Well, I don't have it yet, but it should be arriving sometime this week...I think >.>

After searching and searching, I finally opted to get a desktop instead of a laptop. I changed my mind due to the fact that if I want to game on it, it should be able to withstand anything and even if I get a gaming laptop, it still won't be good enough compared to a desktop. I think next year I'll get a cheap basic laptop for my school needs. No rush to get both right now...plus my funds are low @_@

I didn't bother getting Alienware, Dell XPS, or any other major gaming systems cause those are far too overpriced. Well...some...not all. I did get a gaming system, but it's an HP brand, so I wouldn't say it's the ultimate gaming system. I just really liked the price for the specs it had. I compared it to other desktops and with taxes and shipping included, I felt that I'd be overpaying and going over my budget so I just stuck with the HP model.

It's not a custom-built...it's actually a ready-to-order setup sold by Best Buy. I've heard good and bad things about it, but I'll be the judge of what I experience. Plus I hear a lot about Best Buy's crappy customer service, so I'm not sure how that might fair with me. I just hope nothing bad goes wrong considering the fact that I have the worst of luck with computers lately =_=

Here are the specs for the computer I bought:

(Oh and it's only the CPU Tower...no monitor included unfortunately)

~HP - Pavilion Elite Desktop with Intel® Core™ i7 Processor
~Model: e9290f
~Processor Speed: 2.66GHz
~Cache Memory: 1MB on die Level 2; 8MB shared on die Level 3
~System Memory (RAM): 9GB
~Type of Memory (RAM): DDR3 SDRAM
~Hard Drive Type: SATA (7200 rpm)
~Hard Drive Size: 1TB
~Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
~Video Memory: 1.8GB (dedicated)
~Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
~Power Supply Unit: 460 watts

Hmm...did I miss anything? So, with tax and shipping (I can't believe they charge for this), it ended up being a total of $1,400. Yea...it's a lot, but I'm hoping it's well-worth the price. If anything happens, I'll return it or have Best Buy fix it I guess. My only issue is the power supply cause I've heard that anything below 500 can't really handle most demanding games. But I really only plan on playing Sims 3 so I don't know how bad it could be. If anything, it can be replaced (maybe with a corsair model?)

I figure I'll buy a monitor when Thanksgiving sales pop up cause I think Best Buy is going to sell an Acer monitor for $80 and it's down from $160, so if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is lol.

Alright, my ranting ends here :] Thanks for everyone's help from my last journal!

And I'll try to post some art soon. It's just been crazy at school since finals are coming up in a few weeks.

Oh...and my sister unexpectedly bought a new dog =_= And of course I've been the one to babysit him so he's attached himself to me D: Lol I'll get more into that in another journal xD

Based on the title, you kinda get the gist of what I want to discuss.

So as you all know, my previous computer basically blew up on me and I'm still using my sister's old hard drive to do most of my work on. No choice in the matter anyway.

For the past month, I've been fishing around for a good laptop and I pretty much decided on getting a Sony Vaio system since I've read good reviews about them. My budget is at $1,500 so I can manage to get one.

Here are the specifications for the system I have in mind:
~VGNFW590 series (only one with a good size screen that I can customize and has Windows 7)
~6GB (4GBx1 + 2GBx1) DDR2-SDRAM-800
~16.4" VAIO Display (1600x900)
~500GB SATA Hard Disk Drive (7200rpm)
~ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4650 graphics with 1GB dedicated video RAM
~Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9600 (2.80GHz)
~Genuine Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional (Lol I can't really afford the Ultimate edition)

SO yea...those are the basics I think.

Now I don't just want a laptop for the sake of gaming. However, the only game I truly love is the Sims and now that the Sims 3 has come out, I really want to play it! I've been waiting for it to come out since last summer x_x

After looking through countless forums and even contacting the Sims 3 customer service, I still don't have the answer I'm looking for! So, maybe you guys can help me out?

Questions:
1. Does Sims 3 work with Windows 7?
2. Even though the graphics card is not listed in the Sims 3 requirements, will the ATI Mobility Radeon 4650 work with the game?

I get mixed replies for both questions and I really want to get a laptop before the end of November cause I want to take advantage of the Black Friday sales lol.

Any advice would be great! Thanks!

Hey all!

Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been a really busy semester! I'm either busy with commissions, homework, projects, reading, or exams @__@

Also, to add on to the ever-growing annoyances in my life, my computer decided to malfunction, shut down and never boot up again. So, I've lost whatever unsaved files I had, my music, homework assignments, etc. It's really annoying as hell =__= I'm on my school's computer at the moment cause I finished my assignment early and I thought I'd just surf the web before my next class.

Basically, what happens with my computer is that when I turn it on, it keeps coming up to this black screen that explains that my computer had a malfunction and gives options for how I can restart my computer (ie: safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command, last known configuration and start it normally).

I've tried every one of those options, but the minute I see the loading screen, it just restarts all over again and the black screen pops up again with the load options =/

I dunno what to do...It's not even about just having a computer. I have a million computer assignments for school and my sister's laptop doesn't have any of the programs I need since it's a Mac. Plus I can't draw on it either T__T

My mom said that I should just go ahead and buy a new computer [preferably a laptop cause I'm just getting annoyed with desktops period after using it for over 5 years =_=]

I have the money to buy the custom built laptop with sony vaio, but I was hoping my computer would survive until next summer and then get a laptop I say this because now that I've moved out of the house, I need to help make payments for the damn house or else all I get is annoyance from my sister to get a job and help out >_<

If you guys know any way I can save my computer, please let me know! Or else, I guess I just gotta get a new computer and see what happens from there.

Thanks in advance

I should update this thing more often, but you know I am xP

Well, since my last journal a lot has happened! Sort of anyway lol.

House-wise:

Since the beginning of August, we now own our own place! And we've just steadily been buying appliances and other essentials to put into it even though we still lack any proper furniture lol. Still need to get some kind of dining table, refrigerator, vacuum....urrr and probably something else I'm forgetting. I keep saying "we" cause me and my sis are moving in together just so you know. Gonna take our beds, desks, and my the couches in this house to the other house so we at least save money on stuff like that.

Tomorrow will be a busy day because we're going to head down to a few more stores and shop some more and get the place organized a bit. Everything needs to be ready by Saturday so we're not doing any last minute clean up jobs since classes start August 24th. Ughhh so soon! x__x

Need to call and see what we're doing about internet and such cause there is no hook up there I'm gonna move my computer as the last thing in case we still don't have internet by then. I'm afraid I might not be able to log on for a week or so. Unless I use the school's computer or something lol.

Such little timing for it all!! I'm really getting jittery about the whole thing. And we need to have the mortgage payment ready before September 1st lol. Not sure where that payment is coming from haha xD My sis is putting me in charge of paying the HOA (Home Owner's Association) fee since that's what most condominium owners pay and also the internet bill (whatever that ends up being lol). If anything, that's a decent $200 out of my pocket every month and I can manage that no problem. But still gotta find a job anyway x__x

If you guys want to commission me, you can message me about it But try to do so before Friday so I can see it now instead of a week later.

Wish me luck everyone! I wanna get through this without any problems

*hugs and kisses*