FReeper computer "geeks": Seeking recommendations re notebook/laptop brand to buy

9/1/05 | Wolfstar

[Wolfstar]

I am planning to buy my first Windows-based notebook computer. Budget in the $1200 range. There are lots of choices and a lot of confusing info out there about desirable specs/components.

Would greatly appreciate recommendations from FReepers knowledgeable about computers. Will be for home interent use, running Photoshop, MS Office Suite, taking work home from the office from time-to-time, and similar tasks. Need something sturdy, reliable and with a bright, sharp display.

Your recommendations on specs to equip it with, within my price range, are also much needed. Thanks.

[Wolfstar]

I live in the Pacific time zone and will be at work shortly. Cannot use the internet at work, so won't be able to respond to this thread until after 7:00pm Pacific. But I want to thank anyone who kindly shares their knowledge with me. It's much appreciated.

[flashbunny]

Avoid anything by compaq. Or hp, they've been dragged down to compaq's level.

Avoid celeron chips.

Safest bet is to just get a sony vaio with a centrino mobile chip.

[rdb3]

Consider these things before you make your purchase:

• What screen size do you require?
  
• How large of a hard drive?
  
• Do you need it barebones or with Windows XP Professional installed? NOTE: Always choose XP Pro, not XP Home.
  
• Will you require wireless access to your work/home network?
  
• Is a DVD+R/CD+RW drive necessary?

It's hard to recommend any laptop before those questions are answered.

Happy shopping!

[megimoo]

vios are the best I agree but they are pricy.
I found this add

Sony VAIO PCG-Z1VA Notebook PC (1.60-GHz Pentium-M (Centrino), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive)

$2,299.00 Product Rating
Amazon merchant rating: $2,299.00 Usually ships within 24 hours

for much less money and performance perhaps try the I.B.M.notebook or go to the Dell site and try their offerings about 1/2 the price of the Vios .
At the smae time at Dell look at their Wi Fi
but if you go for a home type wireless network you
will have an security problem with youe system on-air and
wide open to the worlds hackers !

Or go and ask any college kid what they have and what their school uses,they all require them these days .
73's

[Petronski]

Never ever ever be convinced, cajoled or deceived into buying a Celeron. [spit]



Also, I really like Thinkpads, but only if you buy used. The new Thinkpads are a ChiCom operation called Lenovo. [spit]



Make sure you buy an extra battery. You need one.

[Petronski]

Sony VAIO is reputedly VERY good stuff.

[flashbunny]

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=329363&pfp=SEARCH

$999 after rebate.

There are several under $1200 with a rebate.

There are few laptops I would trust. IBM. Maybe dell but I don't want to deal with support from India. But for the best combination of style and features, and dependability, I'd get a vaio again and again.

[ThePythonicCow]

Check out ResellerRatings.com, both for:

• choice of laptop, and
• choice of vendor.

Here's a list of the top rated laptops in the $1100 to $1400 range: Laptops - $1100 to $1400.

---

Check to compare

Dell Inspiron 9300 (I9300L1) PC Notebook Product rating: Read 8 reviews Intel Pentium M 1.6 GHz, 17 in. WXGA+ TFT Active Matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 512 MB, DVD-ROM, 40 GB hard drive, 7.8... Read more

$1,278 from 1 store

Check to compare

Toshiba Satellite M45-S265 (PSM40U07V001) PC Notebook Product rating: Read 1 review Intel Pentium M 1.6 GHz, 15.4 in. WXGA TFT Active Matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 512 MB, DVD±RW, 100 GB hard drive, 6 ... Read more

$1,200 - $1,425 from 19 stores

Check to compare

Toshiba Satellite P35-S611 (PSP30U20H001) PC Notebook Product rating: Read 3 reviews Intel Pentium 4 3.33 GHz, 17 in. WXGA+ TFT Active Matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 512 MB, DVD±RW/DVD-RAM, 100 GB hard d... Read more

$1,180 - $1,700 from 14 stores

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I own a Toshiba Satellite - I've been pleased as punch with it. I just use it as a low cost Windows desktop equivalent (I got it for $500 new at CompUSA on a Father's Day special).

You can also use ResellerRatings.com to find a good vendor. Actually, there are two laptop vendors with stunning ratings of 10 each, on a healthy number of reviews:

• PowerNotebooks.com
• DiscountLaptops.com

They both sell Sager laptops, made by Crevor. That company doesn't advertise in the U.S., but their laptops are very highly rated from what I can tell.

If it weren't for the CompUSA Father's Day special, I would have bought my laptop at one of the above two vendors, getting a Sager.

[ThePythonicCow]

Here's a sample of a Crevor/Sager, from PowerNotebooks.com, priced at $1189 and up:

 

Intel Pentium® 4 Processor
3.0GHz (Prescott) or 3.2GHz (Northwood)
BOTH w/Hyper-Threading ENABLED w/1024 KB L2 Advanced Transfer Cache 800MHz System Bus Speed

15" SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) LCD Display w/ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9700 8X AGP 3D Graphics Accelerator with 128MB EMBEDDED DDR Memory

LightScribe enabled Combo Dual Layer DVD +/- R/RW - CD R/RW (Optional)

"Let's talk about the concept of 'Name Brand' as it applies to laptop computers."

Serial Port
Parallel Port
Integrated webcam
Built-in 7-in-1 Memory Card Reader
PC3200 DDR/400 Memory up to 2,048MB
Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps LAN & 56k Fax/Modem
6 Channel Analog Audio output with 3 Ports including S/PDIF
Up to 60GB 7200 RPM, or 120GB 5400 RPM Ultra ATA/100 Hard Disk Drive

[Wolfstar]

Hi, just got home from work a short while ago. It's about 7:20pm Pacific as I type this. Just wanted to say thanks to each of you for your kind and generous suggestions. You've been very helpful in narrowing down the field.

I work for a company that outsourced its IT to IBM, so I'm eligible to get a ThinkPad at a discount. But I'm not comfortable doing so now that the business is owned by a Chinese company. Was trying to sort through the bewildering array of choices and specs, until another FReeper suggested a thread posted in the computers topic area here.

Again, thank you all very much.

[ThePythonicCow]

As to particular laptop features, if you want the mobility obtained from a long battery life, go with AMD or the Intel Pentium M processor (part of what Intel calls Centrino). If you are more interested in processor speed (useful if doing much Photoshop) and will be using the laptop plugged into wall current most of the time, go with the Intel Pentium 4, which is faster, hotter, and more power hungry.

Make sure to have plenty of memory - typically 1 GByte, or more if you tend to have two or three big applications open at once, or do serious PhotoShop work with large images.

[megimoo]

Again find some college kid and ask what they use .
Most schools do bulk purchases of laptops and do research before hand on the best buy .I don't care for laptops, they are too expensive and when they fail, and they do all of the time, your best bet is instead of paying a fortune for a unreliable repair job just throw it away and buy a new one ! Then comes the expensive battery that needs to be recharged almost full time .The things will walk away from you lay it down for a second (in someone’s thieving hands )and if you spill coffee, coke, tea on the keyboard throw it in the trash can .Just a thought get your company to buy one for you (yeh right ).
My solution is buy a good American quality desk top ,
(the only choice of late in my estimation is Dell ,Tech assist from India has worked for me ).

When you need to bring work home use ,buy a memory stick (I have a Cruzer
256 MB my son has a 1Gb Cruzer )transfer the files you need onto the stick and take them home .The price for these sticks has come way down and they are bullet proof (hard to damage).The laptop is kinda hard to use while you drive so I don't see a problem there .Just my opinion
and you had better follow it (LOL) Good luck moo.