Question:
Budget all-around laptop
Hey Everyone,
These boards have been a great help as I prepare to buy a new laptop and I think I am about ready to pull the trigger. Any help or advice you have would be appreciated.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Really tight, no more than $900 total cost.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.
USA
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No preference, I have a Dell at work and my previous rig was a Thinkpad but i do kind of like my girlfriends Compaq. I'm open.
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
I have a work laptop so really surfing the net, watching movies, listening to music, and some gaming.
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
It will be mostly stationary but I will be taking it room-to-room in my house.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes, but I really only play Strategy games. WC3, AOE 3, Civ 4, the Total War series and the like.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
2 is fine.
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
I can deal with it.
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen I think.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
No real preference here.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Indifferent
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I'm pretty simple, so I wouldn't pay extra.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Now. 18 months to 2 years max.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB?
At least 80gb
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
yes, i would like a combo drive so I can burn DVDs
I really have to stick to my budget, but I don't really need the latest and greatest out there. I would also prefer to have XP now and later upgrade to Vista after some of the bugs get patched. I also don't mind units refurbished by the manufacturer.
I found what I think is a good deal and I'd like your opinions please.
Here are the specs:
HP DV500t - Core Duo processor T2300 @ 1.66 GHz with 2MB L2 Cache
1024MB 667MHz DDR2 (2 Dimm)
GeForce Go 7400
80GB HD (5400rpm)
DVD/CD Burner w/lightscribe
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
XP Media Center Edition
Includes remote
Refurbished by HP w/ warranty
Total cost $795
I would like to thank you in advance and I appreciate any and all feedback
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
For your budget, the Dell Inspiron E1505 seems to be a good option to consider.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
What are the details of your warranty? Is it just the 90-day? If so, I would be leery, unless you're handy with electronics.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
It is the 90 day warranty. I'd say I'm between the intermediate-advanced level. Not so much on the programming side but I've been able to handle most of the problems that I have encountered with my previous machines.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
Yeah jetstar, I've looked at some e1505s but there is just something about them that I doesn't float my boat. If I could find the right system for the right price this could probably be remedied though.
Does the Dell have any advantages over the HP?
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
Dell has no advantage over the HP that I can think of, other than price. I only recommended Dell because of your budget constraint. I would advise you to stay away from the HP dv5000 though. It is an outdated model, and several of those notebooks had keyboard issues.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
You really are in an enviable position with this purchase, since you're not looking for high-end graphics or a high-powered processor. I've seen lots of good deals on notebooks in this price-range recently, although the ones in stores are loaded with Vista. The challenge is finding one with XP, but you can look at sites like Newegg, Buy.com and Overstock.com to find new machines, and there are still some new XP machines on eBay.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
Dell has no advantage over the HP that I can think of, other than price. I only recommended Dell because of your budget constraint. I would advise you to stay away from the HP dv5000 though. It is an outdated model, and several of those notebooks had keyboard issues.
Thanks I was not aware of any keyboard issues. I think I'll take a closer look at some of the e1505's. The hangup with buying one from Dell right now is that they all have Vista on them.
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
You really are in an enviable position with this purchase, since you're not looking for high-end graphics or a high-powered processor. I've seen lots of good deals on notebooks in this price-range recently, although the ones in stores are loaded with Vista. The challenge is finding one with XP, but you can look at sites like Newegg, Buy.com and Overstock.com to find new machines, and there are still some new XP machines on eBay.
Thanks, I'll give those sites a look.
And yes, it is nice to have relatively easy to meet needs :)
Answer:
Re: Budget all-around laptop
Cool. Let us know what you find. Oh, and don't forget to check Amazon.