Miscellaneous laptop discussions : Confused About Which Laptop To Buy ....
Confused About Which Laptop To Buy ....
by Xonnie316 - 3/10/07 5:58 PMHey CNet.com Members,
I'm right now at the moment trying to find a decent laptop which is 17", and that I would be able to use it for web design.
I want it with 2gbs ram.
I was thinking of getting the Dell Inspiron 9400, and I noticed its got 4gbs ram maximum. Plus I heard that if the cd/dvd drive doesn't play, you gotta go back to Dell to get it replaced, you can't get any other cd/dvd drive coz of its certain shape.
While I really like the hp pavillions but they have only 2gbs maximum ram the ones that are 17". So I wish to get the hp pavillion and have it for a few years even though its got 2gbs maximum ram.
I'm not sure what to buy !
Can someone help me out.
Web design notebook recommendations
by electronista - 3/10/07 7:24 PM In reply to: Confused About Which Laptop To Buy .... by Xonnie316For web design, you're not going to need a major amount of RAM unless you're working with very large images. Not to mention that 4GB of RAM in a notebook is still inordinately expensive unless you absolutely know you need it.
For notebook repairs, I'd worry more about the tech support you get from a given company. How likely are they to get you a support rep you can understand and will do the job properly? If you need a repair ASAP, what's the likelihood that will happen? Consumer Reports should have some info on that, though I don't know if it's freely available.
Do you know what programs you'll be using in particular (Dreamweaver, etc.)? That may help influence your decision, since some can be more demanding than others.
Hmmm ....
by Xonnie316 - 3/10/07 7:30 PM In reply to: Web design notebook recommendations by electronistaWhat I meant exactly regarding Ram was that, I wanted to get a 2gb laptop at the moment, and that i would also be able to upgrade to at least 4gbs later on. Instead of having a laptop with maximum 2gbs. So with the 4gbs maximum memory it might save me a few more years.
Regarding software I generally use the whole Macromedia (now Adobe) Studio 8, and of course Photoshop and I do actually program here and there.
So i'm like confused if I should go for the dell inspiron 9400 or one of the hp pavillions or any other laptop at 17 inch with 2gbs.
RAM limits
by electronista - 3/10/07 7:55 PM In reply to: Hmmm .... by Xonnie316In your case, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Yes, Photoshop can use 4GB of RAM, but it might not matter.
Future-proofing may not matter as much here. It'll cost you a few hundred or more to get 4GB. That's a big chunk of the price of another notebook down the line, and by then the RAM will be cheaper as well as accompanied by a faster system overall.
Besides, if you like the HP for other reasons, the RAM limit may not matter much.
_
by Xonnie316 - 3/10/07 7:59 PM In reply to: RAM limits by electronistaIn other words 2gbs of ram is just enough for a laptop for now running vista on it, and using it for web design.
Electronista what are your suggestions for me for a good laptop in my case ?
'Final' recommendations
by electronista - 3/11/07 6:47 AM In reply to: _ by Xonnie316I'd be comfy with the HP dv9000t. But if you can, get it with the 1680x1050 display option (this may mean ordering online). As a web designer you're probably interested in sheer screen area. You'd probably also want to get a Core 2 Duo for the processor and strongly consider an extended-capacity battery if you're going to frequently use the notebook away from a power socket.
If you'd be willing to wait a couple of months and you have the budget for it, I'd also recommend looking into a 17-inch MacBook Pro. They're not cheap... but they're fast, they have 1680x1050 displays (possibly more with the next update), and they generally make better use of multi-core CPUs and extra RAM. Also, the glossy display is strictly an option, so you get better color accuracy out of the box.
The only reason I'd advise waiting is that the Adobe Creative Suite currently has to run in a translated mode on an Intel-based Mac -- which is actually decent, but not what you'd expect for the money. Adobe is officially revealing Creative Suite 3 on the 27th and will ship it sometime after that... so if you can get both that and a 17-inch MacBook Pro, you'll have one rocking web design rig.
What about the processor for a laptop Intel vs. AMD ?
by Xonnie316 - 3/11/07 1:12 PM In reply to: 'Final' recommendations by electronistaYeah I was actually thinking of getting the HP dv9000t, but I saw it on ebay with 2x 1.83 GHz DUAL CORE (2 Processors) AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Mobile Technology.
Should I go for an AMD or an Intel processor on a laptop ?
I do not like 17" laptops, but...
by Cyborganizer - 3/11/07 2:41 PM In reply to: What about the processor for a laptop Intel vs. AMD ? by Xonnie316If you really want one of these behemoths I recommend the Dell E1705. It has more range of features than any other 17" laptop. The optional 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS video card is a good feature. It also has the WUXGA screen, which is better suited for 17" laptops. Why buy a 17" screen laptop to get the same display you can find on a cheaper, lighter 15" laptop? A WSXGA+ screen is great for 15.4" laptop, but if you want the full 17" experience, you need the WUXGA screen. If you are like me and you really like large screens, the Dell D820 (15.4") has the WUXGA option.
A few key reasons to choose the HP over the Dell
by electronista - 3/11/07 6:29 PM In reply to: I do not like 17" laptops, but... by CyborganizerThe HP system is lighter and thinner. Obviously that's not as crucial when the system's that big, but if it's going to be hauled around, you don't need a big and chunky system.
And don't forget DPI ratios. 1920x1200 is very detailed, but it's teeny tiny without proper scaling of the fonts and other elements!
Also, he's getting it for web design, not gaming. You don't need a GeForce Go 7900 GS to process code in Dreamweaver.
Finally, for CPU choice: Intel. Intel, Intel, Intel! Right now, Intel's CPUs (the Core 2 Duo, specifically) stomp AMD's in the mobile arena.
1920x1200 displays are not for everyone.
by Cyborganizer - 3/11/07 8:23 PM In reply to: A few key reasons to choose the HP over the Dell by electronistaI prefer the WUXGA display because it fits more text on a page. It is really nice for Excel spreadsheets. The Geforce 7900 video card is optional with the E1705, I just like the option. The ATI X1400 is also available. HP also makes a good laptop and either one will be a good choice. However, their weights and sizes are not different. The HP dv9000t weighs 7.77 pounds and the Dell E1705 weighs 7.94 pounds. The HP dv9000t is 2% lighter. The size is also about the same. The Dell E1705 is 0.34" wider, 0.03" taller, and 0.35" smaller in depth. Overall the Dell is wider by 0.34" and the HP is Deeper by 0.35". In conclusion both are good laptops that will work well, but they are the same size and weight. I prefer the larger WUXGA, but if you prefer WSXGA+ HP also makes a good laptop.
MacBook may be best
by Stace81 - 3/14/07 3:55 PM In reply to: 'Final' recommendations by electronistaI was going to suggest looking into getting an Apple MacBook if you're looking for a laptop to use for graphic design.
I'm actually considering buying a laptop & getting rid of my HP Media Center (desktop) but I have no idea what to get but have been looking into possibly getting an Apple.
About the 4GB RAM. Today, stick with 2GB.
by R. Proffitt
- 3/11/07 8:52 PM
In reply to: RAM limits by electronista
Why discover what others have in this area?
Bob
I just picked up the Sony Vaio VGN AR290G
by nmaxfield - 3/13/07 9:47 AM In reply to: Confused About Which Laptop To Buy .... by Xonnie316First off, I am a web designer and photographer (smithmaxfield.com). The screen on this thing is awesome. I picked it up for $2100 at Clearanceclub.com. (No I don't work for them.) My other consideration was the HP dv9000t at Costco for $1999. Both systems are great. I put in about 4-5 hours researching every system out there. As a photographer the 1920 x 1200 resolution of the sony won out as well as Blueray (for backup), built in tv tuner (It's just plain cool), bluetooth, raid configuration (HP does not have it), better graphics card (Halflife 2 at 1920 is amazing).
The deal at clearanceclub.com is for a refurb but I can tell you this system was in MINT condition. Not a scratch on the system itself. The power supply had some minor scratches but I really don't care about that.
For web design this system is pretty good. I have to admit the resolution took some time to get used to. I have had it for a few weeks now and when working on my first project it was hard to tell what size to make things. I do like how I can open up homesite and FF in two separate windows so I can work and view the updates at the same time.
The screen on this system is simply amazing. It is so clean and crisp. I had no problems what so ever viewing text.
I hope this helps and good luck.
I'll have a look at the sony vaio ...
by Xonnie316 - 3/13/07 1:16 PM In reply to: I just picked up the Sony Vaio VGN AR290G by nmaxfieldhey nmaxfield, thanks for the info, i certainly will go have a look at the Sony Vaio VGN AR290G you mentioned.
thanks
Is that really what you need?
by electronista - 3/13/07 2:02 PM In reply to: I'll have a look at the sony vaio ... by Xonnie316The Sony AR isn't bad, but that's a lot to pay for web design. It might be more efficient to get an external hard drive than to shell out for a Blu-Ray notebook unless you plan on doing some movie viewing. It's faster, much more rewritable, and gives you a way of separating the backup mechanism from the notebook itself.
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