<p>So, I am kind of cheating here, because I am not looking to buy a college computer-- I am looking to REPLACE my college laptop now that I've graduated.</p>
<p>I have a dell inspiron E1405. My dad picked it out for me. It's been unreliable and erratic pretty much since we bought it. I would sooner set fire to my face than buy another dell.</p>
<p>I know nothing about computers, but here is what I am thinking...</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I want a PC. I seriously considered mac but I am not up for repurchasing all of my software, I have quite the collection.</p></li>
<li><p>I am on the computer working on one of my various hobbies virtually every waking hour of the day. As such, it needs to be fast and RELIABLE. Battery power is important but I'll probably have it plugged in most of the time.</p></li>
<li><p>I run a website, I make graphics, I am a moderate gamer, I watch movies and tv,I listen to music, etc, etc, etc. This is all stuff I do for fun, not professionally, but I want to be able to do it comfortably.</p></li>
<li><p>There is a hutch on my desk that is just under 12 inches tall, the laptop has to be able to fit underneath there. It's plenty wide, just short. My 15 inch just fits on top of its cooling mat. Wouldn't mind a bigger screen but I dunno if it would fit. </p></li>
<li><p>I want a big hard drive. I have 62 gigabytes of space on this laptop and it is a HUGE problem, I need so much more than that it's funny. I use a lot of programs and couldn't even fit my homework on this computer, much less games and personal files.</p></li>
<li><p>I like to run many applications at once.</p></li>
<li><p>I am not the kind of gamer that spends 20 hours a day on WoW, but I do like to play games and don't want to have to worry about my graphics card or whatever being insufficient.</p></li>
<li><p>Portability is a limited issue. I haul my computer around the house with me and intend to continue doing so, but it's not like I'm taking it to classes anymore.</p></li>
<li><p>I don't want to spend more than necessary as this is something I will have to save up for over time and I need a computer ASAP, but I am willing to spend what I need to for the machine that suits my needs.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Any suggestions? I don't even know where to start. My dad is a programmer but is always trying to go on the cheap when picking computers for other people and then they end up being **** computers.</p>
<p>Not all programmer dads are the same I’m a software developer and my daughters have better computers (components and performance) than what most of my coworkers have at work :-)</p>
<p>There’s no laptop I can think of that would reliably be on 24/7 - a Panasonic Toughbook, maybe, but nothing says ‘Construction Manager’ than a Toughbook. </p>
<p>Have you looked for a custom built miniITX or SFF portable desktop (lunchbox sized)? these have space for up to a double size graphics card where you can Crysis to oblivion on an i7-2600k or some such… (I’m replacing my desktop with one). I’ve had two SFF’s and they will be happy to be on 24/7 with the proper cooling…</p>
<p>Inspirons are not the greatest, Dell has some good ones but you pay $$$. The E6420 is excellent - XPS is good also. But as I said, 20 hours a day is not what any laptop is designed to do.</p>
<p>I don’t want a desktop because I bring my computer around the house with me-- to the couch, the kitchen table, my dad’s office, around and around. I don’t really have room for one either. Budget doesn’t matter that much because I am going to save up however much I need to get what I want.</p>
<p>I probably have my computer on about 12 hours a day every day… once I start my job it’ll be less on weekdays, but if I’m home and awake it’s on, otherwise I shut it off. Is that that big of a deal?</p>
<p>Eh, I’ve personally found that the prices from these websites are significantly more than if you customized your own options from the manufacturer website, which is more than if you got a prebuilt laptop. Additionally, with all the different series and such as it is, there is little need to customize your own laptop, you just gotta find a laptop that suits your needs.</p>
<p>@pascal12 either way my point is just to customize a laptop for his needs. Theses sights guarantee exactly the options he wants without all the searching. Since he said money wasnt to big of a deal i say go with it but just depends on the person.</p>
<p>I play WoW but I am not very serious about it, I just sort of tinker with it here and there. Most of the games I am playing these days are really old because it’s been a LONG time since I’ve had a computer that could play anything-- I am still playing Black and White I and II. I’ve been itching to get sims 3 (not a “gamer” game, I know) ever since it came out and my current computer won’t run it. I don’t need some sort of mega-amazing computer when it comes to gaming capability, but I’d like to have something somewhat above average to lessen the likelihood that I will have to worry about that kind of thing. I /loathe/ not having the right specs to buy a new game.</p>
<p>I know I’m being uber vague, but that’s just because I have no idea what I am talking about.</p>
<p>My sister just got a new asus and it looks pretty nice-- that’s what all the “family” computers will be now that my dad has given up on dell.</p>
<p>How does running windows 7 on a mac work? I’ve heard bits and pieces about that but I don’t know anything about it. If I didn’t have to replace any software I would at least consider a mac, though I am ignorant to the pros and cons over PC.</p>
<p>I recommend you to take a look at Asus N53sv. I am able to play game like shogun2, COD without any problem. It also has an awesome audio system. As a matter of fact, you can always go to Amazon.com to read real buyers’s reviews of certain products, especially those computer savvy people.</p>
<p>I suggest a Dv6t Quad Edition Notebook. i7 quad core processor, 6770m GPU (mid/high class graphics card), and all sorts of solid specs for no more than 1k after you upgrade some essentials. (Like the 1080p screen)</p>
<p>Use coupon code NBP61449 for 30% to get the good price.</p>
I’m a software developer and my daughters have better computers (components and performance) than what most of my coworkers have at work :-)</p>
I’ve been itching to get sims 3 (not a “gamer” game, I know) ever since it came out and my current computer won’t run it. I don’t need some sort of mega-amazing computer when it comes to gaming capability, but I’d like to have something somewhat above average to lessen the likelihood that I will have to worry about that kind of thing. I /loathe/ not having the right specs to buy a new game.</p>