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    Advise on this deal needed

    Discussion in 'HP' started by ram_in_md, Jun 27, 2004.

  1. ram_in_md

    ram_in_md Notebook Enthusiast

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    HI all:

    I have been looking to buy a notebook for a couple of months now. I have been putting it off trying to get the best possible deal. I will be using this mainly as a home PC with some resource intensive applications running somtime (maybe SQL server desktop version with IIS running) and of course gaming. I am not a serious gamer but I do spend a lot of time playing strategy games (age of mythology etc). I would want a nice and faster than normal gaming laptop.

    Best buy has a deal currently for a HP ZD7140. It is Pentium 4 3.0 GHZ with 60GB hard disk and 512MB RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 with 64MB RAM for $1550. Is that a good deal or can I do better. I am wary of getting ATHLON 64bit processors as from my reading, they did not do very well with P4s on benchamrk tests except when overclocked.

    I am in no tearing hurry. Do you think it is a good deal or wait for some sale down the line. I was thinking thanksgiving but it would make sense for me to wait for so long only I could save big time on a similar deal then. $25-50 is not worth it.

    Anyway, please let me know who you think I should do.

    Thanks.
     
    ram_in_md, Jun 27, 2004
    #1
  2. ReverendDC

    ReverendDC Notebook Deity

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    I don't know which benchmarks you have been looking at, as most have Athlon 64s equal to or better than the P4s they are targeted at.

    Even if you want to stick with a Pentium, there are better deals when considering graphics performance. The Go 5200 is outdated, surpassed by the ATI Mob Radeon 9600 and 9700, and nVidia's own Go 5700. You might be disappointed with the 5200's graphics performance.

    You can go with the exact same system, but with a Go 5700, via CTO for about $75.00 more after mail-in rebate direct from www.hpshopping.com.

    Then there is always the eMachines M6800 series. The newest m6811 features an Athlon 64 3400+ processor, 512 MB RAM, ATI Mob Radeon 9600 w/ 64MB VRAM, and an 80GB hard drive. It has a 15.4" WXGA screen, though. It will run you about $1600.

    Good luck!

     
    ReverendDC, Jun 27, 2004
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  3. JeffreyDJ

    JeffreyDJ Notebook Evangelist

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    I think you'd be fine with that graphics card -- sounds like that was the least of your concerns. This is mainly because you said you wouldn't be heavy gaming. It sounds like your requirements were very close to mine (more of a development machine with Visual Studio.NET/SQL/ETC.) I do play games, but *all* of the games I like, and real time strtegy games look fine on mine.

    And, if I want to play something more demanding I am fine with a lower res version. I have an Xbox -- AND I grew up with pixelated squares in 4 colors (and monocrhome) passing as games. So, I won't be too picky.

    Also, I have the AMD64 3000+ .. it flys for what I do. I might would have gone up to 3400+ if I had thought about it -- but ah well. :)

    Also, configure to order isn't a bad way to go either way.

    JJ
     
    JeffreyDJ, Jun 28, 2004
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