Need new laptop, any must have options?
 

It looks like mine needs a new hard drive and it's just not worth it given the other issues and it's age.

I've been out of the game for a while so what should I look for/avoid? Thanks guys.

I'm not a gamer at all but I do watch a fair amount of live sports etc on the computer so good video is nice.

I use it for surfing and generic office work. I am thinking something in the $1k +/- $400 range.

New hard drive is cheap, get some local PC shop to load O/S and software, and away you go, for $200-ish.

You know what I'll say and I know what you'll say . . . so I'll keep my mouth shut. :D

You can do it for a lot less than $200 ish.

Get a new hard drive, plug it in and insert your "rescue" CD and let it load everything again.

Loads of descent hard drives for around $75 with shipping.

http://castle.pricewatch.com/s/search.asp?s=NOTEBOOKS+HARD+DRIVE&i=0&c=&mi=0&m=&s rt=t&view=&international=

If you really want to make it faster, then get a 7200 rpm drive.

http://castle.pricewatch.com/s/search.asp?s=NOTEBOOKS+HARD+DRIVE+7200&srt=t&mi=0& m=&view=

This one has other issues that make me think it's time to move on:

The battery life has always sucked 45 minutes to an hour. This is with a new battery. It has the Pentium 2 chip and I'm told that although a great performer in it's time it was a hog on batteries. I'm told new models get over three hours!

I have had to crack it open and re-solder the power connection at least 15 times and have to be very gentle with it.

The optical drive has not worked for a year plus. A replacement is big bucks.

Etc...

I think it's time.....:)

Dell or IBM/Lenovo then...

Checkout what COSTCO has and, to voice what Kurt is thinking, swing by an Apple store for a look. It won't kill ya :) I've had lots of success with both Dell (Latitude/business class) and now IBM Lenovo. My MIL is running a Sony w/Vista Home and after 4 months or so has no issues.

One nice thing about Costco is that they warranty everything. If you are not happy with it for whatever reason they cover it, and thats hard to beat.

I see, makes sense.

I will look at Costco.

I thought Dell had gotten a bad name recently, no?

My wife has a Powerbook Pro, loaded to the gills. I concede it's a nice machine but I everything I do is PC. I know...I know...:D

So should I look for a certain processor? Avoid a certain one? Minimum RAM for Vista? Stuff like that.

The Sony laptop running Vista came with 1 GB of RAM. It was barely useable and would not open up the MS online Vista help videos...I threw in another 1 GB stick and it runs much better but still a bit slower than my XP IBM. The more RAM the better so make sure the laptop can support more than just 2 GB.

Dell laptop, ordered from the small business site. They allow you to omit all of the free crap most computers come with (Norton, etc), and you can order with XP. Did I mention you can get one with XP?;) Plus, you can pick one up very affordably with a Core 2 Duo and 2 GB RAM, or get as fancy as you like.

I'm the official IT guy of my wife's large family, I've spec'd out and ordered 4 Dell laptops in the last two years, along with 5 Dell desktops in the last 5 years. Each has not had a single problem, except for the desktop that their kids managed to kill with viruses. Several of the laptops travel to class with the college aged ones, so they don't lead an easy life.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1212006893.jpg

I love these.

I'm going to look at the MacBook, there I said it. :)

My concern is with files for work. I use Office a lot and any compatibility issues will kill me. We'll see.

I don't think Office file incompatibility is a problem, but the Mac and Windows versions of Office are just different enough to be irritating, sometimes. I use Excel many hours a day in Windows, and am used to certain keystroke combos that are not the same in Excel/Mac. I have not checked if macros run the same, that might be something to check.

That said, you can always run Windows on your MacBook using Parallels or Boot Camp, and thus have the familiar Windows environment - I think you can even toggle back and forth if using Parallels.

Vista can only see 3.3 gigs of ram so as long as you can go to 3 you're fine. I have 2 on a desktop with Vista home prem and have no issues.

Try the Dell Factory Outlet. Inspiron 1425, excellent spec's for under $600. Buy the extra warranty and be set for several years to come.

http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/topics/global.aspx/arb/online/en/InventorySearch?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh

Many premium credit cards (AmEx or MC) offer to double the existing warranty for free if the product is charged using their card. Pay the puppy off the next month in full and no interest charges but warranty twice as long for free. Hard to beat...

I don't know if this helps but I have been using my macbook since they first came out with the intel processor for them in 2006 and have had no problems with it at all. My first Mac and I am very happy with it. Don't have MS Office so can't give you any info on that. I open any MS Office files that come my way with Pages.

What Joe said. I was at Costco today, and the laptops are a great deal, but more than it seems you want to spend.

Apple is a great deal too. Why? You can run Windows XP on it. I'm running it on mine along with Mac OS 10. What you have, to an extent, are two laptops in one. Problem - they are pricey. The Macbook is the most affordable (and smallest), but can get close to $1K by the time you put in your accessories. What you do have with Apple are very nice screens, easy wireless set up and really nice keyboards.

A must have for me is the keyboard: if you want to stick with PC, I'd definitely go Lenovo or Dell. Great keyboards on both.

Lastly, a good way to save $$ is to do a google search for "Dell Coupons" or, depending on choice, "Lenovo Coupons." Usually, something will come up for both brand of laptop. I did this a year or so ago, and with the coupon, bought two fully loaded Dell Inspirons for the price of one. Very good machines, btw.

I have had good luck with IBM Thinkpads, now Lenovo. Sort of plain, black laptops, but very reliable. Also, very simple and lightweight. My current T40(about 3 years old) has an excellent wifi antenna in the cover and good sensitivities to pick up wifi, in my experience. Also a titanium frame.

I went and looked at many. Ughh, too many options.

Where did you look?

See, you're a Mac guy and didn't even know it. :D

I went to BestBuy, Mac store, Circuit City, Staples, Costco.

The Mac is all but out. I spoke with my wife (Mac freak) and she admitted that she has annoying issues with office stuff and cannot open some e-mails from customers, etc... .exe files, etc.. It's not common but it's not nonexistent either. I'm sure that there are backdoors to these issues, but it's not worth the hassle.

No Mac.

I have a Mac Book, my daughter has a mac book (4 years of college no problemo)
All my tech friends have Mac Books, High on the food chain at Broadcom.
I have had one issue, my OSX crashed, lost no Data. Took it to the Apple Store (Genius Bar) They fixed it no charge.
My Daughters is getting replaced after 4 years, its been dropped, cat has knocked it off the counter ect. It does not close any more. The screen is pulling away from the frame.
Its a mess, but still works. I am replacing it for her 21st B Day.
Go online use the student discount $100.00, Apple does not care. Less than a grand delivered to your door

exe are windows executables. windows apps. not cross platform. no one needs to email exe's. more likely a virus. either that or the incorrect file extension was applied by a server along the way.

little known bit about apple service.

they have an option called Fixed Rate Repair. if you opt for it you will spend no more than a bit north of $300 for repair no matter how little or how much needs repairing.

brought my 17 in intel macbook pro in for repair after it slid off my seat, smashed into the dash and hit the floor. they replaced entire screen and logic board, $320 out the door. Less than 10% of the original purchase price.

Another option is executable zip files. We still use a zipper with encryption for sensitive files sent over e-mail and sometimes send them by .exe to package the decrypter/decompresser.

+1 on Dell laptops for same reasons stated before
-1 on HP/Compaq and Toshiba Laptops heh for same reasons stated above.

There's that also. But most modern utilities support encryption and there is always PGP.

What about CAD files and other manufacturing language files? Any issues there?

X300 FTW - if you don't know, you don't know.

So you're hopping happy about only spending $320 deductible on an extra cost service plan on your $3000 Mac. Everything is in perspective now!

Len, ou know I'm the first to recommend a mac. If I were you I would get a Windows box.

You have a mac in the house. You have not converted. It just may not be the thing for you. And there is nothing wrong with that.

You have had enough stress in your life this year. Buying a computer should not add to it.

FWIW, I am partial to Thinkpad/Lenovo boxes. They are friggin tanks. Not impressed with Dell at all but your mileage may vary.

+1 bajillion

Thinkpads are pretty awesome. They might not have some of the whizbang software that you get with Sony or others, but they are very solid work systems.

The X300 is the uber-geek toy of the moment, with solid state hard drive and a DVD burner to boot. Real road warrior stuff.

OK,

I'm leaning Dell XPS, either the little guy or the 15.4". Questions:

1)Which Vista? Ultimate? Business?

2) Are all Vistas 64 bit? Does it matter?

As tempting as 64 sounds, there are some compatibility issues. Fore what it sounds like you are doing, business may well be the best fit. If you can justify the extra money, ultimate would cover all the bases (entertainment, movies, built in fax). I have home premium. It's only annoyance, business wise is lack of fax.

Ultimate. For the small price difference, get all the parts. But nothing wrong with Buisness.

No, 64 bit is a different CD. Yes, the XPS line will run them. No, Dell does not support 64 bit installations.

I loaded 64 bit on a second hard drive. Runs nice, probably even faster. But in the end, I loaded Server 2008 (64 bit w/Hyper-V) and use it as my desktop OS.

Why no support of 64 bit? Is it still "beta-ish" or something?

Get a laptop running XP!!!!

Laptops are just not strong enough yet to really run Vista yet. If you get a "Vista" laptop you will not be happy...

Dell has a limited set of drivers for 64 bit. For example, the only way to buy a laptop these days is with the add-in video chip set. In the case of the XPS 1330, that is an nVidia 8400GS. Dell does not yet publish the 64 bit driver. I had to find a "hacked" driver.

But why not support it? IMO, they are too lazy. Or their script writers in India are already too busy.

As Joe suggests, XP is still a great option, especially with SP 3 out there now. But again, you have to do some looking to find all the drivers for the XPS M family of laptops.