Laptops (recommendation)

DirtyDirtyVagrant

I fancy myself a writer. Or at least I'm working toward it. I'd like to get a laptop with the following characteristics, in order of importance.

Cheap
Portable/Lightweight/Smallish
Decent battery life
Medium power (Enough to word process and maybe do some digital painting with a tablet)
Cheap
Not Dell

amateurhour

If all you care about is writing, then the asus eee might be what you're looking for.

It's an ultra portable that costs about $300 to $400 depending on the model. It comes with linux and an open office program, but it runs xp just fine.

The new models coming out this month have a 9 inch screen instead of a 7 inch.

If that's TOO small, for around $450 to $550 you can pick up around ten different models of refurb laptops on tigerdirect.com that would do what you needed.

Malkor

I agree with the EPCee. YOu can always change out SD cards for more storage, they are super light, have a small footprint, and are great for basic things.

Crashtard

amateurhour wrote: »

The new models coming out this month have a 9 inch screen instead of a 7 inch.

Wow, that probably just sold me one.

Zxerol

If you're going to be writing a whole lot, then think twice about the EeePC. The keyboard is unbelievably small and cramped.

DirtyDirtyVagrant

And if I were to bring either digital painting or light gaming (WoW level games) into it, what then? Less than 15 inches or so is probably not kosher, because at that point the keyboard just becomes a hassle.


Also, because this is *such* an insignificant question that it doesn't merit a thread, does anybody know what that short clip of music is that always plays before Bleach on adult swim? It's like a melodic kind of techno thing - 4 notes climbing up and down. And over top is a fairly smooth and slow...electric bass? I'm not even sure.

contraband

*less* than 15 is no good? do you mean more? 'cause 15 is, like, usually as big as you ever want to go.

and in that vein a recommend a macbooooook.

embrik

HP Notebooks (especially the business models (6510b is super nice)) are good notebooks. I'd recommend checking them out. They're not too expensive, the new keyboards on 'em have a really nice feel. The battery life is excellent, as long as you get one with a Core2Duo. I've run 'em with wireless ON, and gotten 4+ hours out of the battery. And that's with near-continuous use. (I have them set up in a hospital, and they're being used quite frequently, while unplugged)

Kyougu

contraband wrote: »

*less* than 15 is no good? do you mean more? 'cause 15 is, like, usually as big as you ever want to go.

and in that vein a recommend a macbooooook.

I would recomend a macbook too, but the OP said he wanted cheap.
That said, if he doesn't mind spending the extra money,then for all means.

corcorigan

Just don't get an Acer. In the same way that everyone who uses an Apple Macbook recommends it to everyone else, everyone who uses an Acer laptop recommends no one else ever buy one. You get what you pay for.

Also, eeePC has a tiny screen and keyboard. So not great for a writer?

amateurhour

corcorigan wrote: »

Just don't get an Acer. In the same way that everyone who uses an Apple Macbook recommends it to everyone else, everyone who uses an Acer laptop recommends no one else ever buy one. You get what you pay for.

Also, eeePC has a tiny screen and keyboard. So not great for a writer?

It's all personal opinion there. I've played with one and I love it, it's perfect for travel or the dreaded coffee shop writing, and at home it's no hassle to just hook up an LCD and keyboard if it's that much of a problem.

On a side note though, wait till the new models ship, the old ones had a funky resolution on them, and you had to buy or make an adapter to fix it for external monitors or light gaming, the new ones with the bigger screen fixed that

Nitsuj82

If you're a student, you can't go wrong with the discount on Macs. If you're not a student, get a refurb iBook.

I'm not just saying that because I use an Apple, I'm saying it because I have a Dell laptop, a self-built PC, and an Apple and I haven't used anything but my little white wonder in over a year.

DirtyDirtyVagrant

Did I say 15? I meant 12-13.

And are HPs good machines? I mean...my parents have HP desktops, and they are so full of promotional HP shit and junk like that...

setrajonas

I love those little Thinkpads too. My business school lends out their little tablet laptops to students and they are delicious to the fingers.

MoSiAc

I have a little acer and I love it, course all I use it for is WoW and reading the interwebs.

Something super lightweight though I have never owned one but would really like to play with one the EPC seems the way to go.

embrik

DirtyDirtyVagrant wrote: »

Did I say 15? I meant 12-13.

And are HPs good machines? I mean...my parents have HP desktops, and they are so full of promotional HP shit and junk like that...

Like I said, their Business notebooks are great. And there's a lot less crap on them than there used to be. However, most manufacturers include crap you don't need nowadays. Just do what I do and reformat it on day one.