View Full Version : Buying a laptop - need advice
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 04:53 PM
My old laptop has finally died and need some advice on buying another.
My old one had had a P4 2.4ghz proccessor but all the new ones i see now seem to have much lower proccessors but are called "mobility". Am i getting the same performance with these "mobility" CPU's even though the clock speeds are lower??
Battery life/weight/size isn't to much of big deal as it will be used by mains rather than battery mainly.
Graphics cards/hard disks etc i know about but i'm a little confused by proccessor speeds.
dvtimes
10-28-05, 05:07 PM
If it was me, I would buya cheap low power laptop, and buy a decent desk top.
The reason is, that 1. it will not get as hot, cheaper, lighter (with luck), and use less power (longer battery life).
Then use a desk top for your main hard slog work.
I would also consider dell as they seem cheap as chips.
If your going to take it around with you, I would be tempted with those cute small apple laptops.
We use Sony Vaio's and never get any problems.
Cheap laptops are cheap for a reason, they are utter shit.
dvtimes
10-28-05, 05:40 PM
We use Sony Vaio's and never get any problems.
Cheap laptops are cheap for a reason, they are utter shit.
Not 100% correct. often the expensive ones cost more as its a more powerfull processor, and bigger screen.
All i want in a lap top these days, is a decent screen, and the ability to go on the net with wifi and a bit of word processing and maby a bit of a htlm editor. I need nothing else. I use my main pc to edit films and stuff.
Thats why if i was getting a new laptop i would probably get one of those cute small white apple laptops, as they look like you can put them on your knee without cooking your private parts.
To be honest i use my little pocket pc a lot. i find taking a laptop around is a pain, but i can drop the pocket pc into my jacket pocket.
cock-a-leekie
10-28-05, 05:42 PM
Amstrad’s latest model is the biz!
Plus, you can knock out the odd Howard Jones tune in your spare time...
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 05:45 PM
I have enough desktops which are my work tools and the laptop will only be used as a "toy" and i have a wireless connection to our outhouse where its mainly used for music and web browsing only - i don't need it for real work.
On another note, does leaving a laptop on all the time connected by the mains kill the battery as that seems to happend to my old Toshiba (along with the hard disk failing)?
if you have it plugged in, simply remove the battery for the time being. constant charging doesn't do it any good.
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 05:48 PM
Not 100% correct. often the expensive ones cost more as its a more powerfull processor, and bigger screen.
After only a year and a half of very very little use the toshiba was a high spec machine at the time but is dead now :(
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 05:50 PM
if you have it plugged in, simply remove the battery for the time being. constant charging doesn't do it any good.
Think i've learnt my lesson now :)
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 05:53 PM
Is this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Evesham-Clearance-17-Widescreen-AMD-Athlon-64-Notebook_W0QQitemZ8712203718QQcategoryZ177QQcmdZVi ewItem) any good? Beefy cpu and big screen. Shame about the low memory though?
avoid lappers with desktop CPUs. like the plague. those CPUs are not meant to be in tight cases, disagree with the heat which makes them slower or going bust in worst case or you have a fan which puts every helicopter to shame.
memory, minimum 512, better 1024, you'll run the lapper for some years most likely, software isn't going to be less RAM hungry and the RAM sticks for lappers are not cheap when it's a recent model and become like gold once the lapper has aged.
cock-a-leekie
10-28-05, 06:11 PM
Is this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Evesham-Clearance-17-Widescreen-AMD-Athlon-64-Notebook_W0QQitemZ8712203718QQcategoryZ177QQcmdZVi ewItem) any good? Beefy cpu and big screen. Shame about the low memory though?
I don't like the sound of "Refurbished"
Nor do I like laptops, but if I had to buy one I wouldn’t spend a fortune. The technology moves on too quickly to justify spending over a grand or keeping one for more than a couple of years. You'd be better off sticking with a middle of the road 512mb model from a brand like Acer/packard bell/toshiba etc. £800-900 should do it.
Mattyboy
10-28-05, 06:14 PM
avoid lappers with desktop CPUs. like the plague. those CPUs are not meant to be in tight cases, disagree with the heat which makes them slower or going bust in worst case or you have a fan which puts every helicopter to shame.
memory, minimum 512, better 1024, you'll run the lapper for some years most likely, software isn't going to be less RAM hungry and the RAM sticks for lappers are not cheap when it's a recent model and become like gold once the lapper has aged.
Good points and was the reason i was asking about the "mobility" CPU's.
My old Toshiba did used to get red hot and sounded like a wind tunnel.
Acer/packard bell
did you have Acers or know someone who did? it appears to me everyone i know has issues with the cases falling apart after a year. is that something you observed?
and the packard feels like it's not making all the way home anyway. granted, i only had a little play with one in a shop the other day, but the plastic felt extremly thing and cheap.
cafeman
10-28-05, 07:00 PM
I've got an old Acer Aspire 1400, and you'd have to threaten to lop off my tallywhacker before I gave it up.
In summary then, Acer gets the thumbs up from me :)
cock-a-leekie
10-28-05, 07:47 PM
did you have Acers or know someone who did? it appears to me everyone i know has issues with the cases falling apart after a year. is that something you observed?
and the packard feels like it's not making all the way home anyway. granted, i only had a little play with one in a shop the other day, but the plastic felt extremly thing and cheap.
Nothing wrong with Acer, I buy their stuff over more expensive brands whenever I can. I don't know shit about Packard Bell though I must confess, but my point was more along the lines of buying cheap and treating it as a disposable item.
If longevity is an issue, I'd reckon it to be much cheaper to buy a budget laptop with a 3yr extended warranty than a Sony of the same spec. Plus the Sony would only have a 1-year warranty and even Sony's break sometimes.
It all comes down to what you're prepared to pay for something, and judging by the link (£500) it aint much, so that rules a Sony out.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I live on my laptop and it comes with me everywhere. I think that a laptop is as liberating as the pill was for women back in the 60’s. Of course you cant live without desktops but I cant imagine being stuck in an office anymore especially when you can update sites, check stats and e-mail from anywhere in the world. We love to holiday several times a year (especially as all of our holidays are on the business) and I just can’t imagine having to go back to planning holidays around the business.
We used to buy Toshiba’s for staff and they were pretty bullet proof but as big as breeze blocks and Dell’s used to be excellent a couple of years back but they have fallen behind now. We bought several Advent’s but the last one had a model put a stiletto heel through it and that was about all they were good for. Using an Apple laptop if you use PC’s in the office really isn’t the brightest suggestion. Samsung are great but if you have never used a Sony Vaio you really need to check them out. The Sony screen is the best by miles and they are small and light enough to be no problem on planes and they put up with all sorts of abuse.
Got a katana laptop from them... the dogs bollocks performance wise, 17 inch screen, 3.4mhz processor, 1 gig memory, ATI graphics card etc etc.... It knocked spots off my old desktop and I used it for video editing.... and they do them in great paint jobs too....
But a number of downsides, battery life is virtually zilch, the power adapter weighs more than the pc, u need a pretty heavy cushion on yr lap if using it as a laptop otherwise it'll burn yr bollocks off (it gets that hot) and they cost an arm and a leg....
But they do give u a nifty free tee shirt when u buy 1..... :)
acer laptops are good, i've got a travelmate 2300
and it's reliable and wasn't too dear.. cost me less than £600.00
thats with a 15.4in widescreen 512mb ram, 60gig drive, DVD RW
wireless networking (but very limited range)
ukwebmasters
10-28-05, 10:36 PM
laptops are great targets for random acts of violence
another thumbs up for Acer from me ... been using a Travelmate for over a year now and never had a problem with it. Cost around £500 and the only extra I've bought for it was another 512 of ram.
ChemicalEyes
10-28-05, 10:57 PM
We use Sony Vaio's and never get any problems.
Cheap laptops are cheap for a reason, they are utter shit.
Same here, Vaio laptop and desktop best things I've ever had.
We use Sony Vaio's and never get any problems.
Cheap laptops are cheap for a reason, they are utter shit.
Bought a Sony Vaio last week and I love it. The screen sharpness is better than I've seen on any desktop or laptop. I need it primarily for checking video that I shoot on loaction and can't fault it in any way.
Bought a Sony Vaio last week and I love it. The screen sharpness is better than I've seen on any desktop or laptop. I need it primarily for checking video that I shoot on loaction and can't fault it in any way.
Same reason we bought ours plus they have the best wi/fi range I have ever seen by miles and the batteries last forever too. Also, if you drop it just about anywhere in the world you know you can get it fixed without any problems. A real workhorse and never go anywhere without it. :)
I dropped my laptop from chest-height onto concrete a couple of weeks ago - not even a scratch ... so for dropability my vote goes to Toshiba .... :drink:
I use a Toshiba. Hours of use every day for the past 18 months and no problems (well until I made this post anyway!). Only downside is it runs quite hot so I have to put it on a tray or my nethers get too hot and shrink. Centrino chip, don't know if that makes it hotter.
However, if you do a lot of picture or video editing I would probably go for a Sony, just for the screen quality.
daveydude
10-29-05, 08:10 PM
My gf just bought an Acer - seems like a decent machine. Wireless keeps cutting out though, even when it's in the same room as the router.
My gf just bought an Acer - seems like a decent machine. Wireless keeps cutting out though, even when it's in the same room as the router.
I had that. Is was the neighbours car alarm effecting it. When he bought a new alarm it was ok. I know jay had problems with his house alarm. Its worth seeing if there is a patern and trying to pin point what it is
Mattyboy
10-31-05, 01:10 PM
I had that. Is was the neighbours car alarm effecting it. When he bought a new alarm it was ok. I know jay had problems with his house alarm. Its worth seeing if there is a patern and trying to pin point what it is
Good point. Does affect all laptops as our place is alarmed :/
Signal needs to go from main house (alarmed)> past car (alarmed) and into out building (also alarmed) :banghead:
I may just use a long cable...
Good point. Does affect all laptops as our place is alarmed :/
Signal needs to go from main house (alarmed)> past car (alarmed) and into out building (also alarmed) :banghead:
I may just use a long cable...
It shouldnt effect it at all, as they should be on different frequencies. I had a network bloke round, he said I should have a word with the neighbour and see if he could get his alarm fixed......LOL..... Can you imagine, hello mate I cant look at smut on my laptop when you come home at night, can you go and get your car fixed......Not a good way of bonding with the neighbours.....But since hes had his new car I had no problems at all.
Good point. Does affect all laptops as our place is alarmed :/
Signal needs to go from main house (alarmed)> past car (alarmed) and into out building (also alarmed) :banghead:
I may just use a long cable...
Seriously, try a Sony if you get a chance. Never known *anything* to interrupt the wi/fi connection on ours ever.
Mattyboy
10-31-05, 01:44 PM
Hopefully laptop shopping this evening :)
Hopefully laptop shopping this evening :)
Hopefully lapdancer shopping this evening :)
I had that. Is was the neighbours car alarm effecting it. When he bought a new alarm it was ok. I know jay had problems with his house alarm. Its worth seeing if there is a patern and trying to pin point what it is
turned out my snags were caused by a wireless "video sender" .. not the alarm setup ... :sick:
turned out my snags were caused by a wireless "video sender" .. not the alarm setup ... :sick:
spaz
If you have to have wintel, then a Thinkpad is the best I have used. Esp the x31 I think it is, tiny and light.
If you are not biased for an OS, then definately get the iBook (http://www.apple.com/ibook/). There are very cheap, robust, check it in your bag and go sort of things.
And you can stick a linux distro on it if you are allergic to OSX.
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