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Posted by Falcon-X on Mar-07-2005 21:22:

Laptop purchase help

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can give me laptop reccomandations...

It's for my parents so they dont need any crazy video card, but they are willing to spend enough, so dont be shy

Thanks

Posted by igottaknow on Mar-07-2005 21:29:

Posted by MaxTO on Mar-07-2005 21:37:

what's it going to be used for? does it have to be light/slim, long battery life etc. ? these will have a great impact on which one to choose...

Posted by Capitalizt on Mar-07-2005 22:13:

any of these would be good...I recommend the ones with 512MB of RAM.

http://products.gateway.com/product...series=gtwym520

Posted by Falcon-X on Mar-07-2005 23:35:

quote:
Originally posted by MaxTO
what's it going to be used for? does it have to be light/slim, long battery life etc. ? these will have a great impact on which one to choose...

I'd say most important would be user friendly, RELIABLE, weight is not very important since it will stay in the house... Maybe a wide screen but not necessary. It will be used for the internet and word, lol maybe a few other stuff.

But still has to be good enough so it will keep running very smoothly for some time.

Posted by igottaknow on Mar-07-2005 23:57:

If its going to be used as desktop computer replacement then a lot of what you pay extra for doesn't matter such as: size, weight, durability, and battery life. Compare the major manufacturers in your price range and pick one with features you desire.

Posted by MaxTO on Mar-08-2005 04:00:

Well, since weight and battery won't matter, I'd look into a P4 over a Centrino, that will save you some $$$
Next, video memory, unless you're going to be using graphic/video editing software or playing the latest games, you can go with shared video memory instead of dedicated, another $$$ saving tip
When it comes to upgrades, you will see a bigger improvement with more RAM than a slightly faster CPU
I personally love the widescreens, but that will be a personal issue
As far as brands go, you'll have to do some research, many say Dell, but I've heard quite a few horror stories about 'em.
My recommendation, check out this site for brand specific reviews/discussions.
I personally like Toshiba, you could look into the A50 or A70.

Posted by arturob on Mar-08-2005 04:24:

i like Dell. they warranty / replacement service is outstanding!

inspiron 6000 for home / latitude d600 for business.

Posted by igottaknow on Mar-08-2005 04:29:

good advice MaxTO. I like wide screen. Bigger the better especially older people can't see as well and you can never have enough screen real estate.

Toshiba used to be the king of laptops but I'm not sure how they rank now. IBM is quality but you'll pay tru the nose (their more for corporations with deep pockets). I've heard mixed reviews on Dell. You seem to get a lot for the money but their parts can be suspect and their customer service wasn't what it used to be (hope you can understand a heavy indian accent LOL). I'd stay away from Gateway. Compaq/HP are ok but don't care for their proprietary junk and don't seem to run as fast as others laptops.

Posted by Geoff on Mar-08-2005 04:34:

how the hell has no one recommended a Thinkpad?

dude if u can afford it, get an IBM, I would, or maybe i'd get a powerbook

Posted by Azz3D on Mar-08-2005 04:57:

quote:
Originally posted by Geoff
how the hell has no one recommended a Thinkpad?

dude if u can afford it, get an IBM, I would, or maybe i'd get a powerbook

ditto
go for pentium-M (centrino) cause of the 2x-3x the battery life and superior performance over P4
also, if you buy from dell you're asking for hell

Posted by wwu.punisher on Mar-08-2005 05:08:

Go with either one of the NEW dell systems or a sony vaio. Either way, you'll be happy. Stay the fuck away from compaq, though.

Or get a powerbook, if you can afford one.

Thinkpads are overpriced for what you get.