Laptop Suggestions

[Khapheen]

hi everyone,

I've been in and out of this forum quite a bit for the past 8 mo's or so - first to build my own PC (which is still running perfectly, by the way, and has been a huge help to my publishing business), and then to check in from time to time and see what's new. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm thankful for all the great help and info I've found here.

Which brings me to my question of the day: where would you recommend looking for a new laptop? My old Dell, which I still used on the road from time to time, finally gave out. I'd had it for just under three years, so I don't mind replacing it. But, I've learned a lot from building my own pc - that I would love to do without the cheap parts, bloatware, etc. I realize I'll probably have to deal with some of that, but wondered if there were any recommendations out there.

If it helps, I'm replacing a Dell 710m, which was pretty tiny (12 or 13 inch widescreen), that had just the basics. I'd love to find something that could handle basic productivity software, maybe even some strategy games, movies, etc., for when I'm on the road. I'm not usually a fan of gigantic laptops, though. Thanks

[The Wise Monkey]

Are you thinking about getting another Dell? The Inspiron range will be pretty good for your needs.

Also the Lenovo Thinkpad T61 is pretty good but expensive, or one of the mid-range Sony Vaios.

[RickyTick]

If you're considering a Dell, take a close look at the Vostro line too. These are designed specifically for small businesses. You can usually get one without any unwanted software (bloatware) pre-installed. iirc, the Vostro 1720 with several component upgrades runs around $1300.

[Khapheen]

Thanks for the great feedback guys. I hadn't actually given that much thought to brands yet. I've been using Dells for a lot of years, and they've always been Ok, although I did buy one for my girlfriend about 8 months ago that had to be returned because of defects, and that was an enormous headache that kind of soured me on them a bit. I've heard that Sony's are good, but haven't ever used one.

To be honest, I guess I'm not even really sure what I was asking. I just remember how much I learned about desktops when I first starting coming to this site (and saw how much better my own pc turned out than the Dells I'd had over the years) and figured it would be a good idea to check in and see if anyone had any strong opinions on what to get or avoid.

Thanks again. I'll check out the ones you guys mentioned and let you know how it turns out.

[Khapheen]

hi guys,

For what it's worth, I just wanted to check back in and report that I actually ended up going with a netbook -- the ASUS eee. While obviously not the last word in performance, it handles Microsoft Office, e-mail, and even Dragon NaturallySpeaking, making it a good complement to My Super PC. Plus, it's hard to beat that eight hours of battery life.

Thanks again for all the great thoughts and suggestions on both computers!

[The Wise Monkey]

I've got a netbook as well - the eeePC 901A. :)

Replaced the super slow HD in it with a Runcore 16GB and installed Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which is excellent.

[Khapheen]

I've heard great things about those SSD drives - hope to try one of them out sometime.

[The Wise Monkey]

Yeah, the standard one in the 901A was sooooooo slow; it was practically unusable in XP.