please help me DECIDE ON A LAP.

Joined
11 Mar 2004
Messages
3,454
all right im gona start this thread now but i wont be buying until around febuary 20th ish.

ok. Here is the budget 2500.00 US. i can go up more.. but id like to keep it at this. hehe

ok here is what i want i want a laptop that can
1. music/ movies(divix ect/dvds)
2. school things ( basic, photoshop minimal rendering)
3. Games. i have the rig below for most games but on the lap id like to be able to play (dawn of war warhammer 40,000 and any other RTS game and some newer things. id like to be able to have a lap that can play a game like half life 2 on low or medium) once again i have the rig below for this but just for the future.
4. i want to be able to burn cds and watch dvds. ( i wil be buying a dvd burner for the desktop)
5. wirless built in need no 56k modem would like a lan connection incase a friend doewsnt have wirless. (but i am flexible on this.)
6. im not sure bout LCd size im used to using a 21inch monitor and a 19inch so... i need some advice on this.
7 i want a balance between weight and power.
8. iid like at least 512 RAM im not sure.
9. i dont know enough about the Mobile procc can anyone fill me in...
10. id really like no software including OS. i have all this stuff legal in one way or the other. and i have a copy of XP pro laying around unused.....
11. id like it to look nice. but am flexible on this (cant have eberything lol)
12. this is completly optional lol but i know you can get them with fingerprint keys... and someone told me they arent that expensive i was just wonderiong id acually be willing to throw a couple hundred at this for the novilety and the security. (if someone is gona steal it at least not let them turn it on~ i know there are power pass's)
13. this is my first lap. so i need loooooooooots of advice so please dont be shy.
14. i like good deal and coupons. (gets down and bows to NetRyder)
15. PLEASE help me i cant make up my mind and i figure its agood time to start looking into what i want. I can wait sometime but id like to not go more than 3 months before i buy it. (longer i wait the more money i get)


i know i like thinkpads (IBM) i hear lots of good things. i want something thats gona last for about 3-4 years. and i want something that if i drop it 2 feet its not gona shikt parts everywhere. lol

(edit) (60-80 gig drive)
 
IBM Notebook Thinkpad T42 Pentium M 735 1.7G, 400MHz FSB, 2MB Cache, 15" TFT, RADEON 9600, 512MB, 60GB, DVD/CD-RW, GbE LAN/WLAN, WinXP Pro


http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=34-146-058&depa=3
~ i like this one but need more imput on it.

ACER Tablet PC TMC303XMi-SP2 Pentium M 1.7GHz, 14.1" TFT, 1GB RAM, 80GB, WLAN, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=34-115-164&depa=3
~ i love tablets but the video on this sucks and i cant find better for it..

Toshiba Qosmio E15-AV101 Notebook Pentium M Centrino 1.7GHz, 512MB, 80GB, DVD±RW/CD-RW, 15" XGA TFT, Windows XP Media Center

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=34-114-119&depa=3

~i like this one too..

any other ideas?

what are some good places to look? i knwo to stay away from the manufac site because they are more expensive hehe.
 
sraycoz, the three notebooks you listed are in very different classes. The IBM is a mainstream machine, the Acer is a Tablet, and the Toshiba Qosmio is a Media Center notebook.

The Thinkpad T42 is a great machine (I was looking at this for my dad before we decided on the Inspiron 700m), but at that price, I think you'd be overpaying for what you're getting. This is the most generic kind of machine, so if you're looking at something in this class, let me know and I'll find you something that's much better value for your money.

The Acer Tablet looks really sweet. At this point you're going to ask yourself how much you'd be using the pen-functionality of the Tablet. Personally, I think they're really handy, and if I didn't already have a notebook, a Tablet would be it for me. If you want something better than integrated graphics, take a look at the Toshiba Portege M200, which is usually considered to be one of the best Tablets in terms of power.

In my opinion, you should forget about the Qosmio. It would be ideal if the notebook was going to be your only machine, since it would really save space in your room (you wouldn't need a separate TV), but since you already have a desktop, you'd be better off throwing in a TV tuner card into it and installed XP MCE 2005 on that instead. The bigger screen of the desktop will be much nicer for watching TV, movies etc.

At this point, I'm leaning towards the TabletPC, but it all depends on you. If you'd rather look into more mainstream machines like the T42, there are much better deals out there, but I won't spend time talking about them unless this is the class of machines you're interested in.
 
First of all netryder id like to say thank you. I apreciate your time and your help.

i like IBM because it seems to me they build things better . but i dont liek the price increase.

i do like the idea of a tablet (but i need to know how people like them) i do want better video for it and newegg has this.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=34-114-106&depa=0
~ the graphics still seem to suck on this shared 32!~

i was looking at dells site and i found something i like.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspn_9200?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

to make it a
mobile M 2 ghz
9700 mobile pro
512 ram
and upgrade the screen to ahigher type along with someothere things it says 2400.

i need advice i dont have lap and dont know enough about them. so any input you can give me would be helpful.
 
Have a look at this one 15.4" screen with all the stuff you want. Before you add any software, it's $1,723.90 with the following:
Athlon 64 3400+
Radeon 9700 128MB
2x512MB DDR-400 Ram
Intel 802.11g Wireless
80 GB 5400 RPM Drive
CD-RW/DVD Reader Combo

A similarly configured system can be had with a 17" screen for $2308.94 at this link.
 
The link you posted on Newegg is the Toshiba M200 I was mentioning earlier - it's an NVIDIA GeForceFX Go5200 chipset. Not the greatest thing in the world, but it has 32MB of dedicated video memory (it's not shared).

The Inspiron 9200 is a great machine, but again, it's in a class of it's own. It's not going to be very portable (17" screen, ~8lbs), but if you want a powerful system with a good battery life (~5 hours according to PCMag tests) and a 17" screen, it's a great deal. I blogged about this earlier - the 9200 would have been an even better machine if Dell had decided to make it a Media Center notebook like the Qosmio. Plus, if you decide to go with a Dell, I can get you coupons. ;)
 
sraycoz said:
i do like the idea of a tablet (but i need to know how people like them)
Ok, Tablet PCs are currently a niche market, just like Macs. Two of the main reasons for this:
- Price: Tablets tend to cost more than regular notebooks. But with your budget, you should be able to get something very nice.
- Power: Tablets almost always will be less powerful than other notebooks, especially if you compare a Tablet to a desktop-replacement class machine with a Radeon 9700 etc. (which you shouldn't really be doing, since they are two very different machines with different purposes)

Now since you already have a relatively powerful desktop (which can always be upgraded down the road), the second point shouldn't be a huge concern for you, at least in my honest opinion.

Now, I know a few people at university who own Tablets (my CS TA last year had one...seeing one being used in real life was what got me really interested in them), and they are really happy with them. If you read personal reviews on blogs, you'll generally find the same reaction. People love being able to use their computer like a regular notebook with the added convenience of being able to fold it back and use it like pen-and-paper.

The bottom-line is: ask yourself if you'll be making use of the Tablet functionality enough to justify the purchase. Maybe even find someone who has one, or go to a store and try it out. If you're not going to use it much, it's pointless. You can save the money and get a more powerful notebook instead.
 
wow i really like this.

http://www.americancomputech.com/smoreinfo.asp?iid=204306

the price i got on a quick config is 2323

what would the pros and cons be of a rig like this.

Netryder the more i think about it, the more power i want for the lap. I alos had a grad student who used a tablet and i loved the fact that you can write with it like a pen and paper. this for noets would be really cool.. but. i type fast lol and i think i could live without it.

wow i also like the smaller one.. how muc diff does a 15 or a 17 matter on a lptop i woudnt know..

http://www.americancomputech.com/smoreinfo.asp?iid=204314
 
Hmm, I can't say I have ever heard of ACI.
Unwonted, do you own one of these machines, or do you know someone who has one? I usually tend to be a skeptical of companies I have never heard of, especially when we're talking about something like a notebook computer that should be able to hold up for more than a few years.
 
good point... i dont want to get scammed out of 1800 or 2500 hehe but damn both those laps sound so tempting...
 
It's not so much about being scammed (as in, not receiving the machine, after paying for it) as it is about the quality/durability of the machine and after-purchase service.
At least with the big fish like IBM, Dell, Toshiba etc. you're assured of that. ACI might quite possibly be just as good - it's just that I've never heard of them.
 
yah i understand. it looks legit well maintained site and such but anymore that doest mean anything.
 
i really have fallen in love with this comp though....

http://www.americancomputech.com/smoreinfo.asp?iid=204306

i mean AMD 64 bit 3400
512 (2) pc3200 ram
9700 pro
# TV-Tuner Built-in TV-Tuner with Multi-Function Remote Control this is a novilty lol but its cool .
a 60 gig 7200 rpm drive.

i mean this comp whips my comps ass lol.

sigh be a month or 2 before all the money is togther.
 
That's a superb desktop-replacement system, no doubt.
smile.gif

Here's another possible red flag - I haven't been able to find any information about warranty and support for notebooks. I looked under the 'Product Warranties' section, but it lists only desktops, servers and parts/accessories. I highly suggest checking up on that before you go any further.
 
I haven't known anyone who has a laptop from them, but it's always a good idea to check online companies out on ResellerRatings.com to see what people think about their business.
 
yah i agree once again looking up the on ResellerRatings.com see what that says. like i said its gona be a few months before i buy it so lots fo things can change. I just want the best bang for the buck.

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1732.html

6-month rating is a 8.43

life time is a 5.9.... hmm
need input from you awesome guys.

(edit read about half of the reviews. and it seems that mixed. sounds like as long as youget your order right... your fine lol but tech suport sucks.

i willbe getting this with no OS or anything so i can figure out quickly what works and what does not.

under warrantsy it just says desktop and servers... wtf is laptops...

http://www.americancomputech.com/warranties.asp
(edit again)
ok just called them he said that laptops come with 1 year warrantys and the parts have a 3 year warranty.
 
allright iv read lots of bad reviews and it makes me edgy. In all they all get what they ordered but still. Sounds like this company doesnt do custemer satisfaction very well.

and when i called them they did not even answer the phone with the company name.... this makes me sad.. now i need more ideas because i dont want to buy from someone like this....

unless someone here can talk me into it now. hehe

i guess i will go back and look at dell. Im up for more susgestions netryder.

the only nice thing about getting it from dell is i can get it a bit earlier make payemnt for a month and then pay the entire thing off. hehe
 
ok i found this.

http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/highendsystem/ntbkx649900.asp?v=d#configurator_top

# AMD™ MOBILE ATHLON™64 3400+ Processor
# SiS Chipset Mainboard
# 1024 MB PC3200 400MHz DDR MEMORY (Major_Brand)
# 60GB 7200RPM ULTRA ATA 100 HARD DRIVE
# MOBILE ATI M11 128MB VIDEO
# 8X DVD & 24/16/24 CDRW COMBO DRIVE
# 17.0" WSXGA WIDE-SCREEN TFT LCD DISPLAY Max: 1680x1050 PIXELS
# BUILT-IN AC 97 SOUND

2021 before tax and shipping.

what you guys think of this rig and the site?
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest profile posts

Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
Xie wrote on Electronic Punk's profile.
Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
Electronic Punk wrote on Sazar's profile.
Rest in peace my friend, been trying to find you and finally did in the worst way imaginable.

Forum statistics

Threads
62,015
Messages
673,494
Members
5,621
Latest member
naeemsafi
Back