I'm assuming you're talking about this laptop
http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/hom...vilion/E8C01UA
Really the only thing that makes this laptop pricey is the RAM, 12 GB is a bit too much. 6-8 GB is perfect for handling anything, and that's all you'll ever need.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...36&SID=ShopAMD
This laptop has a huge price drop. The only difference is the that it has 6 GB of RAM which can be upgraded to 8 GB. You get a $100+ savings on this if you were considering buying the HP Pavilion 17. I highly recommend you buy this, but if you find anything better just tell me.