Question:
FAQ - New Laptop
1) What is your budget?
£600 max.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
General use - internet, music, dvd-watching
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Leaving it at home most of the time
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No gaming
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No real preference
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Not important, but at least 2-3 hours
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) What country are you buying this in?
UK
Screen Specifics
10) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
d. WXGA = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array; 1280x768 or 1280x800; This resolution offers the same as XGA except that there is more horizontal real estate; 1280 versus 1024. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
OR
f. WSXGA+ = Widescreen Super eXtended Graphics Array; 1680x1050; This resolution is comparable to SXGA in that it offers a middle ground between WXGA/WXGA+ and WUXGA. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
11) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Whatever is best for general use and watching films. Is it worth paying extra for e.g. Dell's TrueLife screen?
Build Quality and Design
12) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
A little, but not critical
13) How long do you want this laptop to last?
5 years
Notebook Components
14) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
40Gb is sufficient; 60Gb ideal
15) Do you need a DVD, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-R drive?
DVD-RW+/- (8-speed is sufficient)
The models I have looked at are the Dell Inspiron 6400 with Dual Core T2300, and the Acer Aspire 6142 with Pentium M 740.
How much would it be worth paying to upgrade to 1024Mb RAM rather than 512Mb?
Thanks,
Tim
Answer:
Re: FAQ - New Laptop
The rule is 1) dual core > pentium M
2) more RAM > less RAM
Get the best that you can afford.
You will notice the incresed RAM performace if you are multitasking a lot. Will you have lots of programs open at the same time?
Answer:
Re: FAQ - New Laptop
I will be running a couple of programs at the same time, but not a lot more. The main question for me is whether it is better to have:
a) 1024Mb RAM (vs 512) and the bright screen, or
b) the dual core processor (vs Pentium M 740).
Thanks!
Answer:
Re: FAQ - New Laptop
Your budget of 600 pounds is enough to get what you need; I'd definitely look into an Acer, they have a nice lineup in Europe. The TM4200 series is a good fit; Core Duo processor, bright widescreen display, and 1GB of RAM/100GB HDD on a lot of models.
Chaz