Which notebook to buy?

[paul]

Paul, Do you REALLY prefer a touchpad?
My first laptop was an ibm 386sx/16 with NO pointing device. The next one was a Digital Hi Note 486/50 with a trackball the size of a marble (what a pain, it wouldn't spin)
Ive had a Thinkpad 380d (p150) for almost 4 years now, with the eraserhead, goes where you point it, never a prb. (except for the 2gig hd overflowing)

[xortam]

I prefer the touchpad (especially on Dells) to other laptop pointing devices. I found I could be very accurate with it and liked lightly double tapping for double-click. I came to the conclusion that their was no built-in pointing device that was adequate for gaming though. I considered buying a laptop for gaming and remote development, etc., but decided against it after lugging around one in my backpack for a week during a developers conference. I just don't have that much need for remote computing or I'd buy a PDA and call it good. Personally, I'd rather not be straddled down with technology, including a cell phone.

[ALBPM]

The IBM T-20 is my first Notebook computer. I have to agree with xortam that the touch pad works better.

My wife is on her third. A Sony Viao Sub-Notebook which she likes for it's compact size but she is growing tired of having to connect the drives externally when she needs to use them.

Paul

[ALBPM]

OH GAWD!!!!this thread got my wife going......

Just ordered an Inspiron 8000 to replace the Sony Viao. She already found a teacher at her school to buy the Sony.

Got her's with an P3-700,128MB, 15" TFT SVGA, 8X DVD-ROM, 100MB Zip, 10GB HD and a leather carrying case for $2450.00 before the $100.00 mail in rebate "Ka-Ching $$$$$$$$$"

Three year parts and on-site repairs with lifetime phone support for no extra charge.

The wife has got to have her toys too

Paul

[Grego]

Paul Im very interested in hearing about your impressions when the Inspiron arrives!

The biggest problem (besides the price ) is that its rather difficult to decide which to buy. I have just "discovered" the Asus A1300 which seems pretty cool, it is somewhat cheaper, but the Dell is by far the most powerful!

Oh well time to do some more thinking I guess.

[DuRaNgO]

I've got the Compaq Armada M700 and have enjoyed it completely, even able to playa little UT at low rez

http://www.compaq.com/products/noteb...700/index.html
jim

[Chucky Cheese]

i just ordered the sony viao(xg-190k)...

pIII 850 ss, 15" xga-tft, 30 gb hdd, 8x dvd/cd-rw, 256 mb of pc-100, win2k /w office 2k sbe and an extra battery...

total cost..$4364.03, i know it is expensive bet hey...i just made $3000 on my cocoa options. i'm pretty sure i made the right choice, i came real close to getting the ibm t-20 but the sony styling clinched it.

cc

[ALBPM]

It may be a couple weeks before we get the Dell system. It's scheduled to ship on or before March 14.

That Sony sounds awesome

This thread is getting expensive...ROTFLMAO!!!!

Paul

[Grego]

Yes it is becoming rather expensive, I hope none of you feels like suing me

Anyway Im getting real interested in the Asus a1300 series, looks cool and the specs seems ok. Now I just have to wait for the funds finding their way to my adress.

[ALBPM]

No way Grego, it has been a productive thread for several of us.

My wife loves me today...HEHEHEHEH

Paul

[Grego]

Ok now I have another question since Im going for the Asus a1300. It has a standard of 64mb pc100, and of course I want to upgrade. The place Im buying the notebook from are way to expensive asking app. 200 USD for a 128 mb upgrade!!!

I found the following offer on crucial and would like to know whether you think I should buy from crucial or pay the steep price. As long as it is a 144 pins SODIMM module there shouldnt be any problems???? The crucial price is about 1/3 of the price here in Denmark!


Part Number CT16M64S6W8E
Module Size 128MB
Package 144-pin SODIMM
Feature SDRAM, PC100
Configuration 16Meg x 64
Dimm Type
Error Checking Non-parity
Speed 8ns
Voltage 3.3V
Sdram Timings CL=2


Thanks
Jesper

[Chucky Cheese]

Grego,

for me, it is a matter of ease. i have never taken a laptop apart before, but they seem kind of difficult to work on by the looks of them. since sony said that they had to build mine, i just figured that i might as well let them do the upgrade for me.

i think that a lot of the cost is that almost(..if not everything!) is of a small outline design. my 128 meg upgrade was $169.00.

i should have mine on the 16th of this month...

cc

[SCompRacer]

I put the Sister-In-Law onto a Dell and she loves it. Had some of the recent Sony Vaio's in my hands and they are quite impressive.

My wife is still using an older and in my opinion the last great laptop Micron had, the Transport XKE with SCSI/LAN docking station. She got a new house last year, so no laptop upgrades for her...until she goes full time.

As far as memory upgrades go for laptops, most are easily accessible from the bottom cover.

[This message has been edited by SCompRacer (edited 07 March 2001).]

[Grego]

Now I have also been a victim of this expensive thread I started. I just ordered an ASUS a1 1300 with a p3-700 cpu, now I can't wait to recieve my new toy

[Gurm]

Well, a couple thoughts for you Grego. You've already ordered, but...

1. Memory is easy on laptops. 99% of them come with a cutesy little door that either unsnaps or unscrews and little memory slots underneath. HOWEVER you may only have one memory slot in which case you would need to buy a single, larger SODIMM. But in general it's easy, especially with Dell/ASUS/Etc. because they use standard RAM.

2. The drawback with ASUS is support. With Dell, if it dies they ship you a new one ASAP. With ASUS, you have to call and talk to Ping the Chinaman, and convince him that it's really broken. They may have gotten better in the past couple of years, but when I worked for a PC builder (late mid 1990's) they were a pain in the ass.

Just my $0.02 for ya.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.