Acer AS7551G 17"Laptop, 1GB AMD HD 5650, 3 core AMD N830, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD. $543.99

[Nimbo]

LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AS7551G-6.../dp/B0041RSFBY

At this screen size this fits the desktop replacement entry level gaming laptop.
HD 5650 graphics performance is enough to play at native resolution and high settings most modern games (http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-5650.23697.0.html).
Triple core AMD N830 processor can be compared to a i3 on single treaded. and you have an additional core if you find use for it. (http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Phenom-II-X3-N830-Notebook-Processor.30280.0.html).
If you ask me a lot of Hardware for $543.99

You can opt for a much better CPU (i5-460M) in the other Acer offering (almost same specs other than CPU) that is on sale too:
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AS7741G-7.../dp/B003ZUXX1K
That is $104 more for Intel performance... does it worth it??? Porbably... For me the N830 is enough.

 

[Macgyversite]

Great Price. I thought the deal I posted the other day was good. This is better.

I love the 2nd guy to post an Amazon review (Sort by Date order). His lengthy review was LOL. 128bit Vcard interface limiting. LOL. A 5400rpm HD was limiting the speed of the computer compared to a 7200rpm one. Anyways.......

 

[Nimbo]

A 5400rpm HD was limiting the speed of the computer compared to a 7200rpm one. Anyways.......

Before SSD existed, first thing I use to do with laptops was replace standard 5400rpm HDD for 7200 HDD and I have to say the performance increase was quite noticeable (off course not comparable with replacing it with an SSD). This is for sure the bottleneck of this PC.

 

[Macgyversite]

Explain how, with 4gb of ram, there is that much difference. Maybe load times of some programs and booting but not "Performance".

 

[13Gigatons]

I noticed faster bootups and loading with 7200rpm drives and less lag when software needed to write data to the hard drive.

 

[jjmIII]

I like it.

That 500gb drive is perfect for an external once you go SSD.

 

[Macgyversite]

Now thats a great idea. I can understand upgrading to a SSD, say 80gb, and enclosing the 500gb that came with the laptop.

 

[Dolfan349]

I have the same spec-ed laptop except an HP. The 5650 is, when OCed, enough to play most games at 1280x720 and med-high settings, no AA, some AF.

For example, CoD BO plays at 1280x720, everything max except shadows off, no AA, max AF, constant 60fps.

 

[cnjmorris]

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP and input from others that helped this thread catch my attention. Timing couldn't have been better.

I went with the Acer AS7551G and I LOVE this machine. Screen is nice and big, machine runs like a dream, and Windows 7 (which I had been avoiding up till now) is actually slowly winning me over (I skipped Vista, hated it on friends machines, so was still loving XP).

This thing runs all my games, allows some serious multi tasking, and I love the sleek look of it. Sitting in my recliner now, talking on Skype, working in dreamweaver, couple browsers open, and no regrets.

The battery life sucks, I knew it did from reviews, I'm fine with that. I plan to buy a second cord to keep in the case on the occasion I need to be mobile.

This site always comes through for me when I am shopping for something.