Laptop Advice (page 2)

Simon

I like the look of some of the Fujitsu-Siemens LifeBook models. Nice.

Dell don't currently seem to be offering anything particularly special.

I'd even consider a MacBook ...

I bought a 1998 Gateway and It's still running. I bought a Dell Inspiration 8500 and Dell replaced the motherboard 3 times in the three year warranty period and a month after the warranty expired, the fourth motherboard died. I replaced the Dell laptop with a local built desktop.

My son has a 2001 Gateway laptop that's never broke down.

I don't need a laptop right now. No more Dells for me. I like this desktop a lot better than the laptop and all the parts are available locally off the shelf.

Carmel

Sitting here musing over the anti-Appleites....while loving my new Macbook! carmel of the "former IBM group think" class

LittleToe

Simon:

I'd even consider a MacBook ...

Splitter!!!

Midget-Sasquatch

Shill alert

"Get yourself the macbook pro with the applecare protection program. Excellent value and its titanium casing can even stop bullets."

moshe

It's amazing how many of the old boat anchor lapotops from 1995-2000 are still working. That was back when they cost $3000 up.

I had an m35x Toshiba that gave me the problems- I did a Google search and you might find this helpful in avoiding a Toshiba lemon.

http://www.laptoprepairguy.com/laptop/category/toshiba-laptop-problems/

thecarpenter

Well, I'm on my third laptop now and the present one has been the most useful for school work. 1st compaq - beat it up pretty good (I'm not a careful guy) and had it repaired once. It died in its' forth year (probably a cracked motherboard). 2nd laptop was another Compaq and had it for 4 years. I also beat it up real good (the shell has a hairline crack on the corner but the machine works beautiful, I keep it as a spare) 3rd laptop a gateway tablet and I love this thing. I use it for school all the time and it has been the most useful for note taking. (I think I will buy a tablet from now on, I hope apple comes out with a tablet)

there are some pictures on this thread

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/118932/1.ashx

drew sagan

Well I have got a MacBook Pro. I've been running Mac steady since 2002 and will never look back. A few things to consider.

- The mac book and macbook pro models can also boot in windows xp with their free 'boot camp' software.

- The operating system (os x) is years ahead of microsoft in terms of development and features.

- If dual booting xp dosn't sound like fun, there is a program called parallels which emulates windows. It actually runs faster in emulation mode on my mac than I ever had it run on other pc machines.

- I would also add that anything you buy now that is pc will not be compatible for the new vista operating system from Windows coming out in 07.

- Even if you wait for vista, your not gaining much because I've seen it and it's just a cheap copy of apple os x.

Well, that's my apple plug for the week but what else would you expect from a long time apple user? I would at least suggest you go to the store and check it out. There are so many great features in os x that beat windows hands down. Things that make using a computer so much better you would never realize where so important untill you have it.

Little Drummer Boy

I have both a Dell Inspiron 8200 and a Toshiba Satellite A105.

The Dell gave me about 4 years or so of fairly good service, until the memory on the pricey video card burned out. This model has an actual video card - it isn't built on the motherboard. It would cost about $300 to get a new one.

The Dell always ran very hot, the optical drive was noisy, and the built in wireless card had to be replaced (even then it still never worked correctly). I finally purchased a Linsys PC Card wireless card to solve the problem

The few times I needed to call Dell tech. support, I was transfered to India or somewhere like that.

My worst impression of the Dell though, is that it just simply has always felt "clunky". I worked for many years in an auto manufacturing plant. In describing cars, there is a term called "Fit and Finish". It is a measurment of how well the body panels fit together, how well panels are gapped, defects in the paint, etc. The same kind of idea can apply to computers. Every Dell I have ever seen I would consider to have average to poor fit and finish. The physical layout seems to be poorly designed, they are heavy for no real resaon - extra sturdiness is not the reason. They have random extra plastic panels that have no purpose and they just feel "cheap".

My new Toshiba on the other hand, shows all the signs of excellent engineering. Plastic seams are tight. There is no un-needed flexing in the case. It runs absolutely silently. It is one damn sexy laptop. The LCD is goreous. Battery life is 3 times what the Dell ever had, and the Toshiba weighs half as much. My only grip is that since I don't have a higher end model Satellite, I have cheap speakers and the integrated Intel 950 graphics. However, I would buy this again in a heart beat.

Toshiba specics:

Intel Centrino Core Duo (Dual Core CPU) 1.73Ghz per core

1.5Gb RAM

120Gb hard drive

Intel 950 video (will use up to 256Mb RAM) This is the worst part of the system I would rather have discreet graphics.

DVD burner

PC Card slot

Express Card slot (this is very good- Express Card will be replacing PC Card)

Multiformat media card reader

Firewaire, USB 2.0

Built in wireless 802.11b/g(with on off switch)

Blue Tooth

Lots more

Best part of all...Actual restore discs that I didn't have to create myself. Most manufacturers aren't including these.

Price: $1,000

Edit to say:

- I would also add that anything you buy now that is pc will not be compatible for the new vista operating system from Windows coming out in 07.

Um, my Toshiba has a cute little sticker right on the arm rest that I'm looking at that says: "Windows Vista Capable".

Laptop Advice

Mysterious