Time for a new laptop, any suggestions?

ISUChippewa · 06-16-2008, 10:06 PM

So the laptop I'm using right now is close to six years old and is acting like it too.

Time for a new laptop....any ideas or suggestions out there from any of you on what or what not to buy?

Thanks for the help.

whirlybirds · 06-16-2008, 10:10 PM

you may be looking for a labtop, and this isnt one, but from what i hear its a pretty good computer

YouTube - Dell Computer good for Porn only.

Cyclone62 · 06-16-2008, 10:12 PM

HA! My desktop is 10 years old!

I also am looking into getting a new computer. The suggestions the first post asks about will be of great help. (I"m virtually computer retarded)

ISUKyro · 06-16-2008, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by ISUChippewa

So the laptop I'm using right now is close to six years old and is acting like it too.

Time for a new laptop....any ideas or suggestions out there from any of you on what or what not to buy?

Thanks for the help.

Just to help out the tech nerds while we go shopping around - What are you wanting to do with your soon to be new lap top? (word, games, email, etc)

Until we know that we'll have very general recommendations. And my first is to stay away from Toshiba. My last one and my brother in law's current one are beyond hope with numerous hardware failures.

cytech · 06-16-2008, 10:17 PM

It all depends on what you want. But realize those wanting new computers. If you order a Dell you have till the 18th to order them with XP. After that you are stuck with vista. Which it is getting better, but I still prefer XP.

Also conveniently they really don't have any good deals going on right now.

Dell will be the best bang for your buck. But if you are looking for a higher end system other brands can work as well.

Sousaclone · 06-16-2008, 10:25 PM

Like has been said, it's hard to give recommendations until we know what you intend to do with it, your size preference (13", 14", 15", or 17"), and what your price range is.

That said, Dell makes a pretty decent laptop and is relatively cheap. Lenovo thinkpads are built like rocks but are more expensive. Macs, well, are macs. I think they are expensive for what you get, and I'm still tied into to many Windows based applications to convert to Leopard/Panther/Big Cat/Lion easily.

ISUChippewa · 06-16-2008, 10:28 PM

What are you wanting to do with your soon to be new lap top? (word, games, email, etc)

I primarily use my laptop for the internet based functions; e-mail, surfing the web (including this website!), watching the occasional web-based video (YouTube, etc.). I also will likely be using word processing programs to do things like freshen up my resume, write cover letters, etc.

I don't plan on doing any games or watching movies on it or anything like that. Not to go off on a tangent, but I've never understood wanting to watch movies on a small screen or, even more pointless, on a frickin' cell phone.

Does that narrow it down at all?

ISUChippewa · 06-16-2008, 10:30 PM

Size preference....13 to 15 inches.

Price? If there is something that fits my needs described above for around $700-$900 bucks, that would be cool.

Cyclone62 · 06-16-2008, 10:31 PM

My needs would be fairly basic (sorry if I hijack this from you Chippewa). I don't play many computer games, and basically need it to use Word, Excel, Intrawebs, and the like for the most part. I was thinking going Mac since my sister really likes hers, but at 2K a pop I think I may pass at this point (recent grad, so I'm broke with loans coming out the butt).

EDIT: Basically what Chippewa said

Jbone4State10' · 06-16-2008, 10:31 PM

I switched to Mac when i came to college two years ago and couldnt be happier. My computer still runs the way it did when i first bought it and it has out lasted 4 of my friends dell laptops and its only been 2 years!

C.John · 06-16-2008, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by ISUChippewa

Size preference....13 to 15 inches.

Price? If there is something that fits my needs described above for around $700-$900 bucks, that would be cool.

2 months ago I picked up a 17" HP Pavilion, AMD Turion64 X2 2ghz, 3gig ram, lightscribe DVD-RW with Vista Home Premium for $700 after a $50 rebate.

So far no issues and it's done all that I've asked from it.

SouthernHawk · 06-16-2008, 10:56 PM

Dell Inspiron is great. XPS is good if you have the money and need a high performance machine.

bhoodjer · 06-16-2008, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Jbone4State10'

I switched to Mac when i came to college two years ago and couldnt be happier. My computer still runs the way it did when i first bought it and it has out lasted 4 of my friends dell laptops and its only been 2 years!

I have had my Mac for about a year now and I will never go back...It is an awesome machine!!

cytech · 06-16-2008, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by C.John

2 months ago I picked up a 17" HP Pavilion, AMD Turion64 X2 2ghz, 3gig ram, lightscribe DVD-RW with Vista Home Premium for $700 after a $50 rebate.

So far no issues and it's done all that I've asked from it.

Those 17" Hps are way to big for my taste. If you plan on using it in one place most the time I would get a LCD monitor and get a smaller laptop that is more mobile.

Cyberclone · 06-16-2008, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by ISUChippewa

So the laptop I'm using right now is close to six years old and is acting like it too.

Time for a new laptop....any ideas or suggestions out there from any of you on what or what not to buy?

Thanks for the help.

At work we have a ton of these, Dell D630 Latitudes, they are dependable, so far, and I think more durable, than the inspiron series, you can get them with either XP or Vista.

http://www.dell.com/content/products...&~ck=FamCustom