Question:
Graphics design and music notebook
Great forum guys - this is a present I said I'd get for my gf
1) What is your budget?
£1000
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
The largest usable and portable for the applications required
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Web design, graphics and music tracking and playback (e.g. Sonar so external soundcard option via firewire or PCMCIA may be important)
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Different places
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No - whatever does the job
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3 hours
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Yes
9) What country are you buying this in?
UK
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Not sure
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
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.
Not sure yet
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Not sure yet
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
To a degree
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
As long as possible
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
Internal drive doesn't really matter but ability to attach a huge external USB drive is important
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-CD/RW
Thanks for any pointers!
Answer:
Re: Graphics design and music notebook
you should take a look at the hp dv8000t...though i hear it has some keyboard problems. or the hp nx9420, which will have greater durability. i like the asus w2j, but it's probably out of your budget. also, are you sure you want a 17" for your gf? that's quite heavy, and i wouldn't recommend carrying something like that around.
Answer:
Re: Graphics design and music notebook
wait you want to see it before you buy it ? Ok then i would head over to like bestbuy, circuit city, or if you have a mall nearby check maybe a dell kiosk
Answer:
Re: Graphics design and music notebook
I don't think they have BestBuy or CircuitCity in the UK. I would vote against a 17" notebook for someone needing mobility. The Fujitsu E8210 or ThinkPad Z60/61m might be worth a look.
Answer:
Re: Graphics design and music notebook
Dell D820.
It has both pcmcia(for soundcard/firewirecard) and expresscard(for the future).
Answer:
Re: Graphics design and music notebook
Thanks for the suggestions guys - I shall ponder.