Pin size for memory on laptops is 200. Laptop memory is called SO-DIMM (if I remember correctly). You would probably be better off buying one with less memory and buying the stick separate.
Or...you could buy a gaming desktop that's more powerful for 1/2 the price.
yeah but i think my dad would be kind of angry that i already want a new comp w/ new parts only a year after upgrading mine (i didnt really upgrade, i messed up it a bit so its kind of like a side upgrade, uncapable of turning into a super awesome comp w/out lotsa moolah)
i figure if i say i want a laptop i can use the portability in college excuse to slide by
tell him that it will get stolen in college and you need the new computer for college:)
I haven't looked at your choices in your first post. But:
1) "pin size" for the memory is going to be dependent on the laptop's motherboard. Mine uses 240 pin ddr2 sodimms. Otherr are different.
2) If you aren't sure whether it's worth getting one with more memory or not, do this: Spec out a laptop with a certain amount of ram, and see how much it would be to upgrade it. Keep in mind laptops almost always have only one slot for memory, so you can only buy one stick. Compare the price of that laptop + price of the memory to an equivalent laptop with the memory added in by the manufacturer. Sometimes its cheaper to get it with the memory, sometimes it's not.
3) You can buy a desktop for a lot cheaper with equivalent specs. Is it your money? Your dad should let you do what you want with your money, that's how you learn to manage it.
4) If you get a heavy duty gaming laptop, the battery life will be terrible. So don't get a laptop specced for gaming and expect it to last for 2 hours on battery. It most likely won't. Hardware is getting better at being powerful and efficient, but it's not perfect.
5) Keep in mind that it's neither easy or cheap to repair parts on laptops. I use and recommend Dells because of their very nice warranties. I dropped my laptop and crashed the hard drive in it. I logged onto dell's support site, spoke with a CS rep, gave them the error code, and I had a replacement hard drive on my door the next day. I switched the hard drives out, mailed the old one in, and I was done. No cost to me, thanks to the warranty. Since laptop parts are smaller and not as plentiful, they do cost more than their desktop equivalents. Keep in mind a company's warranty services, etc when buying.
If you have any specific hardware questions, ask away.
If you want something nice and cheap buy it in here.
iBuyPower.com
tell your dad you need the new desktop.
for those of you that dont know ahobbit got a nice trojan called trojan-spy.win32@mx
as im writing this he is restarting his computer in an effort to be able to open programs and things which were closing on him. he keeps getting error messages when he tries to use virus scans and gets fake windows alerts.
i say this should convince your dad to get a new comp.