Posted on 10/24/2009 5:44:39 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
Windows 7 has spawned a new breed of inexpensive laptops at retailers like Best Buy and Frys.
At many stores on Thursday, Best Buy refreshed almost its entire stock of laptops: all running Windows 7 and all sporting new model numbers.
Frys--a megastore electronics retailer with locations throughout California, Arizona, and Texas--also refreshed many of its laptops with new Windows 7 models.
One of the most inexpensive Windows 7 arrivals is the Gateway model EC1410U. This tiny laptop is distinctly Netbook-like in appearance but uses a more powerful Celeron M ULV 743 processor (1.3GHz, 1MB cache) than the Atom-chip fare found in Netbooks.
In addition to the Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit version, other features include 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard disk drive.
Small Gateway laptop comes in a Netbook-like package but uses a more powerful Celeron processor than the Atom chip found in Netbooks--and it's cheap at $399
Many seductive Windows 7 newcomers are categorized as "ultrathins."
These slim designs are typically discernibly bigger than Netbooks (though, as evidenced by the Gateway above, it's now always clear-cut) and pack more processor horsepower.
The Toshiba Satellite T-135 (model: T135-S1309), which falls into this category, is priced at $549 at Best Buy and comes with Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 32-bit operating system, a 13.3-inch display, a dual-core power-efficient Pentium processor, 3GB of memory, a 320GB hard disk drive (5400RPM), and built-in Web cam.
The HP dm3 (model: dm3-1035dx), also an ultrathin and also priced at $549, packs 3GB of memory like the Toshiba but that's where the similarity ends.
The HP uses a 7200RPM 320GB hard disk drive (as opposed to the 5400RPM drive on the Toshiba), comes with the Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit version (compared with the Toshiba's 32-bit version), an AMD Athlon Neo X2 dual-core processor (versus Intel Pentium on the Toshiba), and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics (unlike the Toshiba's Intel integrated graphics).
$549 Toshiba T135 weighs less than 4 pounds and boasts a dual-core processor and 320GB hard disk
$349: Gateway LT2030U Atom chip-based Netbook
Gateway is also offering a bona fide Netbook. The $349 LT2030U houses an Atom N270 processor, 1GB of memory, a 250GB hard disk drive, and--typical of many Atom-based designs--a 10.1-inch screen.
It weighs in at 3 pounds with Microsoft's light-duty Windows 7 Starter Edition--which doesn't support native DVD playback, multi-monitors, nor the Aero user interface.
$499: 15.6-inch Dell Inspiron laptop with 2.16GHz dual-core processor and optical drive
Not to be outdone, Dell is also offering a new inexpensive Windows 7 Inspiron model (I1545-4203JB) with a 15.6-inch screen and a 2.16GHz Intel Pentium dual-core processor T4300 processor.
It comes with 3GB of memory, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, a 250GB hard disk drive, and the Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit OS.
At $449, Toshiba is also debuting an inexpensive 15.6-incher (L505D-S5983) with a dual-core AMD processor and ATI Radeon 4100 graphics.
It also includes a 320GB hard disk drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, 3GB of memory, and Windows 7 Home Premium.
Frys was selling many of the same, or similar, low-cost models as Best Buy but also included some new high-powered Windows 7 laptops too, such as the HP dv7-3080.
This 17-inch model comes with a quad-core Core i7 720QM processor, an Nvidia GT 230 graphics chip, a 500GB hard disk drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit. It is priced at $1,449 at Frys.
Many of these machines would have perished under the weight of Vista.
Windows 7 is great....been using it for months. Yesterday was the official launch date
IMHO Best Buy etc are charging 50-200$ more per computer right now due to the excitement. Wait until Thanksgiving or after to buy one
Here is another of the many Windows 7 Launch Parties, but this one is, uh, different. Yeah, that’s the ticket, this one is different:
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/10/22/howto-host-your-very.html
(Not office or family safe. Drops the F-bomb a few times.)
‘Falling Back in Love with Microsoft — and Windows 7’
http://www.pcworld.com/article/174266/falling_back_in_love_with_microsoft_and_windows_7.html
I will never buy a Toshiba anything (bad experience years ago), and the Dell website drives me crazy (no indication of which computers are ‘better’ than others; they are just named differently). I haven’t dealt with Gateway for many years, since they were accused of using cheap parts. H-P has never been on my computer list.
So, I guess that takes me out of the market for now, unless there is an alternative.
That's exactly what I've been thinking of doing. However, I've been using a desktop computer all these years. How hard is it to adjust to a laptop? My main concern is using the mouse. Years ago I tried to use the mouse on a friend's laptop which utilized a ball for moving it and I hated it.
I’ve always had HP computers with no problems.
I bought a Dell netbook for my wife a few weeks ago. It came with XP which is why I bought it. Networks perfectly with my laptop and an old Dell tower I still use. She loves it, and it’s powerful enough for what she uses it for. At $299, it was a bargain, IMO.
That was my impression, also. (I was in Best Buy on Thursday, accidentally seeing the "launch").
Asus makes some nice stuff, but I’m not all too familiar with the brand and I don’t like the action on their keyboards.
PJ, a full size laptop (like mine) should be an easy change over from a normal keyboard. These netbooks, like the one I bought for my wife a few weeks ago, take a little more getting used to because they are that much smaller. But again, time will be your friend.
As for the mouse, get a wireless mouse to plug into a USB port. Those mouse pads are worthless, IMO. Today, I see little value in a desktop computer that you can’t drag along with you.
I guess they rely on people understanding what processor speed, cache, drive size, memory, and other fancy things are and what those things mean.
I wouldn't be surprised, though, if you could configure systems with different names to be roughly equivalent.
You’re way behind in mouse technology. I have a wireless optical mouse (no ball) for the desktop and the laptop and they work great. The only drawback on the laptop mouse is it’s small size. My hand cramps after using it for a while but the advantage is portability on the road.
They sell small USB mice, my wife's laptop has enough open space on one side that she can use the laptop as her mousepad. Works surprisingly well.
If you are going to use your laptop like a desktop, then getting a separate desktop type mouse or trackball is the way to go.
Now that 7 is out, we're going to replace the PC and are thinking about also an inexpensive laptop....are laptops already prepped if we want a wireless setup in the home and for travel?
I’m writing on a 4 yo Compaq (say HP) laptop that I love. I just bought a Dell Mini Notebook for my wife. She loves it. I’m thinking of going to a Dell in a year or so myself. I wouldn’t be afraid of buying HP or Dell. Toshiba doesn’t have the reputation they once had. And Gateway has been off my radar for years. But HP or Dell should be given consideration. As for Dell, the Inpiron are the common models, followed by the Studio/StudioXP for entertainment/multimedia. Then they have a higher end newer model out. It all depends on what your needs are (and wallet size).
As long as I'm pestering with questions....waddya think of those "all in one" desktops? I'm a bit leery, because it the monitor goes, the whole thing's junk.....but the theory of a towerless PC seems pretty nifty - would be almost portable.
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