Laptop newbie lookin' for some advice

[BWilson79]

Hi folks. So I'm pretty new to the whole laptop thing but wanted some advice about which system to purchase. I've been particularly looking at the Dell i9400. I'm not a gamer, but I intend to use my laptop for work and as a desktop replacement for the most part. The following are some of my constraints:

1) Minimum res of 1600x1080, preferably 1920x1200
2) Minimum LCD size of 15", although leaning towards 17"
3) Minimum 1GB RAM
4) Minimum 80GB hard drive
5) Normal size/spaced keyboard (can't stand the mini ones!)
6) High performance processor, possibly interested in Intel Core Duo processor

A few people have suggested looking into the MacBook Pro's, but I still want to run some Windows apps and will probably stay away from Mac's for now. Several people have recommended Dell as possibly the best bang for your buck. One person recommended HP to me, but others have told me to stay away from HP. The Sony's seem nice but somewhat pricey. I've also had a few people say they're quite happy with their ThinkPad's, which I believe are Lenovo now?

Any help and/or more information would certainly be appreciated. You can also e-mail me at bwilson@dslextreme.com. This newbie is really interested in learning more about laptops and picking the right one! =)

~Brian

 

[Brainonska511]

What about video capabilities?

 

[imported_blablabla]

In the last year alone I have purchased 3 notebooks, two of which I used for about month and then gave them to my brother and my dad, the 3rd one I kept. They were all great, One Compaq, 2 HP.

The Compaq got too hot, but it had the nicest setup. The HP I have is really nice. How much are u looking to spend? I would suggest an HP(I have been a customer since 1998), and right now (until 2/4) after rebates you can get nice computers for under $1000 at circuitcity.com

Consider AMD(particularly Turion-MT), the last 2 computers I bought had AMD and they are very quiet, and dont get hot, like the pentiums do (I know this is not the case for EVERY computer, but it is my experience)

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: blablabla
In the last year alone I have purchased 3 notebooks, two of which I used for about month and then gave them to my brother and my dad, the 3rd one I kept. They were all great, One Compaq, 2 HP.

The Compaq got too hot, but it had the nicest setup. The HP I have is really nice. How much are u looking to spend? I would suggest an HP(I have been a customer since 1998), and right now (until 2/4) after rebates you can get nice computers for under $1000 at circuitcity.com

Consider AMD(particularly Turion-MT), the last 2 computers I bought had AMD and they are very quiet, and dont get hot, like the pentiums do (I know this is not the case for EVERY computer, but it is my experience)

Just for the record: Pentium 4s get very hot. The Pentium M processors are just as cool (if not cooler) than the Turions.

 

[mickles]

For what your requirements are... I'd say that Dell you're looking at is a decent candidate.

What price range are you looking at?

 

[BWilson79]

I'm not looking for any particular video capabilities other than high resolution. 1920x1200 would be nice but I've been told 1440x900 is also quite nice and easier to see text.

As for price range, I'm thinking between $2,000 to $2,500 probably, and obviously less if possible. I want a pretty nice machine that won't be obsolete in a year.