Looking to purchase high end laptop for boss - (he's a spoiled brat but has the $$ to pay well so I work here)

[baccarat0809]

So, new position at a new company and new boss has asked me to buy him "The Best" laptop there is. If I can read this guy he'll use it 3, maybe 4 times, then decide he doesn't want a laptop to carry-around since it's "too big and heavy", and it'll be passed on to one of the senior vp's for him to lug around.

Seen this before at previous employer multiple times, but hey, I'm just a peon here and am doing my job.

I've got a $5k budget, but if I need more it'll be there. I haven't purchased a new laptop in about 10 years now as I would personally rather deal with spending $200 on a used one then forking out the money for a new one - but that's just me. Last time I did this for my last boss who knew everything (don't they all) I ended up with an Alienware that worked great after we got a replacement fan on the GPU but until I had the new fan on the machine it BSOD'd all the time.

I'm thinking of going to Alienware again as they back-lighting of the keyboard will wow him - but I gotta think there's other options out there, but like I said I haven't researched any laptops in a long, long time.

What is your budget?
Very high end - $5,000 USD

What country will you be buying this in?
USA

What size notebook do you prefer?
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)
Desktop Replacement (17-inch + screen)

What brands do you like or dislike?
Like: Alienware
Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
No

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

Business applications - heavy, large excel files.

What games will you be playing?
Diablo III

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

How many hours of battery life do you need?
5

Will you be buying online or in store?
online

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
High Resolution (1600 x 900)
Max Resolution (1920 x 1080)

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 06/15/2012

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?
Yes

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
Blu-Ray

[Tehmoe]

Just get him a the new Macbook Pro im sure he would love it, most senior types love apple products so I guess that would please him.

[gaidin43]

Ha for that amount of money you could get anything you want. I'd push the Samsung 7, the new dell XPS 15, or the hp envy 15. Just get an ssd (256gb min) installed in them and upgrade the GPU (660m or so), processor (i7 3610qm), and ram (8gb) and you'll have a nice top tier laptop that is extremely professional and still very portable and easy to carry around.

Why for gods sake you think an Alienware is a good idea for your boss is beyond me. It doesn't scream professional, weighs a ton, and is something I would never buy a boss unless they ask for it. The design is a big pro and a big con for that laptop depending on the persons POV.

You could do the new top tier apple pro book, but like most companies I bet you are windows based and I won't throw a new OS at the boss. Plus I don't like apple, their OS, or their price they charge. (I do like their iPhone though).

Sager and MSI are other choices but start to become larger power hogs.

[baccarat0809]

Ha for that amount of money you could get anything you want. I'd push the Samsung 7, the new dell XPS 15, or the hp envy 15. Just get an ssd (256gb min) installed in them and upgrade the GPU (660m or so), processor (i7 3610qm), and ram (8gb) and you'll have a nice top tier laptop that is extremely professional and still very portable and easy to carry around.

Why for gods sake you think an Alienware is a good idea for your boss is beyond me. It doesn't scream professional, weighs a ton, and is something I would never buy a boss unless they ask for it. The design is a big pro and a big con for that laptop depending on the persons POV.

You could do the new top tier apple pro book, but like most companies I bet you are windows based and I won't throw a new OS at the boss. Plus I don't like apple, their OS, or their price they charge. (I do like their iPhone though).

Sager and MSI are other choices but start to become larger power hogs.

Right on no apple as he needs windows for work (we're still on xp).

Alieware cause it's so damn gaudy - he drives an sl-500 and likes to be noticed. With a nice red laptop with red back-lighting he'll sure as hell be noticed - haha. Like I said, I predict he won't use it for more than a few weeks before he'll be on to a new toy - but with that in mind I really should be looking for a machine that the other exec's would use rather than just let sit there. so that kinda makes it a 3 horse race to start with // samsung, dell or envy, but i'm very late to the laptop party and haven't put any time yet into this - figured to get recommendations first then research those recommendaitons.

Oh - and thanks for the feedback by the way folks - appreciate it.

[Confuzzled77]

Ha! Best post I have read.

Here is my best recommendation since Apple is out.

Features - Notebooks NP700G7C | Samsung Laptops

and to buy it...

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Series 7 NP700G7C-S01US Notebook Intel Core i7 3610QM(2.30GHz) 17.3" 16GB Memory DDR3 1600 1.5TB HDD 7200rpm Blu-ray Player NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M

[gaidin43]

Don't ever buy anything else ever again from newegg. They have a huge RMA issue and are starting to stealing from their customers by saying they are lairs.

Get it from amazon for no sales tax and amazing return policies.

The MSI GE60 might be a somewhat flashy somewhat powerful laptop that could work as well.

[Maelwys]

Don't ever buy anything else ever again from newegg. They have a huge RMA issue and are starting to stealing from their customers by saying they are lairs.

Sorry to the OP for a slight deviation from topic, but this just caught my eye. Not that I doubt you have had a bad experience, but can you offer additional details? I've ordered from Newegg constantly over the past 5 years and never had an issue with RMA, prices, or product quality. I ordered a number of parts only a few weeks ago and had to RMA and get a new HD with no issue whatsoever.

[gaidin43]

Sorry to the OP for a slight deviation from topic, but this just caught my eye. Not that I doubt you have had a bad experience, but can you offer additional details? I've ordered from Newegg constantly over the past 5 years and never had an issue with RMA, prices, or product quality. I ordered a number of parts only a few weeks ago and had to RMA and get a new HD with no issue whatsoever.

Do some google searches on the topic. Even here on the forum there are large amounts of people with issues with newegg since the new ownership and sales model took over. Them charging tax alone makes it cost prohibitive when you can order from xotic pc or amazon for no tax. Newegg only RMAed an item that was broken when I got it evade I had to file a BBB complaint and started a credit hold and charge back through my credit card company.

There are much better options out there that do not have as shady CS and pricing structure.

In the end I used them a lot as well and had more then one issue with them. I have chosen to take my business else where and advise everyone else to do the same. I am not alone with my loathing for newegg either, nor do I have as deep pockets as others do as a customer of theirs that has parted ways because of their cut throat, screw the consumer tactic.

Google it you'll see.

To the OP buy from brick and mortar before ever buying from newegg. Tiger direct, amazon, and a variety of other online realtors are also options.

[msjgriffiths]

Try the Razer Blade (it's "too cool").

[caguioa]

buy an alienware me18x upgrade everything to max, u will get to $5000,

just tell ur boss how he feels about having the best graphic card 7970m but with 2 7970m, and upgrade that $1ooo+ processor, slap ssd that upgrade cost hundreds, upgrade ram to freakin 32gb, give it killer wireless, heck even throw in blu ray blayer


and tell him he can even put his name or whatever he wants in custom engraving put his name...or call it "the beast" or the "$5000 behemoth"


with all that i did the customization


PROCESSOR 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3920XM (8MB Cache, up to 4.1GHz Overclocked*) edit
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate, 64bit edit
MEMORY 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz edit
HARD DRIVE 512GB SSD SATA 6Gb/s edit
VIDEO CARD Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M - CrossFireX™ Enabled edit
WIRELESS + BLUETOOTH Killer™ Wireless-N 1103 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO for Gaming & Video and Bluetooth 4.0 edit
INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)


grand total
$5,304.00