New Comp.

[deadkoo]

Ok, now I am computer Literate. I can't write a firewall, but i can setup a DSL modem.

I want to get a new Labtop, but I can't decide whether I should go buy one, or make one.

I'm terrified of making one 'cause, A. I would have no idea what I was doing, and B. I seem to have a knack for breaking things that don't have warranties.

I looked at alienware, and am thinkin about gettin an Aurora M9700 tricked out. But not sure, alienware has this wierd thing where they want me to E-mail/fax a copy of my credit card to them along with a bill, and unfortunatly /me has bad credit so I gotta use a relatives that is old school and doesn't wanna do that... Blah.

So... anyone got any ideas?

The max I wanna spend is about 2,500 Euro.

thx for any help.

[Demetrius]

First off it is laptop, secondly you can't really build your own as you can with a desktop, you buy the configuration you want and that is about it. You can't really screw them up because they're all prebuilt. With 2500 euros you can buy whatever the heck you want, that is enough to get a top of the lin laptop and a fairly decent desktop. What are you looking to do with the thing?

[deadkoo]

Huh, shows how much I know about hardware I guess...


Mainly gaming, and sound producing/editing.

[Demetrius]

Are you sure you want a laptop for this? I mean with what you're spending you can get a really sparkly system, but with a desktop you can get all of the hardware bits you can dream of and not have to worry about not being able to upgrade.

[deadkoo]

... Well, i thought about a desktop, but I travel a lot, not to mention when I am home, space is a definite issue... (I sleep on the couch...) and if i'm gonna plug some cash into an uber system, then I want to A. be able to play it any/all times and B. stash/hide/secure it somewhere my roomates/cat/dogs wont bust it.

btw, thanks for the help..

Meister sez: Edit not double post please.

[synkr0nized]

Just a note, you can purchase laptop shells (keyboard, LCD screen, touchpad), motherboards and processors, and cards if you look around. It may not be 100% like building a desktop, but it's still building a laptop.


Edit --Hmm, most barebone kits that I am now finding bring along the mobo/processor, though you can select what you want from a small list. I had thought I had seen these components separate from the barebone shell itself before, but perhaps I am mistaken.

[Bob the Mercenary]

For Sound/Video editing I'd definitely recommend an HP Pavillion. You can get those tricked out enough to handle whatever editing you're doing for about a quarter the price of an Alienware. And for that price you can get a fantastic machine.

[Arlia Janet]

I don't mean to sound mean here, but I think that spending 2500 Euros (almost 3500 USD) on a computer is a bad idea. Alienware is for the insanely rich or the professional gamers who think that those extra nanoseconds saved will give them an edge. For 99% of gamers, it's like using a sledgehammer to squish an ant. It's more than you'll ever need.

Consider the opportunity cost of spending the extra 1500-2000 euros. What do you get if you spend it on alienware- marginally better graphics and an expensive label. The difference in happiness you would get from a regular gaming computer vs alienware in the long run is probably very small- it's the exact same gaming experience except the shadows and textures are a little crisper. On the other hand, the happiness you could get by investing the 1500-2000 euros that you saved could be enormous. You could invest it, use it pay off rent for x many months, buy games, invest it, buy a bed, repair your car, save for a rainy day, invest it, etc.

You want to maximize your investment in a computer (ie. not waste money on things you don't need). You've identified your needs- gaming and audio editing. Your standard pc or laptop with a ram and possible processor upgrade are more than enough for both of these needs. Hell, the new iMac is much cheaper now, can be dual booted, comes with iLife and Garage Band (some of the best, easiest to use audio software I've seen... for free), and probably takes up as little desk space as my laptop. You could get a Dell XPS that would be more than enough for those needs for only 1250 euros. You just cut the cost of your purchase in HALF. Think about all the things you can do with that money you saved while still getting the same gaming experience.

[Demetrius]

AJ, if you become an investment banker I will give you my money to deal with.

Oh, and topically I agree with AJ. That is an insane amount to spend, especially on a laptop, though if you do want to have more options I would suggest an expandable docking station for your sound/video applications.