Laptop (MacBook, Tablet, regular Notebook...)

[mattchoo]

Hi there,

I'm looking for a great deal on a new laptop. I've used several in the past thru work (Thinkpads, Dells, etc), and my own (Fujitsu Tablet Lifebook)... but that was several years ago - and I'm kind of out of date with regards to newest features and great deals.

I'm open to anything, really.

Couple of questions:

1. Mac: What is the premium you're paying for a MacBook? Are MacBooks ever on sale? If styling is not a priority, is MacBook Air worth considering? Are MacBook Pro's just larger, larger screens, more powerful?

2. Tablet: What is the premium you're paying for a Tablet these days? 4 years ago, it was quite substantial... is this still the case? Are there any great deals on Tablets? Are they still underpowered relative to regular laptops (this was the case when I owned mine!). P.S. I loved having a Tablet back in the day!! Who makes the best tablet these days? I ended up buying a Fujitsu Lifebook, because it was the best price/performance compromise, but I recall the Toshiba M-series were the best tablets, but substantially more expensive... Now there are other vendors - Thinkpads, Dells.... Any thought here?


3. Features: what are the newest features on laptops these days?

Screen technologies: anti-glare, glossy finishes (what is better)?

RAM/HD: Can I easily find cheap RAM and put it in myself (like a desktop)? Can I easily get one of the 250GB WD Passport drives and swap it in in place of the smaller stock HDs?

Video Card: What kind of video card should I be looking at (I've come to really despise integrated shared video... what would be a good alternative to look for? I don't play games, but do a bit of graphic work, etc.)?

Processor: Minimum processor speed -- I'm thinking at least a Core2Duo if this will be my only computer?

Extended battery life -- 6-cell, 9-cell, what does this all mean? How much more battery life? Does it add any size to the computer?


4. Deals: Back in the day, you'd pay more for a Thinkpad, but it was a more solid machine. Still the case? In terms of the best price/performance/features ratio, what manufacturer should I be looking at? Historically, it's always been Dell...

5. Dell: What is the difference between all of the different Dell models? There are so many, that it's causing my head to spin... Inspiron (value line?), XPS (more powerful, larger screens?), Studio (style only?)


Thanks a lot for your help!
Matt

[ceraf]

1) Macbooks use pc hardware, so there's not much difference there. I'd say, you're paying more to be able to use OS X and a nice looking laptop (which is why i bought one second hand instead to lower costs).

2) Tablets have really dropped in price. From what I've seen, the Fujitsu and Lenovo ones are great. I would only get one if I did a lot of note taking and drawing, which i haven't been doing much lately, so my old toshiba portege 3500 is collecting dust now.

3) laptop RAM is quite cheap...usually i would avoid manufacturer upgrades since they would cost a lot. Hard drive swaps...depends on the laptop you buy. I know macbook pros don't let you change them without voiding your warranty.

For processors, stick with a core2duo as you said. They're better overall than amd's offerings.

Oh...this is my personal preference, but I like matte screens. Glossy screens are way too reflective for my liking.

4) Haven't searched lately, but i'd still vouch for Dell.

5) I've heard great things about the Vostro line of laptops. They should be under the business section.

[Rishi]

Go for a matte screen, glossy looks like crap when you're outside.

[mattchoo]

Thanks guys. Any more opinions out there? :)

[tamper]

I would personally buy a commercial grade machine and not one of the best buy/staples specials. I really cant stand all the trial crapware on those machines and the business grade machines such as Vostro/Latitude, Thinkpad, etc seem to me much more sturdy (i'm hard on my equipment).

I personally love thinkpad T series , having had one fly off a table and keep on ticking. If not Dell or HP Business series would be my second choice. I've had a Toshiba Tecra for a year+ can't wait to swap it back for Thinkpad or HP.

Key Decisions

CPU: Multicore is a given unless you're really looking at budget. How fast do you need. Unless your making lots of video or playing games a mid-level one should be the most you'd want.

Graphics: The latest Intel graphics chip (the 3100) is somewhat better than they have been, but I like separate graphics. Nvidia 8400 or ATI X2300 with 128MB of dedicated Ram should do the job for what you describe. It'll likely be 150-$200 price premium over Intel.

Screen: Widescreen or Old style? Widescreen is great for my spreadsheets but seems to waste real estate in word processing and certain graphics work. It depends on how you want to use yours though. I also hate glossy finishes because they act up in some lighting environments like outside or some offices etc.

Screen Resolution: 15.4 inches seems to be the sweet spot, with smaller and larger screens costing more money. I don't like 17 inch screens on notebooks. I like portability and prefer 14.1 inches, 15 inches is the compromise for most people. Some machines have higher resolution screens 1440x900 etc. I find that makes the screen illegible for my old tired eyes. Bigger screens demand bigger resolution to get full use of the real estate.

Memory: I'd get 1GB to start, make sure its on one module with an empty one slot easily available (ie you can just remove a hatch on the bottom of the machine to put the module in, there are some setups like my Toby that require the case to be unscrewed and the Keyboard removed) to add a cheaper aftermarket upgrade if you desire. 2GB base is fine also but to upgrade you'll probably have to remove one of two factory modules.

CD/DVD/Blue Ray: What do you need? You probably want DVD burning at this point.

Warranty: Most systems are 1-year these days, do you want 3 years and/or onsite service? Machines that come with a 3 year included usually cost over 1000 bucks. However with HP or Lenovo you can buy usually buy additional years from the manufacturer during the time your machine is still under warranty. Dell IIRC you have to decide when you order. Having bough many Dells for my work, and seeing what friends with Dells go through I'd always upgrade to Onsite with Dell.

Battery: You want at least a 6 cell battery unless its one of those subnotebooks.

I like to look at the model numbers of the monthly Smart Buy promotion list, at HP.ca find a couple of configs I'm okay with. I'll compare to Lenovo and Dell. (If I buy HP, i usually order from Central Direct in Montreal, they're on HP's authorized list, often charge less than HP's listed promo prices and they haven't charged sales tax to out of province buyers in the past).