I have to get a computer from Best Buy.......

[wanamingo]

So for Christmas I asked my family to help me out with buying a new laptop. I expected a few bucks stuffed into cards etc, nothing much but my family gave me a significant amount of money in Best Buy gift cards

Not a huge deal I can still find a good deal (Im looking to spend about 1000$). I need some advice though. I work in IT and know my way around a computer but I find it really hard to stay up to date with the most modern graphics, CPUs, and all the shiny new stuff they can shove into a case.

What should I be looking for? What specs should I look for in a graphics card? (My knowledge pretty much stops at faster = better) I know it should be a dedicated card. What are the hot new CPU models?

Pros + cons?

Maybe a recommendation of a laptop best buy carries?

 

[WR2]

Hello wanamingo;

Help us out and answer a few of the usual questions we ask in the form shown in the sticky topic:
FAQ - Read before buying / considering a laptop

 

[dharmenparikh]

If you're getting a laptop go with the i7-2620QM or higher. Even i5-2000 series is good. Stay away from the older i7 and i5 series that aren't the 2000 series.

Unfortunately Laptop GPus are light years behind...even the 6990m is really a 6870 from the desktop section...I think you're best bet is a GTX 560m...2gb should be enough.

Ram is 4gb-8gb max. Even 4gb is enough for gaming without any loss in performance

You should save money for an SSD and install it manually...OCZ Vertex3, Kingston Hyperx, Corsair Force GT are all priced around $160 when there's a sale.

 

[leandrodafontoura]

As mentioned above, laptop graphics are really poor even if you take the best. But there are so many stuff at Best Buy...

You may buy a tablet, a Macintosh, PS3, XBOX 360, Wii, and a lot of brand new or used games, either console or PC

 

[Onus]

Without knowing the purposes you have for this laptop, no one can make rational recommendations. For example, if this is purely for Office-type tasks, web browsing, etc. and long battery life is essential, you'd probably want an E-450. OTOH, if this is to be a desktop replacement, and needs to play games, then you want something with the most powerful graphics you can afford (and save some money to put toward a laptop cooler). Will you use it outdoors? A screen visible in bright light will be needed. Is it for travel? Light weight may be important.
Please provide more information in order to get the most relevant answers.

 

[wanamingo]

Well I need a robust machine one I can use reliably for 3-5 years. I would like to dabble in gaming (My PS3 is my gaming machine), but its not my priority and running HD video. Off the top of my head the only games I anticipate getting are Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3. A desktop replacement would be my best bet since this will be the main machine in my house.

Im depot certified so warranty options are not important to me.

I don't plan on traveling with it or if I do weight constraints don't bother me.

I guess what I want is a powerful machine that will be able to run almost anything I can throw at it. Something I'm not going to regret buying in the next year or two.

The main word I would use to describe this machine is reliability.

Are there any specifications I should be looking for? Sorry for the vagueness I very rarely purchase new equipment and want to make sure I'm informed about the hardware Im buying.

Would it be worthwhile to get a laptop with two HDD bays? one for an SSD and a regular 7200 RPM drive? Do they even still offer these?

No macs please.

 

[red6698]

Not that there aren't occasional good deals at Best Buy, but if you find that to be a limiting factor in your purchase you could always convert the gift cards to cash at somewhere like cardpool.com and buy what you need wherever you find the best deal. I have used that site a couple of times for gift cards to restaurants that I do not go to. You won't get 100% of what the value of the cards are, but pretty good value.

That way you could scout out the best fit and cost for what you need without being dependent on the prices/selection of just BB.

Just my two cents, but I am someone who likes to comparison shop anyway.

 

[xAnimosity]

Bestbuy sells Alienware/MSI products through their website. You could also just buy higher end desktop parts and build your own.

 

[viridiancrystal]

All i could find:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+K53SV-B1+15.6%22+LED+Notebook+-+Intel+Core+i7+i7-2630QM+2+GHz+-+Mocha/2903154.p?id=1218361853264&skuId=2903154

You may have to drop your graphics settings a bit, but the i7 will last you for a while.

All i can say is that bestbuy drives their prices through the roof. On Xoticpc i could make an i7, GTX 570m, 8gb ram for just over a thousand.

 

[wanamingo]

Best answer selected by wanamingo.

 

[wanamingo]

Alright heres what I ended up going with:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Acer+-+Aspire+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i7+Processor+/+17.3%26%2334%3B+Display+/+6GB+Memory+-+Black/3055434.p?id=1218374968436&skuId=3055434

 

[Onus]

Thanks. Your choice looks potent; hopefully it will serve you well.