Recommendations for new laptop

[w3stfa11]

I'm looking to buy a new laptop and I would appreciate some help in choosing the right one for me. Here's what I need it for.

* Programming - I code in Visual Studio 2010 and I need this to be quick and responsive. I also use VMware (usually just one virtual machine).
* Media center - I just want 1080p HD video to play smoothly. I also want a TV-out option.
* at least a 15 inch screen
* Under $1000, if possible
* Light gaming - Just want to play Starcraft 2 and Team Fortress 2 on it.
* The other stuff - good battery life, not too heavy.

A couple questions I have.

- I5 or I7 Intel - I'm behind on the technologies, which is best for what I need?

- USB 3.0 - Should I go for this just to be prepared when it becomes commonplace in a year or two?

- Do integrated graphics suffice for 1080p video?


//---------------------------------------------
// Option 1
//---------------------------------------------
I'm looking at:

http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/note...19&~oid=us~en~29~laptop-studio-new-15_cto_5~~

NEW 2010 Intel® Core™ i5-430M 2.26GHz (2.53GHz Turbo Mode, 3M cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
15.6” High Definition (720p) LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
4GB2 Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
320GB3 SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Intel® HD Graphics
High Definition Audio 2.2
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6200
9 Cell battery
NEW 2010 Intel® Core™ i5-430M 2.26GHz (2.53GHz Turbo Mode, 3M cache)

$789

I'm considering these options:
- Should I upgrade to Core™ i5-520M 2.40GHz for $75 more?

- ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5470, 1GB [Add $150.00]


//---------------------------------------------
// Second option - hot deal?
//---------------------------------------------
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/1009042/

Studio 15 Studio 15 Laptop
Processor NEW 2010 Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
Memory 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
Keyboard Back-lit Keyboard
LCD Panel 15.6” High Definition (720p) LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
Video Card ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5470, 1GB
Hard Drive 500GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Battery 85 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)

 

[Chiefcrowe]

i'm not sure if you can get under 1000 but one thing for sure i'd recommend is to get 8 GB ram. Also, if possible i'd go with an i7.

 

[w3stfa11]

i'm not sure if you can get under 1000 but one thing for sure i'd recommend is to get 8 GB ram. Also, if possible i'd go with an i7.

Maybe I will go for an i7, but one thing I really would like is a quiet laptop. Will a faster chip make the laptop noisier?

Updated original post with new option.

 

[Infrnl]

I7= short battery life; if battery life is important than maybe I5 would be better option

 

[w3stfa11]

found this asus which does have usb 3.0 and led backlit display. battery life is crap, though. :/
http://www.amazon.com/N61JQ-A1-16-I...Laptop/dp/B00378L5G0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
was $950 before they increased the price to $1089

Powerful Intel Core i7-720QM processor with Turbo Boost and Hyper Threading Technologies for smart multitasking performance that adapts to your needs (Learn more)
Color Shine 16-inch Edge-to-Edge HD LED-backlit widescreen for a vibrant and immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
ATI Discrete Graphics Engine (DGE) powered by Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics with 1GB VRAM and DirectX 11 support for the latest gaming and multimedia enjoyment (Learn more)
Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound produce crisp, clear audio reproduction (Learn more)
ASUS SonicMaster design for more detailed and richer sound quality
320GB 7200RPM hard drive for fast, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
4GB of DDR3 RAM brings increased performance with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit pre-installed
Multi-touch trackpad lets you intuitively navigate through web pages, documents, and pictures (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard with numeric keypad for increased typing precision (Learn more)
HDMI output for easy HD video and audio connectivity to your HDTV or LCD monitors with HDMI input
USB 3.0 Superspeed connectivity for up to 10x faster transfer speed than USB 2.0 (Learn more)
High-speed wireless N networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) with Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR (Learn more)
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit for a faster and more reliable operating system (Learn more)
ASUS Infusion Technology for scratch-resistant protection
2.0 megapixel webcam for video chatting with friends and family
1 year global warranty and 1 year Accidental Damage Warranty* (Learn more)

 

[TheStu]

found this asus which does have usb 3.0 and led backlit display. battery life is crap, though. :/



Should I be wary of LED screens?

LED backlit screens are the way to go. Less power consumption, usually more even colors, no loss of illumination over its life. Runs cooler too.

So no, you shouldn't be wary of LED (backlit) screens. Why would you think that you should be?