I’m contemplating a new laptop. My little Fujitsu tablet gets the job done, but with Starcraft II and WoW Cataclysm on the horizon, and my grumpiness at not being able to use UDK, it may be time to move on.
I got my tablet for grad school, and used it and its tablet feature to death all throughout. I do draw with it occasionally now and again, but I don’t think I’m in the market for a tablet PC in the future.
Nor do I want a desktop. Getting rid of my desktop towards the end of grad school was incredibly liberating, and the thought of getting another one and all the baggage it brings along is exhausting (baggage being monitors, speakers, a desk, a chair, etc…)
I am looking for a laptop:
– with a dedicated video card
– on which I’m able to enjoy the highest graphics settings in WoW and still get a good framerate
– used primarily for gaming and development, but not an actual gaming rig
– reasonably affordable
I do not want a mac (sorry, Eric)
Shopping around Newegg, something like this seems up my alley, though I’ve never heard of ZT before. The reviews seem good, all the same, and with having to buy Windows 7 on top of it, it would put me in the $1000 range.
Honestly, though, by the time I save up the money, there will probably be something else better on the market for about the same price.
Input desired. Thoughts? Suggestions?
If you can life with cheap “pseudo-glossy” plastic look i can highly recommend the Samsung Notebook Series. I got myself one because of the very good price/performance relation and for the 2 years i’m using it it never let me down.
Their Pro-Sides are:
+ really bright screens
+ good reliability (as long as you don’t intend to let em drop somewhere)
+ good pricing
+ decent to good battery life (some NBs can be upgraded with a bigger battery)
+ friendly support
+ lots of connectors and stuff
Con-Sides:
– rather cheap plastic that can be bent
– dumb glossy-look that attracts fingerprints (i hate that!)
Just search Amazon for “Samsung Notebook”. They come in all sizes and setups so you might find a fitting one for any budget and requirement.
I will investigate! The look of the machine itself isn’t a huge priority, as long as it runs well. Also, I’m always plugged in while gaming, so battery life, while important, isn’t too critical.
Mrrr, after some investigation, it looks like the Samsung series all have integrated graphics cards. Alas! I need a dedicated card to be able to run UDK 🙁