Travel Technology - Laptop advice for Colllege Junior

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My son, a physics major, is looking to replace his laptop.

He has a 15.6" Dell, with 500GB HD, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, Intel Core Duo T6600 running at 2.2 GHz, HDMI and a non BluRay optical drive. I am not sure about HD rpm or RAM speed.



He has had this laptop since his senior year in High School. When I bouggjt it for him, I was under no illusion that it was a high power machine.




Now he wants a powerful machine. No doubt, it was prompted by a desire to get gaming laptop, which in my mind should not be the primary consideration. But a unit capable of gaming can be put to god use by a physics major.




I will appreciate suggestions for 17 inch laptop powerful enough for him to serve him for the next couple of years.
My budget is around $1200. Is it doable?

I checked on Amazon for a 17" laptop with a Core i7 processor, and the cheapest was $1450.

Dell Outlet Store: XPS 17 from $900 to $1200
HP Outlet: Not seeing many 17s but the few there are $800-$1400

So yes its possible IF you and he can live with a refurb.

a lot of graphic designers/gamers use the dell xps 17 as the best entry option if not going super 'custom'

I would probably go with that.

Make sure you purchase from a place that offers an accidental damage replacement plan

A couple of thoughts:

Have him check with his school for special academic deals-- my university offers pretty good deals on computers and software to students and faculty.

See if people in his department have any strong feelings about mac vs pc-- some of the specialized software that we run is better on one vs. the other. Most of my department uses PCs, which simplifies things when it comes to sending documents back and forth.

Costco is always a good option for a decent and well priced laptop with a 90-day return policy and a free extended warranty. You could do pretty well for $1200.

But a unit capable of gaming can be put to god use by a physics major.

For gaming and most "stuff", a core i5 will do very nicely. My experience of a Core i5 + SSD Latitude 6320 v Core i7 QM + HDD XPS17 is that the former handily outperforms the latter in most general use situations. The XPS is the winner (not by a huge margin) where sustained processor is required - eg converting music or video files.

The Lenovo outlet is also a good place to search for good refurbished laptops.

Try this for Dell XPS17 Core i5 + SSD (all under $1000): http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dfh&cs=22&puid=5483a330

I will appreciate suggestions for 17 inch laptop powerful enough for him to serve him for the next couple of years.
My bidget is around $1200. Is it doable?It's still not clear what the laptop is going to be used for.

You can get one for $400 that'll be generally over-powered for 90% of everyday use. But $1,200?

does he need a portable? when they get bigger, the price differential between laptop and desktop really does jump.

Just had a Dell crash, software, then hardware real joke...

Bought it at Costco, 60 days ago took it back, no problem..

Have new Computer, never buy a dell again....they blame the SW them the HW,

If I ever buy any computer and I will it will be from Costco, never From Dell....

90 day swap, no problem...

It's still not clear what the laptop is going to be used for.

You can get one for $400 that'll be generally over-powered for 90% of everyday use. But $1,200?

Are you asking what a physics or, engineering major can use a laptop for, or what some might use it for?
He can test algorithms for signal processing, produce animations from numerical simulations, such as vibration of a beam, or a plate, using FEA.
Some routine and mundane stuff, such as storing, organising or processing your music, videos etc, for which I too question the expense, is also very demanding.
I tend to agree with you that in general, a $600, not $400, laptop. would suffice for most college students if all they are going to do is surf, the web, some web searches, and communicate.
Although, I know he does not have a clear idea of what he will use it for, I can see many uses for computing power.

Frankly, any middle of the road laptops (i5) should be more than enough. If school work requires high processing power or data intensive computing, I am sure the school has servers/workstations that can handle those tasks.

Ate you asking what a physics or, engineering major can use a laptop for, or what some might use it for? I was saying that you did not make it clear what the laptop would be used for. A $400 laptop is still very good at processing music/video, testing signal processing algorithms - you know, the mundane uses.

My laptop $500 laptop, bought 2.5 years ago, does this pretty well. You can argue that this laptop now costs $600. :)

He may also want to factor in portability--a large 17" gaming laptop will be large and heavy. Something like one of the Ultrabook systems or other ultraportables might be more of what he may eventually want--and they should have enough processing power for pretty much anything that doesn't need an engineering workstation.

Then he can save up for a desktop gaming rig plus external monitor so he can upgrade the graphics, etc. without throwing out your investment in displays, etc.

For both desktops and laptops, there are the new Ivy Bridge/3rd Generation Core processors that are starting to appear in the market--and the possibility for discounts on last year's systems.

With guys discussing specific memory, HDD and screen size options, there are few thoughts about the producer. From my experience (Toshiba - Acer - MSI - Sony) Sony was by far the best quality. In everything: ruggedness of the frame, quality of the keyboard, screen parameters, effective angle, etc.

He may also want to factor in portability--a large 17" gaming laptop will be large and heavy. Something like one of the Ultrabook systems or other ultraportables might be more of what he may eventually want--and they should have enough processing power for pretty much anything that doesn't need an engineering workstation.It's quite possible that the "portability" issue is moot for Joe College if he has an iPad or tablet. That has become many GenYer's "tote along" computer. The 17" gamer then becomes, for all intents and purposes, his desktop computer that just happens to be portable for the two times a year he needs it in another place.

Why are you looking for suggestions for him? Shouldn't he know what he wants or needs?

Why are you looking for suggestions for him? Shouldn't he know what he wants or needs?
I have to thank you for taking the trouble to read this thread and respond to it.
:rolleyes:Thanks that was very helpful. :rolleyes:

Why are you looking for suggestions for him? Shouldn't he know what he wants or needs?

Probably because OP is the one who'll be buying it? I do somewhat agree - you'd think the son would have some idea of what he wants, especially given that this generation is so plugged in.

Anyway, how about something like this:
http://shopping2.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/HP-Pavilion/A3G47AV?HP-Pavilion-dv7t-7000-Quad-Edition-Entertainment-Notebook-PC

Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 1GB graphics for $1000.

Buy him whatever, but do it with discounted gift cards from card pool, plastic jungle or giftcards.com. You can get these for Best Buy, OfficeMax, RadioShack and etc. Teach the kiddo that paying retail is for suckers and poke your finger right in the eye of our government officials who are now goosing inflation.

Right now I am accumulating RadioShack cards to drop the cost of an I-Pad by 8%. That trick also works nicely for cell phones and top up plans.

And when kiddo wants to learn the physics of free flight for his summer vacation who ya gonna call?:D

:rolleyes:
Thanks that was very helpful. :rolleyes:

I was saying that you did not make it clear what the laptop would be used for. A $400 laptop is still very good at processing music/video, testing signal processing algorithms - you know, the mundane uses.

My laptop $500 laptop, bought 2.5 years ago, does this pretty well. You can argue that this laptop now costs $600. :)

You asked a good question. A $400-600 laptop might be adequate, but adequate is not always sufficient. I could not afford to buy books when I was in college and still my grades did not suffer. It made things a lot harder though. For me, I would be happy with a $400-$600 laptop.
He doesn't want me to pay for it. He has sought my advice, and I want him to make the best use of his money. I am not worried about him spending more than he needs to, or buying computing power that he doesn't need. I want him to get something he would not be happy with. He was very happy with the Dell we got two and half years ago, but finds it to be sluggish now. I would be OK with your suggestion. One of my early computers at work had a 1MB RAM and a 20MB HD and a 286 CPU, which was replaced with 386 with 4MB RAM(can't recall the HD size). :)
SO how much if an over kill is a $1000 laptop? He has come down to $1000. I do think that he might find a 17 inch laptop be too bulky.

Probably because OP is the one who'll be buying it? I do somewhat agree - you'd think the son would have some idea of what he wants, especially given that this generation is so plugged in.
He is paying for it. I told him I would, but he wants to pay for it himself. He does sort of know what he wants. We are trying to refine it. He is got several scholarships that pay for most of his college. Summer iobs are hard to come by. He makes some money working for a storage company, mowing lawns (all physical work, no physics).
The unhelpful/rude remark up-thread was absolutely not necessary nor relevant.
Anyway, how about something like this:
http://shopping2.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/HP-Pavilion/A3G47AV?HP-Pavilion-dv7t-7000-Quad-Edition-Entertainment-Notebook-PC

Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 1GB graphics for $1000.

He is very close to what you have suggested, down from a graphics card with 2GB video memory.

Buy him whatever, but do it with discounted gift cards from card pool, plastic jungle or giftcards.com. You can get these for Best Buy, OfficeMax, RadioShack and etc. Teach the kiddo that paying retail is for suckers and poke your finger right in the eye of our government officials who are now goosing inflation.

Right now I am accumulating RadioShack cards to drop the cost of an I-Pad by 8%. That trick also works nicely for cell phones and top up plans.

And when kiddo wants to learn the physics of free flight for his summer vacation who ya gonna call?:D
Everything you said is good.
Unlike some teenagers, he is quite savvy. When he wanted to join the texting world, we told him we would think about it. He wanted us to get a family text plan, while I thought I would get a text plan for his phone. Six months later, I subscribed to a family text plan. He did not send a single text message in those six months. As soon as we got the plan, he sent over 500 the first day or so. I was impressed with the discipline. You hear about kids texting/talking away as if there were no tomorrow, running their parents bill up to hundreds/thousands of dollars.

He is very close to what you have suggested, down from a graphics card with 2GB video memory.


I think the 2GB video card was an additional $100, so still in range.

You could look into something like a Sager, MSI, ASUS, or Clevo laptop--they are often contracted by companies like HP, Dell, and Toshiba to make their laptops.

Sager NP6175 (http://www.powernotebooks.com/Sager-NP6175-gaming-laptops-notebooks-sys-4664.html)

If you're looking best performance laptop in cheaper price then go for HP Pavilion dv7t. It comes with 2 years parts and labor warranty and the best choice in just about $1200. I'm not saying that its the best in class but in maximum configuration, it does very well for money.

You could look into something like a Sager, MSI, ASUS, or Clevo laptop--they are often contracted by companies like HP, Dell, and Toshiba to make their laptops.

Sager NP6175 (http://www.powernotebooks.com/Sager-NP6175-gaming-laptops-notebooks-sys-4664.html)

I think the 2GB video card was an additional $100, so still in range.

If you're looking best performance laptop in cheaper price then go for HP Pavilion dv7t. It comes with 2 years parts and labor warranty and the best choice in just about $1200. I'm not saying that its the best in class but in maximum configuration, it does very well for money.
Thanks very much folks.
You are all close to what he is thinking. He looked at Sager, but read bad reviews about their keyboard. He is also looking at MSI GE70 003, while I am more inclined towards an HP dvt7 Quad at Costco (comes with Bluray and Microsoft Word, Excel, Onw note etc. 2010 Full version). He thinks the HP is entertainment machine while MSI is a serious machine. :) Kids.

Can you please tell me why your response was so rude and unhelpful? Do you have a problem with someone asking for advice, or is it some personal issue you have?
Your response was silly, rude and provocative. I am amazed you didn't have a word to contribute except disrupting the discussion.

I don't think it was rude, just direct. I didn't call anyone names or violated FT TOS.

As a junior in college, I think the OP son would be old enough to make decisions like that on his own. If he wants a gaming laptop, he should know what he wants. If he doesn't know, maybe he should ask his friends who would probably know better than people who are not in his situation.

I don't think it was rude, just direct. I didn't call anyone names or violated FT TOS.

As a junior in college, I think the OP son would be old enough to make decisions like that on his own. If he wants a gaming laptop, he should know what he wants. If he doesn't know, maybe he should ask his friends who would probably know better than people who are not in his situation.

I am astounded that my PM, which was meant to keep this off the thread, has been posted here. I wish you had responded to my PM in PM.
Anyway, any advice?

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He may also want to factor in portability--a large 17" gaming laptop will be large and heavy. Something like one of the Ultrabook systems or other ultraportables might be more of what he may eventually want--and they should have enough processing power for pretty much anything that doesn't need an engineering workstation.

Then he can save up for a desktop gaming rig plus external monitor so he can upgrade the graphics, etc. without throwing out your investment in displays, etc.

For both desktops and laptops, there are the new Ivy Bridge/3rd Generation Core processors that are starting to appear in the market--and the possibility for discounts on last year's systems.

I brought up portability issue with him and the possiblity of gaming desktop and a not so powerful laptop. At moving times, a 17 inch laptop is more portable than a desktop and a laptop. Physical space is also a consideration.
All of you, with the exception of one given very good sugeations.

From your PM:I don't know where to begin. Can you tell me what your problem is? If you don't like people asking for advice, you don't have to read it.
It is rude and probably violation of TOS also to disclose private communication without the permission of the author.
It's not unusual for people to seek advice for other family members. You can't control what others ask.
What is it you are trying to accomplish? Do you want to control what is posted? You haven't got the authority. Do you want to control what I may ask? You can't do that either! Do you want to say my son is stupid for not knowing what he wants? Or do you want to say I am stupid for seeking advice for him? Why don't you state it instead if playing these silly games? How old are you? It does not look like normal adult behaviour.
Get over yourself and learn to behave.

GET IT?

I've added you to my ignore list and suggest we avoid each other going forward. I wish you well in your laptop search.

I'm typing this message on a 17 inch FHD display Sony with an i7 processor and SSD. I was going to add my two cents about these kind of laptops, but frankly, there's enough snark in this thread and I don't want to receive any myself. :mad:

This is usually a friendly forum.

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I'm typing this message on a 17 inch FHD display Sony with an i7 processor and SSD. I was going to add my two cents about these kind of laptops, but frankly, there's enough snark in this thread and I don't want to receive any myself. :mad:

This is usually a friendly forum.

I promise you won't get any smark from me. I think your experience and advice will be very useful, which is the reason I started this thread. If we knew what will meet his needs as well as want, I would not have started the thread.
I kept my response to trolling to. off the thread so that people who wanted to relate their techical experiences, or givea advice based on thier experience or expertise, would not hesitate. My attempts were thwarted.
I will appreciate your advice.

MSI GE-70 with Intel core i7 3610QM
750GB (7200RPM) HD + (Optional 30 GB SSD for $79
1920x1080 17 inch Display (optional Glosy Screen for $35)
8GB (1333MHz) RAM.
nVidia GeForce GT 650M 2,048MB GDDR5 DX11
Non Blu-Ray optical drive.
2x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports; 2x USB 2.0 Ports; 1x HDM
64 bit Windows 7 Home
$1313 Total
HP Dvt7 Quad $999 From Costco (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11762650&whse=BC&Ne=5000135+4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670&N=4047229%204294899860&Mo=14&No=7&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C)

and

HP Dvt7 Quad $1099 From Costco (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11762629&whse=BC&Ne=5000135+4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670&N=4047229%204294899860&Mo=14&No=6&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C)
Cosco units have the following specs.
Intel core i7 3610QM
1TB (5400RPM) HD
1600x900 17 inch Display
8GB (unspecified speed) RAM.
NVIDIA® GeForce GT 630M Graphics with 1GB GDDR3 Memory
3x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports; 1x USB 2.0 Ports; 1x HDM
64 bit Windows Home
2010 Micrososft Office Student (Full version)
FREE 1 Year Kaspersky Internet Security (1-User) download
For $100 difference, the latter one has a 32 GB SSD, backlit keyboard, and finger print reader,
Total $1189

Any opinions?
I think he should go for 1600x900 screen. Higher resoultion screen will eat into performance of better graphics card with MSI.

After reading recommendations for a core i5 from willyroo and mobilebucky, and more down to earth recommendation from nerd, I wonder models proposed above are overkill. Will 15.6 inch screen be too small for heat generated by the hardware mentioned, if the same hardware configuration were available with a 15 inch screen?

I have no specific advice but do think you and your son should discuss the specifics of the graphics processor he wants in the computer if he's going to use it for gaming. For instance, you might look into getting a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650M or 660M.

Also, should we assume that it's going to be used plugged in 99% of the time so battery life isn't an issue?

Finally, does he have any thoughts on getting an SSD? Most people I've talked to love theirs because it makes a big difference in day-to-day performance of booting and launching apps. If you're price sensitive and need a lot of storage, consider a laptop with a hybrid drive that combines the big capacity of an HDD with the speed of SSD through inclusion of NAND memory and a smart controller. Seagate and Intel both have drives that use this technology.

BTW, I like http://www.notebookcheck.net/ for benchmarks of mobile GPUs.

Does he have any need for a Blu-Ray drive?

I also recommend looking into the Toshiba Qosmio line. The Toshiba Qosmio X775 has two HDD bays so you can get a full SSD for your C drive and an HDD for storage. Alternatively I think it can be RAIDED if you want to do two paired HDDS. I also think it's available with a hybrid drive.

Newegg, Amazon, and other stores sell it. There seems to be a good deal on a refurb model at Newegg if you are the refurb type.

MSI GE-70 with Intel core i7 3610QM
750GB (7200RPM) HD + (Optional 30 GB SSD for $79
1920x1080 17 inch Display (optional Glosy Screen for $35)
8GB (1333MHz) RAM.
nVidia GeForce GT 650M 2,048MB GDDR5 DX11
Non Blu-Ray optical drive.
2x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports; 2x USB 2.0 Ports; 1x HDM
64 bit Windows 7 Home
$1313 Total
HP Dvt7 Quad $999 From Costco (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11762650&whse=BC&Ne=5000135+4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670&N=4047229%204294899860&Mo=14&No=7&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C)

and

HP Dvt7 Quad $1099 From Costco (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11762629&whse=BC&Ne=5000135+4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670&N=4047229%204294899860&Mo=14&No=6&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C)
Cosco units have the following specs.
Intel core i7 3610QM
1TB (5400RPM) HD
1600x900 17 inch Display
8GB (unspecified speed) RAM.
NVIDIA® GeForce GT 630M Graphics with 1GB GDDR3 Memory
3x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports; 1x USB 2.0 Ports; 1x HDM
64 bit Windows Home
2010 Micrososft Office Student (Full version)
FREE 1 Year Kaspersky Internet Security (1-User) download
For $100 difference, the latter one has a 32 GB SSD, backlit keyboard, and finger print reader,
Total $1189

Any opinions?
I think he should go for 1600x900 screen. Higher resoultion screen will eat into performance of better graphics card with MSI.

After reading recommendations for a core i5 from willyroo and mobilebucky, and more down to earth recommendation from nerd, I wonder models proposed above are overkill. Will 15.6 inch screen be too small for heat generated by the hardware mentioned, if the same hardware configuration were available with a 15 inch screen?

I have no specific advice but do think you and your son should discuss the specifics of the graphics processor he wants in the computer if he's going to use it for gaming. For instance, you might look into getting a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650M or 660M.

Also, should we assume that it's going to be used plugged in 99% of the time so battery life isn't an issue?

Finally, does he have any thoughts on getting an SSD? Most people I've talked to love theirs because it makes a big difference in day-to-day performance of booting and launching apps. If you're price sensitive and need a lot of storage, consider a laptop with a hybrid drive that combines the big capacity of an HDD with the speed of SSD through inclusion of NAND memory and a smart controller. Seagate and Intel both have drives that use this technology.

BTW, I like http://www.notebookcheck.net/ for benchmarks of mobile GPUs.

Does he have any need for a Blu-Ray drive?
Since you have given sound advice, and seem like you are knowledgable, I am going to explain my predicament.
Here is the issue. For somethings, I don't need to read specs, as I understand some things on a fundamental basis. But I am totally lost when trying to quantify system level effects of various specs.
I know that SSD is going to be be faster and more reliable (One of my degrees is in theoretical solid state physics :)), or that memory speed is how often data can be read/written(read/write cycles), or the potential of having faster data transfer, I understand seek time, latency etc. But I find that I cannot tell from specs alone, which of two slightly different configurations would be better. As another example, which combination of CPU speed and memory size and speed is optimal. You don't want your CPU to be waiting idle for data to arrive, but you also don;t want oo much memory, as your CPU can only work so fast. I know the read/write block size would determine how was a chunk of data can be written or read, just like if yo want to transfer x gallons of milk from one container to the next, the number of operations will depend on the capacity of your dipping (transfer device).

We have discussed GPUs, CPUs, SSD as well as Blu-Ray, battery life and etc. Is there a GTX 650M? Of the three units above, one has GT 650M and the other two GT 630M. I willl look into GPU benchmarks. The problem is that I don;t understand what all those bench marks mean. The same with CPUS also. Just having numbers doesn't help if you don;t know how they affect the system. For GPU's I have been looking at fill rate as an indication. For CPU, I have been using GFLOps and Passmark score.
At first, he did not want to spend on an SSD. Once he found out that it's faster, he wants one and is included in specs of two of the possibilities above. Blu-Ray is not necessary.

He wants to be able to play some games. He gave me two examples.
Diablo III
Max Payne III
Do you know which benchmark dominates?

Check the minimum specs for those games. I imagine it's readily available on their websites.

The benefit of an SSD is much much bigger to the user's perception of speed than an incremental jump in processor spec. Get an SSD and the cheapest processor that works for the games you want to play. Check www.cpubenchmark.net for processor speed benchmarks.

He wants to be able to play some games. He gave me two examples.
Diablo III
Max Payne III
Do you know which benchmark dominates?
The best thing is to look at actual framerate benchmarks for the game itself at the resolution and game detail settings that you intend to run.

Benchmarks are starting to be available for both Diablo 3 and Max Payne 3. Luckily, both games have modest requirements (for most of their big titles, gaming companies will go after money and make their games playable at lower settings rather than leave money on the table).

Here's a benchmark for Diablo 3 - http://www.notebookcheck.net/Diablo-III-Benchmarked.74918.0.html

I'll throw in another option for you, a Sager custom laptop either direct from http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_info&model_name=NP6175 or through Xoticpc at http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np6175-clevo-w170er-p-4345.html?wconfigure=yes.

BTW, you're right. There's only a GT 650M. I must have been thinking of the GTX 560M or just got crosseyed. :)

Does he care at all about size, weight, or battery life?

BTW, I've never had a 17" laptop myself. Would he consider a 15"? What about an external monitor?

Get one with a spell checker. :D

-David

does he know what sort of software he will be running on it?

As well as the 17" vs 15" size issues for portability, I think just as (more?) important is the screen resolution since (assuming reasonable eyesight) the resolution is what really determines what can fit onscreen, not the screen size itself.

My main laptop is an old Dell Latitude with a 1920 x 1200 screen, anything lower is just awful to use after having that. I also have a Macbooks air with only 900 vertical pixels, it is OK in a pinch, but is frustrating scrolling up and down so much more.

When I did engineering there was plenty of programming (more now as I'm a Software dev), and how much code fits on screen matters.

What I really like about Dell Latitudes is that they're an onsite next day warranty. If it goes wrong, they come to you - so you're back up and going quickly.

What I really like about Mac is that I can run Mac OSX, Windows or UNIX all on the one machine. On the downside the 1920x1200 screens are only on the big 17" (I prefer the higher dpi of a 15"), and they're expensive (even if they are quite nice pieces of hardware to use).

Frankly, any middle of the road laptops (i5) should be more than enough. If school work requires high processing power or data intensive computing, I am sure the school has servers/workstations that can handle those tasks.

Most physics departments have access to if not direct use of the best on-site campus computer workstations.

-----------

Okay, I've gone back and re-read this thread carefully. Correct me if I am wrong, but your son (a physics major) wants to upgrade his computer for gaming purposes.

I think your initial post might be confusing to some of us, because we are thinking, okay, the boy's (maybe) got enough power for physics work, and he more than likely has access to a great computer lab within the NatSci department, so why does he need a new computer? Or, better question: what is he lacking in his present computer that requires a pricey investment for a new computer?

BTW, I have a child in college myself, and I'm always hearing about how a newer, improved paddleboard/kayak/scuba mask/videocamera/underwater hydrophone, etc. will improve her performance, and some of her argument is valid and pertains to schoolwork in her major. And like yours, my child earned full scholarships, so she's not sucking us dry. So the deal in our house is that she has to sell her old equipment--and do the work herself of selling, whether on eBay or the school bulletin board--and apply the proceeds to the cost of the new item.

My son, a physics major, is looking to replace his laptop.

He has a 15.6" Dell, with 500GB HD, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, Intel Core Duo T6600 running at 2.2 GHz, HDMI and a non BluRay optical drive. I am not sure about HD rpm or RAM speed.

He has had this laptop since his senior year in High School. When I bouggjt it for him, I was under no illusion that it was a high power machine.

Now he wants a powerful machine. No doubt, it was prompted by a desire to get gaming laptop, which in my mind should not be the primary consideration. But a unit capable of gaming can be put to god use by a physics major.

I will appreciate suggestions for 17 inch laptop powerful enough for him to serve him for the next couple of years.
My budget is around $1200. Is it doable?

Nothing in here explains the reason for going to a larger screen size.

The following are some of the items that contribute to raising the price of a new laptop:

1. Processor: i3, and i5 are usually cheaper than i7. There are multiple variations of each.

2. Display size: 15 or 15.5 inch is cheaper than 17 inch.

3. Display quality: 'standard" resolution is cheaper than full high definition, 1080p or better.

4. RAM: whatever comes with the computer is less than going to 8 MB.

5. Hard Drive: 5200 RPM HDD is cheapest. Then is 7200, then a hybrid followed by SSD the most expensive.

6. Service: extending factory service until the end of his college studies costs more. Adding accidental damage protection costs even more.

Based upon all the messages you have written in this thread, I regrettably don't know what to recommend for you to spend your money on.

Get one with a spell checker. :D

-David

I didn't see any in the SPEKS. :D. Is it standard or opshun? How much will it kost?

Hey stop picking on my typing.

Most physics departments have access to if not direct use of the best on-site campus computer workstations.

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Okay, I've gone back and re-read this thread carefully. Correct me if I am wrong, but your son (a physics major) wants to upgrade his computer for gaming purposes.

I think your initial post might be confusing to some of us, because we are thinking, okay, the boy's (maybe) got enough power for physics work, and he more than likely has access to a great computer lab within the NatSci department, so why does he need a new computer? Or, better question: what is he lacking in his present computer that requires a pricey investment for a new computer?

BTW, I have a child in college myself, and I'm always hearing about how a newer, improved paddleboard/kayak/scuba mask/videocamera/underwater hydrophone, etc. will improve her performance, and some of her argument is valid and pertains to schoolwork in her major. And like yours, my child earned full scholarships, so she's not sucking us dry. So the deal in our house is that she has to sell her old equipment--and do the work herself of selling, whether on eBay or the school bulletin board--and apply the proceeds to the cost of the new item.

Workstations are in a different category. It's OK to want a decent laptop at home too even if one has access to the best at work or in school. not the issue. He wants to have one in his room. Anything he buys is not going to be as capable as a work station.
Let's not get into why he needs a new computer, We can have a one week national conference and still not resolve it. :D
I know he can get by without an expensive laptop, but now he doesn't want to.
He has never, come with demands such as you are describing. Even then I am under no illusion that his "want" is need. If he gets a good laptop, he can put it to not gaming use, some of the time, without having to go to the Department. Even if he uses it only for gaming, it's still his decision. he is paying for it. He is capable of putting it to good use other than just gaming, he doesn't ask us to buy things for him. I remember asking him if he wanted an MP3 player six years ago. He told me he didn't. I appreciate you sharing your experience with your child. My son is not the kind who wants the latest and best all the time. He is happy with his old smart phone. He is happy with his old car. This is definitely in the want category and he knows it. All this is not really relevant. though. What's relevant is that he wants it, he is paying for it, he paid for his other laptop too. I want him to get the best that fits his need/want without wasting money on things he would not use.