Which Laptop?

[Fisher]

Need a laptop for game design school. Will be doing programming, scripting, character modeling, level modeling, texturing, audio creation... basically the whole adobe creative suite and 3ds max.

ASUS N71Vn-A1
HP Pavilion DV7-2270us
TOSHIBA Qosmio X505-Q830

I think I'd choose the HP over the Asus because of features/price ratio. The school is giving me $1200 (i should have asked for more) for a laptop. So if I decide to go with that awesome Toshiba, i'd have to fork out some cash... not a lot, but still, $300 can be a lot to a starving college student. LOL anywho. im kinda torn by all these laptops and could use some advise or opinions.

I was nearly sold on the HP until I read more reviews about the Toshiba.

[Shipwright]

If you're going to consider the Toshiba at $1449, you need to consider the HP dv7-3080US as well:

HP Pavilion dv7-3080us

The Toshiba screen is larger, but the resolution isn't much better.

I don't know the difference between the two graphics cards (230M on the HP vs. 250M on the Toshiba).

The HP has a larger drive (500GB vs. 360GB)

I'm typing this on a dv7-3080US now, so fire away with the questions!!!

[Froggit Jake]

not too sure, if you shop around though, you might find something EVEN better, i mean, me and my friend went shopping for his new laptop, 4Gb RAM, 2.1 GHz dual core, 500Gb hard drive, windows 7.... some other stuff included too, £450 or (about $800-$850 i think)

[Fisher]

Originally Posted by Shipwright

If you're going to consider the Toshiba at $1449, you need to consider the HP dv7-3080US as well:

HP Pavilion dv7-3080us

The Toshiba screen is larger, but the resolution isn't much better.

I don't know the difference between the two graphics cards (230M on the HP vs. 250M on the Toshiba).

ya ya ya ya.... i know i know...

The thing i didnt like about the HP 3080 was the GPU. and ive been going off of THIS for GPU comparisons.

but then the HP does have more hdd space. but i dont need that blu-ray drive... i dont even own a blu-ray disc, i dont even watch DVD's... phhh.


the more and more and more and more i think about it, the more and more i lean towards the HP 2270 being that it's cheaper, and MOST COMPARABLE to the school-issued laptops (at over 1/2 the school's price). ive got my desktop to handle any serious code compliation, or any intense rendering should I come across any that the laptop cant handle. and the laptop is probably only going to be used during class time. I think that toshiba, and other lappys like Alienware's are more true to their name - Desktop replacements. well. ive got a desktop, so im not replacing it, i just need a smaller, portable version of one to take with me to school lol idk. i think the more expensive ones are more for bragging, or for serious gamers that don't have desktops because of $$ or space.

Shipwright, did you get a case/bag for it, if so which one? hows that itty-bitty remote control working out?

if i wait till after Christmas, all the prices are going to drop, and new hardware is going to come out... and my decision-making process will have to start all over again. LOL good thing i need one the first week of December!

[Shipwright]

Originally Posted by Fisher

Shipwright, did you get a case/bag for it, if so which one? hows that itty-bitty remote control working out?

I stuck it in it's little slot and haven't played with it since. I don't really see the point in it - it's a LAPTOP and, by definition, won't be that far away!!

I'm using it as a desktop replacement because I need a powerful machine at work, on the job site, and at home (since I do a lot of work there). Transferring files is a pain (not to mention managing 3 machines), so the laptop makes sense. I've been running this way for many years and it has worked out great. I haven't really run into any problems and this machine is in use 10 hours a day on average.

My first serious desktop replacement was an HP that burned out after 4 years of heavy use. It was replaced by a Dell that worked great for 3 years before someone else decided they wanted it more and liberated it from my work van.

When they took it, they left my Targus bag, so that's what I use for a carrying case. Due to it's size, that's about the only viable case option out there.

[MrTom]

Here Ya go Fisher...and its a good price too....in fact its a Fisher Price.




Sorry Couldn't resist.

Regards.

[Shipwright]

Hey, that smiley sketch on the middle right looks like one of your files, Fisher!

Sorry, I couldn't resist either.

[Fisher]

LMFAO... Holy sh*t, MrTom, i was laughing so hard i was crying! That is PERFECT! .....could you imagine if i actually got this and showed up to class and pulled THAT outta my bag, completely nonchalant like it's a standard laptop. set it on the table, move the mouse around, type up a few documents, and then call tech support and ask them why the screen is frozen on the same image, even with the 'power' turned off (do i hear 'youtube movie'?)

Shipwright, that one on the right center is a self-portrait sketch i did for my drawing class and that middle image you see is the MS Paint work i did on it. LOL

it'd take some getting used to that keyboard, being that im so accustomed to the QWERTY layout... this one uses the more logical ABCDEF design. I wonder how many wonkybytes of memory this thing has...

good times. thanks for the laughs, fellas.

[Froggit Jake]

I think you should get it... looks like its running windows 7 from the taskbar haha

[MrTom]

Originally Posted by Fisher

...that one on the right center is a self-portrait sketch ....

...and the one underneath it is the one you use most!

I think it's just what you need.....a LaughTop!

Here's the full SP:

Fisher Price Laptop

From the title it looks like it handles "Flash" too....quids in mate!

Treat yourself for Christmas......you know you want to.

Regards.