Buying a laptop

AnNeg · Post by **AnNeg** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 11:44 pm

My dad wants to get a laptop for work and asked me to do a little research. I haven't touched a laptop in awhile so I'm not really up on what sells nowadays. ET, you seem to know a lot about this sort of thing so I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what to buy. All he wants is something practical, with not too many bells and whistles.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 12:18 am

Get an IBM ThinkPad and buy the extended warrantee.

I've messed with many laptops in my days and IBM's are simply the best products.

Junkman · Post by **Junkman** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:22 am

http://www.dell.com/outlet

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 5:09 am

I love IBM, but I wouldn't buy one unless I have lots of extra money sitting around which I don't.

Dell is great for the money. You really can't go wrong and if you buy the extra 3 year coverage and you are golden. The deals usually come out sunday/monday so I'll post some early next week.

-ET

AnNeg · Post by **AnNeg** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:58 am

Thanks, yeah we've been hearing a lot of good things about Dell so that's probably the way he's going to go.

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:45 am

Listen to Del Taco if you go with Dell. I'm telling you to get that extra 3 year coverage like he said. You'll be happy with a Dell and they have great service.

I'm just an IBM guy due to the abuse they can take. I try my best to baby them but laptops are fickle. You do pay for the quality though.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:52 am

I recently got a Sony VAIO PCG-K35. I wasn't even looking at Sony laptops. I'd been shopping around online for about a week, and I had basically decided on a 17" Toshiba Satellite. However, I figured I'd go by Circuit City and just see what deals they had. They had a damn good price for the Sony, and the TruBright screen was the dealmaker. So far it's pretty frikken sweet.

Tiberious · Post by **Tiberious** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:26 am

I have a Toshiba and it works wonders.

Wireless card installed already so I get free internet from someone. It kicks ass

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:57 pm

AnNeg...Did you get one yet? If not I'll throw up some deals today for you to look at.

-ET

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:15 pm

I own a Sony Vaio that I've had lot's of problems with. The hard drive seems to be a little fickle and I've had issues with it freezing up. I won't go down that road again. As far as Dells, I was on a project to deploy new PC's to a company across the country. I installed around 3000 of them and Only two were DOA out of the box. That's a hell of a %. I did a contract with Compaqs. Deployed about 200 and had 10 DOA's.

I work with a Dell day in and day out. Two years on this one and not one single problem. Go with Dell and you won't be disappointed. Anything else is a crapshoot IMO.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:31 pm

What's the model on that Vaio, HH?

ppanther · Post by **ppanther** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:51 pm

POWERBOOK.

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:06 pm

I have to say I tend to agree with HH on the Sony Vaio. They tend to be very expensive and my limited track record with them isn't all that impressive. They aren't bad laptops and certainly their smaller size is neat, but The ones I've seen are usually full of problems. Last company I worked at we had one and half the drives failed on it after about a year and a half. My guess was that the MB had problems.

-ET

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:52 pm

I'm hoping for better performance out of mine. I tend to think that when you consider a product, you're going to have to sort through positive and negative reviews - it's up to you to decide which to follow. I'll post a review of mine, as things move forward.

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:12 pm

I don't remember the exact model. It's about 3 years old. PCG-f something. I always had problems with Photoshop on it. PS would lock the drive without fail.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:24 pm

ppanther wrote:POWERBOOK.

I may have mentioned in the past that my dad is a big mac guy. Luckily for him, he points and his employer buys. Nonetheless, I must say...he goes through a lot of stuff that I think is unnecessary , but never even notices due to his religious Apple conviction.

I appreciate and enjoy the design sensibility that Apple steps forward with - it's tough to do otherwise. I can't see where the OS can be recommended in an environment where economy is a primary consideration, though.

ppanther · Post by **ppanther** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:55 pm

PSUFAN wrote:
ppanther wrote:POWERBOOK.
I may have mentioned in the past that my dad is a big mac guy. Luckily for him, he points and his employer buys. Nonetheless, I must say...he goes through a lot of stuff that I think is unnecessary , but never even notices due to his religious Apple conviction.

I appreciate and enjoy the design sensibility that Apple steps forward with - it's tough to do otherwise. I can't see where the OS can be recommended in an environment where economy is a primary consideration, though.

Point taken.

Unfortunately, other laptops are woefully inferior. :D

Junkman · Post by **Junkman** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:15 pm

ppanther wrote:
PSUFAN wrote:
ppanther wrote:POWERBOOK.
I may have mentioned in the past that my dad is a big mac guy. Luckily for him, he points and his employer buys. Nonetheless, I must say...he goes through a lot of stuff that I think is unnecessary , but never even notices due to his religious Apple conviction.

I appreciate and enjoy the design sensibility that Apple steps forward with - it's tough to do otherwise. I can't see where the OS can be recommended in an environment where economy is a primary consideration, though.
Point taken.

Unfortunately, other laptops are woefully inferior.* :D

*Unless you're doing database work.

ppanther · Post by **ppanther** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:37 pm

Junkman wrote:
ppanther wrote:
PSUFAN wrote: I may have mentioned in the past that my dad is a big mac guy. Luckily for him, he points and his employer buys. Nonetheless, I must say...he goes through a lot of stuff that I think is unnecessary , but never even notices due to his religious Apple conviction.

I appreciate and enjoy the design sensibility that Apple steps forward with - it's tough to do otherwise. I can't see where the OS can be recommended in an environment where economy is a primary consideration, though.
Point taken.

Unfortunately, other laptops are woefully inferior.* :D
*Unless you're doing database work.

I guess it depends on what kind of database work you're doing.

Junkman · Post by **Junkman** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:38 pm

ppanther wrote:
Junkman wrote:
ppanther wrote: Point taken.

Unfortunately, other laptops are woefully inferior.* :D
*Unless you're doing database work.
I guess it depends on what kind of database work you're doing.

It sure do.

Suggesting someone buy a Mac without knowing what they need to do isn't safe anymore.

It makes me sad. My dad gave up his mac for a PC, and is happier for it. He can communicate with all his buddies now.

ppanther · Post by **ppanther** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:02 pm

Junkman wrote:Suggesting someone buy a Mac without knowing what they need to do isn't safe anymore.

It makes me sad. My dad gave up his mac for a PC, and is happier for it. He can communicate with all his buddies now.

Um... have you even looked at a Mac since OSX came out? I'm guessing no?

mothster · Post by **mothster** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:42 pm

dell at work

compaq presario at home (had to buy a keyboard after spilling water yes water on the compaq board)

either one i recommend

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:44 am

AP's IBM T-41 asks:

"Hey AP, how come nobody is complaining about IBM's?"

AP replies:

"Good question Mr. Hat. iMac with OSX may be good, but that throws out the cost issue as they are just as expensive. Then you have to ask why one wants a laptop in the first place."

AP's laptop:

"Well AP, GFYJO!!!!!"

AP replies:

"You're just mad because when I get really drunk I accidently knock you off the table. That's why the warrantee is so nice."