Computer Question

[GOMU1104]

NEED a new computer...relatively soon. Question about processers for anyone that might know.

Looking at the Sony Vaio that comes with either the i3, i5, or i7 processors. I was going to split the difference and go with the i5. Unfortunately, Best Buy is all sold out of them and I dont want to spend the $ for the i7.

Will I be missing anything if I drop down to the i3?  I dont game or download or anything excessive like that.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Hards Alumni]

my personal opinion.  If you aren't going to game or download or watch HD quality movies or anything on your computer, dont go crazy.  Definitely don't spend more than $700.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146612&cm_sp=NotebookDeal-_-34-146-612-_-05122010

This computer is pretty good for the price.  Otherwise check out the rest of the site.  You should be able to find something pretty nice for a great price.

[mu_hilltopper]

Seconded.

I am a power user and work in IT.  With the exception of video editing, I use my laptop for a ton of things for hours per day.  I bought it on a ridiculous sale at Best Buy for $250 four months ago.  It works wonderfully.  The CPU?  A "puny" Celeron 900.

If you are replacing a laptop that's 2+ years old .. guess what.  Even a Celeron 900 will run rings around it.  The i3?  Will be PLENTY.

There are a ton of high quality laptops in the $400-500 range.  The i3 is nice, but you will do fine with something "older" like the 2 core mobile intels or AMDs that have flooded the market.  If you can get an i3 at that price, sure, go for it.  The link to that newegg Lenovo?  Overkill for most users.

As for the comment "watch HD quality movies" .. dunno what that is about.  I routinely play Hulu videos on my 42" screen at 720p with my crappy $250 laptop.

[Hards Alumni]

HD would require a decent video card... which if you don't need, can save you a lot of money.

I agree that the link I posted is probably overkill.

[GOMU1104]

Going from a desktop to laptop.

As long as MLB.tv and ESPN360 show up fine, that is really all I need, video wise.

I had a good run with my Vaio desktop (bought in '04), so I am partial to moving to the Vaio laptop.

[mu_hilltopper]

FWIW, as I said, my crappy $250 laptop with an integrated, cheapo video card shows 720p hulu video just peachy.

[shaquilvaine]

I'm gonna hijack this thread and ask if anyone has any recs for a very durable laptop for under 800 bucks.  It will be used by wife solely for surfing the net, word processing and storing her itunes.  She had an acer that was beat to hell by the kids and lasted one year. 

[mu_hilltopper]

Here's my recommendation.  Watch this forum:

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/computers-laptop/

If you watch it for a week or so, someone will post a laptop that fits exactly what you need at a very solid price.  -- That's how I scored my $250 laptop deal at Best Buy last xmas.  (Of course, that kind of crazy deal only happens maybe once a year.  I kick myself for not buying 3 of them.)

[mu_hilltopper]

Boom.  Solid deal posted.  $500 for a Dell, 15", 4 gig ram, 500 gigs disk, T4400 dual core and a built in webcam.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-15.6-Inspiron-1545-Laptop-PC-with-Intel-Pentium-Dual-Core-T4400-Processor-Windows-7-Home-Premium/13378164

You could hold out for a $400 deal, but this is pretty solid for a Dell.  Plenty of horsepower for what you want to do.

[reinko]

Boom.  Solid deal posted.  $500 for a Dell, 15", 4 gig ram, 500 gigs disk, T4400 dual core and a built in webcam.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-15.6-Inspiron-1545-Laptop-PC-with-Intel-Pentium-Dual-Core-T4400-Processor-Windows-7-Home-Premium/13378164

You could hold out for a $400 deal, but this is pretty solid for a Dell.  Plenty of horsepower for what you want to do.