• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Best All-Around Laptop? (suggestions)

D

Devcon

Member
I am currently looking for a good laptop to buy for school this coming fall. I have no experience with laptops and would like some input from people that do have experience. My price limit is right about 3k.

So far, I am looking at the Alienware Area-51-M and various Toshiba laptops. Spec-wise I think the Alienware is the best all-around, but I hear Toshiba has some nice machines. Also, I believe it is the first laptop Alienware has made, so I am wondering if anybody has personal experience with the Area-51-M. I like the fact that the Toshibas have a faster hard drive and use the GeForce 4 but I don't know how much of a difference these factors really make.

I have also looked at some Sony Vaios, but I do not like that lack of room for an internal floppy. The Alienware on the other hand has the fastest processor I've seen in a laptop @ 2.4 Ghz. I simply want the best performance in a laptop that I can get for around 3k.
 
That Alienware laptop is not a true laptop. It uses a regular desktop processor instead of a mobile one. The mobile processor will allow for better cooling a power. The Area-51-M doesn't have a battery, so you always have to be plugged into a power source.

If you want a laptop, I suggest either a Toshiba or Dell.
 
Depends on what you want to do with it.

If move it around a lot and type while at school then get the smallest one you can find. If it's something that's gonna stay in your room all the time and you wanna game on it, that's a completely different story OTOH.

Me, I wanted a multimedia travel laptop: light, small, long battery life (which is key), Firewire, wireless, with DVD playback, and CD-RW burning. I bought an iBook though, since for the under $2000 range they make the best ones for that, but it's useless for 3D gaming. But you have $3000 to work with so your choices are much greater.

Trust me though, if you plan on carrying it around, small is good. I had a 7-8 lb laptop with 15" screen (Inspiron 5000) and absolutely hated it because it was so damn big and heavy.
 
compaq one that anand reviewed. for a desktop replacement its thin and light. in comparison to the dell it loses a couple pounds and a third of an inch. 5.5 lbs is much easier to carry than 8.
 
Oh, for the love of god... You have to be the 8,000th person to ask about a Sager laptop in the last week. If you want to know my opinion, search for my posts relating to laptops. That is the same as a Sager laptop. If you don't want to search then I will sum it all up in two words: STAY AWAY!!!


EDIT: Sorry for the mean post but I'm really getting sick of answering the same question over and over. IMO, you would be much better off getting a Gateway or Dell.

EDIT2: BTW, Super6 the Inspiron 8100 is no longer available.
 
Originally posted by: Super6
Dell Inspiron 8100.

Super6
Click to expand...

That think is a monster, and so is the 8200. If you are going to carry it around, I'd avoid it, unless you're built like a linebacker.
 
Eug is right, smaller is better if you want to carry around. iBook is nearly perfect for college. Spend little, get yourself a good desktop too
 
I have been a huge Apple hater all my life untill I started looking for a laptop. I had started to really get into Linux but hated the GUI's and the tossed together feel.. A friend of mine was going to an Apple store we have in town and talked me into going. I started looking at the ibook and osX.. I really fell in love with X. It's everything I loved about Linux without everything I hated. I got one of the 500mhz ibooks and later overclocked it to 600. With the new versions of the ibook that just came out with the new IBM chip with 512k l2 cache and the Radion video card I think you should really give one a look. I love X so much now I just picked up a used dual G4-500 desitop and have basically replaced my Athlon 1.4ghz as my main computer.

If I can come to love X I know any hard core computer user can too. Just forget everything you knew about Apple and os9.. X kicks ass.

Bart
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top