[ambesolman]

I didn't know where else to post this, but know y'all are the folks to ask. Forgive my ignorance, but do all bluray drives allow you to burn DVDs? I'm getting close to buying a new laptop and all help is appreciated. I want an i7 processor, bluray drive that'll let me rip a BD onto the HD. I don't game on computers but I'm looking for a laptop that's fast as possible and "futureproof" as possible to last me the next 5 yrs or so. If I could wirelessly send video and audio to HT, all the better but not a necessity as I'm sure there's something aftermarket I can get down the road to do that. Is there much of a difference btw 6gb and 8gb memory? Or a HD that's 5400rpm vs 7200rpm? Or Radeon HD 6490M vs 6770M graphics card? Also looking to keep it under a grand if possible. I was able to build an HP for under a grand and wondered if it was a good buy or not. I know nothing about computers other than it's time for a serious upgrade. Thanks in advance.

 

[Micromain]

Just about any Blu-ray drive purchased today will also burn regular DVDs.


Wireless video/audio to an HT is possible but it depends on a lot of factors ranging from the wireless components to signal strength to the bitrate of the media file. It works for a few people and doesn't work for many. Use a cable if at all possible.


For a HD, get an SSD instead of a mechanical drive. You'd be better off going with an i5 system/SSD than an i7/mechanical drive if it comes down to budgetary concerns. An SSD makes that big of a diffference.


If you don't game it unlikely that a 6770M will provide any significant benefits over the 6490M.


For memory, 6GB is plenty for now unless you are running Photoshop or 3DSMax. If you are running those apps seriously then a laptop under 1K isn't going to cut it anyway.


btw, 5 years is ambitious for keeping a laptop futureproof. Even an i7 might seem like a dinosaur in 5 years.

 

[assassin]

Get an i5 and an SSD.


Don't count on any laptop lasting 5 years.

 

[ambesolman]

I knew i came to the right place. As i've said, i know s&$t about this stuff so please forgive my ignorance. My current laptop is about five yrs old and still does ok for most basic stuff. I figured that i buy the fastest i can get now so ill end up where i am now in another five years. Although my current laptop wasnt top of the line by any means. The only SSD available is 160gb (vs 500, 750gb, etc with i7) and is a $350 upgrade which really screws with the other options I want. What advantages does the SSD have over the mechanical besides the lack of moving parts? How does the dual core i5 w/SSD operate faster than the quad core regular i7? Is it that the mechanical drive has to "spool up" which takes longer?

 

[ambesolman]

Anybody?

 

[Vampidemic]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman /forum/post/0


Anybody?

Personally, I would be reluctant to recommend SSD given your budget. SSD will allow your computer to launch apps or load and save data faster, but that's not the same as having a faster processor. Also, as you noticed the available capacities for SSD are smaller and more expensive than hard drives. If you're looking to rip BD discs, you probably want a good sized hard drive to keep those large video files on.


You can always swap your hard drive for an SSD later if desired and you'll likely save money by doing it this way if you are able install the SSD and rebuild your OS yourself. Plus if you wait awhile to do this SSD prices will likely come down over time.


In the meantime, you might also want to consider upgrading your memory and/ or hard drive yourself to maximize your budget. Laptop manufacturers typically overcharge for memory and hard drive upgrades so you may save money by ordering a machine with the cheapest hard drive and memory options and installing upgrades yourself. Just make sure to get a machine with a design that can be upgraded easily with a minimum amount if disassembly (and keep in mind that you will have to rebuild the OS if you replace the hard drive; get an OS install disc included with the laptop if at all possible).

 

[ambesolman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Vampidemic /forum/post/0



Personally, I would be reluctant to recommend SSD given your budget. SSD will allow your computer to launch apps or load and save data faster, but that's not the same as having a faster processor. Also, as you noticed the available capacities for SSD are smaller and more expensive than hard drives. If you're looking to rip BD discs, you probably want a good sized hard drive to keep those large video files on.


You can always swap your hard drive for an SSD later if desired and you'll likely save money by doing it this way if you are able install the SSD and rebuild your OS yourself. Plus if you wait awhile to do this SSD prices will likely come down over time.


In the meantime, you might also want to consider upgrading your memory and/ or hard drive yourself to maximize your budget. Laptop manufacturers typically overcharge for memory and hard drive upgrades so you may save money by ordering a machine with the cheapest hard drive and memory options and installing upgrades yourself. Just make sure to get a machine with a design that can be upgraded easily with a minimum amount if disassembly (and keep in mind that you will have to rebuild the OS if you replace the hard drive; get an OS install disc included with the laptop if at all possible).

Those are great points. The one I'm looking at is this HP, though slightly tweaked, still comes in under $1k.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/sh.../dv6tqe_series

 

[Micromain]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman /forum/post/20873488


I knew i came to the right place. As i've said, i know s&$t about this stuff so please forgive my ignorance. My current laptop is about five yrs old and still does ok for most basic stuff. I figured that i buy the fastest i can get now so ill end up where i am now in another five years. Although my current laptop wasnt top of the line by any means. The only SSD available is 160gb (vs 500, 750gb, etc with i7) and is a $350 upgrade which really screws with the other options I want. What advantages does the SSD have over the mechanical besides the lack of moving parts? How does the dual core i5 w/SSD operate faster than the quad core regular i7? Is it that the mechanical drive has to "spool up" which takes longer?

160GB for $350 is ridiculous. What you may want to look for is a laptop that can hold 2 hard-drives (without needing to use the optical bay for the 2nd drive). Buy the system with a mechanical drive and then get an SSD on sale at a later point; maybe a 60GB, 100GB, or 120GB and upgrade your laptop so the SSD is your OS/Application drive. SSDs can now be had for @ $1/GB for 60GB models. 120GB models can be had for @ $1.25/GB. Keep an eye out for sales.


Using an SSD to store BD rips or other system files is a waste. You don't need it for that. However, an SSD will make your laptop more responsive than any other single component. Even for an i5 or i7 there is not a single component that will do more for your system. It won't help burn BDs faster but it will turbo-charge the interface reaction. However, it will cause Windows to boot very quickly and applications to open nearly instantly, and when it really comes down to it the responsiveness of your system is what users perceive as "fast."


Ask anyone who has gone from a mechanical drive to an SSD for their OS/Applications. I doubt anyone would ever go back.

 

[ambesolman]

Is it worth $200 to go from an i5 (2.3ghz turbo boost to 2.9ghz, 3mb L3 cashe) to

i7 (2.7ghz turbo boost to 3.4ghz, 4mb L3 cashe)? What about if I eventually add an SSD? Would it be worth it then?


OR...


Try and get an SSD and then buy an external HD to increase storage?

 

[hirent]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman /forum/post/20879302


Is it worth $200 to go from an i5 (2.3ghz turbo boost to 2.9ghz, 3mb L3 cashe) to

i7 (2.7ghz turbo boost to 3.4ghz, 4mb L3 cashe)? What about if I eventually add an SSD? Would it be worth it then?

OR...

Try and get an SSD and then buy an external HD to increase storage?

Co-incidentally, I have been messing around with configuring a DV7 from HP for the last 2-3 weeks.

Here are my observations from there so far:

[1] The DV7 (regular version) does not have the Blu-Ray Drive option.

[2] For a BD drive, you need the DV7 Quad Edition (Core i7 Quad-Core).

[3] The Core i7 CPU option in the regular DV7 is not a Quad-Core. And you will not need all that power for simple playback.

[4] For HD ripping and playback, even the Core i3 with Intel HD 3000 Graphics is sufficient.

[5] All current DV7 models are dual-drive models, meaning the space is already there; all you need is the drive caddy & the cables and you can buy your own (1TB) drive and install it in the second bay (lots of YouTube videos online regarding this).

[6] All DV7 models come with a screen size of 17" w/ 1600x900 resolution. You have the option of configuring a Full HD 1080p anti-glare screen for $150 more. IMHO, it would be a worthwhile upgrade.

[7] Just get whatever memory they offer with the model, the regular comes with 6GB & the QE comes with 8GB. I can tell you, 3GB is more than enough for any kind of HD playback.

[8] Go to a B&M and check out the 'Dark Umber' & the 'Steel Gray' finish. I, personally do not care for the DU and would rather get the SG.

[9] Get the Lojack utility option. Its only $50 for 4 years.

[10] The BD drive with the DV7 is a DVD Burner.

[11] The Wireless cards that come with the DV7 do have the Intel Wi-Di feature. This allows you to send the AV signal to compatible Wi-Di receivers. Newer TVs might have it built-in while you will need to buy an adapter for older models. Search the web and do your research on how well/bad it works.

[12] Get the Extended Warranty from HP itself. They have a great deal with these models. For instance, a 3-yr at home service warranty with accidental damage protection is $120 & $200; a 4-yr is $180 & $200 respectively. It will be worth it. And in those warranty years, if they can't repair your laptop, they will replace it with a current comparable model.

The DV7 (alongwith their Envy lineup) are their premium models. They will treat you right.

 

[bjterry62]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman /forum/post/20871738


I didn't know where else to post this, but know y'all are the folks to ask. Forgive my ignorance, but do all bluray drives allow you to burn DVDs? I'm getting close to buying a new laptop and all help is appreciated. I want an i7 processor, bluray drive that'll let me rip a BD onto the HD. I don't game on computers but I'm looking for a laptop that's fast as possible and "futureproof" as possible to last me the next 5 yrs or so. If I could wirelessly send video and audio to HT, all the better but not a necessity as I'm sure there's something aftermarket I can get down the road to do that. Is there much of a difference btw 6gb and 8gb memory? Or a HD that's 5400rpm vs 7200rpm? Or Radeon HD 6490M vs 6770M graphics card? Also looking to keep it under a grand if possible. I was able to build an HP for under a grand and wondered if it was a good buy or not. I know nothing about computers other than it's time for a serious upgrade. Thanks in advance.

First problem I see is you want to rip BDs to your laptop HD. These guys telling you to get an SSD figure you plan to use a server or external drive for storage. If that's the case, then yeah, the SSD is a good idea. If you think you're going to store all those ripped BDs on your lappy, then you sure better not go with the SSD cause you'll probably only rip 3 or 4 before you run out of space. Somehow I don't think this will be enough movies to keep you happy. It would be better for you to go with a 750 GB HDD then you may get close to 18. So, your goal is the largest HDD possible if you plan to store the rips on the lappy. Don't worry about the rpms either.


Wireless HDMI is a more realistic endeavor. There's the Rocketfish and the ZyXEL that are reported to do the job fairly well.


Lastly, you can't be 5yr future-proof. It ain't possible. Your best bet is to buy a damn nice desktop (which can be upgraded later when needed) for ripping and storage and a decent lappy for playback on the go. With a good i3 lappy, you can do BD playback for something like 8 hrs on battery alone. Try that with your i7 / discreet GPU laptop!


BT

 

[ambesolman]

Ok so I'm pulling the trigger tomorrow on an HP and just wondering if I really need the 2yr warranty (somehow different from the standard 2yr warranty that comes with it) for an additional $119. Only difference seems to add "virus and spyware removal assistance." Seems like a bunch of crapola to me. FYI, I rarely use my laptops outside if the house so I didn't seriously consider the "accidental damage" warranty. If I could get some input on this ASAP I'd appreciate it.

Here's a link to the comparison chart...
http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/...ebook_Tips.pdf

 

[hirent]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ambesolman /forum/post/20887869


Ok so I'm pulling the trigger tomorrow on an HP and just wondering if I really need the 2yr warranty (somehow different from the standard 2yr warranty that comes with it) for an additional $119. Only difference seems to add "virus and spyware removal assistance." Seems like a bunch of crapola to me. FYI, I rarely use my laptops outside if the house so I didn't seriously consider the "accidental damage" warranty. If I could get some input on this ASAP I'd appreciate it.

Here's a link to the comparison chart...
http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/...ebook_Tips.pdf

Which model/specs did you decide on?

The extended warranty is like insurance, gives you peace of mind. But maybe not for everybody. I would have suggested a third-party insurance (Square Trade is very popular) but the prices are not much different.

Besides, they service it in your home, you don't have to send it out, no waiting. Its 'At-Home' service.

And the extended warranty with the DV7 lineup covers drops, liquid spills etc. which can be highly random (or not at all).


I personally feel that, if I'm spending upwards of $1000 for something, I would want to spend $200 more to cover it for 3-4 yrs.


P.S.: I came across some '30% Off' coupons if you are interested.

 

[ambesolman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hirent Which model/specs did you decide on? The extended warranty is like insurance, gives you peace of mind. But maybe not for everybody. I would have suggested a third-party insurance (Square Trade is very popular) but the prices are not much different. Besides, they service it in your home, you don't have to send it out, no waiting. Its 'At-Home' service. And the extended warranty with the DV7 lineup covers drops, liquid spills etc. which can be highly random (or not at all). I personally feel that, if I'm spending upwards of $1000 for something, I would want to spend $200 more to cover it for 3-4 yrs. P.S.: I came across some '30% Off' coupons if you are interested.

Thanks I got the 30% off as well. I decided on the dv7 in steel grey, windows 7 premium (with recovery disc), quad core i7-2720QM (2.2ghz, 6mb L3 cashe) w/turbo boost up to 3.3ghz, 1gb GDDR5 Radeon HD 6490M graphics, 8 gb memory, 750gb HD 5400rpm, 9 cell battery, standard 17.3" display, bluray player/DVD burner, HD webcam, wifi+Bluetooth, standard 2 yr warranty.


I'm pretty stoked, I've never had a new computer before and may even add an SSD in the future just to run the os. But I think I'm set for a good while. If I need more space I can always add an external HD. I'll be sure to let y'all know what I think about it when it shows up in a couple of weeks. Thanks to all for your help and patience!

 

[assassin]

I would have still gotten an i5 with an SSD.


That's just me.

 

[ambesolman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by assassin I would have still gotten an i5 with an SSD. That's just me.

I know and I would have if the 160gb SSD alone wouldn't have added $350 and sent my total almost over $1300, even with the i5. The 160gb SSD + 500 gb HD combo was $500 more and what i would have really preferred, just too much $$. The best part is that most of those options were free upgrades. Also I found a visa giftcard with $125 on it from when we got married a couple of years ago. It looks like I can buy an SSD from elsewhere and add it for a hell of a lot cheaper than HP wanted anyway.

Assassin, I'll be coming to you in the future when I comes time to start ripping BDs and figuring out how to make it work with the HT. Can't wait to get that rollin'...

 

[assassin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambesolman I know and I would have if the 160gb SSD alone wouldn't have added $350 and sent my total almost over $1300, even with the i5. The 160gb SSD + 500 gb HD combo was $500 more and what i would have really preferred, just too much $$. The best part is that most of those options were free upgrades. Also I found a visa giftcard with $125 on it from when we got married a couple of years ago. It looks like I can buy an SSD from elsewhere and add it for a hell of a lot cheaper than HP wanted anyway. Assassin, I'll be coming to you in the future when I comes time to start ripping BDs and figuring out how to make it work with the HT. Can't wait to get that rollin'...

Sounds good!


I think a 64GB SSD is plenty for how I use a laptop. I guess it just depends on what you want.


I agree that $350 is too much.

 

[hirent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambesolman Thanks I got the 30% off as well. I decided on the dv7 in steel grey, windows 7 premium (with recovery disc), quad core i7-2720QM (2.2ghz, 6mb L3 cashe) w/turbo boost up to 3.3ghz, 1gb GDDR5 Radeon HD 6490M graphics, 8 gb memory, 750gb HD 5400rpm, 9 cell battery, standard 17.3" display, bluray player/DVD burner, HD webcam, wifi+Bluetooth, standard 2 yr warranty. I'm pretty stoked, I've never had a new computer before and may even add an SSD in the future just to run the os. But I think I'm set for a good while. If I need more space I can always add an external HD. I'll be sure to let y'all know what I think about it when it shows up in a couple of weeks. Thanks to all for your help and patience!

I would say, no need of the recovery disc since, Windows 7 has a great Back-Up feature. It is actually better since you uninstall all the trial software that comes with the laptop and then create your own Win 7 disc.

Also, I would suggest get the HD6770 for $25 more. Its a worthwhile upgrade.