Laptop tips please?

[Jonluw]

Hiya escapists.
(Move this to the advice section if you feel it's appropriate, mods.)

So I sort of need to get a new laptop. (I think I might have made this thread before, even, but I didn't get any replies.)

I was just wondering if anyone out there has any good tips on what kind of stuff (processors, graphics cards, etc.) I should steer away from and what is desireable.
I'll mostly be using it for web browsing and watching videos. I might potentially use it for some occasional gaming as well though.

I was thinking of getting something with an SSD and just buying an external HDD for storing stuff on.

Spoiler: One model that's been proposed to me is this:

Acer Aspire V3 Series 15.6" HD
- GeForce GT640 2 GB GDDR5 video card, 1366x768
- Intel Core i7 3.3GHz 4-core processor
- 8GB RAM
- 1000GB HDD
- DVD±RW
- Win 7 Home

I don't know much about PC specs though, so I don't know what to make of it.
I hear it's possible to pop the HDD out and replace it with an SSD while stuffing the HDD in an external casing for keeping. Is this a viable option?

 

[DoPo]

Acer Aspire V3 Series 15.6" HD
- GeForce GT640 2 GB GDDR5 video card, 1366x768
- Intel Core i7 3.3GHz 4-core processor
- 8GB RAM
- 1000GB HDD
- DVD±RW
- Win 7 Home

Wow...

I'll mostly be using it for web browsing and watching videos. I might potentially use it for some occasional gaming as well though.

Define "occasional gaming", as in what you'd be playing. Because that setup sound like a bit of an overkill. The video card is good, and should run...everything, I think. And most near future things (next 1-2 years, I guess). But the question is, do you need that much power, or can you go with something lower, and thus cheaper. Similar with the i7 processor - you could happily go with an i5, or even maybe an i3, depending on what you intend to run on there. I'd probably go with i5, if a downgrade is needed. Unless money is no issue, then I'd say just take it.

I hear it's possible to pop the HDD out and replace it with an SSD while stuffing the HDD in an external casing for keeping. Is this a viable option?

I'm pretty sure that's possible. Haven't really looked into it, though. At least in theory it's pretty damn simple to do, I'd be surprised if they don't sell cases where you just plug in the HDD and it's done.

 

[Jonluw]

Define "occasional gaming", as in what you'd be playing.

We'd probably be looking at mostly Wrpgs and maybe some strategy games and a shooter or two if something catches my interest. I'd probably get Skyrim (my 360 broke down).

Because that setup sound like a bit of an overkill.

There's my problem.
I have no idea what kind of specs are needed to run games at a decent level.
The main concern is longevity, rather than power to run heavy stuff right now. The uninitiated though, like me, may imagine that power sort of translates to longevity.

Unless money is no issue, then I'd say just take it.

Money isn't really an issue, but I'd always like to get something cheaper, if I could get something with equivalent longevity, decent power and perhaps a small SSD instead of an HDD for a smaller sum of money.
I guess that's sort of what I'm looking for here.

 

[thesilentman]

Define "occasional gaming", as in what you'd be playing.

We'd probably be looking at mostly Wrpgs and maybe some strategy games and a shooter or two if something catches my interest. I'd probably get Skyrim (my 360 broke down).

Because that setup sound like a bit of an overkill.

There's my problem.
I have no idea what kind of specs are needed to run games at a decent level.
The main concern is longevity, rather than power to run heavy stuff right now. The uninitiated though, like me, may imagine that power sort of translates to longevity.

Unless money is no issue, then I'd say just take it.

Money isn't really an issue, but I'd always like to get something cheaper, if I could get something with equivalent longevity, decent power and perhaps a small SSD instead of an HDD for a smaller sum of money.
I guess that's sort of what I'm looking for here.

What you want is actually somewhat similar to my laptop, a Samsung RC512. The GPU is better in the one you want, which happens to be the only difference between my laptop and yours.

So, yes. Take it. You'll be fine for a couple of years with that setup. [user]DoPo[/user] pretty much hit all the potential issues that I wanted to address, particularly the i7 vs i5 issue. The only thing I can say is that SSDs are always more expensive than traditional HDDs. I doubt that you'd be able to get even a small SSD for less than a traditional HDD.

Speaking of which, why not a desktop?

No really, why not?

Other than that, I hope I helped and happy gaming.

 

[Jonluw]

Speaking of which, why not a desktop?

No really, why not?

I like being able to bring my computer with me to places other than my room. Plus, I'm in a bit of a turbulent part of my life right now: I'll probably be moving around a bit and studying, and having a laptop you can bring to lectures and such is very practical.
I haven't really used a desktop properly since I was 11 or something. I'm too used to being able to move my computer around the house and sit or lounge wherever I feel like using it. For instance, I'm lying in my bed right now. (Indeed, one of my main complaints against pc-gaming has been that I don't see a desk as a nice place to be gaming. I like sinking down in my couch with a controller and relaxing when I'm gaming, and leaning over a desk makes me feel like my playtime is serious business and that I have to make an effort to perform. I'm probably going to have to hook one of my 360 controllers up to the pc.)

Other than that, I hope I helped and happy gaming.

You did. Thanks.

Looks like I might be going for that one, unless some poster comes around with new information.