Question:
What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
700-1200 $
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Always: I use all the MS aplications, such as POwepoint and office, as well as opening many web pages at the same time.
Never: I never play games.
occasionally: I also use photoshop and autocad occasionally.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
I will take it with me.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Never, ever.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No, the only convenient ones, which could be easily upgraded.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? 4-6 hours
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?Makes no differnece.
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in? Canada
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? Standard
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.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I really don't know the difference, but I guess matte would be better.
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?
I am buying it around Mid Jan. 2007, and I want it to last at least 4-5 years.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 100-120 I guess.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive? all of the above.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
ThinkPad T60 or the ThinkPad R60 would work well. They are essentially the same notebook, but the T60 is of higher quality and is slightly lighter, but more expensive.
They both have a matte screen, I can't think of any glossy standard aspect screens except for the $1900 Asus V6J, and even that may be matte.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
You may like the HP nc6400. I think it is, but I'm not totally sure the x1300 is enough to handle AutoCAD though.
EDIT: If you prefer standard screens, the ThinkPad T-series is hard to beat. Might be over budget but you can definitely get a GPU that is optimized for AutoCAD with one of those.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
I like the inspiron e1405- you can get it for something between $500-$1500 US , with lots of configuration options in between. It's best known for outstanding battery life- 6-10 hours of battery life depending on usage and the battery being used (standard vs. extended) I have one and wouldn't give it up for the world, it's a great deal for the price. I'm not sure if autoCAD would work very well with the intel GMA graphics, the system's biggest downfall.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
Another to consider is the Sony VGN-SZ340, it's just a little higher than your stated budget. The SZs are pretty good for those who need portability.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
Thank you everyone for the replies.
First of all I realy don't know which screen would be the best matt/glossy and Standard or other resolutions.
Second: regarding my interests, between Toshiba, Hp and sony, which would work better?
Thank you very much again
I am really confused, my husband got a Toshiba something and it works really slowly, slower than my 5 year old PC!!
PS Which sites or shops do you recommend, buying a notebook from in Montreal?
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
Thank you everyone for the replies.
Second: regarding my interests, between Toshiba, Hp and sony, which would work better?
Thank you very much again
I am really confused, my husband got a Toshiba something and it works really slowly, slower than my 5 year old PC!!
Montreal?
I think Toshiba is usually the slowest among those 3 you mentioned. I personally prefer Hp from those over Toshiba and Sony. Toshiba's too "slow" and i can get almost the same specs a sony vaio has with an Hp laptop for a lower price. If you don't mind the little price difference between hp and sony, then it's up to you.
Answer:
Re: What to buy? I don't know anything about notebooks, plz help.
I second the HP nc6400 (14.1") recommendation, that's great notebook with excellent quality and support. It's offered either with the GMA950 or X1300.
If you want to use AutoCad only for 2D drawing creation then you don't need a dedicated GPU but you will need it for the new 3D features in AutoCad 2007.