Posted: 3/9/2007 4:27:10 PM EDT
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Guys, I need a new laptop. My last laptop was a HP nc8000 and was a great laptop, but it was company issued. Now that I've left Corporate America to be a full-time dealer here, I had to give my laptop back and need a new one. Since I've left CA and don't have that big income coming in anymore, I'm definitely on a small/medium budget and not a top-end blowout budget. Here's what I need at a minimum: Intel Core Duo processor Large screen with high resolution - I prefer traditional screens over wide screens. I think my last laptop ran at 1400 x 1050. That would work again. The one I'm on right now is 1440 x 900. I miss that extra 150 on the bottom. Minimum 1GB of RAM but would prefer 2GB At least 60GB hard drive DVD-RW Bluetooth 802.11 a/b/g 10/100 Ethernet What do you guys recommend? Please be specific with a make/model number if you know it. Please no responses like, "Dude, get a Dell" or "Windows sucks and run Linux" or "Mac Powerbook". I'm trying to stay under $1,000 if at all possible. |
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Lenovo T or Z series Dell Latitude D620 or D820 if you want a bigger screen Toshiba Tecra (trust me, only the Tecra) Why do you want a larger screen on a laptop? THe reason I ask, is because I got a laptop to carry with me. If I want a larger screen, I drop it in the dock which is hooked up to a 20in wide screen. Also, wide is in. Pretty much all the newest, greatest units are running wise screens. THe nice thing about them is that you actually GAIN screen real estate. |
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I'll second that recommendation to go with the wide aspect ratio display. They are nice. Unless you have a vision issue, display size needn't be a huge stumbling block if you get the pixels you want for resolution. I won't go further than that as I'm a Mac user and don't have knowledge of specific Windows only laptops. I did recently get a Core Duo MacBook, 13 in, which I like very much. The newer Macs have the ability to boot both Mac OS and Windows (you provide the Windows). Yes, I know it's more than what you want to spend, but something to think about when you get in a little better position. Have you considered checking with retail outlets for returned or refurbished items? Ebay for gently used laptops? Good luck. K |
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I can't comment about any technical aspects or differences in the various laptops out there. I can recommend Dell because my wife and I each have one and are very happy with them. My laptop is an Inspiron E1505, Intel Core Duo processor, 15.4 wide screen (I think they're all wided screen), 2GB DDR2, 80GB hard drive, wireless 1390 802.11 b/g, Integrated 10/100 network card, media buttons, and DVD-RW. A little bonus, it came with a three year anti-virus subscription. I bought mine within the last 3 months for $1043, that includes tax and shipping. Bluetooth will cost you a little extra. If you buy from Dell, you should regularly shop their site because they are constantly advertising special deals on various items. You can easily save a couple hundred dollars if you wait a few weeks for the right deal. My wife's laptop is a Dell XPS and was well over $1000. |
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Check out the Acer 9300 series with the AMD Turion X2 (dual-core) processor (about $950). My wife and I each have one of the older Acer TravelMate models w/ Turion single core and they've been a great problem-free notebook. Link |
Well, I was going to recommend one until I saw that under 1000 dollars part. You can get a latitude, but about all you can do on it is read email, run office apps, and surf the internet. If that's all you want to do with it, then a Latitude would be fine. |
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Just to clarify the Mac/Bootcamp issue... I got my MacBook(Intel Inside) for just over $1200.00 I was registered for one computer class at the local college and got student pricing. BootCamp was free and easy. I then had to purchse the Windows OS AND Microsoft Office w/SP2, which added several hundred more dollars to the mix. Although I do use both the Mac and MS side of my laptop, I don't think it will work for the question asked here. I think one good option is to find someone local who builds laptops. My wife/soon-to-be-ex went that route and got herself an excellent laptop with just the components she needed, at a reasonable price. |