Laptop Shopping, Thinking Dell

[squirrel 0]

I have a mac now that i use for video editing, never crashes, never hangs...buuuuut, we have to buy a PC for my wifes work (Realtor), all the web sites and forms are PC based. anyway, my buddy works at IBM and there are internally used PCs available to IBM employees for usually about 50% retail. They wipe them clean and sell them off. If you know anyone at big blue, you may want to check this out...after all, i figure the technical lifespan of a PC is about 2 years, i feel that PCs are basically disposalble, so you will be upgrading later...so save money now. And, it sounds like you dont need too much processor power for lite surfing and word processing.

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Where is Darwin when you need him?

[StreetScooby 5]

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Get a Mac. The PC I'm using right now will be my last one. I hate MSWIN

Agreed, 100%. I've been using Windows for a long time at home now. It's gotten worse, and will only get worse for technical reasons. My next machine will be a Mac.

We are all engines of karma

[StreetScooby 5]

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How low-end is too low? I need to buy a laptop this winter, mostly for work-type stuff (word processing, spreadsheets, etc). I have a nice desktop for the more intensive stuff (video editing). Anyhow, I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on something that's more than I need, but also don't want to buy a piece of shit that won't do at least the basic laptop tasks.

The issue isn't the hardware. It's the operating system. There are 3 basic operating systems out there that can run on home desktops:
1) Windows
2) Mac O/S
3) Linux

Windows sucks. And it's only going to get worse. If you're already latched into Word, then you really don't have another choice.

Mac O/S is supposed to be very good. I personally have never used it, but have seen it in action. I've also looked at it from an O/S programmer's level (I build software systems for a living). Their O/S looks really good to me.

Linux is good, also. But, it's not for casual users.

We are all engines of karma

[StreetScooby 5]

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The thing that gets me about MS is that no matter how well you maintain it, it slows down over time inexplicably....Never understood why.

Microsoft is CONSTANTLY FORCING upgrades on you. That will never go away. Also, their O/S performance does degrade over time for no apparent reason.

We are all engines of karma

[StreetScooby 5]

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Check on the antivirus. I have the lastest Norton Corporate Edition for my personal systems, free through my employer. Any suggestions for firewall software, other than the built in MSWIN utilities?

ZoneAlarm is a good firewall. If you can navigate their web site, you can actually get a free download with restricted, though entirely adequate, options.

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[bob.dino 0]

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That doesn't happen only to Inspirons, it seems to happen to any PC using MSWin. Over time, it claims more and more overhead. Starts take longer and longer, shut downs take longer and longer.

1. Don't install junk.

2. Defragment the hard-disk regularly.


I've never had a machine inexplicably slow down.

[StreetScooby 5]

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1. Don't install junk.

With Windows, that's going to be forced upon you somewhere, somehow.

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2. Defragment the hard-disk regularly.

Of course. But, with all of the upgrades, etc., being forced on you that's going to be a regular activity that a casual user must do. Ridiculous.

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I've never had a machine inexplicably slow down.

The slowdowns that EXAFO and I are talking about are not sudden dramatic drops. Over time, the average performance of the machine declines. These days, the machines are so powerful you don't notice it so much, but it's still an issue. Why the f**k does it take my high powered machine so long to reboot? And by reboot, I mean to the point where I'm actually using it. Minutes. Just because you can see the desktop, etc., doesn't mean your using.

We are all engines of karma

[MagicGuy 0]

Go for a Mac. I've had my iBook G4 for over a year now, and with all of the shit that I have downloaded onto it, it is still as fast as the day that I got it. My brother, on the other hand, has half the shit that I have on his NEWER Dell Laptop and it blows!

The new MacBooks are fucking sweet as hell, too. And they aren't really all that expensive, either. And user-friendly? Apple wrote the book.

Get a Mac.. you won't be disappointed.

[Zenister 0]

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That doesn't happen only to Inspirons, it seems to happen to any PC using MSWin. Over time, it claims more and more overhead. Starts take longer and longer, shut downs take longer and longer.

1. Don't install junk.

2. Defragment the hard-disk regularly.


I've never had a machine inexplicably slow down.

indeed..

only idiots need idiot proof boxes...

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Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[kirrz 0]

get a Mac dude! i had the clamshell ibook a few years ago and it was a beautiful machine but i made the swap to windows because a lot of the software i use wasn't compatible. just made the swap back to an intel mac a few months ago and i am never never never ever going back. my machine (although the ram has been up'd) can do so many heavy duty graphic/ video tasks at once without slowing. i'm still amazed. i don't even have an anti-virus installed, never had an issue.

seriously, invest. get an intel mac. so much more user-friendly and u can switch onto windows anytime u want if u need it. u won't though.

[boyd38off 0]

Once you go Mac, you'll never go back! PLUS, don't you know that you can run Windows on a Mac? All the PC you can handle. You can even open up windows in a 'Window' in the Mac operating system... Way slick!

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and shouting,
".... holy crap....what a ride!"

[Shell666 0]

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Windows sucks. And it's only going to get worse. If you're already latched into Word, then you really don't have another choice.

Mac O/S is supposed to be very good. I personally have never used it, but have seen it in action. I've also looked at it from an O/S programmer's level (I build software systems for a living). Their O/S looks really good to me.

It's AWESOME. Look and feels the same. Only works better because, well, it's a Mac. So you DO have a choice!



'Shell

'Shell

[Balls 0]

STAY AWAY FROM DELL!!!!!!!!!! They suck. I've got a 5150 and had tons of problems. Sure it was great at first. Then when the LCD backlight burnt out it took 3 months and over 30 hours on the phone to get a new one. How fuckin crazy is that.

Now it is pretty much a desktop because if you try to pick it up it turns off. So far I've figured out that it has to do with overheating because they put a shitty fan in it and there is probably a short somewhere. They are getting sued for it so I may get it fixed for free, but it will probably take them months to do it.

I hope they have some "Milton" working there that burns their place down

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....so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

[NWFlyer 2]

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http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/

They build rock solid laptops. I have had my IBM for over 5 years and it is still going strong. When it comes to upgrade I will be buying from them.

I totally agree. This is my second job where I've been issued IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad laptops and they really are rock solid.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[NickDG 23]

I have a Dell Inspiron 5150 that's 2.5 years old. It's on its second mother board (out of warranty) and as you said it runs very hot. I see CPU temps as high as 70 C sometimes and I keep the vents clean and the fan clear. I installed a fan control program that does help a bit but I'm pretty sure this MB will fry eventually too.

And yes, there's now a class action suit just filed over the overheating issues.

Give this one a pass . . .

NickD BASE 194

[Diezel 0]

Are all Macs get real hot? I saw a couple of MacBookPros on display in Mac store and they were RED HOT. You'd get a burn if you put on your lap. They were running video for hours though. How are they in real life?

[Deano 0]

<----- Using a Dell Precision M-90 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor with 2 GB ram and 512mb Nnvidia Graphics card.

Dont let anyone on here tell you a Dell is crap. You get what you pay for, all homeowner class type machines regardless of brand will have a higher failure rate due to the quality of components used in them. I can only speak for the business class machines and not the homeowner class such as an Inspiron. However the Precision (business class) is still affordable.

I have over $100,000 of high end software installed, Engineering applications such as Solid Works, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge as well as Finite Element Analysis software Cosmos, Design Space and Ansys.
These processors are acutally faster than alot of of Deaktops due to the amout of level 2 Cache (4mb)and the architecture of the processor.

We have no choice on which brand to get due to our companys IT Dept, but I would not hessitate to buy a dell for home if I needed one. However, if you do have alot of money to blow, the IBM Thinkpad is probably the most durable laptop available that is mass produced.

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

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<----- Using a Dell Precision M-90 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor with 2 GB ram and 512mb Nnvidia Graphics card.

Dont let anyone on here tell you a Dell is crap. You get what you pay for, all homeowner class type machines regardless of brand will have a higher failure rate due to the quality of components used in them. I can only speak for the business class machines and not the homeowner class such as an Inspiron. However the Precision (business class) is still affordable.

I have over $100,000 of high end software installed, Engineering applications such as Solid Works, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge as well as Finite Element Analysis software Cosmos, Design Space and Ansys.
These processors are acutally faster than alot of of Deaktops due to the amout of level 2 Cache (4mb)and the architecture of the processor.

We have no choice on which brand to get due to our companys IT Dept, but I would not hessitate to buy a dell for home if I needed one. However, if you do have alot of money to blow, the IBM Thinkpad is probably the most durable laptop available that is mass produced.

Having software installed on your computer doesn't mean anything. I have Inventor, autocad, ALGOR installed on my comps and they work fine. It's going to work great on your comp because you are running a dual core processor. But when it comes down to it Dell uses inferior parts thats why they are so cheap. This is why they can offer there computers are such a lower price. When you buy a video card you can choose from so many different companies, are all the cards the same? No, some companies manufacture there cards with cheaper electronics. Oh and try Dell's customer service.

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www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[Shell666 0]

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Are all Macs get real hot? I saw a couple of MacBookPros on display in Mac store and they were RED HOT. You'd get a burn if you put on your lap. They were running video for hours though. How are they in real life?

I have an iMac so I don't know. Mine looks hot. It doesn't get hot.

Hmmm

'Shell

'Shell

[jcd11235 0]

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Ya know, you CAN get a different mouse for the Mac ...



'Shell

Or press ctrl when you click the mouse.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[matt1215 0]

Thanks for all the info.
With all said and done, my folks went budget with a $500 Compaq from Best Buy.

I'm in the process of installing my good software and killing HP-flavored pestware. Any suggestions for a spyware killing utility?