View Full Version : Laptop: Which Should I Get??
audiobill
06-19-2007, 06:11 AM
Hey RRers.
I have a daughter who will be attending university this fall. I'd like to buy her a laptop, as a gift. I'm willing to spend between 1 to 1.5 grand Canadian.
What would you suggest I buy?? I want it to last her for 4+ years and I'd also like it to be her DVDplayer/ TV set.
Suggestions??
Bill
Thanks-in-advance
GMichael
06-19-2007, 06:21 AM
Hey RRers.
I have a daughter who will be attending university this fall. I'd like to buy her a laptop, as a gift. I'm willing to spend between 1 to 1.5 grand Canadian.
What would you suggest I buy?? I want it to last her for 4+ years and I'd also like it to be her DVDplayer/ TV set.
Suggestions??
Bill
Thanks-in-advance
Hey! Why are you posting this here instead of the laptop section? Huh? What? What do you mean that there's no laptop section? Oh screw it. Post it anywhere you like.
Sorry, couldn't stop myself. I'm a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad poster.
I would suggest a Toshiba. Not because it's better. I don't really know which ones work the best. But I do know that if and when you do need parts for it, you can get all the tiny little parts without having to buy the whole assemblies. This means that if you need a small screw, that goes in the widget, that should be 0.05 you'll only have to pay $5.00 for it instead of $200.00. Because with the others, you'd have had to buy the whole widget assembly. I buy and sell parts for laptops every day. Toshiba's parts are the easiest to get.
ForeverAutumn
06-19-2007, 06:28 AM
Hey RRers.
I have a daughter who will be attending university this fall.
:yikes:
Holy cow! I thought that your daughter was only 14! I guess it shows how long we've known each other. Gee, I don't feel any older so I tend to forget that kids grow up.
I can't help you on your laptop inquiry however. I don't know the first thing about computers. Sorry.
kexodusc
06-19-2007, 06:49 AM
I have a MacBook work supplies me with. We get new ones every 2 years or so under the lease agreement. I like it, gets lots of "oh cool" comments. I run Linux on it as much as OS X.
But damn it's expensive for what you get. Seriously... I think I might consider spending $500-600 on a adequate laptop now, and then maybe spend another $500-600 in her 3rd or 4th year if she really needs it. Stays within your budget, but builds in longevity a bit better I think. How much computing power does she need? The latest greatest technologies are always sold at a premium anyway and is probably overkill for her. Just my 2 cents.
3-LockBox
06-19-2007, 08:48 AM
I'm not so sure you need to spend that kinda dough. Lots of things to consider...which I'm sure you've already considered, but I'll go over here:
Just because its expensive doesn't mean its more reliable, just more valuable. I don't know your daughter but I do have teenagers and I know they have friends and their friends have 'brand-x'....I'm not saying your daughter is shallow like that, but I know kids are swayed but what they see their peers doing. My son wanted an I-Pod so bad because his friends did, and no other type would do.
I don't know if you can buy insurance for these things, but rest assured about one thing; someone will steal it if your daughter has a habit of forgetting things. They are a high theft item now. I've been told by a mall security person that there are kids who have had their laptops ripped right off of their shoulders in malls and on public transportation...you need to weigh the risk when buying a laptop. If you spend a thousand dollars and it gets stolen, can you spend that kinda dough twice?
As for brand? Man oh man I don't know, but I do like GMicheal's suggestion with Toshiba. They have had a great reputation for decades, and they prolly already make 70% of the parts in other brands' computers anyway (and stereos, and TVs, and phones, etc, etc). And if they are less anal about repair parts, then that's bonus. Because kids will knock these things around.
Be sure to buy a good carrying case for any laptop you buy. And buy all means visit some computer geek websites and ask about the specific functions you're considering (I myself have never seen a TV card that didn't cause trouble for a computer). These things can be customized for anything you want, so don't be in too big of a hurry. Kexodusc is right...the latest and greatest would just take up money and space, and she prolly could do more with less.
Good luck with your search.
unleasHell
06-19-2007, 09:01 AM
I just switched to a MAC (Apple) and would HIGHLY reccommend it, unless of course you don't mind your daughter being exposed to the thousands of (PC) Viruses that are lurking out there...
YES, they are a little more money, but YES they are worth it!!!
PeruvianSkies
06-19-2007, 10:53 AM
I have had a 12" PowerBook, a 15" PowerBook, and now I am using a 17" PowerBook and all three have had their fair share of issues. While they might not get 'viruses' that doesn't mean they are not prone to other bizarre things. These three machines combined have led to about 6 trips back to Apple using their AppleCare to take care of various issues ranging from a blown fan to other things that caused the entire hard drive to be replaced. I am still a proud Mac owner, but my next one will be a PowerMac desktop, which are far more stable, despite the inability to be portable. At least I can have the best of both worlds once I get it. Think about this...you can buy 4 decent laptops for what 1 PowerBook costs...that's a real shame!
Swish
06-19-2007, 12:24 PM
Hey RRers.
I have a daughter who will be attending university this fall. I'd like to buy her a laptop, as a gift. I'm willing to spend between 1 to 1.5 grand Canadian.
What would you suggest I buy?? I want it to last her for 4+ years and I'd also like it to be her DVDplayer/ TV set.
Suggestions??
Bill
Thanks-in-advance
They used to be very good, but they are using crappy components and with service that went from the best to "give me a friggin' break!". I had two hard drives go south on my last Dell, and my newest one (both company issued, so don't chastise me for buying them) has had two major issues already, and that's with fairly light usage.
I have to go with Toshiba based on comments from my uber-geek son.
Best of luck to you and your daughter buddy!
Swish
dean_martin
06-19-2007, 12:25 PM
I like the Toshiba suggestion, too. I bought my son one last year. He leaves for college at the end of the summer and I'm putting together a list of peripheries like a simple black and white laser printer for term papers, maybe external speakers, a nice mouse, carrying case, cleaning kit, etc.
Woochifer
06-19-2007, 03:17 PM
What a time to make a computer purchase. The bang-for-the-buck on the hardware side is great right now. Unfortunately, Windows Vista is still in its bug and security-hole infested first release, and makes all of that computing firepower more of a necessity. There are deals galore right now on the Dell Inspiron E1505 and E1705, which are some of the better laptop models that they've made in recent years. I've also seen Costco's website advertising a very well configured version of the E1505 for $1,000USD. It's very likely that these are closeout deals, but nothing wrong with that.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11201331&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&pos=7&lang=en-US
The Macs are nice, but you're kinda caught between the 13" MacBook and the far more expensive MacBook Pro models. If you do go with a Mac, you might want to wait until your daughter is officially a university student, so that you can buy the Mac using an education discount ($100USD on the MacBook and $200USD on the MacBook Pro). And right now, Apple will throw in a $200 iPod rebate for any purchases made through the college program.
They used to be very good, but they are using crappy components and with service that went from the best to "give me a friggin' break!". I had two hard drives go south on my last Dell, and my newest one (both company issued, so don't chastise me for buying them) has had two major issues already, and that's with fairly light usage.
I have to go with Toshiba based on comments from my uber-geek son. Best of luck to you and your daughter buddy!
Swish
Well, I think that's kind of industrywide, since components tend to get swapped out fairly regularly even on the same models. I'm writing this on a four-year old Dell laptop. The original IBM hard drive ran fine for more than 3 years until I replaced it last year with a larger capacity drive. The only component failure was the optical drive, which Dell replaced under warranty (the original component was a Samsung, the current one is a Matsush*ta [Panasonic] drive that has worked fine for two years).
In my office, we've had far more issues with the laptops than the desktops, and these problems have not been brand specific (though more than half of the computers in the office have been Dells). Two motherboard failures (a Dell and a Sony), multiple hard drive failures (Seagate, IBM, and Toshiba drives), and one other optical drive failure (Samsung).
While I'll agree that Dell's customer support sucks when you reach one of their overseas outsource call centers (if you're a business customer, you do get routed to a domestic call center rather than one in India), I've actually had very good service by using online chat support. No waiting on hold, and after running the diagnostics they had a new component overnighted to me. Unfortunately, Dell's customer service decline coincides with their move to competing more on price.
Finch Platte
06-19-2007, 03:48 PM
While I'll agree that Dell's customer support sucks when you reach one of their overseas outsource call centers (if you're a business customer, you do get routed to a domestic call center rather than one in India), I've actually had very good service by using online chat support. No waiting on hold, and after running the diagnostics they had a new component overnighted to me. Unfortunately, Dell's customer service decline coincides with their move to competing more on price.
Check this out: Confessions of a former Dell sales manager. (http://consumerist.com/consumer/insiders/22-confessions-of-a-former-dell-sales-manager-268831.php)
fp
nobody
06-21-2007, 08:53 AM
Only advice I have is go ahead and max out the RAM now...easier than adding more later...which I always seem to end up doing anyway.
audiobill
06-22-2007, 06:32 PM
Hello RRers:
Firstly, let me say Thank You for the wonderful recs you fine bunch of geeks provided me with to purchase a laptop for my daughter.
Believe me, we carefully examined them all and settled into one: an HP.
It came down to the Mac and the HP.
Our system cost $800 Canadian.
the HP Pavilion DV2412CA laptop with Dual headphone jacks allow you to share your entertainment while the mobile dual-core technology enables use of multiple demanding applications, such as photo editing, DVD burning and playing a game, at the same time. More Info
Processor Type AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core TK-53
Screen Size 14.1 in
RAM (Preloaded / Maximum) 1024MB DDR2 (Exp. To 2GB)
Hard Drive 160GB SATA (5400RPM)
Optical Drives LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±R/RW
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 (UMA) w/ 287MB
Average Battery Life Not Provided By Manufacturer
Product Weight 2.5 kg
Audio Type Not Provided By Manufacturer
Battery Type 12-Cell Lithium-Ion
Cache 512KB L2
Fax/Modem High Speed 56K
I/O Ports See The Features Section
Included In Box Earbud Headphones, Remote Control
Network Card Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN
Other Software See The Features Section
PC Card Slots ExpressCard/54(Supports ExpressCard/34)
Pointing Device Touchpad W/ On/Off Button & Up/Down Pad
Preloaded Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor Speed 1.7GHz
Product Dimensions 33.4(W) x 2.6(H) x 23.7(D) cm
Removable Storage 5-In-1 Integrated Digital Media Reader
Screen Type WXGA High Definition BrightView Display
Speakers Altec Lansing
System Bus 1600MHz
Warranty 1 Year Limited Parts & Labour
More Information
Built for Vista
This laptop has been built with the next generation of interactivity in mind. Featuring the hardware required to run the powerful and beautiful Windows Vista, this laptop is ready for awesome online media experience, fun home creativity projects and powerful business applications. From Windows Live to Live Anywhere to Windows Media Center and beyond - Windows Vista provides a great view of the future.
FEATURES:
Enduring high-gloss style with HP Imprint finish in an exclusive Wave design.
Same viewable screen content as a 15.4-inch system - but about 1 lb lighter!
Sharp images for 3D gaming and video editing with NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 and up to 287MB shared video memory.
Personalized, silkscreen-quality CD and DVD labels with LightScribe.
Live video chat and capture with HP Webcam and integrated microphone.
Fast photo transfer with 5-in-1 digital media reader.
I/O Ports: 3 x Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0; 2 x Headphone Out (1 w/SPDIF Digital Audio & 1 stereo); 1 x Microphone-In; 1 x VGA (15-pin); 1 x TV-Out (S-Video); 1 x RJ-11 (modem); 1 x RJ -45 (LAN); 1 x Notebook Expansion Port 3; 1 x IEEE 1394 Firewire (4-pin); 1 x Consumer IR
What really bothers me, though, is these 60 day trial offers.... for Office Home... the Mac comes fully equipped with all of the software necessary to do work and play. But, my daughter preferred this one, when she and I went and test drove several.
Any way, let me know what you think (I have 14 days to return it) and, once again, thanks for all of your advice.
I'll keep you posted at the one month period, as to how things went.
Cheers,
audiobill
Monkey Bones
06-23-2007, 09:04 AM
Hello RRers:
Firstly, let me say Thank You for the wonderful recs you fine bunch of geeks provided me with to purchase a laptop for my daughter.
Believe me, we carefully examined them all and settled into one: an HP.
Not sure if I should post this now, so if you don't want to read any negative HP comments stop here ..... but I have a HP Pavilion ze5375us that's about 5 years old, and would've definitely gotten something else in retrospect. It's heavy, power hungry, keyboard doesn't have good touch, loud (fan runs almost constantly), and did I say power hungry? So you're probably wondering why I bought it, eh? Well, I was a notebook novice, and needed one quick, and went to Best Buy and did some test driving, and it seemed OK, and had great specs, and was a pretty good deal for what it has, and what can you tell in a noisy department store anyway? Should've done some more research, like you. Battery life is really short, had to replace it after a year because it wouldn't hold a good charge, and by that time it would only power it for a couple minutes, and even when new it would only power the computer for about 45 minutes. And got progressively worse from there. And I've had to go in about 3 or 4 times using the recovery console to correct a damaged registry so that it would boot up, not a fun process, but not too bad if you know all of the steps. Partly due to the fact that the battery is almost always discharged, so sometimes the registry gets corrupted when booting if you don't have the AC on and power stabilized, or if you turn off the AC during the time Windows is shutting down. But that's just mine. My roomate has an inexpensive Dell Inspiron E1405 that works much better in nearly all respects, it's especially lightweight, quiet and fast. They're probably better by now, so most of my bad experience might not apply :)
Audio Girl
06-23-2007, 04:33 PM
I prefer Macs. I currently own the black MacBook (original release) and a 12" G4 Powerbook. They are amazing; mind you, they are not free from issues but I have found Apple to be very easy to deal with and resolve issues. I am looking forward to the iPhone's release next week!
The corporation I have worked for ($10 billion in sales) has allowed us to choose either Macs or HP laptops during the 9 years I have worked there. In 2008, the company is going exclusively Mac.
Very user friendly.
Woochifer
06-23-2007, 05:15 PM
Not sure if I should post this now, so if you don't want to read any negative HP comments stop here ..... but I have a HP Pavilion ze5375us that's about 5 years old, and would've definitely gotten something else in retrospect. It's heavy, power hungry, keyboard doesn't have good touch, loud (fan runs almost constantly), and did I say power hungry? So you're probably wondering why I bought it, eh? Well, I was a notebook novice, and needed one quick, and went to Best Buy and did some test driving, and it seemed OK, and had great specs, and was a pretty good deal for what it has, and what can you tell in a noisy department store anyway? Should've done some more research, like you. Battery life is really short, had to replace it after a year because it wouldn't hold a good charge, and by that time it would only power it for a couple minutes, and even when new it would only power the computer for about 45 minutes. And got progressively worse from there. And I've had to go in about 3 or 4 times using the recovery console to correct a damaged registry so that it would boot up, not a fun process, but not too bad if you know all of the steps. Partly due to the fact that the battery is almost always discharged, so sometimes the registry gets corrupted when booting if you don't have the AC on and power stabilized, or if you turn off the AC during the time Windows is shutting down. But that's just mine. My roomate has an inexpensive Dell Inspiron E1405 that works much better in nearly all respects, it's especially lightweight, quiet and fast. They're probably better by now, so most of my bad experience might not apply :)
Sounds like you got a "desktop replacement" laptop with a full blown Pentium 4 under the hood, rather than one of the more power efficient mobile variants that came out later on (e.g., the Pentium 4m and the Pentium M). At that time, laptop manufacturers tried improving performance by stuffing processors intended for desktop computers inside, because there was such a huge performance dropoff by going to the dedicated mobile processors.
Nice for performance when plugged into an AC outlet, but terrible for battery life,heat dissipation, and weight savings. Pretty much any PC laptop introduced after Intel introduced the Centrino lineup won't have the same issues. They provided decent performance, but without the power inefficiency and heat that came with using a desktop Pentium 4.
Monkey Bones
06-24-2007, 07:29 AM
..... They provided decent performance, but without the power inefficiency and heat that came with using a desktop Pentium 4.
Yea, I agree. The specs Bill lists above would indicate his new one is about 2 pounds lighter than mine. And mine does have the power hungry P4 2.4GHz processor, which means it runs too hot for real laptop use, if you value your privates, and even if the battery wasn't an issue. So should be much better. Still don't like their keyboards, but that's a personal ergonomics issue.
audiobill
06-26-2007, 01:12 PM
Yea, I agree. The specs Bill lists above would indicate his new one is about 2 pounds lighter than mine. And mine does have the power hungry P4 2.4GHz processor, which means it runs too hot for real laptop use, if you value your privates, and even if the battery wasn't an issue. So should be much better. Still don't like their keyboards, but that's a personal ergonomics issue.
"Sounds like you got a "desktop replacement" laptop with a full blown Pentium 4 under the hood, rather than one of the more power efficient mobile variants that came out later on (e.g., the Pentium 4m and the Pentium M). At that time, laptop manufacturers tried improving performance by stuffing processors intended for desktop computers inside, because there was such a huge performance dropoff by going to the dedicated mobile processors." (Woochifer)
Hey Monkey Bones and Woochifer,
So far so good. Improved battery life is a definite pluse (5 hours doing all kinds of multi-tasking), as is the ability to use the lap. None of the manufacturers suggest the lap anymore for fear of a lawsuit, but I tried the lap with the new computer and everything is fine.
The screen on this baby is truly amazing. Very crisp and when playing DVDs it's colour saturation is pretty to look at. So far, unimpressed with MS Vista premium -- am I missing something?? All this fanfare, but I prefer my XP that's on my desktop.
I'll keep you posted as this baby goes to university and takes some real abuse from my daughter,
Thank you all for your input,
Bill
N. Abstentia
06-27-2007, 02:59 PM
The problem with having a Mac for college (other than it costing $1000 too much) is that none of her classmates will have Macs, and it will be harder to find 'helper' software that works with a Mac.
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