View Full Version : Laptop Revisited (Update)
Basic points of the last thread:
I need a lightweight (less than 5 pounds) laptop with an excellent battery life that's less than 1000$ USD. Preferably under 700$. My budget has gone up since my previous one wasn't cutting it. Also, still unsure on netbooks but leaning away from it because I've heard it doesn't have the computing power I (as a student/professional) need.
Guy at Best Buy said Sony, Toshiba, and Asus are the best PC laptop makers.
My basic question, though, is what actual specs should I go for? I'm computer illiterate and I want to approach my dad with more than "light with a good battery life".
Reasons: I recently landed a job/internship/thing and I'd like to have a computer that, well, isn't my Dell. Plus I already did a system restore on Stan (the Dell), and it didn't go so well. He's still sketchy and getting more and more unreliable. It's not a virus, either. I've run AVG and Malware Bytes every week or so with no issues other than the occasional trojan that is quickly removed. I figure getting an actual new laptop and investing in a new version of Office, as opposed to just OpenOffice, is in my near future.
Before you suggest it, the chances of a MacBook of any sort being in the running is so abysmal I'd rather not tease myself with it. ;)
ETA: Been eyeing the Toshiba Satellite T135 with the dual core processor. It's about 599$ USD and weighs only 3.88 pounds. Specs can be found on CNET, can't link at the moment.
the computing power I (as a student/professional) need.
Can you be more specific?
(Most computing outside of the sciences and digital arts requires very little computing power, as long as you're diligent about avoiding bloatware. What your able to do without will influence this heavily.)
Probably RAM will be the most serious bottleneck for general use, so get enough.Other than that, I'm hardly qualified to comment on specs, seeing as I've not kept up in the tech race at all.
I need to be able to use Office software and the internet at a good speed. None of this taking forever to boot up or being slow to load pages for reasons other than the wifi signal (sometimes it's my network, but most the time it occurs for no reason). Both are current issues I'm having with Stan and I've heard have been issues on netbooks. Multitasking on this stuff=important.
I don't watch movies much, if at all, and any I do would likely be streaming shows from the channel's website or youtube. So...preferably something that can handle streaming quickly.
Nothing too media heavy, though. This is another reason I've ruled out a Mac, even aside from price, because I just don't need it.
Basically, I don't need much but since I'm getting a new computer, I'd rather not have to wait on it like I've had to do with my 5 year old laptop for the last 2.5 years. Having a year or two of a honey moon period would be nice.
To some degree It's all a matter of configuration. I'm replying to this from a seven year old laptop with 384MiB RAM; a couple of extra tabs, and OpenOffice in the background. It's a bit slow in switching tabs (I think that's just due to the YouTube video), but it's totally usable (though I may switch to something other than Gnome, as it was giving me some performance trouble earlier today ) Word processors have been around for decades; we've mastered that.
I'm not running anti-virus, though, and it could be faster. And it takes a fair bit of time to find alternatives to whatever is newest, prettiest, and slowest software being pushed. And this is Debian; XP was giving me a bit of trouble with these specs earlier.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it depends on your usage, and how willing and able you are to bend your computer to your will. Without a strong hand, most of what you buy will be squandered.
You might try looking at the Ram requirements for Office, doubling them, checking the memory usage of your current browser under load, antivirus (double the requirements again) and whatever else you expect to be running in the background (chat, bittorrent, email clients, music, etc). Add them together and see if they seem reasonable.
Erloas
2010-03-30, 06:41 PM
Really given what your needs are, if you search within that criteria, of price, weight and battery life, and not a netbook you should have all the power you need for general computing.
Good battery life is also a bit subjective and very much dependent on use patterns. For some people a few hours is all they need, for others its 8-12 hours. It is probably also one of the harder things to find because for the most part now its not a focus of laptops other then the very niche ultra-portables and netbooks. They know that most people end up having their laptop plugged in so a few hours is all they need.
Also for many cheaper laptops they put in smaller batteries to save cost/space/weight. If battery life is a big deal it would probably be most practical to get something with a decent life and then get an extra battery or two to swap out as the old one runs low. Some even have the option of switching out something like a DVD drive for another battery, which you could do for most traveling where you won't need the drive.
Outside of the niche ultraportables they tend to use fairly similar components in a given price range so you aren't going to see a huge different in battery life with most companies.
For basic specs, any dual core processor, 3-4GB of RAM, as much HD space as you think you need and thats about it.
Trixie
2010-03-30, 06:54 PM
Guy at Best Buy said Sony, Toshiba, and Asus are the best PC laptop makers.
Wrong. You don't look at maker, you look at product line.
And Sony is usually just an overpriced dung in shiny box, just like Apple :smallamused:
As for spec, get yourself something with an i5 processor. Core 2 Duo (et consortes) are sadly finally obsolete now, and i5 finally entered stage "still new and good, but without huge price mark for novelty". Add 4GB RAM, maybe Kingston 40 GB SSD disk (placing laptop's old one in USB box), Win7 and you'll have something that will last years, be lighting fast for low price (and with energy-saving components, too). Plus, it will have no moving parts, and be extremely rugged and portable.
You might want to take look at this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146729
Compared to your choice, it has better, slightly larger screen, processor three times faster, and comes from a good line. Just slap 4 GB more ram in a few months later (5 minutes of work) and you'll be good to go.
If you'll settle on 3 hours on battery or on 3 kg minimum, it might be possible to find something (much) cheaper (and with larger screen).
hap_hazard
2010-03-30, 08:15 PM
For just Office and internet Core i3 should be enough.
Erloas
2010-03-30, 10:34 PM
As for spec, get yourself something with an i5 processor. Core 2 Duo (et consortes) are sadly finally obsolete now, and i5 finally entered stage "still new and good, but without huge price mark for novelty". Add 4GB RAM, maybe Kingston 40 GB SSD disk (placing laptop's old one in USB box), Win7 and you'll have something that will last years, be lighting fast for low price (and with energy-saving components, too). Plus, it will have no moving parts, and be extremely rugged and portable.
I would hardly call Core 2 Duos obsolete now. Obsolete implies that it is no longer good enough to run the newest stuff, which is far from the case. Sure you would be limited in upgrade options for the laptop in the future... but virtually no one ever upgrades laptops anyway. There isn't an appreciable difference between them and i5s for general usage anyway. Sure the benchmarks are clearly there, but its no difference you will really see.
It really cuts down the options available and increases the price to only look at i5 machines.
I also wouldn't go with an SSD yet. For a lot of usage patterns they don't actually save much, if any, power compared to normal 5400rpm drives. They are faster, but it comes at the cost of 1/5 the storage and 3x the cost. Not something I would look at for a budget laptop at this point in time. And its not like there are that many failures with hard drives in laptops anyway, seeing as how most drops that are likely to ruin the drive will likely break the screen anyway.
Zeb The Troll
2010-03-31, 01:13 AM
I have to disagree with Trixie, too. You're asking for far more than what Syka says she needs.
I would echo Erloas's recommendation word for word. Any dual core processor and about 4GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for using productivity software like Office or OpenOffice and browsing the internet simultaneously. After that, look for a good battery and the size you want.
Trixie
2010-03-31, 03:10 PM
For just Office and internet Core i3 should be enough.
Actually, Core i3 is very poor choice - lacks all the goodies of i5/i7, shares their price tag.
I would hardly call Core 2 Duos obsolete now. Obsolete implies that it is no longer good enough to run the newest stuff, which is far from the case.
[shrug] They are obsolete. They don't have virtualization, safety features, turbo-boosting, virtual cores, many other things, nothing. i5 are cooler (in temperature terms), quieter, and consume less power.
Sure you would be limited in upgrade options for the laptop in the future... but virtually no one ever upgrades laptops anyway. There isn't an appreciable difference between them and i5s for general usage anyway.
Not now. In two years? C2D will be so outclassed when used in stuff utilizing all the new tech-bits i5 have it won't even be a contest. Sure, these might not come in quickly enough, but if you want machine that will last, C2D is a poor way to go.
OP asked for advice, I gave it within stated parameters. I wouldn't buy C2D since January, when first good laptops with affordable i5s come out, simply, because that particular road has a wall on its end already visible.
It really cuts down the options available and increases the price to only look at i5 machines.
[shrug] Not really. It's the battery and weight that make the selection really limited. Unless you settle for some ultra-low power processor, there is not much you can pick. Just look at the laptop at the OP - it's a toy with something that wouldn't look out of place in low powered netbook.
I also wouldn't go with an SSD yet. For a lot of usage patterns they don't actually save much, if any, power compared to normal 5400rpm drives. They are faster, but it comes at the cost of 1/5 the storage and 3x the cost.
That's why I named specific model - Kingston's 40 GB drive uses best Intel chips for very low price. Sure, you won't fit many games there, but for Office, that much capacity is perfectly enough - and you still have your old 250 GB drive in portable USB case anyway.
I was skeptic about SSDs, too, but when I saw what Windows 7 can do with them (system up and running in 10 seconds? Things opening with no loading time? Yes please :smallcool: ) I converted :smalltongue:
And its not like there are that many failures with hard drives in laptops anyway, seeing as how most drops that are likely to ruin the drive will likely break the screen anyway.
I'm driving a lot on trains, I use planes from time to time. lost count of times when only anti-G, hardened HDD saved me from disc's mechanical failure. Sure, trains round here are bad, but zero moving parts have pluses in all situations.
Deathslayer7
2010-03-31, 03:21 PM
in this case you probably want a decent processor (the speed at which programs boot up) and RAM and memory.
you can flunk the graphics card, and i wouldnt buy anything that sells blue-rays with it since you're not interested in that and they'll tack on an extra $100 bucks for it.
Elder Tsofu
2010-03-31, 03:37 PM
Seems like you intend to do about what I do on my middle-class netbook, i.e. office and surfing. Just saying.
Only issue I've had with my favourite toy is that some program usually go crazy and steal all the CPU about every 40h of work-time, forcing me to terminate it.
But as you want something bigger I suppose I really want to say that you wont need much for office, I'm running Office2010 smoothly on 1,6GHz and 2 Gb ram.
Edit: And I suppose I should say its an XP, I don't know if the newer systems have other basic requirements.
Erloas
2010-03-31, 03:51 PM
[shrug] They are obsolete. They don't have virtualization, safety features, turbo-boosting, virtual cores, many other things, nothing. i5 are cooler (in temperature terms), quieter, and consume less power.
Not now. In two years? C2D will be so outclassed when used in stuff utilizing all the new tech-bits i5 have it won't even be a contest. Sure, these might not come in quickly enough, but if you want machine that will last, C2D is a poor way to go.
I'm willing to bet that virtualization doesn't hit mainstream consumers for at least 5 years at the earliest and by that time it would be closing in on time to replace an i5 as well (or anything you could purchase at this point). Outside of the server side of things it really doesn't do much for people.
Turbo-boosting is decent, the hyperthreading is ok but still not a huge increase in normal use. They do use a bit less power, but cooling and noise has more to do with the cooling design the manufacturer decides to use. While they could be quieter, the brand and model type will be a bigger influence then the CPU.
And I don't think much is going to come out in the next 5 years that will have a huge impact on CPU performance of C2Ds because even at that point they will be in the majority of systems and none of the CPUs from AMD will have the same feature set anyway, meaning the technology is going to be too niche to see widespread use. We've seen that happen for many generations of hardware.
Its not so much that I don't think the i5s are good, because they are, but at this point I still don't see them being worth the extra cost in this case. Especially not with Syka's stated software use, the type of software that is no where near the cutting edge of technology advancements. Its basically adding 25% of the cost of the laptop for the sake of technology and not for the sake of real world use. No need for an $800-1000 laptop when a $500-700 one will do just fine.
I would agree completely if she were building her own desktop, but it just doesn't seem practical for a budget laptop.
The pros and cons of an SSD really depend on how they will be used. If it is that big of a deal with load times its also something that can be replaced at a later time (since it will have to be replaced manually and Windows reinstalled anyway) and from the sounds of it, probably not something Syka would be too inclined to do, not being tech savvy. And at $100 its 10-20% of the cost of the system too.
ETA: Been eyeing the Toshiba Satellite T135 with the dual core processor. It's about 599$ USD and weighs only 3.88 pounds. Specs can be found on CNET, can't link at the moment. There are a lot of different versions of this model. All of the new ones seem to be 13.3" screens, which to me seems a bit small for general usage. I probably would take the extra weight to get at least 15.4-15.6" screens. But you should at least look at some at a local store and see what you think of working on a screen that size. Personally I find my 17" laptop a bit restrictive, but I've been using a 20"+ screen on my desktop for most of a decade now so I'm a bit biased (using a 26" screen right now)
KuReshtin
2010-03-31, 05:20 PM
Depending a whole lot on what exactly you're going to do with the laptop, you have a bunch of options.
The Thinkad T410 quoted by Trixie is a good laptop, but might be overspeced for your needs. The T-series Thinkpads are more a proper workhorse model of a laptop and might not be the best option if you won't run a lot of heavy applications that require a bunch of CPU and memory.
You could potentially try an IdeaPad U350 (starting at 3.6lbs, 13.3" screen, up to 10 hour battery life with the bigger 8-cell battery (comes with 4-cell battery lasting up to 5 hours as standard on most models)). Page 7 and 8 on this PDF (http://shop.lenovo.com/ISS_Static/WW/AG/merchandising/US/PDFs/useries_techspecs_110909.pdf) gives you the specifications of the different models.
Now, it's below the $1000 budget you've set yourself, and right now, it could even squeeze in under the $700 limit as well for certain models.
Downside is that it's maxed out at 4GB RAM, but again, depending on what you're going to run on it, that might still be well within what you need.
I definitely don't need anything high-end or cutting edge, that much I know. My Inspiron 2200 has been sufficient for my needs up to this point (approximately the last year). The specs on it are: 50G hard drive, Intel Pentium M processor 1.6GHz, 504MB RAM.
I do not do games, I do not do media heavy stuff (photo or video editing, web design, etc). I sometimes (re: rarely) stream videos, and I listen to music. CD/DVD drive is not necessary since all my music is currently also on my external hard drive.
Other than Office and Internet, business software like Business Plan Pro and Skype are most of what I do. I need it to do stuff without it doing what it's doing now...lagging out while switching between applications, etc. Some of it I know is from having it in only in sleep mode the last few days without a true shut down, but this happens when I do a full shut down too.
I prefer to buy from Best Buy, or an equivalent physical store, but Best Buy because I'm familiar with their warranties. My HP desktop is from there and they've been good to me when I've needed help. I messed around a little on the 13.3 inch screens and I don't think that'll be an issue for me, especially not since I use my teeny iPhone with no issues (I use regular websites; I abhor most mobile site versions).
I'll give ThinkPad's another look at, and I've never heard of Kingston but I'll take a gander at them. My needs are pretty basic, but I'd like something that will be able to function well and reliably for at least 3-4 years. This Dell was only reliable for...maybe 2 years. I think it was more like 1.5 that we started having issues.
Also, dropping it isn't much of a concern. I need it to be light and portable with a good battery so I don't have to worry about always being near a laptop and so I can port it around campus/the city without it killing my back (add in books, et al, and my back hates me after that). Ruggedness is (surprisngely) a non-issue for my computing needs.
Erloas
2010-03-31, 10:26 PM
Well a quick search of Best Buy didn't show too many options, Staples wasn't any better. Best Buy did have a decent looking Lenovo laptop for $650, though Newegg has what looks like the same laptop for $50 less.
Do you already have an external DVD drive? If not thats going to be an extra $50 to tack onto the price. Even if you don't need one for every day use there will be times when you do need one, like any time you want to install anything that isn't purchased via digital distribution (which is most software that isn't free). I would look for a laptop with one just to make things a bit easier in those cases.
The Toshiba laptops you were looking at didn't have a DVD drive.
edit: I checked the link at home and it worked, but it doesn't seem to be working. Either way I would check Newegg and see what they have.
They are from Newegg rather then a brick and mortar store, but Newegg is a very reliable site with great customer service. Its also possible to try and find the same laptops at a local place too. Newegg is a great place to start a search because they have the best tech related search design I've ever run across.
I don't need the DVD drive. I haven't used my DVD drive for anything in....a while. The business software I got last semester actually specifically had an option to download directly rather than use a CD, which is what I did (it wasn't free either; I liked that they had a paper-less option). Immediate and all that. I also have a desktop with a CD/DVD drive that would probably be sufficient for anything I HAD to download.
ETA: Also, the link doesn't work. :\
Erloas
2010-04-01, 08:55 AM
I had tested the link at home before posting it because I wasn't sure if it would work and it seemed to work there.
Oh well, either way I would search Newegg and post a few direct links to ones that seem good for people to get a look at. Even if you then find them at a different location to purchase. I would just start with the laptop section, go to power search, and select the weight ranges since that will be the most limiting factor.
As for the CD drive... I don't really use one much either, but I always run into the need for one sometimes. You can't generally install on your laptop from a CD drive in another computer, though it might be possible if you are good at setting up networking options. If you get one without I would plan on purchasing a cheap external one to leave somewhere for those few times where it does come up that you do need it.
As an aside, generally speaking I would encourage someone that just bought a computer to completely wipe the OS and reinstall a fresh copy (they should include the disk to do this, thought not all companies do) to get rid of all the bloatware they add that no one ever uses and just slows things down.
It looks like I'm probably going to go with this (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+with+AMD+Turion%26%23153%3B+Neo+ X2+Dual-Core+Mobile+Processor+-+Nova+Black/9700987.p?id=1218154401423&skuId=9700987&st=toshiba%20t135&cp=1&lp=3).
I asked my dad and he said it looked pretty good for my needs. I saw that some people had issues with the touch pad, but I'm already planning on using a USB mouse since...my god, the touch pad is teeny! There was also some sort of issue with the screen flickering while using IE or something, but that is solved since I only use Firefox (maybe Chrome, if I can get it to work better on this new one than my Dell).
If I do get it, I'll probably end up getting the external DVD drive after all, since my mom is adamant about me making recovery disks this time around. :smallredface: (I didn't on my Dell, I did for my HP.) I'll chalk it up to it's something that'll be handy for if my DVD/CD drive fails on my desk top. Ya know...just in case. :smallwink:
Thanks for the help guys, it is very much appreciated.
Depending on what my friend (who works at Walmart and used to work their electronic department) says, I may get it at Walmart instead of Best Buy. The pretty red version at Walmart is 50$ cheaper than the pretty red version at Best Buy (which is sold out), and 70$ cheapear than the black version. It all depends on their warranty/service, though. I've worked with the Geek Squad several times with no issues, so I'm comfortable with them.
Plus I could just pick up the above linked version any time I want; the red's I'd have to wait a week plus for. I'm impatient. :smallwink:
Danne
2010-04-14, 05:29 PM
ETA: Been eyeing the Toshiba Satellite T135 with the dual core processor. It's about 599$ USD and weighs only 3.88 pounds. Specs can be found on CNET, can't link at the moment.
I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as most of the people responding to this, so I'm just going to chime in with my usual anti-Toshiba line. In my experience and those of people I've known (family and friends, with about five different models between us) Toshiba laptops make better Frisbees than computers. Just shoddy workmanship in a lot of areas. I'm sure if you purchase one of the higher end models this isn't the case, but those are all very expensive.
For pricing, have you considered checking out the nearest university's campus store sometime over the summer (if you can wait that long)? Most universities offer huge sales sometime in the June-August range (hoping to hook the incoming students). That's how I'm going to be able to afford my new MacBook (my laptop crashed last month; I'm on a public terminal now). It's a pain to wait that long, but the savings is worth it. Especially since universities will frequently have student/educational discounts that you can't get in other stores (e.g. Microsoft Office costs about $80 at a university store, but is can be as expensive $200 if you get it at a place like Best Buy).
For pricing, have you considered checking out the nearest university's campus store sometime over the summer (if you can wait that long)? Most universities offer huge sales sometime in the June-August range (hoping to hook the incoming students). That's how I'm going to be able to afford my new MacBook (my laptop crashed last month; I'm on a public terminal now). It's a pain to wait that long, but the savings is worth it. Especially since universities will frequently have student/educational discounts that you can't get in other stores (e.g. Microsoft Office costs about $80 at a university store, but is can be as expensive $200 if you get it at a place like Best Buy).
I've already looked at my school and there wasn't that much there. I suppose I could ask my sister to check out my alma mater (where she goes now), but I'm also going for an extended warranty where I don't necessarily have to ship it back to the manufacturer. I'll consider it, but I feel more comfortable with a regular distributor for something like this.
Getting MS Office through the Microsoft website with the student discount, though. It's only 60$ online. :smallbiggrin:
As for Toshiba, I know a few people who have Toshiba's and they like them. One has a Toshiba netbook and loves it. Most of the reviews have been positive, as well. It's like any computer I'm finding, some people hate it and some love it. I think Dells are glorified paper weights and have heard the same from many others. I also have friends who refuse to get anything but a Dell. *shrug*
ETA: Just looked and apparently the only thing at my alma mater is Macs. And they are still ickily expensive. The Toshiba is 300 dollars cheaper than the cheapest Mac, and has more power. I wish I could justify a Mac but...can't. :-\ I just don't do enough media stuff or really anything other than what is mentioned above to justify it.
Danne
2010-04-14, 05:45 PM
I've already looked at my school and there wasn't that much there. I suppose I could ask my sister to check out my alma mater (where she goes now), but I'm also going for an extended warranty where I don't necessarily have to ship it back to the manufacturer. I'll consider it, but I feel more comfortable with a regular distributor for something like this.
Not trying to pressure you into anything or something, but most universities do offer extended warranties, and will service a computer that they've sold without needing to ship it back to the manufacturer. And the sales don't start until the summer, which is why things are more expensive now. But do what you're comfortable with, not what the faceless person over the internet tells you. :smalltongue:
I think Dells are glorified paper weights and have heard the same from many others.
Goodness, I thought that went without saying. :smallamused:
Goodness, I thought that went without saying. :smallamused:
Sadly...no. I have a friend who's a diehard Dell fan. :smallsigh:
The only thing a tech guy I knew had to say good about them is they are built like tanks. Mine also manages to look about 2 years older than it is (seriously...at 1 year old someone thought it was at least 3...).
I did take a look at my universities online site and it appears they have some good discounts on Lenovo products. It's not much more yet then the Toshiba, though.
I also really don't want to wait that long to have to get a new computer. :smallfrown: I'll ask my dad and see if he thinks a Mac or another PC brand of some sort is worth waiting for. He's definitely more the computer person than I am.
Trixie
2010-04-15, 04:38 AM
It looks like I'm probably going to go with this (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+with+AMD+Turion%26%23153%3B+Neo+ X2+Dual-Core+Mobile+Processor+-+Nova+Black/9700987.p?id=1218154401423&skuId=9700987&st=toshiba%20t135&cp=1&lp=3).
[shrug] That isn't a laptop, that's a glorified netbook. Is so, why not just grab a proper netbook with almost the same specs for half the price?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220698
6 hours on battery, 3.15 lbs, should be fine for your expectations.
And Macs aren't worth waiting for. Never! :smallyuk:
Zeb The Troll
2010-04-15, 04:55 AM
[shrug] That isn't a laptop, that's a glorified netbook. Is so, why not just grab a proper netbook with almost the same specs for half the price?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220698
6 hours on battery, 3.15 lbs, should be fine for your expectations.
And Macs aren't worth waiting for. Never! :smallyuk:Nope, that's not true at all. Ever seen a netbook with more than 1GB of RAM? Or one with any operating system other than Windows 7 Starter? (The one you linked doesn't even have a proper OS, only Express Gate. Check the specs page.) Ever seen one with a dual core? There's a HUGE difference between the T135 and a netbook.
Nope, that's not true at all. Ever seen a netbook with more than 1GB of RAM? Or one with any operating system other than Windows 7 Starter? (The one you linked doesn't even have a proper OS, only Express Gate. Check the specs page.) Ever seen one with a dual core? There's a HUGE difference between the T135 and a netbook.
This. So this.
I've spoken with many people, both salesmen and computer people, and they've ALL said that a netbook is not what I need. My main issue is multitaskings. Netbooks seriously slow down when you do what I do to it (1-2, maybe more, Word docs open, Excel, Powerpoint, and a browser with 3+ tabs open), where as a computer with a dual core and more RAM won't be as affected.
I did consider netbooks, but for what I need it's not sufficient. It's not the size but the specs.
Also, I checked out the Toshiba on Newegg and when you add in shipping, it's not significantly less than the Best Buy one. *shrug* (Literally...it's only about 10 dollars cheaper on Newegg.)
ETA: I also don't need much more than what the Toshiba offers. I mean, working off my current laptop isn't that bad if you ignore the understandable aging issues it's had. I don't need a bunch of power, and lightweight/good battery is more important to me than an optical drive on it and all.
If someone can find me something similar for a lower price with a reliable brand, I'd go for it.
KuReshtin
2010-04-15, 10:02 AM
Nope, that's not true at all. Ever seen a netbook with more than 1GB of RAM? Or one with any operating system other than Windows 7 Starter? (The one you linked doesn't even have a proper OS, only Express Gate. Check the specs page.) Ever seen one with a dual core? There's a HUGE difference between the T135 and a netbook.
Very true. Also, I don't think i've ever seen a netbook with a 13.3" LCD. Granted, I don't look for netbooks, since I wouldn't buy one. but still. There's s huge difference between a 10.1" screen (which most netbooks come with) and a 13.3" screen.
edit:
@Syka: For the workload you've described you will be doing on the laptop, the Toshiba one is a good fit. It'll do what you want it to do. To prevent it from wear and tear from walking about with it every day, look into getting a backpack for it. They help. A lot.
Also, they will help distribute the weight of it evenly across both shoulders rather than just the one shoulder if you use a standard laptop bag.
I have a really, really awesome Targus backpack that's made for laptops. <3 My mom got my sister and I each one, found them on sale for like 10 bucks at Best Buy (from 40 or 50 I think). It was really funny because about 6 months later, Oz's mom got him the exact same model as I have without realizing it.
It's a great bag, I use it for all my school and travel stuff, regardless of if I have my laptop. :smallsmile: Just thinking about shaving 2 pounds off with a new computer is heavenly. ;)
Honestly...I had a laptop bag but I have NO idea where it went. Oops?
ETA: 40$ (http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.aspx?sku=TAA-CVR600) This bag is awesome. I've had it I think 2 or 3 years now and it barely looks worn. It's missing a plastic connector bit (one of the things that's supposed to let it wrap around your waist), but that was my fault...don't slam it in the door. Door beats Plastic. >>
tyckspoon
2010-04-15, 10:47 AM
Nope, that's not true at all. Ever seen a netbook with more than 1GB of RAM? Or one with any operating system other than Windows 7 Starter? (The one you linked doesn't even have a proper OS, only Express Gate. Check the specs page.) Ever seen one with a dual core? There's a HUGE difference between the T135 and a netbook.
Yes RAM, yes proper Win 7, you still don't find dual cores in most of the netbooks. These are the higher-class ones that cost as much as an entry-level full size notebook, tho, and I'd usually go with one of the notebooks instead.
Yes RAM, yes proper Win 7, you still don't find dual cores in most of the netbooks. These are the higher-class ones that cost as much as an entry-level full size notebook, tho, and I'd usually go with one of the notebooks instead.
Yeah, the main thing is to get a netbook half the cost of the Toshiba I'm looking at, I'd seriously have to downgrade the power I'm getting (the Toshiba has 4GB RAM, a dual core, 7 Premium; most netbooks are 1-2GB RAM, an Atom processor of some sort, and 7 Basic). Netbooks exist that would likely be powerful enough, but the Toshiba fits my needs (light, good battery, can multitask) and has a bigger screen, and is likely less expensive. ;)
Trixie
2010-04-15, 06:47 PM
Ever seen a netbook with more than 1GB of RAM?
So, you haven't bothered to check out my link at all? :smallamused:
Or one with any operating system other than Windows 7 Starter? (The one you linked doesn't even have a proper OS, only Express Gate. Check the specs page.) Ever seen one with a dual core? There's a HUGE difference between the T135 and a netbook.
OP already seems to have a system. Still, you want one with OS?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152161
Here's one with Windows 7 Home Premium, and AMD processor that would be just at strong as that Toshiba one in most things, considering lack of gaming and multimedia. For 45$ more. Still less than 2/3 of that laptop :smalltongue:
Huge difference? In what, exactly? That would be like buying Alpha Romeo, and only drive 200 meters every day, less than 30 km/h, to buy bagels, then claiming it is better in this than Fiat. In the above, basic applications, there will be no difference at all.
Very true. Also, I don't think i've ever seen a netbook with a 13.3" LCD. Granted, I don't look for netbooks, since I wouldn't buy one. but still. There's s huge difference between a 10.1" screen (which most netbooks come with) and a 13.3" screen.
That's why both of my links had screens significantly larger than 10".
I've spoken with many people, both salesmen and computer people, and they've ALL said that a netbook is not what I need. My main issue is multitaskings. Netbooks seriously slow down when you do what I do to it (1-2, maybe more, Word docs open, Excel, Powerpoint, and a browser with 3+ tabs open), where as a computer with a dual core and more RAM won't be as affected.
[shrug] Salesman? What were you expecting?
My secondary, ancient laptop (2003 vintage) with 1.5 ghz Celeron and 256 MB of ram can handle what you described just fine. Except I don't have 3+ tabs opened - try 30-50 or (usually) much more :smalltongue:
most netbooks are 1-2GB RAM, an Atom processor of some sort, and 7 Basic
See above link - beaten on all counts :smalltongue:
Lioness
2010-04-15, 06:48 PM
Syka: the Toshiba looks fine for what you want. If I was still saving up for a laptop, I'd get it. I haven't heard bad things about Toshiba, and my mum's had one for years. It still works fine.
I think every brand is going to have fan clubs and hate clubs, usually based off one-off experiences (unless, of course, you have day to day contact with lots of brands, and thus can make a reasonable evaluation). Personally, I don't mind Dell. I like Lenovo. I like Toshiba. I haven't had contact with any other type of laptop, so I can't offer an opinion on those. But the Lenovo's lasted a while, as has the Toshiba. The Dell had a dead battery, but that was 5-6 years after purchase. My ex has had Dells all his (admittedly, rather small) life, and he has had no problem with them either.
Zeb The Troll
2010-04-16, 01:22 AM
So, you haven't bothered to check out my link at all? :smallamused:Did you?
OP already seems to have a system. Still, you want one with OS?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152161
Here's one with Windows 7 Home Premium, and AMD processor that would be just at strong as that Toshiba one in most things, considering lack of gaming and multimedia. For 45$ more. Still less than 2/3 of that laptop :smalltongue:Except not.
Your netbook's AMD processor (http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+Neo+MV-40).
The T135's dual core (http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=AMD+Turion+Neo+X2+Dual+Core+L62 5).
The benchmarks aren't even close. Not even accounting for 1 core over 2.
Now add in 4GB of RAM compared to the 2GB for your netbook.
Of the "cons" listed on the reviews for this, the most oft repeated were "it's slow/sluggish" and "terrible battery life".
Huge difference? In what, exactly? That would be like buying Alpha Romeo, and only drive 200 meters every day, less than 30 km/h, to buy bagels, then claiming it is better in this than Fiat. In the above, basic applications, there will be no difference at all.She's already said that her 3 year old computer is not up to the task. This seems to imply that she's not "driving less than 30 km/h" to do what she needs to do. Note specifically the part about regression analysis.
My secondary, ancient laptop (2003 vintage) with 1.5 ghz Celeron and 256 MB of ram can handle what you described just fine. Except I don't have 3+ tabs opened - try 30-50 or (usually) much more :smalltongue:See above statement about how a newer one than this is not handling what she's described.
Stan is actually 5 years old. It's also not the browser tabs that give me the issues. It comes when the browser is combined with 3 or more other applications (usually Word, PowerPoint, and Excel at the same time). He REALLY hated when I'd have Business Plan Pro open with the internet and OpenOffice software.
Anyway, I'm not getting a netbook, it's simple as that. For one, I don't want to order it off line, and for two to get something sufficient for what I need at a store, it would be about the price of the Toshiba anyway. So we can drop the netbook discussion. Also, I'm not buying online. I want a brick-and-mortar store, so no newegg for Syka. I know, it's weird, but for big purchases like this I prefer to be able to actually take the thing in myself to a store and be like "Fix it" than have to worry about shipping it off to a manufacturer, et al.
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