Best Laptop Under 1k

[runmymouth]

I am looking to replace a laptop of mine that died yesterday. I want it to have a dedicated video card and windows 7, but everything else is negotiable. I have a desktop gaming pc so it doesn't have to be a gaming machine. Any ideas of brands to stay away from/ or to buy from? Any general recomendations. I haven't bought a laptop in 6 years so I am curious what I should look for at this point. I can also wait a month or two if there is a financial incentive to do so.

 

[Maziar]

Fill the FAQ first please:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/50797-35-read-buying-laptop

 

[runmymouth]

1_What is your budget? Under 1000 pref, up to 1250.

2_What is the size of the notebook that you are considering? 15-17" monitor

3_What screen resolution do you want? unspecified

4_Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop? replacement laptop, have a Q9650, 4870 Radeon desktop

5_How much battery life do you need? As much as I can get

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?

Flash games
The occasional RTS or RPG

7_What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)
Watch Movies

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need?
Enough for games and a movie or two, my desktop has 3 tb storage

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post the links to them.
Up for recommended sites to purchase from. Purchase plans of 6months - 1 year would be nice but not required.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop?
4 - 6 years


11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?
CD/DVD player, burning not required
12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.
Acer - heard good things
Asus - My desktop is using a lot of asus parts and I am pleased
Dell - Last laptop was a dell and lasted 6 years. Have $200 of studio laptops from company deal.
13_What country do you live in?
US

14_Please tell us any additional information if needed.
Want windows 7, not required because I can buy an oem version if required. Would prefer a minimum of crapwear but I can remove it or do a clean install myself if needed.

 

[runmymouth]

Also any articles on recent reviews of different makers and their laptop products would be appreciated.

 

[Maziar]

This ASUS G72X is an excellent choice:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Laptop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B2+Duo+Processor+-+Black/9556125.p?id=1218124208054&skuId=9556125
great performance + great price

 

[runmymouth]

Any recomendations for a longer battery life? I had a 6 hour battery life with a 9 cell battery in my last laptop and would like at least a 3-4 hours battery life when not playing a video game.

 

[lostandwandering]

^Since you get a discount through Dell, I would just take a look at the Studio 15 or 17 lines. Both systems can be configured pretty well for a grand.

 

[Maziar]

^Since you get a discount through Dell, I would just take a look at the Studio 15 or 17 lines. Both systems can be configured pretty well for a grand.

I second Dell studio 15/17 series