Its sold, now what to replace it with.

[diluzio91]

Hey guys and apple haters, i sold my macbook! Im going to be using the proceeds to buy a new laptop and i need the help of TBCS. Im leaning towards an alienware mx11 i5 that i think i can get for about 750-800, So whats the next best bet? Budget is no higher than 850, screen max size is 15 inch, high resolution screen, and has to be able to run bfbc2 and NFS Hot Pursuit 3.

[BuzzKillington]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220733&Tpk=ASUS%20G72GX

[Twigsoffury]

There isn't any better then....

http://www.sagernotebook.com/


You can even throw down on six core intel i7's in tandum with Dual GTX400 series or ATi 5xxx series if that fits your fancy.

beware though they aren't the prettiest looking laptops out there, so if for some odd reason you use your laptop as a fashion accessory (*cough*, mac)you might just want to stick with the more expensive but less powerful alienware

but if you want sturdy construction and top performance, i've never heard a person complain after they bought a Sager. theres probably 40 people wandering around ww2ol (www.wwiionline.com) with Sager laptops after we all recommended them on those forums.

if sager isn't you thing, you might consider a ASUS G series laptop, i've heard great things from them as well.

[Lothair]

Alienware is pretty, but expensive. They also don't always have the best available options even when money isn't an issue. You should only consider them if they are your best option for what you want or need, or if you just must have something pretty.

These two (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100006740&IsNodeId=1&minPrice=400&maxPrice=850&PropertyCodeValue=398%3A57806%2C398%3A48346%2C398% 3A57361%2C398%3A20811%2C398%3A44336%2C398%3A23846% 2C398%3A11103%2C398%3A6687%2C398%3A14800%2C398%3A5 7389%2C398%3A6691%2C398%3A6688%2C398%3A58542%2C398 %3A49551%2C398%3A6692%2C398%3A6690%2C398%3A6694%2C 402%3A74495%2C402%3A57506%2C402%3A54305%2C402%3A75 107%2C402%3A75192%2C402%3A77866%2C402%3A75109%2C29 23%3A18470&bop=And&CompareItemList=32%7C34-115-857%5E34-115-857-TS%2C34-152-218%5E34-152-218-TS) are your most powerful options for 15" and under.

[BuzzKillington]

Those are fairly low-res though.

EDIT: Woops, I just realized my link was a 17" :facepalm:

[Lothair]

They're all low resolution, including the Alienware. He won't get anything higher without spending more or opting for a larger screen.

By the way, my friend also wanted no larger than 15" however ended up getting 17.3". He couldn't be happier with the end result. Just something to consider. Personally, I wouldn't let 2" decide which laptop I buy unless you have a solid reason.

[diluzio91]

i have 2 24 inch screens. lol. i need something small and portable, a 17 wont fit in my backpack.

[Lothair]

Buy a new backpack? lol

I'd actually go with the Alienware (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100006740&IsNodeId=1&maxPrice=850&PropertyCodeValue=398%3A57806%2C398%3A57361%2C398% 3A20811%2C398%3A23846%2C398%3A11103%2C398%3A6687%2 C398%3A57389%2C398%3A6688%2C398%3A49551%2C398%3A66 90%2C2923%3A18470&bop=And&CompareItemList=32%7C34%2D220%2D766%5E34%2D220%2D7 66%2DTS%2C34%2D200%2D059%5E34%2D200%2D059%2DTS) if you need something portable.

I wouldn't go with 15" over 17" if you primarily want portability, personally. You sacrifice too much for too little of a difference. That's just my opinion though. So crazily enough, I'd go with the Alienware. As far as newegg goes, it's the better option. Although it does have it's drawbacks.

[NightrainSrt4]

You've already heard my opinion of the Alienware. The hinge problems just cripple what is a great laptop. It doesn't matter how great a laptop it is if the hinge is going to break eventually by design flaw. It doesn't matter if mine gets fixed as it will happen again no matter what I do.

I take immaculate care of my things. I barely used it 3 times a week for 3 months before the hinge went. If it was just me and not others I could probably just overlook it. But there are multiple hundreds of page threads with people with the same issue. Add to that the other set of hundred page threads about the keyboard rubbing on the screen and leaving permanent marks, which mine has also succumbed to. Happens because the hinge sits too low compared to the laptop body, so the top actually touches the laptop and doesn't sit right.

The hardware is great, the build quality not so much.

[diluzio91]

i was under the impression that they redesigned the hinge in the MX11R2 in addition to adding in nvidia optimus and the i series processors. am i wrong?

[Lothair]

Is the R2 the same as the R1? Is there a price difference? I can't seem to figure out which are R2.

I couldn't find much about the R2 and it's hinges, however what I did find said that it might be a fixed issue. I would say you could always fix it, but I'm not sure what breaks or how it breaks, so.

[diluzio91]

the c2d machines are still R1, but the i5 and up machines are the R2 revisions, they seemed to be trying to get rid of the c2d machines so they could kind of cover the mistake up

but i could be wrong. :D

[NightrainSrt4]

The chassis and hinge are exactly the same. I know people with R2 that have the exact same problem, as well as plenty of people in the hinge threads that own R2.

The hinge screws into the back of the lid. The threads are made of plastic. After a while the pressure from opening and closing starts to make the metal screws dig into the plastic threads until they are completely stripped. Then you end up with a wiggly wobbly screen, which casing splits and spreads open at the bottom when closed.

They had the same issue with one of the last gen M15x as they used the same plastic threads / hinge design.

[Lothair]

Perhaps wrap the screws in masking, electrical or duct tape? That or fill the hole with something like epoxy or some other type of stuff that could be used as filler. That would stop the metal screws from moving around completely, thus preventing them from damaging the plastic threading.

[Lothair]

I'd choose one of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100006740&IsNodeId=1&minPrice=400&maxPrice=850&PropertyCodeValue=402%3A74495%2C402%3A53986%2C402% 3A57506%2C402%3A55207%2C402%3A54305%2C402%3A58296% 2C402%3A75192%2C402%3A75107%2C402%3A77866%2C402%3A 58080%2C402%3A53929%2C402%3A75109%2C402%3A54076%2C 402%3A55445%2C2923%3A18470%2C406%3A27789%2C406%3A3 3097%2C406%3A74936%2C406%3A49592%2C406%3A43779%2C4 06%3A45867%2C406%3A24679%2C406%3A39260%2C410%3A107 41%2C410%3A44102%2C410%3A10742%2C410%3A46027%2C410 %3A10743%2C424%3A55446%2C424%3A44583%2C424%3A26910&bop=And&CompareItemList=32%7C34%2D115%2D860%5E34%2D115%2D8 60%2DTS%2C34%2D115%2D857%5E34%2D115%2D857%2DTS%2C3 4%2D152%2D218%5E34%2D152%2D218%2DTS) bad boys instead. I actually searched through 17" models too, however these were better. And they spank the Alienware.

[NightrainSrt4]

Perhaps wrap the screws in masking, electrical or duct tape? That or fill the hole with something like epoxy or some other type of stuff that could be used as filler. That would stop the metal screws from moving around completely, thus preventing them from damaging the plastic threading.

If you want to void the warranty people have had success with epoxy. The front plastic "glass" is physically stuck/attached to the lcd with tape. There is also no way you are getting it back on without trapping dust between the lcd and plastic.

Not trying to dissuade someone from getting one, just stating my experiences. There are plenty of issues I can deal with or learn to live with when it comes to a laptop, but a laptop with a dead hinge is no laptop at all, no matter how much hardware they pack into it.