Hey folks,
So my PC crashed and is in all kinds of jumbles. I wanted to upgrade to Windows 7 (probably a full wipe and fresh install of Win7 Home Full), but lately I'd been eying laptops so I could game on the go and at college, and I am enlisting as a firefighter (hopefully) sometime in 2010 and having a laptop while I'm at the firehouse would be sweet.
What I'm looking for in a laptop:
*To spend $400-$450 TOPS. Lower ($200-$350) is better
*Used is fine, as long as it's clean and works well. I do prefer new tho'
*Able to play most medium-end modern games (Counter-Strike: Source, TF2, Champions Online specifically,) and maybe some future MMOs and shooter -- like TOR, APB and Global Agenda - if at all possible. I don't care if they're not running on maxed graphics - I'd just like to run them smoothly, which is all I'm expecting out of a laptop
*Win7 or XP -- 32- or 64-bit, either, but PLEEEASE no Vista. XP is great if it means it won't be ridiculously overpriced ;P
*Screen needs to be, at smallest 12-13" - widescreen(?) and/or LCD preferred, but I'll go with whatever isn't too costly [would be fine with a small laptop screen if I can hook the laptop itself up to a larger screen, such as my 42" HDTV or my 19" monitor]
*Battery life = win, since I tend to use computers for six to twenty hours a day depending on insomnia -- if I can plug it in and keep it charged, or replace the battery on the go, all the better -- I'm not familiar with laptop hardware
I had been eying a barebone laptop kit so that I might add and replace parts myself, but I don't know how ridiculously expensive they are or aren't. More information's awesome!
If this is at all plausible, used or new or barebone kit, please let me know! I'm fine with buying whole laptops off NewEgg, or CyberPowerPCs, or ibuypower -- anywhere that I can get a reliable laptop. Thanks for bearing with my 500 questions/requests!
So my PC crashed and is in all kinds of jumbles. I wanted to upgrade to Windows 7 (probably a full wipe and fresh install of Win7 Home Full), but lately I'd been eying laptops so I could game on the go and at college, and I am enlisting as a firefighter (hopefully) sometime in 2010 and having a laptop while I'm at the firehouse would be sweet.
What I'm looking for in a laptop:
*To spend $400-$450 TOPS. Lower ($200-$350) is better
*Used is fine, as long as it's clean and works well. I do prefer new tho'
*Able to play most medium-end modern games (Counter-Strike: Source, TF2, Champions Online specifically,) and maybe some future MMOs and shooter -- like TOR, APB and Global Agenda - if at all possible. I don't care if they're not running on maxed graphics - I'd just like to run them smoothly, which is all I'm expecting out of a laptop
*Win7 or XP -- 32- or 64-bit, either, but PLEEEASE no Vista. XP is great if it means it won't be ridiculously overpriced ;P
*Screen needs to be, at smallest 12-13" - widescreen(?) and/or LCD preferred, but I'll go with whatever isn't too costly [would be fine with a small laptop screen if I can hook the laptop itself up to a larger screen, such as my 42" HDTV or my 19" monitor]
*Battery life = win, since I tend to use computers for six to twenty hours a day depending on insomnia -- if I can plug it in and keep it charged, or replace the battery on the go, all the better -- I'm not familiar with laptop hardware
I had been eying a barebone laptop kit so that I might add and replace parts myself, but I don't know how ridiculously expensive they are or aren't. More information's awesome!
If this is at all plausible, used or new or barebone kit, please let me know! I'm fine with buying whole laptops off NewEgg, or CyberPowerPCs, or ibuypower -- anywhere that I can get a reliable laptop. Thanks for bearing with my 500 questions/requests!
