Gotta buy a new lap top....thoughts?

[JThiessen]

My 5+ yr old laptop just went T.U., and I need to procure a fairly new one soon. I've done the Mac-vs-Everyone else evaluation in my head, and basically decided that since all of my data (Quicken, Turbo-tax, email, etc) are in windows format (correct terminology?), Windows based would be more beneficial to me. Not only that, but I still can't justify spending that much more on what looks to be an equivelent performing system.

I use the pc for the normal bill paying/accounting, email, porn surfing, blah, de blah...I'm not a gamer (have a pS3 for that). Might end up using it for CAD at some point also (and to run my CNC router).

So I've spec'd out a Dell XPS right at about 1800 (2.0/2.9, 1T, 1080p display with 3D, blueray writer, etc) that I feel good about spec wise. My concern is the heat generation of this unit, and the usability of this machine as a part time home theater pc. I am bulding a home theater in my basement, and I'd like to pursue interactive pc on my screen at some point.

What I'm uncertain of is if these video systems are worth getting on a laptop. Is it going to end up being unusable, or such. I dont need the 3D display on the PC, but I think having that processor system on the machine would help when I need to either write a blue ray disc, or send video to my projector.....might be wrong....

Also, part of my thinking is that I will be able to get my old laptop to power up so that I can get the old data off of it......I'd be screwed if I cant.

[brainanator]

Data retrieval isn't too hard. You just need to pull the hard drive from your old laptop and buy an enclosure for it. Then you essentially have an external hard drive that has all your data on it. (assuming that a hard drive failure wasn't what killed your laptop to start with). I've done it for like 5-6 friends before. Now I have a stock pile of laptop hard drives laying around since they don't want it after they get their data off, lol.

As per your other concerns, I can't justify macs either...everything else I wouldn't know about really, haven't looked in to higher end laptops before.

[TexasSP]

Check out the offerings from Samsung right now. They have several really good top tier laptops. They have also maintained very high ratings on them. I recently purchased a Series 9 for a client (ultra thin, ultra lightweight) who is extremely picky and always has computer issues. He has had zero issues in over three months of owning this unit and loves it. Boot speed with it is about 10-15 seconds. The longest it has been is 30 seconds when connecting to the profiles on the network in his office.

I am a big XPS fan but feel like Dell of late has been slipping in the upper tier department. I have never been much a fan of their lower rung choices.

For a solid business machine the Lenovo Thinkpads (Lenovo owns IBM's laptop business now) have been fantastic. I have deployed at least a dozen of these in the past 9 months for different clients and all have performed well. Theses are units costing in the 500 range so I am sure their upper tier offerings are just as good if not better.

Honestly for a home theater unit I would build my own desktop with two terabyte plus raided hard drives. Or buy one. It's just simpler that way and if networked in your home you could still access materials off it from your laptop or any other PC.

[snellemin]

+1 on what TexasSP said.

[JThiessen]

Originally Posted by TexasSP

Honestly for a home theater unit I would build my own desktop with two terabyte plus raided hard drives. Or buy one. It's just simpler that way and if networked in your home you could still access materials off it from your laptop or any other PC.

I fully agree with this - but that will come later in the process. I wouldn't even be considering this if my current machine hadn't failed.

It's really the heat generation that I'm concerned about. Don't care about size and weight - its always sitting right next to my laz-y-boy and only there. Even my Inspiron has been affecting my due to heat (HAD to have jeans on to have it sit on my lap, and even then, I'd end up with a red spot on my leg from the heat).

[josh9mille]

If i was you I would buy a cheap cheap laptop. My current laptop (and my only computer) is a 3year old Compaq and I paid 300 for it at wallyworld. The only thing wrong with it so far is the battery only last for about 30 seconds, probably because it goes with me to the drag strip so i can tune my fuel management and i wore the battery out. Also I dont know about you, but all the cool bells and whistles i paid out the ass for on my old laptop, I never used. kind of a waste of money, hence the reason i bought a cheepie one this last time. Just my $0.02

[E-Revonut]

I know you said that a macbook is pretty much out of the question but I have to stick my nose in here! I had 2 pc laptops before I switched to a macbook pro 1 1/2 years ago. My mac has never shut down on me, never froze up, the battery still lasts for a few hours, and it doesn't burn my legs like the pc's did. If it's that big of a deal that you don't want to mess around trying to convert some of your stuff to work on a mac or some important stuff might not be compatible then ok. If it's a price vs value aspect I would give mac another consideration. I really believe they must be using some higher end goods just based on the fact that the temperature on the bottom of the case is a good 40 degrees cooler on the mac, maybe even more.

[whitrzac]

Originally Posted by E-Revonut

I know you said that a macbook is pretty much out of the question but I have to stick my nose in here! I had 2 pc laptops before I switched to a macbook pro 1 1/2 years ago. My mac has never shut down on me, never froze up, the battery still lasts for a few hours, and it doesn't burn my legs like the pc's did. If it's that big of a deal that you don't want to mess around trying to convert some of your stuff to work on a mac or some important stuff might not be compatible then ok. If it's a price vs value aspect I would give mac another consideration. I really believe they must be using some higher end goods just based on the fact that the temperature on the bottom of the case is a good 40 degrees cooler on the mac, maybe even more.

Your mac cost around $2000, right? have you ever had a $2000 PC laptop with similar specs? You would find that they are usualy built better, have more options, etc... The high end sonys come to mind

There are valid reasons to have a mac, build quality is not one of them.



IMO, go with a dell XPS, (15/17in) get the upgraded video card AND the best screen they have, get the 3 year advanced warranty, do the rest yourself.

memory, HDDs, and CPUs are fairly easy to upgrade. 8gb DDR3 kits are going for under $35 on newegg now, and WD just came out with there 1tb laptop drive($110 IRRC)



the XPS won't be the best laptop for the $$$ but when it fails(ALL modern laptops do) you can't beat the next day warranty.


Lots of info here...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/

[E-Revonut]

No, my MacBook pro was $1200. My last pc laptop was $900. The PC only lasted 2 years before it died

[whitrzac]

So what died?

[E-Revonut]

first time, it needed a new motherboard, under warranty. Returned to me and was non functional, needed the HD replaced. This was what I was told at least by HP. Last time it died my computer guy said I needed a new motherboard. This is what happened to it at that point -

[whitrzac]

Originally Posted by E-Revonut

first time, it needed a new motherboard, under warranty. Returned to me and was non functional, needed the HD replaced. This was what I was told at least by HP. Last time it died my computer guy said I needed a new motherboard. This is what happened to it at that point -

HDDs fail, thats normal. Did it have a nvidia video "card" in it? I've fixed soooo many of the older HP DV laptops its not funny.

[brijar]

I've come across several of those HP DV6000/9000 and a friend has the cheaper version, the Compaq V3000 or V6000. All have had trouble with something on the motherboard. How did you fix the ones you came across? Reflowing the northbridge/graphics chip? My friend's V6000 first had the USB ports die, then the LCD got cracked. I took the screen off and made it into a thin lightweight desktop since the VGA port still worked. A few months later it wouldn't turn on at all however.

As far as getting a new laptop goes, Toshiba is my favorite brand since the ones I have are fairly easy to work on and don't cost much. I don't think I would ever put over $1000 into a laptop since a $600 or $700 one will do pretty much anything a $2000 one will do (unless you're looking for epic graphics chips or a 3D screen or multiple hard drive bays etc).
If you want something that's going to be really quick, get one with an SSD. They are pretty expensive and are fairly low capacity, but my SSD is what makes my desktop so snappy and responsive. The ideal setup would be to have an SSD and a 500GB+ drive in a laptop, but dual hard drive bays are slightly harder to find than single ones, especially in smaller 15.6" laptops. I have a 3 year old 17" Toshiba right now (16:10 ratio, so not as wide as most newer laptops) and it is really nice. I think I will buy a 15.6" next time, however, because the 17" screen is not as portable as I would like. Great for movies tho.

Good luck!

[snellemin]

If you want a good desktop, AIO or laptop from HP, buy the commercial units. Take it from me, as I work there.

[magman]

My family has 2 toshiba satellite laptops and love them...simple and cost effective