Question:
Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
1) What is your budget?
$900-$1100...hopefully on the low end there.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
14.1" more than likely, as I'll be going to/from work with my comp, as well as lots of weekend car trips.
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Internet, lots of music, occasional movie, spreadsheet
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Lots of travel
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Moldy oldies...the most graphics-intensive game I play is neverwinter nights platinum. Nothing newer than that, really.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I'm a little confused by the mixed opinions on Dell...it seems people have either great luck or terrible luck as far as I've heard. Finding out HP is better than I thought was certainly a surprise. I came here expecting to eventually buy a Lenovo, but now...I'm confused.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I'd like to be able to watch a full movie without being plugged in.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
Not at all.
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
MN, USA
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
I'm not really that picky here.
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.
SXGA here. I can read small print pretty well.
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.
Probably WXGA+ here.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I'd prefer non-glossy, but I do want a crisp display.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not at all.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
2-4 years.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
60GB-80GB should suffice...7200 rpm would be nice if I could get it
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes. CD-RW would be fine.
******
Here's a totally-untechnical description of what I want in this laptop: Reliable, fast for what I do (internet, music, accessing portable hard drive, printing documents/pictures, connecting to mp3 player), won't bog down trying to access a flash internet site, excellent as far as wireless/wifi goes.
I'm not really sure if the core 2 duo is overkill or not. And, is it possible to get something like an Audigy 2 ZS soundcard in a laptop? I'm a bit spoiled by the desktop sound system I have to get rid of, and am planning to hook up my speakers to this computer when I'm at home.
Also, how much of an issue is the bloatware on consumer laptops like a Dell? Is it fairly easy to get rid of? I built my last PC, and haven't dealt with that problem in a while...
Thanks in advance :)
Kyle
Answer:
Re: Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
I'd say the HP dv2000 or Compaq v3000 series are worth a look. They should cover all your bases.
I'd prefer a business-class notebook for the better build quality and support. The HP nc6400 or (if you can handle 15" standard) nx6325 are some nice ones to look at.
Also check out the Lenovo ThinkPad R60.
Answer:
Re: Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
Check out the Dell Inspiron E1405, it is an excellent multimedia notebook. And the speakers are very good and plenty loud, unlike most notebooks...
Answer:
Re: Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
I just realized that in my first post, I'd mistakenly mentioned the 15.4" line of HP and Compaq. I meant to suggest the dv2000 and v3000 series, respectively.
Sorry about that :).
Answer:
Re: Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
The HP dv2000t is a nice notebook and would fit your budget.
Other than that, the HP nc6400 and ThinkPad R60 are really good suggestions since they are business-class notebooks hence they have better build quality/support and are generally more durable/reliable and, of course, a bit more expensive.
Answer:
Re: Advice on a first purchase...where to start?
The HP dv2000 is an excellent choice. I also like the HP nc6400 recommendations above.