Laptop Recommendations?

[Philliesfan980]

Hey guys, I posted this over at notebookforums.com, but I figured I'd throw it up here too and see if you guys have any suggestions:

When I originally came to this site, I was really hyped up on getting one of the newest rigs, you know, the XPS, or even a top of the line Sager. While these laptops are great, they might be more machine than I really need. I'm not a big FPS gamer, and tend to gravitate towards console sports games. So I thought about what I really wanted in a laptop, and came up with a few basic applications:

1) Web browsing - Basic stuff, posting on various forums, reading newspapers online, going on espn, the basics.

2) Occasional Office Application - Excel, Word, etc - Although I'll never be in a situation where I'll need 5 Excel windows open at the same time. Basically if I wanted to do some *LIGHT* work on the weekend, I'd be able to do it.

3) Steaming video - I'm planning on signing up for MLB.COM's online steaming video package. My ultimate goal is to sit on my deck in the summer watching baseball on the laptop

4) Other video - I'd like to be able to watch various Divx files that I might download off the internet (ie. the office, and other shows)

5) Text Sims - Not sure if any of you play any Text Sports Sims (OOTP, FOF, etc), but they are very basic and shouldn't be too taxing on the system.

Thats it. Again, I stress that I'm not going to be playing ANY graphical games on this laptop whatsoever.

Can anyone recommend a good machine? I think my requirements are very basic, and can probably keep it under 1K. Circuit City & CompUSA are having nice no interest options right now, but it doesn't have to be from there. I'll order custom online if thats the best deal.

Basically, I don't think I'll need dedicated video, can anyone tell me otherwise? It seems like thats really the difference maker in terms of price. I think I should be able to watch DivX & Streaming video from the web with shared memory, but not too sure.

So what do you guys think? Thanks again in advance!

[jbmagic]

Look at the Apple site. Check out the Macbook pro

[chinaski]

Grab the cheapest Dell and make sure you get 512mbs of ram. Ive recently purchased five B120's for a client and they should be great for what you need. Real cheap too.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_basnb?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

If money isnt a issue, I really like this Gateway series, theyre incredibly light...
http://gateway.com/products/gconfig/prodhmseries.asp?seg=hm&gcseries=gtwynx200&clv=LNav&cmpid=index*home*Promo_2*NX200S599FreeDblMemUpgrade*products/gconfig/prodhmseries~~asp

[Philliesfan980]

Look at the Apple site. Check out the Macbook pro

Looking for an IBM compatible, thanks though.

[Philliesfan980]

Grab the cheapest Dell and make sure you get 512mbs of ram. Ive recently purchased five B120's for a client and they should be great for what you need. Real cheap too.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_basnb?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

If money isnt a issue, I really like this Gateway series, theyre incredibly light...
http://gateway.com/products/gconfig/prodhmseries.asp?seg=hm&gcseries=gtwynx200&clv=LNav&cmpid=index*home*Promo_2*NX200S599FreeDblMemUpgrade*products/gconfig/prodhmseries~~asp

Thanks, those Dell's look pretty good. I can get something for my needs in the 700-800 range, which is perfect.

Anyone have any suggestions from a brick and mortar store?

[chinaski]

Thanks, those Dell's look pretty good. I can get something for my needs in the 700-800 range, which is perfect.

Anyone have any suggestions from a brick and mortar store?

If youre looking for the 7-8 range, checkout the Gateway stores. Avoid CompUSA's, etc like the plague.

[Philliesfan980]

If youre looking for the 7-8 range, checkout the Gateway stores. Avoid CompUSA's, etc like the plague.


Yeah, not a big fan of CompUSA at all. Mind glancing over the laptops at circuitcity.com and seeing if there's anything that strikes you as decent?

[chinaski]

I avoid all national computer stores, unless im buying software. I checked out circuitcity.com and yea, stay away from them too :) They dont stock anything you couldnt buy direct from the laptop mfg. but, if I had to take any from here, this Toshiba looks pretty good. i've always liked the Satellites.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Toshiba-Satellite-Notebook-PC-A105-S1014-/sem/rpsm/oid/141877/catOid/-12963/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

Yeah, not a big fan of CompUSA at all. Mind glancing over the laptops at circuitcity.com and seeing if there's anything that strikes you as decent?

[Philliesfan980]

I avoid all national computer stores, unless im buying software. I checked out circuitcity.com and yea, stay away from them too :) They dont stock anything you couldnt buy direct from the laptop mfg. but, if I had to take any from here, this Toshiba looks pretty good. i've always liked the Satellites.
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Toshiba-Satellite-Notebook-PC-A105-S1014-/sem/rpsm/oid/141877/catOid/-12963/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do


Thanks for checking that out. That one looks to be the best one to me so far. Is there anything out there thats a better value for $719.00 I would spend on this? I should have mentioned in my original post that I'm partial to 15.4's. This one has built in wireless too, which is nice. 512 meg is a little light, but for what I'm doing it shold be fine.

[jbmagic]

Thanks for checking that out. That one looks to be the best one to me so far. Is there anything out there thats a better value for $719.00 I would spend on this? I should have mentioned in my original post that I'm partial to 15.4's. This one has built in wireless too, which is nice. 512 meg is a little light, but for what I'm doing it shold be fine.


Looks good.

But wondering about the Celeron® M processor 370?

Wont an AMD or Pentium be better?

[Philliesfan980]

Looks good.

But wondering about the Celeron® M processor 370?

Wont an AMD or Pentium be better?

I'm sure than an AMD or Pentium would be better, but you've got to remember, this thing will never touch a graphical game. I really want to pay for what I need, and nothing else. Do I really need it for web browsing? The most intense thing that this computer will be doing is playing steaming video and divx files. Anyone think that the processor listed above won't do the job?

[chinaski]

Looks good.

But wondering about the Celeron® M processor 370?

Wont an AMD or Pentium be better?

Nah, the Celeron M's are great laptop processors. Very low power consumption. You really dont need anything but a Celeron if youre not doing heavy duty computing.

[MizzouRah]

Stay away from Dell, period. Desktops are fine, but I'm telling you to stay away from the Latitudes AT LEAST.

I would look into the HP DV series laptop.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/compare_category.do;jsessionid=EcFTgAAUmS2HlC1OA7A8JGaHM5IIbMfWjjdIi1mmg1ae5buLhwXk!-101952953?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&catLevel=1

[oliegirl]

I have the Dell Inspiron 9300, this was purchased last October to replace my Inspiron 8000 that I had for about 4 or 5 years...I love the Dell systems and they customer service is amazing. We ended up paying about $1300 for this system including taxes and shipping, but we upgraded quite a few things while spec'ing it out. I am not a game player, I use it for general stuff - all my PTA work, my (very) small business, etc...it has plenty of speed and memory to serve my purposes very well :)

[chinaski]

Thanks for checking that out. That one looks to be the best one to me so far. Is there anything out there thats a better value for $719.00 I would spend on this? I should have mentioned in my original post that I'm partial to 15.4's. This one has built in wireless too, which is nice. 512 meg is a little light, but for what I'm doing it shold be fine.

If youre in no hurry, I can do some research on this for ya. I bet there's something out there somewhere that is better for $720.

[Philliesfan980]

If youre in no hurry, I can do some research on this for ya. I bet there's something out there somewhere that is better for $720.

Great thanks! I'd like to have something ordered sometime today, not sure if thats a hurry for ya :).

I appreciate your help through this.

[Philliesfan980]

Stay away from Dell, period. Desktops are fine, but I'm telling you to stay away from the Latitudes AT LEAST.

I would look into the HP DV series laptop.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/compare_category.do;jsessionid=EcFTgAAUmS2HlC1OA7A8JGaHM5IIbMfWjjdIi1mmg1ae5buLhwXk!-101952953?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&catLevel=1

Thanks for the tip MizzouRah. I've heard mixed things as well about Dell.

[chinaski]

Great thanks! I'd like to have something ordered sometime today, not sure if thats a hurry for ya :).

I appreciate your help through this.

man, quit rushing me! ;)

Ok, I didnt really research much, I got stuck on this gateway and couldnt get away from it. I checked Dell, Gateway, Toshiba and HP. This one here....
http://gateway.com/products/GConfig/prodDetails.asp?system_id=nx500s&seg=hm

Seems to be the best bargain. Only $699! (w/rebate) - free printer, free memory upgrade to 512, free wireless router, free upgrade to 80 gig harddrive. I cant find anything that comes close, so much free junk, double the harddrive size as all the rest, printer. I dont think this can be beat.

[Philliesfan980]

man, quit rushing me! ;)

Ok, I didnt really research much, I got stuck on this gateway and couldnt get away from it. I checked Dell, Gateway, Toshiba and HP. This one here....
http://gateway.com/products/GConfig/prodDetails.asp?system_id=nx500s&seg=hm

Seems to be the best bargain. Only $699! (w/rebate) - free printer, free memory upgrade to 512, free wireless router, free upgrade to 80 gig harddrive. I cant find anything that comes close, so much free junk, double the harddrive size as all the rest, printer. I dont think this can be beat.


Thanks for the work!

Its going to between this and the Toshiba from CC. The Toshiba is only $20 more, and I think they have an instore deal that lets you double the ram to 1 gig for only $50 more. Not that its a huge purchase, but 18 months no interest is pretty nice as well.

[VPI97]

Stay away from Dell, period. Desktops are fine, but I'm telling you to stay away from the Latitudes AT LEAST.
What have you heard about the Latitudes? I have a Latitude 610 that work gave me a month ago and so far it's been far better than the Thinkpad T40 that I had at my previous job.

[MizzouRah]

What have you heard about the Latitudes? I have a Latitude 610 that work gave me a month ago and so far it's been far better than the Thinkpad T40 that I had at my previous job.

Have only started to get the D610's in at work. The D600's are the biggest pieces of doo-doo I've ever supported in my life as a technician.. ok Toshiba's are VERY close. :)

Terrible design, causing the bluetooth connection to break and system board needing replaced (over and over again), HD's that go bad due to the refurbished crap Dell now uses and well, overall displeasure by many employees where I work. The D610's have the bluetooth in a different spot, so hopefully that takes care of that issue, but I still don't like the many, many, HD's that go bad.

Everybody has an opinion and what has been great for someone, might have been junk for another. I read a lot about PC's from various sources and right now HP has glaring reviews in their DV series laptop pc's. Toshiba and Gateway do not, period... but if you want to go that route, make sure you get a warranty that covers everything and for at least 1 year.. and also think about an extended contract.

Again, protect yourself.. you DO NOT want to pay for a system board right after the warranty runs out - nor do you want someone charging you $165/hr to replace it. :)

[Franklinnoble]

Keep in mind... even a game like CivIV requires a decent graphics processor... my biggest peeve about my ThinkPad T42 is the weak graphics...

[Philliesfan980]

Well, based on Mizzou's recommendation, I think I might go with this

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/141886/pageno/2/order/D/sortby/1/order/D/rpem/ccd/productDetailReview.do#tabs

Its about $100-150 more than I wanted to spend, but I plan on keeping this for years (unless web surfing and text sims reach new levels of complexity!). Any final opinions?

[MizzouRah]

I hate rebates. :)

[Philliesfan980]

I hate rebates. :)


Haha, so do I! Half the time I never get them.

[GrantDawg]

Well, based on Mizzou's recommendation, I think I might go with this

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/141886/pageno/2/order/D/sortby/1/order/D/rpem/ccd/productDetailReview.do#tabs

Its about $100-150 more than I wanted to spend, but I plan on keeping this for years (unless web surfing and text sims reach new levels of complexity!). Any final opinions?


No. Do not buy anything with intergrated video memory. I know you expect never to play graphic games, but you don't want to cut yourself out of as many games and software you are losing by intergrated video. Get something with an actual video card (Nvidia or Ati) or you'll live to regret it.

[GrantDawg]

This Toshiba looks better:
http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/141877/originURLEncoded/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.circuitcity.com%252Frpsm%252FcatOid%252F-12963%252FN%252F20012961%2B20012963%2B312963001%252Flink%252Fref%252Frpem%252Fccd%252Fcategorylist.do/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do#tabs

[Franklinnoble]

No. Do not buy anything with intergrated video memory. I know you expect never to play graphic games, but you don't want to cut yourself out of as many games and software you are losing by intergrated video. Get something with an actual video card (Nvidia or Ati) or you'll live to regret it.

What he said. You'll thank yourself later.

[Philliesfan980]

This Toshiba looks better:
http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/141877/originURLEncoded/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.circuitcity.com%252Frpsm%252FcatOid%252F-12963%252FN%252F20012961%2B20012963%2B312963001%252Flink%252Fref%252Frpem%252Fccd%252Fcategorylist.do/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do#tabs

This link isn't working for me, can you describe what it is, and how much so I can look at it on the website myself?

[Philliesfan980]

Dola.

Just went down to DE (in an attempt to save sales tax) to the CC to grab the HP that I had mentioned earlier in the thread (799 after rebate). Unfort, they don't carry that model, so I'm forced to get it in PA. I figured I'd stop home first.. and now....

So I really need a dedicated graphics chip? Isn't that going to throw this over 1k?

Edit:

We also have a Toshiba vs HP war brewing, really confused now. I've built tons of desktops, but am fairly green with laptops.

[GrantDawg]

This one:

Toshiba Satellite A105-S1014 Notebook PC

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=165 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Price after
rebate:
</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right><!-- displayprice begin-->$719.99

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=410 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Toshiba Satellite Notebook PC (A105-S1014)


</TD></TR><TR><TD>The basics: This capable PC features the Celeron® M processor 370 (1.5GHz), 512MB of DDR2 memory, 1MB L2 cache and a 60GB 5400RPM hard drive.
Bright display: The 15.4" WXGA display features TruBrite™ and TFT active matrix technologies for viewing that’s crisp, vivid and bright.
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive: The CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive lets you backup data, burn and enjoy music CDs, watch DVD movies or play games.
Designed to entertain: The Express Media Player starts your favorite DVD or CD with push-button ease—without booting Windows®.
Ready for your multimedia: The powerful ATI Mobility™ Radeon® Xpress 200M graphics card and SRS TruSurround XT® virtual surround sound will elevate your multimedia experience.
Go wireless: Built-in 802.11g/b wireless capability lets you roam while online, as well as connect to wireless networks and public hotspots.
Get connected: One S-Video and three USB 2.0 ports will let you connect to your video gear and favorite peripherals.
Software: This notebook runs on Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition.



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[GrantDawg]

So I really need a dedicated graphics chip? Isn't that going to throw this over 1k?




Yes, and no.

[Philliesfan980]

Thanks GrantDawg,

Thats the one I was originally going to buy. Todd (and I value his opinion) didn't think too highly of Toshiba's so I basically crossed that one off the list.

Todd, I know you detailed some specific issues with Dell , but I haven't heard anything bad about Toshiba's. I know its not scientific, or the most sophisticated users, but the individuals on the website (judging from user reviews) seem to think its decent.

[MizzouRah]

No war going on... ask anything PC related on FOFC and you'll get a bunch of different answers. :) Everyone has their taste, just like food.

If you're bent on CC, go to the store and check them out side by side. Load something on each one, I'm sure they have some game built in you could load and see how it plays on each PC. Check the case for durability, check the battery life specs, reboot them and see which one(s) come up the quickest, etc.. $800+ is a decent amount of cash you're spending. Just stay away from the Dell D600 Latitudes, although I don't think you can buy them new anymore. :)

If CC isn't the only store you're open to, check out the rest of the stores, Best Buy, Comp USA, etc..

Tiger Direct has good deals on refurbished laptops as well as Dell.

[GrantDawg]

Thanks GrantDawg,

Thats the one I was originally going to buy. Todd (and I value his opinion) didn't think too highly of Toshiba's so I basically crossed that one off the list.

Todd, I know you detailed some specific issues with Dell , but I haven't heard anything bad about Toshiba's. I know its not scientific, or the most sophisticated users, but the individuals on the website (judging from user reviews) seem to think its decent.


Well, I'm type this on a HP, so I have nothing against a HP. Just don't buy one with a "shared" memory video card.

[Philliesfan980]

This one:

Toshiba Satellite A105-S1014 Notebook PC

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=165 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Price after
rebate:
</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right><!-- displayprice begin-->$719.99

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=410 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Toshiba Satellite Notebook PC (A105-S1014)


</TD></TR><TR><TD>The basics: This capable PC features the Celeron® M processor 370 (1.5GHz), 512MB of DDR2 memory, 1MB L2 cache and a 60GB 5400RPM hard drive.
Bright display: The 15.4" WXGA display features TruBrite™ and TFT active matrix technologies for viewing that’s crisp, vivid and bright.
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive: The CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive lets you backup data, burn and enjoy music CDs, watch DVD movies or play games.
Designed to entertain: The Express Media Player starts your favorite DVD or CD with push-button ease—without booting Windows®.
Ready for your multimedia: The powerful ATI Mobility™ Radeon® Xpress 200M graphics card and SRS TruSurround XT® virtual surround sound will elevate your multimedia experience.
Go wireless: Built-in 802.11g/b wireless capability lets you roam while online, as well as connect to wireless networks and public hotspots.
Get connected: One S-Video and three USB 2.0 ports will let you connect to your video gear and favorite peripherals.
Software: This notebook runs on Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition.



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Doesn't the ATI Mobility still work off shared memory? Its not dedicated like the X700, or am I wrong?

[GrantDawg]

Doesn't the ATI Mobility still work off shared memory? Its not dedicated like the X700, or am I wrong?

No, you're right. I didn't know ATI made a piece of crap, er, I mean intergrated card.

[GrantDawg]

Here's a good discussion on notebook video. I'd recommend getting at least the low end cards.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=39568

[Philliesfan980]

No war going on... ask anything PC related on FOFC and you'll get a bunch of different answers. :) Everyone has their taste, just like food.

If you're bent on CC, go to the store and check them out side by side. Load something on each one, I'm sure they have some game built in you could load and see how it plays on each PC. Check the case for durability, check the battery life specs, reboot them and see which one(s) come up the quickest, etc.. $800+ is a decent amount of cash you're spending. Just stay away from the Dell D600 Latitudes, although I don't think you can buy them new anymore. :)

If CC isn't the only store you're open to, check out the rest of the stores, Best Buy, Comp USA, etc..

Tiger Direct has good deals on refurbished laptops as well as Dell.

How crazy would it be to get a PS2 and a new laptop on the same night :)

But yeah, I agree with you on the tests. When I was down in DE earlier, I checked out the BestBuy and CompUSA (which I hate) and they both didn't have anything that caught my eye. Everything was pretty much over 1K. I really want to like that Toshiba, as it has everything that I really need (on paper). But if its unreliable (in the near, or long), then it doesn't matter if its only $300, it does me no good.

Thanks for your input, all this stuff goes a long way in making a decision.

[MizzouRah]

Thanks GrantDawg,

Thats the one I was originally going to buy. Todd (and I value his opinion) didn't think too highly of Toshiba's so I basically crossed that one off the list.

Todd, I know you detailed some specific issues with Dell , but I haven't heard anything bad about Toshiba's. I know its not scientific, or the most sophisticated users, but the individuals on the website (judging from user reviews) seem to think its decent.

Toshiba's were crap years ago. :) I don't know anything about them other than reviews in various magazines I read. That one spec wise does look better than the HP though, GD is right.

Going on pure specs, I would get the Toshiba as well... it's also $80 cheaper. ;)

[MizzouRah]

Actually the Toshiba is a much better buy. Faster HD, excellent graphics card (for integrated ones), expandable to 2GB of memory... yes indeed. The $80 you're saving might get it covered for another 2-4 years to boot.

Edit: In your price range, anything more graphics wise, memory, etc.. is going to get you into the $1000 range.

[Philliesfan980]

No, you're right. I didn't know ATI made a piece of crap, er, I mean intergrated card.

I guess its just a ATI chip attached to the MB?

Regardless, getting back to my original focus, I've done my scouting, and I think (unless I'm missing something) that anything with a seperate video card is going to push this over 1K. I'm perfectly ok saying "I'll never be able to play a graphical game on this in my life". I agree ideally, sure I'd like to have a seperate video card.

You had mentioned earlier that I might not be able to run some other progams because of the video situation. Can you be specific? Maybe its something that I'm not thinking of. IE should be fine. Even playing DVD's/DIVX/Streaming video should be fine, unless I'm mistaken?

I know that by not getting a graphic card, I'm shutting the doors to a lot of games, but thats ok. I'll be in line for a PS3 and in my opinion, thats where the games are going anyway. I just hope that programmers start implementing keyboards/mice and start programming some RTS type games for those consoles, but thats for another thread :).

[GrantDawg]

I guess its just a ATI chip attached to the MB?

Regardless, getting back to my original focus, I've done my scouting, and I think (unless I'm missing something) that anything with a seperate video card is going to push this over 1K. I'm perfectly ok saying "I'll never be able to play a graphical game on this in my life". I agree ideally, sure I'd like to have a seperate video card.

You had mentioned earlier that I might not be able to run some other progams because of the video situation. Can you be specific? Maybe its something that I'm not thinking of. IE should be fine. Even playing DVD's/DIVX/Streaming video should be fine, unless I'm mistaken?

I know that by not getting a graphic card, I'm shutting the doors to a lot of games, but thats ok. I'll be in line for a PS3 and in my opinion, thats where the games are going anyway. I just hope that programmers start implementing keyboards/mice and start programming some RTS type games for those consoles, but thats for another thread :).


My wife's computer (desktop) had an intergrated video card, and it had problems with anything that used directx. She also had hang-ups with her picture programs and such. Adding a low-end PCI card did the trick. Take a little more time and look further. If this is a long-term purchase, think long and hard about shutting a door you might regret. You can't go back and "add" a video card later.

[Philliesfan980]

Actually the Toshiba is a much better buy. Faster HD, excellent graphics card (for integrated ones), expandable to 2GB of memory... yes indeed. The $80 you're saving might get it covered for another 2-4 years to boot.

Edit: In your price range, anything more graphics wise, memory, etc.. is going to get you into the $1000 range.

Cool - I wonder whats up with the ATI Integrated graphics anyway? Is it a slight step up from the intel integrated graphics that are on the HP model? I just don't see where ATI really gets in on the deal. If they aren't providing the card, what are they doing? (maybe its just the chip that "manages" the total system ram between graphics and other functions?)

[MizzouRah]

http://www.ati.com/products/Radeonxpress200m/index.html

[Passacaglia]

Hey Phillies, what kind of laptop did you get?

I'm start to shop around a little for one. My uses as pretty much the same as those listed in the first post, with some notable exceptions. My current laptop can't play Civ4, so it's a big deal that if I get a new one, it has the video capabilities to run Civ4. Also, I play FM on my current pathetic system, so I'd like something that can run that more quickly (not sure whether to put an emphasis on processor speed or memory, though). Also, I like to have a ton of music and video stored, so more space would be nice. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Flasch186]

5) Text Sims - Not sure if any of you play any Text Sports Sims (OOTP, FOF, etc), but they are very basic and shouldn't be too taxing on the system.

Thats it. Again, I stress that I'm not going to be playing ANY graphical games on this laptop whatsoever.




what's a text sports sim?

[Wasabiak]

I purchased a Toshiba A105-S4004 at Circuit City recently. After the $100 mail in rebate, it was just under a grand. It is an upgrade from an old P3 IBM Thinkpad. I love it.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Search.do?c=1&context=&keyword=A105-S4004+&searchSection=All&go.x=18&go.y=8

[Sweed]

This one:

Toshiba Satellite A105-S1014 Notebook PC

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=165 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Price after
rebate:
</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right><!-- displayprice begin-->$719.99

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=410 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Toshiba Satellite Notebook PC (A105-S1014)


</TD></TR><TR><TD>The basics: This capable PC features the Celeron® M processor 370 (1.5GHz), 512MB of DDR2 memory, 1MB L2 cache and a 60GB 5400RPM hard drive.
Bright display: The 15.4" WXGA display features TruBrite™ and TFT active matrix technologies for viewing that’s crisp, vivid and bright.
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive: The CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive lets you backup data, burn and enjoy music CDs, watch DVD movies or play games.
Designed to entertain: The Express Media Player starts your favorite DVD or CD with push-button ease—without booting Windows®.
Ready for your multimedia: The powerful ATI Mobility™ Radeon® Xpress 200M graphics card and SRS TruSurround XT® virtual surround sound will elevate your multimedia experience.
Go wireless: Built-in 802.11g/b wireless capability lets you roam while online, as well as connect to wireless networks and public hotspots.
Get connected: One S-Video and three USB 2.0 ports will let you connect to your video gear and favorite peripherals.
Software: This notebook runs on Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition.



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



The wife bought a Toshiba Satellite A105-S2051 Notebook at Best Buy two weeks ago for $599. Specs look very similar to this and she really likes it.
She didn't need a super machine, mostly surfs and does stuff with her photos.
She had been looking for awhile and since I put a wireless router in the house
she decided it was time.

[Passacaglia]

Hey Phillies, what kind of laptop did you get?

I'm start to shop around a little for one. My uses as pretty much the same as those listed in the first post, with some notable exceptions. My current laptop can't play Civ4, so it's a big deal that if I get a new one, it has the video capabilities to run Civ4. Also, I play FM on my current pathetic system, so I'd like something that can run that more quickly (not sure whether to put an emphasis on processor speed or memory, though). Also, I like to have a ton of music and video stored, so more space would be nice. Anyone have any suggestions?

Oh, also, my current laptop gets pretty hot on the bottom, so I'd like to find one that doesn't.

[Wasabiak]

Pass, my old IBM got really hot also. This Toshiba i bought does not at all, just an FYI.

[Philliesfan980]

Well, I feel that a follow up to this thread is necessary.

I ended up getting a Acer laptop from Circuit City. Pretty bare bones (15 inch screen, AMD t2400 processor, 512 ram, 60 gig hdd, integrated graphics). The machine ran me about $700.

Its been a few months, and I went out and got a dell E1705 for around 1500. The difference in the two machines is light and day. I learned an important lesson that I normally do follow: Buy it right the first time. I was impatient and rather than save, I went out and got an impluse buy from circuit city. Big mistake. The thing performed like a $700 laptop (maybe even worse).

All in all, I'm VERY happy with my E1705 from Dell. Def. a desktop replacement.

[Passacaglia]

Well, I feel that a follow up to this thread is necessary.

I ended up getting a Acer laptop from Circuit City. Pretty bare bones (15 inch screen, AMD t2400 processor, 512 ram, 60 gig hdd, integrated graphics). The machine ran me about $700.

Its been a few months, and I went out and got a dell E1705 for around 1500. The difference in the two machines is light and day. I learned an important lesson that I normally do follow: Buy it right the first time. I was impatient and rather than save, I went out and got an impluse buy from circuit city. Big mistake. The thing performed like a $700 laptop (maybe even worse).

All in all, I'm VERY happy with my E1705 from Dell. Def. a desktop replacement.

Is there something to which you can attribute the difference to, other than price? I've looking at Dell's web-site -- do those get hot on the bottom? It seems like I can get a 120 GB hard drive, 1 gig RAM, I think 1.6 gHz for around $900, which seems cheaper than anything else with those specs that I've seen. I think it has an ATI Radeon card in it -- does anyone know if that can play Civ 4?

[Philliesfan980]

Is there something to which you can attribute the difference to, other than price? I've looking at Dell's web-site -- do those get hot on the bottom? It seems like I can get a 120 GB hard drive, 1 gig RAM, I think 1.6 gHz for around $900, which seems cheaper than anything else with those specs that I've seen. I think it has an ATI Radeon card in it -- does anyone know if that can play Civ 4?

It has a Nvidia 7900gs in it, which is alot of the additional cost. The video card is basically as good as anything in desktops today (outside of the crazy 512 meg ram jobbies that are like $400-450). The machine is pretty cool to me, plus the screen is a 17inch. I'm not sure if it would be something that I would carry around with me on a regular basis, but its portable enough.

[Passacaglia]

It has a Nvidia 7900gs in it, which is alot of the additional cost. The video card is basically as good as anything in desktops today (outside of the crazy 512 meg ram jobbies that are like $400-450). The machine is pretty cool to me, plus the screen is a 17inch. I'm not sure if it would be something that I would carry around with me on a regular basis, but its portable enough.

That's funny, considering that in the first page of this thread, you weren't worried about that at all. Does anyone know anything about this ATI Radeon card that comes with the Dell E1505?

[Passacaglia]

bump -- I think I'm all set to get this Dell E1505. The only thing that worries me is that I want to be SURE this thing can play Civ 4. The standard card is Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950, but I can also add 128MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1300 HyperMemory™, 256MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 HyperMemory™, or 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™Go 7300 TurboCache. I don't really think I need to spend much in this area, since I mostly play stuff like FOF and FM. But I want to at least be able to pla Civ 4. What's the least I spend to make sure that happens?

[ThunderingHERD]

Just thought I'd pop in and ask--you do know not to ever buy a PC or laptop from Dell unless you're getting like 30%+ off right? The current hot coupon is for 35% off the 1705 I think--you should be able to get a code off ebay for a few bucks.

[Edward64]

I would stay away from BB, CompUSA etc. and go mail order. The laptops I've seen at their stores are primarily for consumers, I would suggest mail order, business oriented models for longevity and build.

I only have personal experiences with Dell, HP and Lenovo/IBM. Not requiring dedicated graphics helps quite a bit.

Of the 3, I am sure you can find a decent, durable GMA950 for around $1K. Like others mention in this thread, be patient and check www.techbargains.com and www.slickdeals.net for good deals. I think Dell has new deals (sometimes better, sometimes worse than the previous week on Thu). I think Lenovo changes their deals once a month, around the 3rd, 4th, 5th.

The differentiating factor is resale value. If you want a laptop and plan to sell it on eBay in a couple years, I suggest you get an IBM with a basic 3 year warranty. The basic 3 year warranty is what will generally push you in the 1.3K range.

I have a basic low end T60 that I was able to get for approx $1.1K, added 3 year warranty and it came to around $1.3K. Great for non-gaming purposes.

I have also worked on Dell's D62x and seen D82x. The build looks very good compared to previous Dells. I would recommend them if resale value is not important to you.

The HP ncxx lines are solid also.

[CleBrownsfan]

Just purchased my first laptop: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Customer-reviews-for-Compaq-Presario-15-4-Widescreen-Notebook-PC-V6120US/sem/rpsm/oid/161285/rpem/ccd/productDetailReview.do

doing research this was the "biggest bang for your buck". From the specs they give you any cons to this laptop? I don't know much about the specs of computers so I'm just going on reviews, ect.

[B & B]

Question for those with notebooks or 'in the know' about networking outside the home.

Whats the difference here?

802.11b/g WLAN
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth

Is Bluetooth something thats not necessary but would be worth spending a few extra dollars on having? Im looking for maximum connection speed/wireless downloading and surfing. NOT for gaming but need to have enough RAM and a fast processor to handle multiple open windows and streaming information.

[MizzouRah]

NO, bluetooth is not worth it, in fact most people never use it. They do have bluetooth mice and keyboards as well as bluetooth routers, but I don't think there is much of a market for them.

I speak from what I see at work, 1 user uses his bluetooth card on his pc for his wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse, that's it out of 400 users.

YMMV of course, but I wouldn't buy it.

[Marc Vaughan]

I use DELL laptops generally - they're fairly reliable and do what it says on the tin imho.

PS> I'd recommend getting a machine with at least a Gb of RAM - laptop hard-disks are slow so you really want to minimise paging as much as possible ..

[Marc Vaughan]

PS> Current DELL is a 'Precision M90' - it gets used aroun 8-12 hours a day I'd guess - current survival time around 18 months (bear in mind that anything over 12 months survival for a laptop with me is considered fairly decent - they generally seem designed to expire as soon as the warranty goes on them with heavy usage ;)).

[daedalus]

We (myself and the carbon unit designated 'girlfriend') are considering getting a laptop as well. Is it sad that my first - ONLY? - concern with the laptop is "how will it run FM '0x?'

[Marc Vaughan]

We (myself and the carbon unit designated 'girlfriend') are considering getting a laptop as well. Is it sad that my first - ONLY? - concern with the laptop is "how will it run FM '0x?'

What always amuses me is when people post specs on our forums 'asking will FM run on this' and their machine is around twice as fast as my home PC which helps make the game :D