Written by Defcronyke Webmaster on 2011-07-14
This article is about PC Laptops (also known as Notebook Computers).
If you are more interested in Desktop/Tower Computers, check out the sister article:
PCs Can Be High-Quality Too.
It's no secret that non-PC laptops are very popular these days because they are usually built out of some of the highest-quality hardware available, and because they come in pretty cases.
What many people don't realize is that these parts are available for building into PC laptops too, and that many nice cases are also available for PC laptops.
On a PC, you can do pretty much anything you can do on a non-PC, as long as you have a combination of windows and Linux/BSD.
I am now going to show you a recipe for a high-quality custom laptop that you can order online, either in parts (unassembled) or prebuilt with windows installed (for no extra charge).
This PC laptop is equivalent in quality and performance to a popular non-PC laptop, except that the PC version has better video performance because it has a video card with twice as much RAM.
The case for this laptop is made by a well respected high-quality laptop case manufacturer named Clevo, which is a name that's virtually unknown to consumers because Clevo supplies unbranded cases to many of the large laptop manufacturers, who rebrand them and make no reference to the original case manufacturer.
Now on to the parts... (prices are in US dollars)
Non-PC Quality PC Laptop
Case | Clevo P170HM, 17.3" |
Display | GlassView LED Full HD 1920x1080 |
Processor | Intel Core i7-2720QM Quad Core Mobile 2.2GHz 6MB Smart Cache |
RAM | Kingston 8GB DDR3 1333, 2 DIMMs (2X4GB) |
Hard Drive | 1TB SATA300 5400RPM |
Video Card | ATI Radeon HD 6970M 2.0GB GDDR5 |
Wireless Networking | Intel 6230 abgn WLAN + Bluetooth |
Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer | Super-Multi Drive 6X BD-R 8X DVDR |
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit |
Includes 1 year parts and labor warranty, 8 cell smart Li-Ion Battery, 100-240V 220W Auto Switch AC Adapter, and a carrying bag. | |
Pre-Shipping Subtotal | $2219 |
Example Shipping | $56.10 |
Subtotal | $2275.10 |
Example Tax | $295.76 |
Total | $2570.86 |
A popular non-PC equivalent of this system sells for about $2699 before tax. That's a total of $3049.87 if you add 13% tax.
Not everyone likes windows, but you should always buy it with a new PC just in case you need it to play the newest game, or to use some popular expensive software. It is always cheaper to buy windows with a new computer than to buy a "Retail" version later. That being said, PC users should seriously consider giving Linux a try also, as it enables you to use lots of great production-quality software for free. Linux-based operating systems have gotten a lot more visually intuitive and user-friendly in the past few years, so if you tried Linux back in the early 2000s when it was still rather young, give it another chance. It makes way more sense now.
For this price comparison, I will assume you want a system with both windows and Linux. Windows will come pre-installed for you by the vendor, but to get Linux on there also, you'll either need to install it yourself or hire someone to install it for you. If you don't know anyone who can install Linux, try calling some local computer shops to see if they can help you. If no local shops will do it, try calling some independent IT contractors.
Any reasonable shop or contractor should be able to perform a basic install of Linux for you for under $100, so if you need to hire someone to do this, the total cost for everything should be about: $2670.86.
So a non-PC is $379.01 (14%) more than the PC equivalent. For that extra cash, all you get is access to a certain exclusive operating system, and a flashy case with a giant logo on it.
This was a comparison between some very expensive systems, but the differences in price are proportionately similar for cheaper laptops as well.
Prices listed might occasionally be out of date.
Did this article save you some money? Toss me a few bucks from your savings if you're feeling generous.
Comments