I have to get a good laptop, and I need some advice

[WilliamPitt]

My laptop is being held together with baling wire and happy thoughts right now, and I need a new one for work. I've decided to bite the bullet and get a good one because I've got a lot of stuff, I need it for the road, and I'm sick of the wind-up toy I've been using.

Anyway, it needs to be a Windows-type machine. What is a good model, and where do I go to get it?

Thanks.

[Tesibria]

1. oh, i'm sure I'm gonna get flamed, b/c I'm sure they're red

... but DELL

I have have several and have had multiple over .. multiple years. Never had a problem. I luv all of them.

And you can get great deals on refurbished ones at the site.

[Lex]

16. I'll have to second that.

I have had no problems with my Dell laptop and I was able to customize it (certain hardware and software) at Dell's website.

My 62 year old dad has a Dell laptop too and he loves his and never has a problem.

We've both had ours for several years now.

P.S. I've even dropped the damn thing a couple of times and it never skipped a beat.

[NVMojo]

39. I love my Dell laptop and it's almost 2 years old and when I've

had minor issues, the service has always come through. Mine is only an Inspiron 5100 and I don't think they make em anymore. When I go to replace this one, it will be with another Dell.

[mattclearing]

45. self-delete

meant to respond to OP.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

47. My friend at Dell

told me that the refurbished ones you can get at their Outlet Store - http://tinyurl.com/5fbsn - are essentially brand new, just the old cases with brand new works. Buying new - paying the full price - is just nuts.

I have had nothing but great experiences with Dell laptops, and when I've needed their tech support - which is in India, of course - they've been amazing.

Red or not, Dell has a dedicated customer in me.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

49. I'm on my third motherboard with my Dell latitiude D500

but prior Dells have been fine. I guess I got a lemon.

[Misunderestimator]

73. I've gotta agree with you there. I have two...

and I've had Toshibas and IBMs that have caused me innumerable problems. Dells, at least in my experience, are solid machines.

[huskerlaw]

79. My first Dell laptop

was an absolute piece of SH!T. I had to have nearly everything replaced at least once, ended up threatening to sue them...they finally replaced it. The customer service is also SHI!T. As far as I can tell, they've outsourced the tech help to India, which makes communication somewhat difficult. That said, the replacement laptop has been fine and dandy. However, I will never, ever buy from Dell again.

[LynneSin]

81. I"ve had Dell and I've had Sony - Sony's just rule

Seriously and Sony is also Blue!!!

[solinvictus]

2. Toshibas are rated well..

Along with Sony Viao's. I got an Apple iBook myself, but both of these machines rated well. From the surveys I read, avoid H/P, Dell, eMachines, and Compaq because they all have double-digit return rates on new purchases.

[Wonk]

8. My folks just got a Satellite M40, and they're pretty happy with it so far

It gets 180fps in my dad's favorite online shoot em up game. Yeah yeah, I know, the human eye can only perceive around 30 fps....

Oh, it can do word processing and surf the web too ;-)

edit: most of you know I'm a Mac guy, but Pitt isn't looking for a Mac.

[jojo54]

10. Really?

I just posted for Will to get an emachine. The only problem we had is when hubby tried downloading Windows service pack 2 - TWICE! It crashed the laptop, and guess who had to clean up the mess?!

The good thing is, most of the new PC's come with SP2 already downloaded. But I'm not about to erase the hard drive just so I can download it successfully; he can kiss my arse!

[MrScorpio]

3. Go with the Mac, My man

You can't go wrong

[jojo54]

4. get an Emachine

they're a LOT better than they used to be. Hubby got one about a year ago; no problems (except the ones he created himself and I had to clean up). He uses his for work and is real happy with it.

We're on the east coast and got it at Best Buy - with the extended warranty, of course. And the Geek Squad are pretty good IT people.

[DS1]

5. IBM laptops, in comparison to Dell and Gateway, are bulletproof.

.

[WilliamPitt]

15. Thinkpads?

[DS1]

23. Absolutely. From what I've seen at a school where they force everyone

to have a laptop, the IBMs are a magnitude more reliable than the other major brands. Gateway being the worst of the big three.

If (obviously this isn't scientific) Dells are 99% reliable, the Thinkpads are 99.9% reliable.

They're just really well built.

[WilliamPitt]

24. That's kinda where I was leaning

I'm a sucker for their commercials. Steve Austin was in one. I'm sold. :)

[Scout1071]

29. I met with a couple of computer techs last friday....both had good things

to say about the Thinkpads.

[ArkDem]

67. I have bought over 100 thinkpads in the last 5 years. I HIGHLY

reccommend.

[DS1]

75. LOL, now I'm assuming that's for more than one person

:D

[ArkDem]

77. I'm the IT manager. I buy for everyone.

[tavalon]

60. I had a thinkpad once upon a time

I loved it. Well, all except the clit-mouse. I hated that damn thing. I guess I'm just too het. ;)

[Ann Arbor Dem]

41. My next laptop will be an IBM Thinkpad....

I've done a lot of research, and I found that IBM's are the best out there today.

[Misunderestimator]

74. I suppose it's just me, but both of the thinkpads I've had ...

the LCD has funked out with vertical lines burned into it. Other than that, they were ok. I like my Dells though.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Ok Bill need to ask

do you also need it for graphics work? If you do I may suggest a tablet PC. If that is the case I use an HP, but Toshiba right now is coming out with a great model, and it is now beefy enough and fast enough for those who need a faster machine than my tortouse. (Oh and I love to edit on her though, the Tablet PC allows me to save some paper)

Oh and time to do my shameless plug on some linux programs that DO run on Windows

GIMP (for all those graphic needs)
OPenOffice Heck I have been runing their Beta now, and it does a great job of ... believe it or not page layout.

[WilliamPitt]

13. No graphics, though I want to learn how to do Flash movies

How are the IBM Thinkpads?

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. IBM has a good reputation

and for flash movies I don't think yuou need a tablet, that said, if you choose to get a "regular one" I can tell you how the Intous tablet by Waccom is in some months... after I get the darn thing...

My whole experience with Web work is Dreamweaver and it is very recent...

I will still plug GIMP, I think you can use GIMP to make soem of the graphics that then you can make into flash, and GIMP also has a native animator (and it is free)

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. I have the hpzv5000. I love it, and they put it up on sale at Best Buy

quite often for $549.00. It has everything I need to write on the run. Good luck! :hi:

[AlCzervik]

9. i would go with the apple powerbook.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/72201/wo/OR4tpP6Tl3fy2kMcD3921pElNoB/0.0.11.1.0.6.13.0.2.1.3.0.5.1.5.1.1.0

[Guy Fawkes]

11. Did someone say... Amazon.com?

MWAHAHA! No, really, you can get some nice laptops VERY cheap at amazon.com. Don't go to Ebay because that's all crap (most of it broken) and forget about dell (unless you're good with computers and can fix it yourself).

No matter what you do or where you buy your laptop, remember one thing: REFORMAT AS SOON AS YOU TURN THE COMPUTER ON!

[merh]

33. Why?

Why reformat? I've never heard that.

[Guy Fawkes]

55. Why, you ask... Well,

when you get a computer new, it will be set to factory standards. But it will also have a bunch of software that the company has added as a bonus- though all this software will be bundeled with the computer.

Unfortunately, it will all be on one drive. What you need to do is refort into two partitions- one should be about 5-10Gb and will be for your operating system ONLY. The other will take up the remaining space and can be for whatever you want. This will make it so that you can reformat your operating system later without losing your non-OS files.

For used computers, it's a given. What if the person before you was a pedophile trying to get rid of evidence? What if the computer is riddled with viruses they didn't mention? Spyware? Malware? Reformating will solve all of that.

[merh]

59. That's good to know! Thanks for splaining to me!

:hi:

I will follow your advice. ;-)

[jojo54]

12. There's also a website

www.poasters.com

The IT's that monitor the site are very helpful. You should probably just go to your electronics store and talk to one (or more) of the tech assistants there, tell them what you need and what you plan to use it for. Hopefully, you'll get someone who's knowledgeable.

[Lithos]

14. If you really need a Windows box

(And can't do with what a Mac can do either with compatible programs or via emulation), then I would say either a Dell or Toshiba.

If you are only using it for work, get one with a decently wide screen, good memory (Windows XP starts working well at 1GB, get more if you can). And HD (Most good laptops have at least 60 GB).

Also, DVD burner (which means CD-RW capability too). And as much as I hate to say it, if you travel a lot, get the extended warranty - the kind that covers you should you break the screen or something. Also, you might consider getting yourself a second power cord right off. More useful than you would think.

L-

[RagingInMiami]

17. The problem with Dells is that they heat up too much on the bottom

That's not good if you're using it for a long period of time. I bought a Toshiba Satellite at Costco last year. Got a great deal, use it all day and night, and I have not had a problem.

So check out Costco. Good deals and they give money to the dems.

[WilliamPitt]

18. I had a Toshiba and the fan shit the bed

Sounded like a lawnmower and would overheat and shut off.

[RagingInMiami]

22. Before I bought this computer

I researched the hell out them. Toshibas had the lowest calls for maintenance and service compared to Dell and other models. I'll see if I can find that website.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

48. ".... shit the bed ...."

I haven't heard that from anyone except the folks in my hometown back in PA. Great expression.

[Beausoir]

42. They do get hot. Wonder if cool pads work?

Mine gets hotter than hell. Burns out the battery, too.

Do those "cool pads" actually work?

[RagingInMiami]

44. Which ones are the cool pads?

For my Toshiba, I use one of things which makes the laptop prop up at a slight angle, making it easier for me to type, but also allowing it to cool underneath.

I paid like 30 bucks for it at Target and it's great.

[MuseRider]

19. I had a thinkpad

and really liked it until hubby screwed it all up. I have a Dell now and to tell you the truth, I love it. Seriously good machine.

[Scout1071]

20. Will, I just went thru this and finally bought a laptop yesterday.

I had alot of very nice DU'ers giving me advice, but some of their tech talk was over my head. Based on those conversations, the recommended brands seem to be (in no particular order):

1) Dell (Altough it was pointed out that they are more red than blue)
2) HP Pavillion or Lattitude
3) Toshiba
4) Sony Vaio
5) Mac Powerbook

It truly depends on budget and the extent of media capability and power/memory. Everyone seems to recommend Pentium M or Athlon.

I have no idea the political leanings of the other companies, (Apple the exception) but I picked up a new Dell Inspiron 6000 on Ebay for $660 yesterday. 15.4" wide screen LCD, CD-RW/DVD, WiFi, 30GB. I can add all kinds of memory. You will likely need something with more memory, but you can really find some great bargains on Ebay. Apologies to DU'ers, but I had to go with the best computer for my budget.

Other DU'ers recommended these sites as well:

www.resellerratings.com
www.cdnet.com (ratings and reviews)

So, do a little research and then lurk around Ebay for a bit. You can find some good deals.

[Scout1071]

26. And I'd like to add that it took me about 2 days to get as many replies to

my inquiry as you seem to have gotten in a matter of minutes. I'm not hatin'....just statin' the facts.

When Will Pitt talks...DU listens.

[RagingInMiami]

32. Well, if you would not have had me on ignore that day ...

[Scout1071]

37. Raging....

I don't think it's possible to ignore you!

[tavalon]

61. That's because many of us

are besotted groupies and read everything he posts.

He's DU's rock star, you know that. :headbang:

[Az]

21. I have a pair of Toshibas that I have been very happy with

Currently using one for posting and as a conduit to my main PC and the other as a component for my entertainment center (Anime and downloads of the new Dr Who).

Toshiba is IMO a good choice for laptops. Its their primary business. They make a good unit. And the service is pretty good too.

As to the model it depends entirely on the uses you intend. You can get a luggable that can double as a full blown main PC. Or you can go with an ultralite for mobility. And then there is an entire range in between.

[RagingInMiami]

27. Before you buy, check out this site and its forums

They're a bunch of computer freaks and experts who will tell you more than you would ever want to know about laptops.
I went on there last year when I had narrowed my selection down to three computers and they helped me decide what I needed to get.

http://www.notebookreview.com/

[Wonk]

28. re: Pentium M processors vs regular processors (correct me if I'm

wrong) the numerical ratings given, say 1.7 Ghz for example, are for when they're running on battery power to conserve energy and extend the battery life. When plugged in they run at twice that, iow 3.4 Ghz for the example above.

/Again, I'm primarily a Mac user.

[politicat]

30. I loved my Toshiba when I had it.

Had to give it back when I was laid off. Good, solid machines that I've seen take a full cup of tea in the keyboard. (Not that I recommend that, mind you.)

Usually priced in the decent range, too.

[NV Whino]

31. Oh, Will, bite the bullet and get a Mac

Honestly, easier to use and maintain. Fewer (if any) viruses. Don't crash. You can convert/read almost any PC file. The list goes on.

[WilliamPitt]

35. I'd never live it down

For a while, my favorite Lounge game was to post a 'Macs suck' thread and then flee and watch the fireworks. I can't very well go out and buy one now. *sigh* Hoist on my own petard. ;)

[NV Whino]

40. The new iBooks are great

I have a G4 tower and a G4 iBook. Love 'em.

Besides, who do you have to tell?

[Awsi Dooger]

63. Ditto with me

G4 Dualie and a G4 1.2 iBook. Absolutely awesome.

But Will Pitt is right. HypnoToad is the only DUer above William Pitt on the "Macs suck" list. The pathetic aspect is HypnoToad actually seems to believe it.

[NV Whino]

65. What can one say?

They gets what they deserves. :D

[OldLeftieLawyer]

50. Soon as you get your new laptop,

ditch IE and download Firefox. You'll love it.

[Helga Scow Stern]

Widow PC.

http://www.widowpc.com/

I just went through the search for a new laptop and ended up getting a Widow PC. They are advertised as a gaming machine, but that really means they are fast and powerful--great for media of all kinds. I got the big 17" screen, because I use it mainly at my desk. You might want to get a smaller one.

I compared them with Alienware, another gaming, powerful PC.

The service at Widow, the delivery time, and the price sold me.

Check it out.

[merh]

34. Toshibas!

They are wonderful, very low mainetance, lightweight but very durable and their screens are huge for laptops.

[CanuckAmok]

36. I strayed from Toshiba ONCE. Never again!

I tried an Acer after a sdtring of Toshiba notebooks, because if its reputation and its features for the price.

Couldn't handle "real world" (read "my abuse") traveling, and packed it in around 18 months later. I want back to Toshiba and I'll never buy anything else again. I bought a Toshiba P10 last Septmeber:

P4Mobile 2.4MHz, NVidia graphics, 60 gig hard drive, decent sound, wireless internet/IR communication, DVD burner, etc, etc, etc. But most importantly, it has a tough casing. It just feels (and is) sturdy.

I mostly use it for word processing, a proprietary database program I use at work, and web surfing. It's more than enough for that. And a nice bright screen to watch DVDs on doesn't hurt, when you're on your book tour.

[mike_c]

38. let me advise against GATEWAY....

I have two-- different models from different years, the result of institutional buying prefs-- and both have died within three years or so of purchase. I've got one working again, but it was a joint project between myself and a department equipment tech, and took almost a year. No kidding. Plus, both were top of the Gateway line when purchased but were exceeded by popular technology faster than any other computer I've owned. To add insult to injury their tech support and service people are bloody awful-- PM me if you're considering Gateway and I'll provide the ugly details. On the plus side, there are a couple of good after market parts suppliers. That's as good as the Gateway laptop plus side gets, in my experience.

Fairness notice: I have two Gateway DESKTOP computers at the office-- both a couple of years old now-- and they have withstood both my poundings and my grad student's attempts to abuse them. They are utterly pedestrian machines, but I've no complaints about them. Just steer clear of their laptops.

[DELUSIONAL]

43. ABS laptop -- starting second year of heavy use

http://www.abspc.com/app/Series.asp?familyno=25&series=76

The desktop ABS were highly rated by several testing labs last time I checked.

Dells -- we have a Dell desktop -- and they installed a SLOW modem and charged for a high speed modem.

Toshiba -- some are very good and some are lemons.

Forget Sony laptops -- ours was a lemon from day one and they refused to replace it.

[mattclearing]

46. Acer.

I've worked with several Acer laptops and they are fantastic without being ridiculously expensive.

They even have a Ferrari model, which a friend of mine has. It would be cheesy if it weren't such a great machine.

http://global.acer.com/products/notebook/fr3400.htm

[CanuckAmok]

68. I had nothing but bad experiences with my one and only Acer.

Never again.

Screen replaced twice (both times under warranty, but it was still a week at a time each time with no PC), and it didn't travel well. Flimsy construction... Never again.

FTR, this is the model I had. I just sold it for parts, for $130.00:

http://compreviews.about.com/cs/laptops/gr/aaprAcreTM653.htm

[Bossy Monkey]

51. Also consider the AlphaSmart, especially for travel

http://www2.alphasmart.com/
I have the most basic, the 3000, and have been very happy with it. You can write on it (up to c. 100 pp of text) then export via USB cable. There's also a printer connection but I haven't had any need for this and the cable for it is an extra charge.

Advantages: It's very lightweight.
It runs for 700 hours on 3 AA batteries.
It's very durable. They're basically made to be used by schoolchildren.
If it's lost, stolen or broken, you're out c. $200, as against $2,000. Of course you'll still want to get the superpowered laptop, but you don't necessarily need to travel with it.

I'm pretty sure the more advanced AlphaSmarts allow email and other such 21st century activities, but you'll have to follow the link above to find out about that stuff.

[Poiuyt]

52. The "Rolls Royce of laptops."

http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/articles/1409512.html

Apple puts questions to rest as it polishes the PowerBook line
By Matthew Fordahl
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Apple Computer Inc.'s PowerBooks have long been considered the Rolls-Royce of laptops with their stylish looks, powerful engines and hefty price tags.

But with two years passing since its last major update, the line was at risk of being eclipsed by upstarts running on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows platform.

Any fears that PowerBooks' reputation as the best in the business might have been eclipsed were put to rest after the revamped lineup appeared Jan. 31. The company even cut prices on most models a bit.

more-

[strategery blunder]

53. Dell, but don't overheat it.

I've had this Inspiron 5100 since Oct 03 and am still quite happy about it...I've NEVER had a hardware failure. However, I have run into some overheating problems in the past few months, mostly when I play resource-intensive computer games for 4+hours straight;) And that has improved since I finally got a can of compressed air and cleaned the cooling fan. If you only need one for work, you probably won't have to worry about overheating that much.

Edit: My uncle still has a Dell desktop from six or seven years ago, maybe longer. It's a P2 266 MHz if it gives you any idea. And it still works--only now is his CD drive showing a hint of unreliability.

[ariesgem]

54. I just purchased a refurbished IBM Thinkpad from Ebay for $435

It runs great, comes with a 14" screen, cd/dvd write capabilities and a wireless internet connection. Here's the link to the store where I got mine -

http://stores.ebay.com/Laptop-Enterprise_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZkm

Most of these laptops run under $500 with the option to "buy now".

Good luck.

[soothsayer]

56. Alienware laptops are sooooo cool looking! But short on

battery life.

But I love my beauty!

[radwriter0555]

57. I LOVE my little averatec 3225. Under a grand, LIGHT as can be..

wi-fi ready, (remember to PUSH the button) fast, and very cute.

Has all the amenities one needs, speedy, lotsa memory and I'm typing on it right now in bed.

Love it WAY better than my hp I schlepped across europe.

[sir_captain]

58. Thinkpad X-Series -- especially for a writer

are by far the finest lightweight notebooks on the planet. Weighing in around 2.7 pounds and with by far the best *full-sized* keyboard around. There's really no comparison.

For Thinkpads in general, it's best to go directly through IBM unless you have some sort of an association with an educational institution that has a contract with them. I used to be able to get mine through Harvard and saved around 40%.

[Iterate]

62. Thinkpad

There's no perfect choice, but there isn't a great second choice either in a an MS/Intel machine.

I can give you plenty of anecdotals, first hand or from clients, but look at the industry surveys instead. IBM's Atlanta call center wins, hands down. Walk-in centers, plenty of models to choose from, rugged beyond belief, great displays and keyboards, and less reliance on proprietary hardware and system setups which lock you into a brand. Price difference?, I haven't looked lately, but amortized over six years?, how much is that per keystroke? Big Blue has tried to do some things the right way, finally.

[matcom]

64. SAVE YOURSELF SOME $$$$$$

http://www.gotapex.com

its a "DEALS" site and you'll save BIG $$$ with rebates, specials, etc...

on edit: the deals change daily so keep checking back, and when you find what you need, BUY

[WilliamPitt]

66. THANK YOU EVERYONE

who took the time to help me out here. A ton of great info. I really appreciate it.

[CanuckAmok]

69. One more...for durability: Itronix....

If money were no object, I'd buy one of these:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2080546/
http://www.gobookmax.com/products/notebooks.asp

[never cry wolf]

70. A suggestion, Will. Check out consumer reports

A great place to research. www.consumerreports.org .

Small monthly fee for CR online, you can also research the written version at the library. If you want, I can PM you my username and pwd. if you'd like. I never make a major purchase without it.

[Redstone]

71. Get a used, late-model PowerBook and Virtual PC

I have a 2003 Titanium PB, and Windows XP runs faster under Virtual PC on this computer than it does on a Windows laptop.

(Disclaimer: I'm still running System 9 on the Mac, and Virtual PC 6. You might not be as happy with System X and VPC 7, from what I hear.

Redstone

[victim]

72. Well...

If you go for one of these, make sure you get the TOTAL protection plan warranty :)

[jswordy]

76. A WOMAN makes a great laptop!

;)

(ducking)

[ChickMagic]

78. Hey

I was going to say, "Oh, sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you said lapdance." Double duck - no takebacks!

[LynneSin]

80. Buy Blue - BUY SONY

Seriously!!!!