New laptop

[RitualBlack]

I know that desktops are far superior to laptops, but I am going to be going to college soon and I need a laptop. I was looking around for quite some time, and I have narrowed it down to two laptops. Some features that are necessary for me (these are things that I will not change when I finally get around to purchasing it)

 

These are the following specs I do not want to change:

 

17.3 inch 1920x1080 screen

i7-740 QM processor (preferably a i7-2630QM)

8gb ram

Graphics card is either an nVidia 485 or an AMD 6970

Hard Drive is minimum of 500gb 7200rpm

Intel Ultimate-N 6300 wireless module (I wouldn't care that much normally, but I have to make sure that on a campus I can get the wireless no problem :tongue:)

Do not care about sound enough to upgrade the sound card, and have no intention of a blue ray drive.

*edit* I forgot to mention that USB 3.0 is also important to me :sweat:

 

The two laptops I have been looking at are either the Sager NP8170-S1 or the Alienware M17x

[i was very surprised that I would be considering an alienware, but with the AMD 6970 it isn't [u]that[/u] overpriced compared to the models produced by Sager.]

I still have a bit of saving to do for both laptops, but they are under the $2200 price range (pre-tax).

 

Sager Specs:

- 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen (1920x1080)-

- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM, 2.0-2.8GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache)

- nVidia GeForce GTX 485M 2,048MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 (User Upgradeable)

- 8,192MB DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS)-

- 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache) + 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)

- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)

- Intel® Ultimate-N 6300 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module

- Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Software

 

Alienware Specs:

-17.3-inch WideFHD 1920 x 1080 60Hz WLED

-Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)

-2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon™ HD 6970M

-8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz (4DIMMS)

-750GB 7,200RPM HDD

-Intel® Ultimate N WiFi Link 6300 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology

-Slot-Load Dual Layer DVD Burner (DVD+-RW, CD-RW)

 

The only problem is that I would have to order the Dell [alienware] from the American site. This is because the Canadian site (I am Canadian) doesn't offer the correct graphics card, is overpriced, and also doesn't provide any of the cool little unnecessary features like a name plate :biggrin:

 

Does anyone know about shipping from dell USA to Canada, and what additional fees I would expect, and if it is even possible. The sager is not a problem with shipping because you just pay for rush expedited shipping and avoid customs and border duty + you get it in like 2-3 days.

 

If anyone has any suggestions or changes I would really like to hear them. [asides from "get a desktop" because that is out of the question, as is "build your own laptop", because that is to complex and time consuming. I could probably build myself a desktop, as I take my computer apart to clean it, and have changed parts on it, but once again, I need a laptop :sweat: ]

Edited March 27, 2011 by tttttt

[yoba333]

I don't know much about Sager, but I have done research on Alienware.

The M17x is heavy... very heavy, 12 pounds vs. the Sager's 9 pounds.

Dell support makes you pay to to get assistance, I know because my brother has a Dell laptop. This is becoming common these days, but it still sucks. On the other hand, Dell is a bigger company, has more money, and therefore *should* be able to give you better service. However, I do not know about Sager's support or if this is even a factor for you.

Shipping from the US to Canada will probably be expensive, don't know how much as I have never done it.

Don't really want to start a graphics card war here, but I think nVidia is better than ATI, which is a plus for the Sager.

 

I don't know how much this helps you, just dropping by to give you my two cents. I'm looking at a laptop for the same reasons, and I plan on buying the Asus G73SW-A1. It's around your price range, you should check it out. You can get these kinds of laptops customized at Xoticpc.com.

Edited March 28, 2011 by yoba333

[CommanderCrazy]

Go with the Sager. Alienware is some of the most overpriced stuff on the market.

And Dell support is crap, seriously. Half the time you cant understand what they are saying (Rule no.1 of Dell Customer Support: ALWAYS wear your microphone 1mm from your mouth!)

And when you can talk to them, its very much like the bog standard 'Have you tried turning it off and on again' until the inevitable 'mail it in, so we can make you pay 2x the amount that you payed for it so we can fix it, plus postage' type.

 

TL;DR, Not the alienware. You WILL be ripped off.

[AllanOcelot]

Aliennware is the work of the devil. Simple.

Sounds like someone has a lil bit too much money and wants to show it off. ;-)

You could always give some to the nexus. :P

[RitualBlack]

yoba333, very good point about heat. Pretty much any Dell laptop makes a good alternative stove top :tongue: (no offense to anyone who has one, they perform great, they just heat up to much). I forgot about just how much they heat up. I also forgot about customer service, and I could imagine service from another country to be horrible (not that it is the other country that is the problem, but having to call or ship across a border).CommanderCrazy, your point about service has helped also to remind me of just how bad dells can be :D.AllanOcelot, I have been considering supporting for quite some time, as I have been around here for a while (since 07), but I would need more disposable income first. There is only so much money one can save without a job, but when I do get a job I would definitely like to support the nexus :wink:. On a side note, Sager laptops are also user friendly in the sense that down the road I can open it up myself and change parts easily. Thanks for the tips everyone :thumbsup:

[IndorilTheGreat]

I received an Alienware M17x as partially graduation present and partially from my own pocket. I ordered it last July for about 1,000 dollars cheaper than if I had ordered it off of the Alienware website (you gotta love Costco :thumbsup: ).

 

I love it, and I have not had any problems with it so far (except for the fact that it gets ridiculously hot when there is no outside source of ventilation (i.e. a fan, or an open window).

 

I have not yet needed to get customer support from Dell (as I can usually figure out any issues by myself). The only problem is the weight. It's more of a desktop replacement than anything. Sure, it comes with a carrying case, but why on earth would you want to carry such an expensive piece of equipment around with you?

 

I would personally pick the M17x, but that is probably just because I have one (and I got it for a rather cheap price - relatively speaking, of course).

 

Best of luck in your decision. :thumbsup:

[RitualBlack]

Yes, Costco is a great place, but I live in Canada, and not all that many great deals or offers ever comes to Canada, and when it does you really are going to pay for it big time$.(why do you think I am probably going to order from America :biggrin:. It is still more cost efficient to pay for expiated shipping from America which comes to like $150+ and than that pesky 13% HST tax, as there is only one realistically priced online notebook seller I know of here in Canada). Also, IndorilTheGreat, you had the opportunity to pick yours up in an actual store :happy:. Especially with Costco, if something ever goes wrong with your laptop you can probably just drive over to the store and get a new one or have your current one repaired (Costco is pretty good with that) and avoid the dell experience all together, and if you do have to send it in you do not have to ship it across the border and wait like 3 weeks. I still have a lot of thinking to do (and get a job for the last little bit of money I need), but which ever choice I make I am sure it will not matter all that much. Both systems are very functional and similarly priced. Thanks everyone, you gave some insightful tips about each of the laptops. (The Asus mentioned by yoba333 is also a great machine, especially on Xoticpc where you can get a back lit keyboard, vent lights and especially a warranty covered graphics card overclock :D, and I also read somewhere that the Asus G73 has the lowest failure rate of gaming laptops or something along those lines). Once again, thanks everyone :smile: