What laptop should i buy?

BaDDBLooD · July 27, 2005, 11:31 AM

Quote from: Lenny on July 26, 2005, 11:27 PM
IMO, its better to have a cheap laptop and a good desktop rather than just a good laptop.

Remember, laptops are nowhere near as expandable as desktops. One or two years down the line, the laptop won't even be able to run any of the newest games.

I Have used my 866 desktop for a very, very, very long time. So i'm sure a 1.8 ghz~ won't expire for a very very long time as well.

BaDDBLooD · July 27, 2005, 07:09 PM

i am thinking about buying http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16834146044

Yegg · July 27, 2005, 07:19 PM

That's a pretty good offer. It's also about the same price as a PowerBook G4.

Topaz · July 27, 2005, 09:03 PM

That's a terrible looking laptop

I don't think you'd be able to play games on a 1.5 Pentium, either.

BaDDBLooD · July 27, 2005, 09:46 PM

Quote from: Topaz on July 27, 2005, 09:03 PM
That's a terrible looking laptop I don't think you'd be able to play games on a 1.5 Pentium, either.

I can play Counter Strike: Source on my 866 Desktop.

I think i can play it on a 1.7 Ghz Laptop...

Lenny · July 27, 2005, 10:53 PM

Quote from: iago on July 27, 2005, 08:18 AM
Quote from: Lenny on July 26, 2005, 11:27 PM
IMO, its better to have a cheap laptop and a good desktop rather than just a good laptop.

Remember, laptops are nowhere near as expandable as desktops. One or two years down the line, the laptop won't even be able to run any of the newest games.

IMO, it's better to have a cheap desktop and a good laptop rather than just a good desktop.

Why? Because my laptop goes everywhere with me. I can bring it to work, my dad's, my friend's, and I can still play the same games there. I bought mine almost a year ago, and it's still in good shape.

At the rate technology is increasing, most computers end up being junked in 1-2 years anyway, and totally replaced (maybe with some salvaged parts like video card). Your motherboard won't support the newest technology in 2 years.

But back to the subject at hand: I really like Intel's Centrino. The Pentium-M processor runs cool and fast, and the onboard ipw2200 network card runs great with Windows or Linux, although both OS's require you to have drivers. My drivers are stored on my iPod.

I'm not sure how many people can afford to junk a desktop in 1-2 years. IMO, thats horribly wasteful. And as far as motherboards supporting new technologies, it really depends on the kind of motherboard you get. And if you're looking to buy the newest techonology for any kind of gaming, you wouldn't be looking at a laptop. As you've shown, laptops are meant for productivity. You can do your work anywhre.

Also, you have to consider the loss factor, having an expensive laptop stolen or broken won't be easy to get over. You can implement all the security features you want to prevent someone from seeing what you've stored on the laptop, but that still doesn't prevent someone from walking up and taking it. The person who stole it won't be giving it back because they can't login to it.

I'm not suggesting you get a cheap hand-me-down laptop, I'm telling you not to buy a $2400 system. It would be better to buy a $900 laptop and build a $1500 desktop (which would easily outperform the $2400 laptop).

If you're patient, Dell often has $750 off $1499+ laptop deals about once every month. I don't think the laptop you're looking at (IBM T42) is a very good deal at all. You definetly won't be doing any high end (or probably even second generation) gaming on that. You could easily get a much better laptop for a much lower price from Dell.

cefx- · July 27, 2005, 11:06 PM

Tweak up the Dell 700m.

It's a sweet laptop.

My buddy has a 600m, and it's tight. My brother's friend when he visited had a ***m (only got a glimpse of it) but it looked sweeeeeet.

Our Inspiron 8200 has been pretty good to us. I have no complaints.

Just get a Centrino M one, and maybe keep an eye open for video card expansion. You don't have to do the upgrades from their site, either. Take your laptop to a PC shop that knows what they are doing (local, not big corporate ones) and either buy from them or get them to help you.

good luck.

BaDDBLooD · July 27, 2005, 11:52 PM

Very good information, thank you.

Stealth · July 28, 2005, 01:52 AM

I have a Latitude D505 (equivalent to the D510) and love it. Runs WoW well considering it was a cheap buy.. the best part about it is that as long as you stay off the CD drive it gets around 5 hours of battery life.

iago · July 28, 2005, 08:12 AM

Incidentally, when you see "Pentium M 1.5ghz", that's not actually 1.5ghz. It runs at about the same speed as a ~2.8ghz CPU. Pentium M's have a different scale.

They are also scalable, so when they're plugged in and cool they run faster, but when they're unplugged and hot they'll slow down.

hismajesty · July 28, 2005, 09:04 AM

Thinkpads are hideous.

How about a Tablet PC? That's what I would get if my budget was ~$1600ish, and it's probably what I will get.

Example

Topaz · July 28, 2005, 09:58 AM

Quote from: hismajesty[yL] on July 28, 2005, 09:04 AM
Thinkpads are hideous.

How about a Tablet PC? That's what I would get if my budget was ~$1600ish, and it's probably what I will get.

Example

/cough

hismajesty · July 28, 2005, 10:55 AM

Was that a good cough or a bad cough?

Topaz · July 28, 2005, 11:24 AM

It looks like one of those etch-a-sketch things I used to play with as a kid.

nslay · July 28, 2005, 03:14 PM

Quote from: Topaz on July 27, 2005, 09:03 PM
That's a terrible looking laptop I don't think you'd be able to play games on a 1.5 Pentium, either.

Ha! That T42 can play anything!
I have a T40 and that didn't stop me from playing games like Warcraft III or Quake III...I use my T40 as heavily as you (in general) use your desktop! Well, and that's because I don't have a desktop.
May I mention one thing, Laptop : Pentium M :: Desktop : Pentium IV
Just keep that in mind...