Support Question about Alienware laptops

Discussion in 'Technology' started by Iskandar, Jan 23, 2014.

  1. Iskandar King of Conquerors

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    I'm thinking I'm going to have to get a new laptop soon, and I was wondering if anyone on here had any knowledge about the laptops I was looking at. I was thinking of getting an Alienware laptop, since a gaming laptop is more what I want, and they still have more space that I could use it for school as well (my laptop right now is only using about 200 GB or so of space, and I have 450 left, so there's plenty), but I have no clue about what most of the stuff means on the pages, so if anyone wants to help me figure out what the main difference is between these laptops? I was looking at the Alienware 14, but if there's anything different about the Alienware 17 that makes it a better laptop or just a different laptop, what makes it that way?

    http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-14/pd.aspx

    http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-17/pd.aspx
     
  2. Misty gimme kiss

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    Well the major difference between the two is that the 14 is a 14" screen, whereas the 17 is a 17" screen. In terms of specs, you can choose whichever configuration you want.

    Is there a reason you're looking at Alienware? If you want a gaming laptop then they are something to consider, but you shouldn't feel as though you can't get certain specs (like a larger hard drive) within more everyday laptops. Alienware is just really overpriced, in my opinion, and if you're not intended to use it for gaming, then there's no reason to get something so bulky.

    If you'd like help with your laptop search I can definitely help out. Some questions:
    • What do you primarily use the computer for? Web browsing? Video/image editing? Gaming? What sort of games do you play?
    • What is your budget?
    • Is portability a factor? (e.g. do you want to be able to easily carry it back & forth from school?)
    • Are you comfortable looking at online retailers, or are you limited to only physical stores (and if so, which ones)?
     
  3. Iskandar King of Conquerors

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    I was just looking at alienware because I heard they were a good gaming laptop to have, and I don't know of any others. The added space is just good for me so I can put what I want on it for school and still have room for other stuff.

    But in terms of laptops for what i'm looking for, I'm looking for something that has a better performance that can play games and videos without having any sort of issue, especially if I can get one that's good enough to use animation programs on (mainly because I really don't want to buy a mac, even if the school says I'll need to. I'll have a separate computer if I must, I just do not want a mac as my main computer.)
    The budget right now is unpredictable, so I'm just going to have to wait to figure out, and those laptops seemed usable if I did the monthly payments. Yes, I would be paying them off for about 3 years, but if that gave me what I needed, I would do it.
    The portability isn't too much of a thing, because even if it's large and bulky, I'd still be able to bring it and whatever else I'd need without a problem. They do seem large, but not large enough I can't use them without a problem.
    And the online retailers or store isn't a difference for me. I just need to find a laptop with a reasonable price that's got good performance, memory, etc. so I can use it for my games, video editing, and some day animation programs.
     
  4. Misty gimme kiss

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    Okay, so then you should be looking at gaming or high performance laptops. I forgot to ask this as well but what screen size do you prefer?
    I can try to come up with some suggestions based on this info. Are there any specs you're looking for in particular, too, like a specific hard drive size?
     
  5. Iskandar King of Conquerors

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    Any screen size around 15" or 17" is preferred.
    As for the hard drive, I don't really know how to answer that, because that's one of the things I don't really understand what is used for specifically. Software-wise I barely understand anything, just bits and pieces, but when it comes to hardware I understand even less. Is that the amount of memory on the computer? Or something else?
     
  6. Misty gimme kiss

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    A hard drive relates to how much you can store (in terms of files, music, videos, etc.) on your computer. You mention that you're using about 200GB on your current computer with 450GB remaining, so you might not horde files like I do. For a laptop bought today (one that doesn't have an SSD), I'd say you can probably expect around 500GB - 1TB.
     
  7. Iskandar King of Conquerors

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    The most I horde is music and videos, and that's about it. I'm not one to usually horde giant amounts of files if I don't use them. But I'm looking for somewhere around 8GB, if more isn't possible with the price.
     
  8. Misty gimme kiss

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    After looking around a bit & doing some research I've got two solid suggestions for you, each in their own sort of price bracket. If you'd like to look at other price points just let me know.
    Note: I haven't shopped around on these particular models--you might be able to find them cheaper elsewhere, or at a more convenient retailer.

    Mid-Range Option
    http://amzn.to/1nes5PC
    Screen Size & Resolution: 1366x768, 15.6"
    Processor: 1.7 GHz Core i5-3317U (Dual Core)
    RAM: 6GB DDR3
    Hard Drive: 500GB (5400RPM)
    Graphics: Intel HD 4000
    Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
    Other: 1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI port, webcam, backlit keyboard
    Price: $620

    Mid-High Option
    http://amzn.to/1b5jkzc
    Screen Size & Resolution: 1920x1080, 15.6"
    Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7-4700MQ (Quad Core)
    RAM: 16GB DDR3
    Hard Drive: 1TB (5400RPM) + 8GB SSD
    Graphics: Dual NVIDIA GeForce GT750M Discrete Graphics
    Operating System: Windows 8
    Other: 2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0, HDMI port, webcam
    Price: $1050

    The more expensive laptop is, obviously, the better one. The only caveats with it are that it's less portable than the first, and the battery life is only around 4hrs (because it's such a beast). What really sells it is the graphics power--with the first, you'll be able to do some gaming. The second laptop features not one but two dedicated graphics cards. It'll handle most games and applications you throw at it for many years to come. It's a powerhouse, but you're going to pay for it. Anything outside this price range I think is just excessive for a laptop--at that point, you should probably just consider building a gaming desktop and having a cheaper laptop on the side for light gaming & computing on the go.