[Il Terra Di Agea]

Well, as should be apparent, I need to buy a new Laptop. I use my current one for everything (I don't even own a desktop anymore) and my current one has taken a bit of a beating, and factoring in the problems it had when I got it (It had no freaking battery, and the screen has always flickered and gotten blurry) I've had about enough of it. That said, I love this computer more than I love many members of my family, and after my time using it, I can't downgrade.

Right now, my computer is a Toshiba Satellite P105-S6197. It has 2GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a big screen. I only have about 700$ to spend, unless I coax a bit more out of my family, which is probably a stretch.

Speaking of the screen, that's what is causing the problem, since I bought it, the right half of my screen has been plagued by rows of thin, horizontal, green lines that do not seem to go away without me bending and or flicking my screen. Lately, the lines have become much more dense, and for decent periods of time, the right half of my screen is rendered useless. Just bringing my laptop to where it is now has cost me over a hundred dollars, and I have been weighing my options if fixing the screen would be a worthwhile use of my money, because the screen alone would cost another hundred dollars, and at this point, my computer may not be worth saving, because it is already getting a bit old.

Ideally, a new laptop would have 3+ GB of RAM, a bigger hard drive, an over 16 in screen, and a separate number pad. I've been using Vista for a while now, so it should have that too.

That all said, What should I do? Try and repair, or buy a new computer all together?

[xoindotnler]

Buy a new one, it will save more than repairing it and then buying a new one.

[Shodemofi]

Definitely buy a new computer, otherwise you're just delaying the inevitability of buying a new computer while throwing your money away. Is it imperative that you get a laptop? Desktops are far cheaper and you could get a way better one for $700.

[Il Terra Di Agea]

Shodemofi, on Apr 30 2009, 09:09 PM, said:

Definitely buy a new computer, otherwise you're just delaying the inevitability of buying a new computer while throwing your money away. Is it imperative that you get a laptop? Desktops are far cheaper and you could get a way better one for $700.

Yah, it needs to be a laptop so I can carry it around. Between having ADD, and having to go back and forth from school, a laptop is really the only thing that makes sense for me to own.

[Red Dragon]

I'm also looking for a laptop (my first one). my budget is $1000 Canadian so were probably in the same price range if your talking American.

I've been looking at this: http://www.pcworld.c...spire_5920.html

[HHAYD]

There are some decent laptops that are around $200-$400, but they are not meant for modern PC games that require medium-large amount of system resources.

I think there are some in Best Buy, I haven't checked yet.

[BacTalan]

http://www.tigerdire...e...&CatId=2289

4GB of memory, 250GB drive, 17" screen, number pad, Vista, 2GHz Core 2 Duo T6400.
$750, so it's a little of a stretch, but I have one with similar specs (AMD processor with less cache, but the same RAM/hard drive/OS), and it performs great.

If the number pad isn't essential and you could make do with a 15" screen:
http://www.tigerdire...e...&CatId=2289
$100 less, smaller display, no number pad.

[Comrade Mao]

Yea, I've been looking around for a laptop too, and I've got:

http://www.walmart.c...uct_id=10250417

http://www.dell.com/...b_m1530_anav1~~

Any thoughts? I want powerful performance, and I don't care too much about weight. I've only got $1000 or so, maybe a little more.

[RyanGDI]

In all reality, I've got a Dell Inspiron 9200 and for me, it works just fine. I can play whatever I want on it (C&C 3, Red Alert 3, Crysis, Need for Speed Most Wanted etc etc) and it handles great, along with Word 2007 or whatever else. If you want something that will blaze through those games at high quality, then you'll have to chip out a bit more. But if you don't mind having the settings at low/medium for the newer games, the 128 MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 should serve you fine**. Not to mention the Centrino processor, which you can upgrade to a 2.1 Ghz* (from a 1.6 Ghz baseline) for about $150-200 via eBay.

(* - See: http://www.cpu-world...CPUs/Pentium_M/

Quote

For example, Pentium M CPU running at 1.6 GHz usually performs as fast or faster as Pentium 4 2.4 GHz while consuming much less power.

)

(** - Standard clock speeds are 445 Mhz core and 263 Mhz memory...But, I'm capable of overclocking it to 570 Mhz Core and 290 Mhz memory. Keep in mind too, on a laptop. )

This post has been edited by RyanGDI: 04 May 2009 - 02:51 PM

[shoe the fifth]

why don't you pretend to be a starving orphan in africa and get one of those charities that gives out laptops to give you a new one?

that seems like the best solution here.

[deSouza]

I just lost a disputed bid war for a MSI gx720 quadcore (used), so instead ill get a new (dualcore) one.

Geforce 9600, 4gb, 17'', 320 gb, etc etc etc.

From $750 to $1200, depending on where you get it.

[Dontasemebro]

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834152108

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834114617

Or just browse around

[DoirB]

Buy a new one. Repairs are like band-aids. Sooner or later you'll get another problem and the bill will just pile up.