Desktops/laptops

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

D/W

Not sure if these is the right section, but wth it seems right.

Due to recent events my parents are allowing me to buy a new pc, either a laptop or a desktop. They have given me a budget of 17000 British pounds, which is around 30000 dollars i think. I dont know anything about computers technologically, all i know is how to use them. So my question is can i buy a good PC with that cash, and which are the best gaming desktops and laptops.

PS: I havent researched the internet for prices as i dont know what is good, but i think the cash should be fine.

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

Er, I think you're adding one zero too many there, Panais. 17 thousand pounds? At least I hope that's what you've done and not just missed the decimal point, cos you aren't going to get a pc for £170.00

As to desktop vs laptop - you are going to get one HELL of a lot more desktop for your money. You pay a premium for miniaturisation with laptops and, let's face it, they just can't compete with high-end desktops.

Post the proper amount - if it really is 17 grand, we're going to have some fun here! (and tell you to wait until Christmas, when the good stuff might start to appear)

In a nutshell: 170 quid = calculator. 1700 quid = good gaming pc. 17000 quid = buy your own branch of Curry's

(Oh, and I decided that "Computer Buying & Building" would be the right place for a thread on buying a computer ^^)

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

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it is 17000.00 pounds.
why is that alot for a good pc?

EDIT: My parents think that getting into Cambridge is good enough to give me 17000 pounds, with most of them going towards a new pc

Crimson Flame

Crimson Flame

Better Than Arkantos

Join Date: Apr 2007

ONOES I iz playing WoW

The Order of Dii [Dii] - officer

You can get a better-than-the-top of the line gaming computer for $5,000 (2500 pounds?) so 17,000 pounds is incredible. How about you buy two awesome computers and send me one? That'd be awesome.

tijo

tijo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

Montreal

[CDDR]

R/

I'm not even sure you could find or build a PC and spend all that money. With that you have enough to get a very high end gaming PC and a high end laptop.

Just tell us exactly what you are looking for and we'll point you in the right direction.

And as snograt said, for gaming: PC but for university i'd say a laptop, i made the move PC to laptop for university and i never regretted it (laptop and wireless network in boring classes is awesome), you won't have to wait for access to computer labs although depending where you are studying that isn't a problem but the best part of all is that you can work on your homeworks, essays reports and w/e wherever you like.

moriz

moriz

??ber t??k-n??sh'??n

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada

R/

i'm pretty sure most of that money is for.... i don't know, rent, school supplies, food, transportation etc.... maybe it's your tuition.

you can build an extremely powerful PC for 3000 pounds. anything more than that, and you'll be spending on useless fluff.

Why_Me

Why_Me

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

New Jersey

Mo/

Here's what you are going to do: get a decent, portable laptop now for college. Then, come back after christmas when the real good stuff from intel comes out, and we'll have some fun.

Evil Genius

Evil Genius

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2006

Australia

Mo/

Post you address and I will come and build it for you

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

D/W

ok so a laptop it is, no all 17grant is to spend for fun, not for college expenses.

but which laptop is good. some guy pmed me in game and told me that area 15 or something like that was good.

Etta

Etta

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mancland, British Empire

Get a Mac book pro, then install window vista on it, best. Then buy a car.
17 grand just for getting into Cambridge or for 4 years there? If it's the former then awesome to you, if it's the later then man, you're gonna be so skint.

Anyway use some of that for lapdance, ace.

deluxe

deluxe

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

Monkeyball Z

S.K.A.T. [Ban]

Mo/

Quote:
ok so a laptop it is, no all 17grant is to spend for fun, not for college expenses.
Don't be an idiot and spend it all :x
That's a lot of money, I have to work a year for that..

Evil Genius

Evil Genius

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2006

Australia

Mo/

Perhaps a Dell XPS M1730.
Components
Intel Core™ 2 Extreme Processor X9000 (2.80GHz, 800MHz FSB, 6MB L2-cache)
Genuine Windows Vista SP1™ Ultimate - English
4Yr XPS Premium Warranty Support - Priority Call In and Onsite Support
Crimson Red with White LED Backlights
17.0" UltraSharp™ WUXGA (1920x1200) TFT with TrueLife™ with Integrated 2.0MP web cam
4096MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x2048]
64GB Solid State Drive
DUAL SLI 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800GTX card
Ageia PhysX Processing Unit Card
UK/Irish Additional 220V AC Adapter Power Cord
Blu-ray Disc DVD+/-RW Optical Drive including software
Primary 9-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (85 WHr)
Accessories
XPS M1730 Backpack Carrying Case
Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth 2.0 Module (up to 3 Mbps) with Enhanced Data Rate EUR
Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-PCI Card, EUR
Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy ADVANCED HD Audio
Dell™ Travel Remote Control
Microsoft® Office 2007 Professional/English - Microsoft® Office 2007 Small Business and Access

Even that comes to only 3400 pounds. Don't spend it all at once - it will be a waste. If you have 17,000 pounds buy a new laptop at the start of each year and sell your old one second hand. This way you have the very best for the entire 4 years.

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/pr...hs1&l=en&s=dhs

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

D/W

cool thanks
/close

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

Close? Hell no - we've got 17 grand to spend!

moriz

moriz

??ber t??k-n??sh'??n

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada

R/

as rahja once said: don't EVER put that laptop on your lap. you will kill your future children if you do.

anyways, i'm going to go in different direction and recommend you get an actual laptop, and not a "desktop replacement". laptops are supposed to be mobile, and that monster is anything but mobile. you can't use it as a laptop at all, in fact, since it's so big, so heavy, so hot, and so.... drain-your-batteries-in-5-minutes.

go with something like this:

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dells...N07X5308&s=dhs

it's an actual laptop, not a desktop replacement... and you can actually use it as a laptop. it's also much cheaper, which will give you more money to build your monster desktop down the line, as well as school supplies, food, rent, drugs, booze, redbull, and other essential student amenities.

edit: grrrr, that website won't save my customizations. whatever, have fun with it yourself.

Etta

Etta

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mancland, British Empire

Once he discovers the great student life of boozes, girls and pots, he won't stay in and play on his pc anymore. So spend about a grand or two and keep the rest is a good idea. Lappy'd be better as well cus when you get to 2nd year you'll want to move out from the hall, so easier to move about.

Ah...seem like yesterday that I was at Uni.

Elder III

Elder III

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jan 2007

Ohio

I Will Never Join Your Guild (NTY)

R/

unless you are going to cambridge as a computer tech major in graphical design you can get all the laptop you need for way under 2,000.00 pounds.... probably 1500 would be more than enough. Go buy a car with the rest, or be smart and save it to put the first down payment on your house or apt. in the future.

*if you want name brand recognition and a damn fine product with pretty good lifetime customer service..... try www.alienware.com there are other's out there but that is the leader of the pack in gaming computers (laptops and desktops) - - - Of course with all that cash you could start a sweepstakes, 1000 quid to the first 15 applicants on these forums and see who can build the best laptop for you with that cash, you can then donate the others to charity (I'll send you the address later). *

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

D/W

stop telling me what to buy other thank a pc pls. i do have a car an M5 to be exact.
so i get it that 17000 is alot for a pc, but really it isnt alot for my family.
I understand that 17000 is alot for 1 pc, so ill buy those 2 laptops stated, and a desktop, if some1 has any good suggestions

moriz

moriz

??ber t??k-n??sh'??n

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada

R/

life lesson #1: save your money.

learn it, remember it, live by it.

you'll thank me later.

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

If you buy the most awesome desktop on the market right now, you will want to replace it in a few months. Now is the wrong time to buy.

In the meantime, have a look at this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=FS-006-OE

Panais

Panais

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

Binge And Purge [HET]

D/W

ohh that seems nice. ill try and get it on monday along with those laptops

is dell really that good?( i know the pc isnt a dell)

and some1 posted that alienware stuff, can i get a case like that for a dell?

Cyb3r

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2008

AFO

E/

no the cases made for alienware are custom made for those pc's aka you can't get it elsewhere

most times they have the latest tech in their pc's although dell is competing very well with them lately (in the high end segment of the dell gaming desktops)

let's compare the casing to a car you're not going to put the body of a rolls around the components of a BMW M5 (ok rough statement i know)

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

Psst - Dell own Alienware...

the bourne hells

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2007

Kamandan AD1

Zealots Of Shiverpeak

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snograt
Psst - Dell own Alienware...
And since the day they bought out Alienware the computers Alienware made were never the same.

Evil Genius

Evil Genius

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2006

Australia

Mo/

Personally I wouldn't get Skulltrail, even if money wasn't an issue. The memory interface (FB Dimms) isn't good for games, and no games can address 4 cores effectively let alone 8. If you really want to spend it all now buy a couple of laptops and a desktop from the following:

Macbook Air or equivalent for ultra portability
Dell XPS M1730 or Alienware equivalent for performance but limited portability
Voodoo PC or Alienware or equivalent desktop. Look at something with the following:
QX9770
3 GTX280 in SLI
790i Chipset mobo
Solid State Drive

Personally I would order a custom built phase change setup, however you need to know the right people on the right forums. I bet most people haven't even heard of stage phase change cooling.

Hope you have enjoyed your make believe thread. Don't we all wish we had unlimited money

Kattar

Kattar

EXCESSIVE FLUTTERCUSSING

Join Date: Mar 2007

SMS (lolgw2placeholder)

Me/

First of all, JESUS...

Secondly, I hate you.

Thirdly, you should be able to get an awesome PC, laptop or desktop, for about 2000 pounds, as was said.

But, what the hell, why not get both? A more portable laptop, since most of the gaming laptops are pretty hefty with shorter battery life, and a really nice desktop to have at home?

EDIT: I basically suggest the same thing as posted above. Sorry, I was too shocked at how many zeros I saw on the first page.