Laptop Changes

Apparently Sony Vaios are overpriced. I've been looking at Dell Inspirons and have found the perfect laptop at a great price. Now all that remains is finding a place to buy it from. Apparently I can order online at kakaku.com, but I will have to check it out. ;)

Timotheos
Change of tack

Great Big Soup

Read this encouraging story about a big bowl of soup in Auckland.

Also: who is Nick Willis?

Timotheos
Too hot to hoot

Choosing a Laptop

Choosing the right anything takes research. Knowing your goals helps to make a decision.

When it came to the last monitor I bought, I read reviews, looked up stats and compared prices before deciding on the right one. Suffice to say, I was very happy with the Samsung 20.1" TFT that I chose at the time, and continued to appreciate it up until the day I left New Zealand.

Now, in deciding on a laptop, I looked up a laptop purchasing guide to re-familiarise myself with terminology. I read this alongside the ultimate cpu guide and resolution in relation to gpus and gaming. I also compared the two prominent cpus in my current laptop selection, namely the T8100 and the T9300. Upon reading a thread related to the cpus, I came across this thread, that compares the T8300 and the T9300. It appears that the difference between the 8100 and the 8300 is greater than the difference between the 8300 and the 9300, overall.

As the store that I will purchase my computer from provided me with a Sony Vaio catalogue, and the laptop that I want fits the description of the type A laptops, I decided on the VGN-AR65DB as compared to the VGN-AR75UDB. The 65 has a smaller hard-drive, but this is upgradeable. I will probably go with 4GB of RAM rather than 2GB, simply to save the bother of researching RAM prices and installing an extra 2GB myself.

The biggest differences between the two laptops are the processors and the screen resolutions. The 75 has a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) native resolution. However, WXGA+ (1440 x 900) is perfectly fine for gaming, and in fact may prove to be better, especially considering the GeForce 8600M GT GPU in these machinees -- as outlined in this thread. The 75 is running a Core 2 Duo T9300 (6MB L2 cache), as compared to the 65's T8100 (3MB L2). As the difference between these CPUs is minimal and will not noticeably affect my gaming or video editing performance, it would be wise -- even now -- to go with the cheaper option.

I intend to put what money I save in choosing the mid-range notebook towards a Bluetooth laser mouse (possibly the Logitech V470) or something more suited to gaming (like the VX Revolution) and a notebook carry bag. Eventually, I want to get one of those cool metal cases, but I may have to look around online for something suitable.

17" Sony Vaio, here I come!

Timotheos
Lappy powah

Updatezor!

Well, I said that I probably won't update this particular blog, as my Nippon no Tabi one is now my main blog and documents my life as it is -- after all, who updates two blogs? It makes sense to put everything into my current blog rather than keep it specific to my role in Japan and then post personal stuff to a different place.

That said, I have so much free time right now, waiting for the school year to start up again after Summer here in Japan, that I want to post to this blog. I haven't played World of Warcraft in about two months now -- not since my subscription ran out sometime in June. I am missing out on playing the WotLK beta, and on everything that I could be doing in-game.

I suppose that when I get a laptop (hopefully in less than two weeks), I will have Internet connected at my house and will be able to play the game again. What I would like is to join a raiding guild again -- especially for the expansion. I've missed out on so much progression and raiding experience since the release of the last expansion and our disbanding of Unknown.

Perhaps I could use this blog as a kind of World of Warcraft wishlist or gear and achievements site. It would be fun to just keep track of all my characters in one place. Renaming the blog could also work, as its original purpose no longer applies. Since letting this blog rest in peace, it no longer has a real purpose.

As a kind of teaser, following is a wishlist of mage gear. Had I been able to be a part of a large raiding guild and continued with 25-man progression through Black Temple and the Sunwell, I may have seen some of this gear. As it is, it didn't happen; which is why I dream! This wishlist will no longer apply in a few months when the expansion goes live, but it is a time killer and gives me something to do for part of this afternoon. ^^

Gaiwyn -- Level 70 Human Mage (2/48/11)
Head: [Dark Conjuror's Collar]
Enchant: [Glyph of Power]
Gems: [Ember Skyfire Diamond] [Forceful Seaspray Emerald]

Neck: [Amulet of Unfettered Magics]

Shoulders: [Amice of the Convoker]
Enchant: [Greater Inscription of Discipline]
Gems: [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone]

Back: [Tattered Cape of Antonidas]
Enchant: [Enchant Cloak - Subtlety]
Gem: [Reckless Pyrestone]

Chest: [Sunfire Robe]
Enchant: [Enchant Chest - Exceptional Stats]
Gems: [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone]

Wrists: [Bracers of the Tempest]
Enchant: [Enchant Bracer - Spellpower]
Gem: [Reckless Pyrestone]

Hands: [Sunfire Handwraps]
Enchant: [Enchant Gloves - Major Spellpower]
Gems: [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone]

Waist: [Belt of the Tempest]
Gem: [Reckless Pyrestone]

Legs: [Leggings of Calamity]
Enchant: [Runic Spellthread]
Gems: [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone] [Reckless Pyrestone]

Feet: [Boots of the Tempest]
Enchant: [Enchant Boots - Boar's Speed]
Gem: [Reckless Pyrestone]

Finger: [Ring of Omnipotence]
Enchant: [Enchant Ring - Spellpower]

Finger: [Ring of Ancient Knowledge]
Enchant: [Enchant Ring - Spellpower]

Trinket: [Shifting Naaru Sliver]

Trinket: [The Skull of Gul'dan]

Weapon: [Sunflare]
Enchant: [Enchant Weapon - Sunfire]

Off-hand: [Heart of the Pit]

Wand: [Wand of the Demonsoul]
Gem: [Reckless Pyrestone]

Funfun!

Timotheos