Need help choosing a laptop

Grich26 · Oct 14, 2011, 01:05 PM

Hi! I'm trying to find the best laptop offered between $600-800. I'm going to be using for mainly school purposes, but also for audio engineering and for graphic designing. Something pretty sturdy, fast. powerful. and long lasting would definitely be excellent. Any thoughts on what I should get?

*Forgot to mention but I prefer windows

BlueMak · Oct 14, 2011, 07:34 PM

What do you mean by long lasting? Build quality or performance?

Since gaming is not an issue, what you will need is a laptop with minimum of 4GB of RAM, preferably more, and a fast CPU, preferably something with 4 cores. Graphic design could be an issue since laptop monitors are not exactly known for their accurate color representation or good viewing angles. For that you might want/need to get a good external monitor to go with it.

I don't know how prices are there (other than that they are far lower than here) so I Can't comment on models.

For long lasting, if you mean build quality...it's tough. They are not really made for that. Rarely will a laptop line be without problems for more than the year of warranty. I would get something from one of the following brands, Toshiba, MSI, ASUS. HP used to have a very good business line of laptops but HP computing is going out faster than the world economy, so I wouldn't get one any more.

So, in general CPU quad core of over 2.3GHz, 4GB+ of RAM and a 7200rpm hard drive. For speed SSDs are faster but for 600-800 might be difficult to find something without hurting the other components.
As for laptop monitor, try to get one (laptop) which doesn't have a glossy screen.

Judas · Oct 14, 2011, 08:25 PM

check out any of the K53/k73 Asus Models.

they contain the i3/i5's.... come with either 4/6/8gb of DDR3...

Some of them use the intel iGPU which is more then sufficient for even some of the medium games... nothing amazing though...

Several others have the ati/NVidia gpu.. which i wouldn't recommend for your needs.

Most recently sold an Asus K73E-A1 which is the 17" model with 6gb of DDR3, 7200 rpm 640gb drive, intel i3 2330m cpu and using the iGPU Intel HD 3000 series for graphics.

Top that off with basically the best intergrated audio you can get in a laptop short of spending thousands.... a Realtek HD Audio.. which means consistant driver updates are always there.

The best part of the laptops is the fact that they are very very well built, the warranty on them is excellent... best provided imo.

And if you want some pretty amazing boot/program load speeds without dropping as much as you spent on the laptop again on a SSD large enough for your needs.... a Seagate Momentus XT 7200 rpm drive will please you

Obviously for your needs.. an i5 version would be my recommendation with essentially the same thing.. I KNOW for a fact you can get an asus with the i5 and the above specs for the price you are asking... Just avoid getting it with the ATI or Nvidia graphics... and you'll be guaranteed a very cool running. long running/lifetime laptop with excellent battery life too.

Oct 14, 2011, 01:05 PM	#1
Grich26 HardwareHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	Need help choosing a laptop Hi! I'm trying to find the best laptop offered between $600-800. I'm going to be using for mainly school purposes, but also for audio engineering and for graphic designing. Something pretty sturdy, fast. powerful. and long lasting would definitely be excellent. Any thoughts on what I should get? *Forgot to mention but I prefer windows

Oct 14, 2011, 07:34 PM	#2
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: Need help choosing a laptop What do you mean by long lasting? Build quality or performance? Since gaming is not an issue, what you will need is a laptop with minimum of 4GB of RAM, preferably more, and a fast CPU, preferably something with 4 cores. Graphic design could be an issue since laptop monitors are not exactly known for their accurate color representation or good viewing angles. For that you might want/need to get a good external monitor to go with it. I don't know how prices are there (other than that they are far lower than here) so I Can't comment on models. For long lasting, if you mean build quality...it's tough. They are not really made for that. Rarely will a laptop line be without problems for more than the year of warranty. I would get something from one of the following brands, Toshiba, MSI, ASUS. HP used to have a very good business line of laptops but HP computing is going out faster than the world economy, so I wouldn't get one any more. So, in general CPU quad core of over 2.3GHz, 4GB+ of RAM and a 7200rpm hard drive. For speed SSDs are faster but for 600-800 might be difficult to find something without hurting the other components. As for laptop monitor, try to get one (laptop) which doesn't have a glossy screen. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*