Ok i recently got the urge to buy a laptop(my first laptop that is) so i am being very picky and a little bit scared at the same time. Scared because i don't want to spend alot on something which isn't worth it. So i am asking out you guys to help me decide which laptop is best for me. I want a powerful laptop to play latest games, burn cds/dvds, connect my laptop to my tele to watch movies which are on my, run photoshop, msn, wmp and so on. I recently read a description by another user here and my requirements are almost the same. Heres what vxdesigns posted

"In a nutshell i will be using my laptop to watch movies,listen to music,planning on playing high graphics/quality previous,current and future games, run appz like photoshop,frontpage, burn dvds and cds at high fast/speed without leeching all of my system ram and cpu usage, want to connect my laptop to my tv to watch movies (with good quality/speed) from my notebook

1.5 ghz + processor
4-6 usb ports
1-2 firmwire ports
512/1 gb ddr/ddr2 fast ram
80-100 gb fast harddrive
cd/dvd burner for all types of files/formats preferrable DVD±RW
good quality for audio and video
a good graphic card/accelerator for latest games
need wi-fi or latest wireless technology to use internet easily
15-17" good quality monitor/screen preferrable widescreen
s-video
vga
dvi(preferred not necessity as long as theres s-video)

Budget = $500-$1500 Canadian Dollars "

I have done alot of research myself in past few weeks and i have come up with a list of laptops i like. My list is as follows


DELL

Inspiron 6400's ( $1,299 )
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/...SP6402_FEAT_E2

Inspiron 9400 ( $1,699 )
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/...SP9402_FEAT_E1





HP

Pavilion dv5117ca ( $1,199.99 )
http://www.hp.ca/products/static/pav...17cl/index.php

HP DV5130 AMD Turion 64 ( $1,299.99 )
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...om_Flyer_Pages





ACER

AS5672WLMi ( $1489.99 )

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...Tab=2&NoMapp=0

AS5672WLMi ( $1,069.99 )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115223

AS5672WLMi

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115223

TravelMate Intel Centrino Duo T2300 1.66GHz Laptop (4202WLMi) ( $1,099.99 )
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...gon=&langid=EN





GATEWAY

MX7515 ($1,296.99* )

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...024&CatId=1904


8510GZ ( $1142.99 )

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...?EdpNo=1697070


MX6625 ( $979.99* )

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...?EdpNo=1873384


MX6641 Intel Pentium M 735A ( $899.99 )
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...om_Flyer_Pages


Intel Centrino Duo T2300 1.67GHz Laptop (MX6708) ( $1,399.95 )
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0070925&catid=





COMPAQ

PRESARIO V5015CA ( $1,199.99 )
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Pr...roduct=2515808

Presario V5115CA ( $999.99 )
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...om_Flyer_Pages

Presario AMD Turion 64 ML-32 1.8GHz Laptop (V5015) ( $1,049.99 )
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...gon=&langid=EN





TOSHIBA

Satellite M100-JG2 Intel Centrino Duo T2300 ( $1,299.99 )
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...om_Flyer_Pages


Satellite Intel Centrino 750 1.86GHz Laptop (M70-DL4) ( $999.98 )
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...gon=&langid=EN


Satellite Intel Centrino Duo T2300 1.66GHz Laptop (M100-JG2) ( $1,299.99 )
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...gon=&langid=EN

Now lets put yourself in my situation and keeping my requirements and needs in mind which laptop would you choose ? You can also narrow it down to 2 or 3 laptops instead of just one. Also provide the reason for your selection. Thanks alot

I'm a Dell reseller and I don't have personal experience of the other manufacturers so Dells are all that I can comment on. However, I would say that the Inspiron 9400 in the configuration that you specified is no good as a games system because it only has 512MB RAM and on-board graphics.

Also, the 17" XGA screen will actually fit less on it than the 15" SXGA screen of the Inspiron 6400. XGA effectively means low resolution - SXGA means high resolution (and, incidentally, WXGA means widescreen low resolution and UXGA means ultra-high resolution).

1GB RAM will be enough to run Windows Vista when it is released. But you would need a 256MB graphics card to comply with the Windows Vista "Premium-Ready" standards. The 100GB hard disk seems big at first but, if you plan on saving lots of videos to it and/or many large Photoshop images, plan to buy an additional USB hard disk for more capacity later.

Sorry that no-one got back to you sooner. Hope that helps

Hi guys, i am back again because of all thr aswesome help and advise i have gotten here. I finally decided to take the Dell Inspiron 6400 which on their website with default specifications would have costed me $1500 + Tax = $1725 and free shipping offcource. This was a little over my price range, and i had a day of from work today so I picked up the phone and spoken to a few bunch of reps regarding the cost and a few extra goodies i wanted them to add in the package. I finally spoken to a nice rep. who met agreed to meet what my requirements were. I wanted the laptop with a free "Nylon Backpack Carrying Case" which was $50 and also i wanted to get a better sound quality for my $1600 machine so i requested to get a free "Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy® ADVANCED HD Audio" card which costs $30. So if we add up everything this would be the normal cost

$1500(for lap) + $50(for case) + $30(audio card) =
$1817 inc tax

So i asked the rep if he can offer me a better cost and after arguing with him for a few minutes we agreed apon common grounds. A cost of $1600 inc tax for everything.
Now my question to you guys is that is this a sweet deal ? A good bang for the buck ? Also i would like to know is this that should i hold up/wait a few days/months so that Dell reduces the costs for their laptops ? What i mean to ask is does anyone have any idea if Dell will be introducing some kind of huge discount or laptop deals in near future ?
Or is this the best it gets for me?
Thx alot in advance

I don't know much about Canadian pricing but I'd say that, to get a discount from $1817 to $1600 as an individual home customer, you've done very well

In the UK at least, Dell's web site has ALWAYS got some kind of special offer and, sometimes, more than one that you can take advantage of. However, I would warn against waiting for prices to come down. Prices will typically drop because the components are not so up-to-date. For example, in two months time, Intel may introduce a faster processor and so Dell may reduce the price on the configuration that you have specified .... but only because, relatively speaking, it wouldn't be as good as it is now in comparison to what else you could buy. I bought a Pentium II 266MHz PC for £600 back in the late 1990s. If I had waited 8 years, today I could get it for less than £100 .... but it's not nearly as good in comparison to what else is now available. Pricing is relative. If you've got the money now, go for it

I agree with you sir, thats exactly what i was thinking, but someone told me wait of till the new month starts as they will surely bring out a better deal, i was hoping that they bring back the $400 on online purchase coupon they had few months ago. What are your thoughts about that ? Also i would like to know is that can you suggest a better laptop than what i choosen for $1600 Canadian ?
One last thing i would like to ask you is that is there anyway you can help me out somehow with the costs a little bit more by mayb a $100, a reference ? a coupon you might not use ? Give me something please, oh dear sir (angel) hehe