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PC laptop question...

coachingguy

coachingguy

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 7, 2003
701
224
The Great White, Albeit Frozen North
My wife has a friend who has grown up on windows, and as much as I've tried, isn't ready to go Mac (I know, I know...). Anyhow, she's looking for a Windows laptop that will help her with digital pictures (again, I know, I know...), wants a 15.4" screen and is willing to spend between $700 -$1000 anyways, can anybody help me with the this. I've tried preaching Macbook, but she's apparently set on 15.4". Any suggestions?

Thanks

Coachingguy
 
I've been a pc user for...um a very long time. I've tried and abandoned almost all of them. Unless you really hate your wife, don't let her get a dell. Thnkpads are somewhat better, but the really issue is the operating system. IMHO Vista sucks. Intel corporate apparently shares my opinion.

If she really won't listen to experience and reason, check out the the upcoming (in August) Sony Vaio: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...Id=8198552921644570898&parentCategoryId=16154

It's only 13.5 inches, but it is a sweet machine.

The best answer is a MacBook Pro. If she wants her old pc apps, just install Fusion. She will have the best of both worlds and it will run a lot faster than a Vista rig.
 
Thinkpad are great. HPs are good. Dells are usable. Gateway if she's feeling lucky.
 
I appreciate all the suggestions, however, a MBP is beyond her budget. I've pushed and will continue to push a refubed MB.

Are their good PC laptops in the $700 - $1000 range. She won't add anything like RAM or a HD, so what she orders; will have to be it and she'd like it to last her for 4 years.

When I see people working on PC lappy's, I'm always amazed by how dim the screens are, which manufacturer has the best screens in that price range. My brother has a Lenovo with a great screen, but he paid nearly $1500 for it. Does Lenovo make consumer/multimedia lappy's? He's pretty impressed with the build quality.

Coachingguy
 
The Dell XPS M1530 starts at $999, however, I would recommend the 13" M1330 over that because its $100 cheaper and more compact. Anyway, because they're Dells, I'm sure there are loads of discounts and/or rebates you can get off too.
 
Tom B. said:
The Dell XPS M1530 starts at $999, however, I would recommend the 13" M1330 over that because its $100 cheaper and more compact. Anyway, because they're Dells, I'm sure there are loads of discounts and/or rebates you can get off too.
Click to expand...

That Dell has 1280x800 though, so I don't see a point getting it over 13" notebooks. It's screen is by no means good, too.
 
the trend is actually, that 15.4" are cheapest laptops around, smaller, or larger creen laptops are oth more expensive.

I think VAIO is the best line, Thinkpad, HP, Dell follows. If she won't update anything, be sure to get a 2G RAM one.

Such as this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117722
$699.99
15.4" 1280x800
1.86Ghz Pentium dual core
DVD super multi
2G DDR RAM
160G HDD
GMA X3100

or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146451
ideapad $649
1.86Ghz/3G RAM/160G HDD/DVD dual layer /GMA x3100
 
The consumer based HP/Levovo lines are crap. Like all the other Manufacturers [Excluding Apple]. HP has a newer business line out that uses AMD chips, and are under $900 for a 15.4/1680x1050 res. The screens are "okay", not great. Lots of saturation, and not so great color. But you get what you pay for really.

I'd keep preaching the Mac route. But if she's bent on higher res, with 15.4, I'd suggest what I mentioned. Or, like the others said, get a DELL 13" notebook, and a DELL 22" wide screen that can handle higher res...
 
What about an Acer? They're supposedly quite good, and theres always deals on them over here in the UK and have quite a few under £500 ($1000), not sure about the US tho. :)

Hope this can help you! haha
 
hi

Packard Bell with 15" screen and 102 keys FTW.

LG also has attractive products in their range.
 
Blakely028 said:
What about an Acer? They're supposedly quite good, and theres always deals on them over here in the UK and have quite a few under £500 ($1000), not sure about the US tho. :)

Hope this can help you! haha
Click to expand...

Please, do yourself a favor and do not get an Acer! :eek:

The brand has the highest return rate and it seems they make their laptops from recycled pieces of $h!† :eek:
 
Don't overlook Lenovo. My employer has been extraordinarily pleased with his recent purchase, and has had to call me in for very few "support" problems.
It's ugly, but it seems spry enough even running Vista.
 
clevin said:
the trend is actually, that 15.4" are cheapest laptops around, smaller, or larger creen laptops are oth more expensive.

I think VAIO is the best line, Thinkpad, HP, Dell follows. If she won't update anything, be sure to get a 2G RAM one.

Such as this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117722
$699.99
15.4" 1280x800
1.86Ghz Pentium dual core
DVD super multi
2G DDR RAM
160G HDD
GMA X3100

or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146451
ideapad $649
1.86Ghz/3G RAM/160G HDD/DVD dual layer /GMA x3100
Click to expand...

Clevin,

Thanks I printed those off and sent them with my wife, apparently she was pretty excited with both. Although, she said she's not sure how her husband and 2 teenage boys will feel about the Sony being pink! ;) I told her it comes in black too...

Again, thanks

Coachingguy
 
So right now, the 3 comes to mind.

Sony FW line...that's 16.4 inches, but it's very thin so I think it'll pass. Heard Sony has great displays...just don't get the "eco" version.

Dell Studio 15?

Lenovo Ideapad?
 
Neil321 said:
Those ideapad's are on levono's site, take alook at the link i posted a few posts above if you wanna show your wife's mate
Click to expand...

I was seriously considering it as a MBP alternative...but the processor is soo slow! They need to update it!
 
dell

I bought a refurb Dell XPS 1530 2.4 ghz, 3GB RAM, 160gb 7200rpm HDD, 256 8600GT nvidia card AND it has a Blu-Ray player & BURNER and it cost me under $1400. I know that's out of your range but you can certainly buy one of the new Dell Studio 15" new or an XPS 1530 refurb for under $1000.


(note: I have a Macbook & and iPhone too so please no calling me a Windows shill for the following )

As for Vista, if you are buying a new computer and not worried about hooking up a 5 year old printer or using 4 year old software on it you'd be a complete fool NOT to install Vista on your PC IMHO. I have Vista Business running on a Lenovo X61 tablet, & Vista Premium running on a XPS 420 desktop in addition to the XPS 1530 laptop and it runs great. In fact, I have never had a single crash, freeze up or need to reboot (other than for updates), not one time with three Vista computers running a total of about about 18 months worth of time. The Lenovo I picked up 9 months after Vista was released and the two others 11-16 months after Vista came out.

Yeah, there were problems at first with driver support that hit people who tried to install it on older machines or people who bought computers that met the minimum requirements, a real foul up by Microsoft to set the standards so low. However, if you're buying all new stuff or have relatively new equipment and you're going to have 2GB RAM minimum you're golden. If you have a 3 year old computer with 1GB of RAM or less and you've got even older peripherals attached to it then stay the hell away from Vista, but don't be scared off by all the advertisements you see. They just arent true anymore.
 
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