buying a new laptop

[maxf]

I need a laptop and am a bit of a numpty so don't want to buy the wrong thing.

Ideally I want it to be able to:

Run games fairly well
Run photoshop CS
Run some kind of video editing software (although this is very much a once or twice a year thing, so doesn't have to be super fast)
Use the internet, itunes etc etc

I'm told I need a couple of gb ram and a 256mb graphics card - but the rest I'm lost with - eg what type of processor is best?

Anybody have any suggestions or tips? Anyone know of any offers?

[SlidingSideways]

Does the requirements for games rule out a MacBook/Powerbook/iBook? Not sure there.

An Apple would suite all your other requirements though.

As far as Windows ones go, I had a look at the Acer Ferrari (ties in nicely with the PH theme ) which looked pretty neatly specced, although it's getting on a bit now I suspect. Review <a href="www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/08/review_acer_ferrari_4000/">here.</A>

[mr_yogi]

Running games quite well might prove a bit of a problem with a laptop as most have intergrated or cheap entry level graphics chips. The ones with the nice GPU's cost £££s and also tend to be larger desktop replacement laptops rather than very protable notebooks.

My girlfriend has a Dell inspiron 9300 (the 9400 has just been released) and it handles games very nicely (for a laptop)

But is wasn't cheep and isn't very portable (she only wanted to take it round the house so she could watch TV or sit on the bed etc. when she's playing with it). But it is a very ncie peice of kit

17" widescreen
2GHz Pentium M
1GB RAM 533MHz DDR2
256Mb GeForce 6800
DVD burner

[maxf]

cheers chaps - for gaming I dont need an amazing machine which will run full speed/max graphics just something which will run games on 'ok'.

I have seen the dell ones in their clearance shop - £900 ish but with a 128mb graphics card. I assume this can be changed if its not good enough?

[SlidingSideways]

The graphics on laptops can't be changed, at least not easily as they're usually integrated with the motherboard.

Had another thought though,
<a href="www.alienware.co.uk/Product_Pages/notebook_all_default.aspx">these</a> are very nice and probably just what you're after. Not cheap though unfortunately
Got a friend who's got one and he's very pleased with his.

>> Edited by SlidingSideways on Monday 6th February 12:54

[mr_yogi]

The new higher end GPU's are now comming on Mini-PCI Express cards so in thoery can be upgraded. But this would only allow you to upgrade say a Go6800 to Go7800 and i'm not sure how you would source the new card? Also opening up a laptop would invalidate any warrantee.

[maxf]

Thanks for all of the tip/help - I have done a deal for this: http://pistonheads.com/sales/64433.htm so should have it by the end of the week.

Fingers crossed it will do what I want!

[mindgam3]

If you want to play recent games on your laptop then you're probably gonna have to pay £2000+.

Look at alienware and savrow. Possibly dells high end machine

[mr_yogi]

maxf said:

Thanks for all of the tip/help - I have done a deal for this: http://pistonheads.com/sales/64433.htm so should have it by the end of the week. Fingers crossed it will do what I want!

Very nice system