Don't think you have to get a large screen, large does not equal better. I have a NICE 17" dell ??? with all the bells and whistles ( cost was over 3K when bought ). Its a nice fast computer but I DON'T like the large screen. not that important on a laptop and KILLS BAT LIFE. Some Important things if he is into gaming are
- disk drive speed (faster = fast access = better gaming and more desk like performance)
-disk drive size, bigger will let him install more games, hard to add drive later to a laptop.
- Memory, whether you add it or buy it with the laptop, get as much as you can, more memory = less disk drive accessing= more speed and better bat life.
- Video Card, Don't go cheep here, and do some research, I am not sure about model #'s for laptops, but It is NOT cheaper to add a 'better' video card later (nothing worse than having to run a game at low resolution because your card wont drive it or it gets jerky)
- might want to consider a 64bit machine, much faster and get a good processor (top end of one series older than current will generally work sufficient and be MUCH cheaper)
-Get him a nice screen and keyboard for use at YOUR house, high contrast and fast pixel response on LCD screens ( let him want to come over!) Now you see why screen size doesn't matter and remember, laptop keyboards suck for gaming

not sure how much you are wanting to spend, but 'good' ain't cheep, specially if you are wanting to game on a laptop. (low power stuff just ain't fast)

Good luck, DuaneW.

 

Thanks everybody for your input! I am leaning heavily now toward the Dell Studio 15.........

http://www.dell.com:80/content/produ...251&lid=923522

For $650, the Studio 15 sounds like a heck of a deal....and lots of power and features. I've ruled out the Mini 9.

Unless there is any overriding reason not to get this computer...I will be discussing it with the ex (split the cost between us) and trying to order it and get it here in plenty of time for Christmas for my son. He will be one happy kid come Christmas.

..

 

i have purchased several machines (both laptops and desk tops) from

http://www.tigerdirect.com/indexus.a...wyKbywgfCjCmH4

Also have bought parts here to repair and build machines.

 

Not to trash on Dell but my brothers both have dells and i dont like them.. both there laptops seem slow when i use them. I have 2 Sony Vaios and I LOVE them.. the one I bought it 2005 has never given me a problem. (just bought the other last month) I beat on the 2005 one and i have spilled stuff on it.. My ex girlfriends dog even chewed on the corner of it and its still kicking.. Gotta be the reason I own sony computers, sony tvs, sony dvd players lol too bad sony doesnt make built trannies.. haha

 

Well thanks again everybody for your input. Me and the ex talked it over and decided to split the cost of a Dell Studio 15.

Here is a quick list of what came with it...etc.....

223-7818 1 Studio 1535, Intel Core 2 Duo T5750, 2.0GHz, 667Mhz, 2M L2 Cache
320-6465 1 Midnight Blue
311-8611 1 3GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm
330-0497 1 Standard Keyboard
320-6867 1 Glossy, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800)
320-6515 1 Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
341-6692 1 250G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
420-9319 1 Microsoft Windows Vista with SP1 Home Premium Edition 64-bit Edition English
330-0495 1 DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP INSP 1535
420-8223 1 Dell Video Chat
420-9100 1 Dell Dock Consumer
463-2282 1 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access
410-1883 1 ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE
313-6229 1 8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
420-8183 1 Roxio Creator DE 10
330-0496 1 MEDIA DIRECT 4.0 For DVD RW
313-6727 1 Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Software Edition
430-2931 1 Dell Wireless 1510 802.11n Half Mini Card
320-6653 1 Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
410-1163 1 McAfee Security 9.0, 3-Year Subscription, for Dell Inspiron / Dimension
312-0694 1 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
412-0148 1 No Internet Service Provider Requested
420-7770 1 MS Workplus 2008
950-3339 1 3 Year Limited Warranty
412-0359 1 Soft Contracts - Qualxserve
950-5442 1 Warranty Support,2 Year Extended
960-2780 1 Warranty Support,Initial Year
990-5778 1 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Initial Year
990-5837 1 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Extended Year(s)
987-9922 1 Type 15- Third Party At Home Service with Nights and Week ends, 24x7 Technical Support, 2 Year Extended
988-3970 1 Type 15- Third Party At HomeService with Nights and Weekends, 24x7 Technical Support,Initial Year
988-0099 1 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online
988-7707 1 2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS
420-9518 1 DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB FOR DIM/INS/XPS
330-0171 1 S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks
420-9352 1 Dell, Software, Wild Tangent Inc Games
313-6225 1 NO FINGER PRINT READER
320-6878 1 Glossy, widescreen 15.4 LCD (1280x800) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera
420-8310 1 Creative Camera SW
310-8628 1 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System
330-0717 1 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
467-7316 1 Dell Remote Access Basic Email
* -DISCOUNT/COUPON APPLIED
Subtotal: $1,047.00


Honestly I didn't shop real hard (very short on time lately with work)....so another computer brand may have been a little cheaper for what we ordered for this one. I just called Dell and let them sell me. It came as a "package". A La Carte would have most likely been alot more. It was a little more than I anticipated spending....big surprize there huh..?

But with the Core 2 Duo processor, 3 Gigs of Ram, 250k harddrive, 3 years McAfee, 3 years in home warranty, upgraded network card, graphics card, web cam, etc......I think it will be a fine machine for him to use at least through High School. Wish us luck and Merry Christmas to my son! but shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........nobody tell him!

..

 

Sounds like a great choice, he'll be a happy kid on Christmas morning for sure.

 

look into ASUS. best laptop i have ever owned, no issues in the time i have owned it and i do play games now and then and it plays what ever i throw at it. very well designed machine. ASUS not acer they are very different.

 

looks good, upgrades I can think of off the top of my head, a dedicated flash card to use as a ready boost device, if that laptop takes a sd card, then get a fast 4 gb card, install it and leave it in the machine all the time with ready boost enabled......... also I notice you got the 64 bit version, might as well take advantage of that and install as much ram as you can get in there, sounds like it has a 2gb and a 1 gb module installed, swap that single gig out to a nother 2 gb and fly with 4 gb ram..... remove all the crudware that you can, all the trial junk and stuff you will never use that laptops come pre bloated with as well.

 

Forget ready boost... even with 3gb of ram a laptop system is never going to hit 100% ram usage unless it has viruses or is attempting to process high-def video content... which the video card in that system would struggle with anyway so thats completely ruled out.

Although ram isnt expensive anymore, it is a total waste to add more when it will never be used....


Great choice on the core 2 duo! Sounds like a great deal for $650.