Posted on 07/05/2007 3:51:06 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
I need a bit of advice. I do not own a notebook/laptop computer, this will be my first purchase.
Offered to me NEW: a Toshiba Satellite A135-S2326. Windows Vista Basic (I know, I know...bugs/monster memory eater), 80gb hard drive, 512M of RAM. 15.4" screen.
The price after rebates: $350.
I might eventually upgrade the RAM to 1 or 2GB.
This is going to be used primarily for a child being homeschooled, maybe to watch DVDs during travel, light internet usage in airports, etc. Nothing massive.
Is $350 a good price?
I bought a Satellite Pro several months ago and am very happy with it. A few things:
1) Check to see if Toshiba has XP drivers for the laptop. The Pro I bought only had Vista drivers, so I was forced to upgrade to Vista Business (it came loaded with Vista Basic).
2) Get the extra memory. You’ll need >1GB for Vista.
Look in your local phone book and see if you have any computer specialists in your area and talk to them. They may have a reliable one that has been traded in or sold to them cheap. They may even be able to build you one (maybe). They should definitely be able to build you a desktop. But spending $350 on that is $350 that is wasted. You all will be so frustrated in getting it to do the simplist tasks.
I got Vista business with Word with my new Dell. It’s just fine except all the Google dreck.
I bet it’s so cheap because of the meager memory. If you’re staying with Vista you’ll want/need 2GB, else price out 1GB.
But yeah, it’s a good deal.
I also don’t buy from Toshiba because of the sub tech deal.
512MB is probably going to be to little for Vista. For the cost of upgrading the memory, you can follow TommyDale’s advice and get Windows XP.
I have run XP Pro in a professional programming environment for several years with no problems. This means Lotus Notes[a real memory hog], FireFox, along with either Xwindows or Eclipse, running dual monitor with four virtual desktops.
I have an older Satellite. Mine has worked great. I paid close to $1000 after rebates.
Are you sure Vista will even run on “just” 512MB RAM? I thought I remember reading somewhere that the minimal is 1GB, but I could be wrong.
I’ve had an Acer Aspire 9410 with Vista and I love it. Takes about 15 seconds to boot. Bought Windows Live One Care security suite-love it, too. AND, best of all it has a 17in. screen. I’ll never settle for a smaller one. Cost $799 about 3 months ago.
You will hate Vista. It is almost like learning a new operating system AND it takes forever and ever to do anything.
5 minutes to boot is NOT an exaggeration.
criminy...they’re almost disposable these days at these prices.
I bought a Toshiba at Office Depot, $750, but after rebates it was $450.00. About a year later I had no choice but to buy more memory, so for $150 I bought a new 1 gig memory stick, and this thing sails. We watch dvd’s on it and play games too. Take it with me everywhere.
PS, at a resort in the middle of nowhere that had wireless Internet, I connected instantly! excellent speed.
PPS. I recommend the logitech cordless mouse. It’s awesome.
Since you’ve never had a laptop, I’ll warn you that adding memory usually means buying how much you want. In other words, don’t check prices for 512MB more, because you’ll probably have to pull and discard the memory you have now.
In other other words, if you want it to have 1GB, you have to buy 1GB; and if you want 2GB, you’ll have to buy 2GB.
Choose wisely.
Not in my experience-see post 28. My Acer SCREAMS with Vista, and boots in about 15 seconds. Love the Vista OS-my favorite of all time. We do desktop publishing and it’s the best I’ve ever used. Macs are twice the cost, and forget a 17in. screen...
As I recall, Microsoft initially said XP Home would run on 64MB, but 128MB was recommended.
In other words, define "run."
Without 1GB, as I understand it, XP churns the hard disk like a coffee grinder.
Ach!
Should have been:
Without 1GB, as I understand it, Vista churns the hard disk like a coffee grinder.
My machine has 2 Gb. It might get by with 1 Gb most of the time but sometimes it uses some of the second Gb.
LOL!
Hey, it's the brilliant simile which counts the most anyway.
:O)
If that will be the extent (or even close) of the usage it will get then I say grab it!
However, the first thing you should do is download a copy of SimplyMEPIS Linux, burn it to a CD and then wipe the Vista off the unit and install the Linux. That will be one hell of a platform to run SimplyMEPIS on. I use it on a Dell C640 and it ROCKS!
$350 sounds like a good deal, though 1.) *I* wouldn’t get Vista (just went out of my way to get wifey an XP laptop), and 2.) keep in mind that you may need more memory.
Here’s a Dell with 1 Gig for $449 with free shipping:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=bnpdhdv&cs=04&dgvcode=ss&c=US&l=EN
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/winxp_inspn?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=anavml
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