clear of ATI's IGP series, they are hella slow.

[Jackthemeangiant]

Well I am looking at the Asus Z71V notebook with the following configuration:


Intel Centrino Mobile Technology with the latest Intel 915GM chipset (Sonoma)
15.4” WSXGA+ (1680X1050) TFT Display
1.6ghz P4m 533mhz FSB 2mb cache
1gb (2x512) DDR2-4200
PCI Express NVIDIA 6600-128MB
40gb Seagate 5400rpm 8mb cache HDD
14.0” x 10.8” x 1.4” and 6.6lbs


This configuration I could do for about $1400 + tax. Every review I have read about this notebook has been excellent and it gets great battery life (~3 hours DVD watching, ~5-6 office apps). I havn't heard a bad thing about Asus notebooks yet, plus they make some of Apple's notebooks.

[AMD]

I would get the Pentium M instead of the mobile P4 - it's quicker at that clock speed. Other than that, not bad.

[Jackthemeangiant]

I would get the Pentium M instead of the mobile P4 - it's quicker at that clock speed. Other than that, not bad.

Sorry, the above processor is a 1.6ghz Centrino.

[rcdraft]

read thread, http://www.thecomputermechanics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149

[Jackthemeangiant]

read thread, http://www.thecomputermechanics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149

Thanks for the link, but that is why I am going with a Pm 1.6ghz centrino processor. Less heat, more power, more battery life.

[Dr.Dan]

Centrino is not the processor... it's the combo of three things that make a Centrino laptop
http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifIntel® Pentium® M processor

http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifMobile Intel® 915 Express chipset family or Intel® 855 chipset family

http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifIntel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection Family

All the details are on Intel's (http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/) website :)

[Jackthemeangiant]

Centrino is not the processor... it's the combo of three things that make a Centrino laptop
http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifIntel® Pentium® M processor

http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifMobile Intel® 915 Express chipset family or Intel® 855 chipset family

http://www.intel.com/sites/templates/pix/bullet.gifIntel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection Family

All the details are on Intel's (http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/) website :)

Oh, okay, thanks, didn't know that. Then it will have a Pentium M processor @ 1.6ghz with Centrino technology :)

[Exmortis]

And I strongly recommend you still use a standard keyboard and monitor at your main desk. I hate laptop keyboards and always try to escape it whenever I can. :) And it gets painful to always have to look down at the screen after a while.

[Jackthemeangiant]

So I also just found out that Pentium M's overclock very well and it is as easy as flipping a dip switch with this mobo to get the 1.6ghz w/ 400mhz FSB to run at 2.1ghz w/ 533mhz. That is like $500 worth of power for free :) Some tests showed this overclocked processor to be on par with a 3.2ghz P4.

The temperature difference in tests was only about 3 degrees higher while overclocked.

[chief]

Hey jack, where did you find this laptop? It sounds like a great deal, and my bro is looking into one aswell.

thanks.

[Jackthemeangiant]

Hey jack, where did you find this laptop? It sounds like a great deal, and my bro is looking into one aswell.

thanks.

Hey, it is a custom built laptop because Asus laptops are generally barebones. I am getting parts a bit cheaper from a friend at work, but if you just go to canadacomputers.com and piece this system together, it would be about $1500. If you were to buy a Dell or Toshiba or any other well-known name brand with equivilent specs, it would easily be about $2500+

[chief]

Wow, I didn't think you could do that with laptops, thanks for the info :D

[Steven]

Yep. ASUS rox.

[Shaman]

Jackthemeangiant

I am also looking for a laptop 1500 bucks about

what did u end up getting?


I was looking at

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10060805&catid=20354

only real problem is the video card. it has wireless, nice screen lots of ram, etc

[Jackthemeangiant]

I am just waiting for a cash to to sell my desktop, but I should have it in a week or so. I am going with this:

http://usa.asus.com/products/notebook/z7series/Z7100V/overview.htm

I am going to put a 2.1ghz Pentium M CPU
1gb DDR2 @ 533mhz
40gb 5400rpm drive

It is going to come to about $1430 + Tax.

[Shred]

Very happy with my desktop replacement for my bedroom/backyard and road trips.

I have a Dell I6000.

[Shaman]

im impressed with that notebook!

2.1ghz Pentium M CPU, what does that equate to as AMD is concerned?
&
how good is that videocard, how future proof is it?
&
15.4” WSXGA+ (1680X1050) TFT Display is that as good as WXGA High-Def BrightView or better?

btw, Jackthemeangiant, where did u get the pricing? canadacomputers?

[tsehou]

A pentium M 2.1Ghz is probably around an AMD 64 3000+ to 3800+ depending on applications, using this as a basis. For the Pentium 4 you are looking around equivalent to a 3.0 Ghz to 3.8Ghz.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2342&p=11

[Jackthemeangiant]

im impressed with that notebook!

2.1ghz Pentium M CPU, what does that equate to as AMD is concerned?
&
how good is that videocard, how future proof is it?
&
15.4” WSXGA+ (1680X1050) TFT Display is that as good as WXGA High-Def BrightView or better?

btw, Jackthemeangiant, where did u get the pricing? canadacomputers?

The video card is better then the 9700 mobile version I have gathered from test results. It is also removable and upgradable, I have never seen this in a laptop before. So if they ever start making PCI-E laptop video cards, I can upgrade it.

As for the actual barebones system, I am getting it from a friend who can get stuff wholesale, so I am saving about $200 on that, but the rest of the parts will probably be from Canadacomputers, or some store along College with the cheapest prices.

[Shaman]

i guess i posted too many questions, heheheh, (from my last post)

15.4” WSXGA+ (1680X1050) TFT Display is that as good as WXGA High-Def BrightView or better?

I am really liking that Asus notebook, that vid card is impressive as well, and as u say, upgradeable!!!, which is a huge plus.

Chances are you'll have it before i get one, I would appreciate some testing with games, benchmarks etc. let us all know how great it is.

ps, Jackthemeangiant, I pm'ed you.

[Shaman]

oh btw here is a good pic of the laptop
http://www.proportable.com/detail.aspx?ID=101


and an indepth discussion of the laptop

http://www.laptoplogic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=393&page=2&pp=10

[Jackthemeangiant]

i guess i posted too many questions, heheheh, (from my last post)

15.4” WSXGA+ (1680X1050) TFT Display is that as good as WXGA High-Def BrightView or better?

I am really liking that Asus notebook, that vid card is impressive as well, and as u say, upgradeable!!!, which is a huge plus.

Chances are you'll have it before i get one, I would appreciate some testing with games, benchmarks etc. let us all know how great it is.

ps, Jackthemeangiant, I pm'ed you.

I was unsure of the the difference between the two displays, but I googled it and came up with this site which explains it well I think:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/vectors/en/2002_lcd?c=eu&l=en&s=gen

So it looks like the one on my laptop is pretty darn good, and is a high-resolution. I don't think I would want a WUXGA on a laptop, everything would look very, very tiny :)

[Shred]

I don't have the Wide SXGA+ (WSXGA+) - 1680 x 1050 on my Inspiron 6000 because of my budget. I rather to spend my money on the extended warranty which I did for $150. Dell's Complete Care is around $250 <- I would definitely go for this if I buy anther Dell in the future. In addition, I got the free upgrade to 512MB RAM and a Laptop case. Nobody can beat Dell's deals and that is why Dell is doing so well these days.