Laptop needed, and I know nothing about them

[kd2777]

I need to buy a laptop, because next semester my school is going to require everyone to have one in class (don't ask why). I would like something ultra-portable with decent battery life (ideally 2 batteries = 6+hours). I don't want any high end GPU to suck battery and would prefer to have one of the 2mb cache Pentium Ms, the smallest new Pentium M will be great (I don?t know how big that is). I am not much on the 1GHz models as I don't want that slow of performance.

I would like someone that knows something about laptops to point me in the right direction (I don't trust the local CompUSA). I am above average computer hardware literate (desktop side) so don't be afraid to lay technical jargon on me.

Thanks for the help.

PS I have been building my own desktop computers for several years, is it possible to build your own lappy? And where would I go for parts.


KD

 

[Fern]

I don't know about building your own..

I think you ought to go check out the sff/notebook forum. Your question has prolly already been answered over there. Anyway, I'd expect the lappie guru's to hang out over there.

Good Luck.

Fern

 

[wetcat007]

It is possible to build your own, however I think it ends up being more expensive to build your own... get like a 1.5-2GHz Pentium M those are decently fast with good battery life, they do get more power per the clock than a P4.

 

[kd2777]

Originally posted by: Fern
I think you ought to go check out the sff/notebook forum. Your question has prolly already been answered over there. Anyway, I'd expect the lappie guru's to hang out over there.


Fern

The Lappie guru's have let me down so far. I have had that questions sitting in que for about 15 hrs. Thought I would run it by the tried and true General Hardware guys.

thanks

KD

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: kd2777

Originally posted by: Fern
I think you ought to go check out the sff/notebook forum. Your question has prolly already been answered over there. Anyway, I'd expect the lappie guru's to hang out over there.


Fern

The Lappie guru's have let me down so far. I have had that questions sitting in que for about 15 hrs. Thought I would run it by the tried and true General Hardware guys.

thanks

KD

That sucks!

All I can say is I've two lappies, both Toshiba. The first one (prolly 7 yrs old) is still running fine AFAIK (I gave to a freind last year). The second, I bought in 2000. The warranty was only one year. Which I think sucks, cuz as soon as it expired the screen and keyboard went on the fritz. I'm typing from it now in my homemade docking station. So I can't recommend it.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: kd2777

Originally posted by: Fern
I think you ought to go check out the sff/notebook forum. Your question has prolly already been answered over there. Anyway, I'd expect the lappie guru's to hang out over there.


Fern

The Lappie guru's have let me down so far. I have had that questions sitting in que for about 15 hrs. Thought I would run it by the tried and true General Hardware guys.

thanks

KD

Did you try *searching* the SFF/Notebook forum (and/or GH)? You are NOT the first person to ask these questions (big surprise there, I'm sure)...

Personally, I think Dell laptops are pretty good. The 600m is a pretty nice system -- good performance (Pentium M CPU, can hold a decent amount of RAM), decent graphics (RADEON 9000 Mobility), reasonably portable (~5-6 lbs depending on config), wireless internet, pretty good (2-3 hours per battery depending on usage) battery life. My gf was looking for a laptop last year, and that's what she ended up getting.

However, your choice depends heavily on how you intend to use the system, and what's important to you (price, screen size, portability, performance, battery life, etc.)

 

[kd2777]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Personally, I think Dell laptops are pretty good. The 600m is a pretty nice system -- good performance (Pentium M CPU, can hold a decent amount of RAM), decent graphics (RADEON 9000 Mobility), reasonably portable (~5-6 lbs depending on config), wireless internet, pretty good (2-3 hours per battery depending on usage) battery life. My gf was looking for a laptop last year, and that's what she ended up getting.

However, your choice depends heavily on how you intend to use the system, and what's important to you (price, screen size, portability, performance, battery life, etc.)

I did do a search, but nothing over good turned up, however when I do searches for specific products like the Dell 600m for example, I get a lot better results. So I was hoping for a few people to give me models to read up on.

I was strongly looking at the Dell 600m and the 700m. So in the year she has had it did it hold up good? And is there any major praises, complaints? Or has it just worked.

Thanks for the recommendation

KD

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: kd2777

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Personally, I think Dell laptops are pretty good. The 600m is a pretty nice system -- good performance (Pentium M CPU, can hold a decent amount of RAM), decent graphics (RADEON 9000 Mobility), reasonably portable (~5-6 lbs depending on config), wireless internet, pretty good (2-3 hours per battery depending on usage) battery life. My gf was looking for a laptop last year, and that's what she ended up getting.

However, your choice depends heavily on how you intend to use the system, and what's important to you (price, screen size, portability, performance, battery life, etc.)

I did do a search, but nothing over good turned up

NONE of these threads had anything useful?

I was strongly looking at the Dell 600m and the 700m. So in the year she has had it did it hold up good? And is there any major praises, complaints? Or has it just worked.

Thanks for the recommendation

KD

It's been pretty solid. I had to install new wireless drivers to get it to play nice with a couple different APs, but other than it hasn't had any major problems. Physically, it's holding up pretty well -- the screen is fine, although the case has picked up a few scratches and it lost one of the rubber 'feet' on the bottom (and when I tried to call up Dell to have them send me some replacement, they were utterly useless and I just gave up -- they wouldn't help me without the original invoice number, which I didn't have handy!)

 

[DaFinn]

IBM X40, that is all.