Ot Laptop recommendations (not Mac)

[Misfit6669]

I am in the market for a laptop but they are pretty new to me. I have always worked on desktops and am pretty comfortable about pc but not sure what to look for on the laptop side of things. The house will wireless if that matters, so I am looking for a wireless laptop. I am leaning towards Dell but have done very little research.
Any and all input is welcome, except that whole Ibm versus Mac thing.
Thanks
Brian

[brytizetx]

B*i**, how much are you looking to spend?

[dsandfort]

How can you go wrong with Del?

Very happy with Latitude D610. Have 15 Del's at work (not inlcuding Del). Very solid hardware. Good tech support.

Only 1 problem...they don't know how to spell.

Oh yeah..you might want to consider a port replicator which allows you to easily run in a "desktop" configuration with full size monitor, etc.

[jdallred]

Oops, that was me. I forgot to log Heidi out before I started posting.

[stugray]

If it is for dual use ( home PC as well as portable ) then get a nice docking station complete w/ its own FP monitor ( T$$$ was selling one for ~$100 ) keyboard, mouse etc.
Some docking stations can even have PCI cards that you couldnt normally have in a laptop.

I have both Dell & Gateway & both have been trouble free.

Stu

[Clown-N-Around]

My husband has a Dell (sorry Del, couldn't bring myself to spell it your way, darn that English minor!) laptop. It has worked great. Only problem we had was video card was flaking out soon after he got it, but he called them up, they sent a prepaid packing box, he sent it back, the fixed and returned in less than 1 week! (NOT the same as the Best Buy laptop that took ??? months to get a replacement battery, even buying their stupid plan.) Anyway, it has worked great since and we are very pleased with the service.

[Misfit6669]

I would like to come in under 1500 HeidiJoe with case and all that good stuff.

[dsandfort]

B-check this out.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/prod...=04&l=en&s=bsd

[Bovetek]

I just got done ordering 3 more Dell laptops for work. We only buy Dells and they haven't let us down yet I think they ran about $900 apiece. Get XP professional if you want to use Wireless network.

Ben

[artful-dodger]

At Dell's website, be sure to check the small business section. They frequently have a lower cost on the same equipment as on the "home" section. Go figure. I've bought three desktop systems on sale from the small business section in the past two years.

They also offer occasional special coupon specials by mail to all of those who have registered on the small business section. Some of their specials don't last long (apparently just to move some excess inventory). If you're patient and check each day you can eventually get some amazing prices.

One site that tracks their specials isbensbargains which used to be very focused on high tech and electronics but now also does shoes and groceries...a shame. Anyway, do a search for "Dell" in the search box on the right (not the separate Bizrate search box...)

(That said, I have used Toshiba Tecra laptops at work for over 10 years and have never had a problem. Some of our folks who have gotten Dells have had some support problems.)

[Misfit6669]

Thanks Ben, are you saying Home won't allow me to that?

[Misfit6669]

Thanks for the info guys and keep it coming. Looking at Bensbargains now.

[tsloeza]

My sister ordered a Dell laptop and sent it back. The plastic case was cheap (you could press on it and see it bend) and the speakers were very weak. At the loudest setting, you still couldn't hear much from it. It also started crashing on her within a week. Every time she stuck in a DVD, she'd get the blue screen.

She found out that the Dell business version laptops were better built but settled for a HP. I think she's very happy with it.

I've had this Toshiba laptop for over 6 years and have had good luck with it. We've dropped it three times and it's still limping along.

We recently tried buying a new Toshiba but within a day, we noticed that if we unplugged the power cable from the laptop and plugged it back in, it would freeze. We had to reboot. We though we had a bad unit so we exchanged it with a new one. The second one had the same problem. The store model even had the same problem. No one at Toshiba tech support had any idea on what was going on. To this day, people in the laptop forums are still running into this problem.

Check out a laptop forum...and do lots of research.

[viggen]

I went with a Gateway a few yrs back for a few reasons

1) MUCH better extended warantee
2) have a retail/cervice center a few miles from my house
3) better options then Dell. A good friend who is a Dell certified tech even told me to get the gateway

so my decision was easy

almost 3 yrs later, I have used my extended warantee once & I will again soon. The problem I have had is my own fault, power cord becomes loose on back of computer due to me dropping it or forgetting it's plugged in.

Then gateway closed their cervice center/retail store so I now have to email/call gateway for service

I purchased a gateway desctop as well, been flawless!!

Best But now sells gateway products

[T-$$$]

Ive am both a dell and gateway ASP (authorised service provider) and there are many fdactors going into purchasing new equeptment. And no matter what a salesman tells you there is a laptop for every person, so you don't let someone tell you you need somthing you don't. Personally, i have always suggeested Dell for desktop units, and Gateway for mobile units. Gateway in the past has had far supiorior hardware in thier unites, but dell is changing quickly. Right now i have two laptop units, a Dell Inspiron 700M, great little machine, very tiny very portable. the other unit i have is a Gateway M275 Tablet pc, you have the bucks for it, i love the tablet. Let me know what you are looking for, and i will put together something for you from both places, be specific, if your a gamer, a downloader, ect, so i know how much power you need, don;t get a Celeron. you also may want to wait, dell is comming out with a new lightweigt line toward the end of the summer, 12in laptop less then 2 lbs! should be cool, but prob out of your timeframe and budget. You may also wait for CPU, there has been rumors of a new mobile CPU comming form intel, but let me know what you want, and i will put one together for you from each.
Tim
P.S. I work on twice as many broken dell's as i do gateway. Just FYI
but let me know, i'll look at it for you.
tim

[dsandfort]

P.S. I work on twice as many broken dell's as i do gateway.

Interesting. I'll bet my local mechanic services far more subarus than yugos.
B- you might have the wrong car!

[Misfit6669]

Be nice Del

[reefnewbee]

Brian, speaking from on hand experience, DO NOT go with HP or IBM, save the trouble, Valonia and Bryopsis are easier to deal with.


Shawn

[Misfit6669]

Thanks Shawn, I have bought desktops from both Dell and Gateway and the customer service has been great from both companies. But, I had heard a rumor that Gateway might be going under a couple of years ago and got kind of scared about using them. Maybe that dude jackarse started it

[Misfit6669]

Thanks Tim, this is roughly what I was looking for.
I am a gamer but not a pc gamer anymore, got tired of upgrading my box every 6 months for the latest game so I bought an xbox and ps2 instead. I am starting school again this fall and have entered the mechanical engineering program at University of Alaska. I will be doing lots of school work on it and think I will get a Cad program or two for it. I have a bit of a background using graphics from Corel, Photoshop to the Macromedia stuff. I’m sure I would have a few of those programs on it as well. I would want to have wireless internet and networking and from what Ben said, I think I would need XpPro for that. I would like the option of an external keyboard, mouse and monitor as well. I do lots of downloading but will leave my desktop up and running for that.
That’s about all I can think of for now.

[kf_gtr]

Tim had some good points in his post.

Working in IT support as I have, I have seen some good laptops and some POSs. The new Apples are really tough but you don't want that, and that's ok.

If you get a Dell, go with the Latitude models. The Inspirons are cheaper, and cheaper. At East Carolina University (where I used to be gainfully employed) we had both the Lat's and Insp and the Insp were always being repaired.

I personally have had a Toshiba for over 5 years now and I still use it daily. I have made a few upgrades though, RAM and what have you. Toshiba has a new model that has a 17 inch screen that is really sweeeet.

A few notes, AMD based machines tend to be a bit lower in cost but I prefer those processors and use them in the desktops I build. If you plan on using the wireless a lot and will be running off the batteries a lot, go ahead and order 2 batteries if you can afford the cost. Wireless tends to use up the battery power more quickly. Get the bigest Hard Drive and as much RAM as you can afford. It is often better to get a slightly cheaper processor and use the savings to get more RAM. This will improve the speed of the computer as well as allow you to have more programs running at the same time. Same goes with the video card and RAM, the more you have the faster it will run. Also see how much it can be upgraded. Often the manufacturer will tell you the machine comes with, say 512 Meg of RAM, but it can be upgraded to say 2 GIG of RAM. If that is the case, you can always add more RAM later. A few years ago, Gateway was really turning out some junk but they have really improved on their product and the new laptops are really good.

Additionally the Sony VIAO's are a good machine. Stay away from Compaq (Comcrap) and some of the other cheap machines that you will find at Best Buy/ Circuit city etc. Often you can get a better machine for the same money (or slightly more) online AND have a better service contract than through the stores.

My 2cents.

Kevin

PS, Tim, if you aren't working then what are you doing with your computer skills? PM me.

K

[fishetcinc]

Brian,

Did you check if you can buy a laptop through your school? Most universities offer screaming deals for students specially if your curriculum requires you to use a computer. When I got my MBA at Columbia University, I was able to get a fully loaded Sony Vaio (which retailed for over $2900 at the time) for $900.

K.

[Misfit6669]

Thanks for more great info guys, I will have to check in with UAF and see what kind of deals they have. Didn't even think of that, thanks for the tip, I know they also have great deals on software.
Brian

[Misfit6669]

They do have a link to Dell via the student page. This is what they have to offer right now. Need to spend some time to compare what kind of system that is but running out of time and need to get some packing done.
http://premierconfig.dell.com/config...961493-1031984
I will need to look into it some more when I get back. I am heading back to work tomorrow and won't have that much free time for about a month. Plans have changed and now it's to Kodiak Island for 10 days or so, then up to Nome for a week and then Dillingham. Should be back home in a month but hope to keep caught up on my emails, so please keep posting things to look for. As usual, you guys came though with some good info.
Thanks again.
Brian

[rkl303]

I would check to see if you can get a IBM T43 instead of a T44(ithink). I think this is the notebook that IBM manufactured before Lenvo took over the IBM laptop bus.

Whats nice about these are they got a spill proof keyboard.

Finger print ID to recall passwords.

If you drop it its got a motion sensor that will lock up its hard drive so you don't lose your important data*cough porn cough*.

If I remember its got a titanium or magnesium internal casing behind the plastic casing.

And a whole crap load of features that make it the Ultimate Laptop...well besides processing power.

Be warned though IBM forces you to upgrade only with its products otherwise the latop doesn't work I hear. ie no new internal HDs, RAM, etc...well USB stuff is probably the only allowable stuff

I've never had one personally but everyone on the anandtech forums as well as fatwallet absolutely loves IBM's well except for the price I guess. And if money is no object I'd hit it =)

If your looking for best bang for the buck I'd either hit up a toshiba or a dell.

The only thing I have against dell is... I know for my brothers dell 600m, the damn thing locks up from overheating after half an hour of counterstrike...so gaming is kinda in the air for that dell. I would also say if you can hold off wait and search the anandtech.com hot deals forums since occasionally you will find out that dell throws out a $750 off of 1500 coupon and they tell you about that. Which will make it the best bang for the buck w/ that kinda coupon.

My dad has the toshiba M35s465(which is going to waste since he only uses it to play online poker) and although it was kinda of pricey I have to say it had the most features and is not a bad bang for the buck(large HD, DVD burner plus DVD-RAM(although its dead), lots of memory, nice configuration, nice video card(although I can't comment on gaming since my dad will kill me if I install unnecessary stuff on it)

Personally if I were to get a laptop for myself though I would keep my desktop and keep the features on the laptop to a minimum. Don't need huge amounts of RAM, no huge HD, not a perfect videocard, not a huge amount of processing power. What I want is size, weight, power consumption,DVD/CD combo(not a burner) and a very very good screen. Save all that other stuff for a desktop since Laptops aren't really upgradeable and can't be the powerhouse that a Desktop is.

As for the processor I would stick w/ a Pentium M(PM) not a pentium 4 M(P4M) ...since P4M consume alot more power(shorter battery life) compared to a PM and although a 1.6ghz seems alot weaker then a 2.6ghz P4M, the PM kicks the hell out of the 2.6ghz P4M in most uses and tests.

Also I for me I am not a fan of the Intel internal wireless modem. It's nice because it doesnt add another accessory to the laptop and doesnt take up a PCIMA slot...but I hate it because it doesn't detect networks very quickly and sometimes can't detect networks even when I am standing in front of the damn router...but hey if it comes free take it...otherwise I'd try something else

Richard