Buying a new laptop: need advice

[Ed P]

I'm looking for the Telecaster of laptops, and need your advice. I am not a power user with this stuff; "Ludite" would be more accurate.

My wife and I have an iMac that we use as our main computer. Here's what I want:
- Absolute total budget: $600, but would love to get away with $400-$500;
- Windows (7 would be fine);
- Wi-fi (it will be used mainly for surfing) and enough RAM for fast surfing;
- Storage for music library and iTunes management;
- Slideshow for jpegs;
- Play movies on DVD
- Roughly 200G memory; and
- USB ports.

I don't care about:
- Microsoft Office;
- Gaming; or
- Recording CDs or DVDs.

I'm willing to order this online and I live in the Los Angeles area. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[tele_pathic]

I bought a Dell Inspiron from Best Buy for $399. Absolutely love it! Windows 7, which is great for home networking. 4gb of RAM, 300 gb harddrive. With "only" 4 gigs of RAM, I can surf all day, and back when it was legal, I could multi-table up to 8 tables at Pokerstars. So I feel 4gb, for me, is enough. I don't game on my computer.

My experience at Best Buy, though, was terrible. Thank goodness I had a sales flyer. So I saw the ad in the paper, won a poker tourney, and went down to pick the machine up. All they had in stock were machines, the one I wanted, that had been set-up by their geeksquad. Well, that service was an extra $100. I said I don't want that, don't need it. I'm not too computer savvy but savvy enough to know how to "set-up" a computer for the first time. Savvy enough to know when I'm being taken advantage of. So I said no thanks. He says there's none over there that haven't been set-up. I said, "Well, here's the ad. I'm not paying more for it than this." He said well then I can't help you. At which point, I asked to see the manager and started getting a bit loud. He changed his tune real quick. Who knows, you might want them to "set-up" the computer. But I didn't and he tried to scam me. Freakin' Best Buy. Just a word of caution.

Finally, I've always had real good luck with Dells. I know some who haven't. But I know dozens and dozens of peeps who have had terrible luck with HP machines, so I would avoid those.

[KevinB]

It's hard to go wrong with a cheap Dell. My company probably has about 50,00 of them and I have a personal one at home that has been just fine.

Not the lightest or fastest, but mine has been totally reliable. I will be buying another when my current one is obsolete.

[raito]

Well, I'm wondering why Windows if you have an iMac.

I've found that there isn't enough internal space in any laptop for music storage, so I'm not sure I can help you there.

I recently bought a used MacBook that does everything you want for $250, except that it would need a bigger drive in it, and those are available.

What you want it for isn't very demanding of hardware made in the last 10 years or so.

If you do get Windows 7, 4 gigs of RAM won't be enough, that's for sure. Nor will 200 of drive space.

If you have any newer iPods, make sure if you buy used you get USB 2 or better. They'll choke on USB 1.1 (as in iTunes will hang trying to talk to them).

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by raito

If you do get Windows 7, 4 gigs of RAM won't be enough, that's for sure. Nor will 200 of drive space.

4 GB of RAM is plenty for Windows 7, particularly given the use stated by the OP.

I also have a Dell Inspiron 15 that I got for $399 and it has been great.

Jim

[Ed P]

Insperion is looking intersting...

[Ed P]

What models of Insperion are you all using?

[J-man]

Based on your requirements, just about any new laptop with an i3 cpu (or above) and 4gb of ram will suffice.

[ihakim]

200 GB is plenty for Windows 7. You could even get by with 120GB if you needed to, but most laptops on the market will give you at least 250 GB - even on entry level machines.

[imwjl]

Look for first tier models at outlet prices. For Dell you enter the outlet as a small business user even if you don't have a business to see the first tier Latitude models at outlet prices.

You want a first tier model because they made with better components, have better support, often better displays and they're made for compatibility. First tier models don't come loaded with crappy software that may also subsidize the price.

[WrapAround]

Originally Posted by Ed P

My wife and I have an iMac that we use as our main computer. Here's what I want:
- Absolute total budget: $600, but would love to get away with $400-$500;
- Windows (7 would be fine);
- Wi-fi (it will be used mainly for surfing) and enough RAM for fast surfing;
- Storage for music library and iTunes management;
- Slideshow for jpegs;
- Play movies on DVD
- Roughly 200G memory; and
- USB ports.

I don't care about:
- Microsoft Office;
- Gaming; or
- Recording CDs or DVDs.

I'm willing to order this online and I live in the Los Angeles area. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

How about iPad? It'll do all the things you listed and the camera kit would get you an USB port. You can store stuff in the cloud.

[J-man]

Originally Posted by WrapAround

How about iPad? It'll do all the things you listed and the camera kit would get you an USB port. You can store stuff in the cloud.

It'd have far less storage, it doesn't play DVDs, and he'd have to pay extra to use USB devices.

[blue metalflake]

We're on our third Dell @ home - never any problems. In my work we have hundreds of Dell laptops.

Current home computer is an Inspiron, well spec'd up, but the bottom of the range would probably be fine for your needs.

[Toto'sDad]

Check with people you know, people buy 'em, then for one reason or another dump 'em. I bought one from a lady who bought an HP really nice one, not the cheap looking one, I've got it put away, and I just had it out and uploaded the service pack for windows 7. It makes CD, and DVD, play DVD, and has enough battery to watch a whole movie. Great for traveling. I bought our for really cheap. works like a champ. I check the CL wherever I go, really handy. Never know what you'll find........out there.

[Ed P]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Yesterday I ordered a Dell Insperion. Should be here in about 10 days.

[kelnet]

Originally Posted by Ed P

Thanks all for your thoughts. Yesterday I ordered a Dell Insperion. Should be here in about 10 days.

Well, hopefully it was the Inspiron, and not the Insperion.

[StratBluesRock]

Originally Posted by raito

If you have any newer iPods, make sure if you buy used you get USB 2 or better. They'll choke on USB 1.1 (as in iTunes will hang trying to talk to them).

Haha, I have an iMac G3 600 MHz that has USB 1.1. I have roughly 3,500 songs in my iTunes and it took 6 hours to put all of them on my iPod!

Right now I am on my iBook G4 1.33 GHz which is my main computer for now.

[Ed P]

Originally Posted by kelnet

Well, hopefully it was the Inspiron, and not the Insperion.

You can get better deals on the Insperion!

[spikypaddy]

Originally Posted by raito

If you do get Windows 7, 4 gigs of RAM won't be enough, that's for sure. Nor will 200 of drive space.

Really? Since when? I've got a 5 year old 32 bit Vaio I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate. 2 gig of RAM, 160GB hard drive. It's as fast as I need and plenty fast enough for all but gamers.

[J-man]

Windows 7 needs less RAM than Vista. 4gb is plenty and it will run on 2gb, but 4gb or above will make for better multitasking. Any more than 6gb for e-mail, videos etc is overkill.