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[Solved] The best buy?

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Discussion [Solved] The best buy?

Best answer from trogdor796.

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Ok im looking to get a new laptop. I want the best bang for the buck and I plan on going for something HP. I want it to be good enough to be able to run most games in Hi quality spefically (diablo 3 when it comes out). I cut it down to these 3 configurations/laptops.

So which one is the best for gaming?

1) HP ENVY beats edition $1,050
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-740QM Quad Core processor (1.73GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
• 1GB DDR3 ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5650 graphics [HDMI] - For Quad Core Processors
• 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 6.0 hours of battery life +++
• 14.5" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display (1366x768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• Red Backlit Keyboard
• Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 8 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 8

Main concern here is the the Screen isnt good enough for the computer the graphics card is an older edition but not sure wether that matters as its for quad core proccesors?

2) HP Dv6t $822 with coupon
2nd generation Intel(R) Dual Core(TM) i5-2410M (2.3 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• No additional security software
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.5 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6" diagonal Full HD HP Anti-glare LED Display (1920 x 1080)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP

-Better screen and better graphics card? Worse proccesor?

3) hP Dv6t $927 with coupon

2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• FREE Upgrade to 750GB 5400RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• No additional security software
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.5 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6" diagonal Full HD HP Anti-glare LED Display (1920 x 1080)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP

Im waiting for a coupon for the beats edition if I can get 30% like options 2 and 3 thats what im going to get. What do you guys think?

Reply to TheBestBuy
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TheBestBuy wrote :

Ok im looking to get a new laptop. I want the best bang for the buck and I plan on going for something HP. I want it to be good enough to be able to run most games in Hi quality spefically (diablo 3 when it comes out). I cut it down to these 3 configurations/laptops.

So which one is the best for gaming?

1) HP ENVY beats edition $1,050
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-740QM Quad Core processor (1.73GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
• 1GB DDR3 ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5650 graphics [HDMI] - For Quad Core Processors
• 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 6.0 hours of battery life +++
• 14.5" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display (1366x768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• Red Backlit Keyboard
• Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 8 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 8

Main concern here is the the Screen isnt good enough for the computer the graphics card is an older edition but not sure wether that matters as its for quad core proccesors?

2) HP Dv6t $822 with coupon
2nd generation Intel(R) Dual Core(TM) i5-2410M (2.3 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• No additional security software
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.5 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6" diagonal Full HD HP Anti-glare LED Display (1920 x 1080)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP

-Better screen and better graphics card? Worse proccesor?

3) hP Dv6t $927 with coupon

2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• FREE Upgrade to 750GB 5400RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• No additional security software
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.5 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6" diagonal Full HD HP Anti-glare LED Display (1920 x 1080)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP

Im waiting for a coupon for the beats edition if I can get 30% like options 2 and 3 thats what im going to get. What do you guys think?




Im also considering a new mac book pro but I hear apple is bad for gaming?

Reply to TheBestBuy

Go with either the 2nd or third option. The first laptop uses an last-gen i7 processor that is worse power and performance wise. It's up to you if you want to pay the extra $100 to get the third one with the quad-core i7. Only a few games utilize over two cores, mainly Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3 when it comes out. I am unsure of diablo 3 requirements but my guess is that it will not need a quad core. As for Apple, they are good machines if you are willing to pay the, in my opinion, ridiculous extra cost. To get the a Mac with the same hardware inside you pay way more than if you were getting an equivalent windows laptop. Unless you love Apple or need the OS and extra features, it's not worth it. Also, keep in mind that many games don't even release for the Mac OS. But Blizzard one usually do. And if you do decide to get a Mac and configure one to similar specifications to the laptops in your first post, it will not perform any worse or better. It's the same inside just with a different OS. I can tell you right now though that you don't even want to know how much it costs to get a Mac with that kind of hardware inside...


Message edited by trogdor796 on 06-28-2011 at 06:45:25 PM
Reply to trogdor796

So the 2nd generation i5 outways the 1st generation i7? Power draining definitly but performance?

Also what about taking the second option and instead of taking a quad core using the extra 100 on a 2GB Radeon(TM) HD 6770M GDDR5. Overkill? To much dedicated memory towards graphics that wont be used?

Yes harware wise apple are overpriced but built wise they beat an hp and apple OS is better but game wise limited. Your paying for the build. An apple macbook the one worth getting simliar to these cost 1600 so im not getting that.

Reply to TheBestBuy
Best answer

Here are links to benchmarks on the 740qm and the 2410m.
i5 : http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel [...] 317.0.html
i7 : http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel [...] 146.0.html

Pretty close, the architecture of Sandy Bridge should make the i5 better in most games or at least ones that don't utilize a quad. Don't upgrade the gpu to 2GB GDDR5. Not worth it at all. You likely won't notice any difference.


Message edited by trogdor796 on 06-28-2011 at 07:29:42 PM
Reply to trogdor796

Thanks the help was really appreciated. Couldnt make up my mind. Going with option 2.

Reply to TheBestBuy

Your welcome. Hope you enjoy it.

Reply to trogdor796
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