I need professional advice, please help!

College Life
1

<p>Summary:
I am going to be commuting almost daily, and will be majoring in Computer Science and possibly Aeronautical Engineering. The laptop needs to be portable(<13"), lightweight(<5lbs), and powerful enough to handle many applications and power demanding programs such as Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD, sony vegas, socializing, movies/music, and some hardcore videogames(WoW, etc.). The laptop should be able to last me into at least 2 generations of laptops(4-5 years). Are there any other laptops that could possibly fit my needs? (Asus/Toshiba, etc... recommend please). This is what I chose: VVVV</p>

<p>Alienware m11x R2 @ $1,099.99 (With $194 discount)</p>

<p>Intel® Core™ i7 640UM (4M Cache, 1.2 GHZ with 2.266 GHz Max Turbo Frequency) - Overclockable
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 800MHz
320GB SATAII 7,200RPM
1GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 335M<br>
11.6-inch WideHD 1366x768 (720p) WLED<br>
1.3MP Web Cam </p>

<p>----------------------------… E N D | S U M M A R Y -------------------------…</p>

<p>Extra Details(and Reasons/POV):
Portability - I will be communting 3 days a week and will be moving around continuously.
Programs - I need a computer that I can expect to use for research, notes, projects, socializing(Aim, skype/webcam), run iTunes with heavy usage(10gb music / 20gb movies / 5gb photos), video editing, and potential gameplay for entertainment purposes(e.g. WoW at med-hi quality).
School - I need a computer that can assist me in things that my major field may require. (Computer Science & Aeronautical Engineering)
Styling - I'm looking for a laptop that has a backlit keyboard(for nighttime purposes), smooth surface/matte surface(no gloss, so no stick while typing), modern casing style(for looks).
Cooling - I have a cooling fan, so the heating is not necessarily an issue, but is a + factor.
Battery Life - I won't have time to recharge my laptop often because I will be moving around, so longer battery life is preferred.</p>

<p>Conclusion - The m11x is 3.8lbs, 11.6" wide therefore passing the portibility issue. Because it is an alienware(built for gaming), with the right specs it should be able to handle technology for a prolonged time. The styling of the laptop is not only functional but effective; The smooth dry surface is not glossed, therefore it will not be sticky on fingers while typing which could provide uncomfort. The backlight under the keys are not only stylish, but functional at night. The battery life on the R1(intel core 2 duo) has been known to go up to at least 5 hours, some up to 7-9 hours, but the R2(intel core i5/i7) could be a little less. I am looking for a new laptop, but need other options besides the m11x. What do you suggest?
(Preference: Asus/Toshiba)</p>

<p>------------------------… B A C K G R O U N D | S T O R Y --------------------…</p>

<p>Disclaimer/Notice:
Hello, and thank you for taking time to read my situation. From here on and below is information that provides details to my situation, and is my way of voicing out for help. I believe that providing the information below will help those answering provide better answers to help me. The information below will help you better understand me and the situation I am in. I will try to make it as clear as possible, and as short and simple as possible.</p>

<p>Here we go:
*In 2000 my father purchased a Dell desktop.<br>
*In 2002 my mother purchased a Sony Vaio for her study needs.
*In 2007 the desktop got a major virus and the hard drive was destroyed.
*Later in 2007, my parents purchased me an HP dv9700 during my sophomore year in HS. The computer was supposed to be for use in my college years.<br>
*The HP dv9700 had many problems: overheating, disc driver not being compatible with the computer(never worked), etc.
*In 2008 my father fixed the Dell desktop and it is only used for my mother's job.
*In 2010 summer, my mom opened an infected e-mail and she got a trojan on her vaio. The trojan accessed our router information and infected our router. Our IP was changed to a russian IP and our google links kept being redirected. My dad reformatted the vaio twice because it kept getting "infected". My HP dv9700 finally got a trojan and I had to clean it out with malwarebytes' anti-malware twice. It took me a week to figure out our router was infected, so I easily reset it and fixed the virus problem.
*Two days after I fixed the router problem, my Network drivers broke. They were no longer being detected and I could not fix it. Since my CD driver never worked, I could never make a recovery disc. There is no free way that I could fix this. The only way to fix it is to go to my local bestbuy and pay $200+ for parts + service to fix my outdated laptop.
*Instead of paying $200+ to fix it, I asked my parents if I could just get a new laptop for college instead.
*Since there is no computer that I can use (vaio = study, dell = work only), I need a new laptop for college.
*I will be commuting to school 3 days a week and am majoring in Computer Science.
*I will begin school on August 30.
*I have $1,500 saved up and was planning to use it on my tuition fees, but now need to decide if I can use it for a new laptop.
*I would like to purchase a new laptop but I require my parent's approval. They said their limit is $700. Anything over that limit is something I have to pay, but I don't have that much money.
*The things I am looking for in a laptop are in the summary above.
*I could get a desktop and put it in my room and use it when I am at home, but I am pretty sure that I will be needing it at school since I am commuting.</p>

<p>So, do I need a laptop for college?
If I do need a laptop for college, what should I get?
I have done my research on choosing a laptop for the past 3 months, but need professional advice.
I am also very experienced with computers, and I do use intensive programs that demand high performance.
The area where I live has the worst unemployment rate in my state, and my state is one of the top who are suffering from the economic situation. I have also been trying to get a job for months.</p>

2

<p>More info(Since I can’t edit it)</p>

<p>I have $400 saved up, and $200 in my wallet. I was wondering if it would be wise to spend that with the $700 I am allowed to use to pay for the m11x I chose.</p>

<p>I also was wondering if the HP envy 14 would be a good choice for me too. Both the m11x and the HP envy are the same price. The m11x is more powerful but smaller, and the HP envy is bigger but less powerful. </p>

<p>Details on the two computers:
----------------m11x----------------Envy----------------
Price---------$1,099.99-----------$1,274.99--------------
Core-----------Intel i7--------------Intel i7---------------
GFX--------Nvidea gt335--------ATI radeon 5650----------
HDD------------320gb---------------320gb---------------
Ram-------------4gb------------------4gb----------------
Size------------11.2"----------------14.5"-----------------
Weight----------3.9lbs---------------5.24lbs--------------</p>

3

<p>If you want to get the HP Envy 14, skip the i7. There are two completely different mobile i7: i7-600 series and i7-700,800, and 900 series. All the i7-600s are dual core (the’re same as i5 cpu in terms of architecture but they have higher clock speed), and the rest are quad cores (completely different architecture). The i7 in the envy is a quad core @ 1.6GHz. It has no integrated graphics, so you don’t get switchable graphics, and it’s a power hungry CPU (which invariably means less battery life).</p>

4

<p>Are there any other laptops other than the m11x that you suggest?
Or any other options that I should consider? I’m really stuck and am unsure if I should try to convince my parents to get the m11x or if I should just go with what they say and get whatever $700 they think is good and then in 2 years buy a cheap POS laptop again because that $700 will be outdated.</p>

5

<p>Some laptops I suggest:
HP Envy 14
Acer 3820TG / 4820TG / 5820TG
Apple Macbook Pro 15"</p>

<p>Also, technically speaking… any laptop will get outdated eventually after couple years. You can buy the most expensive laptop out there and in 4 years, there will be laptops out that are better than the one you have.</p>

6

<p>For all your demand, it seems like you need a very powerful laptop, the Alienware is mostly for gaming and they are powerful, but wait… it is very heavy! and not ideal to take it to college.</p>

<p>According to your historical, i think you should take care more often about your computers/laptops such as good maintenance, anti-virus, clean it (delete useless files). You don’t really need a very expensive computer for it to survive more than 3 years, its the way you use the computer and take care of it. But again, according to your needs you need a powerful computer…! Get a Dell or Toshiba.</p>

7

<p>By your history, it doesn’t seem like you’re “very experienced with computers”. No offense.</p>

8

<p>Should you choose a gaming laptop, get a SSD because they will boost performance but also give you at least 15% more battery power b/c it uses far less power than an HDD. The best SSDs are made from Intel, they will last longer than other SSDs. </p>

<p>If you choose the m11x you won’t have the option to use both your HDD and SSD, but then again you also don’t have a DVD Drive</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Not true.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>SSD technology is still very young, and it’s truly impossible to gauge how long a company’s SSD will last at this point. Most SSDs on the market are around two-three years old at most, and are still no where near the end of their “life time”.</p></li>
<li><p>It’s the controller that matters, not the company who manufactures them. Intel SSDs do have great controllers, but the same controllers can be found in Kingston M-series SSDs for the same performance as Intel but cheaper. Additionally, there are already other controllers out there that outperform the Intel controllers.</p></li>
</ol>

10

<p>And laptops get out of date more likely as of every 2-3 years or sooner. 4 years would be pushing it obviously, since technology expands over an exponential rate.</p>

<p>Here’s some clarification(For everyone):</p>

<p>*Out of all the viruses that were caused on the computers that my family has owned was never at any point my fault.
*I have built two other desktops before the date I have posted(Three, if you include taking apart this Dell desktop, replacing and upgrading it’s parts, etc.).
*My “history” has definitely mislead all of you about my ability to take care of computers. I may not be the best, but I provide a local neighborhood service of fixing and speeding up computers/laptops and identifying problems.
*I am definitely not as experienced as most of you obviously, that is why I am asking for your help. I am however more experienced than your “average” computer user.
*The alienware m11x is 3.9lbs.
*The history/timeline I have provided is to show you what happened to the available laptops that we have.</p>

<p>*My HP dv9700 is obviously fixable, but at a $200+ for parts + labor from geeksquad or elsewhere that I would rather invest in a new computer. I could fix it myself, but I don’t have the resources to do so at a cost-free price.
*I did not break my drivers, and I personally remove all trojans and other viruses that my family has ever encountered.</p>

<p>*The virus from the dell desktop happened when my brother looked at a popcorn website out of interest.</p>

<p>This is how my HP got the virus
*My mom opened up an infected email.
*The trojan infected her vaio.
*The trojan accessed our router settings and changed the IP/DNS to a russian server.
*The IP redirected all clickable links to googlesyndication or search5.results.xxx
*My dad reformatted the vaio, and within minutes of browsing the web again it got infected so he reformatted it twice.
*While attempting to figure out what caused the redirecting, I got a trojan on my computer due to an infected link that I was redirected to. An hour later I removed it and still encountered the google redirecting links problem. Three days later I got another trojan and had to remove that too. After cleaning the computer and removing all trojans I figured out it was the router so I reset it and fixed the problem.
*2 days after fixing the problem, my internet driver suddenly stopped being “detected” from my computer.
*My CD drive never worked because of the Vista OS + itunes compatibility issue. It also never appeared in the beginning and at one point during my ownership, I was able to keep it “appeared” on the computer for about 2 months. Even with it appeared, I was unable to use it. </p>

<p>*My mother has been a military coder and is now working as a medical coder. She knows C++ and java.<br>
*I have been working with computers for 12 years(Since I was 6), and have created some programs, and basic HTML websites, etc.
*Out of all my years of computer use, the virus on the HP was the first time I had ever encountered a virus on “my” computer.
*I already know that the m11x computer is probably the best computer that I need, and have been researching all about it for about 2-3 months now. I also know about the R2’s optimus issue with the Nvidea graphics card, and that the HDMI port was removed for the new core.</p>

<p>*Today I visited Fry’s electronics and saw a gateway ID series computer for about $849 that had switchable graphics card, 14" screen, and similar specs as the m11x, however I am sure it’s not as powerful as the m11x.</p>

11

<p>Just go with your decision. It seems like you thought through it very well.</p>

<p>You’ll get a clean start with no tie ups. Just go with the clean slate!</p>

12

<p>In all seriousness I would never consider using programs such as Photoshop and Autodesk (any of them) on a laptop, especially with a screen that size… </p>

<p>You must consider whether you really need to use these programs in a mobile setting rather than on a desktop (or in a proper studio setting).</p>

<p>Other Stuff: The more power you demand from the laptop the more juice it needs, if you demand too much it’ll eventually get to the point that you’ll need to be perpetually plugged into an outlet. At that point was the mobility of the laptop really worth it in the first place?</p>

<p>Random: You could always invest in a nice desktop and buy a cheaper laptop for generic word processing and media playback.</p>

<br>

<br>

13

<p>Just got a Pavilion dv6se. It has a free upgrade to a 500gb hard drive and 6gb RAM and at a much better price than the envy. Granted it is a bit bigger and I know that’s not what you’re looking for, but it’s much more worth it. Also be sure to look for coupons as well!</p>

14

<p>I’d go with a Sony Vaio Z if I needed a small, light and powerful Windows laptop. 3 pounds, dual SSD drives, orderable with an i7 and lots of other options. Alos has 1920x1080 resolution available - good for work.</p>

15

<p>Viruses probably mess with the computer’s DNS and not the router’s. Router firmware is typically very proprietary unless yours is just somehow very special. Viruses usually don’t physically destroy hard drives either. They can mess up the MBR, but that’s fixable. </p>

<p>DV9700 series was one of the industry-defect-wide crap series that effed people over after 2 years …so I’m not surprised with its problems. </p>

<p>That i7 isn’t even a quad core so >.>. I don’t know but 1000 dollars seems a lot to shell out for a dual core on steroids.</p>

16

<p>*My router’s DNS was changed because even links on my iPod touch were redirected to the same “googlesyndication” and “search5”.
*As I have previously stated, I need a portable laptop because I will always be out on the go, elsewhere.<br>
*Power consumption in programs is an issue I am aware of, and my solution is switchable graphics cards.
*I believe the i5 and i7 are both quad-core processors, except some may have hyper-threading for a possible of 8 visual cores. i3 is a dual core iirc.
*I was considering a desktop option, but I am already out doing business more often than I am actually inside working. This is even before I begin school. I be more busier ;/
*Yeah, the dv9700 SUCKED. It’s so bad, that even this desktop I am using is almost better than my HP. ._.</p>

<p>Here are my new comparisons.
m11x vs. Asus ul80</p>

<p>I know the build quality for the new ul80 is very poor, as well as it’s performance being moderate, but I think it is a good alternative to the m11x, what do you guys think? For now I’ll try reading more about the ul80 and I will update later. </p>

<p>The virus that “destroyed” my harddrive corrupted all the data and modified cpu opperations to an extent that even safe mode was not safe. (I don’t know how, but I assume it had something to do with letting safe-mode “allow” a certain program to keep it infected…(you know what i’m talking about) lol)</p>

<p>P.S. Thank you for all the warm and welcome support :slight_smile: It has really kept me motivated and it is very appreciative. I to continue receiving advice and support from the great people you are until I finally decide on a purchase. September 9 is when I will begin deciding on my purchase.</p>

17

<p>

</p>

<p>Nope, not necessarily. Both dual-core and quad-core versions for them exist, in both laptop and desktop CPUs. For laptop CPUs, quad cores are denoted with a “Q” in the model name (i5 720QM); anything lacking the “Q” is a dual-core. For desktops, an i5 750/i7 920 and higher are quad cores, and anything lower are dual cores. Also, only i7s have the option to hyperthread.</p>

<p>If you are using CAD, then the UL80 might not meet your needs. Why not a U45JC? Same body but with an i3 and 310M.</p>

<p>Personally, for your needs, I think both the U45JC and the M11x (can’t believe I’m agreeing with an Alienware here) are good laptops for you. The tradeoffs are that the U45JC offer longer battery life with bigger screen while the M11x is more powerful. I think you should try to figure out yourself if you’re willing to trade some power for mobility and a bigger screen, or if you’d rather have pure power.</p>

<p>If you’re willing to spend a bit more, I’d also heavily recommend the HP Envy 14 with a Core i5 450 Dual-Core CPU:</p>

<p>[HP</a> ENVY 14 series | HP Official Store](<a href=“http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do;HHOJSID=HBQDM12QtbgYwzNkzx8vLBq6T2M3TbxTwJJGn01BtN7nRp9XcWqH!1328832058?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&a1=Category&v1=ENVY&series_name=ENVY14_series&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/notebooks/ENVY/ENVY14_series]HP”>http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do;HHOJSID=HBQDM12QtbgYwzNkzx8vLBq6T2M3TbxTwJJGn01BtN7nRp9XcWqH!1328832058?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&a1=Category&v1=ENVY&series_name=ENVY14_series&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/notebooks/ENVY/ENVY14_series)</p>

<p>Additionally, you should consider a SSD. If you’re going to be carrying your laptop around a lot, SSDs have no moving parts and are much more tolerant to shocks (something as simple as rocking the laptop can induce shock on the HDD). Something else you should consider is backing up all your work files on an external, so if your laptop ever crashes, you don’t lose all your work files. I myself have all my notes and work synced between my laptop, desktop, and storage external (Office 2010 is win!)</p>

<p>And as for a personal preferrence, if I were you, this is the way I would go (money allowing):</p>

<p>Asus U45JC ($869 @ xoticpc, price matching available)
Kingston 64GB Notebook Bundle ($139.99 <a href=“Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more - Newegg.com”>Kingston SSDNow V Series SNV425-S2BN/64GB 2.5" Notebook Bundle 64GB SATA II Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com, comes with 64GB SSD and External Enclosure)</p>

<p>Replace the harddrive with the SSD and put the HDD into the external enclosure, and you now have a U45JC with a 64GB SSD and a 500GB 2.5" external powered by one USB port for $1009.</p>

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<p>Thank you for such a detailed response! Haha I agree with you on alienware… at first I actually said to myself “Is this really what I need? no way…”
Oh and thanks for the many clarifications! I very happy that I learned a lot in your post! </p>

<p>I haven’t used CAD in about a year, and I probably won’t for another few months. Asus is one of my preference choices, and knowing that there’s another Asus option makes me smile :)</p>

<p>I believe I am now set on the two options you have provided me, unless someone else shines some light on more options: m11x & the u45.</p>

<p>Since the m11x is a possible option for me, do you know if the kingston 64gb ssd will be compatible with the m11x or is there another ssd that I can use if I get the m11x?</p>

19

<p>The Kingston 64GB should fit inside the M11x. </p>

<p>For some reason, I couldn’t open the PDF of the Alienware spec sheet, so I had to do some detective work:</p>

<p>First, I tried to find out what the dimensions of the stock HDD are. I found a pic on this post:
[Two</a> part M11x hard drive question … First of all… will the M11x fit the 12.5mm 1TB 2.5" drives, or is it limited to the 9.5mm thick drives??Second …](<a href=“http://www.notebookforums.com/thread232250.html]Two”>http://www.notebookforums.com/thread232250.html)
and was able to google the model number. I then got the dimensions (2.5" HDD @ 9.5mm thick), and compared it to the Kingston SSD’s dimensions (2.5" @ 9.5mm thick):
[Kingston</a> Technology Company - Solid State Drives - SSD<em>Now</em> V+ Series Drive](<a href=“http://www.kingston.com/ukroot/ssd/vplus_series.asp]Kingston”>http://www.kingston.com/ukroot/ssd/vplus_series.asp)</p>

<p>So in short, yes, the Kingston SSD should also fit inside the Alienware. As for the Asus, I have the smaller, 13.3" brother of that laptop (U35JC), and I installed the same SSD inside the Asus with no issues.</p>

20

<p>Okay, I’ve been venturing into Asus’ line of “super mobility” laptops, the U-series. I have read some issues about the U45 overheating, and other things such as flimsy keyboard. Then I came across the U43 and read more about it. I found out it is supposedly offered with Optimus technology, and a 2.0MP camera! Just like the U45, it also has a Nvidia geforce 310M gfx card! The U43 also felt lighter than the m11x! I’m not sure about the build quality of the u43, but the m11x has the hinge/screen issue.</p>

<p>However, I did not find anything about how long the battery life is expected to be. </p>

<p>The great news is, my local bestbuy has both these laptops! the m11x R1, and the U43 bamboo edition! I am very fond of both laptops, and am sure these two are my final choices, as I equally prefer them both. Now to help me choose… I have one final question/task that I am trying to discover. Because of the difference in the GFX cards, I don’t really know how well each will perform.</p>

<p>I was wondering if there was a way I could measure the performance of each graphics card and compare the difference. How would the performance of each of these laptops do when playing an HD movie, editing pictures, making movies, and playing some games, such as (WoW for example, as it seems the best to test the power of these GFX cards). </p>

<p>I couldn’t find benchmarks for the U43, so it’s hard to compare it to the m11x.
Can anyone shed some light on my NEW dilema!? THANKS! :D</p>