Technology Which laptop would YOU buy if you had $2000?

[snowhite]

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I have $2000 to use to buy a laptop computer before school starts and have no clue what is better out there to get. I know that I won't purchase a Mac since I've had very little experience with it (hence the reason I started another thread...otherwise I would have just tacked on to the other laptop thread). The basic school specifications are:
*pentium 4 or M processor
*512 MB RAM
*floppy drive
*screen capable of 800X600 resolution
*24x cd-rw and 8xDVD drive
*20 GB hard drive
*Windows XP professional
*Ethernet network card

Now, what I'd like is:
*preferably something not too heavy/bulky (but if I have to pay an astronomically higher price for it, I'd be okay with heavy)
*a good screen, great graphics and decent sound (since I like to watch DVDs and tv shows on the computer)
*Something fast (does this have to do with processors and amount of hard drive space?). I tend to have many applications open at the same time and hate when they slow down.
*Wide, glossy screen. (I don't remember what these were called, but I prefer them to the non-glossy ones. Sorry...I'm so non-technical.)
*A DVD-RW, but according to the other thread I guess I can buy this separately
*A lot of space to store lots of stuff and programs. I filled my desktop PC and hated trying to delete some things. I guess this is another reason why I'd want a DVD-RW.

Now my questions are:
1) What are tablet PCs and are they useful?
2) What are the better brands out there? Some people say Dell is great and others say it's the worst. Which brands should I stick with?
3) Where is the best place (cheaper place) to buy a laptop from?
4) I have a desktop PC that I'll also be bringing with me. Is there a way to transfer info between the two computers? I guess I could network them, huh?
5) If you were me, what would you buy?

I'm starting to obsess and stress over which to buy. Any input would help out a bunch! Thanks 🙂

 

[sunny123]

The basic school specifications are:
*pentium 4 or M processor
*512 MB RAM
*floppy drive
*screen capable of 800X600 resolution
*24x cd-rw and 8xDVD drive
*20 GB hard drive
*Windows XP professional
*Ethernet network card

Now my questions are:
1) What are tablet PCs and are they useful?
2) What are the better brands out there? Some people say Dell is great and others say it's the worst. Which brands should I stick with?
3) Where is the best place (cheaper place) to buy a laptop from?
4) I have a desktop PC that I'll also be bringing with me. Is there a way to transfer info between the two computers? I guess I could network them, huh?
5) If you were me, what would you buy?

I'm starting to obsess and stress over which to buy. Any input would help out a bunch! Thanks 🙂

1) Tablet PCs (check out Toshiba models) are where you can twist the screen so it becomes flat, and you can use a pen to write documents. Not really worth the money, and it is bulky.

2) Brands - Dell/Sony/Toshiba/HP are all good brands, although I am leaning towards the Dell Inspiron 6000 or 9300/Sony FS or K series/Toshiba Satellite.

3) Best place to purchase any expensive electronic is from a big chain store, why?? Because you will at least be able to return the item, or get some customer service to help you out, if you are not familiar with the product. If you know of a small computer store, with a good reputation for selling quality goods, then by all means go ahead. However, if you went to the Sony Store, for example, you could bargain the price of the unit (you could do that at BestBuy as well).

4) If you are bringing your desktop along, and you have a laptop, then you could use a router between the two to transfer files. If you get a wireless router, then you'd be able to transfer things wirelessly.

5) Buy a Centrino laptop, because of it's ability to cut down on battery consumption (which means it'll increase your battery life), they are slimmer and lighter units. The models I suggested are Centrino Mobile laptops, and will meet all of your standard requirements. The Sony models come with the dual layer dvd drives (which you asked about in another thread). The 17" screen sizes are huge (the Dell 9300 model), but it is sweet. You also have to consider the type of screen that you are going to get. If you have ever looked at an LCD screen, you would've noticed that at different angles, the contrast goes all hazy. The Sony and Toshiba models come with XBrite technology, that allows for an optimized viewing capability. So even if you are in the sun, you can still make out the images.

Any other questions? 😀

PS. Don't get a P4 laptop because they are very bulky, they get hot really fast, and you should only get one if you are replacing your desktop.

 

[sunny123]

Oh yeah, one more thing about Centrinos is that they have wireless technology incorporated into the units (you can still add a blue tooth card, but they have a wireless b/g card).

 

[southerndoc]

I have a Toshiba tablet PC (exactly as the one pictured above) that I'll sell you. I'm about to post it on eBay soon.

Honestly, not having experience with a Mac shouldn't deter you from at least looking into them. Go visit your local CompUSA or Apple Store and take a peek at them. The 12" Powerbook is awesome -- light, 5+ hour battery life, and very small (perfect for traveling).

 

[mustangsally65]

Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, but I agree with southerndoc. I know you said you weren't familiar with Macs, but I have had two Mac laptops, and they are super light and slim. I've seen classmates' laptops that are of the Windows variety, and they seem to be very bulky. If size is your number one factor of importance, I'd go with a Mac.

That being said, some schools have requirements that you might look into. Maybe do a survey of the top 50 med schools, and see which model comes up most often. This most likely would be a good laptop for you.

The best advice, I think, would be for you to visit a store with a bunch of different laptops, and check them all out in person. It's an important decision, and it's also important that you're happy with it for the next 4 years. Good luck with it!

 

[sunny123]

"Maybe do a survey of the top 50 med schools, and see which model comes up most often. This most likely would be a good laptop for you."

That is not necessarily true, medical schools have their own basic requirements of what they feel a laptop should do for a student. People like myself, that are into gaming, watching divx/xvid ac3 encoded movies would not be able to fully utilize a Mac. I've used Macs in the past (specifically the PowerPCs from 1996-2000), and I wasn't that impressed with it. Obviously now with the G4s, and a finely tuned OS, Macs have improved..... but I'm just a PC kind of guy 😀 .

Like you said, going to the store is deifinitely important when checking out the laptop, that is very important. I believe Dell has booths set up in malls, so it should be easy to go in person and test out what you are buying.

BUT... you must know exactly what you will be using it for. If you will just use it for word processing, powerpoint presentations, and going online, ANY laptop could do that for you.

 

[snowhite]

Thanks guys...another reason I didn't want to get a mac is that my school offers limited support for them. With that said, I'll definitely check them out just to see what I'm missing. I think I probably will end up looking around at the stores, but everyone seems to tell me that buying online (as in Dell) would probably be better and cheaper.

 

[lf777]

Hello

A nice feature that you should look for is a the widescreen format. At first I was reluctant, but now that I have a widescreen notebook I think this is a big plus.

regards,
Leo

 

[masterMood]

macs are so easy to use, they're excellent for everyone as the learning curve is extremely fast.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

If you plan on carrying the laptop around a lot, I would recommend the Dell 700m. Its very portable and looks better than the rest of the Dells. It has a 12 inch widescreen. For 2000 you could get it really decked out.

Look at http://www.slickdeals.net/ for occasional great deals on Dells and other electronics.

 

[file014]

My advice is...dont blow $2000 on a laptop. I got the following...you just have to catch one on sale. Mine is from office depot.


HP ze4904us
Celeron M 350
256 RAM (added another 256 off of ebay for $20 shipped) EASY to add
40GB HD
2 USB 2.0 ports (way more important that a floppy drive)
built in wireless g
CD-RW/DVD drive

$500 after rebates (well $580 after extra ram and TAX).

I can get a new one in 2 years with the money I saved, which I wont even need in 2 years anyway (a new computer that is).

 

[sunny123]

Snowhite, I forgot to mention, never buy a celeron. THere is a reason why Celeron units are cheap in the first place. The cache (memory) is waay low compared to a P4 or Centrino. You need memory for your unit to process at higher rates. Celerons are sold to people who only use computers in its most basic form (word processing, online browsing, playing mp3s). If you are a hardcore user (graphics manipulation, gaming, playing high end video files), then a Celeron is a waste of money.

And about the Dell700m, sure the screen looks nice, but my main problem was typing on that small keyboard. The keyboard on that was soo crammed.

 

[snowhite]

More Questions:

A) Are refurbished computers worth the savings?

B) Do I REALLY need to get a warranty? I think they cost like another $200-$300.

C) Are sony vaios any good? My dad bought one recently for $1100 (with rebates) and although it was heavy, it had 3.2 GHZ processor (although i can't remember what type), 40 gb hard drive and etc. People say you'd just be buying the name.

D) What's the difference in performance between processor GHZ speeds? I noticed that on one site, it was a $300 difference from a 1.5 GHz to a 2.0 GHz. Does it make a big difference and if so, in what way?

 

[sunny123]

A) NO, stay away from refurbished unless you know EXACTLY what the problems with the unit were (in most cases, you won't find out). I'd have to be very certain of the way a unit was handled, before I handed over my money for a refurbished item.

B) Warranties are not worth the hassle of getting, unless you are someone who mistreats their electronics (ie. spilling lquids over the keyboard, tapping the LCD screen with a pen/pencil/stick, dropping the unit ie. being orugh with it).

C) Yes, Vaios are good, and you are not necessarily buying a "name brand". There are tradeoffs when it comes to buying the three brands I mentioned to you above. The screens on vaios are already amazing, whereas with a Dell you'll probably have to spend an extra 100-200 dollars to upgrade to your preferred "glossy" kind 😉

The prices of vaios WERE higher than most PCs/notebooks, but that was waay back when they were first introduced.

D) No, the difference in speeds are not big, and you won't even notice it. Speeds come into play when you are dealing with games and multimedia editing. Trust me, anything over 1.0ghz is sufficient. The entry speeds for Centrino notebooks are about 1.3-1.5ghz, and it is fine. In order to make your unit faster, you will need to see how much RAM is in it, as well as the cache within the motherboard (512mb is the standard, but upgrade to 1gb; as for cache, the standard is about 1mb or 2mb if I'm not mistaken... you can't upgrade here, so buy something that is either 1 or 2mb).

 

[file014]

Snowhite, I forgot to mention, never buy a celeron. THere is a reason why Celeron units are cheap in the first place. The cache (memory) is waay low compared to a P4 or Centrino. You need memory for your unit to process at higher rates. Celerons are sold to people who only use computers in its most basic form (word processing, online browsing, playing mp3s). If you are a hardcore user (graphics manipulation, gaming, playing high end video files), then a Celeron is a waste of money.

And about the Dell700m, sure the screen looks nice, but my main problem was typing on that small keyboard. The keyboard on that was soo crammed.

SnowWhite, you dont need a $200-300 warranty on a $500 computer. Just buy another one if it craps out.

 

[sidewalkman]

No Macs, huh? Well, if my next laptop was going to be a PC, I'd go with the HP DV1000. Very customizable, well under 2k for a nicely equipped model, and easy to order online and see exactly what you get for your money.

 

[masterMood]

A) NO, stay away from refurbished unless you know EXACTLY what the problems with the unit were (in most cases, you won't find out). I'd have to be very certain of the way a unit was handled, before I handed over my money for a refurbished item.

B) Warranties are not worth the hassle of getting, unless you are someone who mistreats their electronics (ie. spilling lquids over the keyboard, tapping the LCD screen with a pen/pencil/stick, dropping the unit ie. being orugh with it).

C) Yes, Vaios are good, and you are not necessarily buying a "name brand". There are tradeoffs when it comes to buying the three brands I mentioned to you above. The screens on vaios are already amazing, whereas with a Dell you'll probably have to spend an extra 100-200 dollars to upgrade to your preferred "glossy" kind 😉

The prices of vaios WERE higher than most PCs/notebooks, but that was waay back when they were first introduced.

D) No, the difference in speeds are not big, and you won't even notice it. Speeds come into play when you are dealing with games and multimedia editing. Trust me, anything over 1.0ghz is sufficient. The entry speeds for Centrino notebooks are about 1.3-1.5ghz, and it is fine. In order to make your unit faster, you will need to see how much RAM is in it, as well as the cache within the motherboard (512mb is the standard, but upgrade to 1gb; as for cache, the standard is about 1mb or 2mb if I'm not mistaken... you can't upgrade here, so buy something that is either 1 or 2mb).

what the? so much of what you said is inaccurate or wrong!

quality vendors like dell and apple (well i don't like dell anymore), have EXCELLENT refurbished computers. In fact the dell laptop that i got was refurbished and wheni checked it, it was exactly new! Most of these refurbished computers are NOT messed up been used for al ong time. These are computers that either were wrong orders, and the vendor made a mistake (like you wanted the tower with a dvd burner but they sent you one with a cd burner by accident), and the return policy is 30 days for all of these. After the 30 days they can't be used. A few of them are slightly messed up, and the ones that are bad are recycled/thrown away.

You will NOT go wrong with a refurbished computer as long as it is from a reliable vendor.

Seconldy, WARRANTIES ARE WORTH THE PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY FOR A LAPTOP!!!! Unless you're experienced with building computers and tweaking them out, stick with a 1,2, or 3 year plan (4 year isn't worth it).

Laptops are proprietary pieces of hardware which means that the company that makes it is the only company that will make the design. If the logic board for instance breaks in a hp laptop, only they can repair it right because they designed it. Especially with apple laptops.

Maybe with a desktop, then yeah, you can go for no warranty but i'd still recommend getting a 1 or 2 year plan if you're alright with computers but not that savvy.

3rdly, SONY DESKTOPS/LAPTOPS ARE OVERPRICED COMPTUERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The build quality is the only thing going for them however, the price is well over 300-400 dollars what they're actually worth. You're paying for brand name here, not for quality. If you want a quality built laptop go with an ibm thinkpad which has historically been making the most durable reliable and fastest pc notebooks.

 

[southerndoc]

Some people buy computers so quickly that warranties are a waste of money. I average keeping a computer only 2 years before replacing it. For me, a warranty would be a waste of money. If the computer stopped working, I would simply replace it.

 

[masterMood]

this is true, however with a 2000 dollar laptop i would certainly get a warranty. you don't nkow how easily they break and malfunction.

 

[sunny123]

what the? so much of what you said is inaccurate or wrong!

quality vendors like dell and apple (well i don't like dell anymore), have EXCELLENT refurbished computers. In fact the dell laptop that i got was refurbished and wheni checked it, it was exactly new! Most of these refurbished computers are NOT messed up been used for al ong time. These are computers that either were wrong orders, and the vendor made a mistake (like you wanted the tower with a dvd burner but they sent you one with a cd burner by accident), and the return policy is 30 days for all of these. After the 30 days they can't be used. A few of them are slightly messed up, and the ones that are bad are recycled/thrown away.

You will NOT go wrong with a refurbished computer as long as it is from a reliable vendor.

Seconldy, WARRANTIES ARE WORTH THE PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ESPECIALLY FOR A LAPTOP!!!! Unless you're experienced with building computers and tweaking them out, stick with a 1,2, or 3 year plan (4 year isn't worth it).

Laptops are proprietary pieces of hardware which means that the company that makes it is the only company that will make the design. If the logic board for instance breaks in a hp laptop, only they can repair it right because they designed it. Especially with apple laptops.

Maybe with a desktop, then yeah, you can go for no warranty but i'd still recommend getting a 1 or 2 year plan if you're alright with computers but not that savvy.

3rdly, SONY DESKTOPS/LAPTOPS ARE OVERPRICED COMPTUERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The build quality is the only thing going for them however, the price is well over 300-400 dollars what they're actually worth. You're paying for brand name here, not for quality. If you want a quality built laptop go with an ibm thinkpad which has historically been making the most durable reliable and fastest pc notebooks.

I don't speak to novices, such as yourself, who get sucked into getting extended warranties. I build my own systems, I knwo what goes on inside, and I know how to handle equipment.

If you did any research, and knew when to purchase computers (during certain seasons) then you'd know that you can get a good deal with any brand.

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Laptops are pretty fragile compared to desktops. Anything can go wrong. I think getting the warranty is a good idea for a laptop.

I'll share a story regarding Applecare (Apple's extended warranty) on my iBook:

I bought my iBook through a 3rd party dealer and it came with an extra 512 MB of RAM. As soon as I started up my computer for the first time though, I noticed that it had problems. I couldn't reach the 3rd party dealer, so I called Apple and explained my situation.

They diagnosed the problem as faulty memory and promptly sent me a new 512 MB chip. No questions asked.

Over the year, I've done stupid stuff like tear out my eject key, lose a rubber foot, and misalign my wireless card. I've always been able to go to an Apple Store and get my problems fixed.

That's the kind of peace of mind that I want with my investment.

 

[masterMood]

I don't speak to novices, such as yourself, who get sucked into getting extended warranties. I build my own systems, I knwo what goes on inside, and I know how to handle equipment.

If you did any research, and knew when to purchase computers (during certain seasons) then you'd know that you can get a good deal with any brand.

dude you were telling me in a thread before that the dell lcd screens suck and said that they were horrible quality yet they were extremely good (you said 26 ms response time yet they were 12 ms response time, what gives?), you're the novice. you know nothing about computers and give false/erroneous advice.

do you think that we're all "computer experts" as yourself? don't think too highly of yourself, because the previous comment you made about computers made you sound like an idiot.

don't get a warranty? on a laptop? that's the stupidest thing i've ever heard. have fun when your laptop stops working and you end up spending 3 times as much as you would have with a warranty. sheesh.

that's great how you know how to build your own computers, but most of DON'T NEED to build our own computers as the difference between building and buying is negliglbe nowadays. It's become more of a hobby and self-ego than anything else.

 

[sunny123]

Look here, you obviously did not read my post properly. I referred to the 19" LCD screens, NOT the 20 or 21". I explained that clearly. I don't give out false advice, and I try and help people as best as I can. Unlike yourself, I don't use CNET.com as a glorified guide. IF you knew how that site works, then you'd realize that ratings given out by CNET are skewed to favour certain companies (ie. they get sponsored by them). Try and keep an open mind on things. Thank you.

 

[masterMood]

cnet has the reviews by users which is much better than the editorial review i agree, however, it is best to read several reviews to find blemishes with certain products and see if they're actual problems.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I know that I won't purchase a Mac since I've had very little experience with it

👎 That's too bad.

Mac philosophy: make the computer easy to use.
Windows philosophy: computers are hard to use, and as such we should do everything for the user.

But seriously, good luck with your decision and don't stress too much.

 

[MiguelSanchez]

If you're looking for a laptop you want to carry around and watch movies on, then I would suggest a large screen iBook, HP, or Sony. With $2k to spend you might as well splurge on a Vaio, even though it is overpriced. Dell's are cheaper quality and you'd be better off with a cheap laptop you only plan on keeping for a couple years.

However, in my experience you just don't walk around watching movies in places outside your own home. Battery life limits mobility, and no matter how big the screen is, it's just not fun watching a movie with other people on a laptop. Maybe you like to sit outside somewhere and watch movies but then I don't see why you wouldn't just go home.

With this in mind, my suggestion would be to get an ultraportable laptop along with a decent desktop computer. IBM X40's and X31's are really nice, durable, and come with great support; I have an X40 now and it's the best laptop I have ever used. I don't need as much raw processing power to take notes, email, chat etc. (it has 1.2Ghz, 512 RAM) and has a smaller screen but at least it is mobile enough for me to take to class (most other people don't bring their laptops because it's too heavy). Dell also has some nice 12" laptops (Latitudes? not really sure) and the 12" iBook would work as well. I can still play a few games or watch videos without any problem.

With the left over money (hopefully around $700-800 if you find a good deal on the laptop) you can get a pretty good P4 desktop, some surround sound speakers, and a nice 19" LCD (or, for around $475-500 you can even get a wide screen 20" Dell, but this would probably put you over budget).

Using a wireless router, I can network the computers easily, do most of my work on the desktop at home and use my laptop anywhere. My X40 has a 7 hour extended battery and weighs about 3 lbs, so it is lighter than most peoples' binders yet holds much more information.

Just my $20.