Looking for a laptop.

[Flazzard]

Okay, first of all, I'll be moving to the States for about 2 years for my study. I'm planning to get a laptop over there.

This are what I basically would use my laptop for (so far that I can think of now):

- Windows 7 (I know this is not one of the usage, but I might as well include it.)
- Casual gaming
- Listening to music
- For completing assignments and stuffs (of course)
- Watching videos

So I hope that people here could help by recommending some brands which might be suitable for my needs. My budget would be no more then $800. But if it's slightly above $800, just include it too, as I might think about it.

[michaewlewis]

Check out the Dell Studio line of laptops. http://tinyurl.com/ntvbqa
The Studio 17 has a full size keyboard and built in number pad.
If you're going to do some gaming, you might want to upgrade the processor to a Core 2 Duo, instead of the common default Pentium Dual Core.

[Flazzard]

btw,  noticed from Dell websites that the laptops comes with Microsoft Works instead of Microsoft Office. What are the difference between those two?

[Quantos]

Check this out.  It will do that and more.

[michaewlewis]

Works is a crappy, dumbed down version of Microsoft Word. If you can afford it, get Microsoft Office. You won't regret it. If you can't afford it, check out OpenOffice.org. It's a free alternative to Microsoft Office.

[Quantos]

Works is a crappy, dumbed down version of Microsoft Word. If you can afford it, get Microsoft Office. You won't regret it. If you can't afford it, check out OpenOffice.org. It's a free alternative to Microsoft Office.

How is it crappy?
It is more powerful than most offices need.  Very few people need or even come close to using Office to it's potential.

Don't pass your own misinformed opinions off as fact.

[michaewlewis]

How is it crappy?
It is more powerful than most offices need.  Very few people need or even come close to using Office to it's potential.

Don't pass your own misinformed opinions off as fact.

And what about your misinformed opinion about very few people coming close to using Office to its potential? A lot of people need and use Office to a level where Works just isn't at.
I've never heard of anyone defending MS Works. Everybody else I've talked to and every review I've read about Works say that it should simply be dumped for Office.

[Quantos]

Mine isn't an opinion, very few people that have Office installed on their computers use it to it's potential.

[michaewlewis]

Mine isn't opinion either, a lot of people that have Office installed on their computers use it beyond the potential of Works.

[soybean]

Mine isn't an opinion, very few people that have Office installed on their computers use it to it's potential.

That's true but the difference between Works and Office is huge and, even though very few people that have Office installed on their computers use it to it's potential, they may still need/want features that Works does not have.

[Quantos]

I fully agree with the previous two statements.  The trouble is that MS leaves those features out of Works so that they can sell more Office packages.  They dont' need to eliminate Works and only sell Office, they need to make Works far more usable.

[patio]

Open Office...spend more bread on hardware.

[Geek-9pm]

Open Office...spend more bread on hardware.

Good  idea. It is FREE!

But you really want to buy something cheaper and better than the MS Office, consider the Office 2008 package form Asampoo.
Here is one review that claims it is better that the Microsoft product.

The price itself would be a great deal, but in many ways Ashampoo Office is actually better than Microsoft Office. We'll run through some of those advantages later, but here's the big one:
Ashampoo's Office 2008 is slim and efficient!

http://www.infopackets.com/news/software/reviews/2009/20090319_ashampoo_office_2008_review.htm

[Crinale819]

Get ASUS one of the best motherboard, video cards and optical drive maker.

[Flazzard]

Check this out.  It will do that and more.

It sure does look nice but the it seems that the prices would just burnt a hole all the way from my wallet through my shoes.