Issue, should I buy a new laptop or not?

Short story:

My lenovo t500 is not satisfying me, I went to college with wrong expectations for a laptop, now I want to switch. Should I? Couple of issues at the bottom.

Long Story:


So I have a Lenovo T500 which i'm getting frustrated at and want a better laptop. I came into college expecting that I needed good battery life, while still being able to play games. While my lenovo can play games decently, I would much rather prefer higher settings. Additionally, i found that my laptop is in my room almost all of the time. I have not taken it out of it's place for weeks now, and am only going to tomorrow for a class that asked us to bring a laptop for that day. Other than that, stationary, if not, I only needed battery for 2 hours max, rather than the 7-8 my lenovo can provide. My battery is usually stashed in the fridge in a ziploc bag.

Anyway, so I want a generally better computer because my gaming has become more intensive and I have insufferable fps when I want to do what I do (play SC2 mostly, while being able to livestream/record my games for my commentaries). I'm planning on a sager NP8690 (i'd like suggestions though).

Other problems I have: My touchpad just died, my keyboard keeps getting sticky keys at times. Both can be remedied by sending back to lenovo, but I refuse to do right now since it leaves my computerless for a week or so (5-7 business days) and a couple of other issues.

I also have bought a caddy bay and ssd. I am using the original hdd 250gb 5400 rpm as storage on the caddy.

So my plan is to try to sell it for around 900-1000$ (original price was a bit more than 1100$, don't know exact right now, + I bought a 2GB stick of ram to add in, so around 1150$~ total) and make up the difference to buy a better laptop.

The problems here are though: Will people be willing to pay for that? P8700 CPU, switchable graphics, 4GB DDR3 Ram, WSXGA 16:10, 9cell battery (still holds most of it's original charge), 250GB 5400 RPM drive (I could throw in my SSD and the bay for extra... but i'd rather keep my SSD).

Additionally

I need to transfer over data files from that 250GB drive and then wipe it.

I have original windows vista recovery for the buyer, but I also have W7 from the upgrade through lenovo (Can I use this on another laptop?)

What's a good processor nowadays? I use to think a P8600 2.4GHz C2D was enough, but now, even my better P8700 2.53GHz really isn't satisfying me. I see i5-520M i5-540M, i7s... What do I go for? I haven't really compared for a while so i don't know what's good.

GPU. The main competition from the laptops i'm looking at is the ATI HD5870 1GB DDR5 vs the (usually 75$ more expensive) Nvidia GTX 285M 1GB GDDR3. Even as an ATI user now, I have developed a bias towards Nvidia, so I'm looking towards Nvidia right now. Is it worth it?


What I expect to entice people is the 16:10 screen, the resolution, the lenovo laptop itself since the T510s don't have switchable graphics, and the battery life.
...

i'm just ranting here. I will try to clear it up when my mind is straight, but i'm really having issues right now.

 

is your perceived fps problem with on-line games or just ones you play locally (no network)?

 

Nah it's just generally a weak gpu. I play in almost all the lowest settings for SC2 and i'll get 50FPS. I start livestreaming and it'll go down to 20-30FPS. I'd like to get at least 40FPS, but i'd expect more, at decently high settings and streaming or recording.

 

It's hard to say whether that system will fetch 1000 - primarily because of the weak gpu in comparison to other systems out there fetching the same price. I'd look at these price checks, for a base comparison:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=418235&highlight=Lenovo+T500

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=456726&highlight=Lenovo+T500

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=435282&highlight=Lenovo+T500

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=418235&highlight=Lenovo+T500

That last check appears to be closest to your current configuration, whereas the others are all rocking higher clocking c2d's. Whether or not a warranty still exists on your laptop can also affect the re-sale value.

I can't rave enough about Sagers, only because they truly have rock-solid quality and computing power, with substantial brand equity to boot. If you do choose to go with a Sager, know they are mulitmedia and gaming powerhouses (my np5797 with the top c2d config rates 6.9 in the WEI for what's it worth), and their warranties can be transferred if you ever choose to sell in the future.

Ultimately we will all be computing on quad core processors; the best bang for your buck is currently the i5's because of the overclocking capability... but if your projected use is only moderate gaming and mulitmedia, saving some money now for the necessary upgrade in the future by going with a good c2d is not a bad idea. Top current c2d models include the intel t series, as well as the i5 dual cores. Most applications and games these days are GPU intensive, so saving some of the proc cost to ensure your GPU is top of the line would also serve your needs.

I can't help but finish with a shameless plug for my own sale , but I should note I am selling my sager for around your listed price point (1100ish).

 

u can sell ur laptop for that price... ppl who love thinkpads would easily pay for that but even others should pay that much.. for ur new laptop, Sager NP8690 isn't a good choice... u won't even get 1 hour battery life as battery is 3 cell... unless u can get a 12 cell , don't buy it... also 5870 is usually cheaper than GTX285M and is actually way better... you might want to consider other laptops.. i can give u a few options.

1. Asus G73... comes with a 8 cell and if properly configured , for normal office work , u get 2h 40mins... normally , u'd get 1h40 but if u use proper power profile , u get more battery life... specs wise there's

Intel Corei7 720qm
8GB RAM
ATI 5870
17 inch full HD screen
640GB Space or 1TB depending on model.

There is a Asus G73-X3 model which from tigerdirect.com has above specs and is quite cheap because u can get bing cashback etc... comes to about $1300

2. MSI GX640
Intel Core i5-430m
4GB RAM
ATI 5850 , which is slightly weaker than 5870
15.6 inch 1680X1050 screen
500GB hard drive

Battery life is about 2-3 hours easily with 9 cell... its about $1200... but seriously , G73 will be a better option.. u can easily play most games on full settings but G73 has better screen and specs for same price... weight wise , its about 8.8lbs but should be quite light if u carry it using a bagpack. Since u're usually using it as a desktop , G73 is what i would recommend.

 

Yeah, I have been taking a look at the G73 it's really enticing for what it gives.

 

used T500s seem to go for between $400 and $600 on ebay.

 

best to stick with a 15-16 incher. The G73 being 17 inches is rather large, and although you usually leave it on the table, when you HAVE to carry it, you will find yourself wishing you had gotten a lighter laptop. What say about a HP ENVY 15 with discounts? or an SXPS 16?

 

MSI GX640, 5850 GDDR5 compares very favorably to the 285m, as its basically a downclocked 5870. Some games cater better to Nvidia GPUs in general however, but you'll also see some games doing better on ATI GPUs.

The MSI is the best value you're gonna get for your needs, $1100, default i5, 5850 GDDR5, relatively thin/portable (15",1.2" thick I believe, maybe 1.3).
If you don't like the redtrim go for the barebones version of it.

If you can stomach a 17" get the G73 or the MSI GX740, or if portability/price isn't much of a concern get an alienware/sager.

And 5870>285m, so unless you're Nvidia bias is really that great go for the ATI. It's also cheaper which pretty funny, oh and produces less heat to boot lol.

Also in your case I'd consider a desktop and buying a netbook for other tasks/a diff cheap laptop.
You can spec out a desktop for a fraction of the price of most gaming laptops, though you will have to buy a screen so that does add on to the cost.
That's probably what I"m doing for college though - using an existing, older laptop (HP dv2) and just getting a kickass $1200 desktop setup instead of buying a gaming laptop that I probably wouldn't want to be seen carrying around hahaha I"m a computer noob though so I'd have my friend help me build it

 

It sounds like you should buy a low end laptop for portable stuff and a desktop for gaming. Will get you the best of both worlds, give you much better gaming performance, and be cheaper than buying a high end gaming laptop.

 

Whoo somebody agrees with me haha.

but think about it

You can get:

20" 1080p High-end TN Monitor for $200ish or spend more and get a decent IPS.
i7 930 at least, if not better
5830, 5850, or GTX470 or better if you go cheap on components
You already have an SSD so thats great.
rest of components

All for the same price as a lesser-spec-ed gaming laptop.

All of those things destroy the entertainment experience on a lot of laptops, and they are around the same price. The graphics card, which is your main concern, will destroy almost all games as long as you're not running higher than 1080p/using dual monitors or something.

 

The thing is, I don't really need a laptop for classes as I've discovered from my 1st year in college. Additionally, if I did try to integrate my laptop into my classes to take notes, I didn't need it for long before I could recharge.

BUT, the problem with owning a desktop is that it isn't portable. I might occasionally go to a friends house or back home (airplane). It is just not feasible for me to have a desktop, at least not during college. I'm not going to lug that around or ship it back home for a week.

I did consider it before, but I decided against it because of the portability issue.

 

So you're just worried about not being able to game on the computer if you go to a friend's house or when you go home during breaks?

 

As bad as you make it seem, yes.

 

Well that's a pretty sucky predicament. I never had a laptop until my current and final year of college. I remember how much of a pain it was taking my desktop and CRT monitor to lan parties my freshman year, but at least I had my dad's good system to game on at home. I tried the gaming laptop thing but I just couldn't stand the compromise. Good luck though.

 

So OP , what have u decided? Is it G73 or MSI GX640? GX740 is an option but i'm quite sure u can get a G73 way more cheaper... also GX740 isn't really out yet.

 

Right. If gaming is all that's important, then focus on that.

BTW, I don't know why you bought school into it, since I don't see the relationship between that and your use. Maybe you're just looking for validation or support, but I think that in the end, and more than anything else, you just want to play games!!!!!

 

That's understandable - lugging a desktop around would be a pain. Luckily I'm going to college within the state so for me its driving distance...albeit an 8 hour one...LA baby haha. On breaks, just pack the junk in the original boxes/some styrofoam and we're ready to go lol. Will it be annoying? Yeah, sure, but not unbearable by any means.
I'm not even sure if I'd need a laptop for general college class use either - but I imagine it would be something that I'd bring around to other people's dorms or to coffee shops or whatever. I'm not much of a LAN party person, to me that sounds..a bit..too much lol. Then again maybe that's cause I've grown up in the console age. Either way though that means portable gaming isn't that important to me.

I've actually been looking for the perfect gaming laptop for a while now.
What really got me is that I couldn't really find a laptop that I was 100% in love with component wise+aesthetically, so yeah.
Looks like the G73 will be fine for your needs then, its a better value than the MSI if you don't mind the extra bulk. Better cooling too.

 

I fly back home from berkeley to SD, that first move-in 9 hour drive is already long enough, I don't want to do that a couple of times per year ~_~, plus no car unless I have someone pick me up.

Anyway, if I should decide to get a new laptop, I would probably go with the G73. That's if I do. I remember back then I cancelled the purchase of a NP8660 then went to a dell E6400 then to this current T500 before I was stuck with it. I had a fear that I would play too much if I had a good system. Even without a good one, I still play a lot. Having a good system is not the problem, it's me -_-. So I just accept it and am thinking about getting a better system, but still a little iffy on it right now. I think the thought of getting the laptop is what excites me, but don't know of the practicality of it.

I mean all my reasons are true, but do I really need to run SC2 on ultra settings? No. The most notable differences in the terrain, units, and buildings only require 1 notch up from low to medium for the shaders and terrain/texture setting. All else doesn't change that much.

Anyway, if i'm able to sell my Lenovo T500 I will go with the G73, if not, I'll just try to suppress my geekiness from wanting the laptop so much.

 

This wisdom will get you a long way in life!

 

I have no problem with it whatsoever, In fact, many people, especially college students (have you checked out althlete's duffles or music majors accoutrements lately?) carry around a lot more--and much bigger/heavier--items than a mere laptop.

 

I can't supress mine.. i still got 3.9 months to wait ..wth.. G73 here i come.

 

I know I'm late to this thread, but my advice would be to concentrate a lot more on your homework and grades, and a lot less on trivialities like what you describe, and computer gaming. You might find out that not heeding that advice might result in you having real issues fairly soon.

 

Heh indeed, but that's just how I am. I can still play the games I want on my laptop, but not at the highest options. It still doesn't deter me from playing though. If anything, it's just making me want a better laptop and spending time drooling over one doesn't help.