What laptop would you recommend?

I'm on my second dell in 4 years (still have the first), each time I go looking (whether it's for me or friends/relatives) I always end up with a dell that beats everything else for performance/price.
My experiences with sony and toshiba have not been good. The toshiba was from the short time when they were experimenting with different types of lead-free solder. Intermittent problems which they warranty guys could not find and would not fix.

For the kids I'd get them a Dell Vostro. Cheap, basic and they can buy add-ons if they need them.

Don't buy more ram from the computer sellers, it's getting cheaper every day. I got 4gb of ram two weeks ago for $150. 6 months ago from Dell it would have cost me $700.

you have heard everyones opinion and here is mine....

1st, what do you use it for???
if its only basic stuff like net, email, word ect... then get the cheapest entry level lappy on the market.... as it will do everything you want and with the cash backs on offer then you will score one for about $500-600

i bought a Compaq Presario C731TU with 1gb ram and 80gb Hdd for $550 with cash back from DSE

i use it for Net, email, GPS and other smaller crap....

It's perfect....

ASUS F3JP

The one I'm using is great and ASUS make a heap of stuff for other brands (Chassis, cooling fans, MB, etc) I'm about to buy another one for Mrs Possum.

A

Get a MacBook - and if you don't like the Mac OS put Windows on it. All Mac's from 2006 use Intel CPU's, so you can run Mac OS or any other OS - Windows, Linux...

I'm a designer/photographer and love both the Mac hardware and operating system. I only use Windows for testing websites in Internet Explorer and for 1 piece of software that isn't for Mac OS X yet.

Anyway, that's my opinion as a professional user...I currently have Apple's 17" MacBook Pro ($4000) and it's my mobile office - if I'm out on a shoot or traveling no other laptop comes close to it. It's like the difference between driving a Land Rover and a Jap 4WD - except it's a perfect LR that never breaks down.

However, if you're looking at brands other than Apple, stick with a good brand and don't go for an acme brand. Some of the better ones (though they're all about the same on the cheaper end) are: Sony, Toshiba, ASUS, Lenovo Thinkpad (use to be IBM) and Dell (though quality can be a problem with them).

NEC Laptops are they any good. I know they are a bit pricy but are there goods reliable.

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Originally Posted by samuelclarke

Get a MacBook - and if you don't like the Mac OS put Windows on it. All Mac's from 2006 use Intel CPU's, so you can run Mac OS or any other OS - Windows, Linux...

I'm a designer/photographer and love both the Mac hardware and operating system. I only use Windows for testing websites in Internet Explorer and for 1 piece of software that isn't for Mac OS X yet.

Anyway, that's my opinion as a professional user...I currently have Apple's 17" MacBook Pro ($4000) and it's my mobile office - if I'm out on a shoot or traveling no other laptop comes close to it. It's like the difference between driving a Land Rover and a Jap 4WD - except it's a perfect LR that never breaks down.

However, if you're looking at brands other than Apple, stick with a good brand and don't go for an acme brand. Some of the better ones (though they're all about the same on the cheaper end) are: Sony, Toshiba, ASUS, Lenovo Thinkpad (use to be IBM) and Dell (though quality can be a problem with them).

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Exactly...

I have my MBP running here now, Wireless NextG, it just works and does it well...

I have 2 pieces of software that are Win based and use Parallels to run them.. I've even tested the parallels version with a couple of games and it does fine (although native Mac versions perform far better)

Go the Mac, strong, reliable and intuitive.... Plus comes with almost everything you need out of the box.

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Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Well in our household its Acer and Asus

My Acer is pushing 6yrs old now. Cost a bomb when I bought it. Still going strong although the DVD player is a bit dodgy these days

Numpty our eldest child have Asus...they have had good service from them also but they are only just over 12mnths old.

Can't complain about either

Asus you can buy at the "Good Guys" easy enough. Hardly Normal had some cheap deals recently on other brands

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Numpty is the name of your eldest child?

Your eldest child is just over 12 months old?

Or is Numpty named for his father?

Enquiring minds want to know.:eek:

Cheers
Simon

And for such a youngster, my intelligence even surprises me:eek:

Currently I have a Toshiba A200. Got it for $1100 on special, then salary sacrificed it. Its not a bad unit but needs more RAM. Said I would not buy another Toshiba after my last A10. 3 hardrives, modem u/s, dvd drive replaced, sound card u/s, screen invertor replaced, screen us, USB ports faulty and of course all this started a month after warranty ran out. But most techies reckon Toshibas are the least worked on or returned notebooks.
I bought my wife a Sony Vaio which is not bad either.

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Originally Posted by bruiser69

Hi Ron,

Sounds like a real bargain! I am after a second laptop for field service work.
Does your Dell have serial port (9 pin socket)? I need this as most of the gear I need to connect to uses serial, and I've found the USB to serial converters a bit 'hit& miss'
You mentioned buying laptop from EvilBay. Was this thru a US site? If so how much was delivery. and is warranty honoured in Aust?

cheers..Bruiser

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Sorry for taking so long to reply, yes it does :D

Ron