Laptop owners/users, please help me with some questions I have

[StrangeRanger]

Hi lappy owners,
I'm looking into buying a laptop and I was wondering if ya'll could help me out. I've got some questions:
1. If there was something you would change about your lappy, or would have gotten as a feature that you didn't, what would that be?

2. If you connect to a desktop now and then, how do you do it? Is there a best/easiest way to hook up to my desktop? My desktop has USB ports, NIC and modem.

3. What things/features do you NOT like about your laptop?

4. Anything(s) I should look out for to make sure I don't get in my laptop?

5. Got any brand or model suggestions for me? I'm gonna use my laptop for mostly work and graphics stuff. Not worried about gaming or great sound with it.

Thanks for your help,
j

 

[Workin']

Here are the 2 most important things:

Make sure you get a TFT (aka active matrix) screen. Trust me, if you get a passive (aka HPA, DSTN) screen you will kick yourself every time you use the machine.

Make sure you like the pointing device. I've used a trackball, trackpad, and pointing stick. I much prefer the stick, while others have their own preferences. At first, I got a machine with a trackpad because that seemed a lot easier to use. However, I was forced to use a machine with a stick for a while and I found I liked that much better. I ended up selling the touchpad machine and buying one with a stick.

I connect to my desktop using a network. That is probably the easiest way, especially if you already have a network.

I really like IBM ThinkPads. They cost more because they are worth more.

 

[ojai00]

<< Here are the 2 most important things:

Make sure you get a TFT (aka active matrix) screen. Trust me, if you get a passive (aka HPA, DSTN) screen you will kick yourself every time you use the machine.

Make sure you like the pointing device. I've used a trackball, trackpad, and pointing stick. I much prefer the stick, while others have their own preferences. At first, I got a machine with a trackpad because that seemed a lot easier to use. However, I was forced to use a machine with a stick for a while and I found I liked that much better. I ended up selling the touchpad machine and buying one with a stick.

I connect to my desktop using a network. That is probably the easiest way, especially if you already have a network.

I really like IBM ThinkPads. They cost more because they are worth more. >>



Exact same suggestions that I would give. IBM's are pretty nice...I have one at home. Most reviews will tell you that IBM designs the best laptops. Dell laptops come in second...because most laptop reviews make critical reviews of the keyboard, and IBM makes the easiest laptop keyboard to type on. The TFT is one of the most important things on the laptop because if you get a dual-scan and one pixel messes up, your whole image will mess up. TFT is an active matrix so I continually refreshes the screen. Like Workin' said, networking would be the easiest way to connect to your desktop, just use a crossover cable if you're making a direct connection. Otherwise, use patch cable if your linking to a hub/router/switch. Hope this helps.

 

[DocDon]

One option I found to be real handy is to make sure you can connect a mouse to laptop. On my IBM all I have to do is plug it in and it works -- on a friend's laptop you have to go into the BIOS to disable the internal trackball to hook up the mouse. Also second Workin's view of the screen (no pun intended).

 

[Conroy9]

<< Hi lappy owners,
I'm looking into buying a laptop and I was wondering if ya'll could help me out. I've got some questions:
1. If there was something you would change about your lappy, or would have gotten as a feature that you didn't, what would that be? >>



I'd like it to be lighter and have longer battery life.



<< 2. If you connect to a desktop now and then, how do you do it? Is there a best/easiest way to hook up to my desktop? My desktop has USB ports, NIC and modem. >>



my laptop has built-in NIC and modem, i just plug into my home LAN or my work LAN to communicate with desktops at either place



<< 3. What things/features do you NOT like about your laptop?
4. Anything(s) I should look out for to make sure I don't get in my laptop? >>



how come all these things are so negative, instead of asking about what we like / what to make sure you get in your laptop?
make sure you get an internal minipci nic/modem if you can



<< 5. Got any brand or model suggestions for me? I'm gonna use my laptop for mostly work and graphics stuff. Not worried about gaming or great sound with it. >>



depends on what the machine is intended to be.. if it's your main machine, or you're going to be doing a lot of work on it and not carrying it much, get something with nicer features - 15" screen, 2 drive bays (for dvd and cd-rw, etc)
i got an inspiron 8000 for these features and because it used the i815 chipset. it also has both trackstick and touchpad

I think my next laptop will be a sony viao with that small dvd docking port. i really want something lighter and much smaller with optional dvd and hopefully longer battery life

 

[Oyeve]

The only thing I hate abouy my heavily modified Presario 1800-XL1 is that there is no built in mic or IR port. The screen is great (15") and is very fast (due to mods) but an IR would come in handy for printing to my printer without having to connect it to my home network. The mic would come in handy for chating over the net or recording my boss when he comes into my office and acts like an ass.

 

[c0rv1d43]

Definitely connect to your desktop using NICs. Best speed, plus you get to share Internet connections.

Definitely try out the models you're considering, and try them out in the ergonomic conditions in which you expect to use the notebook. If you plan to use the thing outside during daylight hours you really need a bright screen. Not even all TFT screens are bright enough for this. Check to see that the keyboard and pointing device work comfortably and naturally for you. Think about the media you'll be using when traveling with the unit. If you frequently need access to DVD, CD, floppy -- then get them built in instead of the type that have to be swapped out or connected by cables. Yep, a big notebook. I'm an old man, and I can carry a 10 pounder plus a whole bunch of crapola that goes with it all day long. (My first "portable" weighed 40 pounds.)

Oh yeah, and check out that build quality, too. If the thing feels creaky when you pick it up, don't plan on having it for long before pieces start breaking. The chassis should be rigid and solid. (That leaves Dell, and example of which I'm typing on right now, right out of the picture. This is the second Dell notebook I've owned, and it's the second one to start disintegrating within two years.)

- Collin

 

[thevillageinn]

I would have to agree that the screen is the single most important feature to me. Not only the size, but the brightness and the resolution. Those Dual Scan pieces of crap are just that...if you live in a dark cave and don't ever need light, they are a great way to save money otherwise they are like the devil.

I would also have to agree somewhat with the pointing stick opinion. I have owned two Winbooks, and until recently they all came with a stick and a trackball or touchpad (newer models). I have since learned how to type without hitting the touchpad all the time and screwing up what I am typing, and if I want to do anysort of fine movement of the cursor, I use the stick. I often attach a Logitech Mouseman Traveller via USB, and (yes my laptop is old) that way I don't have to change any BIOS settings to allow scroll wheel use, and I still have use of the touchpad and stick.

Weight is not important unless you will be carrying it around all the time, if you go from one place to another on more of a daily basis it shouldn't be too big a deal, rather than pick up and move every 5 minutes...when you would want the lightest smallest thing you could handle.

Battery life is also very important...very.

Construction is vital, because once you begin to depend on the laptop you won't want to give it up for a repair that will take a couple of weeks or longer...this sort of thing would be annoying the first time, but the second or third time it's ludicrous

Things like built in drives are handy, but the floppy can and probably should be modular, so you can replace it with an additional battery or hard drive. Those drives with dongles sure are annoying.

My final few thoughts would be...think about whether you will need external peripherals, only a few makers offer 1394, but most offer built in NIC and Modem. If you need 1394 and it's not built in, you would want to have built in NIC and Modem so that you can use one of those PCMCIA slots for the 1394. And...don't scrimp on the video adapter. Some laptops come with Ge force's and others with RAGE mobility or similar...try to get a well known chip with separate VideoRAM, that shared stuff has never worked quite up to par in my opinion.

-Dan

 

[VBboy]

IBMs are ugly boxes with non-rounded corners! I'm using one right now. It's ugly (compared to Dell, Compaq, HP, Toshiba and everyone else)!

 

[VBboy]

Dell equips their laptops very very nicely. You don't even need to shop around unless you want a non-Intel CPU. Dell has a great keyboard, the best videocard (Radeon 7500), they look nice, the case muffles most of the HD noise, they got dual pointers, USB, Firewire, nice sound, great screens...

I don't know why anyone would buy elsewhere... I'd never buy a laptop because they become obsolete too quickly.. But I'd definitely get a Dell.

People, please don't use the words "dude" and "Dell" in the same sentence =)

 

[c0rv1d43]

Just a note about Dell. I've been using portable computers since the days when they had true full-sized keyboards (with two sets of function keys and a separate numeric keypad) and a CRT and a thermal printer built into them. I have owned two Dell portables and used two others at work. I should have learned my lesson from the first two (early 90s). Both of them disintegrated. When I say disintegrated, I mean that pieces of plastic actually chipped away from the cases of these machines. Since that time the quality of the plastics used in these machines has improved, but only marginally. I'm typing this message on an I7500, the top of the line "desktop replacement" from Dell two years ago. Yes, it packs pretty good performance for a notebook of that time frame. At the time it was one of the few portable offerings on the market to sport a 100 MHz FSB and SXGA+ (1400x1050) TFT screen. It runs Windows XP very nicely.

But... it has suffered one video card failure, two failed screens, two failed hinges, a failed motherboard and a failed video card. These failures all occurred at different times. Each failure rendered the machine useless. The shortest repair time was 5 days, despite the fact that I purchased the 3 year next business day warranty.

Now I am aware that this is not typical of these notebooks, but it IS typical for these notebooks to suffer one or two such failures in a two-year period. I know this because of the number of them that are used at a business for whom I've done some consulting. I treat my machinery with kidd gloves. The I7500 is transported in a reinforced aluminum case with foam padding which is cut to accommodate its exact dimensions. The machine has never been dropped, whether in its case or not. It has never been lifted by its screen. (I cringe every time I see someone do that.)

When I compare the experience of owning my two personal Dell notebooks and using two business Dell notebooks over the years to my experience with IBM notebooks of various types and Toshibas (Satellite Pros and Tecras), I have to say that the Dells come out very poorly in the comparison. The only Toshiba I ever had to have repaired suffered a backlight failure on its DSTN screen when it was three years old, and it was an ultra-cheap model (Satellite), not a top-of-the-line "desktop replacement". AFAIK, every Toshiba and IBM I ever had is still in working order. I know for a fact that my old T1100+ (8088) and T1200XE (80286) are still running.

If I were buying a name brand desktop, I'd probably still buy a Dell. As for their portables, never again. The ones that are available now are, as usual, pretty swoopy in performance. That's a strong card to play. But, if you're going to be carrying a notebook computer around and depending upon it, you might want to consider something else. All you have to do to see how flimsy the construction is on these computers it to heft them. If you feel the chassis flex, consider another computer. Flexing leads to all kinds of problems because it fatigues major components in the system.

Like I said earlier. Get your hands on the models you are considering BEFORE you buy. If it feels like a toy, don't buy it. You won't be able to depend upon it.

BTW, if I were purchasing a notebook just to get the best possible performance and IF that notebook were going to stay on a desktop and not be carried around, then I would probably still consider a Dell. Otherwise, no way.

- Collin

 

[jtallon]

Buy the best screen you can, just like everybody else mentioned. If you are going to skimp on anything, get a smaller HD or less memory, because those can be upgraded later. On laptops you are stuck with the screen you buy, and the CPU you buy. Don't get anything less than 1024x768 - most web pages suck at lower resolutions. Dual Scan should be outlawed. Oh yeah - get the battery you want from the start if you have a choice - most upgrades from a Ni-Mh to Li-Ion battery, or from a lower capacity battery to a higher capacity battery are only like $50, but if you want to buy a new Li-Ion battery later, it can cost a few hundred dollars...

I use a Dell C600 here at work and it's the best laptop I've ever used. I use it 8 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, and travel extensively. It has amazing battery life (4+ hours per charge), a good screen (although newer Dell's can get a higher resolution screen yet), and I actually like the keyboard on it. Can't speak for long-term reliability on it yet since I've only had it 6 months, but so far I am VERY impressed with it.

For what it's worth, the Dell C-series is their business model I think, as opposed to the 4100 series, etc. that is the consumer model. Maybe they have higher quality on the business stuff, since they can charge more money for it...

 

[StrangeRanger]

Thanks for all the input guys. Very helpful point about whether the case feels cheezy or not. I hadn't thought of that.
j

 

[c0rv1d43]

<< For what it's worth, the Dell C-series is their business model I think, as opposed to the 4100 series, etc. that is the consumer model. Maybe they have higher quality on the business stuff, since they can charge more money for it... >>



This could be a good point to consider. There used to be considerable differentiation between the Latitude (business) and Inspiron (consumer) lines. At any price point the Inspiron would be the better performer, but the nearest-priced Latitude would be comprised of more "tried-and-true" technology, and they did seem to be more reliable when new. However, I can't say that the Latitudes ever seemed to be very much more substantial physically than their consumer-level brethren. I think that they used to be more carefully designed, insofar as the integration of components and BIOS revisions was concerned. But recent years have seen a marked convergence of the two lines, to the point now that some Latitudes and Inspirons can swap most, if not all, of their major components. I purchased the I7500 slightly over two years ago because, at the time, there was nothing comparable performance-wise on the Latitude side. Nowadays I believe the tope-end Latitudes can boast performance parity point-for-point with the Inspirons. (I think Dell took the hint because many businesses were choosing to buy the consumer grade hardware.)

I wanted to ask, jtallon, if you can feel the case of that C600 flex when you lift it. Do you notice any play in the hinge attachment points?

- Collin

 

[jtallon]

<< I wanted to ask, jtallon, if you can feel the case of that C600 flex when you lift it. Do you notice any play in the hinge attachment points? >>



Case doesn't flex when I lift it. It creaks a little bit, and the hinges DO flex a little, but I think that's by design. It almost feels like the hinges are mounted in rubber grommits or something like that, so they can take a bit of stress before breaking...

But it feels more solid than my old Toshiba grey brick, and it's more solid than my HP at home...

 

[c0rv1d43]

jtallon, thanks for responding.

Yes, actually creaking that can mean that the chassis is flexing. If it's just "doors" that are creaking that's of no importance, but if the drive bays are allowing movement of the drives relative to their connectors or if memory chips are being flexed in their sockets then there's a serious design problem. My older Toshibas all had those ridiculous flimsy doors over ports. Those doors would creak when pressure was applied to them as the units were lifted, but the chassis were solid with respect to allowing relative motion of major components. I finally got so I just broke the silly port cover doors off of all my Toshibas when I first bought them. Problem solved.

The hinges on some Dell notebook computers are notorious. I've never even heard of a Toshiba or IBM notebook hinge failure -- other than from physical abuse like being dropped from more than a few feet onto hard surfaces.

I once lost a screen on a new IBM that was dropped by a security person at an airport. He had opened the lid and turned it on, then shut it off with the power switch. I told him he should let the owner handle power-up and power-down sequences since he could damage a file system that way. I guess my observation made him nervous. (I didn't yell, honestly.) With the lid still open, he picked the unit up (which also annoyed me) and started to hand it to me. He dropped it, tried desperately to catch it, fumbled the catch so that the thing flew away from him, and then he kicked it a couple of dozen feet across the floor as he stumbled! It landed screen and keyboard facing downward. The screen was damaged, but the hinges (and the rest of the computer) were absolutely unharmed, aside from a couple of scuff marks on the casing.

I fell off a motorcycle with my Toshiba T1200XE strapped to my back in a backpack. I landed ON it -- in a big mud puddle. I rinsed the case out with distilled, de-ionized water, allowed it to dry, and it worked. It's still working all of these years later.

I wouldn't care to drop this I7500 even two inches onto a hard surface. I'd be willing to bet that damage would be done.

- Collin

 

[Shalmanese]

Check the vendors policy on dead pixels

 

[GeekDrew]

So some people think that Dells have poor chasis construction... what do they recommend? I'm not the original author of this thread, but I'm also interested in buying a laptop very soon. What manufacturer makes a computer that is fairly stable (hardware-wise)?

Thanks!
ST

 

[Oyeve]

Well, IBM makes, IMO, the sturdiest lappy. They aint the fastest, but DAMN are they built like tanks! I must have dropped my 600E a 100 times and its still kicking. My T20 falls at least once a day and no probs.

 

[c0rv1d43]

<< So some people think that Dells have poor chasis construction... what do they recommend? I'm not the original author of this thread, but I'm also interested in buying a laptop very soon. What manufacturer makes a computer that is fairly stable (hardware-wise)? >>



I can personally recommend top-end IBMs and Toshibas (Tecras and even some Satellite Pros). I know that Panasonic makes some specially hardened models that are used by a lot of field geologists with whom I've worked, but I've not used one for more than a few minutes. I found the ergonomics of both Panasonic ToughBooks that I tried to be dismal. I wouldn't have bought one of those if it had been capable of withstanding a direct nuclear assault. I haven't used any of the newer metal notebooks. I would guess that their finishes would be susceptible to scuffing and scratching, but I don't know for certain. I wouldn't care about that anyway. That's just looks. I care much more about how the display looks than the casing.

I don't buy a notebook with the expectation of dropping it or sitting on it, but I expect it to stand up under normal use. None of the Dells I've had could do that. They simply fell apart. But I still wouldn't recommend buying ANY brand sight-unseen. Company practices can change from time to time. Dells could improve, and Toshibas and IBMs could go downhill. You wouldn't want to be the first on your block to purchase a really crappy IBM notebook or Toshiba Tecra. Besides, you really need to check over the ergonomics of a system before buying it. Bad ergonomics on a desktop are pretty easy to correct. You just replace and / or rearrange this or that. Can't do that with the parts of a notebook. And the blooming things are expensive considering the performance level. At any rate, since you should really look over a unit before buying it, you also have a chance to assess its materials and assembly quality when you do that. Like I said above, if you discern much creaking and / or flexing of the structure, other than the silly doors some makers put on their notebooks, don't buy it. If a demo of a newly released model already looks like it has been to the wars, avoid buying that model.

As illustration of how not to, I bought my Dell Inspiron 7500 without having seen one anywhere other than the doctored pictures in the pamphlets. When it arrived I was amazed that they could think of charging $5,000 (Yup, that was the price!) for something that looked like it was made of painted cardboard. By the time I had owned it for two weeks the keyboard looked like one of those 8 year old keyboards you see in a dilapidated school computer lab. I added together the number of days this thing has been out of commission during my slightly-over-two-years of ownership. How does 38 days sound? I'm not counting the partial days during which service was first lost or restored. Would you accept that from any computer, much less a "desktop replacement" that cost 5 grand? On top of that, the ergonomics of this thing are terrible for me. After two years of at least 8-10 hours per day of use, I haven't been able to get comfortable typing on it. Of course bad ergonomics for me can easily translate into good ergonomics for someone else. But I don't think bad construction quality for me is likely to translate into goo construction quality for someone else.

I'd be willing to bet that this Inspiron would be okay structurally and functionally if it didn't have to travel, but I can't believe any of this model are capable of lasting as long as a single one of the Toshibas I've owned over the years. The Toshibas are all still in working order, even the 8088! And they have had hard lives.

- Collin

 

[Stripe]

I used an Inspiron 7500 for a year and was very pleased. Sold it and bought an 8100. The new one seems to be less sturdy than the 7500, but no troubles. Have had a few mem dumps with the new one due to the geforce2go video. Screen is great. keyboard is too sensitive (you couldn't read this before I checked-I use a IBM clicky keyboard during the day and when I lay my fingers on the Dell it starts typing for me!)

 

[Dug]

Recommend Dell and get everything you think you might need up front.
It costs too much down the road. Such as a cdrw/dvd.
Get a 3yr at home warranty if you think you might abuse it.

 

[SuperGroove]

<< Hi lappy owners,
I'm looking into buying a laptop and I was wondering if ya'll could help me out. I've got some questions:
1. If there was something you would change about your lappy, or would have gotten as a feature that you didn't, what would that be?
I wish it were thinner. Still 1.3" aint' that bad. Wish it were lighter. Still 5.3lbs isn't too bad. Wish it had longer battery life. 3 hours IS bad.

2. If you connect to a desktop now and then, how do you do it? Is there a best/easiest way to hook up to my desktop? My desktop has USB ports, NIC and modem.
I use an SMC 7004WBR wireless router, which you can now pickup for $150 from CompUSA.

3. What things/features do you NOT like about your laptop?
Battery Life. Thickness of the book

4. Anything(s) I should look out for to make sure I don't get in my laptop?
Make sure you go with a laptop that has the best customer support

5. Got any brand or model suggestions for me? I'm gonna use my laptop for mostly work and graphics stuff. Not worried about gaming or great sound with it.

Dell. IBM. Apple

Thanks for your help,
j >>