rasputin01
05-02-2009, 05:40 PM
Hello all
I need some help in selecting a laptop for my wife. This laptop will replace her current desktop since the boys have been hogging it to play their games. Her current machine is one I built and is only 2 years old.
My wife usually just uses the computer to go online, pay bills, email, etc… Though she does use Excel and Publisher for her business.
She also recently got a Sony Camcorder and wants to be able to make movies of the boys, and play with her picture library.
She does not care if the laptop has a camera, I think she would eventually use it.
She would prefer a laptop with a fingerprint reader, she has been spoiled by my Lenovo T61. She does not have to remember passwords. Lol
Hard drive space would be nice, not for raid but for pictures, movies, and music. Reliable is key word – not speed. She is not too sold on an external drive because it may walk away.
We have been checking out two laptops so far. The Asus G50VT and the Dell XPS MS1730.
The Dell because she likes coupons, it is clean looking and has a bunch of options you can spend more money on… It appears you get more with the Dell than you do with the Asus.
The Asus G50VT is impressive because of dual hard drive, but mostly because of the number pad even though it is a 15.4” screen. The number pad, the lack of, is somewhat of a sore subject on my Lenovo.
The laptop must be XP, she will not even consider Vista. She knows XP and the other 3 desktops and 1 laptop are XP.
I do have some questions… I have used the Arctic Silver in my desktop builds and I am surprised that that is an option when building a laptop. I had always assumed that it would be done, not an option because of the thermals.
Suggestion: I do not know if it is possible, but why is there not a generic configurator for people to plug in what they are looking for in a laptop and have the search feature give you the closest results? When searching by Brand, Screen size, by Use (so many cross over into each other) it appears that you get more than what you need and you have to spend a bunch of time configuring and deciding… somewhat frustrating.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Prefer under $1700.00
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
or
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What country are you buying this in?
U.S.A.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I currently have a Lenovo T61 and it works very well.
I have been looking hard at the Asus G50VT & the Dell XPS M1730
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Internet, email, excel, publisher, pictures, music, and movie making
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
I am sure it will not sit on a desk, it will move around the house and go on vacation.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No matter how hard I try she does not play games.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I would think that 1 ½ would be acceptable, when she uses mine she leaves it plugged in.
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
We prefer to touch it feel it see it in person, but with decent pictures this can be overcome.
10) What OS do you prefer? (more details below)
-Windows XP Pro SP3 must have
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? (more details below)
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
Wide screen would be preferred.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non glossy screen?
She does not seem to have a preference, but she does ooh/aaw over glossy colors
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
So so – more into reliability, turn it on and it works, function.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Buying soon, need to last for some time.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB, 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, 500GB, 1TB, or 1.5TB?
More the better, RPM speed not as critical as reliability.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, CD/DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Yeppers, must be able to burn music and movies, not interested in Blue Ray
17) What speed CPU/Processor would you like? Dual core or Quad Core CPU?
Dual core should work fine 6mb cache, T9550. I may be wrong but I do not think XP and Quad would be that beneficial to her.
I would appreciate any advice that you all can toss my way.
Thanks!
I need some help in selecting a laptop for my wife. This laptop will replace her current desktop since the boys have been hogging it to play their games. Her current machine is one I built and is only 2 years old.
My wife usually just uses the computer to go online, pay bills, email, etc… Though she does use Excel and Publisher for her business.
She also recently got a Sony Camcorder and wants to be able to make movies of the boys, and play with her picture library.
She does not care if the laptop has a camera, I think she would eventually use it.
She would prefer a laptop with a fingerprint reader, she has been spoiled by my Lenovo T61. She does not have to remember passwords. Lol
Hard drive space would be nice, not for raid but for pictures, movies, and music. Reliable is key word – not speed. She is not too sold on an external drive because it may walk away.
We have been checking out two laptops so far. The Asus G50VT and the Dell XPS MS1730.
The Dell because she likes coupons, it is clean looking and has a bunch of options you can spend more money on… It appears you get more with the Dell than you do with the Asus.
The Asus G50VT is impressive because of dual hard drive, but mostly because of the number pad even though it is a 15.4” screen. The number pad, the lack of, is somewhat of a sore subject on my Lenovo.
The laptop must be XP, she will not even consider Vista. She knows XP and the other 3 desktops and 1 laptop are XP.
I do have some questions… I have used the Arctic Silver in my desktop builds and I am surprised that that is an option when building a laptop. I had always assumed that it would be done, not an option because of the thermals.
Suggestion: I do not know if it is possible, but why is there not a generic configurator for people to plug in what they are looking for in a laptop and have the search feature give you the closest results? When searching by Brand, Screen size, by Use (so many cross over into each other) it appears that you get more than what you need and you have to spend a bunch of time configuring and deciding… somewhat frustrating.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Prefer under $1700.00
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
or
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What country are you buying this in?
U.S.A.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I currently have a Lenovo T61 and it works very well.
I have been looking hard at the Asus G50VT & the Dell XPS M1730
5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Internet, email, excel, publisher, pictures, music, and movie making
6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
I am sure it will not sit on a desk, it will move around the house and go on vacation.
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No matter how hard I try she does not play games.
8) How many hours of battery life do you need?
I would think that 1 ½ would be acceptable, when she uses mine she leaves it plugged in.
9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
We prefer to touch it feel it see it in person, but with decent pictures this can be overcome.
10) What OS do you prefer? (more details below)
-Windows XP Pro SP3 must have
Screen Specifics
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? (more details below)
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
Wide screen would be preferred.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non glossy screen?
She does not seem to have a preference, but she does ooh/aaw over glossy colors
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
So so – more into reliability, turn it on and it works, function.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Buying soon, need to last for some time.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB, 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, 500GB, 1TB, or 1.5TB?
More the better, RPM speed not as critical as reliability.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, CD/DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Yeppers, must be able to burn music and movies, not interested in Blue Ray
17) What speed CPU/Processor would you like? Dual core or Quad Core CPU?
Dual core should work fine 6mb cache, T9550. I may be wrong but I do not think XP and Quad would be that beneficial to her.
I would appreciate any advice that you all can toss my way.
Thanks!