Laptops
 

OK I need a new laptop and I don't know what to go for so I'm wondering if I could tell you what I want and then maybe someone can think of the perfect laptop for me.

Basically by budget is around £550 but might bump it up to £600. I'm currently using an MSI M662 and it's been everything I have wanted it to be but basically I'd just like an upgrade because i've cracked a hinge and blown my power pack up and it seems better to just buy a whole new laptop (so please dont offer to fix it for me!)

I was toying with the idea of getting a 12" or 14" laptop for ease of carrying it around, so I basically want a light laptop. Can be 15.4" but no bigger. Good battery life (3+ hours). MUST have Wireless lan. Would be nice to have a integrated webcam too but that isn't a must.

Basically it is going to be used for uni work, browsing the internet and listening to music. It doesnt need to play games or run anything complicated.

Erm I think that is basically it. I was thinking of the MSI PR210 (comes in 3 pastel colours...) but I wasn't sure about it because I cant find a picture of the front of the laptop and I dont want one of those touch pads with the holes in them... Finger print reader isn't necessary and I'd rather just avoid them altogether...

Oh and I will consider Linux but I wont go near windows vista, xp is ok :)

Any ideas anyone?

And please nobody even mention the word Mac!

Re: Laptops
 

acer make decent laptops at affordable prices

Acer Aspire Laptops | Acer Aspire Notebooks | Shop Acer


be very carefull if buying second hand because in my experience the main reason for a lapptop been sold is that somthing is wrong or going wrong with it

ps:

when buying new ask if it is available with xp instead of vista as most companies are willing to sell you the laptop with xp instead

dont waste your time with linux it may make you different but you will be wishing you hadnt bothered

Re: Laptops
 

seconded on Acer and ShopAcer, had 3 machines from them and never been dissatisfied

its getting harder to get new machines with XP so be persistant. The big issue is a lot of places tailor driver disks to machines so will tell you they can't sell it you with XP as they don't have the right drivers. Also if they sell it to you they have to support you on XP and that will be a sticking point.

Its even getting that you will pay a premuim for XP over Vista, here is an example

Toshiba Satellite Pro U400-127 PSU41E-01600TEN From Laptops Direct

The same spec of laptop but with Vista is available cheaper elsewhere.

as for your last comment accyman, spoken like a true muppet. The desktop Linux is here and more than capable of what 90% of users use a PC for without need for command line antics anymore, CPW and Orange are selling EeePCs bundled data packages with and even Google are in on the act with the launch of gOS(a skinned Ubuntu). You should give the latest version a try before you go slagging it off. In fact, I'm (as a geek) getting a bit bored with Linux(shock horror!) as its no longer fun learning how stuff works under the covers as it just 'does'.

To Blazey, remember that Linux doesn't cost you anything and will happily co-exist with Windows so you can have both installed and see which you prefer, you get a choice at startup as to which you would like to use. IMHO its worth initially going dual boot as people may feel they want to do something and don't yet know how to in Linux( or what the equivilant software is called). Dual boot means you have Windows only a reboot away as piece of mind whilst you make the step across.

Not sure why you are OK with Linux but anti Mac? I'd have a Mac if they weren't so expensive for what they are.

Re: Laptops
 

archlinux.org - I'm considering being educated :p Already bored of Ubuntu and now getting bored with Fedora

Re: Laptops
 

Hiya Blazey

Look out for dual boot machines. Most Manufacturers still selling them, so that way you are licensed for both.
Also ask at Uni about any purchasing schemes they have. At least one manufacturer has a special pricing agreement for Education where they offer extra discount, so you may be able to take advantage of that (and its well worth taking advantage of!)

HP's 2000 series are the ultralight model, but the 6000 series are the balanced mobility, so are neither the lightest nor most powerful but a good combination of both. I personally would route for the 6000 series, good value, good meat to the machine, and easy to move.

Re: Laptops
 

Another for your list,a bit pricey but meets your spec with XP pro and it's from CPC in Preston.
SONY | VGN-BX394VP | PC's, Laptops & PDAs | Computer Products | CPC

Re: Laptops
 

Should add that my computer geek ex boyfriend has told me to go for a HP or Toshiba laptop and my friend in computing says go for a thinkpad?

I am awaiting being paid for some work and a course I went on so I have a few weeks to decide yet anyway. I'm not buying anything second hand :) want a nice new laptop!

Re: Laptops
 

thinkpad = reliable, slightly lower spec for money

HP = usually nothing special - can be expensive for teh "brand name"
Tosh - OK
Dell - bad rep, often undeserved)
Acer - lots of spec for your money

Re: Laptops
 

I'm probably going to buy a laptop with a pretty standard spec that looks nice, i'll tell you all and you'll all groan at me for being such a n00b.

Re: Laptops
 

Oh, harsh lol

HP, prices have come down in line with Dells, hence them becoming number 1 globally :P
Dell- bad customer service in past years, a lot better these days but id say are a little bit behind on post sales compared to others
Tosh- used to be number one for laptops, have lost it somehow but still pretty good laptops for decent price
Acer- have grown amazingly, broken into corporate market with decent machines and are definately on their way up. Being known now as a valid competitor
Sony- very pretty laptops, excellant pricing but parts can be a pain

Re: Laptops
 

HP only no 1 world wide thanks to merkins who have them shoved down their throat at wal mart :D Look at their sales in Europe, nowhere near number 1!

Sony- forgot them, PC for Mac wannabe's :D very bespoke parts so you are stuffed if they break out of warranty. pretty though...

Re: Laptops
 

Hp been number 1 in Uk for PSG products for last few quarters, desktops, notebooks PDA;s. Always between them and Dell, although acer grew summat like 57% YOY in same group.

My God, think I've been brainwashed........lmao

Think top 3 have got to be HP, Dell and Acer. All pretty much the same, see what deals are on...

Re: Laptops
 

Have you used and liked Linux before? If not I would not bother with it on an important machine that you need for your Uni work. Stick to what you know so you can be sure you can finish your work. You could always stick Linux on your old laptop with the dodgy hinge if you want to play/learn with it.

Re: Laptops
 

thing is with the latest Ubuntu you don't need to 'learn' it anymore than you did windows, it reacts and 'works' teh same hence my suggestion of dual boot.

As I mentioned earlier, teh days of needing to know command line to get it to work are well behind it.

Re: Laptops
 

A much cheaper one from CPC just received in my Emails from them at £323 and with XP

2.0GHz Wireless Notebook with Windows XP Professional

Re: Laptops
 

OK guys after 3 long hours in PC world I opted for an Advent after all the fuss because it seemed to be good value for my money.

Basically I got the Advent 4401 for £399. I didn't read any reviews before I got it and it seemed like a nice enough laptop, ideal for my purposes.

It is 12" widescreen, 2gb RAM, 160gb hard disk, Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 1.83Ghz.

It was in the sale and the last one, and i've got it home and it seems to have a bit of a rattly fan, either that or it is scraping against something inside... though it quietens down when I am just doing something like typing but it was quite noisy when I first powered it up and sorted out all the settings.

Do you think I should be worried? People have wrote about a noisy fan but I can't be certain that they are complaining about the same problem as me. Currently I dont hear the scraping/rattling noise.

It is a nice laptop though and I don't really want to have to take it back and swap it for something else. I settled for vista though and I am just ignoring it lol.

Other than that I am quite smiley. Prepares for groans :D

Re: Laptops
 

when you first start Vista it has to work hard to lots of indexing etc on teh disk, this can make them a bit slow and noisy as it does stress the machines.

if it continues take it back within a couple of weeks and get it sorted quickly

Re: Laptops
 

Ah it has been a little slow as well and I did wonder why with it being better than my last laptop. Well I have a few weeks of being annoyed by it before I go back to uni. My ex is going to take a look at it tomorrow. It isn't actually bothering me too much now that I have got used to it. Just know it'll annoy anyone that decides to study in the library whilst I am there!

Re: Laptops
 

It will be slower than XP anyway as 2 gig is teh minimum RAM to run vista in any real form. If you can afford and it has space, uppping this to 3 or 4 gig will help dramatically. there are a lot of other tweaks that you can do to stop it anoyying the hell out of you.

UAC - this is the pain in the backside thing that keeps asking you if you are sure you wnat to do this that and teh other. it was designed to stop newbies doing things they shouldn't but in reality just gets in teh way of doing a lot of things.

Superfetch - another thing desigened to 'speed up' your work but has the exact opposite effect

Aero - teh wizzy interface uses loads of RAM and CPU to do pretty pictures, unless you have decent graphics chip turn it off.

There are a load more but as I really don't want to spend any longer than necessary in Vista I'll leave it to teh windows boys and girls(accyman? onlyme? etc) to help you further.

If you want Linux installed to have a play with give me a shout. it won't affect the vista install apart from grabbing a bit of disk space ( 10 gig max)

Re: Laptops
 

I now the Pentium D chip has a problem with over heating which means the fan has to work overtime. Not dangerous but bloody annoying. This did get replaced though, but might be worth checking

Re: Laptops
 

The laptop has been brilliant in regards to heat. Had it on til 6am yesterday from buying it, in which i did the naughty thing of using it in bed and slightly making it go hotter than normal, and it was still what I would class as cool.

It is definitely the hard drive were the noise is coming from, it just reads it a bit noisily, but other than that it is absolutely fine and it has quietened down dramatically since first using it.

I haven't really pushed it much yet because I haven't transferred all my old stuff over from the other laptop.

Also on the RAM issue, I can't really afford to put more in it at the moment even if it doesnt have space but I will consider it in future once I start using it for my work and stuff. Fortunately all my work is on paper at the moment so I'm not really having to do too much.

Quick question though. Would I be able to wipe the Vista off and put XP on myself? Or will the laptop not support it?

Re: Laptops
 

Posted via Mobile Device

You can but you may have fun chasing drivers down. Before you doit get a list of all hardwazre and download xp drivers before trying to install xp. You can install xp in a dual boot mode so you don't have to remove vista first

Re: Laptops
 

Sounds like a lot of hassle!