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    making final decisions

    Discussion in 'Asus' started by xohar, Jul 18, 2006.

  1. xohar

    xohar Newbie

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    hey. I am a college student and will be starting at the end of august. My current laptop choices are:
    xps m1210
    asus a8jm
    asus w7j, w3j
    sony fe690
    sony sz

    I am very interested in the asus. More so than the others however my dad and other family members say. Get the sony or the dell because of accidental damage care and experiences they have had with those two brands. So, I was wondering if anyone here could give me the specifics for the warranty information and/or experiences you have had and possibly name the website you bought it from. I would greatly appreciate it.

    ---edit-
    also, maybe an idea of which asus I should pick. I prefer a more portable design while still being able to game a bit, not necesarily the best, and a mediocre battery life. The more the better. Sorry I didn't fill out a faq but the main part of my question is the earlier one.
     
  2. CalebSchmerge

    CalebSchmerge Woof NBR Reviewer

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    You will probably get a lot firmer of responses from others, but you really need to look around this forum. I would say that between 1/3 to 1/2 of the questions here deal with this, so most people would rather not type it again.

    My first answer is this. The fact that your family has had to deal with Dell or Sony service is proof enough that you should buy an Asus. OK, well be honest, that isn't true, but my argument is that Asus have better build quality and reputation, so you are less likely to have to deal with the service. Second, Asus service is way better (from what I read) than the others could dream of. I bought from PROPortable, which I would reccomend (to be fair I don't have experience with any other Asus dealers).

    I like the V6j, it would do what you want, might be a little larger, but it is a great computer. Fill out an FAQ or give more about what you want and we can be of more help.
     
  3. xohar

    xohar Newbie

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    1) What is your budget?
    1000-2000
    2) What size notebook would you prefer?

    a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
    b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
    c. Mainstream; 15"



    3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
    schoolwork, some gaming
    4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
    college, moving around

    5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
    some mmorpgs, whatever new ones come out
    6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
    dell + sony warranty, not service, has been good. But if some resellers have good waranty Asus would be top choice
    7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
    3 but more is better
    8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
    prefer in person but online is acceptable
    9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
    us (i don tknow how to do the flag icon)
    Screen Specifics

    10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
    wide

    11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
    no idea

    12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
    either

    Build Quality and Design

    13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
    yes

    14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
    before end of august and I want it to last for 3-4 years

    Notebook Components

    15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
    I would choose a 60gb 7200 over a 80-100 gb 5400 because I am planning on keeping an external harddrive as well. However is 5400 and 7200 doesnt make a difference I would pick the 80

    16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?

    dvd writer



    Sorry I hadn't included that earlier. I live in the bay area, (northern california) and waranty /being able to get my hardware problems fixed fast and easily are very important.

    I would appreciate it if you could include good sellers of the asus models as well with information on their warranty. I have seen agear and milestone so far but have not made any judgements on which seller I will use.
     
  4. CalebSchmerge

    CalebSchmerge Woof NBR Reviewer

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    Based on that I would reccomend the W3j or the A8jm from your list. They seem to be very comparable from my quick glances. For many people the DVI out will be a selling point. Also, the Nvidia Card may be better for the future because it will handle shared video memory better (granted it is not better than dedicated, but in the future if you need even more you at least have it with the shared). The A8jm is cheaper, but I personally do prefer the W3 styling quite a bit (which you did indicate matters). The hard drive is the same either way, as well as the wireless, DVD burner, and most other components. You really need to choose between looks and video cards. One other note is that the W3j comes with XP Pro (if it matters) while the A8jm doesn't. I guess I would have to really think about that as well. I would prefer the Nvidia card for linux, but the ATI for current games (lower selling point for me, thats why I got the V6j instead of the W3j). I like having a nice looking notebook, but that wouldn't be a $300 upgrade. I would take XP Pro, but if you know you are going to upgrade to Vista right away (probably less than 9 months) than that might not be a selling point. Tough decision. Decide on the video card is my input
     
  5. xohar

    xohar Newbie

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    would you reccomend any sellers for an asus or where did you get yours?

    thanks alot for the info it does help alot. I think I would pick the w3j since I am basically looking for a decent video card. But what is dvi? sorry I know it should be basic and I will probably do a search right after I post this. just a quick definition would help
     
  6. CalebSchmerge

    CalebSchmerge Woof NBR Reviewer

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    DVI is a type of vido ouput. I am pretty sure the big deal is that it is digital. If you didn't know what it was though, it won't matter much to you.

    I bought from PROPortable. The experience was great. No hassles, Justin and the team were helpful and prompt. I got my computer as was described, quickly, no troubles at all. I would/will certainly buy from him again. Good Luck.