As for school next year, I need to purchase a laptop. However, the downfall is that I have to purchase it THROUGH my school. These are the options I have been given and would REALLY appreciate any feedback any of you gentlemen have, good and bad.
OPTION ONE
Entry Level - Latitude D520
CPU: Celeron M420
RAM: 512MB x1 DIMM
VIDEO: Intel Integrated 950
HDD: 60GB 5400RPM
Display: 14" XGA
CD: DVD-R/CD-RW
Ports: Serial, S-Video, VGA, Firewire, 4-USB
Network: 10/100
Wireless: Dell BG
OPTION TWO
Mainstream - Latitude D620
CPU: Intel Core Duo 1.67
RAM: 1GB x1 DIMM
VIDEO: 256 MB Nvidia TurboCache*
HDD: 80GB 5400RPM
Display: 14.1" WXGA (Wide)
CD: DVD-RW/CD-RW
Ports: Serial, VGA, 4-USB
Network: 10/100/1000
Wireless: Dell BG
OPTION THREE
Entry Level - ThinkPad R60
CPU: Celeron M420
RAM: 512MB x1 DIMM
VIDEO: Intel Integrated 950
HDD: 60GB 5400RPM
Display: 14" XGA
CD: DVD-R/CD-RW
Ports: 3-USB, S-Video, FireWire
Network: 10/100/1000
Wireless: Intel ABG
OPTION FOUR
Mainstream - ThinkPad R60
CPU: Intel Core Duo 1.67
RAM: 1GB x1 DIMM
VIDEO: 128 MB ATI x1400
HDD: 80GB 5400RPM
Display: 14.1" XGA
CD: DVD-RW/CD-RW
Ports: 3-USB, S-Video, FireWire
Network: 10/100/1000
Wireless: Intel ABG
OPTION FIVE
Apple Laptop
If i had a choice to go with, it would probably be option 2, ZE DELL.
I would throw out option 1 and 3 cause they're celerons. Celeron = Crap.
The Mac, I don't like em, ain't a fan. They're iCrap. They don't support all windows stuff without some software emulators.
Option 4 is the runner up for me due to it has a 128mb ATI card X1400.
It all depends on what you want this laptop to do. Do you want it just for school or for games and multimedia?
Oscar The Grouch,Jun 2 2006, 07:29 AM Wrote:It all depends on what you want this laptop to do. Do you want it just for school or for games and multimedia?
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Since she is at work, I'll answer for her to help the thread along, this would be for school primarily but she also dabbles in web design. No gaming whatsoever but something good for watching DVD movies I know she'd like.
IBM (lenovo) all the way. I have to support the wife :)
2001 ZTS,Jun 2 2006, 08:36 AM Wrote:Oscar The Grouch,Jun 2 2006, 07:29 AM Wrote:It all depends on what you want this laptop to do. Do you want it just for school or for games and multimedia?
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Since she is at work, I'll answer for her to help the thread along, this would be for school primarily but she also dabbles in web design. No gaming whatsoever but something good for watching DVD movies I know she'd like.
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Well, if that's the case, option 1 or 3 would be alright, especially if costs are of a concern. Only thing is that if she's doing some big web design (ie Flash) or anything CPU intensive, a dual core processor would be really handy.
I'd say buy the best laptop you can afford. Without prices, its hard to pick one. For me it would all depend on the price difference between the 4. Like Oscar, I wouldn't buy an Apple, unless you're gonna use it for heavy graphic design work.
Get the thinkpad.
I hate to say this, but there used to be a time where I'd suggest feature-price ratio of any other manufacturer.
But then I followed my own advice, and I hate using my non-thinkpad laptops.
Dell is Crap, IBM is mediocre.....
HP IS THA BEST!!!!!!
Jays2000ZX3,Jun 2 2006, 11:36 AM Wrote:Dell is Crap, IBM is mediocre.....
HP IS THA BEST!!!!!!
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my HP laptop is the one I hate the most.
[edit]... actually it's a compaq, but same company.. lots of great features on it.. but man is it ever put together cheaply..
and it hates me back too.. I picked it up one time and it dropped the battery on my foot.
The ibm seems to have the better features anyway. I wholeheartedly hate the Turbocache system. I'd take the ati graphics over that anyday.
They are all crap with 14" screens.
My Choice:
Apple MacBook
CPU: 2GHz Intel Core Duo
RAM: 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) on two SO-DIMMs, supports up to 2GB
VIDEO: Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory1
HDD: 60GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA
Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy TFT widescreen display, 1280 x 800 resolution
CD: Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Ports: One FireWire 400 port (8 watts); Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps); Mini-DVI port with support for DVI, VGA
Network: 10/100/1000
Wireless: 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (802.11g)3; built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module.
And after all that it runs both Mac OS X and Windows XP :D
Laterz :)
If the difference comes down to price, I would say either Option #2 or Option #4.
Anything with a Scameron (Celeron) is off my list from the get go. The Apple option is different but given how Aplle is being drug to the Intel camp anyways, why screw around with a different niche OS?
If you could get some prices so that we can do a fair comparo though, that would be great ;)
NefCanuck
K_OS,Jun 2 2006, 12:02 PM Wrote:And after all that it runs both Mac OS X and Windows XP :D
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Pfft. OSX is for losers! :P
WinXP ARRRR!!! Edition is the best! :D
Apple with an ATI graphics card.
It all depends on what you use it for. If its portability go with apple or a PC with a Centrino processor.
D-Dub,Jun 2 2006, 02: Wrote:Apple with an ATI graphics card.
It all depends on what you use it for. If its portability go with apple or a PC with a Centrino processor.
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honestly, I'd recomend she stay away from the apple machine. She's not a computer geek and her boyfriend's a sailor and as far as I can tell, they don't play a lot of videogames... sure they have a bunch of geek friends, but why needlessly complicate things?
Seriously Ashley, unless you're taking Graphic Arts, or media design of some sort in school, stay away from the apple. You'll save yourself a lot of confusion.
Beyond that, I'd recommend the dual core r60 thinkpad. It's a solid machine that will do what you need it to do... and comes well supported from lenovo, and the machines are probably better built than the dells too (though I haven't yet seen the dells in person).
Check them out in person.... I personally look for the lightest, smallest, and something with a touchpoint (mouse nub thingy on the keyboard) vs a Glide Pad (though, I think the lenovos come with both so you can choose which is more comfy for you)... the touchpoints tend to cause less repetitive stress injuries than the glidepads for office workers.
Prices I'm not so sure about right now. I do know that for ALL laptops, it WILL be 395 per term.
Thanks for the opinions and comments, guys! It seems like each one everyone has an opinion for, so I cannot narrow it down. I'm glad, in a way, because I know what I am getting into.
OSCAR... Andrew is right. I'm only using it for school. The computer I have at home is the one I use for all the fancy dancy stuff :)
darkpuppet,Jun 2 2006, 03:03 PM Wrote:honestly, I'd recomend she stay away from the apple machine. She's not a computer geek and her boyfriend's a sailor and as far as I can tell, they don't play a lot of videogames... sure they have a bunch of geek friends, but why needlessly complicate things?
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lol, well I am... but just not for this laptop I will be purchasing! :P
But, thank you for your opinions! I'm not a fan of the Apple computers and laptops myself but when they put up the information, I will look into them more.