Looking for a new laptop

[STEvil]

I cant decide whether to go with a Merom (T7300 or T7400) or a Turion X2 (ML-50 most likely).

If I pick up a laptop and swap in a merom chip, which one would you guys suggest? I want the ability to swap video cards...

[Anemone]

Put it this way, Merom is a Conroe Jr :)

[Silver Bullet]

C2D in labby is way faster than the Turion could ever hope to be .. not to mention C2D has better battery life :)

[STEvil]

K, well those points didnt help anything..

[Daveb2012]

i have a centrino duo, does any one know if the socket is going to be compatible with conroe?

[Magnj]

I have a TL-50 in my Acer and it's pretty darn nice.

[STEvil]

you can put a merom in place of Core Duo as far as i've heard (thats why i'm asking about what current laptop is supposed to be good...).

[perkam]

Alienware's new line of performance notebooks start at $999 with a C2D inside.

Perkam

[STEvil]

yup, very tempting.

[STEvil]

too tempting.

Area-51® m5750

Processor: Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor T5500 1.66GHz 2MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2
Display: Alienware® m5750 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD - Saucer Silver
Motherboard: Alienware® Intel® 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
Memory: 512MB Single Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 1 x 512MB
Hard Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 60GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 5,400 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 24x10x24 CD-RW / 8X DVD Combo w/Software MPEG2 Decoder
Video/Graphics Card: 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon® X1800
Sound Card: Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager

$1784.01. No free shipping to canada :/.

Needs more ram, but I can pick that up later.

[Judaeus Apella]

Everytime I hear people having a serious discussion about laptops, I always hear Toshiba mentioned. :2cents:

[Reinvented]

how about a DIY laptop? Cheaper, and more control over what you put inside. Can easily knock the price down a lot too.

[NoPeace]

Don't know if you like Dell or not but their Inspiron e1505 are good ones. You can drop in a Merom in it and the grapics cards are upgradeable if you buy them from Dell.

NoPeace - out

[STEvil]

little late.

[Nazu]

too tempting.

Area-51® m5750

Processor: Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor T5500 1.66GHz 2MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2
Display: Alienware® m5750 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD - Saucer Silver
Motherboard: Alienware® Intel® 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
Memory: 512MB Single Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 1 x 512MB
Hard Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 60GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 5,400 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 24x10x24 CD-RW / 8X DVD Combo w/Software MPEG2 Decoder
Video/Graphics Card: 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon® X1800
Sound Card: Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager

$1784.01. No free shipping to canada :/.

Needs more ram, but I can pick that up later.
Looks ok, but if you really want a quality laptop look for Lenovo Thinkpad models (former IBM). Really good build quality as they have metal chassis :) My friend has a very old IBM Thinkpad and compared to my dad's Acer it's from a another planet in means of build quality. Only minus is that those Lenovo Thinkpads don't have high performance gpu's but if you really want a LAPTOP a X1800 or 6800 series gpu isn't the right choice either.

[Anemone]

I have the Dell 1710 with a 2.13 Yonah in it and the 7900 and it is quite quick. I think you'll enjoy that and swapping in a Merom would be a nice bonus (can do that down the road too).

[perkam]

too tempting.

Area-51® m5750

Processor: Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor T5500 1.66GHz 2MB Cache 667MHz FSB
Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2
Display: Alienware® m5750 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD - Saucer Silver
Motherboard: Alienware® Intel® 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
Memory: 512MB Single Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 1 x 512MB
Hard Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 60GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 5,400 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 24x10x24 CD-RW / 8X DVD Combo w/Software MPEG2 Decoder
Video/Graphics Card: 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon® X1800
Sound Card: Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio
Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager

$1784.01. No free shipping to canada :/.

Needs more ram, but I can pick that up later.What're you talking about ?

http://www.alienware.com/Configurator_Pages/sentia_3450.aspx?syscode=PC-LT-SENTIA-3450&subcode=SKU-DEFAULT

$849 + Free shipping on an alienware C2D notebook in Canada.

Perakm

[Magnj]

5102Wlmi

[STEvil]

perkam:

smaller LCD, smaller HDD, Integrated Video (Intel GMA950), also says nothing about free shipping to canada there.

[perkam]

Whoops that'd be this one: http://www.alienware.com/Promotion_Pages/saveandplay/main.aspx?source=PRM0008

Perkam

[STEvil]

you mean the 5550? Smaller screen, no free shipping to canada.

[sephiroth8748]

Asus A8J: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2984&review=Asus+A8Jm

I hope they release a barebones version.