Suggestions for a new laptop?

[mrCide]

With Intel announcing the mobile 1ghz p3 and Geforce2Go coming soon, I REALLY want to get a laptop. I heard Dell has great support (and I've owned one for a short period) but I've also heard they have a lot of problems. I've heard bad things about Sony even though they're all small and modern looking.

What's your experience with em?

 

[Zenmervolt]

<Knee-jerk reaction>
ThinkPad, ThinkPad, ThinkPad, ThinkPad
</Knee-jerk reaction>

Seriously though, I have been very pleased with my ThinkPad, I cannot think of one way in which I have been disappointed with it. IBM's tech support is amazing, I have no complaints about it either. There was an issue with my IBM burner's Adaptec software and the IBM DVD player. When I called Tech support, it took me less than 5 minutes to get an Adaptec URL for an patch to cure the problem. I seriously think that one cannot do better than an IBM ThinkPad for a laptop. As for the Dells, I don't have experience with them, but I know several people who have had problems with their Dells, and the Optiplex's in the campus labs are down in rather high numbers on a much too frequent basis.

Zenmervolt

 

[Soybomb]

I agree, if you dont mind dropping the cash, there is no substitute for IBM, if you're short on cash though the new dells have been performing pretty well for us at the college.

 

[Jonny]

My friend ordered a Dell a while back, and he didnt get it. He waited a couple weeks, and they would just NOT give it to him. They gave him a comfirmation, but apparently they forgot about it or something. They seem like a really good company, but that kinda turned me off.

He ended up with a Toshiba, and I must says, its a beautiful laptop. However, kinda hilarious, only a couple weeks after he got it did his hard drive die. They replaced it and all, but it was a long process and the shipping+insurence was NOT cheap.
Besides that, its a BEAUTIFUL machine.

 

[datalink7]

buy 5 or 6 that you are looking at, send them to me, and I will test and tell you which is the best. Then you keep that one, I keep one, and send the others back...

deal?

 

[SpongeBob]

I also would say to go with a thinkpad. I love my thinkpad 600, even though it's a couple years old and kind of slow, it is a really nice design and solid as a rock. IBM is good with releasing new drivers all the time too.

 

[RossMAN]

Mobile GeForce would be REALLY nice.

What hardware specs do you want?

Is it going to be loaded w/ 15&quot; TFT LCD Display and all drives?

Is it going to weigh a ton?

How are you going to use it, what for?

How much can you afford?

 

[loogie]

Powerbook. That bitch is sweet. Only thing sucky about it is the OS.

 

[mrCide]

I plan on going all out with the specs.

Big screen, big hard drive, plenty of ram, slap win2k pro on it.

Use it for everything I can. I will probably be making payments on the thing and pay it off after one or two good contract jobs I get (web design).

I'd like a dvd and/or a cdr in it. Aside from sound, what else would i need? Can play games and can run anything on it. Probably replace my current computer. Maybe get a small desk. Wire it up to my stereo for sound. And get a port replicator for anything else I may need . I dunno, I just want a full blown laptop.

Hope those IBM's carry the geforce2go..

 

[mrCide]

Those new powerbooks are pretty. unfortunate about that whole single button mouse and the o/s..

 

[RossMAN]

Well hopefully John, Braxus and luv2chill will run across this thread but if you're going to go FULL hog then I'd say get the Dell Inspiron 8000 laptop. I just wonder if/when they'll put GeForce cards into their laptops?

Right now Dell is offering
FREE Upgrade to DVD-ROM!
FREE TurboTax Deluxe!
$100 Mail-In Rebate on Inspiron 4000 and 8000 Notebooks!
1 Yr. of DellNet by MSN Internet Access Included A $263 value!

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Those Titanium IBooks (or whatever Mac just put out) look nice....wide screen...titanium casing......mmmmm (I don't like Macs though)

 

[RossMAN]

The new Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium is the ultimate laptop but runs Mac OS not Windows.

You can get a lot more bang for your buck with a Dell, IBM or Toshiba laptop.

 

[RossMAN]

Here's what a loaded Dell Inspiron 8000 for $2,648.00 comes with:

CPU: Intel®Pentium®III Processor 850MHz
LCD Display: 15.0&quot; UltraXGA TFT Display
Memory: 64MB,SDRAM,1DIMM
Video Card: 32MB ATI Mobility M4? 3D Video, 4X AGP
Primary Hard Drive: 20GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Operating System Software: Microsoft® Windows® Millennium
Modem: Internal 56K Capable V.90 + 10/100 Mini-
Fixed CD/DVD Drives: Free Upgrade! 8X Max Variable DVD Drive
Bundle: Microsoft® Works Suite 2001 plus Money 2001
2nd CD/DVD Drive: 8X CDRW Max Variable Modular Drive
Anti-virus: Norton Antivirus® 2001
Limited Warranty and Support: 3Yrs Parts + Onsite Labor (Next Business Day) + Lifetime Phone Tech Support
Internet Access Service: 1-Year DellNet? by MSN® Internet Access Service[add$0]
Special Offer - Financial Software: Free! Turbo Tax Deluxe
Proactive Support: Dell Proactive Support by Attune

The only changes I would make are buy SODIMM RAM elsewhere which is cheaper and install Windows 2000 Pro OS.

 

[willawake]

the sony laptops are really cool spec and the screen is really bright. Maybe you want to wait a while for the geforce to be available on them and it is about time that ethernet was onboard as standard on all laptops and no less than 128mb ram and 20gb hard disk. i mean who are you kidding guys.....ever tried to buy ram from sony - cmon with those prices......

 

[luv2chill]

As RossMAN already sagely suggested, I'd go with the Dell Inspiron 8000. I absolutely adore mine. Yes, I had some issues with it, but Dell took care of them all for me (Dell treats you especially well when you're still in your 30-day trial period). It comes standard with a 3 year on-site warranty--not too shabby at all.

It is huge (though not as heavy as its older cousins in the 7X00 series) but it is so full featured--I mean, c'mon--Firewire, 2 USB, S-Video/Composite/VGA out, even a coaxial S/PDIF out. I also really like the built-in 3Com NIC/56K modem, which frees up my PCMCIA slots for other stuff.

I got the 14&quot; screen and a PIII 700. I also got the built-in DVD-ROM, the advanced port replicator, the swappable 8x CD-RW, and an extra battery, all for $2200 (it will be $1800 if I ever get my damned Dell rebate). That's a lot for the $$.

Only problem is that Dell doesn't offer the Geforce2Go cards (yet). I got a 16MB ATI Mobility M4 which is fine for me (I don't game much and this is my work PC anyway).

Sure, the Sony and Apple lappies are prettier, but they cost a lot more for the equivalent setup.

One caveat--if you're looking for true portability (lightweight, small, etc.) don't get the 8000. It's a desktop replacement laptop that can be portable, but it's definitely not meant for hardcore traveling.

If you need to know anything else about it, just ask.

l2c

 

[Dameon]

Geforce2Go will be shipping on I8000 soon. Trust me.

 

[Eug]

Personally I'm not 100% sure I'd want a Geforce 2 GO - supposedly eats power - it will be interesting to see what the reviews say. I hold more hope for the Radeon Mobility's actually.

The Dell 8000 seems like a good machine. I KNOW the Dell 5000 is a good machine, as I have one.

The Thinkpads are nice, but they cost too much for the good ones. The lower end IBM machines are suck IMHO.

Personally I consider the choice between touchpad vs that eraser thingy as important as anything else. People often love one and hate the other. Fortunately, many newer machines include both (like the Dell 8000).

I would not get a PIII 800 unless you absolutely need the speed. I personally don't need my laptop to crunch as much Quake III frames as my desktop.

If you can, go with Windows 2000. Stability is of course key. Buy your memory from crucial.com . It would have been cheaper for me to buy 256 MB of memory from crucial and scrap the included 64 MB stick, than it was for me to upgrade from one stick of 64 to one stick of 128 so that I could add another 128 stick later. :|

For the screen, I see many people going 1400x1050 or even 1600x1200. Personally I don't see the point. I probably would be OK with 1400x1050 on a 15&quot; screen, but I actually prefer my 1024x768 15&quot; screen. The bonus is it's a lot cheaper too. In fact, I think the absolute best bang for the buck is a 14&quot; 1024x768 screen. It's significantly lighter, lots cheaper, and uses less power than my 15&quot; screen.

Or if you want true portability, a 13&quot; screen will suffice, and the drives should be removeable.

 

[Raspewtin]

another vote for thinkpad! especially the TransNote

 

[RossMAN]

Both luv2chill and Eug offer excellent advice.

The Dell i8000 looks really nice but it's no leightweight, it's a desktop replacement laptop.