Notebooks

Anyone know if there's a good notbook for SLing wireless? I'm trying to think ahead to how I'm gonna access SL from a RL beach or park. lol

I'm looking at Alienware; these enough?

Sentia m3450
Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.33Ghz
Intel GMA 950 Extreme Graphics
667 Mhz DDR2 Memory
8X Dual Layer DVD±R/W
Up to 200GB of Storage
$899 basic

Area 51 m5550
Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.33Ghz
256MB NVIDIA® Graphics
667 Mhz DDR2 Memory
8X Dual Layer DVD±R/W
Up to 200GB of Storage
$1049 basic

or do I have to go a big as this?

Auroroa m9700
AMD Turion™ 64 Processors
NVIDIA® SLI Dual Graphics
400Mhz DDR Memory
8X Dual Layer DVD±R/W
Up to 500GB of Storage
$1599 basic

Obviously, I'd like to shell out as little as possible in order to have a good experience.

If any one knows of a better system, any recomendations are also grealy appreciated.

Pastily yours,
Jax

Intel graphics are bad! Avoid this one like the plague.



Much better, but how much system RAM does it have? You want 1Gb minimum, more the better, I would say even 2Gb if it comes with Vista.



I like the second one better, ie DDR2 RAM, Core Duo, I have a Core Duo lappy by Sony and it works great for me. I stick with AMD at home but alkways seem to buy Intel based laptops.

I found this posted on the system requirements page:

*
Second Life is not compatible with dial-up internet, satellite internet, and some wireless internet services.

Does this mean 3g wireless is not an option?

I know someone who is using it, seems to work ok.

I fun SL fine on a 1.83GHz core duo notebook with 2GB of 533MHz RAM, an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 video card, and a 5400rpm 100GB HDD. It also has run fine under any wiresless network I've hooked up through.

Alienware is like buying over priced shoes because of the name. Look more at whats under the hood then what the title of the company is that makes the computer.

"nvidia graphics" is a bit vague. I think you want one that has its own memory not "up to 256 stolen off the rest of the system" for example.

I would recommend Rock, but they're expensive. But then I'm in the UK and everything is.

just an FYI

If you must get Alienware get a long warrantly, mine is like just over a year old and the LCD screen has 2 big lines down the middle of it, I rang Alienware and they said as its out of warrantly Ill have to pay.

Fine I thought, how much could it be?

"replacing the screen means replacing the case, it will cost about £400"thats about $750)

I was like what?!?!?!

Needless to say I wont be buying Alienware again, I have a Dell XPS of a similar age, it developed a slightly noisey fan and Dell were out like next day, they ring you later to ask if repair satisfactory, I know others who have had similar good experiences with Dell, they seem to actually value their customers.

Oh and on another note, for a similar price, the Dell is faster, lighter, cooler(dont put Alienware near anything you dont want melted), longer battery life, about 3 times faster to boot up, its no contest.

You know that Alienware is owned by Dell these days? They bought them around a year ago. I'd be guessing that Alienware machinese since then are basically rebadged Dells. Mind you, I'd not be paying extra for the cool name and case, myself.

I personally prefer the cases on Dell also, Alienware use a customised generic case made by Clevo, same basic case used by a lot of other small notebook manufacturers

I forgot to mention the one Alienware advatage over Dell, you get a free Alienware logo T shirt, its pretty good for cleaning the car, or any floor spillages, and if it wears out Im sure Alienware would only want about £5000 to send me a new one.

OK, OK Dude, I'm gettin' a Dell. You guys rock! Thanks so much for all of the input. I

That price they quoted you is bollocks! Alienware is owned by Dell. I work for the company that manufactures and and supplies 75% of Dell's LCD panels world wide. I also manage Dell's repair process in Europe with regards to LCD. Assuming your screen is around 14" - 15" it would cost about $70 - $80 to replace the LCD panel for new and around $50 for the case, but case replacments are not allways required. not sure with regards to the Alienware brand. Either way the overall cost of the repair would be around $130 , £65 at cost so they are adding an extortionate markup. I suppose as it's Alienware the case may be funkier and jazzed up so that may increase the cost somewhat, but its still just molded plastic at the end of the day so even if you doubled the cost of the case they are still quoting you an extoritonate amount.