Are those specs worth $1800 for a new laptop?????

Question

Operating System Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T7200 (2.0GHz/4MB L2Cache)

Display 17.0" WXGA+ Ultra BrightView Widescreen (1440x900)

Graphics Card 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7600

Personalization HP Imprint Finish + Microphone + Webcam

Memory 2048MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

Hard Drive 80GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer

Networking Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth

TV & Entertainment Experience FREE Upgrade to HP ExpressCard Analog TV Tuner!!

Primary Battery 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Productivity Software Microsoft(R) Works/Money

Accessories Mobile Stereo Earbud Headphones (1 pair)

Are those specs worth $1800 for a new laptop?????

Operating System Genuine Windows XP Media Center!! (I am still untill they have vista available)

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T7200 (2.0GHz/4MB L2Cache)

Display 17.0" WXGA+ Ultra BrightView Widescreen (1440x900)

Graphics Card 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7600 (I don't know if the 512 mb card is worth the extra $150, I am not an extreme gamer)

Personalization HP Imprint Finish + Microphone + Webcam

Memory 2048MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

Hard Drive 80GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive (It would cost $150 more to get 2 * 80 gb HD's with 5400 rpm, so i chose this and would buy an external 160 gb drive 7200 rpm, for $70)

Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer

Networking Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth

TV & Entertainment Experience FREE Upgrade to HP ExpressCard Analog TV Tuner!!

Primary Battery 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Productivity Software Microsoft(R) Works/Money

Oh and it is by HP so the brand is decent and i am not buying it until they have vista up there to chose from, i waited 6 months without a laptop for vista so i am getting that for sure.....

I am a college student so i might occasionally play games, but mostly i am gonna be using the internet, watching streaming videos and movies etc. I know i am gonna be using the aero interface for sure, i am just wondering if these specs would future proof it for at least my next 4 years in college. its just that i wanna use windows vista and i don't know if there is anything in those specs that i can take off to make it cheaper, but still useful for the next few years........

Answer 1

Typically, laptops are more expensive than PCs, only because they need so much more engineering to make one, so a $1000 PC can have the same specs as a $1300 laptop.

In this light, I'd say your laptop is WORTH IT, not an exceptional deal, but not a bad price either. So basically, you are paying a premium, but you are also getting a good processor, a good screen (nice and high res), not a bad GPU at all, a generous amount of memory, and some nice accessories.

There are, however, 2 things I would complain about.
First of all, your hard drive is tiny. Buying such an expensive computer, I'd expect that you'd be playing games or multimedia applications. 80GB is therefore not enough. I'd get around 120GB MINIMUM.

Second, is that Media Center that you seem excited about. As cool as it may sound, at the end of THIS MONTH, Microsoft will be releasing Windows Vista, which is the new operating system that will succeed Windows XP.
Check it out here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/
The point is, unless the person you are buying it off of specifically states that it will be free to upgrade your operating system to Windows Vista, you will have to pay. And that will be an extra $300 to shell out (making your computer cost $2100). In the end, I'd say that if you want to buy your laptop, wait till January 30th.

Answer 2

Look around before you buy this... I have a HP Pavilion dv7 and i have a lot of the stuff on that list, the only difference with the internals are that alien has a little better of a processor, but i have more memory with 1.5t, i also have an Intel core i7 and a radeon. that's all the differences i can see only payed about $1000ish. if you are looking for a gaming laptop then yes that's good but i run any game i want on high settings with no problem. when you buy an alien you're just buying the brand name, aliens a a bit over priced but still nice computers

Answer 3

thats quite an impressive notebook...it depends on who you are and what your intentions are...we all know that computer technology changes rapidly...thank god its finally slowing down. but before you know it we'll have 4 processors instead of this computers 2. add hyperthreading and processor count virtually doubles. but for the gamer its a good deal. you have 1 processor running in the bg for virus/spyware protection and the other for games/internet, etc. lets just say i would wait a few monthes to buy it.

Answer 4

It's good, but for $1800, I would expect your harddrive to be at least 120GB...

My Laptop is almost similiar to yours in many ways (screen is smaller at 13") but it's a mini power house...

-XP PRO with free express uprgrade to vista business
-120GB Harddrive
-1GB ram
-DVD/CD Burner
-Intel Core T7200
-Wireless/bluetooth

With other software all for $1450. (Mine is the sony vaio C series.)

Answer 5

Not a bad price. Only problem is "Media center". Its crap, you should get XP Pro. But if I was going to spend 1800 on a notebook, I would buy a macbook.

But thats just me. ^_^

Answer 6

If you were to build your own computer (referring to desktop), it would almost ALWAYS be cheaper than if you customized one online from say, dell. With laptops, which I don't know how to build, it would probably be the same case. So my guess it is 100-200 more than it should be.

Answer 7

Nice, but if you back-off on the processor speed you might save $500.00 and never notice the difference.

Answer 8

absolutely not. The best time to buy a computer is usually black friday otherwise know as the day after thanks giving. But if you need one now check circuit city. 256 is minimum and 80 gb is minimum. worth about 800.00 everything is ultra bright now

Answer 9

17 inch screens with 2 GB of memory, the Specs above would cost you that at retail, if you like it I would buy it.

Answer 10

Worth is relative. It would probably cost you that much in most stores. Worth? Probably not.