Which one...Can't decide!!!

[Amphiprion]

Alright. I've been given a rare opportunity. I get to get rid of my antiquated laptop and get a much better one as a gift. I have been told that I have ~$2500 limit, +/-$150. Needless to say, I flipped out. In any case, I really, really like HD entertainment--I deal a lot with videos and video encoding, as well as disc-making. Basically, mobility and size isn't an issue, since it acts as a desktop replacement. Here are the two customized choices it all came down to:

HP HDX 18t which has the following:
-18.4" HD UltraBright View Infinity Display
-Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor (2.8 GHz)
-4 GB DDR2 RAM
-512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
-1 TB (terabyte) 5400rpm SATA hard drive
-Built-in webcam/fingerprint reader
-Intel NextGen Wireless-N mini card plus Bluetooth
-LightScribe Bluray ROM; CD/DVD R RW+/- double layer
-Integrated HDTV tuner
-8 cell Li+ battery
-64 bit Windows Vista Ultimate
$2474.99 in total

OR (the sexy option):
Sony VAIO VGN-AW190
-18.4" XBRITE FullHD screen
-Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor 2.8GHz
-4 GB DDR2 SDRAM
-512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with HDMI OUT (yay)
--first stump in options: 640 GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive OR a 640GB Hybrid solid state drive (64 GB SSD)--the SSD is a lot more expensive, but manageable--OR 1TB 4200 rpm (seems a bit slow to me) HDD
-Intel Wireless card and Bluetooth
-CD/DVD +/- R/RW; Bluray ROM/Bluray RW (yes, a bluray writing drive :))
-integrated HDTV tuner
-extended battery life (whatever that means), normally ~2.5 hours, but it will be plugged in most of the time
-compact flash drive
-Vista Ultimate
-built in camera and microphone (1.3 megapixel) with face tracking technology
$2594.99

Right now, I'm leaning toward the Sony...

[Virtuoso2K12]

sexy option.

[gustavo85]

I'd go with the Sony and the fast drive.

[Mgamer20o0]

ok one thing with blu ray drives is they suck down the power..... that just defeats the whole portable idea. also if your not hooking it up to a tv really from what i have seen there isnt much differance. if you want blu ray get a stand alone player. ssd isnt all that its cracked up to be. i read that windows takes it as a reg drive and tried to defrag it which lowers the life span. the lower rpm hard drive just means it will take longer to read write find not sure how that will effect the speeds.... never used the slower speed before.

[Amphiprion]

I don't really mind the low portability option--it is mainly meant as a desktop replacement. It'll stay at home on my desk.

[Mgamer20o0]

then get a desktop lol

[SchizotypalVamp]

I agree, get a desktop. For what it lacks in lounging around it makes up in a great increase in power for lower price.

[Amphiprion]

Don't have the room for a full desktop--that is why I want a desktop "replacement," lol. I want something that approaches the capabilities of a desktop, but can be more compact. I am in a living situation that prevents me from having the space necessary for a decent desktop--I don't even have a desk, since i use a small table instead ( I affectionately call it a "desk").

[SchizotypalVamp]

I personally like the Sony lol.

[Mgamer20o0]

have you checked out the business class computers.... small towers...... you can have the same type set up for what $1000 less heck take the money and buy a bigger screen or something..... i dont know personally i am not thrilled with laptops but thats just me......

or how about....



Intel Core 2 Duo T8300 (2.4GHz/800Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-bit
Standard Display with 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
500GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW Drive)
128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini Card
56Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Biometric Fingerprint Reader
McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 24-months
Microsoft Works
1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis

Dell EPP (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=15375&lno=1&afsrc=1) has well equipped XPS m1330 laptop for $819 ($787 with DPA).


http://h41131.www4.hp.com/media2.php/Heather/g7057004072007%20large.JPG

http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/HP-rp5700-desktop.jpg

[Amphiprion]

Well, I caved in to all of your comments about desktops and decided to go with one. Really, it was an easy decision after seeing the boatloads of better features you can get by getting a desktop--all for the same price as a laptop! It became a no brainer and I ended up getting over my tight space issues. You'll see I sort of went in the opposite direction of "compact," lol. Here's a full description of the setup:

-HP w2558hc 25.5-inch Vivid Color Widescreen Flat-Panel Monitor with Integrated Speakers, 1920x1200, x2 HDMI, ambient light sensor, built-in
15-in-1 media card reader, 2 USB ports, webcam 2.0 mP

-HP Pavilion Elite d5100t ATX PC
- Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Quad processor Q9550 (2.83GHz)
- 8GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM (4x2048)
- 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT, 2 DVI, HDMI adapter
- 1TB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
- Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R )
- Blu-ray writer & Lightscribe SuperMulti DVD burner
- 16x max. DVD-ROM
- 15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, 1394, audio, video (for TV Tuner)
- TV tuner, dual format ATSC-NTSC with PVR, remote
- Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium
- Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
- Norton 360(TM ) - 15 month
- HP wireless keyboard and HP wireless optical mouse
- 320 GB 5400rpm HP Pocket Media Drive
- 1 TB 7200 rpm HP Personal Media Drive with bay
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

All this for around the same price as the laptop with their special sale.

[Amphiprion]

Actually, the keyboard/mouse combo was changed. Instead it is:

Logitech DiNovo Edge Keyboard w/ TouchPad

[J double R]

are there even enough deviced capable of playing home-burned blu-ray to make it worthwhile?

go with the AMD processor option.... oh wait.. there isnt one. ;)

and remember.. that super-cool quad core processor is pretty much a pre-emptive paperweight, unless they upgraded the majority of software last night and I didn't notice.

[The Zigman]

FYI...the AMD Phenom is Quad core...

Also 4200 RPM is pretty much the standard for laptop drives.
I bought a bare bones HP laptop, and gutted it, and swapped in new RAM and A new HDD... Now its FAST, and cost me like $750.

[Amphiprion]

are there even enough deviced capable of playing home-burned blu-ray to make it worthwhile?

go with the AMD processor option.... oh wait.. there isnt one. ;)

and remember.. that super-cool quad core processor is pretty much a pre-emptive paperweight, unless they upgraded the majority of software last night and I didn't notice.

Most of the newer stats show Intel being the better processor ATM. I had the AMD option elsewhere, but I just wasn't impressed with what I was seeing. That's why I went Intel over AMD. Not sure what you mean by paperweight--seems pretty functional from what I've seen. FWIW, I have a PS3 (new firmware) that accepts home-burned Blurays (even BD-LTH), as well as my new Bluray drive :). So yes, very worthwhile for me. The CPU is connected to my TV via one of the HDMI ports, so I can watch it on my 52" 1080p Bravia.

[gustavo85]

Sounds all good!! To Alabama everybody!!! ;)