A laptop for the guy that doesn't really know if he needs a laptop

[Pengwuino]

So i need a laptop! buuuuuut i don't know what kind i should get (or more realistically, ask for for christmas :P). Since I am going ot ask for it as a christmas gift (something odd about your parents asking for a christmas list when you're practically allowed to buy alchohol...), I don't want it to be too expensive and i want it to be... usable :P. I'd love one with tv-in/out, windows xp pro, and 802.11g... no use for games really... I just want one to do work at different places and use it as a diagnosing tool for fixing other peopels computers plus using it as a kinda media player so that i can watch videos on my tv without having to take up my PC :P

So basically... i want one with a few open USB ports, ethernet, 802.11g, tv-in/out, xp pro... the rest i don't care about :) Any suggestions? :)

 

[dduardo]

Are you sure you don't want an ibook or powerbook? If you want a windows laptop I suggest IBM.

 

[Pengwuino]

I'm not going to be seen hauling around a mac :P and i don't want to have to know how to use 2 os's :)

Which one of those IBM's would fit my specs :)

 

[The_Professional]

Depends on what your budget is, and how heavy you want to go. Usually the heavier, the cheaper it is. If you'll carry it around "coffeshops" or anywhere to look cool - then I'd go for the 3 pounder. That's only for the IBM. Dell is $200-300 less, and their lightest is 4 pounds.

IBM will set you about $1,800-$2,000-$2,100

 

[Moonbear]

I'm not going to be seen hauling around a mac :P

Are you kidding? When people see me with my Mac, all they can say is how much they like the way it looks. The only complaint I have about my Mac laptop is that they haven't done any better than the PC manufacturers at creating a fingernail-proof keyboard. Nobody can borrow my computer who can't touch-type, because half the letters are scratched off the keys from the way I type. I'm really rough on keyboards and have done the same thing to every computer I've ever owned. If I could do-over my purchase, I'd get the 14 inch instead of the 12 inch PowerBook, because I learned that the 14-inch one comes with a keyboard that is easily replaced by the user, but the 12-inch one doesn't. :grumpy:

and i don't want to have to know how to use 2 os's :)

Lazy! :tongue: There's lots of folks here learning to use Mac OS, so you'd have quite a support group to help.

Of all the PC laptops, I agree that I like the IBMs I've seen best. They seem a bit more portable than those clunky, fragile other brands. I don't know anything about the different models they offer though.

 

[Pengwuino]

Well I am pretty big so weight won't be an issue and I don't think my laptop will be a match for my calculus and physics books :P I don't really know what my budget is because itd be a christmas gift :P My parents have to ask me what i want or else they don't know what to get me supposedly haha. With that in mind, i don't want to ask for something too expensive :(

 

[The_Professional]

With that in mind, i don't want to ask for something too expensive :(

Come on, you know you do. 10 letters: IBM X Series

 

[Pengwuino]

Aren't the X-series servers ...

 

[Anttech]

Dell D610...

No where near as expensive as an IBM but with good build quality, and you can have very decent specs..

 

[dduardo]

Lol, why don't you just carry around a 1U blade server. Sure it won't have a LCD screen, but you'll know you have the fastest machine in town.

Also, Apple's are definitely attention grabbers. I look at a PC and I'm just disgusted by their usually cheap construction. Apple on the other hand are very esthetically pleasing.

 

[Anttech]

Also, Apple's are definitely attention grabbers. I look at a PC and I'm just disgusted by their usually cheap construction. Apple on the other hand are very esthetically pleasing.

Bah... personal preference... lots of pc's look good...

 

[franznietzsche]

Bah... personal preference... lots of pc's look good...

Personally built ones perhaps. Certainly not from Dell.

 

[[Quadratic]]

I just got a Dell Inspiron 2200, which I upgraded a little bit, and I'm incredibly satisfied with it. I didn't need a powerhouse or anything, so here's what I've got: 1.7 ghz Pentium-M processor, 512 mb RAM, 802.11g (internal), 15 inch display. Plenty for what I need it for (word processing, e-mail, listening to some tunes while wasting my day on PF), and at a great price. Shipping included, it cost me about $800. Not too shabby.

 

[Anttech]

Personally built ones perhaps. Certainly not from Dell.

Again that is YOUR personal opinion..

I like my latitude, I'll admit I didnt pay a penny for it, but I still like it.. Powerful, lightweight, full of features, extremley good service, and actually it looks ok.. I could paint it white if you want.. I don't really care about the colour anyway

 

[-Job-]

My Dell Precision is the best/fastest computer I've ever been on, and it looks very good in my opinion. Laptop-wise i don't know, I've never owned a laptop, but I've seen some really nice ones from Sony, and yes, Macs also look pretty good. I don't usually go by the "different is better" approach and certainly not by the "popular is worse" one. I like to have my own opinion of these things.

 

[PerennialII]

My Dell Precision is the best/fastest computer I've ever been on, and it looks very good in my opinion. Laptop-wise i don't know, I've never owned a laptop, but I've seen some really nice ones from Sony, and yes, Macs also look pretty good. I don't usually go by the "different is better" approach and certainly not by the "popular is worse" one. I like to have my own opinion of these things.

Been using Dell Precision laptops for the past 4-5 years, performance wise loving it, and the newest ones are starting to even resemble laptops weight and dimension wise.

 

[Pengwuino]

Gosh you guys are useless :P

I need PPPPPCCCCC, mac won't sex up my videos like windows does :(.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=333335&pfp=BROWSE

taht one actually looks pretty good and isn't that expensive...

all I want is a laptop that can hold my videos/movies like Seinfeld or Simpsons and play them on a tv (so probably svideo and audio outs), use word and all that crap, and has wireless internet :) Save me people!

 

[-Job-]

It seems pretty much any laptop will suit you, except for the video out which depends on the video card that comes with the laptop and i don't think that video out is standard on most laptops. Usually, depending on who you buy the laptop from, you have the option of customizing some of the components (audio, video, network cards, for example). I would look at what your options are and check to see if any of them have video out.

 

[Pengwuino]

It seems pretty much any laptop will suit you, except for the video out which depends on the video card that comes with the laptop and i don't think that video out is standard on most laptops. Usually, depending on who you buy the laptop from, you have the option of customizing some of the components (audio, video, network cards, for example). I would look at what your options are and check to see if any of them have video out.

The video out thing is the moooooooost important because i want to see stuff on my tv like videos :)

 

[-Job-]

Actually, TV-out may be a pretty standard feature on laptops, I'm going to leave that to someone who has more experience with laptops than me.
For a laptop manufacturer, have you considered http://www.alienware.com" ? They're really cool and not extremely expensive.

 

[Pengwuino]

Actually, TV-out may be a pretty standard feature on laptops, I'm going to leave that to someone who has more experience with laptops than me.
For a laptop manufacturer, have you considered http://www.alienware.com" ? They're really cool and not extremely expensive.

haha yah I've considered them and htey aren't as expensive as i thought!

 

[The_Professional]

You can get an external (usb) tv-out from most retailers.

 

[Pengwuino]

You can get an external (usb) tv-out from most retailers.

naa i don't want to be carrying tooooo many things around. I figure ill have to have a usb mouse and a portable floppy since not many people seem to have floppys on their laptops anymore.

 

[DaveC426913]

I've got a Dell 4150 (it's about 4 years old now).

Being the only laptop I've ever bought, I can't say if it's good or bad. I have had a pretty lousy time with ordering from Dell or any Tech support (oh, the trauma). It did cost me some in repairs too - had to replace the motherboard.

Despite having a lot of frustration with it, I'd be way more worried if I were dealing with a less reputable company. I'd be constantly afraid of being scrood.

Since I'm still using it, yeah, I guess it's been good at meeting my needs.

As for looks, well, a $20 accessory has my laptop trimmed in Burlwood inside and out. I always get compliments on it. And iof I ever get bored of Burlwood (which I prob'ly won't) I have several other choices of trimming.