Need Laptop Advice (choose)

[Wiktor]

I would like some help on choosing a laptop, it's going to be for my dad
He will use it much like a desktop pc most of the time. Running MS Office, Outlook, Graphics editing and other business/office apps (Powerpoint). As well as watching DVD (on TV preferably), and also playing 3D games , but that is not a priiority. Battery life is not so important same as weight/size/heat but I do want to a mobile device, so that's why I have some doubts here.
Note these are polish prices, and for comparison a Dell Latitude D600 in basic configuration costs $2155.74 here, so Centorino is not an option for now.

Here's what I found so far, the price/performance ratio is really good on these laptops (California Access), especially if you look at other models from other manufacturers (Toshiba, IBM, HP, COMPAQ). But obviously these are not the most popluar make, and they are very much like a desktop pc (desktop CPU). OK, here goes:

For About $1,311

CALIFORNIA ACCESS 8900 Mobile DVD
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 - M 1700 MHz
HDD: 20GB
RAM 128MB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 420 Go 32MB DDR
LCD: ColorActive (14,1" XGA)
DVD 8x
LAN 10/100
MODEM 56k
SMART MEDIA
IEEE 1394
USB PenDrive 32MB
No software bundled

I like the P4 Mobile CPU, GF4MX (does it have a TV out?, what's the power consumption). But it has no FDD, there's an option to add one.



About $1,616 <= I'm leaning toward's this one

CALIFORNIA ACCESS 8900 Mobile Combo
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 - M 1800 MHz
HDD: 40GB
RAM: 256MB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 420 Go 32MB DDR
LCD: ColorActive (14,1" XGA)
DVD-CDRW
Built-in FDD
LAN 10/100
MODEM 56k
SMART MEDIA
IEEE 1394
MS Windows XP Home Edition

Slightly faster CPU (P4 - M), double RAM, double HDD size, OS, FDD


About $1,951

CALIFORNIA ACCESS 9001 Combo
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 2400 MHz
HDD: 40GB/RAM 256MB
Video: ATI Radeon 9000 64MB DDR (M9)
LCD: ColorActive 15" SXGA+
DVD-CDRW
LAN 10/100
MODEM 56k
IEEE 1394
MS Windows XP Home Edition

Impressive CPU, but desktop version, very nice GFX card, 15" LCD (is that good?, I mean it's going to be larger in size)


So, which one would you get? I know there aren't many delails to it, don't know what HDD, battery and so on, but I think it's not that important


Of course, other opinions, suggestions are welcome, what kind of a latop is right for today's standarts? (but not centorino )

 

[esaleris]

The only places I've seen them are on Polish websites.

 

[Wiktor]

What do you know, you're right

They are put togeather in Poland, however the parts are the standard Asian products (including LCD and the keyboard and case). So that's why the price is so atractive here .

Anyway my dad bought the most expensive they had, the Access 9001 Combo, and wow, I'm impressed. Especially with the build, very nice style: silver and grey, not to large, but very heavy (don't know how that compares to other laptops). The lcd is nice too, very high resolution (SXGA+), sharp image, not until now have I noticed how blury my Sony G220 CRT is, I somehow discredited LCD's before, now I see the difference. Speakers are pretty good, there is also an audio panel, touchpad, flash mem. slot, built in FDD and CD-RW/DVD, 2x USB2.0, one keyboard/mouse input, firewire, irdc, TV-OUT, modem and LAN.

One thing is that basicly all you get is the laptop, no extras. Only a LAN cable, power adator, and a manual (it also impressed me how well it was written - in polish of course, now I see why ). Dont know if the carrying case was included, there is no logo on it, but it looks durable.

As to the hardware, well, I have nothing to compare it to. But Radeon 9000 64MB equipped laptops are the top of the line, and getting one for 1/2 the price is amazing in itself. I run Quake3 and Warcraft3 on it, no performance/compatibility issues. The laptop gets pretty hot at such times, and power consumption must be extreme (the 2,4 desktop P4).
The HDD is increadably quiet, fans when turned on don't make much noise.

Oh, I even gave the DoomIII alpha a try, and guess what, it didn't crash . But 4-5 fps is all this laptop could do...

As to software, I recieved WinXP Home PL, Antyvirus of some kind, drivers, DVD player, CD burning app.

So, I think I made a good deal, especially that it's going to be used much like a desktop pc - usually pluged in. Havn't measured the battery time yet (though it did run on batteries for about an hour and a half yesterday). I think it's below 2 hours.

All in all, laptops are an amazing piece of hardware, so quiet, small, and compact looking. Much more pleasent to use than any pc. I think in the future we may only have powerfull servers at home somewhere in the basement, wired house, and only laptop type work stations that you plug into your home Gigabit ethernet, but this is yet to come (or maybe B. Gates already has that ).

I wish this Califfornia Access company good luck and hope they quickly manage to switch to Centorino, and become stronger on the market. I believe it's not the brand that is important when looking at computer electronics. Though I also understand the benefits of well established manufactureres, which is especially important for corporate users, but not so much for home users.