Question:
I'm thinking about a Compal Hel80, but would like suggestions.
Just want to say that this forum has been an incredible source of information for me. This will be my first laptop purchase, and I am looking forward to hearing suggestions.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
around 1600, less would be better, but I'm willing to go a little bit higher if it would be worth it.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
a little bit of everything. I will be doing basic photo editing, dvd burning, movie watching, some 3d gaming.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
It will mostly stay at home, I will carry it around to the different rooms in my house, taking it on one or two vacations a year.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Probably the most intensive game I play is The Sims 2. I'd like that to run smoothly.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Nope. I have been thinking of getting a compal Hel80, but thought I'd post one of these forms before making a final decision.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
battery life it not that important to me. More is better, but I'll spend most of my time plugged in.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
nope.
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
I'm in the US.
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?
Not really sure. my mom just got a HP that is glossy and said she preferred her old matte screen. I went to a few computer stores to compare, but all I could find were glossy screens. I'm open to suggestions.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
moderatly. performance is most important, and build quality. But a nice looking machine would be nice.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Plan to buy as soon as I make up my mind what to ge. I hope to have it for at least two or three years.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
not too concerned with drive space. My desktop has plenty of space to store what I need. I'd like to get a 7200rpm drive and the lowest I've seen of those is 60GB, which would be fine.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
DVD-RW with double layer support.
Answer:
Re: I'm thinking about a Compal Hel80, but would like suggestions.
I think the Compal HEL80 would be a good fit for you. You may want to also consider the HP nc4830 or a Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (you probably don't need the extra GPU power of the go 7600 but it's always nice).
Answer:
Re: I'm thinking about a Compal Hel80, but would like suggestions.
The Compal HEL80 is a good choice but I personally like the HP nc8430 a bit more. It's excellent combination of power and top notch build quality.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...7-3254487.html
Afair, the Sims 2 is not so demanding game...
Answer:
Re: I'm thinking about a Compal Hel80, but would like suggestions.
I like the Thinkpad T60 recommendation.
Answer:
Re: I'm thinking about a Compal Hel80, but would like suggestions.
As you can see from my signature, I just ordered the Compal Hel80. My biggest reason for ordering that model is the matte SXGA+ screen as I do Photoshop work and that model has the new LGP prism technology where the light is projected towards the center. I understand it's supposed to be a very good screen, and that was at the top of my list.
Edit: Also, I'm very impressed with powernotebook.com's customer service. I had to call them twice for different reasons and each time I got the phone answered by a real person who knew what they were talking about. When I ordered the computer, Donald helped me with questions and really knows the machine, unlike some faceless customer service rep for a big company. After spending several hours on the phone with Dell in the last 2 weeks, meandering through the hell of voice activated menuing where all roads lead to India, I was so glad to call and get 24/7 domestic tech support. Priceless!