Getting my laptop replaced (possibly)

Icalasari

What should I get? I want it in the $1000 range (might be willing to go to $1200 - I need it to last four and a half years at least). I need it for doing artwork in Adobe products. I would also like it to be able to handle some gaming (Portal 2 would be nice, but if it doesn't lock up playing Minecraft I'd be happy) 14 inch monitor would be great and it must have a webcamera and microphone The laptop had 4 GB RAM. I never used more than half of its total memory until recently (it lists the capacity as 275 GB). It has 7.92 virtual memory. So I guess an upgrade to 350-400 GB would be nice but not needed Any suggestions?

ninjaclown

List of the stats. Like processor, graphics card, manufacturer. I got a great i5 system for $800 that was on sale a year ago, and I've been using it for everything since, including typing this.

Icalasari

I couldn't find the graphics card listed

The processor... In the current dying laptop it is a Pentium (R) Dual Core CPI T4200@ 2.00 GHz, 2000 MHz, 2 cores (Why islt said that after saying Dual Core...), 2 Logical Processors

It is a x64-based computer

RAM is 4.00 GB

I wasn't able to decipher the rest well enough

Kinkajou

Are you gonna use it as a semi-gaming rig?

delta534

What kind of battery life do you want.

Edit: If you do not care about battery life see if you can get this. It should be able to play a good number of games, but minecraft may still lock up after a few minutes of play.

Icalasari

^^ Yes

^ Well I usually plug in when I get somewhere, but it would be nice to get something with good battery life (3... 4 hours? My current one doesn't even last two, even if I am using it minimally)

=/ Locking up during minecraft is a no no for me. I can handle it having low FPS (I am used to playing with 10 FPS), but it can't be locking up and crashing because of Minecraft

delta534

This might be a better bet for minecraft.

Crimson

This might just up your alley. Apparently, it can play even Crysis 2.

Icalasari

Now to hope for something like those being at a store I hit

Icalasari

None of them had those. So, since I'll have to look at other laptops, what are the specs I shouod be aiming for?

Crimson

Why aren't you buying online? Better selection and all.

Anyway, you should look for i5-i7 processors, NO INTEGRATED GRAPHICS CARDS IF IT SAYS INTEL DROP IT IMMEDIATELY, good cooling systems (or buy a cooling pad along with it), and anywhere from 6 to 8 GB of memory.

Icalasari

My dad doesn't trust the internet >.>

delta534

Effectively what Neo_Crimson said. They way to tell if it has an integrated intel chip is to look at the stickers on it. If it has a nvidia sticker your good, if it has a amd sticker your good, if all it has is a Intel sticker I would stay away.

Icalasari

Ok, new problem

I cannot find a laptop onlinr that does not have Intel. Even the gaming laptop I originally had my eye on has Intel

Edit: Wait, I'm seeing Intel Core with Nvidia graphic cards. I'm guessing Intel doesn't just produce graphic cards...?

delta534

Yes,  Intel produces both really good cpus and relatively shitty integrated gpus.

Icalasari

Alright then. I think I found one that meets the specs (1.6 inches larger than I wanted, but that should still fit in my backpack):

$1000 to boot due to being on sale


...And Amazon had better ship laptops to Canada or I will have to kill somebody

Crimson

Yeah, that looks like a good one. Just be sure to look at the user reviews for overheating problems. That tends to happen a lot in gaming laptops. If it does, you would want to invest in a cooling pad.

Icalasari

^ What is a cooling pad? As in, is it a fan or sorts, or...?

And would the heating be a problem for regular spriting and artwork?

Also, it's starting to become winter here. I'll probably need the heat it makes from playing Minecraft to melt the snow soon enough

Edit: Realized that I could just Google it

Seems like all I really need is an elevated surface

Any cheap cooling pads you'd recommend, or would just putting it on a cookie cooling rack work just fine?

Crimson

^A cooling pad is just a plastic pad with fans attached to it.

For artwork it shouldn't be that much of a problem unless it has REALLY bad cooling systems (not unheard of). Gaming is where you need to watch out.

Icalasari

^ Such as Minecraft (which funnily my current laptop, when it isn't throwing a fit, can handle perfectly fine. It sucks so much that it doesn't get a chance to heat above clothes fresh out of the dryer )

ClockworkUniverse

Bear in mind, Minecraft is very badly-optimized. The final release should be much better, if the creator has any programming talent (though the jury's still out on that).

Icalasari

^ Well at least Jens is on the team. From what I know, he often catches things that Notch doesn't, and is a bit more skilled

...If I was Notch, however, I'd try to work out a deal with the people behind Optifine. They seem to know what they're doing

delta534

On the subject of minecraft performance, my main issue is that it seems that neither Notch nor Jens has any clue on how opengl actually works so performance is really dependent on the systems graphic card drivers and how they handle display lists. 

Icalasari

Ok, reading the reviews makes me wonder:

How the hell is there a complaint that the 15.6" laptop is bigger than a 17"? I an worried about that weak connector that the review mentions

Crimson

I've seen that type of complaint too. It's because of the way a laptop is built (width, depth, battery size, etc.) can make it a lot larger than advertised.

delta534

I would worry about the weak connector. The 15.6" measurement only refers to the screen size not the actual size of the laptop so a 17" laptop could be smaller that 15.6 laptop.

Icalasari

^ Ah, alright then

Found another one. Seems to have no real complaints in the reviews:

Only one of it remains, and all the rest seem to fall short...

Gah why does laptop shopping have to be hard? >.<