Topic: Need a new laptop

[ober]

So here's what I need:

1) Preferably less than $500
2) Doesn't need to be top of the line, but should handle photoshop and graphics manipulation well
3) HD doesn't have to be huge... 150/160 GB would be fine, higher is always ok of course.
4) At least 2GB of RAM
5) Would prefer Vista 64-bit, Vista 32 is ok but it needs to be able to talk to my printer attached to my 64 bit pc in my office.
6) Webcam would be a bonus
7) Decent sized screen (15.4" or bigger... but not 17")

So far I've found these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9300428&type=product&id=1218079752923#tabbed-customerreviews

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9172655&type=product&id=1218044028330

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320373721109&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us

I've got wife approval on the second and third but she doesn't like the look of the Toshiba (my favorite).

I don't want another Dell and I'm not crazy about Acer/MSI/Asus brands.

Any help/tips would be appreciated.  I haven't gone laptop shopping in a while but I still know what I'm looking for, I think.

[hans]

If not Dell, I'd go for HP. They seem to have really good bang for the buck and quite a few of them are pretty nice looking. I've heard pretty good things about Gateway lately though.

[ober]

Surely the rest of you have some sort of input?  Where's ROD????

[micah]

I have this broken HP laptop I could sell you for $20 plus shipping. 

(I'm pretty sure the problem is physical hardware damage, either where the RAM chips connect to the motherboard or, perhaps something to do with the built in video memory.)

[ober]

passssssss.

[KnuckleBuckett]

Add to the spec is should at least be a Core 2 Do NOT a shitty bottlenecked Celeron Duocore.

[ober]

Oh... is that what Duocore means?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Pretty much.  Pieces of crap all of them.  Essentially a Pentium4/Celeron hybrid.

Get a Core2Duo.

Oh.  And locating what you require, will be essentially impossible, new.  Get a refurb.  Great deals out there and they actually get decent reviews.  Many are those of failed corporations, replaced screens, repaired and or replaced power connectors, and such.

[KnuckleBuckett]

http://westmd.craigslist.org/sys/1189873295.html

[ober]

Pass.  That fails 2 criteria.  It's a dell, and it's $550.

By the way, is the Turion AMD processor any good?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Sorry.  Dunno about the Turion.  Despite RoDs probable amazement, I do use AMD products whenever they make sense.  I am currently building an AMD system for Laura.  Also I truly believe Intel needs as much competition as we can provide.  Losing AMD would be catastrophic.

That said, for the average gamer and or power user, Intel has the price per performance by a long shot.  Intel has had the crown from Core2Duo and have only increased their lead with Core i7.  Further Intel is a better choice for an nVidia graphics solution due to AMD owning ATI.

Anyway, Obe please look into the refurbs (lots of good sites with good warranties) and check out Craig's list as well.  If you want to check out Craig's in my area and I can help if you need me to.

Also if you are going to be using this for photo and or video manipulation be sure to get a video solution from Nvidia with CUDA support.  This can seriously boost performance in such applications.  CUDA uses your GPU (and subsequent memory and infrastructure) to parallel process in many such applications (more support for this all the time).

http://www.manifold.net/doc/nvidia_cuda.htm

and

http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn_products.html

[ober]

Thanks for the info... I've always been iffy about refurbs but I guess it's not a bad way to go.

Do you have any thoughts about the few that I posted above?  I thought you had said positive things about Gateway in the past.  I like the Toshiba for features, but the Gateway trumps it.  I've also found an HP or two that are nice.

[KnuckleBuckett]

Sorry I haven't reviewed your suggestions well.

1)  First one is gone.  Link just says sorry item no longer available.  I think this was the AMD.  I can't review the AMD mobile CPUs.  I can barely keep up with AMD non-mobile offerings.  I think they lose thousands of customers because nobody can understand their nomenclature.

2) Duo core?  NO WAY!  Slow as hell.  I have used them here at work and my old Pentium machines from when you were here (before!) are faster.

3) Blocked.  If it is HP, I certainly have my reservations.  Don't have enough experience with current HP laptops to give you any educated help.  Sorry.

Here is my advice on a new laptop.  Consider the $800 price range.  Look over the MSI 63x series notebooks.  I think 633 is their current offering.  This review mentions the previous model.  They have a decent reputation and pack a lot of punch in to a economical package. 
http://stateofaffairs.info/archive/gaming-laptop-jan-09/

What do you think?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Might check Sager out too.

http://www.sagernotebook.com/default.php

[KnuckleBuckett]

I feel that to get what you are looking for, without getting a refurb or a super special sale, you will be looking at about $1k.

My advice if you decide against a refurb is ...

1)  Wait for the super special sale.  Watch the correct sites carefully.  I can help here...and wait until you get lucky.

2) Wait.  Again.  And save up for what you really want.  Paying $500 to $600-ish for a laptop that is a compromise and wait-fest will not make either of you happy.  That would just suck.