Advice Needed On Laptop Computer Purchase

[Medic_565]

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/?tag=img.lt

I use cnet.com as a reference before I buy electronics. It hasn't let me down yet. It's a popular site and I think Yahoo links to it for their electronics reviews.

Personally I'm a Mac user but I know that Dell makes a fine machine.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Dee,

I had never heard of OpenOffice until my office IT specialist mentioned it to me about 6 months ago and downloaded it for me (it's free!). I am able to easily convert documents from Wordperfect to MS Word. You have to be careful though because documents will save by default in OpenOffice format unless you convert to one of the other programs. I forgot to do the conversion a few times, attached the documents to emails and then was told by the recipient they could not be opened. Now I convert everything to MS Word before I email it as an attachment. There are numerous conversion options, possibly 15 or more, to different versions of MS Word and other programs as well.

 

[Rex Kramer]

EB,

I have had good luck with Dell computers and laptops and would recommend them anytime. The only thing I did not like about Dell was that you could not get them from a store and the only way to get them was to buy direct from Dell and have them shipped to you. If any thing has to be returned or exchanged you cannot just go to the store right now and then and have to wait for a few days on shipment. But Staples has started selling Dell computers recently and around where I live the 1521 is available at Staples.

If you like the XP look and feel I would not hesitate to stay with XP. There are literally millions and millions XPs out there so XP will continue to be supported for years to come. If you want to go with Vista be sure to get 2G of memory minimum. 1G is probably good enough if you run XP. I get McKafee free through Comcast and it works just fine.

The standard Dell warranty is 1 year. If you have one of those Master Cards or Visas that would double the manufacturer's warranty if you charge it through the card, then you would get 2 years of warranty. You do have to keep the receipt, a copy of the manufacturer's warranty, and the MC/Visa statement showing the charge in case you have to file a claim.

 

[metoo4]

If your office have VPN access to got connected from outside, you can do as I do: use your phone as a modem! For checking emails, it's not too bad if you have an unlimited data plan. I use my BlackBerry as a modem and it connects to about 3 times a 56K modem and I accesse email like I'm sitting at the office.

For the wireless mouse, put lithium batteries. Quite more expensive but last way longer.

 

[bond_james_bond]

Wal-Mart has also been starting to sell Dells.

 

[nacho]

Hey Beav. I may not be the guy to listen to, I'm an analog guy in a digital world. But I use my laptop exactly the same way you do. I bought a compaq on sale for $399.00. It has that fucking vista, but for our purposes it's ok. It only came with 512 of ram. It was slower than christmas to a 5 year old boy. So a geek buddy of mine said put in 2gigs. It cost me $130.00 at best buy installed. Now it snaps to life as fast as Oliver on Ontario street. So total outlay with a $10.00 mini wired mouse (usb port) and a cool backpack is about $600.00 and change for tax. It gets me online and into e-mail and stuff real quick. Sapman just showed me a site for some free anti virus software. Hope it works out for you. cheers

 

[Robert 21]

I have had the same problems with you with the wireless mice, they suck up juice from batteries like Kobayashi eats hot dogs.

TOO Funny………

I had a Compaq before the Dell, and the Compaq sucked monkey balls.

Going to a Visual…………

Beav...
Oh and welcome to the new millenium!

Hey, did ya hear about those R E D S O X WINNING…….

Wal-Mart has also been starting to sell Dells.

Maybe you could be one of THOSE people who gets up REAL Early on Friday 11/23rd, for THOSE Bargains…………..OR, shop Online

http://walmart.richfx.com.edgesuite....edgesuite.net/catalog_walmart/preBlitz_2007/

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=7810484

We use Dells in the Office, and I also have a Dell Laptop for Work/Travel……….swEET!
RAM, RAM, RAM !!!
Oh, and a DVD Player would be Nice.....burner even Better....

 

[IamNY]

Okay, the days of shlepping to the Stanley Cybercafe and the Avenue Parc Battlenet are about to come to an end for me. I have decided to buy a new laptop computer as an early XMas gift to myself. I have also identified the Dell Inspiron 1521 as the model I want to buy:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/inspnnb?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

Click on 15.4" HD widescreen-

What I am interested in knowing is what extras on the Dell website I should add on to it. I figure I will need anti-virus protection, a wireless mouse, and a carrying bag. Is there anything else I really need? I don't want their extended maintenance package. If the computer craps out after 1 year, which I doubt it will, I will buy another one. Any input would be appreciated. All I will really use the laptop for is when I travel, email, reviewing escort websites etc. The only work application it will have is checking my email and occasionally downloadling, modifying and re-sending documents. So I really don't need anything fancy in terms of extras in my mind.

By the ways, I own a Dell Dimension Series 8400 Desktop which I bought in 2004 and I am very pleased with it. The only problem I ever had was with the wireless mouse, and Dell sent me a new one after running the old one through a battery of tests which it failed. So I decided to go with Dell even though I fully realize that they are sort of like the HDH computer company and charge you a high base price and then everything else is an extra.

As for the Stanley and Battlenet Cybercafes, I have probably spent hundreds of dollars in those places, but those days are over. I can no longer ignore the convenience factor especially since I will be flying on a few upcoming trips both domestically in the USA and overseas, and I want to make a constructive use of those long downtimes in airports.

I am buying a similiar machine in a couple of weeks. I would reccomend the most ram or at least 2 gigs, stay away from the Intel Dual Core processor - go with the AMD processor (I have the Intel now and it really sucks), get at least 120 gigs for the hard drive and consider over 200 (well worth the additional $100), bump it up to the fastest processing speed they can offer (another $200) and get the bluetooth installed (less than $50). The mouse, carrying bag can all be purchased at other places (newegg.com for the mouse I would reccomend a blue tooth mouse - nothing to install - and ebags.com for the bag). You can saved some $$ by not going all out on the above items. For a basic set up Dell usually gives you the option to buy one that already has everything put together. If that is the case, make sure it has the minimum 2 gigs of ram and a dvd burner.

Good luck EB, I hope this helps.

 

[Techman]

Just for general knowledge, not just for laptops, Intel processors are way ahead of AMD in both speed and power consumption, not to mention price. And it looks like it will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

 

[Special K]

Black Friday Sale Beav...

You might want to check out this Dell link Beav. a $1000 system for $600 with all you need. Dell Link

 

[IamNY]

Just for general knowledge, not just for laptops, Intel processors are way ahead of AMD in both speed and power consumption, not to mention price. And it looks like it will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

you may be right, but the Intel dual core processor I have is very slow and even slower when playing video games.

 

[metoo4]

TGW, we're not talking games here.we're talking email. That's why I suggested getting the low end in terms of processors. And getting the fastest avaliable versus the slowest is probably waaaayyyy more than $200!

What's important here is the cost/performance ratio versus what Beav want to do, not versus what's the biggest game that can run on this computer. I know lots of peoples who still run P2-400 and it's plenty for them!

 

[z/m(Ret)]

Last minute birthday present panic!

Heading soon to the Apple boutique to get a MacBook Pro. Really really didn't know what to get for my SO before I read this thread, so thanks for saving my ass and no thanks for making me spend all this money...

Buying on impulse though therefore I would like to know if there's something I should know or is it as easy as pay and bring the box home? (Note to self: get the box wrapped, get the box wrapped..)

For instance, will they be offering me an extended warranty or shit like that. I usually decline the offer unless I can be convinced that it's a good deal.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks...

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

For instance, will they be offering me an extended warranty or shit like that. I usually decline the offer unless I can be convinced that it's a good deal.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks...

Applecare bumps the warranty from 1 year to 3 for $350 (in the US.) I'd pass.

 

[johnny_view]

Hey Beaver;
You asked about the Xp vs Vista.
I f you will not plug anything else on your Laptop, no big deal Vista is fine in the higher packages, but when I ordered my Laptop this summer, I got an Manager on line, and she explained that so far up to date the QTY of people ordering XP vs Vista was about 85% and more. I personnaly like XP.

But that may change as our Engineers tells us that our dear friend Bill.G will probaley put a stop to XP sales in Q1 of 2008 :-(

Johnny

 

[EagerBeaver]

You might want to check out this Dell link Beav. a $1000 system for $600 with all you need. Dell Link

SK,

Are you referring to the Vostro 1500? I see that it's being offered for $599.

JV,

I am leaning towards the Windows XP although a few tekkies have told me to go with Vista. I don't really have or desire to have the technical savvy to deal with what I understand to be massive issues and technical baggage that come along with Vista. Thus I have a tendency to be dismissive of what the tekkies tell me because they see it as a challenge, while I want the most user-friendly software and don't really care for those kinds of challenges.

 

[rollingstone]

After my Inspiron started producing lines with dead pixels, I am in the market for a new laptop as well. The dead pixels really don't bother me much, but its kind of embarrassing when I have to show something to a client or friend. I probably won't go for a 17" again since its pretty heavy to carry around the airport.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Hard Drive vs. Processing Speed/Strength

How much hard drive do I really need? The Dell Vostro 1500 has 120 GB whereas the Dell Inspiron 1520 has 250 GB.

Also, is 1.5 GHz on the Inspiron 1520 processor to be considered adequate? Or should I pay an extra $100 and upgrade to 2.0 GHz? Does it really matter?

I note that the Inspiron 1521 processor comes with a 1.9 GHz, yet only 120 GB hard drive. Which is more important given my intended use?

 

[Techman]

When it comes to deciding between XP and Vista, look at it this way...XP will soon be 7 years old. That is ancient for an operating system. Many things have changed both in hardware and software in the last 7 years and XP, while still a viable and good OS is no match for Vista. Most of the complaints people have are due to running outdated hardware and programs that are not fully compatible or not compatible at all with Vista. There were the same complaints when XP came out and people got over it. Vista is a very user friendly OS, more so than XP. It's just a little different but nowhere near the change someone would have to adjust to if they went from a PC to a Mac for instance.

But as I mentioned, avoid the Vista basic version as it is something that should never have been put on the market and only exists so that system manufacturers can offer Vista on very low priced systems.

Bottom line is that putting XP on a brand new system is like buying a new HD plasma television and connecting regular cable service to it. Sure it will work but you won't be getting the best out of your new hardware.

 

[rollingstone]

How much hard drive do I really need? The Dell Vostro 1500 has 120 GB whereas the Dell Inspiron 1520 has 250 GB.

Also, is 1.5 GHz on the Inspiron 1520 processor to be considered adequate? Or should I pay an extra $100 and upgrade to 2.0 GHz? Does it really matter?

I note that the Inspiron 1521 processor comes with a 1.9 GHz, yet only 120 GB hard drive. Which is more important given my intended use?

With regards to the Hard Drive space, I would favor the 120GB. When I need more space, I use my own external hard drive. They are cheap and reliable, and will connect to any computer (saving you all that time copying stuff from the old HD to the new one). Unless you enjoy downloading music and movies, 120GB should be fine.

Can't help you with processor speed. My gut would say pay a little extra for better performance now rather than regret your choice later.