Going to buy a new laptop... but which one?

[stev0]

The time has come for me to replace my laptop with a new one. Because I'm in school for graphics and web page design I use photoshop, dreamweaver, flash, and then the usual programs, word, ie, aim, ect. I do like to play games too so it must have a good graphics card.
minimum specs: My budget is about 3500 but i would like to keep it less than that for obvious reasons.
intel/amd (dosen't matter) 1ghz
512ram
20 gig hd
15" display
dvd player or dvd/cdrw
a good mobile graphics card
integrated NIC is preferred
USB (firewire would be nice too, can always get a pc card)

Last month in pcgamer I read about the toshiba satalite 1900, they were ranting about how this was one of the best laptops they have tested... specs:
intel p4 1.6 ghz
512 megs of ram
floppy
30 gig hd
15" xga tft display
dvd/cdrw
integrated 56k/NIC
TV-out (definatly a feature that would get used)
2 pc card slots
16meg ati radeon mobile
usb and firewire
all for around 2000, depending on the configuration.

at dell...
Inspiron 8200
intel p4 1.6 ghz
15" sxga+ display
512mb ddr ram
64meg gf4 440 go (svideo out?)
30 gig hd
16x cdrw
modular 8x dvd
integrated NIC
usb, not sure about the firewire
about 2800

I'm not in desperate need of a new one, but I will be buying it withing the next couple of months. What do you at'ers think of these two lappies? which would you choose? Is there another one that I should be looking at? Also, is amd planning on comming out with a faster mobile cpu within the next month or so? Any help that you can give is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!!!

 

[LAUST]

The new Toshiba has the P4 with a Geforce 4 Vid on it

 

[Oyeve]

Everyone loves dell but I think they feel cheap. I prefer IBM thinkpads. They have a model that has the radeon, bluetooth, 802.11 wireless and cdrrw and all other sorts of crap. They cost a lot though, so the Dell and toshiba seem better. I would personally go for the Dell as I have a passionate personal dislike of anything Toshiba!

 

[LAUST]

I've had good luck with Satilitte Pro's and Tecra's

 

[cjsketchy]

if you do a lot of graphics, and gaming, you'll want the highest quality screen possible, the enhanced UXGA, which is offered on the dell 8200. The brightness and contrast ratio specs are impressive, although I've never seen it myself...

 

[topcat903]

the Toshiba Portege 2000 looks sweet.

 

[stev0]

LAUST, i didn't see that notebook on their website.... price/specs?

 

[joohang]

I drool at Inspiron 8200.

 

[joohang]

OK. Never mind what I said.

Portege 2000 looks sweet!!! OMG.. Makes my VAIO R505 look THICK. LOL.

I'd still recommend the power and UXGA res though. Because when you actually work, power and screen matters more than weight. And if you carry around a lot of books or heavy stuff, laptop weight is not that significant.

I now just carry my iPAQ and take my laptop only if I absolutely need it.

 

[MisterPants]

I prefer my VAIO R505 to my deceased IBM A21e (7ft drop isn't kind on LCDs) because it is smaller and lighter, and I don't need power and features, but there is no questioning that the build quality is better on the IBM side. I've used Sony, HP, Dell (Latitude and Inspiron), Toshiba, and IBM and there is no questioning that IBM has superior build quality. If I had the money, which you seem to have, I'd get a T23.

 

[hans007]

compaq presario 2800 or ibm x32 i'd get for power.

for portability ibm x22, hp omnibook 500 , any of those are good. the toshiba has 90 minute battery while the hp and ibm will have around 3 hours. not to mention the toshiba portege 2000 is slow for its class (blame it on ALI chipset with UMA video and the slow hard drive). another fast subnote is the dell l400, cheesy feel and look but very fast. the x22 has a radeon in it btw and 802.11b.

 

[d9175a]

check this thread out...

Text

 

[RossMAN]

I've seen laptop prices falling like crazy, although gradually. $25 here, $50 there, it adds up. Over a few months that could be a $200-$400 price drop.

So first I'd recommend WAIT WAIT WAIT until you absolutely must have the laptop (i.e. just before school starts again).

I've never heard of that Toshiba but I've heard a lot of great things about the Dell Inspiron 8200 although people note the build quality is lacking compared to an IBM ThinkPad.

 

[Mani]

I have pretty much only used Dell lappies on a regular basis (though I look at other ones frequently at stores, friends' , etc) cuz that's all we have at work but the 8200 has the most gorgeous screen I have seen on a laptop to date. The Enhanced UXGA has a great contrast ratio, is incredibly bright, and the text/graphics are so sharp and crisp that I sometimes find myself just sitting there marvelling at it. Their powerful as you've seen and very upgradeable. Don't like the vid card? Pop it out and stick another in when Dell moves to another one in 6 months. Not to mention that it supports mini-pci wireless, and has standard firewire (albeit unpowered).

Cons- it's a brick. But pretty much every laptop in its class is. It also has had complaints of cheap-feeling plastic but this apparently hasn't had any impact on the reliability, it's still top-notch (though probably still falls short of the thinkpads). It pretty much shares the chassis with the 8100 and I've had my 8100 dropped multiple times from considerable heights and it's sustained no damage.

All I can say on other laptops is to make sure you beware of the ones using Desktop P4s. They have had some heat and power consumption issues but often seem to come at bargain prices. So far the only vendor I know of that sells these is Toshiba on some of their lappies but I wouldn't doubt they've moved to the P4-M by now.

 

[LAUST]

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