laptop advice

lumberjim · 01-27-2006, 11:19 PM

We're thinking about buying one, and could use suggestions, reviews, referrals, cautions, etc about them. trying to stay at or under a G, but prefer to have quality and reliability over a bargain. probobly not going to go the mac route unless my concerns about software compatibility are falsely held. (?)

what can you tell/show me?

elSicomoro · 01-28-2006, 12:21 AM

April and I have a Dell Latitude D610. She used to use it at work, and I primarily use it for school stuff...I love it. And now, you can get them for right at a grand. My only complaint is that the battery life sucks...I might eventually buy a better one. But I almost always use it plugged in, so it's not that big of a deal.

Troubleshooter · 01-28-2006, 08:21 AM

I just bought this one a few months ago and it's great. There's a little trade-off on CPU and DVD burning but I wanted a good add-on video card so I could do some gaming on it. I use it in class and have had over 60% battery life after two back to back 50 minute classes. Add $50 and you have a gig of RAM.

Systemax has been around a while and I've been buying from Tiger Direct for a few years now.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...SYX-RFB-988907

mbpark · 01-28-2006, 11:29 AM

this laptop isn't the fastest, or the lightest.

It is, however, built like a tank.

I have been through many laptops in my years in this industry. The only ones which last as long as they do are IBM Thinkpads (now Lenovo).

I have 3 right now (380D, 770X, and R31), and am getting an R52.

The price of the R51 is about $1000, and it comes with XP Pro instead of Home (which is much better).

They also ship less crap pre-installed, unlike other vendors (esp. Gateway and HP).

Thank you,

Mitch

SteveDallas · 01-28-2006, 03:19 PM

IBM are my favorites. I'm currently buying Gateways at work. (Why not IBM if they're my favorite? I meant the computers are my favorite. Their sales force is indifferent and pricing is erratic.) A lot of people swear by Dells, but their customer service has been getting hammered lately; this may or may not be anecdotal, because it's certainly true that any of these outfits can make a lemon on any given day.) A lot of people like Toshibas, but given that I currently own nine of these, I'm not favorably inclined to the brand at the moment.

Bottom line: with competition increasing and hardware margins shrinking to almost nothing, there's no manufacturer whose products are so good that I'd recommend them without reservation. At least, not to somebody I liked.

And oh, it depends on what you want to do with it whether Mac (in)compatibility is a problem.

Troubleshooter · 01-28-2006, 11:13 PM

My laptop before last was at Thinkpad T20, it's a P3 700 running XP pro and going strong.

jaguar · 01-29-2006, 06:41 AM

the compatablity issues are falsely held but it's a crappy time to be buying a mac laptop.

lumberjim · 02-01-2006, 06:23 PM

got one

Beestie · 02-01-2006, 07:13 PM

Viao computers are nice. Where's the camera? I thought they all came with a camera in the lid (above the monitor). Post back from time to time as to how its working out.

lumberjim · 02-01-2006, 11:30 PM

will do. jinx will be putting most of the miles on it, i'm sure, but we've agreed that it is 'ours'......

seems pretty cool so far, but it's the first day.....

i am also amped that i got a wireless router that actually seems to work, and i can carry this thing around the house and have cellar access. struggling with the touchpad interface at the moment, and the keyboard layout is tricky.....

eiffelenator · 02-02-2006, 02:31 AM

From my experience, and a longtime PC user at that

Thinkpads = sturdy. so sturdy. just.built.well. Even the old ones can hold their own. Install linux and not worry about windows (try breezy badger -->ubuntu 5.10) and it should install all your drivers automatically.

Macs? I just got an 15" iBook G4 four months ago. I never had a bias against apple before, but just never had the $ to purchase one.
My experience with it is thus: it just works. Software is intuitive. No weird driver issues. No weird spyware issues. No weird wireless issues. The battery lasts longer than my pc laptop. I open it up and it works. I close it and it goes to sleep.
Its white, but hasn't gotten dirty surprisingly.
Go figure. I like it enough that my next system will probably be an apple laptop or imac. Nuff said?

01-27-2006, 11:19 PM	#1
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	laptop advice We're thinking about buying one, and could use suggestions, reviews, referrals, cautions, etc about them. trying to stay at or under a G, but prefer to have quality and reliability over a bargain. probobly not going to go the mac route unless my concerns about software compatibility are falsely held. (?) what can you tell/show me? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-28-2006, 08:21 AM	#3
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	I just bought this one a few months ago and it's great. There's a little trade-off on CPU and DVD burning but I wanted a good add-on video card so I could do some gaming on it. I use it in class and have had over 60% battery life after two back to back 50 minute classes. Add $50 and you have a gig of RAM. Systemax has been around a while and I've been buying from Tiger Direct for a few years now. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...SYX-RFB-988907 __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

01-28-2006, 11:29 AM	#4
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	IBM Thinkpad R51 this laptop isn't the fastest, or the lightest. It is, however, built like a tank. I have been through many laptops in my years in this industry. The only ones which last as long as they do are IBM Thinkpads (now Lenovo). I have 3 right now (380D, 770X, and R31), and am getting an R52. The price of the R51 is about $1000, and it comes with XP Pro instead of Home (which is much better). They also ship less crap pre-installed, unlike other vendors (esp. Gateway and HP). Thank you, Mitch

01-28-2006, 11:13 PM	#6
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	My laptop before last was at Thinkpad T20, it's a P3 700 running XP pro and going strong. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

01-29-2006, 06:41 AM	#7
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	the compatablity issues are falsely held but it's a crappy time to be buying a mac laptop. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

01-28-2006, 12:21 AM	#2
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	April and I have a Dell Latitude D610. She used to use it at work, and I primarily use it for school stuff...I love it. And now, you can get them for right at a grand. My only complaint is that the battery life sucks...I might eventually buy a better one. But I almost always use it plugged in, so it's not that big of a deal.

01-28-2006, 03:19 PM	#5
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	IBM are my favorites. I'm currently buying Gateways at work. (Why not IBM if they're my favorite? I meant the computers are my favorite. Their sales force is indifferent and pricing is erratic.) A lot of people swear by Dells, but their customer service has been getting hammered lately; this may or may not be anecdotal, because it's certainly true that any of these outfits can make a lemon on any given day.) A lot of people like Toshibas, but given that I currently own nine of these, I'm not favorably inclined to the brand at the moment. Bottom line: with competition increasing and hardware margins shrinking to almost nothing, there's no manufacturer whose products are so good that I'd recommend them without reservation. At least, not to somebody I liked. And oh, it depends on what you want to do with it whether Mac (in)compatibility is a problem.

02-01-2006, 06:23 PM	#8
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	got one __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-01-2006, 07:13 PM	#9
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	Viao computers are nice. Where's the camera? I thought they all came with a camera in the lid (above the monitor). Post back from time to time as to how its working out. __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

02-01-2006, 11:30 PM	#10
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	will do. jinx will be putting most of the miles on it, i'm sure, but we've agreed that it is 'ours'...... seems pretty cool so far, but it's the first day..... i am also amped that i got a wireless router that actually seems to work, and i can carry this thing around the house and have cellar access. struggling with the touchpad interface at the moment, and the keyboard layout is tricky..... __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-02-2006, 02:31 AM	#11
eiffelenator Irrelevant Adulterant Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 43	From my experience, and a longtime PC user at that Thinkpads = sturdy. so sturdy. just.built.well. Even the old ones can hold their own. Install linux and not worry about windows (try breezy badger -->ubuntu 5.10) and it should install all your drivers automatically. Macs? I just got an 15" iBook G4 four months ago. I never had a bias against apple before, but just never had the $ to purchase one. My experience with it is thus: it just works. Software is intuitive. No weird driver issues. No weird spyware issues. No weird wireless issues. The battery lasts longer than my pc laptop. I open it up and it works. I close it and it goes to sleep. Its white, but hasn't gotten dirty surprisingly. Go figure. I like it enough that my next system will probably be an apple laptop or imac. Nuff said?

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