Help me find my new computer

[Makeitstop]

I'm in the market for a new laptop and I think I've narrowed it down to 2 possibilities:
The Asus G72GX or the Toshiba Qosmio X505 Q830

The problem is I only have a vague understanding of all the technical details so I don't really know which is better overall.

I'm leaning towards the Toshiba because from what I understand, the processor is better, and the graphics card is nearly as powerful while using much less power and producing less heat. Blu-ray is a nice bonus but hardly necessary.

On the other hand the Asus comes with more memory, twice the hard drive space, and costs $100 less. I'm also not 100% certain that there isn't a major difference between a Geforce GTS 250m and a GTX 260m. The last thing I want is to drop a grand on a computer only to find that it can't handle a little mass effect.


So can anyone save me from my dilemma?



For those interested, I am looking for something that can not only play games, but will also be a good desktop replacement for the next several years.

[Canuck]

Check out Mac refurbished as another option

[sydnie7]

Have you gone through the "how to buy a laptop" info available at CNET? Here's a link to start you off. They also have excellent product reviews, which might help you decide.

I've owned two Toshiba laptops, found them to be of excellent quality with exemplary customer support.

[Heming]

I'd get a new macbook. They start at $999 and will last for years. My experience is that any PC will be "worn out" on two or three years, but my macs have lasted up to seven years without compatibility problems from new technology.

If you're on a tighter budget, go for a used (refurbished) macbook or macbook pro.

[Paul]

Only thing to note: if you're gaming or something else that requires a lot of read from the HDD you're best with a 7,200RPM HDD - rather than a standard laptop 5,600RPM.
You'll want at least 500MB of dedicated graphics and 2/3GB of 800Mhz ram.

My laptops a custom-built Dell... cost £300 ($500) as a refurb (in total with my added bits and pieces). It has 2.4GHz Intel core 2 duo porocessor, 120GB 7,200RPM 32MB cache HDD (any more space would require additional cooling fans at this speed), 3GB 800MHz ram, 512MB dedicated graphics - the most the Dell laptop motherboard allows and it's running XP SP2.
It's probably the best money I've spent - but I have to use a Macbook this year for university sadly.

[starbkjrus]

Guess I'm not going to add anything here. I wouldn't buy another Windows machine if my life depended on it.



Actually I guess I would if my life depended on it -- they are disposable.

MAC all the way here. ith:

[vipermcgee]

In light of recent experiences with Windows machines, I too will be switching to Mac. We have 3 new Windows machines and have had nothing but problems with all 3. If you much chose Windows, stay away from 64 bit systems. A lot of the more useful technology doesn't exist for 64 bit platforms yet.

These recommendations come from a 15-year Windows advocate, so it must be worth something.

Robert

[GDub]

Get a Mac! I'm a LONG Mac at home user, but at work I use both (I'm a programmer so I'm fairly well versed on the subject). PCs are initially "cheaper" to buy (depending on the options), but, IMHO, are more expensive over the long haul. Also, the PC headaches because of Windoze are far too frequent and frustrating for home use. Macs are so much more user friendly.