WTB Laptop £500

[Calneon]

I've gone too long without a laptop, and from my first year at uni I really felt it was important to have one because I needed to work a lot on the move. So, I want to spend about £500 on a good laptop, preferably one with a large screen (1680x1080 if possible), is quite light, and can play the latest games albeit on low settings, though that's not that important. The main thing I'm looking for is build quality and style.

I have literally no knowledge of laptops so I need you guys to point me in the right direction.

[Isphera]

I've had an ASUS laptop for a couple years now, and couldn't be more happy with it. It's filled in as a mobile work PC, held my casual games (FM and the like) for when I'm away from home, and filled in pretty nicely as a backup PC when my main when tits up on me. Only real problems with it now have been inflicted by me and are really only superficial shell damage.

I haven't had a look at their models lately, but it may be work checking out the usual places like eBuyer and Scan, along with their notebook site (http://uk.asus.com/ProductGroup1.aspx?PG_ID=1quIC6RvvlvcvNbn) for details.

[Calneon]

Sod the £500 limit, if I'm going to get what I want, I'll have to spend the extra cash. Looking at Dell's range at the moment, the Studio 15 and 17.

[Colonel Mitch]

im gunna get an asus G73

http://www.btotech.com/_e/17_Asus_Laptops/product/asus_g73jh-a1/Asus_G73Jh_A1.htm

[Calneon]

im gunna get an asus G73

http://www.btotech.com/_e/17_Asus_Laptops/product/asus_g73jh-a1/Asus_G73Jh_A1.htm
Looks very nice, but I want to pay half as much :).

[Calneon]

These two both look nice:

http://www.alttabbed.com/upload/files/1/vaio.jpg

http://www.alttabbed.com/upload/files/1/dell.jpg

[Isphera]

I like the look of that Viao. The dell is a dell, so it's a no from me on that one. I seriously recommend looking at the ASUS range though, everyone that I know that has had them can't rave enough about them, and mine is still in quality condition.

I find it interesting that this thread comes about a year after THIS ONE (http://www.atkcommunity.com/threads/1872-Laptop-for-Uni!) started....

[Calneon]

I like the look of that Viao. The dell is a dell, so it's a no from me on that one. I seriously recommend looking at the ASUS range though, everyone that I know that has had them can't rave enough about them, and mine is still in quality condition.

I find it interesting that this thread comes about a year after THIS ONE (http://www.atkcommunity.com/threads/1872-Laptop-for-Uni!) started....
I've had a look, but it's hard because they don't show prices on their site.

And yes, I said i'd buy one last year but never got round to it, ended up buying an i7 upgrade instead xD.

[Colonel Mitch]

You mght want to note the sony vaios have a reputation for being shiney tat, overpriced and tend not to age well (in terms of breaking).

I agree with oric about not getting a dell too, i cant think of a single person with a dell that works 2 years after getting it xD

Kieran - dell #1 stopped working completley, #2, enter and various other keys stopped working, power adaptor failed, then laptop failed
Teacher, CD RW stopped working , Laptop stopped workng,
A couple of custoemrs @ the nest brought dells in with screens that stopped working or broken HDDs (more than any othe laptop make).
Mums dell broke
I also know of others but i cant think of them off hand.

[Calneon]

Leaning towards the Vaio.

EDIT: Despite the fact that the Sony site is a pile of rat shit.

EDIT 2: Just a side-note, the X Series is the sexiest piece of hardware i've ever seen.

[Chalex4]

I have a 13" Sony Vaio (SR range) that cost about £900 since it has 4GB ram and a pretty good graphics card. I can't recommend them enough. Also, <3 chicklet keys!

My mate has a Dell here that's pretty similarly specced, but it gets SOOOO hot and basically burns his nuts off. It's also damn heavy. My Vaio is 1.9kg, perfect for uni and carrying around. I never wanted a desktop replacement, just something for on-the-go.

Asus are good, although a bit clunky at times. But they are very well priced for what you get.

[Isphera]

Never heard of the 'clunky' complaint before :S. I'll speak to the guys around by me that have them and I'll get back to that, but I've heard nothing but awesomeness about them.