Laptop PC's advice required.
Discussion
Right, I know the PH massive is a well informed bunch, and I have no clue about IT. We need to buy a couple of laptios for work, nothing too fancy, budget up to about £700 each. May have to sit in front of clients with them, so nothing too horrendous to look at either. (The Jade Goody of Laptoppery need not apply)
What should I be looking for? What should I avoid?
Any recommendations as to decent suppliers?
Ta.
What should I be looking for? What should I avoid?
Any recommendations as to decent suppliers?
Ta.
Graham@Reading said:
AHHHH.....ooops. Would a mod kindly move this.
Get a big name brand with 3 years warranty support. If you don't need to run high end applications go for a slower processor to increase battery life. Get built in wifi and bluetooth models for easy connections and phonebook backups etc. Check your insurance will cover laptops in cars without a seperate boot. Don't leave it in the car anyway. Back up your data daily.
We've got a couple of Acers which have been pretty good, even coping with first-born inserting food into keyboard, wiping hands over screen and thumping them repeatedly with plastic bricks. Performance seems good and price has been fine.
When you're buying, remember the screen is the most expensive single component in the laptop - and therefore the one that is cut back first on cheap models. You can't upgrade your screen, so make sure you get one that's big enough and high enough resolution for your needs. These days, 1024x768 resolution is a bit low, but you can still find it on low end machines where they're cutting costs.
It's also worth making sure you get a reasonable sized hard drive as they fill up pretty quickly the moment you start installing things, listening to MP3s, using a digital camera etc. 80Gb isn't a bad minimum these days.
When you're buying, remember the screen is the most expensive single component in the laptop - and therefore the one that is cut back first on cheap models. You can't upgrade your screen, so make sure you get one that's big enough and high enough resolution for your needs. These days, 1024x768 resolution is a bit low, but you can still find it on low end machines where they're cutting costs.
It's also worth making sure you get a reasonable sized hard drive as they fill up pretty quickly the moment you start installing things, listening to MP3s, using a digital camera etc. 80Gb isn't a bad minimum these days.
Podie said:
Plotloss said:
IBM are the Volvo of laptops, they just go on and on and on.
Generally perform well, top of the range jobs are quite nippy, but they still look like bricks... 
I bought a 14" Thinkpad T43 a few months ago - my choice after years of corporate issue Dell & Compaq machines.
The Thinkpad is just brilliant - not too small or too large, good display (it's just the bog standard 1024x768) and (the thing they're renowned for) great keyboard. It's the laptop I always promised myself. It'll blow a £700 budget though, mine (2GHz) was about £1300.
Great thread! 
I've just placed my order for a Toshiba Satellite Pro L100 with PC World business and despite their previous suggestion the device would be back in stock on Monday 9th, they now tell me it's the 20th before they come back in and have offered a Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pro V2035 Edition as a replacement. It has a 60gb harddrive as opposed to the Tosh' 40gb but other than that they offer about the same functionality.
I've been told that Tosh' are the best but know little or nothing about the Fuji. What say the PH technobods?
I've just placed my order for a Toshiba Satellite Pro L100 with PC World business and despite their previous suggestion the device would be back in stock on Monday 9th, they now tell me it's the 20th before they come back in and have offered a Fujitsu Siemens AMILO Pro V2035 Edition as a replacement. It has a 60gb harddrive as opposed to the Tosh' 40gb but other than that they offer about the same functionality.
I've been told that Tosh' are the best but know little or nothing about the Fuji. What say the PH technobods?
anniesdad said:
Just when I need you, you're all down the boozer, I know how it works on a Friday!
So what do I do, order the Fuji and have my new toy by Monday, or wait for the Tosh? Decisions, decisions....
Tosh. No decision. Wait for the Tosh. Better waranty on it and generally a more robust build on them.
GregE240 said:
Steve, 'bout time you came along to VMAX fella. Hows tricks?
(good decision with the Tosh BTW, I'd have had that)
(good decision with the Tosh BTW, I'd have had that)
Hi Greg,
I had a slot but had to let it go as none of my toy cars were/are available, you can hardly let rip in an X3! I'll be there at the next one by hook or by crook.
Looked like a brilliant day and some extremely high speeds!
Good to see the SL still bouncing off the limiter!
S
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