Another Laptop help thread

[arjue]

I realise there is a very recent topic on the same subject, but I don't think it'll get as much attention as i would like if I just replied in that thread. Sorry! please don't merge it!


I'm in the market for a new laptop. Price range isn't really set (gonna get a loan), though I would like to keep it around the $2000 mark. Basically, I would like to be able to play games on it fairly decently, however its not that big a priority, it'd mostly be used for general use. Wireless capability is a must.

are certain brands more reliable than others? For instance, if I had a Sony VAIO with the same specs as an IBM laptop, would one be significantly more reliable?

also, do laptops use the same sort of ram as desktops? if not, how big of a price difference are we talking about?

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

[stormy]

are certain brands more reliable than others? For instance, if I had a Sony VAIO with the same specs as an IBM laptop, would one be significantly more reliable?

Definatly. IBM has the best reputation, but you pay for it. I think the top tier brands are IBM, Toshiba, and Dell in that order. The designer brands like Alienware are probably reliable too but i'm not as familiar with thier track records. Sony's look awesome but I have heard tons of complaints about them.

also, do laptops use the same sort of ram as desktops? if not, how big of a price difference are we talking about?

It should be different (except some systems that cram desktop components into a laptop case), but it didn't seem any more expensive to me. A 512 MB stick costs about $100 for my Dell, which seems pretty average.

For $2000 you should be able to find something to suit your needs easily. A lot of laptops have decent graphics chips these days so gaming isn't as much as a problem as it once was. I have a Dell and i like it a lot, the construction is not as tight and solid as an IBM, but i haven't had any problems. It's been very reliable.

[Johnny]

I'm in the market for a new laptop. Price range isn't really set (gonna get a loan), though I would like to keep it around the $2000 mark. Basically, I would like to be able to play games on it fairly decently, however its not that big a priority, it'd mostly be used for general use. Wireless capability is a must.

http://www.powernotebooks.com has some nice gaming notebooks, they're the same systems you find at places like Alienware but cheaper because they come straight from the OEM. I'd stay away from big gaming notebooks though unless you don't plan on carrying it everywhere, which would kind of defeat the purpose of a notebook in the first place. Even the more compact machines can suffer from a short battery life.

are certain brands more reliable than others? For instance, if I had a Sony VAIO with the same specs as an IBM laptop, would one be significantly more reliable?

IBM probobally has the most reliable notebooks around, they're really well engineered. I can't go through every manufacturer, but generally you get what you pay for.

also, do laptops use the same sort of ram as desktops? if not, how big of a price difference are we talking about?

Notebook memory is smaller and pricier. If you're looking at a notebook and it comes with onboard RAM, it's usually cheaper to upgrade through a 3rd party than through the notebook's manufacturer, this is especially true in Apple's case.

[arjue]

thanks for the info guys.


One more question, would I be better off getting a dual processor unit (2x1.6ghz), wehere one of the processors is a pentium M, or a centrino processor (1.7ghz)? Centrino's cost more, but I assume 2 1.6ghz processors are more powerful than 1 1.7ghz processor.

[Diff-chan]

Two processors would suck up a lot more power and would lead to decreased battery life.

[007bond]

thanks for the info guys.


One more question, would I be better off getting a dual processor unit (2x1.6ghz), wehere one of the processors is a pentium M, or a centrino processor (1.7ghz)? Centrino's cost more, but I assume 2 1.6ghz processors are more powerful than 1 1.7ghz processor.

I don't even think they make dual processor laptops...just get a fairly fast centrino and you'll be fine.

[Johnny]

One more question, would I be better off getting a dual processor unit (2x1.6ghz), wehere one of the processors is a pentium M, or a centrino processor (1.7ghz)? Centrino's cost more, but I assume 2 1.6ghz processors are more powerful than 1 1.7ghz processor.

Centrino is a marketing label not a processor. It's used by Intel to describe notebooks with WiFi and other technology. I don't know where you found a dual processor system, is that even possible with Pentium Ms?

[lithium]

are certain brands more reliable than others? For instance, if I had a Sony VAIO with the same specs as an IBM laptop, would one be significantly more reliable?

Thinkpads (IBM's laptop line) are generally known for being a bit fragile. I can attest to that having my thinkpad break. But, Thinkpad's are excellent machines. I'd argue they are the best x86 laptops in existance (and Apples are the best laptops in existance period).

also, do laptops use the same sort of ram as desktops? if not, how big of a price difference are we talking about?

Yes, they almost always use SO-DIMMs as opposed to plain ol' DIMMs. SO just stans for "Small outline", ie they're smaller. Usually more expensive. Head to www.crucial.com and compare memory prices before buying your machine.

Also, remember, with laptops the processor, hd, memory, etc aren't nearly as important as a nice keyboard, screen, weight, etc. These things are inherant in the machine and unfixable once you've bought it. if you get a 12lb beast that you never take anywhere because it's too heavy, then it's a POS no matter how powerful it is. I highly recommend trying out laptops in real life before buying one. This is why I like thinkpads so much: excellent keyboards, great pointer, nice screens, and most thinkpads are light compared to their competition.