The Steam Deal Thread V7 - The soda wars have ended, but the deals rage on.

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Welcome to the Steam Deal Thread V7! You can find link to past threads at the bottom of this post. Read post #2 of this thread for Steam FAQs and more.

Since the V6 thread, we've decided to leave regular minor sales out of the OP. This post will keep track of major sales (Summer sale, etc.), Steam deals available through other sellers (like Amazon), Preorder deals, and Group Buys.

I would still greatly appreciate help from you folks at home in keeping this smaller-scale OP up-to-date. This is a Wiki post so anyone can contribute. Wiki instructions:
Thanks for your help! If you notice a sale has ended, feel free to delete its line from the sale list. Of course, if you see something does need to be added, then kindly add it to the list.

Make sure your changes match the thread's format! For example, every game that's on sale is part of an unordered list. When adding a game to the list, copy an existing line and update the link, title, and prices. That way, the format stays correct. Do not list percentages off! We list the original price and the sale price here. If you have any suggestions for major changes to the post/thread, PM me (EastX) about them.

Steam Sales - Updated 5/20


CAG Threads Featuring Steam Games on Sale Elsewhere - Updated 1/9


Preorder Deals - Updated 1/10
Group Buy Deals - Updated 1/9/13
Several multiplayer Steam games are available in 2-packs or 4-packs. These packs offer a discount over buying multiple copies of a game separately. We also maintain group buy trade threads for several games, so please use those threads if you're interested in setting up a group buy.


Free Stuff - List needs updating with F2P games!
There are several free games and mods on Steam. These are a few choice ones; you can find a full list here. Note that free games are not permanently attached to your Steam account like actual purchases would be. You'll need to manually download a game again from the website if you uninstall it.


Steam around CAG

If you are interested in joining the Steam CAG Community or participating in a trade or group buy with fellow Cheap Ass Gamers, please do so in the dedicated threads and not in the deal discussion thread. In the dedicated threads you will find CAGers with the same specialized interest who will be much quicker (and happier) to respond than in the Deals thread.

Past Special Sales

Visit www.steamgamesales.com to check previous sale prices on Steam games. We do keep track of some older sales here though:

Steam Retail Key List

What is a CD key and where can I find it?

Steam's explanation and list of Steam-activatable keys

The CD Key is a serial number with a combination of 13, 18, or 25 letters and numbers - it can be found on a sticker inside your game's case or printed on the game's quick reference card. The CD Key acts as your proof of purchase for the game - Steam Support may ask for it if you need to establish your ownership of an account. It is recommended that you keep your CD Key in a safe place to ensure the security of your account.

Other Keys that can be redeemed on Steam (CAG tested & verified)
11.gif

  • The Ball (bought @D2D, tested by voken)
  • Supreme Commander Forged Alliance (gives both FA and original, bought @amazon, tested by vism)

Indie Bundles thread on Steam forums (link)

Past CAG Steam Deal Threads
 
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[quote name='asheskitty']
For past sales history I strongly recommend checking out the price trackers in my sig. Some cover more than just steam. Price trackers are representative but don't provide the complete picture (e.g. they don't factor in coupons, they'll miss the Amazon Bundles). Searching slickdeals.net (game + PC/Steam/Origin) and sifting through the results will usually reveal promos that the pricetrackers missed. That said, the price trackers are very useful.[/QUOTE]

I used Enhanced Steam, and for the most part it seems to cover most everything. That is there any deal site is really good though, which I only found through your sig. Mostly though I just check this thread and everyone seems to already know the exact price/date/distributor that a game has been on sale on. Kinda scary sometimes, but helpful nonetheless:)
 
[quote name='RollingSkull']Xcom Elite Soldier DLC adds flat top hair style and a lot of fruity looking colors for soldiers armor. Worth it if you want to make that one soldier named after your friend appear super fruity[/QUOTE]
y al armur mus be graey??
 
[quote name='asheskitty']Winter was much easier than Summer due to the longer flash sales.[/QUOTE]
Winter felt as though it repeated more. Or maybe had less boundaries between "Daily" and "Flash". Summer felt more defined between the two. I just remember that, by a few days in, people in a few sale threads I hang out in just stopped even updating what was new with the Steam sale. Felt like no one really cared any more.
 
[quote name='Jon7']Maybe, but Epic is not the same company it once was. Tencent owns half of the company now, and Cliffy/Mike Capps are gone. They also closed Impossible Games without giving them a chance to even put anything out. The Unreal engine also seems like it will be seeing less licensing as a lot of devs/publishers seem to be moving to using their own proprietary engines.[/QUOTE]

Capps being gone is a good thing imo. And Cliff has a lot of good ideas, but let me remind you that he produced Unreal 2. :cry: They still have lots of talent and as long as Tim Sweeney is there pumping out new stuff with the engine team they'll always have a formidable product on the engine market.

I disagree that more developers will be moving towards their own engine. That takes loads of money to develop and UE3/4 have boatloads of productivity plugins that make the workflow more efficient. Plus it's been around for so long that there are tons of designers familiar with the software. Many publishers also have across-the-board licensing deals with Epic for their engine. It's still the big dog and likely will be for some time.
 
[quote name='anarchyoblivion']Eh, as long as I can reach my goal of 3k on Steam, I'll be happy. I hope to see deeper discounts on random stuff like "Super Granny Collection" to fill in the Steam library gaps. Discounts on DLC works too and, fortunately, Steam is the best way to acquire DLC cheapest.[/QUOTE]

i will never understand buying games just to buy them, i wish i could actually remove games from my steam list because of indie bundle garbage i've accrued in the past few years

this isn't a personal shot at you btw- i see people posting stuff to this effect all the time
 
[quote name='Blade']ya rly, edie pls

tumblr_mifa7rZ2gj1qfdyfzo1_500.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Thanks, using that as my sig now ;)

Do you have it without the dolanpls.com ad? I could crop it out, but the sizing/part of the pic would be off. Ad cuts off the bottom part of original pic.
 
[quote name='spoderman']Thanks, using that as my sig now ;)

Do you have it without the dolanpls.com ad? I could crop it out, but the sizing/part of the pic would be off.[/QUOTE]

just crop it out ya lazy bum
 
[quote name='Syntax Error']The best part of the last Steam sale was the competing sales. It wasn't just a matter of "They already own everything" -- I spent plenty of money, I just didn't spend it at Steam.[/quote]
Sounds about right for me, as well.

EDIT:
[quote name='asheskitty']Winter was much easier than Summer due to the longer flash sales. I fear you mind is going. ^_~

Yeah, I meant that in the sense that when sales popped up it was often a case of "already own it"... needs to highlight more B-tier stuff.[/QUOTE]
Speaking of B-tier stuff, I wanna see Mars: War Logs brick down in price somewhere....
GiantBomb had a 51 minute quicklook on Mars: WL, recently.
 
[quote name='vince_carter']just crop it out ya lazy bum[/QUOTE]

Listed reasons why I wouldn't wanna do that.. The ad cuts off part of the pic, which is why I asked for the original.
 
[quote name='spoderman']Thanks, using that as my sig now ;)

Do you have it without the dolanpls.com ad? I could crop it out, but the sizing/part of the pic would be off. Ad cuts off the bottom part of original pic.[/QUOTE]

Qq7Ks2Y.jpg


Couldn't find anything other than watermarked pics, so I just cropped it out for you. ;)

Also, re: Winter sales - being a northerner, I love them almost as much as my wolf companion. There's much less to do during the long winters, and we stay inside surviving on wheat rations rather than face the cold dark of night. The Night's Watch keeps a constant vigil over the Free Folk beyond the Wall of Steam DRM and alerts us of better deals. Great time to play games and bed whores.

And if people aren't sick of this by now:

2a2ba7045ce967232fc203c32ba7b6a0.jpg
 
[quote name='asheskitty']
Nah, the serious performance problems deterred me from picking it up for $20 at Xmas. (I should look into the current state of those.) At this point I'm waiting for $10 ($15 if I can have confidence in the performance problems being fixed... honestly I'd rather pick up a NFS MW (2012) pack with the currently released DLC.

[/QUOTE]


I meant to bring this up before...there were two big patches to the PC version of NFS:MW (2012), one in late 2012, and one in March 2013. Both helped significantly with performance (mine, at least), particularly the March patch. Criterion games always looked and played amazingly on PC (sometimes after a patch or two) and I can say this one falls in the same camp now. For $10 for the game and $10 for the big 3 pack of DLC's, I highly recommend the current NFS deal.
 
[quote name='Showstoppa42']I meant to bring this up before...there were two big patches to the PC version of NFS:MW (2012), one in late 2012, and one in March 2013. Both helped significantly with performance (mine, at least), particularly the March patch. Criterion games always looked and played amazingly on PC (sometimes after a patch or two) and I can say this one falls in the same camp now. For $10 for the game and $10 for the big 3 pack of DLC's, I highly recommend the current NFS deal.[/QUOTE]


Thank you so much for sharing that!!! I'm glad to hear that about the March patch (couldn't find people talking much about that one, mostly the Jan patch). Can I ask what CPU/GPU you're running?

If it had the HyperCar dlc then I'd be tempted to bite, but I'm offended that it does not. With a G27 coming in next week I'll be busy enough with the racing games I already own. :mrgreen:
 
[quote name='asheskitty']Thank you so much for sharing that!!! I'm glad to hear that about the March patch (couldn't find people talking much about that one, mostly the Jan patch). Can I ask what CPU/GPU you're running?

If it had the HyperCar dlc then I'd be tempted to bite, but I'm offended that it does not. With a G27 coming in next week I'll be busy enough with the racing games I already own. :mrgreen:[/QUOTE]


Always happy to help out a fellow racer!

I'm a bit behind the curve, but I've got a Core i5 (second gen) with a GTX 560 Ti on the desktop, Core i7 with a 540M on the laptop. Plays really smooth on both.

Hope to see you on the streets (yo) when the game gets cheaper. And you should post some pics of your G27 set up!
 
[quote name='Showstoppa42']Always happy to help out a fellow racer!

I'm a bit behind the curve, but I've got a Core i5 (second gen) with a GTX 560 Ti on the desktop, Core i7 with a 540M on the laptop. Plays really smooth on both.

Hope to see you on the streets (yo) when the game gets cheaper. And you should post some pics of your G27 set up![/QUOTE]


^_^ Still in good shape.

I will. =)

[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Dang, how many millions was that laptop:hot:[/QUOTE]


I'd point out...
Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Laptop: Core i7 3630QM 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3, 1TB HDD + 16GB SSD, 15.6" 1920x1080 LED, 2GB GeForce GT750M, Win 8 $809 + Free Shipping
Battery life is only 3 hours since it doesn't support optimus (but supports SLI), and the weight is 6 lbs iirc, rather nice machine if one doesn't need battery life or extreme portability (MBA owner here).

Intel's Haswell (next gen processors) is being announced in 4 weeks.
 
[quote name='asheskitty']
I'd point out...
Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Laptop: Core i7 3630QM 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3, 1TB HDD + 16GB SSD, 15.6" 1920x1080 LED, 2GB GeForce GT750M, Win 8 $809 + Free Shipping
Battery life is only 3 hours since it doesn't support optimus (but supports SLI), and the weight is 6 lbs iirc, rather nice machine if one doesn't need battery life or extreme portability (MBA owner here).

Intel's Haswell (next gen processors) is being announced in 4 weeks.[/QUOTE]

hmm, still a lot for a laptop, but that is a lot better than I thought. Didn't realize that, so I guess I'd better hold off on buying one until they are announced (hopefully that will lead to better deals?):)
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']hmm, still a lot for a laptop, but that is a lot better than I thought. Didn't realize that, so I guess I'd better hold off on buying one until they are announced (hopefully that will lead to better deals?):)[/QUOTE]


Yeah, I picked up mine for right around the price Ashes mentioned, from Dell a few years ago. A discrete video card was a must, and I wanted the Optimus technology, which made it worth the price. Keep your eyes peeled for coupons (Slickdeals and the like) and you should be able to get a good deal on a well equipped one, if you're in the market.
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Dang, how many millions was that laptop:hot:[/QUOTE]
Mine has a 680M in it. ;)

[quote name='asheskitty']I'd point out...
Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Laptop: Core i7 3630QM 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3, 1TB HDD + 16GB SSD, 15.6" 1920x1080 LED, 2GB GeForce GT750M, Win 8 $809 + Free Shipping
Battery life is only 3 hours since it doesn't support optimus (but supports SLI), and the weight is 6 lbs iirc, rather nice machine if one doesn't need battery life or extreme portability (MBA owner here).

Intel's Haswell (next gen processors) is being announced in 4 weeks.[/QUOTE]
Eh, Lenovos will do in a pinch, but I'd steer away from them. IBM sold the company awhile ago and they're the same Chinese shit as everything else from what I hear. Poor construction, especially on cheap models like that one.

If you're gonna spring for a laptop, Clevo/Sagers are far more worth the price, and they're reasonably priced for what they are. MSIs are good and fairly price too, and Alienwares are always good (of course they're just ridiculously overpriced).
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']hmm, still a lot for a laptop, but that is a lot better than I thought. Didn't realize that, so I guess I'd better hold off on buying one until they are announced (hopefully that will lead to better deals?):)[/QUOTE]

I have a Y500 with only one GT650m, and it's awesome, I'm trying to save some more money and buy the other card to SLI, it's a really awesome machine.
 
I have that exact laptop except mine is 8gb. and it runs all these games like delicious butter. for the most part. I got mine refurb on ebay for 700 off a licensed lenovo refurb reseller. Mine came with a blu ray drive though.
 
[quote name='Showstoppa42']Yeah, I picked up mine for right around the price Ashes mentioned, from Dell a few years ago. A discrete video card was a must, and I wanted the Optimus technology, which made it worth the price. Keep your eyes peeled for coupons (Slickdeals and the like) and you should be able to get a good deal on a well equipped one, if you're in the market.[/QUOTE]

I am, but right now my budget is sadly only about half that, so I don't expect to find something great. I was looking at an ASUS with an AMD 4500m that was $380 on amazon. I'm not looking to max any games out, and will mostly be playing older and indie games that I can't get on consoles, so would this do do you think? Almost every game I've checked could run on at least low, which honestly after spending the last 4-5 years with only a single core laptop with GMA graphics, sounds pretty nice. Also, I think is rather spend less now and get an ok machine, and then save up more later to build a desktop. So basically, is this a good idea at all, or is buying the laptop pointless?

EDIT: here is what I was talking about:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B7K11MI?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links

And sorry if this is a little off topic (not that this thread is exactly known for its ability to stay on it;))
 
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[quote name='asheskitty']^_^ Still in good shape.

I will. =)




I'd point out...
Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Laptop: Core i7 3630QM 2.4GHz, 8GB DDR3, 1TB HDD + 16GB SSD, 15.6" 1920x1080 LED, 2GB GeForce GT750M, Win 8 $809 + Free Shipping
Battery life is only 3 hours since it doesn't support optimus (but supports SLI), and the weight is 6 lbs iirc, rather nice machine if one doesn't need battery life or extreme portability (MBA owner here).

Intel's Haswell (next gen processors) is being announced in 4 weeks.[/QUOTE]

i had a lenovo y560 for a couple of years that i just sold recently, awesome laptop for the price.
 
I've been using an Asus laptop since early last year that has an i7 and a 560m, runs every game I've tried on native 1080p. It has a pretty good build IMO.

I'd wait until you build a desktop. Buying a cheap laptop just to play some indie games on low settings seems rather pointless...
 
yea, i bought a laptop to get back into PC gaming 2 years ago and i regret it now. The laptop played all games at med settings fine but i just built a desktop a few weeks ago and it's so much better for gaming. you could build a desktop with a cheap GPU to play indie games / older stuff and upgrade it later. with a laptop you're pretty much handcuffed to whatever setup they give you.
 
[quote name='Echoes']I've been using an Asus laptop since early last year that has an i7 and a 560m, runs every game I've tried on native 1080p. It has a pretty good build IMO.

I'd wait until you build a desktop. Buying a cheap laptop just to play some indie games on low settings seems rather pointless...[/QUOTE]

well I need to get a laptop some time or another, since the one I've been trying to use has become a crappy desktop as of late (bad power jack problems). Is it really that lousy? I've found some videos online, and it seems to do alright:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMfrTX-45e0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6tg6Fq2qBg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn_8czv_JAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_MduWEoSxk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4QVFMNQxl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud6zw6HPdug

And just to be clear, I meant that laptop or otherwise, I'm really only interested in playing indie PC exclusives and cheap older games on PC. I still prefer to play mostly on consoles, which is why I thought this would be alright for now, and then I would get a desktop later as an upgrade. If you really think I shouldn't get it, I suppose I can hold off, I'm just really sick of what I have is all:cry:

EDIT: forgot to mention, one of the reasons I'm not looking to get a desktop now is because I will need a laptop for school later this year (assuming everything works out and I can get in, but that's a whole different subject). A laptop seems like something of a prerequisite, and I'd rather not try the desktop/cheap netbook approach.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']Mine has a 680M in it. ;)


Eh, Lenovos will do in a pinch, but I'd steer away from them. IBM sold the company awhile ago and they're the same Chinese shit as everything else from what I hear. Poor construction, especially on cheap models like that one.
.[/QUOTE]

I'll provide a dissenting opinion, then. Mine took a five-foot drop onto a cement floor, and it has had no problems running. A bit of plastic broke off on the corner where it landed, and I had to get a display cable reset, but all the computing still works like a charm.
 
[quote name='vince_carter']yea, i bought a laptop to get back into PC gaming 2 years ago and i regret it now. The laptop played all games at med settings fine but i just built a desktop a few weeks ago and it's so much better for gaming. you could build a desktop with a cheap GPU to play indie games / older stuff and upgrade it later. with a laptop you're pretty much handcuffed to whatever setup they give you.[/QUOTE]
False, only low end laptops "handcuff" you to the setup. Worthwhile laptops over $1200 or so should be giving you MXM (allowing you to change out your GPU/s) and allow lots of customization. My Clevo P370EM is fully upgradable.

Not that it's cheap. You're paying for portability and practicality. You can't throw your desktop in a bag and go to your friend's house to play.

[quote name='BigSpoonyBard']I'll provide a dissenting opinion, then. Mine took a five-foot drop onto a cement floor, and it has had no problems running. A bit of plastic broke off on the corner where it landed, and I had to get a display cable reset, but all the computing still works like a charm.[/QUOTE]
I've dropped my ancient piece of shit $400 or so Dell Inspiron 1545 too many times and it still runs fine. Doesn't really say much.

Nothing particularly wrong with Lenovos, but they're nothing special. You're better off spending a couple hundred extra for a better name with better components and higher build quality if you're gonna spend $800+. Back when Lenovo was IBM, they were supposed to be amazing. Nowadays, not so much.
 
The solution is to buy a CM Storm case with a heavy duty handle so you can take it with you to your LAN parties, or wherever else you would normally play a game on a laptop with a shitty trackpad or optical mouse with no real surface to use it on. Spending extra money for mobility without as much power is not very CAGly, and lugging around your desktop is a great way to maintain those muscles you'll otherwise lose by playing video games constantly. ;)
 
[quote name='Blade']The solution is to buy a CM Storm case with a heavy duty handle so you can take it with you to your LAN parties, or wherever else you would normally play a game on a laptop with a shitty trackpad or optical mouse with no real surface to use it on. Spending extra money for mobility without as much power is not very CAGly, and lugging around your desktop is a great way to maintain those muscles you'll otherwise lose by playing video games constantly. ;)[/QUOTE]
lol, if you enjoy making things more of a pain in the ass because you don't have the money for a real portable gaming machine, be my guest. A single 680M is stronger than all but the newest desktop GPUs and has a ridiculous amount of overclock potential.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']lol, if you enjoy making things more of a pain in the ass because you don't have the money for a real portable gaming machine, be my guest. A single 680M is stronger than all but the newest desktop GPUs and has a ridiculous amount of overclock potential.[/QUOTE]

Real portable gaming machine = spending $1500 more than an equivalent desktop to sit next to power outlets whenever possible because your battery life will be shit and playing with 2-speaker virtual surround sound? Yeah, I'm good with not trying to be cutting edge. :razz:

Btw, I do actually carry my desktop to LAN parties.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']False, only low end laptops "handcuff" you to the setup. Worthwhile laptops over $1200 or so should be giving you MXM (allowing you to change out your GPU/s) and allow lots of customization. My Clevo P370EM is fully upgradable.

Not that it's cheap. You're paying for portability and practicality. You can't throw your desktop in a bag and go to your friend's house to play.


I've dropped my ancient piece of shit $400 or so Dell Inspiron 1545 too many times and it still runs fine. Doesn't really say much.

Nothing particularly wrong with Lenovos, but they're nothing special. You're better off spending a couple hundred extra for a better name with better components and higher build quality if you're gonna spend $800+. Back when Lenovo was IBM, they were supposed to be amazing. Nowadays, not so much.[/QUOTE]

when talking about cheap laptops to play indie games its safe to say you're getting integrated graphics

and i totally disagree with what you're saying about lenovo, they're fine machines for what you pay. never had a single problem with mine and was able to play any game i wanted at med or high settings. but then again i personally would never pay $1600 for a laptop that is basically a desktop with a 30 minute battery.
 
Let's cut the Laptop/Desktop debate short right now and come together over the shared understanding that Netbooks were a terrible idea.
 
[quote name='Blade']Real portable gaming machine = spending $1500 more than an equivalent desktop to sit next to power outlets whenever possible because your battery life will be shit and playing with 2-speaker virtual surround sound? Yeah, I'm good with not trying to be cutting edge. :razz:

Btw, I do actually carry my desktop to LAN parties.[/QUOTE]
$1500 more, huh? So desktops with current gen GPUs are free now? Damn, hook me up with that bro. :roll:

And good headphones sound better and are drastically cheaper than a good surround sound system, lol.

But I know, the hipsters are all about trying to make old ugly things look cool, so I can dig that.

[quote name='vince_carter']and i totally disagree with what you're saying about lenovo, they're fine machines for what you pay. never had a single problem with mine and was able to play any game i wanted at med or high settings. but then again i personally would never pay $1600 for a laptop that is basically a desktop with a 30 minute battery.[/QUOTE]
Realistically, almost every laptop you're getting is going to do the job. Your graphic settings are just the product of your GPU. There are far worse choices than Lenovo, don't get me wrong, they just aren't of the high quality they used to be.
 
[quote name='vince_carter']when talking about cheap laptops to play indie games its safe to say you're getting integrated graphics

and i totally disagree with what you're saying about lenovo, they're fine machines for what you pay. never had a single problem with mine and was able to play any game i wanted at med or high settings. but then again i personally would never pay $1600 for a laptop that is basically a desktop with a 30 minute battery.[/QUOTE]

well from what I can tell, AMD integrated is at least entry level for most stuff. Seems fine for me, and I agree with you on spending so much on a laptop. Seems like a rather bad investment for most people:cry:
 
Too broad of generalizations here.... Even eh-bee-em StinkPads could be crap, I remember a particular consumer oriented one in '98 that was rubbish. On the IBM/Lenovo machines you get what you pay for, by most accounts T/X/U series machines are still solid... they also breed bad habits... a fellow grad student (I'll call her gori-chan to protect her identity) with a T61? got in the habit of moving her laptop by grabbing the upper bezel of the machine... I was horrified when she did the same to my MBA (it survived fine)... and I've had premium laptops going back to the 386 era.

Netbooks are great, cheap, long battery life machines... not well suited to my signal processing needs... anything more than a small homework problem would have me twiddling thumbs in matlab (and unlike the other smacktards, I write efficient matlab, DEATH TO THE GREAT FOR LOOP... ALL IFs MUST DIE)... but my preference to carrying my netbook over my MBP lead to to later getting an MBA (when Nvidia ate my laptop).
 
[quote name='asheskitty']
Netbooks are great, cheap, long battery life machines... not well suited to my signal processing needs... anything more than a small homework problem would have me twiddling thumbs in matlab (and unlike the other smacktards, I write efficient matlab, DEATH TO THE GREAT FOR LOOP... ALL IFs MUST DIE)... but my preference to carrying my netbook over my MBP lead to to later getting an MBA (when Nvidia ate my laptop).[/QUOTE]

Why use a For loop when you could use 80 else if statements?

Use your head, Ash.
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']well from what I can tell, AMD integrated is at least entry level for most stuff. Seems fine for me, and I agree with you on spending so much on a laptop. Seems like a rather bad investment for most people:cry:[/QUOTE]


Spend you money where you use it... almost 20 years of high end laptops have been totally worth it for me (new machine every 3 years) because of the amount of time I spend on them... I've never paid for Cable TV, I don't drive a fancy car, even my bicycles are steel frames and friction shifters (okay yeah, I'm a retrogrouch on those)... Money spent where you use/appreciate it the most... I don't even own a TV, but I think for most people spending a reasonable amount on a TV/stereo is far better spent than buying a boat (hours/year metric).
 
[quote name='Eldredpe']Why use a For loop when you could use 80 else if statements?

Use your head, Ash.[/QUOTE]


Lulz... my undergrad is in computer architecture... which shows up prominently in my programming too (and is benchmarkedly faster). Last week in a physically based rendering class (think CG movies/raytracing)... I was like... O(1) time... log-tree algorithm time if you don't have a bit-reverse operation (since architectures I've designed for industry had a bit-reverse instruction)

I've designed SIMD architectures and algorithms that center around a data-centric choose() operator rather than control centric if(). I was smugly amused when the details of the IBM/Sony/Toshiba Cell architecture were announced at HotChips some years back that with a half billion dollars and the brightest minds of these companies... they eschewed if() for a choose() operator... like I'd grown quite efficient with.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']Eh, Lenovos will do in a pinch, but I'd steer away from them. IBM sold the company awhile ago and they're the same Chinese shit as everything else from what I hear. Poor construction, especially on cheap models like that one.[/QUOTE]

Lenovo Thinkpads are still the de facto standard for business use in large part due to their high build quality.
 
[quote name='Genocidal']Lenovo Thinkpads are still the de facto standard for business use in large part due to their high build quality.[/QUOTE]
I'm sure they are the de facto standard, but not for their build quality. Honestly, just Google around, they aren't what they used to be.

They're still fairly priced, capable machines, and I know they're better than a lot of others, but the quality has been dropping since IBM sold. Honestly Alienware, ASUS, Clevo, and MSI are at the top right now, but obviously you're not going to 20 of them in an office due to the higher cost.
 
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[quote name='asheskitty']Spend you money where you use it... almost 20 years of high end laptops have been totally worth it for me (new machine every 3 years) because of the amount of time I spend on them... I've never paid for Cable TV, I don't drive a fancy car, even my bicycles are steel frames and friction shifters (okay yeah, I'm a retrogrouch on those)... Money spent where you use/appreciate it the most... I don't even own a TV, but I think for most people spending a reasonable amount on a TV/stereo is far better spent than buying a boat (hours/year metric).[/QUOTE]

Well I wouldn't consider you among "most people";) I just can't see the point in buying something for so much if you are going to replace it so quickly, but then again I wouldn't recommend a boat as a good use of money either. I'd say I agree with you on the money were you appreciate it bit, but that's still a lot of money (or maybe I'm just broke:lol:). Not owning a TV is pretty crazing though. I mean, what if you have friends over?

On the topic of netbooks, for the most part I think they are pretty worthless. Chromebooks are what I think netbooks should have been, made for the internet and only the internet. Would be interested to know what any of you think of them if you've had a chance to try one.
 
[quote name='Genocidal']Lenovo Thinkpads are still the de facto standard for business use in large part due to their high build quality.[/QUOTE]


I've seen and used all sorts (I bet no one else here has used a DEC laptop). In the last 12 years it's been IBM StinkPads, then Dell Latitudes, now some HP business class machines... all of them have been business class machines with metal frames and quality hinges... I've never seen anything that tops a T-series ThinkPad.

Lower down in the IBM/Lenove, Dell, & HP/Compaq lines is a varying range of build quality from outright junk to pretty decent. (All Apple machines I've owned have been quite decent build quality an very rationally designed/disassembled... HP/Compaqs have been had the most bewildering disassembly.)

I've haven't seen a Sony/Toshiba/Fujitsu/Sharp laptop as a corporate machine in this century.
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Well I wouldn't consider you among "most people";) I just can't see the point in buying something for so much if you are going to replace it so quickly, but then again I wouldn't recommend a boat as a good use of money either. I'd say I agree with you on the money were you appreciate it bit, but that's still a lot of money (or maybe I'm just broke:lol:). Not owning a TV is pretty crazing though. I mean, what if you have friends over?

On the topic of netbooks, for the most part I think they are pretty worthless. Chromebooks are what I think netbooks should have been, made for the internet and only the internet. Would be interested to know what any of you think of them if you've had a chance to try one.[/QUOTE]

I was able to play Dota in class on my netbook so I don't think they're worthless :D
 
[quote name='asheskitty']HP/Compaqs have been had the most bewildering disassembly.
[/QUOTE]

The last HP laptop I had I disassembled to toss the mobo in the oven to reflow the solders to the onboard graphics (that actually fixed it for about 4 days), and that was seriously one of the least intuitive processes I can imagine. Particularly as the reassemble required extreme precision or the disk drive refused to slot back in.

I feel like most consumer grade laptops are intentionally designed to be near impossible to poke around in.
 
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