Ask Engadget HD: Best Laptop HTPC?
We're pretty used to wondering about what kind of computer is best suited for connecting to your HDTV, but what if it also has to pull double duty as an on the go workhorse? That's the dilemma of our friend Scott:
"'I've been looking to buy a nettop PC with an Atom/ION to use as my HTPC, like the Acer Aspire Revo R3610, and hook it up to my home network, but I would also like to have a laptop for portability. I can't afford both so I need to make the best choice. I mainly watch recorded TV from my Windows 7 Media Center PC, DVDs, surf the internet and play an occasional 3D game. I'll be hooking this up to my 60" LG plasma TV. I don't need Blu-ray playback as I use my PS3 for this. Are there any laptops that aren't too bulky/heavy, have enough power to handle 1080p playback through HDMI output and have a large enough screen to watch movies when in the go? I was looking at the HP dv4-2165dx. What would you recommend?
A few of you must have similar requirements for your mobile computing, so we're wondering what you've found to fit your needs. Moving beyond even Scott's situation, is Blu-ray playback a major issue in laptop purchasing these days, or are you comfortable with portable copies and rips when you leave the house? Feel free to drop all advice and notes in the comments below.
Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
