Anyone Here have Laptop Knowledge?

[bear2790]

I'm considering switching from a desktop PC to a laptop having finally given up all gaming. I would liek to spend $400 or less (complete package) and there are so many differnt makes/models my head hurts after reading specs for two days straight

How about a recommendation for a cool running, snappy screen response laptop with minimum 4 hour run after re-charge.

I plan to use it for internet, DVD movies and studio recording (acoustic guitar)

Thanks

 

[Timonthy]

About whats size does the screen have to be?
Heres some choices, though there really aren't much for under $400, unless you're willing to go used, but then most of the batteries suck due to wear.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+...lack/9947136.p?id=1218199527666&skuId=9947136
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5590460&CatId=4948
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5612015&CatId=4948

 

[Tatty_Two]

Generally, the more budget orientated lappies tend to have the more budget orientated batteries, most of them only come with a 2-3 hour battery life that of course degrades with time, there may be the odd exception to that though, if your on a tight budget and will not game, have you thought about a decent quality netbook?

 

[TheLaughingMan]

While there are a number of models, they are all about the same honestly. For what you plan to do, $400 is a hard price point to hit as on Netbooks and low end laptops fall into that price range. If you are serious about the battery life, you will need to go with a Netbook. Please note the screen will be very small and not suitable to watch all your DVD's on. In that cause you can look for one with HDMI out so you can connect it to a TV and just use it as a DVD player.

Alternatively, you can spend a little more and lose some battery life and get a 17" screen which will not be as bad a strain to watch DVD's on.

With AMD's new V chips you also have the option of going with a little of both. You can get a good dual core lappy with a 15.6" screen with decent battery life, but it will be single core.

 

[bear2790]

Netbook? No, I haven't considered it. My concern is, I'll be moving from a 790GX/750SB with GTX260 graphics to a laptop/netbook so I'm concerned about them being too slow regarding display response. I'm currently using the onboard ATI 3300 GPU and it's ok but I can see quite a difference at the moment from the GTX260. However, if this were a laptop or netbook I believe I could use it no problem and adjust. So I don't know if i would be able to adjust to the much earlier onboard laptop graphics.

That's the real Q that I have. I don't want to ebay a laptop and then realize I can't use it because it seems too slow. Sort of like going from DSL back to 56K, no? It can be done but you will always be straining at the bit, so to speak.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Get a laptop with either a AMD 4200 IGP or an Intel HD4500G (or whatever that thing is, make sure it has HD on it) or better and you will be fine if graphic where your only concern.

 

[kurosagi01]

I would say spend extra $50 and get this:
lenovo G555(087325U) NoteBook AMD Athlon II Dual-C...
It be able to handle all your needs no problem considering you are not spending so much money,for all round performance specially on a laptop you will need spend a lot more.

 

[bear2790]

I would say spend extra $50 and get this:
lenovo G555(087325U) NoteBook AMD Athlon II Dual-C...
It be able to handle all your needs no problem considering you are not spending so much money,for all round performance specially on a laptop you will need spend a lot more.

To kurosagi01

I'm currently happy with the ati 3300 graphics on my desktop so how about this one which is the same as your laptop? Is the deal a good one or not?

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-6735s-Laptop...ViewItem&pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item4aa251fc97

 

[shevanel]

I traded my desktop for a P-7811 FX and I couldn't be happier.

I got tired of toting my PC up to work and friends houses.. I use my PC for various things.

This laptop has HDMI out and a 9800M GTS 512MB card.. I can play MW2 with ragdoll, shadows, spec map and soften shadows turned off.. @ 1920x1200 it still looks great and I get over 80fps constantly.

My battery time is only half of what you request but I do not rely on the battery much since I'm not a camper or fisherman and I'm often near an outlet.

I couldn't be happier with the trade though. I can fit everything I need to take with me in 1 backpack and my room has more space since I don't need a big desk etc

If you game I would look into getting something that can at least play some of you older fav's... better to play some than none imo.

Since I installed a SSD I only have MW2, TF2, Trine, Dirt 2 and DOD:S installed and they all run pretty damn good.

IMO, buy something you will be happy with for long time and that will fulfill ALL your needs and not just the ones that you "think" you can get by on.. saves time and $ in the long run.

 

[Frick]

Yah, but that laptop was not $400 or less.

Could be worth to look up how long the warranty is and how good support there is too.

BTW, that laptop in the link.. Yes and no. I for one would want something dualcore, they're not expensive. 1GB RAM is enough, but 2GB makes a difference. And personally I'm not a fan of those 15 inchers. 14" and below is good for a laptop imo, 17" is fine if you need more screen estate and such, but 15.4 inch.. I don't really like it. But that's just me.

 

[bear2790]

I traded my desktop for a P-7811 FX and I couldn't be happier ...

I'm happy for you

I think the lenovo G555(087325U) suggested above fits the bill best fo far because:

- it will be New and have a Warranty
- Has ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics and I'm happy with HD 3300 rihgt now and
- it's $450 shipped

I think that deal will be hard to beat, but I'm still open to suggestions here.

 

[A Cheese Danish]

I'm happy for you

I think the lenovo G555(087325U) suggested above fits the bill best fo far because:

- it will be New and have a Warranty
- Has ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics and I'm happy with HD 3300 rihgt now and
- it's $450 shipped

I think that deal will be hard to beat, but I'm still open to suggestions here.

That is a pretty solid build. And coming from Lenovo, you know it's rock solid to not have many issues.
So I'm agreeing with Kurosagi on this and go after the Lenovo for an extra $50.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

This reminds me. I should take the time to fix my laptop and like use it for....something.

 

[CJCerny]

I'm happy for you

I think the lenovo G555(087325U) suggested above fits the bill best fo far because:

- it will be New and have a Warranty
- Has ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics and I'm happy with HD 3300 rihgt now and
- it's $450 shipped

I think that deal will be hard to beat, but I'm still open to suggestions here.

Unfortunately, the CPU in that laptop is a dog. What you really want is a laptop that has a good 3DMark Vantage score. That's the score of the CPU, RAM, and HDD. Since we already know that you don't plan on using that laptop for gaming, what you are really after is a laptop that is zippy on desktop apps that fits your budget. Generally speaking, ATI CPUs are much slower than Intel in laptops. If I were you, I would consider stretching to a $550-600 laptop with a Core i3, Intel HD graphics, 4gb of RAM, and a 7200 RPM hard drive. Anything less than that and your laptop is going to feel very slow compared to a desktop PC.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

ATI CPUs??

While true AMD processors are generally a little slower than the Intel counter parts, just like with desktops, the laptops with AMD processors are much cheaper. And them being not as fast is a moot point based on what he said he will use the computer for as the audio recording will be the most intensive thing and that will be a joke even on a single core CPU for basic recording.

And while the CPU may be a little lacking in comparison, The ATI IGP is far superior to the Intel offerings in speed, quality, software/driver support, and video playback performance.

 

[bear2790]

Laptop 3 Year Malfunction Chart

This info is interesting:

http://www.ditii.com/2009/11/18/asus-and-toshiba-most-reliable-laptop-brands-dell-and-hp-worst/

 

[bear2790]

Unfortunately, the CPU in that laptop is a dog. What you really want is a laptop that has a good 3DMark Vantage score. That's the score of the CPU, RAM, and HDD. Since we already know that you don't plan on using that laptop for gaming, what you are really after is a laptop that is zippy on desktop apps that fits your budget. Generally speaking, ATI CPUs are much slower than Intel in laptops. If I were you, I would consider stretching to a $550-600 laptop with a Core i3, Intel HD graphics, 4gb of RAM, and a 7200 RPM hard drive. Anything less than that and your laptop is going to feel very slow compared to a desktop PC.

Seems to be the direction it's taking at the moment. I don't plan to game because gaming Laptops are out of my price range but I'm beginning to consider going as high as $550 max. I would have to wait a bit to do that, but I'm willing.

The only games I play are Half-Life 2 series and Mass Effect 1 & 2, and thought a used gaming Laptop might work but considering the heat issues these machines suely must have (to some degree or other) I really don't know if buying one used 2-3 years is a wise thing to do.

 

[shevanel]

the laptop i have has a 9800m gts... it plays trine. transformers, MW2 , dirt 2, all the valve shit at impressive FPS.. with a laptop cooler I hover around 64c after about 1-2 hours of trine or MW2..

 

[Timonthy]

Unfortunately, the CPU in that laptop is a dog. What you really want is a laptop that has a good 3DMark Vantage score. That's the score of the CPU, RAM, and HDD. Since we already know that you don't plan on using that laptop for gaming, what you are really after is a laptop that is zippy on desktop apps that fits your budget. Generally speaking, ATI CPUs are much slower than Intel in laptops. If I were you, I would consider stretching to a $550-600 laptop with a Core i3, Intel HD graphics, 4gb of RAM, and a 7200 RPM hard drive. Anything less than that and your laptop is going to feel very slow compared to a desktop PC.

The M320 performs like a T4200, which is plenty for general desktop uses. (coming from a T3400 + 2GB RAM)

The point is, the difference between a i7 980x and Athlon X3 435 for internet and desktop is barely noticeable.

The Lenovo is a good buy IMO, the build is actually pretty pleasing and the quality is decent, though you can wait a while and see if prices dip lower if you can, it used to be only $380.
http://camelegg.com/product/N82E168..._ext&utm_source=sidebar_toggle&utm_medium=www

 

[bear2790]

well, I kept doing ALOT of reading, comparing specs for the machines suggested here that were in my price range, and since I have been gaming on a high end desktop PC I decided I'd like to be able to play the Half-Life 2 series on my laptop. Any current or recent laptops that can do that (and have passed the reviews) is priced too high for me, but I came across something on eBay that may well be the answer (and for cheap). They said it was lightly used, like-new, and since it had a 30 day full refund guarantee I went for it. Ordered an extra mem card to have 768MB total sys mem and I'll see what's what. I know this machine eats up the battery but I have something in mind to go around that - a DC to AC converter to run it off the power adapter. This laptop is going to be for use in/from my car so a DC/AC converter will work extremely well.

it's a Dell Inspiron 9100 P4 3ghz ATI 9700 Graphics beast (should do Half-Life 2 @ 1280x800 res 60fps or so)

Not sure yet if it's 64MB or 128MB bus - if 64MB and the machine is deemed a keeper I saw some 9700 128MB Dell 9100 cards on ebay for under $25

This machine is huge ... I like it (see pic) and weighs approx 10lbs. I can re-paste the CPU & GPU coolers with arctic silver 5

it has three huge squirrel type blower fans so I bet this will be a nice quiet machine while gaming

And, believe it or not, it has a subwoofer that actually works well, according to the reviews. And with three cooling fans, this machine needs a subwoofer for sure. The woofer fits into (of all places) the battery case (it slides into the battery case, not the battery compartment but the battery itself - very unique/clever design). This machine seems to be a sorta-laptop-but-really-a-portable desktop replacement computer that would be perfect for LAN parties if the graphics card could be updated to a GTX260

the 3DMark2003 rating: 3358 and for the Lenovo G555 (and at a lower res too) : 3662

Definately not as convenient as the Lenovo to tote around, it's an ugly laptop really, but half the cost of the Lenovo G555

cost $240 so far. If it doesn't do the job, I'll do an RMA and wait to buy a more up to date model if I can swing it.

 

[PaulieG]

well, I kept doing ALOT of reading, comparing specs for the machines suggested here that were in my price range, and since I have been gaming on a high end desktop PC I decided I'd like to be able to play the Half-Life 2 series on my laptop. Any current or recent laptops that can do that (and have passed the reviews) is priced too high for me, but I came across something on eBay that may well be the answer (and for cheap). They said it was lightly used, like-new, and since it had a 30 day full refund guarantee I went for it. Ordered an extra mem card to have 768MB total sys mem and I'll see what's what. I know this machine eats up the battery but I have something in mind to go around that - a DC to AC converter to run it off the power adapter. This laptop is going to be for use in/from my car so a DC/AC converter will work extremely well.

it's a Dell Inspiron 9100 P4 3ghz ATI 9700 Graphics beast (should do Half-Life 2 @ 1280x800 res 60fps or so)

Not sure yet if it's 64MB or 128MB bus - if 64MB and the machine is deemed a keeper I saw some 9700 128MB Dell 9100 cards on ebay for under $25

This machine is huge ... I like it (see pic) and weighs approx 10lbs. I can re-paste the CPU & GPU coolers with arctic silver 5

it has three huge squirrel type blower fans so I bet this will be a nice quiet machine while gaming

And, believe it or not, it has a subwoofer that actually works well, according to the reviews. And with three cooling fans, this machine needs a subwoofer for sure. The woofer fits into (of all places) the battery case (it slides into the battery case, not the battery compartment but the battery itself - very unique/clever design). This machine seems to be a sorta-laptop-but-really-a-portable desktop replacement computer that would be perfect for LAN parties if the graphics card could be updated to a GTX260

the 3DMark2003 rating: 3358 and for the Lenovo G555 (and at a lower res too) : 3662

Definately not as convenient as the Lenovo to tote around, it's an ugly laptop really, but half the cost of the Lenovo G555

cost $240 so far. If it doesn't do the job, I'll do an RMA and wait to buy a more up to date model if I can swing it.

That is a seriously ancient machine. I sold a similar lappy to a buddy about 2 years ago for $100, plus a case of Saranac Black and Tan. LOL

 

[Beertintedgoggles]

Wow, so the people here pointed you to a nice little gem and instead you bought a big ass turd... enjoy the battery life and just a side note, that awsome Intel processor you have there now is absolute shit compared to that dual core AMD. Don't ask for help if you really don't want it.

 

[kurosagi01]

I wouldn't really bother getting that old laptop in my opinion,its too out dated and also you really should consider getting a mid/performance range laptop because you will really regret the huge downgrade of performance from your high end desktop to a budget laptop.
Its like moving from i7 to a pentium 2 or something,really really bad plan in my opinion.
You should really consider getting those performance range which will be worth every penny and it handle every expectation you want from a laptop.
These laptop i would consider getting from price range of $450-800
Lenovo G555: lenovo G555(087325U) NoteBook AMD Athlon II Dual-C...
Asus K50ID,i've picked this laptop for my brother and he loves it,it plays borderland at low to medium setting at max resolution the laptop can go: ASUS K50ID-X3 NoteBook Intel Pentium dual-core T45...
Gateway NV59C57U,this laptop is by far best bang for the buck: Gateway NV59C57U NoteBook Intel Core i5 450M(2.40G...
Asus K52: ASUS K52 Series K52DR-X1 NoteBook AMD Phenom II Tr...

 

[CJCerny]

well, I kept doing ALOT of reading, comparing specs for the machines suggested here that were in my price range, and since I have been gaming on a high end desktop PC I decided I'd like to be able to play the Half-Life 2 series on my laptop. Any current or recent laptops that can do that (and have passed the reviews) is priced too high for me, but I came across something on eBay that may well be the answer (and for cheap). They said it was lightly used, like-new, and since it had a 30 day full refund guarantee I went for it. Ordered an extra mem card to have 768MB total sys mem and I'll see what's what. I know this machine eats up the battery but I have something in mind to go around that - a DC to AC converter to run it off the power adapter. This laptop is going to be for use in/from my car so a DC/AC converter will work extremely well.

it's a Dell Inspiron 9100 P4 3ghz ATI 9700 Graphics beast (should do Half-Life 2 @ 1280x800 res 60fps or so)

Not sure yet if it's 64MB or 128MB bus - if 64MB and the machine is deemed a keeper I saw some 9700 128MB Dell 9100 cards on ebay for under $25

This machine is huge ... I like it (see pic) and weighs approx 10lbs. I can re-paste the CPU & GPU coolers with arctic silver 5

it has three huge squirrel type blower fans so I bet this will be a nice quiet machine while gaming

And, believe it or not, it has a subwoofer that actually works well, according to the reviews. And with three cooling fans, this machine needs a subwoofer for sure. The woofer fits into (of all places) the battery case (it slides into the battery case, not the battery compartment but the battery itself - very unique/clever design). This machine seems to be a sorta-laptop-but-really-a-portable desktop replacement computer that would be perfect for LAN parties if the graphics card could be updated to a GTX260

the 3DMark2003 rating: 3358 and for the Lenovo G555 (and at a lower res too) : 3662

Definately not as convenient as the Lenovo to tote around, it's an ugly laptop really, but half the cost of the Lenovo G555

cost $240 so far. If it doesn't do the job, I'll do an RMA and wait to buy a more up to date model if I can swing it.

Zero chance that laptop is going to run HL2 at 1280x800 at 60fps. I had the same model. Sold it about 3 years ago when it was 5 years old. You might be able to eek out 30fps at 800x600 and that's it. The single core P4 is going to be your main problem--can't really multitask with it whatsoever.

 

[kurosagi01]

Time will tell. And, I have to say I very much appreciate your reply kurosagi01 ... THANKs friend

As you may have figured out already, I want to see if I can get a high quality, respectably fast desktop replacement laptop that can also be used in the car, taken in a backpack for short hikes into the woods, or a boat anchor if needed for emergencies while fishing the local lake for trout. I figure, if I keep the 9100 centered in the small boat we shouldn't capsize

I believe this Dell Inspiron 9100 will do the job well when I 'm done modifying and for half the price of a more portable, new laptop that doesn't come close to having the quality audio the Dell 9100 has for multimedia (my singular, and perhaps only, most important requirement).

Comparing GPU performance of the Dell 9100 to current machines:

3DMark 05
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128MB) = 1200
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 4500MHD = 1227
ref: http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobility-Radeon-9700.2169.0.html

Now according to that score it just proves that old ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 is just as fast the slowest and weakest intergrated GPU for a laptop made to this date.
the Intel intergrated gpu the 4500MHD can't even run Half life 2,you be lucky to even run CSS.