Question:
Advice needed on what laptop to buy
Hi,
I'm looking to get a new laptop for my Masters in Graphic Arts and Design this September. The main purpose would be web design and development as well as graphic design work (Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks etc) I'm also teaching 3D Modelling and animation at the local College so need something that can handle very basic 3D Modelling, rendering and animation demonstrations for students. I'll be using Blender for this.
At the moment I like the look of the Dell Inspiron 9400, mainly for the 17" screen at under £1,000. But i'm willing to comprimise on screen size, though the larger the better, for a more powerful machine. Budget is Up to £1,000. Though I maybe able to stretch to £1,100- 1,200
Any ideas?
Thanks
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Up to £1,000.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Mainly web design/development, graphic design work (Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash) Some basic 3D modelling, rendering and animation with Blender. Surfing the internet.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
I'll need to take it into work ocassionaly but it's not a major concern
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
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Not a concern
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
UK
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
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.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Glossy
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
No
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
4-5years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
80GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-CD/RW
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
The 9400, which has a powerful Go7900GS video card, sounds like a good choice for your needs and budget.
You may also consider Zeptos: http://uk.zepto.com/
C.
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
The HP nx9420 also looks like a nice choice for a 17". It is business-class, meaning the build quality will be very good, and it will be sturdier/more durable than a mainstream consumer machine.
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
The 9400, which has a powerful Go7900GS video card, sounds like a good choice for your needs and budget.
You may also consider Zeptos: http://uk.zepto.com/
C.
If you include the 7900GS it comes out more than £250 over budget for a gig of ram and T2400 and that's with the current savings Dell are offering.
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
For a 17" powerhouse the best deal hands down is the Amilo Xi from here. Specs - Core Duo 1.83GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB HD and x1800 for £895!
I guarantee that laptop will rip through anything you throw at it and very few laptops have the powerful x1800.
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
If you include the 7900GS it comes out more than £250 over budget for a gig of ram and T2400 and that's with the current savings Dell are offering.
Yeah, I just checked the price of that £1,150 with the 7900, £892 without. £1,100-1,200 is stretching my budget.
The HP's look good but again top end of my budget.
The AMILO Xi 1546 looks very good. Can anybody give me there opinion on it?
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
There is a review .
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
Cheers, didn't see that. I read the thread in the Fujitsi forum as well but didn't see that review. I think it will be the Amilo Xi1546.
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
I'm going for the Amilo Xi1546.http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Fujit...ilo_X/prod.asp
Does the second one on that page actually have a 200GB hard drive? The review above says it comes with 80GB, 100GB or 120GB's? And the specs on the site say iit has two 100GB hard drives. Sorry if this is a stupid question. Also is the 1920x1200 screen resloution worth spending an extra £100 quid on.
Thanks
Answer:
Re: Advice needed on what laptop to buy
The differences between the two laptops on that page is the second one has the T2500 and 200GB HD whereas the first as the T2400 and 80GB HD. The data sheet for the laptop from the fujitsu website is here. It states that 2 HD's can be present. Also, both of those laptops have the same resolution (1440x900) its the Xi 1547 which as the 1920x1200 resolution.
If you know you will need the HD space then the inceased price is worth but you can always buy an external HD later. The increased procesor speed is nice but i doubt you will notice it.