Need a new laptop, suggestions?

[Recursion]

Yo,

So, my MacBook is now dead and I'm fed up with Apple products, my iPad died after exactly one month (granted they replaced it there and then for a new one) but my MacBook is out of warranty and will cost a bomb to get a new logic board for.

I want something nice and light, preferably a 13/14" screen, thin, Core i3/i5 (C2D is old now), 4GB RAM (or 2GB, I can always upgrade) and a fairly alright GPU, one that I could reasonably play something like Counter-Strike Source and Portal 2 (low settings, idc) on.

Any suggestions?

I was thinking maybe the gaming bit doesn't have to be such an issue but it would be a nice thing to have. If I wasn't going to game I was looking at the Latitude 13 spec'd with a C2D and 4GB RAM but meh (here (http://www.euro.dell.com/uk/en/k-12/Dell-Laptops/latitude-13/pd.aspx?refid=latitude-13&cs=RC1050272&s=k12)).

I have about £650 to play with.

Thanks <3

P.S. Big fan of laptops that don't feel like cheap plastic (which means no Toshibas or Acers, thanks ;))

[Thomas]

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-14r-n4110/pd?oc=fncoq33&model_id=inspiron-14r-n4110

might be a little to heavy, not sure how heavy is to heavy for you :P
I have one like it (bit better specs) and it works fine.

[Firehorse]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-K52JC-EX352V-Bluetooth-Widescreen/dp/B00461E6EA/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1307036831&sr=8-18

has nvidia 310m graphics too

otherwise the one Thomas posted would easily play css and portal 2 with the HD3000 graphics.

[Johno]

New Dell XPS 15z or HP Envy 14? :)

[Flisker]

Dell XPS 15 :)

[Recursion]

New Dell XPS 15z or HP Envy 14? :)


Dell XPS 15 :)

XPS 15 is a little... bulky and the Envy 14 looked good until I saw the stupidly recessed keyboard and the manky design on the back of the screen :P


http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-K52JC-E...036831&sr=8-18

has nvidia 310m graphics too

otherwise the one Thomas posted would easily play css and portal 2 with the HD3000 graphics.

Looked good until I saw the stupid placement of the trackpad

[myke]

XPS 15 is a little... bulky and the Envy 14 looked good until I saw the stupidly recessed keyboard and the manky design on the back of the screen :P



Looked good until I saw the stupid placement of the trackpad

is there anything you're not gonna complain about ;l they've given millions of options maaaannn! :p

[Recursion]

is there anything you're not gonna complain about ;l they've given millions of options maaaannn! :p

There's been a couple but there's always some stupid thing that lets it down, like a really mank design or a Num Pad I really don't want or a trackpad that's off center. I NEED SOMETHING LIKE A MACBOOK BUT CHEAPER AND NOT APPLE. LOL

[Red]

Sony Vaio. I think they have the most apple like feel.

[Waaaak]

Well.. I was going to say go with a MacBook but I guess not.. haha.

Edited by Infectious (Forum Super Moderator): Please do not make pointless posts, thanks!

[Chippiewill]

All of my HP laptops have had a very good build quality and are very reliable, they can sometimes look very good as well.

[N!ck]

Why do you need this powerful laptop when you have a desktop? Save the laptop for doing work and browsing the web on the move and the desktop for everything else?

[JerseySafety]

Acer Aspire

can't go wrong with any of the models; just bought 1 and it's mint :)

Edited by Infectious (Forum Super Moderator): Please do not make pointless posts, thanks!

[Johno]

XPS 15 is a little... bulky and the Envy 14 looked good until I saw the stupidly recessed keyboard and the manky design on the back of the screen :P

I'm talking about the new XPS 15z (not the old one which was a bit bulky) - the new one is stylized like a MBP. Not sure if it's out in the UK yet (http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/dell-xps-15z-review/)

The keyboard on the Envy is really nice and great to type on, admittedly the swirl design is a bit random but your get used to it and it's really not that bad.

EDIT: or a ThinkPad :)

[Firehorse]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004JABAY2/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=computers&psc=1

[Recursion]

Decided to go for a Vostro 3350 (http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/vostro-3350/pd.aspx) I think, spec'd to a Core i3 2.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, an AMD Radeon HD6470 512MB with a 3 yr warranty.

[Recursion]

Changed my mind at the last minute, I decided to put a little more money in and ordered a Lenovo ThinkPad E420s (http://shop.lenovo.com/gbweb/gb/en/learn/products/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-edge/e420s/index.html) with:

Core i5 2410M @ 2.3GHz
320GB 5200RPM HDD (I'll swap it for the 320GB 7200RPM I had in my MacBook)
4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM
AMD Radeon HD6630M/Intel HD3000 (Switchable)
14" 1366x768 screen
Bluetooth

Nice and light, a half decent design, the best laptop keyboards you can get (Lenovo/IBM), has an 'alright' GPU etc. Perfect.

[Jay.]

I bought an ACER ASPIRE 5750. Has Intel Dual i3 core 6GB DDR3 RAM and 500 GB HDD.

[N!ck]

Changed my mind at the last minute, I decided to put a little more money in and ordered a Lenovo ThinkPad E420s (http://shop.lenovo.com/gbweb/gb/en/learn/products/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-edge/e420s/index.html) with:

Core i5 2410M @ 2.3GHz
320GB 5200RPM HDD (I'll swap it for the 320GB 7200RPM I had in my MacBook)
4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM
AMD Radeon HD6630M/Intel HD3000 (Switchable)
14" 1366x768 screen
Bluetooth

Nice and light, a half decent design, the best laptop keyboards you can get (Lenovo/IBM), has an 'alright' GPU etc. Perfect.

Looks good. 1366x768 resolution on laptops really annoys me, but it's pretty standard now and not much you can do.

[Johno]

Changed my mind at the last minute, I decided to put a little more money in and ordered a Lenovo ThinkPad E420s (http://shop.lenovo.com/gbweb/gb/en/learn/products/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-edge/e420s/index.html) with:

Core i5 2410M @ 2.3GHz
320GB 5200RPM HDD (I'll swap it for the 320GB 7200RPM I had in my MacBook)
4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM
AMD Radeon HD6630M/Intel HD3000 (Switchable)
14" 1366x768 screen
Bluetooth

Nice and light, a half decent design, the best laptop keyboards you can get (Lenovo/IBM), has an 'alright' GPU etc. Perfect.

Nice machine, absolutely love ThinkPads :)