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Need a long life notebook

C

cutpurse

Junior Member
Hello!

I was hoping that you guys would have a suggestion for my dilemma...

I'm looking for a notebook that I can keep around for probably 4+ years (and not want to pull my hair out by the end of that time).

I'd be using it mostly for web surfing, office/productivity, multimedia, and possibly some very light gaming. (obviously by the end of that time it would mostly be the first part of that list).

I'd like to keep it around $1K, a little over is probably fine. 13-15in lcd, but since I might be watching movies on it, I would like a nice display. I was thinking of a quad core i7 for multi-tasking and longevity, but really, I'm not quite sure if this is a feasible build...

Anyway, I would love to hear suggestions! Thanks!
 
Do you have/expect to have large storage requirements (music, movies)? Do you want everything stored on the notebook or are you willing to work with an external storage drive?
 
Sorry about not getting back!

It doesn't need a large HD (I'm planning on putting my media on a server at home). In fact, I was planning on using a SSD for the notebook... probably put one in after market unless the retailer has a really great deal on one...

Thanks!
 
Looks like HP Envy might also be an option, theyve got a 14" option with a 150$ off code right now (so you can get i7 quad core and ATI GPU under $1K). But I dont think it has any nice screen options.

Oh and definately stick with sandybridge based CPUs, the last gen i series arent bad but they use more power and dont clock as high. Theres no reason not to get a new quad core, since they run faster the fewer cores you use.
 
If you want really decent ergonomics, a Thinkpad T420/T520 would do the trick quite nicely. I recently had a friend who picked up an HP Envy 17 and I don't think I've ever hated a laptop's ergonomics more. Its edge was so sharp we referred to it as a suicide palm rest.
 
Laptop wears off quickly. I never recommend buying a laptop and hope it will works for 4+ years. You'll scream if you've found that your laptop broken in one weeks after its warranty ends.

The more appropriate strategy is to keep your money. If you need 4+ years then buy cheap notebook. When this notebook broken after ~2 years then buy a new one.


Remember that expensive notebook gives you better performance but not longer lifetime.
 
Hey so I know this is a bit of a change up... what do you guys think about the lenovo thinkpad x220--now that it's on sale it's a little tempting as well? I was going to put a ssd in it... my big concern was that it's a duel vs quad, and it doesn't have a dedicated gpu... I'm not going to really be playing games on it, but do you think it could stream hulu onto my hdtv w/out a dedicated gpu?

Thanks!
 
cutpurse said:
Hey so I know this is a bit of a change up... what do you guys think about the lenovo thinkpad x220--now that it's on sale it's a little tempting as well? I was going to put a ssd in it... my big concern was that it's a duel vs quad, and it doesn't have a dedicated gpu... I'm not going to really be playing games on it, but do you think it could stream hulu onto my hdtv w/out a dedicated gpu?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I think the intel gpu is ok with hdtv stuff. The x220 is really quite a deal now, I would buy that if I am looking for a laptop. I can't see dual core limiting what you need to do for the next 4 years, plus the great battery life could come in handy if you are on the road. Make sure you get the IPS screen upgrade, it is only around $50 I think.
 
The thing to remember is in 4 years everything will be slow. I have a Core Duo laptop that cost $1k new that is 5 years old that is slow for everything but web browsing. It can run 720p youtube content but that is as much as it can handle.
 
cutpurse said:
Hey so I know this is a bit of a change up... what do you guys think about the lenovo thinkpad x220--now that it's on sale it's a little tempting as well? I was going to put a ssd in it... my big concern was that it's a duel vs quad, and it doesn't have a dedicated gpu... I'm not going to really be playing games on it, but do you think it could stream hulu onto my hdtv w/out a dedicated gpu?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes. The advantages of getting an X220 are size, cost, and durability. It's a Thinkpad. In 4 years, it may start to seem slow... But it's not hard to tote around, so you won't be as tempted by newer offerings.

I guess that probably didn't make much sense to you; hopefully this will help: I bought a W500 two years ago. When I bought it, I sacrificed portability for performance. Now that its performance is no longer superlative, it's as if I've sacrificed portability for no benefit at all. It's a pain to lug to work on occasion (there's no parking, so I usually jog), and an X200 could perform general office tasks just as well.

In essence, the gaming performance of any laptop would degrade in the coming years, but your X220 (or X120e, if you'd prefer something even cheaper) would remain functional and convenient. A larger laptop might not.


Edit: Trying to explain this a fourth time...
In 4 years, an Ultraportable is basically a netbook.
In 4 years, a 15" Notebook is basically a huge turd.


At just over $1000, that X220 is great purchase. Your future self will thank you.
 
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