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Buy Me A Laptop
joshua1
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi all, I know there is another laptop thread here, but I have no idea what machine I should get, besides a budget of at MOST AUS$2700. I don't really want to head to a shop with nothing in my mind, and get bamboozled by the sales person and walk out with something horrible. Im not even sure if I should go apple or pc!
Heres what I'd like it to have:
ass-ton of HDD space: I must compile the most complete collection of videos known to man, and having them portable is great.
Built in connectivity, all the spectrums, blue-tooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc etc
Camera data card ports
At least 4 usb ports
NOT have one of those screens where they are shiny and reflective... those are impossible to see in the slightest light.
around about a 17 inch screen. (Although i understand that this is probably a stupidly expensive want)
Battery Life of at least 2 hours.
A touch pad, but preferably one not too cluttered with short cuts (I have seen toshiba ones that seem to be adorned with arcane glyphs.... and seem to activate some sub menu if you pause in a place for any time)
Not be of a lap breaking weight.
A DVD drive of some sort, with RW capabilites. I have heard of HD-DVD being implemented in some laptops.... any good
Be a tablet pc - although this is not a major point. It just would be neat.
What I Would Like It To Do:
Be able to run simultaneous apps, including drawing (basic stuff, adobe etc) programs, without dying and chugging.
Maybe some FPS games.... im not expecting Bioshock, but maybe BF2142 or something.
Modern RTS games a must....
Has to be able to run Office 2007
Have a hibernate mode, close the lid and off I go dealie.
So, do i have a chance at all for having my dreams fulfilled? Sorry if this is a bit of a *please do all my work for me* sort of request, I just don't want to drop a load of cash on something and be disappointed. That would mean all of my retail therapy goes down the drain. Even if someone could point me in the right direction, that would be great. I have mainly been walking into stores like Myer and Harvey Norman and seeing what PC's they have on display. Im fairly sure thats the most silly way to go about getting a good computer. What other methods are there? What brands should I be looking at? Any help is much appreciated.
Heres what I'd like it to have:
ass-ton of HDD space: I must compile the most complete collection of videos known to man, and having them portable is great.
Built in connectivity, all the spectrums, blue-tooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc etc
Camera data card ports
At least 4 usb ports
NOT have one of those screens where they are shiny and reflective... those are impossible to see in the slightest light.
around about a 17 inch screen. (Although i understand that this is probably a stupidly expensive want)
Battery Life of at least 2 hours.
A touch pad, but preferably one not too cluttered with short cuts (I have seen toshiba ones that seem to be adorned with arcane glyphs.... and seem to activate some sub menu if you pause in a place for any time)
Not be of a lap breaking weight.
A DVD drive of some sort, with RW capabilites. I have heard of HD-DVD being implemented in some laptops.... any good
Be a tablet pc - although this is not a major point. It just would be neat.
What I Would Like It To Do:
Be able to run simultaneous apps, including drawing (basic stuff, adobe etc) programs, without dying and chugging.
Maybe some FPS games.... im not expecting Bioshock, but maybe BF2142 or something.
Modern RTS games a must....
Has to be able to run Office 2007
Have a hibernate mode, close the lid and off I go dealie.
So, do i have a chance at all for having my dreams fulfilled? Sorry if this is a bit of a *please do all my work for me* sort of request, I just don't want to drop a load of cash on something and be disappointed. That would mean all of my retail therapy goes down the drain. Even if someone could point me in the right direction, that would be great. I have mainly been walking into stores like Myer and Harvey Norman and seeing what PC's they have on display. Im fairly sure thats the most silly way to go about getting a good computer. What other methods are there? What brands should I be looking at? Any help is much appreciated.
joshua1 on
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Posts
Get a MacBook Pro. I recently did some research on laptops because I was interested in buying one, but ultimately decided to hold off. I also read up on some threads here and they too had the same consensus I did, MacBook Pro's are the way to go for laptops.
The only downer is it is a Mac, but you can install Windows if you need to and turn it into a dual boot system I believe. Or I think theres a program you can install in OSX that'll emulate windows, forget what it's called.
Being a Computer/Laptop salesman i have to say, going into a store and asking what they recommend is a BAD idea if you are short on time. We only ever work with what we have
Having said that, look at the ASUS gamer laptops. Their G1 range looks like it should most of your needs and be with in your budget. That or the cheapest MacBook Pro at $2900.
Your desire for a reasonably light weight and a 17 inch screen are conflicting. 17 inch laptops have higher weights. Decide which one is most important to you, portability vs screen size. 17 inchers seem more suited to being a desk top replacement than truly portable IMO.
Also, you may want to go to this forum register, and ask. If you want to play games on a laptop, you'll want a good graphics solution. Read this to educate yourself about what cards will give you what performance.
Are computer prices any different in Australia than they would be in North America?
i was going to suggest a lenovo t61p w/ultrabay adapter for additional harddrive, but they want a fuckton for one at the australian website. i knew a lot of computers were cheaper in the states but christ!
if you plan on visiting the US anytime soon, you should wait and buy here, apparently your money will go further.
So whats the verdict of walking into a electronics store? While i have been and seen a few, I have noticed that some can offer 5 year old product at the same price of something released yesterday. Am I going to be ripped off no matter what?
Can anyone elighten me (maybe noobert) about the laptops available in the stores? Toshiba and HP seem to dominate. Are they any good? The websites for these are convoluted at best.
And whats the deal with the fingerprint scanners.... it seems notebook companies have a hard on for these at the moment. Are they actually useful?
Thanks for all the help so far, im actually narrowing the feild, in terms of specs.
Hardware Wants:
Screen Size: Smaller than 17inch, but larger than 13 inch. Matt screen preferable
Dedicated GPU: 256-512
HDD: 160GB + (have seen 320GB models, are these feasible?)
RAM: 1GB+ (Preferably 2)
CPU: At least 2.4 Ghz.
At least 4 USB ports
Camera Data Card Ports; SD, XD
Video out? <-- buy an additional LCD monitor that doubles as a TV
Wireless Connectivity
DVD burner.
Am I missing something here?
Also, gneGne's comment has gotten me shaken.... my enthusiasm to buy a laptop is slightly dulled, replaced by the urge to buy a mid-top end desktop and a cheap laptop..... what have you begun gneGne....
Thanks again all.