Laptop recommendation

[JeffSchmeff]

I'm in the market for a new laptop. I'm pretty technical, but haven't kept up with mobile GPUs at all. I'm looking for something that can do some light gaming, but mostly care about being able to watch and output full 1080p via HDMI. Optical drive isn't very important, and I'd like to keep it below $700 if possible. Any recommendations?

Not looking for a netbook - maybe a minimum 13.3" screen.

[hkHog]

I have the predecessor to this laptop and love it:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644691998&N=4294953518

I got mine for $800 but that included a 16.4" 1080p screen AND a Blu Ray BURNER! Absolutely love it, the screen is awesome for watching downloadable movies and Blu Rays but it is even sweater when connected to my HDTV by HDMI. It seems like its a little more than you're looking for and now that they have the new models its a little more expensive too but the laptop is really awesome. I also appreciate the 1080p screen because it means I don't have to alter resolution when I switch to HDMI out.

[twa]

Acer has some good deals if weight is not a issue

[chow184]

for just at 700 your looking at an i3 processor 4 gigs of ram and maybe a 500 gig HDD with maybe a 256 or 512 dedicated video card.

but you'd have to shop around to get something like that. thats a best case laptop

[Bliz]

I got a Toshiba Satellite that I've been very satisfied with. In general, I think you're best off keeping an eye on the circulars and waiting for something with the specs you want at a good price, then researching that model. There are just too many that will meet your needs to artificially narrow your choices now. Usually the ones with the great prices don't come with office, but OpenOffice works just fine and will save you a couple hundred on the laptop

edit, also keep an eye on http://slickdeals.net

[Blackest Eyes]

Toshiba or Asus.

[Veretax]

I like Fujitsu, but not sure about the niche you are seeking.

[drums and skins]

For what you want to do and for that price, I'd go with a Toshiba.

Normally I recommend business latitude E-series Dells, but those tend to have mobile GPUs that I wouldn't want to recommend for "light gaming". Toshibas generally will give you an honest 3 years before they start breaking down. Just make sure to make your recovery CDs and store them in case you ever need to re-install the operating system down the line (because Toshiba doesn't provide OS discs, just a tool to create recovery discs).

In addition to slickdeals.net, which was mentioned, you can get a decent idea with: http://www.fatwallet.com/best-laptop-deals/

As far as what to avoid: HP dv series laptops. Their motherboards die all the time. Don't know if they have fixed their issue with these laptops, but I'd avoid spending more than a penny for one.

[Veretax]

That's Odd, I've had no problems with any HP notebook I've had. Dells yes. Toshibas used to have this weird error where windows would crash when it tried to play certain sounds in some games. That was a few years ago though.

[JeffSchmeff]

I just wrote a whole post that got deleted, so I'll try to summarize again. I have considered the ASUS UL80, which is on sale on Amazon for $750:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Q8HK7K/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1NGS1QXPHWE83W85Y3GC&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I've also been considering the Dell Studio 14z, which for the price seems like a great deal, it also caught my eye that it was out performing the UL80 in a review I was reading even though it came out near August of last year. That review is here.

I've also been looking at the Dell Studio 15, which is on sale and comes with the new intel processors. By the time you option that up with a video card and better display, it is over $800.