Laptops and Notebooks?

[StygShore]

your friend...

www.techbargains.com/

Or www.Cheapstingybastard.com


I saved 700.00 off the cost of my laptop from Dell with one of the coupon codes.


Styg

[WaffleBaron]

Actually getting to know, respect, and love a woman, while everyone is having mindless sex with a flesh and blood blow up doll?

I sure did... married her too.

[geekwarrior]

I sure did... married her too.

dude...you married a blow up doll?

[neppo1345]

I just spit water all over my laptop.

[thecavemankevin]

dude...you married a blow up doll?

you're surprised?

[jenarelJAM]

Okay, back on topic... :P

I've done a bit more research, and I'm still seeing the G1S as the obvious choice for me... except for this: http://1toppc.com/Merchant2/merchant...duct_Code=C90S

Add the E6700 processor, 3GB ram, 160GB 7200 rpm HD, wireless card, one additional AC adapter, Windows Vista Home Premium, Hardware Install and 2 year Warrantee, comes to $1947.

This is a "laptop" that apparently uses a lot of desktop components (for instance, it uses the faster desktop E series processor), that when upgraded to slightly better stats than the G1S, is $50 cheaper. :P

Now the downside is that it's not out yet, so no reviews, and I'm also worried about the battery life because it does use a desktop processor, but I think we'll see whether it works well as a laptop or not pretty soon, as it's scheduled to release in late may (hehe, it's june 1st)

The idea behind the C90S is that it's a desktop replacement, as in, it can be upgraded just like a desktop. While I think that would be cool, as long as the thing works fine when I buy it, I wouldn't begrudge upgrades never becoming available. I've heard that laptop upgradability has been tried many times before and always fails, so we'll see on this one. I haven't been around long enough to see...

Anyway, thoughts on the C90S?

[Pneumagger]

the battery life will suck horrendously. 2, maybe 3 hours if you got the screen turned down and use low poer applications. That's just the nature of laptops - either you get the super mobile 6hour stripped down laptops or you get the full blown desktop replacements thatpoor life.

Another thing to consider is the faact that laptop batteries are only good for about 150 charges before they start to lose thier charging capability. So if you have it out and about everyday, you'll need a new battery before the end of the school year.

[bornl33t]

2-3 hours? Try 30 min

[StygShore]

Core Duo processor in general uses a lot less juice and puts off a lot less heat that the standard processors though, so you should get some time off the battery.

I have a 9700 Dell with big 17" monitor and all kinds of toys, and I got it abotu 3 weeks before the new processors came out - it sucks down batteries hard, but I can still watcha 2 hour movie and check emails on it.

The new batteries dont really suffer the memory effect anymore, mine has maybe drpped in total usae time like 20 minutes over 4 years.


Styg

[robnix]

Core Duo processor in general uses a lot less juice and puts off a lot less heat that the standard processors though, so you should get some time off the battery.

I have a 9700 Dell with big 17" monitor and all kinds of toys, and I got it abotu 3 weeks before the new processors came out - it sucks down batteries hard, but I can still watcha 2 hour movie and check emails on it.

The new batteries dont really suffer the memory effect anymore, mine has maybe drpped in total usae time like 20 minutes over 4 years.


Styg

The video card in that laptop is what will suck up the juice.

[robnix]

ASUS makes nice laptops, the CPU and the Video Card are both upgradeable. If you're paying extra for the warranty, (which is a good idea with a laptop), make sure you're getting next day on site. Make sure it's a 7200 RPM drive. Otherwise that'll be a nice rig.

[jenarelJAM]

Battery life, from what I've heard, is supposed to be 40 minutes on gaming mode and 81 minutes on quiet mode. It also is condusive to overclocking, although I've never done this, and I'd have to look up the pros/cons of it. 2.66Ghz processor overclocked 30% would turn into... 3.46Ghz dual core with fsb of 1066. Man, that would be fast... My current desktop is (I believe) a 2.8Ghz single core

[personman]

You do realize that if you drop 2k on a laptop right now that by the time you actually need it for engineering it will be absolutely RAPED by $700 laptops, right?

You wont be needing a laptop for more than like MSword or something. Im going to be a freshman at Clemson (EE) and I decided to go with the cheapest laptop (that is still worth a damn) I can find. I'm going to build a pretty nice desktop to complement it.
I ended up going with this acer.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115356

After deleting all of the preinstalled BS that Acer put on there, its a pretty decent laptop. Lots of people say only 1 gig with vista is a no-no but it seems to work fine for me. Anyway ram is so cheap nowadays you could upgrade to 2gigs for only like $60. I've had it for a little over a month now. I have had a few problems with vista, some bluescreens, and problems with customized power schemes, but each time I run windows update it gets better. Most of the blue screens were my fault.. like I was a dumbass and decided to force a mcafee installation. Not smart. They dont have vista support yet. Im a tard.

But yeah. Dont get a 2k dollar laptop right now. And definitely not a 17 incher. That thing will weigh about 10 pounds and suck battery life like no other. 14" widescreen is perfect for me. Not bulky and has plenty of room on the desktop. I have a 22" LCD for my desktop anyway

[robnix]

Lots of people say only 1 gig with vista is a no-no but it seems to work fine for me.

Tested Vista on machines with 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB of RAM. 512 is unusable, 1GB is OK, 2GB you can notice a big difference from 1GB. Testing was done on the same dual core AMD machine with speedy hard drives so the only limiting factor was the RAM.

[jenarelJAM]

Okay, so I'm starting to come around to the idea of a desktop and cheap lappy...

I don't know what it is... I really don't like the idea of a desktop, but also looking at the specs of laptops in comparison with desktops, I want desktop capabilities. And if I have to have my laptop plugged in 24/7, I might as well just have a desktop...
So now I'm wondering... if I buy a desktop for gaming and media, and use a smaller portable laptop for most of my schoolwork, what would you guys recommend? I guess part of this came from me researching the 8600GT card in the laptop I wanted to get, and realizing that even though it supports dx10, it won't be much more powerful than the GPU in my current desktop. Definitely noticible, but not what I was hoping for. And if it doesn't blow me out of the water now, what about in 2 years... I'm starting to like the idea of a 14" (or so) really light laptop, still with pretty good specs, but more of a mobile machine. Media capable, wireless functions, good for notes and classwork, and the occasional 1996 game of starcraft...

How much would a decent gaming desktop cost? hm... now I have to do all my research over again for desktops...

Not entirely convinced, but I'm getting there...