Laptop Hunting

[AB Editor]

Morning All,

Thinking about picking up a new laptop, here's what I want:

Win7 64-bit
10-12" screen
Thin/light as possible please!
Lots of Ram
Decent graphics card
SD card reader
Mobile internet sim-slot-thingy (i.e. built in internet-dongle)

What I don't want:
A CD drive
A lot of noise, quiet cooling would be appreciated.

Does such a thing exist? Would love to be pointed in the right direction for this kind of thing (not looked at laptops for some time).

Ta very much,

Spare Ed

[snags]

What you really want is an 11'' MacBook Air ;-p

[ChuckFickens]

http://www.google.co....cial&client=firefox-a

[AB Editor]

Mac's are made of failcake. Any serious answers out there?

[ChuckFickens]

Toshiba also do some that come close, but they have intel graphics and have got DVD drives.

[AB Editor]

Ah, thanks Chuck. Will have a little look.

[AB Editor]

I just don't know why they don't drop disc drives completely - or at least make it more optional...

[ChuckFickens]

few more

http://www.pcworld.co...portable_laptops.html

[AB Editor]

I was looking at a Vaio, which nearly fits - apart for the disc drive!

[ChuckFickens]

Specifically wanting one without an optical drive and with decent graphics is going to limit the options a little, machines with fairly decent graphics tend to be more media orientated in this size range (you're not going to get a gaming card in this size of laptop) and media orientated systems will have DVD drives.

Personally I'd be prepared to budge on the no DVD drive aspect if it doesn't compromise the size too much and means decent graphics.

[AB Editor]

You're probably right Chuck. Can you get custom built laptops though?

[ChuckFickens]

Not really as the chassis are standard so losing a DVD drive would have no real benefit other than having a big empty gap where the drive should be.

some manufacturers will allow you to spec up a laptop to a certain degree (alienware for example) but even that is going to be selected from a limited range of availble options.

Alienware possibly match your requirements closest though.

http://www.dell.com/u...&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

(p.s. I'll be very jealous if you get an alienware laptop)

[AB Editor]

/// (p.s. I'll be very jealous if you get an alienware laptop) ///

Ah, another selling point!

[AB Editor]

I wish Alienware would try and give me the Specs of a thing without dumping pseudo-WOW imagery everywhere!

[ChuckFickens]

You know you want one now :)

Spec it with the core i7, 2GB graphics, 16GB RAM the 256GB solid state drive and a 64bit version of windows and you'll have a very serious little laptop.

All for only about £2500 :)

[AB Editor]

The Vaio I was looking at came in at around £1800 - and at least that was a pretty object!

I don't thing I need 16 Rams, they'll only fight...8 is about the right number!

Ah, yes, that is something else I was looking for: SSD - a bit quicker, quieter and cooler right?

[AB Editor]

Who is the fluffy chap in your avatar Trim?

Also, Chuck, difference between i5 processor and i7?

aside from "2" and £200 that is..

Spare

[AB Editor]

Amazing little nugget of pop culture there. Splendid.