What laptop to buy?

[JonW]

I'm retiring in June, but the company wants me to continue to do some advertising work for them, primarily newspaper ads. I also plan to do some photography work. So I need a new laptop. Here's the parameters I have to work with:

Windows XP Pro (no Vista)
Excellent graphics capability
2G or more RAM
17" monitor would be nice, but not necessary
High quality monitor
They prefer under $1000, but I have a little leeway there

So what do you computer gurus recommend?

[KR]

MacBook Pro - Apple Store (U.S.)

if money is an issue, maybe not but you can't get any better. check them out

[Johnny Dangerously]

If you can get all the drivers, go for a 64 bit OS. That's what we run at work & they seem more stable than the 32 bit sys.

4 gig of RAM (it's cheap)
Nvidia graphics with min 512MB
A docking station with a separate monitor (20 in or so)
A separate keyboard & mouse
17" laptop monitor

If you can swing it, Macs are better for manipulating pictures & video.

My work laptop is an HP & out IT guys aren't big fans of them as far as customer support goes. One of them recommends Dell or Gateway. Avoid Lenovo! Northrop stop buying their machines when they found out that the auto updater transmits data back to China.

I speced out a Dell for my wife last year. It was a gaming machine & it was going to be about $2200. We haven't bought anything yet, but I wanted to get a high end machine that would go for 5-7 years before replacing it.


`

[twobjshelbys]

Lenovo Thinkpad W series for photo work. T-series for traveling and a workhorse. Discounts abound over retail (or web) price (PM me for my realtor link).

My T60p is starting to breathe hard (it's 3 years old in about 2 weeks). I have A T61p at work and have had Thinkpads since the 600X and won't change. Rock solid (with industrial strength for traveling) and the Lenovo support is still "IBM PC Support In Atlanta" - that's how they answer the phone. Even my daughters have bought them as their newest machines over Dell and HP because they just work and have excellent warranty and support service.

[Shlbylvr]

If you can, go for MacPro.

If not, Dell has a good deal on laptops. Go for as much RAM as possible. I think the standard is 4gb these days, Try and upgrade to at least 6.

Agree re docking station with a high res separate monitor. That way, you're not using a stupid miniature freaking keyboard all the time.

[JonW]

The docking monitor probably won't work, since I will need to be using the laptop at times when I am on the road.

[Shlbylvr]

How frequently will you be on the road?

If its once a month, I'd get it, just for convenience. Hell get it anyway.

[Johnny Lupara]

yea, laptop keyboards suck, especially for those of us with big fingers........when I work from home, I bring the work laptop home and plug in a cheap keyboard, works great and only cost me $15 or so......plus I have a cheap mouse I also plug in, I never have been too comfortable with the touch pads and little joy sticks on 'em.......

[JTB]

Originally Posted by JonW

I'm retiring in June, but the company wants me to continue to do some advertising work for them, primarily newspaper ads. I also plan to do some photography work. So I need a new laptop. Here's the parameters I have to work with:

Windows XP Pro (no Vista)
Excellent graphics capability
2G or more RAM
17" monitor would be nice, but not necessary
High quality monitor
They prefer under $1000, but I have a little leeway there

So what do you computer gurus recommend?

APPLE

Any of their laptops are better than anybody else's so there is no bad decision, I use a MacBook Air because I travel a lot and it is the thinest laptop in the world but for a workhorse like the other member said the Mac Book Pro is the standard.

You may be hard pressed to find a new Laptop with XP Pro installed anymore unless you look to Dell Business Solutions or Toshiba and remember Microsoft will soon be discontuning their support of XP.
Also it is important to note that any Intel Powered Apple Computer can run Windows, you can just install XP on your Mac, sometimes I run windows in a separate window on my Mac Desktop for some applications, but to tell you the truth, once you start using a Mac your wonder why in the hell you ever even booted up a PC. As for the Ram, 4 Gigs is the new 2 Gigs, as applications become more demanding on their need for Ram Memory, so get 4 Gigs now and save the trouble of having to upgrade in the future.

My MacBook Air
[IMG][/IMG]

[Shlbylvr]

I have small hands so don't have too much problem on the Laptop keyboard, the big problem is, when I go to work and have to use a normal keyboard. THAT sucks..

[JonW]

I know Apple is better, but I have to use XP Pro... I don't have a choice in the matter.

[VaporDude]

Look on Craigslist for one. I got Kyle one with 160GB hard drive, 4GB of memory, wireless, Windows XP Pro, 17 inch screen, less than a year old and an extra piggy back battery that last 6 hours for $450. It is a HP Compaq 6910p. It is a screaming machine. If you get a brand new one, you would have to get the Vista downgrade to XP Pro if they still offer it.

[JTB]

Originally Posted by VaporDude

Look on Craigslist for one. I got Kyle one with 160GB hard drive, 4GB of memory, wireless, Windows XP Pro, 17 inch screen, less than a year old and an extra piggy back battery that last 6 hours for $450. It is a HP Compaq 6910p. It is a screaming machine. If you get a brand new one, you would have to get the Vista downgrade to XP Pro if they still offer it.

A Vista downgrade to XP is actually an Upgrade.

Vista is one of the biggest consumer software failures this decade, but help is on the way with WINDOWS 7.

Welcome to Windows 7

[frydguy79]

i have a toshiba, it heavy but good, i'd stay the hell away from the dell,
and the acer's are great buy according to pc world

[HSURB]

Go Apple. There is no other choice. It's that simple.

HSURB®

[Boston Mike]

I'm an apple fan too, but given the XP constraint I'll only advise against Acer. We had bought one for the Mrs. business. Slow as he double l. It's what drove us to the iMac. It didn't even have full Office on it, only Word (no outlook, excel, powerpoint or any of the other sizable programs. Essentially Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word and you could brew a pot of coffee between page loads.

[gr8snkbite]

i only have and use a HP Pavilion 17". Very nice. I had the Mac, but frankly having to relearn all the key functions was driving me nutz, so i took it back and got the HP. As mentioned i doubt you'll find a new one with XP...as they now all come with Vista, but you can change that.

[JTB]

Originally Posted by frydguy79

i have a toshiba, it heavy but good, i'd stay the hell away from the dell,
and the acer's are great buy according to pc world

Agreed, if you feel you have to get a PC Laptop Toshiba is probably the best with Sony next, but no XP available on new Sonys.

[ItalianStallion]

Originally Posted by frydguy79

i have a toshiba, it heavy but good, i'd stay the hell away from the dell,
and the acer's are great buy according to pc world

With my daughter on the cusp of entering college, I actually picked her up a laptop this past week. We ddecided on a Toshiba satelite. 320G HD and 4G RAM. 17" monitor WirelessG, DVD player, CD/DVD burner...etc..etc. Well put rogether item, runs well. About $550. It does run Vista..but you can install
XP if you prefer.
We looked at the Apple, but considering whats "under the hood", I would have had to spend upwards of $2000.
I saw the Acer that was mentioned in an earlier post...for $450...the Acer was a hell of a buy. This units specs was almost identical to the Toshiba.

I might pick up the Acer for me. This company is doing well..I believe they purchased e-machines not long ago.. Nice unit.


ItalianStallion

[twobjshelbys]

I remain a Thinkpad fan. Even after Lenovo bought the brand from IBM their service remains superb.

I bought a T60p almost exactly three years ago. They keep pestering me about extending my warranty. It's a fine machine but there were some annoying things starting to go wrong. So Sunday I took out my original hard drive put in a scratch drive and did a factory restore (they won't service it without a drive).

Things to be repaired: 1. Display. There is a scan line missing when the display is moved. 2. Keyboard. Just within the last week the space bar started getting sticky and there wasn't anything under it. 3. Small crack in the case by the PC card bay.


My wife dropped it by UPS on Monday afternoon.

This morning I get a call from UPS saying a package will be delivered today.

Basically, they got the machine on Tuesday, repaired it by close of business Tuesday, got it into shipping in time on Tuesday and I had it back on Wednesday. (Technically not, there wasn't anyone home and I don't want to go to Boulder to pick it up so my wife will get it tomorrow.)

Now this is the second time I've sent a three year old machine in to get work done. My work T42p had the same kind of stuff and they did exactly the same for me. My T42p was getting weak on the backlights and the keyboard needed replacing too. I have a T61p at work now and the T42p is currently at home but will come back here as a host for a new bus analyzer I'm getting.

The T60p would have been a usable machine just like it is for another year but I sent it in with literally a week on the warranty and they fixed everything.

It is no accident that the IBM repair service is in Tennessee very close to the UPS central hub.

I'll be a Lenovo customer for my next computer too. Next time I might spring for the extra $50 over the 3 year warranty extension and get on site.