Hey, I'm looking to get a laptop which I'll use as a secondary poker computer for the most part. To be clear on what I mean by that, the vast majority of the time I'll be playing on my desktop, but would like to be able to play on the laptop too. I'd also like to be able to run HEM queries etc, and do post-session analysis on the laptop.

So! My question is: given my requirements, how important is it that it has a 7200RPM HDD? I ask because I'm finding it pretty easy to find laptops with 4gig of DDR3 RAM (I gather this is required), but not so easy to find them with 7200RPM HDDs.

I mean I can find them on custom build sites for around £1k, with the following spec:

MESH Edge 15.6 - NBLB2120001
Intel Core i7 720QM Quad Core Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB Cache, 2.5GT/s)
Genuine Windows 7™ Home Premium Edition - English
15.6" FULL HD LED Display (1920x1080)
1GB ATi Mobility Radeon HD5650 Graphics - DX11
4GB DDR3 1066MHz Memory (2x2GB)
320GB Serial ATA 7200RPM 2.5" Hard Drive [upg £ 20.00]
DVD Super Format Dual Layer DVD Re-Writer
Built in Bluetooth Technology
Intel WiFi Link 5100 802.11n Wireless LAN
Built-in Intel High Definition Audio, with 3D Effect & Full Duplex Speakers
2.0 Mega Pixel Built in Webcam
BullGuard Internet Security 8.5 - 90 Day Trial - AntiVirus/Firewall/Backup/Spamfilter
Biometric Fingerprint Reader
Multi Format Memory Card Reader
1 Year Return to Base Warranty (UK Mainland Only)

Or I can find something which is obviously a lesser machine (spec below), for about £400 less, and I'm wondering how much I would be giving up if I went for something with the spec below vs the spec above?

http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/p...pec&fullspec=F

(pasted link as trying to c&p is really messy)

Anyway, any advice would be gratefully received. I don't mind dropping the £1k if it's absolutely necessary, but if it's avoidable and I can get away with something like the Samsung, I'd sooner do that and save myself a few hundred quid for what will be a secondary poker machine.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Ok then, French kisses for help!

Yeah, holding platter density fixed, as you surely can imagine, a 7200rpm hard disk drive (HDD) tends to be faster than a 5400rpm HDD. Platter density is pretty important for speed, too (the higher, the better).

If it's really the issue that you cannot find a laptop that you like that is reasonably priced and, at the same time, comes with a fast HDD, consider buying the HDD in the aftermarket. In the US, a 7200rpm 320GB laptop HDD is ~$70.

btw, imo, the biggest difference between those two laptops is the screen resolution. Sure, the former laptop is faster but the latter one will be sufficient.

IMO, go to http://dell.co.uk, select the Dell Studio 15 with i7-720QM, upgrade the screen to 1080p for £70 pounds. That pretty much is equal to the one you posted and the Dell costs £819

Thanks very much for the help. I'll look into both options you suggest.