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.
Your Toshiba attitude sounds a lot like my GE microwave attitude! :)
As for computers, we plan to shop for an HP with 7 in it, after Thanksgiving. Resisted Vista, and hung onto our xp. And we still have a Compaq with 98 in it, never been upgraded in any way, still works fine and never balks or crashes, though memory-wise it has almost no brain left. Must be 12 years old now. My HP calculator is even older and has come through h*** with me. Our xp is in an HP, 6 years old and hasn’t been sick a day in its life.
Got three copies yesterday. Installed on three machines over Vista. Piece of cake.
I do video editing as a hobby. My video editing software (Pinnacle) never did work with Vista so I used my XP computer. When the new Pinnacle version came out 3 weeks ago that didn't work on Vista either. Pinnacle's tech support said their new version was built on a Windows 7 platform.
After I installed 7 it works flawlessly (so far)
Vista will go down in history as the "Jimmy Carter" of operating systems.
At'sa what I'm a usin'...
Hmmmm
I just bought the 3 pack of Windows 7 for $149. It’s a good deal for a good product........
Home Premium I guess?
I pre-ordered from from Amazon a few months ago at the same price
MS gave you a good deal. They want $99 for one Home Premium edition of Windows 7
Maybe we should have spent more money.. It seems to me if we spend less than $1000, the comp are like disposable electronics. I mean, it’s ridiculous.. I don’t mind replacing hardrives if they fail, or monitors if they wear out after a long period of time. Is there is huge difference between lifetime of a $2500 pc vs $1000pc?
IMO, they were dead the day they bought out Compaq. I loved Compaq, until Carly took it over...Still use a 10 year old PIII/1 gig Armada on a daily basis, but my Dell Optiplex C2Q with two 2309 monitors cannot be replaced by ANY laptop, at least for me.
Logitech MX1000 laser mouse (or today's equivalent). Best of both worlds. "Caddy" with cable is recharging station and wireless link. Cables to power "wart" and standard mouse port.
Great resolution. I've been using one at work for YEARS and still going on the original battery, though I'm sure it will eventually die from the "memory effect". I also have one at home, and did have to replace the battery on that one. Not a user-friendly thing to do, but possible.
I'm not sure how to answer that. Obviously, one would hope there would be if only for the investment involved. But today, machines with hefty price tags are generally priced that way because they're more hefty hardware-wise. They're the big brothers on the block. Again, it all comes down to what you want to do.
When I buy in the next couple years, it'll be a laptop in the $499-$699 range. I don't need a lot of 'power' just decent memory and graphics capability, good size hard drive, a good wireless card and...well, that's about it. Why pay a bundle?
Now, if one is into graphics/multimedia intensive stuff, then a higher priced, more hefty unit will probably be a better choice. But as for longevity, I'm not sure there's a correlation. Just about any piece of hardware can go bust on you.
Here is a suggestion about the desktop/laptop discussion and mouses. First, you need a mouse. I would forego the wireless mouses and get a big Targus retractable cord mouse which you can find on sale for about $10. Then I would go for a big screen laptop as your working machine. I really like that new 18.4” Toshiba but it is heavy. For travel get a netbook. The Toshiba netbook is currently the best on the market and has over 9 hours battery life. The touchpads and mini mouses are useless. And the wireless mouses are a pain in the butt with their battery problems and unreliability. You’ll still need the connection to the USB port anyway. The Targus mouse connection takes up almost no more room and the cord is tiny. Best of both worlds.
The Toshiba keyboards are the best in the business. And they are reliable. Additionally, laptops are easier to work on than desktops. You can change memory and hard drives out in a couple of minutes.
Do you mind me asking where you purchased the dell for $299? I need to buy my son one for college
The paint is rubbing off the spacebar of my Gateway laptop. This is after less than a year of light use. I got it as a gift and can't complain, but yes, the notion that Gateway uses cheap parts does seem to have some truth to it.
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Check out Samsung...the most up-to-date technology and an excellent computer.
Oops, I didn’t configure my link very well, did I...
Thank you so much!
“Our xp is in an HP, 6 years old and hasn’t been sick a day in its life.”
I am so jealous! :-p we learned the hardway after our motherboard failed (2yrs). We got an external hardrive to save important stuff.
A 10 inch screen is easy enough to work with. It seems like a lifetime ago you could have a Toshiba Libretto for a few grand. For south of $300, you can now pick up an Intel Atom equipped netbook. Almost every one seems to have one... or in my case, a few!
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