Need help getting a laptop.

So I am getting ready to get a new laptop and I was wondering if you guys had some advice. Some things to keep in mind.

I am going off to college in the fall, so I need something that is going to be good for my classes and studying and etc.

I want something that is good to play poker on.

Something with a long battery would be nice as well.


Any suggestions?

laptop wall.JPG (http://www.cardschat.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37885&d=1304797025) You get * 17.3" Dell Laptop
* Backpack carrying case for laptop
*Usb Flash drive
* Canon Wireless printer so you can
print from anywhere in your house
* Wireless mouse a must to play
Poker
ALL for $634.00 great deal

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Student-Ho...er/10966053#rr
I would def get the 17.3" ;aptop i love my HP G71 17.3"
http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-g7-1019wm/15833184

biggest screen you can , most memory.

this is where I get my stuff

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Id_6_H24-15190

Thanks for the feedback. Price is not a big factor, I am getting as a gift.

Hell, go for broke, SSD, 4+gig, quad core. Just don't go Apple.

What might be better is for you to think hard about how you will use it. For example, you might go smaller screen if the board has higher end graphics for a 2nd monitor that sits at home.

If there is an option to get increased cooling capabilities, get it. Also get a spare battery.

Why would you not go apple? I've had my computer for 4 years and never had a problem. I know people with windows and have seen their computers crash the day before a big lab was due. School work should be a priority and it is by ar the best with a mac. Windows is slow and buggy. The poker is a bit more limited but you can easily partition your mac and add windows to it.

Apple's computers are just toys not for any serious tasks. When you use a computer, you are actually using software on that computer. The computer is just a platform to run those software. With PC running windows you will have more than 10 times the software you can run on it. Because Apple makes its computer a closed system and there very few developers for it. 99.9% of large coporations use PC/Windows instead Apple/Mac.

"Windows is slow" Do you have any ideas what are you talking about? Apple/Mac switch to Intel's CPU because PC/Windows is faster.

Apple/Mac is for people who know very little about computers. Apple does not allow you to build you own Mac, you have to buy a pro build Mac from Apple. Most IT persons build their own PCs and they will never a get Mac from Apple.

Thanks for the reply's.

I am thinking about getting this.

Amazon.com: HP Pavilion dv7-4170us 17.3-Inch...
17.3 inch screen and 7 hour battery life sounds good for me.

Personally I like Dell. I currently have two laptops I use Dell 15" Inspiron & a 17"Acer.. both are fine.
As far as the suggestion above to go with some extra performance blah blah blah to run a 2nd monitor... pleasezz... even my 4yr. Dell works great with a 2nd 23" monitor.
Between my partner & myself we have had at least 8-10 laptops in the past 2yrs. -> Toshiba, HP(x2), Dell (x5), Acer (x2), & Asus. I've preferred the Dell (but it's been close).
These days you can get a good laptop for f'n cheap!! A few years ago, 2GB Ram was very cool... now you're looking at 4GB being standard even in the cheaper models. A decent processor & 4GB Ram will be good to go for any poker you'll ever likely play (ie. on an Acer 4GB Ram with kind of a cheapo out-dated Intel Pentium processor I will run 5 poker sites & can have over 20tables running, along with poker software (PT3, pokerprolabs), talking on Skype, checking out emails, watching a poker training vid., listening to a PokerPodcast & surfing the web all at the same time & never miss a beat..... what more could you need?). Unless you're needing your computer for some funky applications & are making movies or something, a standard model on the market these days will be uber good enough imo (although I'm fairly computer illiterate... yah.. even though we've owned so many of them.... we tend to give them out for gifts & then go grab another, lol). The two I'm currently using are 2 & 4yrs. old... both are fine for anything I'd ever want to do.
Also, I've shopped for laptops the past while at Walmart. They have great deals on there. Dell also runs some good specials at times & are cheap (service has been good for me with Dells also).
A few years ago I found that some laptops would have a bit of a heating issue (had cooling pads w fans for all of them & would also blast an external fan at my desk to keep them cooler).. but I haven't noticed that with any in the past 2yrs. (no longer bother with cooling pads but do keep the back ends of them elevated on a board/pad thingy I make for them, to allow for decent airflow under them.
My partner's favourites: 1st - Dell, 2nd - Toshiba, 3rd - Acer, (HP was actually last). Mine: 1st - Dell, 2nd - Acer (& they're f'n CHEAP!!!)

Personally I'd go check out the Dell website.
If money is not an issue I'd get the XPS17 but I'm sure the 17R Inspiron would be way more than all you'd need.
Also, a 17" laptop is a bit of a clunker to be carrying around school all the time. I'd probably go with a 15"... 'but' if you're playing alot of poker > 17" for sure! (I can easily tile 6 tables on a 17" laptop... the 15" - 4tables).
When I first started purchasing Dell laptops, part of the reason (at the time) was that you could get a machine that'd be priced 40% higher for other brands but would be comparable or better (ie. a few yrs. ago, bought a Dell for ~$900.. that'd be $1400-1500 for same/similiar features found on another make). Some don't like Dell but I've never had a problem with them ever.

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Dell 17R Inspiron $649.gif (29.3 KB, 94 views)

Dell 17R.jpg (34.6 KB, 93 views)

xps17.gif (27.9 KB, 94 views)

I agree with most of above... except the 'bold'.. obviously, lol. (take 'game theory' & 'Math' & try to hook up with some good poker players in a dorm.)

That's what I bought. Also with High def screen resolution (1920 x 1080) blue ray and 8gigs of memory. Extended life battery as well.

Note though that the bigger the screen and bigger the battery, the heavier to tote around.

I got a nice deal on my dell by getting it from the outlet store there. saved a bundle and got the above specs for ~900 before the extras warranty I bought. Check out the dell studio XPS models

Hi! I feel comfortable with my Macbook Pro 15" (late 2009). I worked hard for it in my holidays and i recommend it. Visit www.apple.com. Either u are a friend or an oppenent ;-)
i have a lot with with my Macbook -> great display, sound, and great poker experience!

Here is my biggest gripe about Apple.

When you buy an Apple system, historically, the upgrades you can do to that system are time limited. You can not put a newer OSx on an older Apple. This is a business model Apple decided on long ago. Perfectly good hardware dies prematurely due to it. This translates directly to your pocket.

With Windows, each version will load onto systems at least twice as old (hardware wise) as will OSx on old Apples.

Now add in that both systems use the same hardware these days, and the Apple business model, is wasteful, and at least unecological. And there is nothing an apple can do that a PC can't do, but there are lots of things a PC can do that an Apple won't, until it fakes itself into thinking it is a PC.

All that said, I have had a sort of soft spot for Apples because they generally have taken several extra steps to elegant hardware design. When I fixed PC's for a living, I was always impressed with the early Apple laptops which used only 1 screw, versus the early Toshiba laptops which used 100's (seemingly anyway) and they were all different sizes (seemingly again).

So, congrats on your new system.

Thank you all for the feedback.

Its tough...I have went back and fourth. I have been looking at the macbook pro. Seems like one of the nicest ones out there, plus this will be one of the last times I can get a laptop so I want go all out. I have decided that im going to get a 15 inch as well...as much as I would like to play on a 17 inch it would be too much to carry around. How is playing poker on the mac from the members that do? Any different? I think merge just started going on mac like two years ago which is a big for me since I play on Carbon.

One of my brother roommates hooks up his mac laptop to his tv a lot but I don't know if he uses a apple tv or not.

15" to 17.3" is not really any dif carrying aroung really

Asus makes some amazing laptops; I think they are inspired by alienware.


Another thought: if you are multi-tabling, maybe get a 28 inch flatscreen HDTV and an HDMI cord so you can use two screens. Thats what I did before I got my desktop. Plus, you can use the HDTV with your Xbox - a must-have for college!

If you were to add a poll to this thread I'm thinkin' Dell would take it down.

Agree with HP pavilion one...
Apple is a pure rip-off that's only good for noobs!
I've had my HP Pavilion with windows 7 for almost 2 years and haven't had a single problem!I know what 2 programs to use as protection and system tuning that's all it takes!

I've had an HP Pavilion dv9000 for the past 3 years (17" monitor) and I love it. I play poker on it, written out tons of documents, etc. Although my husband has a Dell (not sure what type) with a slightly bigger screen, and his is way lighter than mine.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-XH107UA-ABA/15063375

I have went back and fourth, my new favorite is this.

Amazon.com: Sony VAIO VPC-F13YFX/B 16.4-Inch...
It's sharp. Seems like it would be great for poker, high-definition 16.4-inch screen. It has a HDMI port that I could connect to my HDTV and play poker on it and watch moves and etc. Only weights 6.4 pounds so it would be good to carry around on campus as well.

Still looking at the dell xps and the macbook pro and hp pavilion.

sent you a pm. 'IF' I was getting a laptop I'd go for the Dell 17" & then with the extra $'s you'd be saving, invest in a 23-24" monitor ftw!!

well i use a dell and i like it alot... I would to go with the biggest screen and fast gamer one..... works better with online poker.....

I have 6 computers at the moment. 2 Apples and 4 various Windows based OS. I have a recording studio, and I play live as well. And while I agree that a PC with Windows based OS is certainly more versatile for the average PC user - and I would 100% go windows for any poker and office oriented computers - your very first sentence in this post shows you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You may not like Apple, and Apples monopoly type service and structure can be very annoying, but to say something like that is just kinda dumb.

As a user of PC and mac, many office applications, poker tracking software etc. work better (or sometimes only) with windows.

I got myself an Acer Emachines 19'' laptop last year (gave it to Bianca so that she would stop complaining about me sitting infront of the PC all day)
and it works pretty well for playing up to 4 tiled tables.
I'm using it more than the PC (which has a 24'' display) - go figure Bianca .
Cost about 600 Euros here.

I can comfortably fit 6 tables on a 17"laptop with no overlap but I guess I'm just accustomed to looking at very small tables. There's actually ~1" space along the bottom of the screen too (which is convenient for viewing pokerprolabs ).
I can also get 12 tables on a 23" Acer monitor with just an tiny bit of overlap (width-wise).
Here's a screenshot of 6tables on my 17" Acer laptop.

Attached Images

6tables on 17 laptop.jpg (88.2 KB, 44 views)

Just go to tigerdirect, and build yourself a nice desktop.. this is my first laptop, and i'm not enjoying it too much. if you insist on a laptop i guess just look for something with a big screen, lots of ram, adequate hdd and a graphix card and processor that suites your needs

Tiger direct usually has the best deals whether you are building your own machine or buying something. I would look for anything good thats on sale through them. Thats where I got my Asus, came with a 3 year warranty, had it for about a year with no problems so far, the hdmi cord is great for multi tabling I just put the screen up on my 36 inch hdtv.

Just rake $1000 at lock and get a free Ipad2

Dell and ASUS have good reviews on consumer reports.
I dont think I'd get another HP again.
gl