Help a CompSci Sista Out!

[lvl0rg4n]

I'm a beginning computer science student who does not have a pension for hardware. In fact, it's almost embarrassing to admit how little I know about hardware.

I am looking for function over anything. I have a budget of up to $1000 and I will be using my laptop for entertainment (netflix, streaming, etc), but of course I mainly have to use it for school. A few of my classes use a virtual robotics program that is a 3d graphics game type program. I also want to play my copy of the Sims 3, which has been sitting in a box because my current laptop won't play it.

I was thinking of going with a Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 Laptop - 08626LU, but I wanted to check with you all first. Any better ideas?

What is your budget?
$1000

What country will you be buying this in?
US

What size notebook do you prefer?
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)

Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
Yes

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Web Surfing, Computer Programming, Video Chat and Conference, Movie Streaming and Viewing, Casual Gaming, Graphic Intense 3D Gaming

What games will you be playing?
I have to use a virtual robotics program for coding for college.

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will be used different places

How many hours of battery life do you need?
4-6

Will you be buying online or in store?
online

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
Low Resolution (1024 x 600, 1024 x 576)
Standard Resolution (1366 x 768)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Glossy or Matte is fine

Is the laptops design important to you?
No

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 04/14/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
3 years

How much storage capacity do you need?
250 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
Maybe

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
No

[edit1754]

The Y570 isn't particularly good of an option, and the same is general for laptops around that budget that has a 15.6" display with 1366x768 resolution.

15.6" 1366x768 displays make multitasking and productivity more difficult because they make things onscreen big, and they tend to have low contrast thus poor image quality. I recommend against this type of display to those who have a budget that allows them to get a laptop with a better display that at the same time suits their other needs, and who don't need a low resolution because of eyesight-related concerns that require larger text in every application.

The Y570 08626LU has a Core i7, but it isn't likely that you need one. A lot of manufacturers use Core i7 processors as marketing tricks, and Lenovo is no different. The truth is that the majority of buyers don't need one, and that the differences between options available for other specs (e.g. screen, GPU) make much more of a difference.

- ASUS N53SV-DH51 (i5-2430M, GT 540M, 15.6" 1920x1080 matte, Blu-ray) - $899 - Avoid the N53SV-EH71/N53SV-DH71/N53SN-DH71/N53SM-DS71 models
- ASUS N53SM-ES72 (i7-2670QM, GT 630M, 15.6" 1920x1080 matte) - $899 - Avoid the N53SV-EH71/N53SV-DH71/N53SN-DH71/N53SM-DS71 models
- HP DV6z Quad Edition (A6-3420M, Radeon 7690M, 15.6" 1920x1080 matte) - $749 + tax with coupon code 25LOGICBUY - Don't downgrade to the 1366x768 display; don't downgrade the GPU. Note: A8-3520M has faster iGPU for Llano crossfire, A8-3550MX has 40% faster CPU performance. Important: Go into the BIOS and set the graphics switching to FIXED.
- HP DV6t Quad Edition (i7-2670QM, Radeon 7690M, 15.6" 1920x1080 matte) - $859 + tax with coupon code NBD6563 - Don't downgrade to the 1366x768 display; don't downgrade the GPU; don't upgrade to the 2GB GPU. Important: Go into the BIOS and set the graphics switching to FIXED.
- Sager NP3260 (i5-2450M, GT 630M, 15.6" 1920x1080 glossy or 95% gamut matte) - $842 - Eusure that you upgrade the display to 1920x1080, and select Windows 7 under Operating System or else the laptop will come without an OS.
- Sager NP6165 (i5-2450M, GT 650M, 15.6" 1920x1080 glossy or 95% gamut matte) - $949 - Select Windows 7 under Operating System or else the laptop will come without an OS.

[User Retired 2]

12" Lenovo X220, Dell E6220, HP 2560P + ~$200 GTX460-768MB DIY eGPU via expresscard slot <-- offers a stack of portability and docked gaming. The 2560P can be user upgraded to a i7-quad if you need more CPU performance. 2560P can be had for ~$600 on ebay-US with remaining 3yr onsite warranty.

13" Sony SA (900P/HD6630M)
14" HP DM4T (900P/ HD7470M), Lenovo Y470P (720P/HD7690M) MSI X460DX (720P/GT540M)
15" Sony SE (1080P/HD6630M)

See the thin-and-light link in my sig for others.

[lvl0rg4n]

Thanks for the responses.
I am now debating between the HP DV6z and HP DV6t. Naturally, I want to go with the more expensive one, but I am not sure if I need it. Here is what I'm using now, and it works fine for my uses (except for the Sims 3 - very sad):
Dell Inspiron 1525 Intel Core 2 Duo 2 GHz
3 GB Memory
Intel(R) 965

[idiot101]

How intensive is the virtual robotics program on the graphics card. If this is the only program that will make use of the graphics, then you should make do with running it on the integrated graphics of the AMD CPU. Do you know what the system requirements of the program are? Having a dedicated card only to be used by one program for a few classes would be a little wasteful. The AMD integrated GPU is as good as the AMD 5650m that was available on the last generation of laptops which is still a decent lower-mid level graphics card today. The integrated graphics is capable of playing most modern games at low settings comfortably. Please ask around as the discrete graphics card will suck power reducing battery life and also makes the laptop run hotter. Switching graphics technology on AMD cards is not very mature. But if you do decide to get into gaming sometime in the future, then my post is moot.

Just an opinion.

[lvl0rg4n]

How intensive is the virtual robotics program on the graphics card. If this is the only program that will make use of the graphics, then you should make do with running it on the integrated graphics of the AMD CPU. Do you know what the system requirements of the program are? Having a dedicated card only to be used by one program for a few classes would be a little wasteful. The AMD integrated GPU is as good as the AMD 5650m that was available on the last generation of laptops which is still a decent lower-mid level graphics card today. The integrated graphics is capable of playing most modern games at low settings comfortably. Please ask around as the discrete graphics card will suck power reducing battery life and also makes the laptop run hotter. Switching graphics technology on AMD cards is not very mature. But if you do decide to get into gaming sometime in the future, then my post is moot.

Just an opinion.

Great point. I have thought a bit about playing some RPGs, but nothing seriously. I suppose it would be better to have the option. I think I will go with the DV6t.

[edit1754]

I think I will go with the DV6t.

The Quad Edition I linked?

If different or changed from what I posted, what's the specific configuration you're looking at buying?

[ZaZ]

The 2560P can be user upgraded to a i7-quad if you need more CPU performance.

Does a quad core upgrade really seem appropriate for a used with limited hardware experience?

If you're happy with HD resolution, then get it. I'm quite happy with HD resolution on my X220 and can do the same things I can with my R60e, which has a higher resolution screen.

If you plan to carry this around quite a bit, you might want to get something smaller, which will be easy to transport. Something like the Lenovo Y470p has some gaming chops and weighs under five pounds, which will make it easier to carry.

[pepper_john]

ThinkPad X220 or E420. The former is very portable with a good 12.5 inch IPS display.

[lvl0rg4n]

The Quad Edition I linked?

If different or changed from what I posted, what's the specific configuration you're looking at buying?

I was going to go with the one you posted, BUT now I am thinking about the weight. I am going to tote it around with me on campus and on a bicycle on the daily.

I absolutely prefer the 15.6 screens over anything larger or smaller. Sorry to be a pain, but got any suggestions on a lighter weight laptop that can still kick some butt?