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Laptop recommendations

nepenthes gracilis

Nepenthes Specialist
Hey folks, I'd like your input on laptop brands so far I'm torn between Alienware, Clevo, IBM thinkpads, and the least favorite choice, Dell. I'm going to College (http://www.cobleskill.edu) this fall and need a laptop, problem is I just don't know what would suit my needs, I really like Alienware, and since they buy their laptops from Clevo, I like CLevo as well. IBM is a recent target as I saw a thinkpad at the hospital today when I was there, and it is a sharp looking and fast responding machine.

Any input is WELCOME!

Thanks!

Dustin
 
I speak from experience - skip Toshiba. I know thats not on your list, but I have had nothing but problems with mine. Then again, I'm not a casual computer user, I use(d) my laptop for everything. While under warranty, the mobo died. Just out of warranty the harddrive died. After that, I have had two power supplies go on it. Its been sitting in the corner for the past two months while I catch up on my bills to buy a new one.

I work in a computer repair department at MSU in the College of Engineering, and all of the toshiba's that come in have had catastrophic failures. We reccomend Dells, and if you go dell, get their warranty (get the extended warranty on ANY laptop you purchase). Dell is really good about their warranty, and 9 times out of 10, they'll either overnight the part you need to fix it, or they'll have a tech out the next day to repair the problem.

We've had very few gateways come in, but IBM is along the same line as dell with their warranty work.
 
Thank you for the reply tekknoschtev I never ecen considered a Toshiba thank god!
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That's my only problem with Dell is you have to send it in.
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[b said:
Quote[/b] (nepenthes gracilis @ April 01 2006,8:59)]Thank you for the reply tekknoschtev I never ecen considered a Toshiba thank god!
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That's my only problem with Dell is you have to send it in.
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Most of them you have to send it in. It may be just because of the volume we have, but if something has broken, they've either just overnighted the parts to us, or sent a technician out. Most personal laptops that go in for warranty work have to be sent to them.
 
Oh I see, well that makes sense. So you're saying sometimes they'll pay for the overnight shipping both ways or just you pay to send it out, they pay to send it back???

Thanks
 
In cases where the entire laptop needs to be sent in, DELL works with DHL, and they'll have a DHL truck come with a box and packing materials to pick it up. You pack it up and the DHL guy takes it away. In "3-5 business days" (sometimes its over night) you'll get the laptop back, no shipping expenses for you.
 
Never shop by brand, shop by what is inside. I recommend buying an AMD 64 laptop over any Intel. You'll get more life out of your laptop this way because 64bit will be a reality starting next January.
 
Thanks for that info tekknoschtev.

Outsiders, I've heard really positive feedback about the new Intel Pentium M. I love AMD as I have one in my current desktop and its never failed me, although years ago I had a P2 and it was nice as well. What is your reasoning for not liking Intel, the fact about AMD 64 bit? Right? What exactly is the 64 bit?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Outsiders71 @ April 01 2006,9:33)]Never shop by brand, shop by what is inside. I recommend buying an AMD 64 laptop over any Intel. You'll get more life out of your laptop this way because 64bit will be a reality starting next January.
64 bit isnt everything. At least at the moment, there arent many applications that can fully utilize 64-bit technology, and in reality, laptops arent something that gets "upgraded" they get replaced. In my mind, I'd go for the pentium M simply for the battery life it offers, but for cost, I went with the celeron.

I've got no digs for or against Intel or AMD, other than the fact that if you want to eventually go towards a linux install, that linux is finicky on most laptops, and I can speak from first hand experience that getting it rolling on an AMD64 is a bit of a challenge (at least with Gentoo).
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Not that the linux-ability should make you chose or pass on a laptop if you're simply going to use windows.
 
  • #10
I'll probably use XP pro since Cobleskill campus prefers its students to have it, they give you a ton of software I guess like Office pro for one.

I'm kinda caught between Alienware, Dell and IBM right now..... Clevo's are coming up really expensive, and Alienware are Clevo's on steroids at a cheaper price....so kinda a no brainer.
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (nepenthes gracilis @ April 02 2006,5:46)]Clevo's are coming up really expensive, and Alienware are Clevo's on steroids at a cheaper price....so kinda a no brainer.
WAIT - look at the other Clevo rebranders, specifiaclly Sager. Check out their product line on their website then go to Power Notebooks to buy them a little bit cheaper. Your'e essentially getting an Alienware PC with better support (you get a person when you call Power Notebooks and I'de imagine at Sager too) without the shiny, glowing case. Good luck!

~ Brett
 
  • #12
Thanks for that site Brett! Where are you finding "Power Notebooks" is that a different domain??
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] (nepenthes gracilis @ April 02 2006,3:46)]Thanks for that site Brett! Where are you finding "Power Notebooks" is that a different domain??
Yea - its pretty much the reseller for Sager notebooks - the Sager product line at their website is at: http://www.powernotebooks.com/category.php?catId=26

They seem to offer around $100 off the Sager listed prices. Also, if you have an Alienware picked out, you can often go to Sager and find the equivalent computer there for less.

~ Brett

P.S. - The prices are gonna be relatively high at both of them cause you're still getting the latest stuff but Power Notebooks does give you better deals for the most part. It also still depends on any deals they're running - i.e. Alienware is running a dual-layer burner deal which may be something you need and could tip the cost in Alienware's favor.
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (nepenthes gracilis @ April 01 2006,9:51)]Thanks for that info tekknoschtev.

Outsiders, I've heard really positive feedback about the new Intel Pentium M. I love AMD as I have one in my current desktop and its never failed me, although years ago I had a P2 and it was nice as well. What is your reasoning for not liking Intel, the fact about AMD 64 bit? Right? What exactly is the 64 bit?
Honestly I'm an AMD fanboi when it comes to building desktops. AMD beats Intel in the price vs performance.

You can't really custom build a laptop yourself so it doesn't really matter if you got AMD or Evil Inside, they run around the same price anyways. However AMD currently only has a 64bit mobile CPU.

The easiest way to describe 64bit would be compare windows 3.1 and software that ran on windows 3.1 to windows 9x. Obviously a big jump there. Same thing will happen from Windows XP -> Vista.

So why get it now? Why wouldn't you? The only reason why I could think of getting an Intel laptop right now is if I'm going to get a new laptop next year. To me that's a waste of an investment.

With an AMD64 laptop you can enjoy the performance with windows xp and the 32bit world. Next January when Windows Vista comes out, you can upgrade your OS to Windows Vista and get ready for the 64bit ride. Honestly right now no one knows where 64bit is going, it's limitless at the moment. All I can tell you is that is where PC's are going, starting next year and it will only grow and expand.

So if you can afford to get a new laptop again next year, go ahead and get the Intel.

If you want to invest in a laptop that will last you awhile, go with AMD64.

A 3rd and alternative option would be a Powerbook. Mac laptops are really nice, and are equal if not greater than i386 laptops since you won't be gaming on a laptop anyways...

Whatever you do, please don't get a laptop with a celeron processor. Get a real processor. If you ask for assistance at a store such as Best Buy they will try to get you to buy those Intel and Intel celeron notebooks saying you don't need anything better. They are just trying to get rid of stock that nobody wants to buy. Good luck and if you have anymore questions feel free to shoot
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  • #15
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What he said also
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. Sager does AMD too.

~ Brett
 
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