Question:
Great site. How about some one on one.
Cheers on the website. I've been reading it on and off for almost 2 months because I'm gearing up to leave for school and am ready to purchase a laptop. I love that Laptop Deals page you have, quite nice.
If you wouldn't mind helping me out, here is kind of what im looking for.
I'd also, from what i've read, prefer an intel core duo.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Something a little over a grand. My max is probably 1500
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 17" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
MS Office, and 3D modeling programs, music and watching dvd's.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Taking it with me (but I have a nice backpack so weight isn't crucial) and using it around the house if I dont feel like using my desktop in my room.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
None - I have a pretty nice desktop for that.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I was actually looking at the hp dv5000 or dv8000 series.
I'm open to suggestions though. I don't really like my 'families' Dell, but like I said, I'm open to suggestions.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Something 3+ I would like.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Don't mind
9) What country are you buying this in?
US
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
I'd like a widescreen, but I heard that a lot of widescreens don't have that great of max resolution.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I think im indifferent, but glossy seems to be doing good.
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
As long as it's not ugly
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
At least 4 years
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
I'd like 80-100GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
I'd like to be able to write both CD's and DVD's
Thanks for checking this out.
I haven't been online shopping for laptops yet. I did some window shopping at Best Buy, Fry's, and will stop by Circuit City at some point. I custom built a dell and an HP dv8000 and dv5000 online just to see what the prices were. I'm leaning toward an HP right now, but I'll see what the pro's have to say.
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
I'm thinking the Dell Latitude with the Quadro card would be a nice fit, especially if you want it to last four years,
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
Hmm. I just checked them out, they seem pretty good. And for what I wanted for the customization options it came out for more or less the same price as the HP. I also get a discount from Dell, which is nice.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I also started looking at the Asus S96J. That seems to be decent as well, but I didn't catch the price on those.
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
The Quadro card on the Dell is specifically geared toward what you are doing whereas the x1600 on the Asus is a gaming card. Plus I think the Dell will be a little more stout.
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
Thanks. I just read some reviews on the D820. That sounds exactly like what im looking for. Appreciate it.
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
If had a choice between a D820 with a
15.4 inch Wide Screen WXGA LCD Panel
15.4 inch Wide Screen WSXGA+
15.4 inch Wide Screen WUXGA
which would look nicer? I was leaning with the WUXGA
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
That is a high resolution, but for 3d modeling you might want the extra real estate. Some people complain that the WSXGA+ is too much on a 15.4', however, if you have good vision you should not have a problem. Personally I would go with the wsxga+ on the 15.4' and WUXGA on the 17'.
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
If had a choice between a D820 with a
15.4 inch Wide Screen WXGA LCD Panel
15.4 inch Wide Screen WSXGA+
15.4 inch Wide Screen WUXGA
which would look nicer? I was leaning with the WUXGA
I would go with the wuxga
Answer:
Re: Great site. How about some one on one.
If you have never seen WUXGA on a 15.4" notebook, I would recommend it. Some people like it, but text is awfully small.