Author Topic: Looking for laptop recommendation  (Read 1081 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kimnat

  • Posts: 7172
Looking for laptop recommendation
« Topic Start: June 07, 2007, 03:53:45 AM »
Ok, y'all.  No, I'm not loaded ($).  And yes, I do have insomnia!!!  Now, that being said.

Looks like we're just gonna get the porch rescreened.  So, that frees up a little and I need a new laptop.  I don't need massive bells and whistles.  Would like one that isn't gonna be slow as molasses, but don't need the best of the best.  A good buy w/ good speed and MS software would be nice.  Prefer AMD over intel.  Need to have room for Adobe Pagemaker 6.5, too.  And I can't stand Compaq!  Don't even get me started on that one!  Burning cds w/ info (not music) is important, too.  And we're getting Verizon FIOS at the end of summer too.  SO wireless tech is vital, too.  lightweight.  good battery life.  basic stuff to me.   

The one fancy option?  I'd love a tablet so I can either type or write notes.

What are your thoughts/recommendations?

nospinzone1

  • Guest
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #1: June 07, 2007, 12:29:42 PM »
KIM: FROM MORE YEARS THAT I CARE TO REMEMBER I HAVE SUBSCRIBED TO CONSUMER REPORTS. THAT IS MY BIBLE AS FAR AS BUYING STUFF LIKE THAT IS CONCERNED. YOU DO NOT NEED A SUBSCRIPTION. JUST STOP BY THE LIBRARY AND LOOK IT UP IN THEIR BACK ISSUES. BY THE WAY, HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO DO ALL YOU DO. MY GUESS:












SUPERWOMAN

Offline NatsAddict

  • Posts: 4099
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #2: June 07, 2007, 12:49:49 PM »
You'll probably be getting Vista, so make sure it has a lot of memory.  I have Vista on a laptop, and it was pitiful with it's out of box 1 GB.  It became acceptable with 2GB.  Since most laptops don't come maxed out, be sure to include the price of a memory upgrade.  Even if it come with 1 GB, it will probably be configured with two memory slots, each holding 512 MB.  To upgrade from 1 GB to 2 GB, you will likely have to buy two 1 GB memory mods, and all the original memory is going to waste away in a drawer.  Thats an additional cost of anywhere from $140-$180 just to make the machine operational.  If you come across two machines that are similar except for the memory, consider the price of the memory upgrade.

I like the HP (I know, close to Compaq) laptops because of the docking station.  But, I prefer Toshiba for the durability.  I don't know of a Toshiba with a tablet.  Sony laptops are good for skeet shooting, but not much else.  I don't know of anyone who's ever had a Dell laptop last much longer than a year.  Also, Dell laptop have a propriety hard drive, and cannot be as readily upgraded.

Just about all laptops will have both wireless and at least a DVD player/CD burner.  Many will have DVD burning capabilities as well.

As a personal preference, I hate the HD screen resolution.  The vertical gets cut way down, and I spend a lot more time scrolling than what I like.





Offline The Chief

  • Posts: 31799
    • http://www.wnff.net
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #3: June 07, 2007, 01:39:53 PM »
If you want it to last, make sure it has a dual-core processor and 2 gigs of RAM.  Everything else is negotiable.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17657
  • babble on
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #4: June 08, 2007, 12:37:42 AM »
Amen...the dual-core processor has made my new Dell suck SO much less than my old Dell.  (Dells might suck in general, but the new processor makes me hate them, oh, so much less).  I have to buy Dells for work-related reasons, but I would imagine that the general truism holds, i.e. any laptop with "dual-core" innards is probably OK.  Don't know a squeak about Apple laptops, though most of my friends seem to be buying those these days, and they all seem very satisfied.


If you want it to last, make sure it has a dual-core processor and 2 gigs of RAM.  Everything else is negotiable.

Offline The Chief

  • Posts: 31799
    • http://www.wnff.net
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #5: June 08, 2007, 12:45:21 AM »
Apple stuff all runs with Intel hardware now, so the main things you're getting with an Apple is the Mac OS and a much higher price tag.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17657
  • babble on
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #6: June 08, 2007, 12:52:50 AM »
That is good to hear from a pro, cos the prices seem nuts to me (for an Apple)

Apple stuff all runs with Intel hardware now, so the main things you're getting with an Apple is the Mac OS and a much higher price tag.

Offline DPMOmaha

  • Posts: 22875
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #7: June 08, 2007, 01:00:14 AM »
That is good to hear from a pro, cos the prices seem nuts to me (for an Apple)


That being said, for the most part, I really, really enjoy my macbook.

Offline The Chief

  • Posts: 31799
    • http://www.wnff.net
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #8: June 08, 2007, 01:04:39 AM »
Some people feel that Mac OS justifies the price premium.  It's really an individual user decision.  I was raised on DOS and Windows, but I also have a lot of Unix/Linux experience, and Mac OS is Unix-based, so I'm fairly impartial.  All in all, I just prefer PCs because I tinker in hardware a lot and don't prefer to be limited in the way that buying an Apple product limits you.  But as far as for generally doing the kinds of things that most people do on a computer, Mac OS is a great product.

Offline DPMOmaha

  • Posts: 22875
Re: Looking for laptop recommendation
« Reply #9: June 08, 2007, 01:08:48 AM »
I also do a lot of work with photos and videos and it works great for that.  My compaq I had before this severely limited my abilties in that regard.