[Christina86]

I have a piece of junk laptop.

I've had it for FOUR years. Back then, it was normal to only have 33GB of internal memory. Now, it's at least what - 80GB to 250GB!?

Yeah, my laptop is old.

And messing up. A lot. It wouldn't let me on earlier after I signed off for a while before my chat. (Which I then missed as a result, grrr).

What would you recommend for a good laptop?

I'm looking for:
-Intel Duo Processor
-At least 100GB of internal memory
-14-15 inch screen
-enough processing speed to run a web-browser, iTunes and a word document simultaneously (yes, I have issues with doing this currently).

Basically I just need a laptop that isn't a metric tonne. It has to be able to run some (fairly) large programs, but I'm not doing fancy editing.

Advice?

[(JD)]

Add to that list CENTRINO.

The old laptops overheated terribly, and heat is horrible for electronics.
The new notebooks with centrino don't overheat. (That used to be the technical difference between whether it was called a laptop or a notebook... go figure, the laptops were so hot you couldn't hold them on your laps!) lol

Toshiba is the top of the line, really. . . unless you're going Mac/APPLE which I don't know much about.

They have much more than duo processing too....

The best way to compare is to go to a site like Dell and use their site to compare all their models...that way you will see what's available and what it costs. You should be able to buy a good one, with lots of bells and whistles even, for around $600 now.

Also, the price of the extended warranty is usually worth it. When you do get a new one, "burn it in" meaning leave it on constantly for several days to a week. That way, if any of the components are weak already, they will fail and it's easier to exchange etc right off the bat.

[silver_queen]

I have an old laptop too (40GB hard drive, originally 256 MB RAM until updated because it was very painfully slow). idk really about the new laptop. Your best bet is avoiding the main PC shops like PC World and instead visiting proper computer shops, the type where they have a standard PC which you can buy but also upgrade and downgrade as you wish. Dell is a good example, as Sky suggests, but I can't suggest any other names since I live in the UK and idk if they would ship PCs abroad and even if they did, if they would be compatible with foreign goods.

Why not get a bigger screen? Unless space is limited, a 17-inch one would be best. You could also buy yourself an external hard drive to give yourself extra space, that's what I did. I wouldn't recommend Toshiba for the laptop though, unless they've improved over time. My laptop is Toshiba, is 4 yrs old, and has never worked particularly well and I've never felt at comfortable with it as I did with the old desktop which broke.

[Christina86]

So, Sky you'd recommend a Centrino processor over the Duo? I'm staying farrrrrrrrr away from Celeron because of the overheating rumors.

I was looking at either Dell or an HP most likely. (I have an old Dell, an Inspiron 1150, which is archaic, really).

I'm just glad I went to a place that told me I can turn off some of the graphics in the new Windows OS (Vista) so it takes up less space and the computer runs better! (I don't really need transparent windows anyway!)

[Perna]

Your laptop might be okay but if you're running Vista. . . all bets off :-) Thank you, I'll stick with Windows XP until I have a new, hog machine that can support all that excess power gobbling.

I run Office 2007 no problem, it doesn't need Vista (nothing needs Vista in my opinion). My processor is only 1.6 GHz and I only have 589 MHz/512 MB of RAM. I routinely have 4-5 windows on the Web open and e-mail and Word documents, no problem.

I have an old Dell Latitude which I love (it's 5-6 years old) and only want a new machine because this keyboard is getting warn and unresponsive.

I'd stay with a Dell if that's what you know and like? "Make" one up online to see what various configurations cost, etc.? I did that last month but my DH asked me to wait before buying one until our finances improve this Fall (my birthday).

[Christina86]

Vista apparently will run a bazillion times better if you know how to turn off some of the fancy graphics, which you BET I'll be doing. Apparently with most computers it's hard to downgrade operating systems, so most now with Vista have to stick with Vista, because some of the drivers for programs won't work otherwise.

You has an olddddddddddddd Dell. Here I thought I was special for making mine last this long. I got an external harddrive for my music & pictures, so it saves a lot of space. (I have 9GB of space left, on a 33GB internal harddrive, not too shabby!). Processor is going though... and it's not holding a battery charge beyond 2 hours, and it frequently will crash with too many programs open at once. Very sad.

I do like Dell, I'm very surprised when people complain about it. Staying AWAY from Toshiba. Not sure about HP. And I don't want anything to do with an Apple (too much stuff to learn there).

[kim_johnson]

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...ok?mco=MTE3MjA

I love my macbook :-) Just got it at the end of last year and didn't have too many problems moving to mac. That being said you can run windows on them now (if you really really want to). They are pretty reliable etc and have nice specifications.

[(JD)]

Toshiba has a good rating here in USA, and I own two of them. My HP was a boat anchor I GAVE AWAY when the mother board died at 3 years (just after the extended warranty.) I'd had nothing but trouble with it anyway, and with it went the last desk top I'll ever own

Any computer can be made well, and any computer can have components that break down. But the biggest capacity you can, even if you only have small projects and programs...it will run faster that way... and fast is soooo nice. (Which is why I'll never do dial up again too!)

[Perna]

I won't buy Toshiba anything.

http://lubbers-line.blogspot.com/200...age-again.html

I've had HP stuff (my desktop is HP and it's about twice as old as my laptop, LOL) and have liked it okay. I think I'll get a Dell laptop again though.

[kim_johnson]

I guess it is true that any computer can break down, but I guess it is fair to say about computers (as it is fair to say about other brands in life) some pride themselves on quality components whereas others pride themselves on offering a cheap product. That isn't to say that you won't have any problems - but it is to say they are more likely to step up to the plate and repair things because their reputation was important to them.

All my life my mother has given me some money to help me out with getting a computer. That basically meant that I always ended up getting the cheapest new computer that there was on the market. I was happy with them, don't get me wrong, but I never really LOVED them.

Last time I got a notebook I could pick whichever I wanted but didn't really know much about computers so I got my officemate to help me pick one. He was getting really excited about one of them (an Acer) because it had lots of peripheral ports and it had lots of internal room for upgrades and so on and so forth...

Took me a while to figure that none of that was important to me. I had thought I wanted a large screen - but learned I'd happily sacrifice a large screen for portability and battery life. I could only get around 2 hours out of that computer. It was solid - I never had any problems with it - but it really was an ugly beast.

So this time... I wanted to get something that I won't hate in four years. Maybe... I won't love it because there will be other things out there I'll be oggling... But I wanted to set something that I won't hate in four years and something that I won't feel embarrassed using in public! Also (hopefully) something where buying an additional battery is still feasible and where they won't have stopped making the darned things.

I have a few friends who still love what are (now) really rather antique macs. I'm hoping... My computer will become one of those :-)

[skeeweeaka]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
_Sky said:
Toshiba has a good rating here in USA, and I own two of them. My HP was a boat anchor I GAVE AWAY when the mother board died at 3 years (just after the extended warranty.) I'd had nothing but trouble with it anyway, and with it went the last desk top I'll ever own

Any computer can be made well, and any computer can have components that break down. But the biggest capacity you can, even if you only have small projects and programs...it will run faster that way... and fast is soooo nice. (Which is why I'll never do dial up again too!)



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Had 2 HP's and they both sucked....now have Toshiba... HP's warranties suck....or should I say Best Buy...

TJ

[kelm]

being the 'go-to' guy for free-tech support for several friends, i have always told them when buying any new electronics, "get what you want....... not what they try to sell you"...... take a few minutes before walking in any store, jot down how large you would want the HD and how fast you want the chip processor....... everything else can be up-graded later somewhat cheap...... but switching out hard drives and processing chips are nearly impossible without money..... might as well go and buy a new one then....... and invest money in getting a can of compressed air to blow out openings every week....... start doing that every week, and blowing out the keyboard will extend the life of any electronic appliance by years......

[pachyderm]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Christina86 said:

I'm looking for:
-Intel Duo Processor
-At least 100GB of internal memory

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How about 1 GB? Or do you mean 100 MB?

[Christina86]

So I hear arguments back and forth both for and against both HP &amp; Toshiba. Interesting.

I think I'll stick to a Dell then... I really must say I haven't had an issue with it.

I've already got an external hard-drive for my current laptop, but still think about 80GB for my internal harddrive would be nice.

Processor, I guess I'll stick with the Duo.

Screen size... I'm not sure at the moment.

I don't want/need an ultra-light laptop, because although I will be taking it places occassionally, mostly I sit at a desk and use it. So something relatively sturdy (like my current beast, which I still love... *pats laptop*) but not too heavy would be nice.

I've never had to call Dell for any service stuff, because I've got a lot of computer people as friends, and can solve some of my own minor problems (like viruses).

I do have questions about Vista though... has anyone ever run the OS without the fancy graphics, like the guy who was giving me computer advice said could be done? (Turning off transparent windows and the like)? Is there compatibility of programs on Vista with XP? (Looking at Word, and browsers... I use Mozilla Firefox).

How many USB ports come nowadays standard on a laptop? I've only got 2. (I got a USB hub already), but just curious?

Whats a good battery life? How does one keep the battery life fairly constant? My laptop only holds a charge for about 2 hours nowadays (when not plugged in).

Anything else I'm forgetting?

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
For reference's sake, here are the specifications for my current laptop:

-Dell Inspiron 1150
-Windows XP Home Edition 2002
-Service Pack 2

-Mobile Intel(R) Pentium (R) 4
-CPU 2.80 GHz
-512MB RAM

- C:/ drive total size - 33.7GB

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[Christina86]

Thanks everyone for all your advice too

(((((((((((((Everyone)))))))))))))))))

[Mystry]

here u go christina... vista ebooks ...dont know much about laptops but there is a program that is supposed to double ur battery life but I can't remember what its called at the moment ...I will find it tho and send it to you...I have used vista without all the bells and whistles and it will run alot better without them...the biggest ram hog of vista is the areo glass theme...and the side bar...I think u should look at these ebooks on vista and play with the OS alot...btw I ran vista on an old hp 667 cpu with 256 megs of ram and it ran pretty good...a bit slow at times but not bad...

[Christina86]

Cooooooooool! ((((((((((Mystry))))))))))))))) my friend you are pretty darn awesome with the techie stuff. Thanks for popping by and reading

I'm glad someone has had experience without running all the "extra" stuff of Vista. Looks pretty and all, but do I *really* need transparent windows? (The answer is "NO"!)

Thank ya

[(JD)]

(Yeah, my biggest issue now is the pop up window saying there are "updates" for my computer...all those things I had to take OFF/remove from VISTA! That includes SP1. )

Is there any difference for computers now between dvd and blu-ray? Will there be, does anyone know? That was my only thought Christina, about what's new and what might be going out the door.

[Christina86]

The Blu-Ray is the new thing... either way though, I'm not going to be playing DVDs on my laptop. But I honestly wouldn't know.

Silly updates... computers make me laugh sometimes.

(((((((((Sky))))))))))) thanks

[Mystry]

_Sky... vista updates