Getting a new Laptop!

[Hogezz]

I'm gonna be looking into getting a new laptop and thought I'd ask you guys for advice... I used to work in IT 5 years ago and knew my stuff back then, but now I feel I'm a little out of the loop... Some of the new RAM types and processor types go a bit above my head.

I'll be postng up some as I find them, as cost is a big factor. I don't think I'll have to spend too much on it, as it will literally be for surfing the web mainly and for using stuff like iTunes for putting music on ipods and other mobiles and saving my photos on the external HDD. So no gaming at all.

My first concern though would be the operating system. I set out to get a machine with windows XP on it, but this is prooving to be more difficult than I thought. I would like to avoid the new windows 7 on the back of the epic failure that was vista. Of course I wouldn't touch vista with a barge pole!! So first question would be, am I overreacting not to trust Windows 7? Or do you guys recon it's safe. Have any of you tryed the new windows?

Also I have my mind set on getting a Windows mashine, as I'm not into Apple and don't want to get anyting else, as the missus will be using it probably more than me, so I don't want to have babysit her while she uses it.

[norm]

I know Ratix and I both have Windows 7 and so far no complaints for me and I think him. In fact I haven't had to fire up XP in a few weeks.

As far as laptops. How long do you want it to last?

[Hogezz]

If it's good enough for you two then it's good enough for me! I can get much more powerful machines with Windows 7... One of my friends was telling me as well that softwatre won't be written for XP later on down the line, so I'm swaying more to W7 now.

I'll see whats out there.

As for how long I plan on using it for, the last computer I bout lasted me 5 years and still works, so as long as possible.

[norm]

hmmm, 5 years?

Well if it was me I would definitely go Windows 7 and I would get the 64x version. More and more programs are being built for 64x and using it means you can go higher than 4GB for your RAM

Processor wise I would get nothing less than a dual core chip. I would make sure you spend a little more to get a better chip. I know the Intel P8700 is a top of the line chip. It should last you a good while. One thing to remember with a processor now is there are more important things than just speed. You should also pay attention to the CPU FSB and the CPU Cache. They should also be pretty high. The FSB is the part of the CPU that works with the RAM. The bigger the cache the faster the CPU will access its memory. So keep that in mind.

RAM, I would make sure you have 4GB or higher. You know the more RAM the better off you will be. That hasn't changed...lol For RAM the new thing is the DDR3. Even if you get a laptop with DDR2 RAM you wouldn't be bad off. The only difference for you would be a little performance and later on if you wanted the add RAM the DDR2 might not be around anymore.

For Video/GPU. That's up to you if you want an intergrated chip or on a seperate card. Seperate card adds price, but you're not sharing as much RAM.


HDD size is up to you. Memory is so cheap so what ever you want go for it.


Screen size, same thing. Get it as small or as big as you want.


Brands, Asus, Dell, HP, Sony they are all pretty good. You can check out Newegg for reviews if you want.

[RaTix]

What he said /\

With one exception. I actually had 64bit installed and decided to re-wipe and reinstall with 32 instead. While there are more and more programs that are being made for 64 bit, I don't feel it's mainstream enough to warrant the 64 bit install. If the programs you install themselves aren't written for 64bit, it doesn't matter, they will only work as 32 bit. Also I find 64 bit systems to be more problematic and buggy. But this is going more on past 64 bit systems rather then W7 64 itself.
I use my PC for work and didn't want to run the risk of some essential program not working in 64 and having to re-wipe and reinstall later down the road after I have everything all setup. If your not using it for anything but surfing, and storage, then probably not a big deal to go 64bit. I would check whatever programs you plan to install and make sure they are 64 bit capable before deciding though.

[Rommel]

Ok, here are my two cents.

If you are mainly going to be using it for Web browsing and music, you do not need a dual core processor? Seems like a waste of $100 bucks (or even more), especially with Google Chrome OS lurking around the corner. Not to mention that you will be needing to recharge the battery more often, and that also means that it will die quicker.

As for RAM: If you are short on cash, and mainly going to be using this for web browsing, then DDR3 RAM is a waste of money. DDR3 is faster, but you only need that performance upgrade for gaming, video editing, and other such tasks. I wouldn't settle for anything less than 4GB of RAM though.

As far as which version of Windows to use... My brother's PC is running on Windows 7, and the laptop I'm typing on has Windows Vista. 7 is much better than Vista, but I'm not sure this will be the case on a laptop.

If I were you, I would get a netbook instead of a laptop and then install Chrome OS when it comes out in about a year. In the meantime, I would heavily consider using Ubuntu Linux. These Open Source Operating Systems have the advantage that most of the stuff is free, so for those of us who are poor, they are the best options.

I would recommend something from ASUS. Their price-to-performance is the best in my opinion. BTW, they're also pretty good at setting you up with Windows XP, if you would prefer that. They usually include a downgrade CD and their customer service is great.

Now, if you want to be hipper than Apple and want to blow $1799, the Adamo XPS is the hottest device right now. It's 50% thinner than the Mac Air.


Here are some videos of Google Chrome OS:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QRO3gKj3qw"]YouTube- What is Google Chrome OS?[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANMrzw7JFzA"]YouTube- Google Chrome OS Demo[/ame]

Get with the times. We won't need a fast computer in the future. It'll all be in the cloud. Get on the cloud. It's pretty cool up here. :)

[RaTix]

I would absolutely go with a dual core at the very least. Even if you have to skimp on the RAM at first to save money. You can always upgrade the RAM, but you can't easily (if at all) upgrade the CPU on a laptop. When you've crammed all the RAM you can into a system and find it still bottlenecks, you will be kicking yourself in the ass for not having a better CPU. Cause you will have to just buy yet another new laptop to upgrade.

Rommel you are such a Google whore. Do you have stock in them or something.
The Chrome Browser is crap and I know very few people that actually like it (if any). I have used it myself and found it to be lacking. I don't expect their OS to be much better. It's nothing more then a web kiosk.
Maybe if your just using it for merely web stuff, fine. But even then, why limit your ability with a machine by using a limited OS. Might even be fine for a gift to your grandmother or parents who have no clue on how to use a PC.

A year from now you might decide that you need to get back into some IT stuff, and then be wishing you had a system that could actually use real apps and not some web based crap. You might even decide you want to play a game while you wait for your songs or files to transfer. You never know.

[TheRealHanSolo]

Main problem with Google OS is that EVERYTHING you save is on their servers. So don't d/l music or your ass is going to prison.

[Rommel]

I would absolutely go with a dual core at the very least. Even if you have to skimp on the RAM at first to save money. You can always upgrade the RAM, but you can't easily (if at all) upgrade the CPU on a laptop. When you've crammed all the RAM you can into a system and find it still bottlenecks, you will be kicking yourself in the ass for not having a better CPU. Cause you will have to just buy yet another new laptop to upgrade.

Let me put it this way:
Samsung N120-12GBK Netbook with an Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz does everything Hogezz said he needed it for is $379.95 + Free Shipping. (http://www.buy.com/prod/samsung-n120...210903793.html)

The cheapest laptop i could find with a Dual Core processor was the Dell Vostro for $550 + Shipping, so really around $630.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834200027

The difference is around $250 dollars. Now, that $550 bucks laptop is really shitty and behaves more like a netbook than anything else. A real laptop with a dual core processor that is built to last will cost you around $750 dollars. Now the difference is $370.05, so more or less the cost of TWO netbooks.

If Hogezz buys the netbook, he saves that money, which he can spend later on if he decides that he wants to run resource intensive apps. Or, he can simply upgrade to a laptop later on. In his original post he never stated that he might need the processing power later on. I based my recommendation on what I thought would be sufficient for him on a low budget, not on what I would get. If he had mentioned that he might need the processing power, than obviously I would've recommended something different.

So basically he would be paying $200 to $400 dollars more for the extra processing power that he "might" need. So if he doesn't need it, they're pretty much wasted.

If he buys a cheap dual core laptop, it would be obsolete in a year anyway. You really have to spend around $1500 if you want something that will last you two years. I originally purchased my laptop a year and a half ago for $1700 and I already feel like its specs are antiquated.

Rommel you are such a Google whore. Do you have stock in them or something.

I wish. I'm a Computer Science major and I really like what they do, so I recommend them whenever I can. They have simplified my life greatly, and thanks to them I don't have to install tons of pirated versions of software anymore. Google gives it for free.

The Chrome Browser is crap and I know very few people that actually like it (if any). I have used it myself and found it to be lacking. I don't expect their OS to be much better. It's nothing more then a web kiosk.

Chrome is crap when compared to Firefox, but that doesn't mean that Chrome OS will be crap. If the Web browser has full access to the system's resources, then it should make a potentially better web experience. Chrome OS is not made for users like me and you, but for someone who simply uses their computer to access the Internet. The vast majority of people only use their computer if its on the Internet (to check emails, facebook, shop online, etc).

Maybe if your just using it for merely web stuff, fine. But even then, why limit your ability with a machine by using a limited OS. Might even be fine for a gift to your grandmother or parents who have no clue on how to use a PC.

Again, because I based my recommendation on what Hogezz said was his main concern: money. Maybe I read it wrong. He said "[...] cost is a big factor. I don't think I'll have to spend too much on it, as it will literally be for surfing the web mainly and for using stuff like iTunes for putting music on ipods and other mobiles and saving my photos on the external HDD. So no gaming at all."
So why pick a limited O.S.? MONEY, that's why. It would be cheaper to buy a limited netbook and then upgrade, than to buy a laptop and then have to upgrade that laptop or even buy another one.

A year from now you might decide that you need to get back into some IT stuff, and then be wishing you had a system that could actually use real apps and not some web based crap. You might even decide you want to play a game while you wait for your songs or files to transfer. You never know.

That's true. In fact, I wouldn't buy a netbook nor a computer with just Chrome. I mentioned that my laptop was $1700 and has Windows Vista, so I definitely see your points. But if someone states that cost is a big concern, then I'm not going to recommend a dual-core processor and tons of memory if all they currently wish to use the computer is for Web browsing and music sharing.

In any case, it's MY recommendation. I think the whole idea for Hogezz to make a thread was so that he can get as many points of view as possible so that he can make an informed decision. If you disagree with my recommendation, then so be it, but just remember that we're trying to help Hogezz here and that he stated that cost is a big factor.



@TheRealHanSolo: Stuff like iTunes and music files would still be stored in your hard drive. Google doesn't have access to that.

In any case, I believe that cloud computing is a good thing because it makes your system much more reliable. Since your files are not stored in your PC, you don't have to keep as many backups because Google keeps them for you. Raise your hand if you've lost a file due to hardware failure. *raises hand*. I still shiver when my hard drive died on me and I lost EVERYTHING during Finals week. Now that all my papers are online, I can work on them from any computer and if that computer crashes, nothing is lost.

[RaTix]

You're right he did say money was a concern, but he also said

Also I have my mind set on getting a Windows mashine, as I'm not into Apple and don't want to get anyting else, as the missus will be using it probably more than me, so I don't want to have babysit her while she uses it.

I based my recommendation on what I thought would be sufficient for him on a low budget, not on what I would get.

Bullshit on that as you ignored what he said and immediately started to peddle off the Google crap.
And as for cheap dual cores, try actually searching, and not just for what might prove your point.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=17&sel=Detail;112_457_24935_24935

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5364306&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

$350 dual core with 2GB RAM. and guess what, since it's a laptop and not a netbook, you don't have to spend an extra $50-$200 on an external USB DVD-ROM.
FYI for those that didn't know, Netbooks do not have CD/DVD-ROM drives.

Some good places to look for electronic deals are:
Tigerdirect.com
NewEgg.com
MicroCenter.com

Take your time and search out what you want. Just think ahead of what you might need later on.

[Rommel]

Dude, seriously stop it with the drama. It's my recommendation. If you don't like it, delete it. I'm taking time out of my day trying to be helpful and now I have to deal with this bullshit. Fuck that.

If you disagree, fine. You can criticize it all you want. But you don't have to call me a "Google whore", and say that my advice is "bullshit" and "crap." Fuck you. I don't care if you are the "Emperor"; you will treat me with respect or I will leave. How is throwing insults helpful to anyone?

Unbelievable.

[norm]

Wow Rommel.

I'm sorry you feel like you weren't respected. You came into this thread completely disregarding Hogezz's reasons for wanting a Windows based laptop. You also completely disrespected the leader of this clan. For that you are banned from the site for a while.

[TheRealHanSolo]

OH SHIT SON. norm releases his anger

[k1gibson]

Anybody else getting a laptop.

[RaTix]

If norm didn't I would have. Seriously though, WTF. How do you totally disregard what was originally posted and say you were giving your recommendation as if it had anything to do with the topic.

Sorry Hogezz that this thread has become tainted in this way. I'm pretty sure though you explicitly mentioned not wanting anything but a windows system to avoid all the Linux, Apple, and other OS suggestions that tend to ALWAYS get brought up in any of these "getting a new PC/Laptop" type threads.

It aggravates me that people can't take a second to actually read what someone writes and just goes right into an opportunity to spam with Google products and what they would like someone to get. I think he was just too eager to tell people about Google that he didn't even bother reading anything.
It's like going to a Ford dealership looking to buy a car and some jackass tries to push a Honda scooter on you.