Laptop Advice

[Hanuman]

In the $600 or less price range what are some good value options?

[Terisse]

If you're up for the technical shit-storm that comes with it, I say build your own. Check a few sites, (I don't feel like naming the obvious) compare pricing and capability and make sure it's compatible. Outside of that, I'd need to do a bit more research than I have the time for right now. Call me when I'm actually not about ready to go see a movie. Maybe tomorrowish or Thursday. I'll have some okay suggestions by then.

[Eltargrim]

Laptop. Not really build-your-own. Not nearly as viable as building a desktop.

Personally, I love my eeePC 900, and will upgrade to a new model as soon as I can afford it. All <$600, and available from NCIX (http://www.ncix.com), located in lovely BC!

[Fifthfiend]

In the $600 or less price range what are some good value options?

Every laptop you get for around 600 dollars is gonna be about the same as every other laptop you're gonna get for around six hundred dollars.

The Dell Studio line has generally struck me as having somewhat better than average build quality.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Suitcase full of heroin. Same size, better result.

[Eltargrim]

The man raises a valid point.

[Hanuman]

Laptop. Not really build-your-own. Not nearly as viable as building a desktop.

Personally, I love my eeePC 900, and will upgrade to a new model as soon as I can afford it. All <$600, and available from NCIX (http://www.ncix.com), located in lovely BC!

Are you in BC?

Also, I like the models but I can't find a 900 model? Please explain?

[Eltargrim]

The 900 was the big thing 2 years ago, when I got mine. I'd personally go for something 10xx or 12xx now. The 10/12 refers to the diagonal screen size, while the xx just indicates which model. They make too bloody many. Look for one with an Atom processor and Ion graphics, and see if you can get a copy of Windows 7 that isn't the starter; you can add that in after if you need to.

I have family in Vancouver, but sadly, I live in Winterpeg. I'd love to move out West and get a job at UBC, though; that'd be rad.

[synkr0nized]

If you're looking for battery life and portability, definitely keep your eyes on netbooks. Most are under 400 dollars, and many are ~200 (U.S. dollars, for what it's worth).

Don't expect to do much beyond email, most Internet surfing, and "work", though.



Generally speaking, from what you can see browsing ads and sites like Newegg or Amazon and manufacturers' own stores, Fifth has it right -- most laptops are more or less the same in this price range, the differences more stemming from who's backing it and how it looks.


Moving up into more performance laptops nets you more variation in things like which i-core processor family is available, dedicated graphics card options, and screen resolutions. At around 600, though, you'll mostly be looking at Core 2 Duos or i3s with integrated Intel graphics and that 1366x768 res.**

** These machines aren't "bad"; it's a matter of what it is to be used for vs. what another machine may do better.


additional edit for below: I had taken that line out, as Win7 Starter is only on netbooks [to my knowledge] but where I had written that line gave the impression that it was on other laptops. In any case, yes, not a fan of 7 Starter at all.

[Eltargrim]

Oh, and a true OS -- Windows 7 Starter is a joke (sure, it's functional, but it's just silly).

Windows 7 Starter makes you restart to change the Ion from power-saving mode to actual use mode, thus negating the awesome of Ion. Windows 7 Starter is very silly.

[Hanuman]

The 900 was the big thing 2 years ago, when I got mine. I'd personally go for something 10xx or 12xx now. The 10/12 refers to the diagonal screen size, while the xx just indicates which model. They make too bloody many. Look for one with an Atom processor and Ion graphics, and see if you can get a copy of Windows 7 that isn't the starter; you can add that in after if you need to.

I have family in Vancouver, but sadly, I live in Winterpeg. I'd love to move out West and get a job at UBC, though; that'd be rad.
Well, if you look up the group Vancouver Burns on facebook we hang out in east van every sunday for a few hours at night, you're welcome to come down and we always have food, drink and fuel.

[POS Industries]

Well, if you look up the group Vancouver Burns on facebook we hang out in east van every sunday for a few hours at night, you're welcome to come down and we always have food, drink and fuel.
This is more a thing to do over PM, for future reference.

[Fifthfiend]

Pretty much you should just go ahead and (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndobc1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&model_id=studio-1558) buy this laptop.

If you have 25 extra dollars maybe spring for the backlit keyboard, it looks kind of keen.

[Hanuman]

This is more a thing to do over PM, for future reference.
Everyone is welcome to come down, there's more than enough food, drink and fire for everyone.