what Laptop? (was a WTB...)

Jamfore · January 2, 2009

All this talk about different processors, rams, buses, ect has me confused. I want to buy a laptop but just dont feel I know enough to get what I need. Does anyone have suggestions on where I can get a reliable deal or a good used lap top?

DoctorIt · January 2, 2009

Sounds like you are looking for detailed information... flea market isn't really the place for that.

Do you have a price range at least? So people could offer you what they have? If so, I'll leave it here. If not, and you're looking for just information, I'm moving this over to a discussion forum.

thanks,

Pupator · January 2, 2009

Jamfore wrote:

All this talk about different processors, rams, buses, ect has me confused. I want to buy a laptop but just dont feel I know enough to get what I need. Does anyone have suggestions on where I can get a reliable deal or a good used lap top?

I'll answer your question and hopefully it will stay with your post when Erik moves it elsewhere. Lots of people will say "it depends on what you do with a laptop," "it depends on what you want to spend," etc. These aren't untrue but in my experience most people are looking for very similar things. I'm assuming your needs are not unusual.

First - you have to decide Mac or PC. If you want a Mac, ignore the rest of my advice.

Second - decide on size. 14.1 or 15 are standard sizes. These are pretty heavy laptops. 13.3 is a good, more portable size. 17" is crazy-huge, but they make them. These aren't really portable at all.

Specs are easy: No less than 2GB RAM (3 is better, 4 is best). Go with an Intel Core2Duo processor (not to be confused with any of the other similarly named processors). Wireless G is good, wireless N is better. Bluetooth is a nice bonus if you can get it.

I highly recommend the Dell Outlet for reasonably priced notebooks. Check out their new notebooks to kind of figure out what you want then click out "outlet" and search for the model number. I bet you'll be amazed what your money can get you. Not long ago I got my wife a great 13.3", Core2Duo, with 3GB RAM for around $450.

Jamfore · January 7, 2009

DoctorIt wrote:

Sounds like you are looking for detailed information... flea market isn't really the place for that.

Do you have a price range at least? So people could offer you what they have? If so, I'll leave it here. If not, and you're looking for just information, I'm moving this over to a discussion forum.

thanks,

looking for more information to educate my self before I buy

Jamfore · January 7, 2009

Pupator wrote:

I'll answer your question and hopefully it will stay with your post when Erik moves it elsewhere. Lots of people will say "it depends on what you do with a laptop," "it depends on what you want to spend," etc. These aren't untrue but in my experience most people are looking for very similar things. I'm assuming your needs are not unusual.

First - you have to decide Mac or PC. If you want a Mac, ignore the rest of my advice.

Second - decide on size. 14.1 or 15 are standard sizes. These are pretty heavy laptops. 13.3 is a good, more portable size. 17" is crazy-huge, but they make them. These aren't really portable at all.

Specs are easy: No less than 2GB RAM (3 is better, 4 is best). Go with an Intel Core2Duo processor (not to be confused with any of the other similarly named processors). Wireless G is good, wireless N is better. Bluetooth is a nice bonus if you can get it.

I highly recommend the Dell Outlet for reasonably priced notebooks. Check out their new notebooks to kind of figure out what you want then click out "outlet" and search for the model number. I bet you'll be amazed what your money can get you. Not long ago I got my wife a great 13.3", Core2Duo, with 3GB RAM for around $450.

this sound good I will look there and see. I am looking for something I can load and print from at events for on site sales. Not looking to store a lot of photos. Have also considered just getting a picture bridge printer to print from but leary about not tweeking in photoshop first.

cmason · January 7, 2009

Seems to me you need to first consider what you want to do with a laptop?

Do you need it for email and websurfing?
Do you need it for downloading photos and some minor proofing on the road?
Do you need it as your primary image editing station?
Are you replacing a desktop PC? If so, what did you use that for?
What apps do you need to run?

These answers will guide you to the right machine.

Here are some examples that I have:

My wife needed a laptop to check email, and do Quicken. Thats all. So we got her a cheap HP laptop, all of $700. Quicken, while available for Mac, is really a Windows app, and with 8 years of history with the app, it wasnt feasible to migrate. But she is fine with Windows, it is what she knows.

My father in law needs a PC to do email, look at photos from the kids. So I got him a Mac Mini. To him a computer is a 'destination'. When he borrowed our laptop, he put it in his 'computer room' and kept it there, so he doesnt need a laptop, and I got a Mac because he doesnt know PCs that well, and its easier and less a hassle for him without Antivirus etc.

For me, I needed to replace my desktop PC. I needed power for Photoshop, and a IPS monitor (big) for image editing on Lightroom. I have a laptop for work, so dont really need another 'sit in front of TV web surfing machine'. I got an 24" iMac, and run VMWare Fusion to support my old Windows apps.

My sister, a Mac user, wanted a new Mac, but didnt have dedicated space for an iMac, and really only needed websurfing and email. But, she decided a Macbook was best for her, because she didn't want to dedicate space and a desk to a computer.

So, first let us know what is important to you and what you want to do with it.

Most any laptop on the market today has PLENTY of power to do most anything you wish. The limitations really come into the monitor and the memory. As long as you stick to a machine that has Intel Core 2 Duo, you will be set for most anything. (the $700 HP machine mentioned above is Core 2 Duo)

divamum · January 7, 2009

Seconding the recommendation for the Dell outlet - we've had excellent luck there for great prices. You do need to know *what* you want before going that route, however - do your research, figure the spec you need/want, and then stalk their website until the prices are where you want them (they fluctuate dramatically, so it IS worth waiting a week or two if you don't see what you want immediately).

If you do buy there, remember that you can add to the included 1 year guarantee at any point DURING that first year; I recommend adding the accidental protection and extended warrantee - we got 6+ years out of our last Dell laptop that way (it's still going - my daughter is using it now!)

Manfr3d · January 7, 2009

If you buy a laptop with

- Core2Duo Processor with 2.2 Ghz or more
- 2GB Ram or more
- 160GB Disk or more
- DVD RW Burner
- With 2 or more USB Ports (I don't know any Laptops who dont have this)
- With WLAN 801a/b/g (a,b,g stand for supported speeds)

you should get a pretty current model. A MacBook would be a good example.

NeilL · January 8, 2009

If you only want a link in the chain between camera and printer, then you won't want top of the line laptops and all that's in them.

I have a HP 17" Pavilion dv8221. It's a couple years old, but is a beautiful machine. It has the older Centrino Duo 1.83GHz engine, but it runs neck-n-neck with a friend's big new Mac crunching PS renderings.

Good thing about it is the TFT AM LCD display.

A high performing graphics card is central to any graphics work, obviously, and typically laptops don't have as high specs in this regard as desktops. I'd say graphics card (along with that should go big RAM), processor speed (dual core), screen characteristics and small footprint should be your priorities, for the use you have for it.

For general laptop needs I can certainly recommend HP.

Pupator · January 8, 2009

NeilL wrote:

A high performing graphics card is central to any graphics work, obviously, and typically laptops don't have as high specs in this regard as desktops. I'd say graphics card (along with that should go big RAM), processor speed (dual core), screen characteristics and small footprint should be your priorities, for the use you have for it.

For general laptop needs I can certainly recommend HP.

Actually, until the most recent apps came out, there's never been a 2D graphics program (Photoshop, etc.) that made use of a graphics card. Rendering programs (CAD) and video games were the reason for a good graphics card. I believe that's changed with PS CS4, which can make use of a graphics card's processor.

NeilL · January 8, 2009

Pupator wrote:

Actually, until the most recent apps came out, there's never been a 2D graphics program (Photoshop, etc.) that made use of a graphics card. Rendering programs (CAD) and video games were the reason for a good graphics card. I believe that's changed with PS CS4, which can make use of a graphics card's processor.

what Laptop? (was a WTB...)

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