which laptop to buy

[UncleWede]

I was so close to getting the mac pro, but couldn't see teaching myself AND the wife how to use it, so I went with the HP DV6700 series. Got T5550 1.8, 3G RAM, 250 HD, widescreen with camera, and Lightscribe DVD RW for $749

[Gearcraft]

Originally Posted by b335i

sager/compal is one of the best laptop you can get for the price spec-wise. pretty close to what an asus G1S would give you only with a simpler design. ive never had any problems with my sager. the resolution of my laptop isnt even common in stores when i was shopping for one (1680x1050) and i got the 6800 gt which is not a bad GPU and some other good stuff for about 1400. the laptop is pretty capable compared to a more expensive alienware or another brand which are basically just another re-brand.

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by FinInk

4 gigs is really not needed but i guess you can get it. Even on gaming desktops running vista you never use more than 2 gigs of ram but thats for now. I just barely built my gaming desktop and jsut put in 2 gigs for now. For a laptop I really dont see the need for more than 2. Of course if you just want to future proof and plan on keeping the laptop for over 5 or 6 years I guess you can go all out.

This is true if you only run one application and don't do any editing, but if you multitask like most people do or edit, you definitely need 4.

[Gearcraft]

Originally Posted by FirstClass

This is true if you only run one application and don't do any editing, but if you multitask like most people do or edit, you definitely need 4.

+1. true. running a bunch of adobe applications at once while designing definitely eats up a lot of memory. plus there's a joke about the game "crysis" that NASA successfully ran it in its highest settings for 10 seconds before their super computer crashed. (or something like that from game informer i think. lol)

even vista's default desktop applications running on background slows the computer down with 2 gigs.

[EVO_S4]

Originally Posted by LilFingers

the 13" Dell XPS looks pretty nice, I was thinking about it for awhile till I realized I didn't need a laptop right now.

Dell XPS 1330, just got it for my wife and she love it

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by Supraman

You know Apple is really the way to go, my new MacBook Pro also runs windows, but I never do now. I am hooked superior in every way to windows. It never has crashed.

Macs run windows better than PCs. I've been running XP on my iMac since I bought it and it's never crashed. It was the cleanest, easiest install of Windows I've ever seen. It's super fast too. The only other way to get such a clean install of windows (without all the crap that OEMs add) is to build a PC yourself, which is actually kind of fun.

My Macbook has been very good as well, and Apple's service is second-to-none. The genius bars are great if you're near an apple store. Worth every cent compared to go to calling tech support in India.

[dzenno]

if you're tight on budget get a macbook instead of a macbook pro....in any case, get a MAC! i've been working with computers for the last 12 years professionally and there is nothing that can match MACs today...3-4 years ago it was a different story, but now, with the Intel platform, they are very affordable and what's more...you're getting a solid operating system that's fun and easy to use...

[b335i]

Originally Posted by Gearcraft

sager/compal is one of the best laptop you can get for the price spec-wise. pretty close to what an asus G1S would give you only with a simpler design. ive never had any problems with my sager. the resolution of my laptop isnt even common in stores when i was shopping for one (1680x1050) and i got the 6800 gt which is not a bad GPU and some other good stuff for about 1400. the laptop is pretty capable compared to a more expensive alienware or another brand which are basically just another re-brand.

Agreed. They aren't horrible. I have repaired a number of them and it was a nightmare thats the only reason I gave that smiley


On another note, Asus return/warranty policy is pretty awesome for laptops!!

[BeeEmDubU]

I just bought a Macbook yesterday and I love it! I was deciding between this and the dell xps m1330 but I'm sure I made the right decision.

I'm thinking about installing XP on it using boot camp just so I can run the old programs that I had on my other laptop. Are there any compability issues w/ running XP?

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by BeeEmDubU

I just bought a Macbook yesterday and I love it! I was deciding between this and the dell xps m1330 but I'm sure I made the right decision.

I'm thinking about installing XP on it using boot camp just so I can run the old programs that I had on my other laptop. Are there any compability issues w/ running XP?

Not really, other than no right click and no ctrl+alt+delete. Those have been the most annoying to me because I was running Windows Server 2008 on it an had to press ctrl+alt+delete to login.

Use standard XP and an external mouse and it will run just as well as anything else.

[BeeEmDubU]

Originally Posted by AJerman

Not really, other than no right click and no ctrl+alt+delete. Those have been the most annoying to me because I was running Windows Server 2008 on it an had to press ctrl+alt+delete to login.

Use standard XP and an external mouse and it will run just as well as anything else.

There wouldn't be any problems if you have a Windows USB keyboard connected right? Since the keys would be remapped to accomodate Windows?

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by BeeEmDubU

There wouldn't be any problems if you have a Windows USB keyboard connected right? Since the keys would be remapped to accomodate Windows?

Correct, if you set up the laptop with an external mouse and keyboard you're be set.

[tek818]

Originally Posted by AJerman

Not really, other than no right click and no ctrl+alt+delete. Those have been the most annoying to me because I was running Windows Server 2008 on it an had to press ctrl+alt+delete to login.

Use standard XP and an external mouse and it will run just as well as anything else.

you were running server 08 on a macbook? plz explain this one to me...

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by tek818

you were running server 08 on a macbook? plz explain this one to me...

+1
No option for a hardware ctl-alt-delete remap? Can't set it up in Windows so that a key+click = right click? I seem to remember being able to do that back in the day.

[darkphantom]

In response to Alienware:

Originally Posted by FirstClass

Nothing that compares in price maybe. They're overpriced and not as great as everyone thinks they are.

Originally Posted by tek818

overpriced garbage

I agree if you're referring to a desktop but when it comes to laptops, I think they hold the lead on this...I've bought TWO laptops from them and I'm a very tech savvy person. I've built my desktops and they run perfect, but I think from a gaming perspective, an Alienware Laptop diminishes the competition for the most part. Pricey? Yes but not much so when you look at other gaming laptops...

A core 2 Extreme with Sli'ed 8800M GTX's with a Light up LED keyboard and more? I'll with AW. Kthxbai.

My 1 year old outdated AW laptop STILL runs most if not all games are high settings, not max resolution though - that kills almost any comp. (except crysis)

To answer the OP's question I need to ask a few:

What's your budget, what is it that you're mainly using this laptop for, is battery life a factor? what about weight?

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by tek818

you were running server 08 on a macbook? plz explain this one to me...

I work in IT, I was running it as a work station. The Server versions work very well as workstations (just don't install the extra server stuff you don't need), and it lets me get more experience on the platform for when we start rolling it out.

Originally Posted by FirstClass

+1
No option for a hardware ctl-alt-delete remap? Can't set it up in Windows so that a key+click = right click? I seem to remember being able to do that back in the day.

There is software that will map a key to the right click, you're right, and you may be able to remap a key for ctrl alt del as well, the problem is that it was at the start screen before any software to intercept keys would have been loaded.

The solution to a ctrl-alt-del to login (server OS, domain restrictions, etc) is to pull up the on screen keyboard and press delete with it, or if you have permissions you can turn off the ctrl alt delete requirement in the group policy settings.

[Sam Da Man]

im totaly gunna get a mac book air real soon

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by darkphantom

My 1 year old outdated AW laptop STILL runs most if not all games are high settings, not max resolution though - that kills almost any comp. (except crysis)

When I bought my Alienware (first and last) I got it [nearly] completely maxed out. It was reasonably fast when I got it, but heat was a major issue. The thing ran like an oil rig fire, which is to say very hot. It was pretty fast initially, but it was never really fast because it's a laptop and they don't get real graphics cards in laptops. And it wasn't really a laptop either, because I couldn't take it anywhere. I weighed almost 10 pounds and the battery life was abysmal. So I needed an outlet pretty much anywhere I wanted to use it for more than an hour. Overall bad experience for me, but hey, the new ones may be better. (They look better from a hardware standard at least) I got mine in mid 2004 when a mobility Radeon 9800 was the creme de la creme.

Originally Posted by Sam Da Man

im totaly gunna get a mac book air real soon

The one Mac that it would be foolish to buy. If you want portability and it's your first and pretty much only concern and you want to look like a "cool Mac person who embraces the fashion brand", get one, but as a computer, they suck hardcore and there are MUCH better ultraportable options out there. Non-replaceable with under 3 hour life, no optical drive, no ports and the ports that are there are hard to use with some devices, not really that small (yeah it's thin, but it's also pretty big by subnotebook standards with that 13" screen), horrible specs and performance (though all subnoteboks are pretty weak, the Air is weaker than it's competition).

[BeeEmDubU]

Sorry to turn this into a mac thread, but I just installed XP using boot camp (NTFS) and I remember that there is a way to access files stored on the mac partition in XP. Does anyone know what this software is and how well does it work?

I just want to share share songs/movies/pictures between the different OS

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by Supraman

I know what you mean.

Erm, what? I never said that. The best OS is Linux, but that's because I'm of the opinion that best does not necessarily equal easiest. (OSX is the easiest) It's like AWD vs. RWD. Just because AWD is easier to drive doesn't mean it's better.

[darkphantom]

Originally Posted by FirstClass

When I bought my Alienware (first and last) I got it [nearly] completely maxed out. It was reasonably fast when I got it, but heat was a major issue. The thing ran like an oil rig fire, which is to say very hot. It was pretty fast initially, but it was never really fast because it's a laptop and they don't get real graphics cards in laptops. And it wasn't really a laptop either, because I couldn't take it anywhere. I weighed almost 10 pounds and the battery life was abysmal. So I needed an outlet pretty much anywhere I wanted to use it for more than an hour. Overall bad experience for me, but hey, the new ones may be better. (They look better from a hardware standard at least) I got mine in mid 2004 when a mobility Radeon 9800 was the creme de la creme.

Reality for those of us that look for gaming in a laptop - you can't be up to date with it for long...

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by darkphantom

Reality for those of us that look for gaming in a laptop - you can't be up to date with it for long...

Indeed but mine wasn't up to date when it was new. Though that was a function of the times I think. That didn't stop Alienware from touting it as upgradeable with new proprietary graphics modules that they never actually made with new cards.