Laptop

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Remember when I was interested in learning about them ... looking to purchase probably March or April. Need to get a real good idea of what I'll be getting now.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_in...36&pfp=compare&

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_in...05&pfp=compare&

http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=3411#spectop

I've got roughly $1650 USD for a nice deposit on one right now, so somewhere in there would be great ... give or take a couple bills. The Sony is probably a little too expensive.

Remember, I don't know computers. Only thing I really want is a 17" screen. I don't know the whole fudgein' deal with the gigahertz bullchit, the RAM crap, so on and so forth. Computer I'm using now is 2.00 ghz and 512MB RAM ... and I wouldn't like to deal with anything slower.

Opinions, suggestions. The Toshiba above is looking pretty damn nice.

This Toshiba looks great, but I don't understand the gobblygook T2300 crap - http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=3411#spectop (also with this one, how much is it to "expand" the memory, is it worth it, how much would you go for, anything else needed, would there be a huge difference ...)

Team Ramrod.

[Eldorado 0]

If you are wanting something thats going to hold its value then get an apple.

Apple stuff holds is value very well. Check ebay then check the apple store, some lower end older models are selling for very close to what you can buy new !

And from the looks of it it looks like you want a desktop replacement.

17" laptops are a tad on the bulky side and suck for battery life.

From the ones you listed the sony looks the coolest.

[Jmac 24]

Pentium 4 = terrible laptop processor, so I wouldn't even consider the HP just for that reason ...

What are you going to be using it for ?

Any 3D gaming, 3D modelling, or video editing ?

Will you run it on battery power often ?

[dennisp 0]

Agreed on the P4's sucking. My P4 gets hella hot, so the fan is going crazy a lot of the time. 512mb ram is ok, but I would prefer more. I see you want a 17", so I'm guessing you're going for more of a desktop replacement?

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Pentium 4 = terrible laptop processor, so I wouldn't even consider the HP just for that reason ...

What are you going to be using it for ?

Any 3D gaming, 3D modelling, or video editing ?

Will you run it on battery power often ?

Typing documents, listening to music, browsing the internet ... etc.

No games, no video editing.

It'll be plugged in most of the time I'd imagine.

You guys are right, definitely looking for a desktop replacement basically. Something I can pack around.

Scratch the HP's then.

[Jmac 24]

Personally, I'd go with a 15.4" screen as you can get a lot more computer for the price, plus 17" laptops have quite a few drawbacks (reduced battery life, awkward size, signficantly heavier, etc.)

I'd recommend ...

CPU - Pentium M

Memory - 512 MB or 1 GB

GPU - Integrated

Screen - 15.4"

HDD - 80+ GB @ 5400 RPM

Without doing a lot of looking around, these would fit your needs adequately -

http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku....&affixedcode=WW

http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku....&affixedcode=WW

The T2300 is a Centrino Duo processor, which is more hype right now than anything ... it will offer signficant performance gains in the future, but it'll be at least another year (if not more) before you'll start seeing the real benefits. Basically, you'd be trading off battery life and $$$ for slightly better multi-tasking performance (which it doesn't sound like you'll do anyways)

[///M5 2,833]

I'd ditto on the smaller screen. Laptops turn into shoulder mongers once you get a big screen. I used to have one with a 17, but have now "upgraded" to one with a 14" so it is much smaller and more portable. At my desk I plug it into a 17" flatscreen. Typically now you could probably get a 19" screen and a 14" laptop for the same price as one with the 17" built in.

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I'm not worried about how portable this thing is. I can deal with packing around 10lbs and a slightly larger footprint notebook.

If I went 15.4", I'd go with something like this:

http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=3431#spectop

http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=4530#spectop

I don't know, it just seems as though I'm pretty sold on a 17" screen

A guy at work has a small screen ... must be 14" I'd imagine - when he's at his desk he runs it through a 17" screen. I don't want to be doing that either. If I was going to do that, I'd just get a bigger screen on the laptop in the first place.

[Jmac 24]

I don't quite understand why you want those two laptops since it sounds like you will never use what you're paying extra for anyways ...

Perhaps this http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=4001#spectop which is similar to the Toshiba in your first post, except it's $500 less. The reason I suggest it is because the difference in processor speed is small (7.5%), you don't seem to have a need for the graphics card, and almost everything else is the same.

Just remember, computer technology advances so quickly, that you're better off getting something that meets your needs now and upgrading in 2-3 years than you are to spend a lot now to try to "future-proof" it ... Future-proofing PCs is a battle you just can't win, unfortunately ...

[///M5 2,833]

Not trying to sway into something you don't want, but it is amazing how much nicer a docking station and monitor is than any laptop monitor.

How about saving some money and doing something like this:

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_in...3382&pfp=BROWSE

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I'd be upgrading in three or four years, if that makes any difference.

This sounds retarded, but if I went with a cheaper 17" laptop, I'd have money to run a 17" screen as well - but that really doesn't sound worth it though, right?

I can't believe the price jump between 1.73GHz and 1.86GHz is $500.

Now I'm just really confused. I see what you guys are saying ... this seems to fit your needs based on what you said, going with a smaller screen might be better for you, a cheaper 17" laptop would work just as well as the more expensive ones for what you'll be using it for ... etc. I understand that computer technology advances very quickly ... but I just want something that's "awesome" now, and something I won't be kicking the chit out of in a year or two because it sucks so bad ... if it's considered "good" at that time, that's all that matters. Actually, that really doesn't make any sense, but whatever.

I don't know, I was just really set on a 17" screen with an 80+ GB harddrive, minimum 1.86GHz, and hopefully 1 GB memory.

Nearly all of my friends/co-workers use Dell, and I really, really never want to own a piece of chit like that. I know nothing about computers, but I know when something sucks.

[Jmac 24]

Well, the difference between the 1.73 GHz and 1.86 GHz P-M is usually about $150-$200 itself ... A big part of the reason why that laptop is $500 more is because of the GeForce 6600 Go, which probably makes up about $250-$300 of the difference ...

Adding another 512 MB of RAM is only $75-$80, so getting a computer with 1 GB of memory isn't a big deal ...

I'd say that, if you wanted to go with something that had a little more life and versatility to it, this would be a good choice ...

http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=e...rt=4512#spectop

It has the Centrino Duo processor, which technically is a little slower and less efficient now, but it will offer significantly better performance a year or two from now when software developers begin to take advantage of dual core processors. It has a GeForce Go 7300, which is a good graphics engine, so it will handle 3D fairly well and it has 100 GB of hard drive space, which should be plenty for music and work files.

[Eldorado 0]

I think my friend has the older model of that.

The thing is a beast. Has 2 fans underneath it that really scream when they are on high. And forget about putting it on your lap, it feels like its going to burn your leg.

Its very akward to lug around. Definetly a desktop replacement.

And if you want the battery to last long you have to leave it on powersave mode all the time. Which means the display is prety dim compared to having it on the normal setting

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I really like that one ...

Regarding the memory ... is more better? Or is there a limit where a computer can only handle so much before it actually starts to hurt performance ... if you understand what I'm trying to say. I'd definitely pay $80 to get that extra 512MB to bring the total to 1GB, even if the difference isn't *that* huge.

What does that T2300 equate to in GHz? Is that conversion roughly possible? I'm guessing T2300 = 1.73GHz and the T2400 = 1.86GHz? Just a guess though

I really could get by with Nero, an antivirus program, Ares, Azureus, program for my iPod, Firefox, MSN Messenger, Simplecenter (for my Omnifi), Word, Excel, and Solitaire

I'll have to get a price quote Tuesday for that Toshiba from a local computer store. Hopefully they'll just quote me $2000 + tax ... yay, $280 in tax. If they want to jack the price up I'll just get it from the Toshiba site. Same thing they'll probably do anyway, unless they have a distributor they deal with.

Really appreciate the help guys!

[JimJ 11]

I've got 1gig of RAM in the XPS, 'tis nice...

[Eldorado 0]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebO...ok&mco=1E54CB29

Not shure if you are an apple fan but thats what they have to offer.

very upgradeable as well.

Mind you you will pay out the rear if you buy the upgrades from apple

http://cgi.ebay.com/POWERBOOK-LAPTOP-17-LA...1QQcmdZViewItem

one on ebay

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I'd only be able to afford a 12" Powerbook or a 14" iBook.

I'm just not a huge Apple fan either. I know they're good products and nearly everyone who has one really likes what they bought.

It's just not me though.

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I've got 1gig of RAM in the XPS, 'tis nice...

Dell? That's the only one I'd consider buying.

[Eldorado 0]

Some people dont like em.

Im not going to force it down your throat like diehard apple fans would.

[Eldorado 0]

http://www.alienware.com/Product_Pages/not...ll_default.aspx

Fairly reasonably priced, they look cool too

they have one laptop with 5.1 surround.

It really has a subwoofer

[JimJ 11]

I've got 1gig of RAM in the XPS, 'tis nice...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dell? That's the only one I'd consider buying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup.

Don't look into it if you're concerned about portability

[Chevy350TPI 12]

I see that the T2300 is basically equal to 1.66GHz ... is this correct?

Is that significantly slower than my 2.00GHz w/ 512MB RAM desktop? I really don't want something much slower than this desktop (it's not slow for me, but my other computer in the house is only a 1.48Ghz w/ 256MB RAM and I can't deal with it at all).

FutureShop has that Toshiba for $1899 right now, it's listed on Toshiba's site for $1999 ... hopefully the meathead at the shop will price match it - I walk real fast.

[///M5 2,833]

More memory is sort of better, but faster memory is WAY better. If you don't use any applications that use more than 512mb then your cpu will run a little bit faster with only one stick of ram....unless it is a cpu that is meant to have a matched pair of ramsticks. It is one of those things that if you are going to do a gig you should buy the whole gig all at once and not upgrade a 512 pc to a gig. Making sure the RAM is identical helps.

[Eldorado 0]

all my ram is different

Office max has some good deals on the toshibas right now.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

you should see the specs on one of the G5's that are on order for my branch,

from what I remember, and this is for real,

Quad Core, (4 2.5Mhz cpu's)

16 Gig Ram

512 MB Video Card

Twin 30" Cinema screeens

64 Bit

no thats not the machine that is ordered for me but I a Dual Core 8 Gig Ram 512mb vid and twin 23's is what I remeber last,

I need to post the stats of my new Unclass' PC, no idea why I have it, my G5 will be doing all the heavy work and then some, and my G4 does my personal and daily stuff, so basicly I have a small server for reading email at work

Dual Xenon 3.25 Mhz, 4 gig Ram yadda yadda