My last two laptops were an IBM Thinkpad and most recently, a Dell Inspiron 9300.

For convenience, I'm leaning toward another laptop... but I've got a WD Passport so taking info b/w two different computers isn't a big deal.

I want to know, regardless of cost, what TWW'ers would pick.

Here are the requirements:
-Windows-based
-Business-centered (I'll be using it at work)

That's it. What brands and components are you all drooling over right now?

2/19/2008 11:31:24 AM

IBM X61t

2/19/2008 11:34:58 AM

laptop or desktop?

how much power do you want?

video games or no? (bleeding edge or just usable)

how important is commercial tech support to you?

how much $ do you want to spend?

do you want a small laptop or a big one?

[Edited on February 19, 2008 at 11:38 AM. Reason : s]

2/19/2008 11:37:55 AM

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/

Subtotal $2,699.00

Estimated Ship:
1-3 business days
Free Shipping

Specifications


* 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 200GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
* SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
* Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
* Accessory Kit



you can run XP or vista natively on it. it runs it just as well, if not better, than any traditional windows laptop on the market.
i don't know what you mean by business-centered, but i use mine at work.

2/19/2008 11:39:39 AM

I agree... if you want a tablet, look at the one I posted. Otherwise, at least consider a macbook.

[Edited on February 19, 2008 at 11:40 AM. Reason : although that price for the one evan posted is a bit much, got mine for ~$1K less]

2/19/2008 11:40:16 AM

that's because you got a macbook, not a macbook pro.

big difference.

2/19/2008 11:41:51 AM

I love how you think you know everything.

I got a macbook pro refurbished, thanks for playing though

2/19/2008 11:42:41 AM

If it's going to be running Windows solely, and for business use, there's no point in paying the premium for Apple hardware.

2/19/2008 11:46:25 AM

Yeah I almost wish I had gotten the tablet now instead for the exact reasons ^ posted. I wish I had thought about them before my 30 day return was up... Ah well

2/19/2008 11:49:19 AM

Quote :

"although that price for the one evan posted is a bit much, got mine for ~$1K less"

it's all semantics, but you did make it sound like you purchased a new one.

2/19/2008 11:50:39 AM

laptop or desktop?
either/or... but the more I keep thinking about it... the only reason I'd be going with desktop is to save some $, but I think I still overall prefer the flex. of a laptop

how much power do you want?
lots... and i want it to run super fast

video games or no? (bleeding edge or just usable)
negatory

how important is commercial tech support to you?
nice if I get it, but not a deciding factor

how much $ do you want to spend?
doesn't matter

do you want a small laptop or a big one?
My Inspiron was the macdaddy and is a little heavy to tote around these days... so I'd prefer small, but I still really like a large screen... i guess weight is a little more of the issue than size. If I can find a laptop with a large screen that is very easy on the weight, I'd be in good shape

And by business-centered, I mean that I will be running business software like quickbooks and stuff and would prefer a XP professional package... but it's not a necessity. I may just get the Ultimate Steal Windows package before the student price of $60 expires even though I'm not keen on all the 2007 changes.

2/19/2008 12:51:53 PM

http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_pages/area-51_m15x/area-51m_overview.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-AREA51M15X-AI1&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT

When it came down to macbook pro or this, I chose this based on the fact that for the same amount of money + small change I got a lot more.

2/19/2008 12:58:55 PM

I would go alienware for a laptop no question but since NCSULilWolf doesnt want to game maybe a dell will suffice.

I actually priced an Inspiron 1720 this morning with
C2D T8300 (2.4Ghz/800fsb)
vista home premium
glossy 17.0 widescreen (1440x900)
256 8600gt
4gb ddr2 667
160Gb 7200rpm hdd
cd /dvd+/-rw

for less than 1700 using the http://www.dell.com/ncstate/ website

2/19/2008 1:29:36 PM

it's funny you guys are suggesting these absurdly overpriced computers so she can run quickbooks and ms office.

get an intel processor, 2GB or 3GB of ram (4 isn't worth it unless you get a 64 bit operating system), at least a 15" screen, and since price doesn't matter i'd spring for the longer lasting battery option.

just because the price doesn't matter doesn't mean that you have to spend $texas.

2/19/2008 1:48:10 PM

^ a user after my own heart!

yes, price isn't an issue... but it is my family's company... so not wasting money just to waste it is beneficial for me in the long-run

2/19/2008 1:59:34 PM

Just ordered this for a mix of work and gaming...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3528119&CatId=3423

Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz processor
2GB Ram
500GB SATA drive
MB supports hardware RAID (I plan to add a redundant 500GB drive)
GeForce 8800/512MB video (supports dual heads for work, fast graphics for games)
dual optical drives
installed with XP, not Vista
no monitor
$1k

2/19/2008 2:14:48 PM

^don't forget to donate your idle time on that beast to folding@home:
http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=118820

2/19/2008 2:17:34 PM

Quote :

"how much power do you want? lots... and i want it to run super fast "

Is why I suggested alienware.

Otherwise the inspiron line from dell or another T60 are more then sufficient.

2/19/2008 3:30:43 PM

Quote :

"I love how you think you know everything. I got a macbook pro refurbished, thanks for playing though"

lawl, sorry... i wasn't trying to be a dick. you said "macbook" and did not qualify it with "pro"

also, the plain 'ol macbooks are generally around $1k less than their pro counterparts

any person would have made the same assumption

2/20/2008 2:19:40 AM

i am incredibly happy with my Lenovo T61 i picked up 2 months ago.

2/20/2008 7:56:55 AM

Quote :

" Is why I suggested alienware. "

you did see where she isn't gaming right?

she could get by on pos integrated graphics....

but yeah, decent HD size (though external is in use), good proc speed, and plenty of ram suit her jsut fine, no need for a expensive mobile vid card really at all...

2/20/2008 9:02:35 AM

Well, she DID ask:

Quote :

"What brands and components are you all drooling over right now?"

...of course she mentioned business-centered too, but ...

2/20/2008 9:12:21 AM

Quote :

"ou did see where she isn't gaming right? she could get by on pos integrated graphics.... but yeah, decent HD size (though external is in use), good proc speed, and plenty of ram suit her jsut fine, no need for a expensive mobile vid card really at all..."

Dude the base M15x comes with a 2.5 core2duo and a 8600. That video card is available on almost all Dell laptops and isn't considered particularly crazy or even particularly good. If anyone is considering a macbook, there's no reason you wouldn't want to look at this machine unless you have a particular hard-on for Mac OSX. Thats why I linked it.

Otherwise, if you want lowest dollar number then spec a T60 or Inspiron.

2/20/2008 10:36:31 AM

t60 from the bookstore for like $1100 with a free 3 year warranty

2/20/2008 10:50:43 AM

^winnar

2/20/2008 11:38:05 AM

HP dv2700t customized, $900 after $500 off coupon and selling the relatively useless expresscard tv tuner:

- 14.1" WXGA HD (1280x800)
- Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
- Intel C2D T9300 (2.5ghz, 6mb cache, 800mhz FSB)
- 4gb DDR2 (2 DIMM)
- 128mb nVidia GeForce 8400M GS
- fingerprint reader
- webcam/mic
- Intel 4965AGN (a/b/g/n) and bluetooth
- 250gb 5400rpm SATA
- DVD+RW DL (with LightScribe)
- 12-cell battery (~7 hours of life, supposedly)

i'm happy with it...it feels quite solid and boots to vista faster than my desktop boots to XP

2/20/2008 12:22:46 PM

the macbook pro is also about half as thick as that alienware

and weighs a shit ton less

2/20/2008 1:17:36 PM

Yeah right evan. Why don't you just gtfo with your macbook pros and your...

Quote :

"you think you know everything"

attitude.

2/20/2008 1:33:32 PM

its .3 inches taller and less then 0.2 lbs lighter(which is basically approximately the same weight) which is fine considering how much more computer you get with the Alienware.

2/20/2008 2:21:14 PM

idk man

that alienware looks a hell of a lot thicker than my macbook

2/20/2008 3:14:30 PM

Oh. I thought I was right. Forgot about the whole "you think you know everything" bit.

2/20/2008 3:37:09 PM

Specs > sexy pictures.

2/20/2008 4:34:02 PM

evan, stop shoving macs up everyone's asses plzkthx

I personally like ASUS's line. Their W5FE is pretty neat with the auxiliary view. They have a pretty decent lineup for business laptops too.

2/20/2008 4:56:31 PM

Ok, from a strictly aesthetics-view... I like the colors the Sony Vaio comes in now
Are they worth a darn?

I also wandered around Best Buy last night and saw the new Apple 20'' monitor... lovely.

2/23/2008 10:03:02 PM

seems to me there are 2 kinds of people in the world...those that dont mind sony, and those that hate sony...personally i'm in the group that hates the fags that hate sony

2/23/2008 10:09:54 PM

evan is a queer...gtfo...


nuff' said.

2/24/2008 4:39:59 AM

Quote :

"I also wandered around Best Buy last night and saw the new Apple 20'' monitor... lovely. "

You mean this one:?

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=7C6DA47C&fnode=home/shop_mac/mac_accessories/displays&nplm=M9177LL/A

Please don't buy a 599$ 20.1 inch from apple. You can get a nice 24" inch for cheaper than that, and a better panel. Apple WAAAAAAY over charges for thier monitors. It's like they haven't dropped those prices in years.

16ms response time
700:1 contrast ratio
300 cd/m2

That's horrible specs for 599$.

Or did you mean the new 20" iMac?

[Edited on February 24, 2008 at 5:37 PM. Reason : .]

2/24/2008 5:33:25 PM

^ yep, that's it.

I didn't say I was going to buy it... I knew there were MUCH better options out there (and better prices), I just thought it looked great on display.

Ok, if tomorrow is not insanity... I'm going to try and narrow my choices down. It might be Tuesday though.

2/25/2008 12:30:05 AM

Quote :

"Ok, from a strictly aesthetics-view"

from a strictly aesthetics view: get a mac.

and yeah, the mac monitors are WAY overpriced... but they're damn sexy.

2/25/2008 7:24:34 AM

I'm back... unfortunately, this got pushed to the backburner. But now that I've got some ideas of what I want... what are some of the best options for buying? I don't mind paying for something really good, the point is just to maximize value.

Online?

Any places to physically go and pick something out w/o getting ripped off?

(The direct mail prices I have seen in our business mail this month are somtimes hundreds less than Best Buy or Circuit City obviously... but if there is something good going on I wouldn't mind going by to look in to it.)

4/16/2008 1:14:36 AM

i will tell you this much: i have been dissapointed with the battery on my lenovo. i got it ~ september of 06. the battery all of the sudden stopped holding a charge whatsoever about 11 months later, just before the warranty expired. i got a new one (i must admit ibm customer service was the best i've ever dealt with) and now (at about 8 months old) it lasts 20 minutes. it almost defeats the purpose of having a laptop.

i do use mine quite a bit, but i didn't buy the damn thing to set it on a shelf and look pretty, i bought it to use it.

if i were going to get another laptop, i'd look for a higher capacity battery option and would also look at packages like dell's complete care to see how much the price difference is between paying for that and paying for a new battery every year (assuming that's covered). but if i was REALLY going to get another laptop, i would get a macbook pro. my situation is different than yours though, and i still recommend you don't spend $texas by going overboard.

4/16/2008 2:16:55 AM

^ I think I've decided to stay away from the mac books and mac book pros at the moment, but yes... battery life is DEFINITELY a deciding factor for me! My Inspiron started out at about 4 hours I believe then dwindled about a year later... I bought a new one the first of this year but I swear it doesn't last nearly as long as the original.

4/16/2008 10:43:19 AM

I know everyone is bashing Evan for his mac love, but The mac book pro did get rated as the best laptop for running windows.

4/16/2008 10:56:12 AM

I'd say go for a Lenovo T61. Comes in 14" and 15" sizes, depends on what your ideal balance of screen size vs. weight is. The 15" T61 is relatively light for the size of the screen. If you're not constrained by cost, something like this:

6459CTO ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
$1,634.70

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)1
Genuine Windows XP Professional12
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
3 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
100GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim5
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)10
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
9 cell Li-Ion Battery60
6459: Express - 1 Yr Depot Warranty7
Processor1 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)
Operating System12 Genuine Windows XP Professional
Operating System Language Genuine Windows XP Professional - US English
Display Panel 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
System graphics NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
Total memory8 3 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
Keyboards Keyboard US English
Pointing Device UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
Hard Drive4 100GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device5 DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim
System expansion slots PC Card Slot & Express Card Slot
Card Reader 4 in 1 Media Card Reader
Wireless cards10 Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)
Bluetooth Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Battery60 9 cell Li-Ion Battery
Power cord Country Pack North America
Language Pack Language Pack US English

41C9168 3 year onsite 9x5 Next Business Day $219.00 $219.00

1,853.70
- 326.94 "buy more save more" savings

1,526.76

That's a lot of computer for $1500. Upgraded processor (Core 2 T9300), 3 GB RAM, non-integrated graphics, extended battery, 7200 RPM hard drive, draft-N wifi, bluetooth...

If weight is a big deal it is, of course, lighter with the standard battery.

4/16/2008 2:00:28 PM

Oh. And if you're using this for work, make sure you get XP Professional. (Or if you want Vista, Business). Since you will be using it at work, don't get a "home" OS.

4/16/2008 2:03:00 PM

macbook pro's are fantastic machines, windows or not... personally i prefer to use OS X to begin with. that said,

everyone else - stop riding evan's nuts
evan - ease off, ya made your case for the mbp

did i miss something, i looked at lilbirdey's link and the configuration he linked to was for an 8600 card w the system at $999

there are a lot of good suggestions in here. that T61 looks good especially since you aren't looking for gaming, and i think they're making those things lighter nowadays are they not?

4/16/2008 2:23:59 PM

DO NOT GET TOSHIBA

4/19/2008 12:25:21 PM

Lenovo right now has 25%+15% more (Coupon code USPGRANDSAVINGS, expires Monday) off R series notebooks.

Just ordered this today:

	05/15/08 	 $719.10  	 $719.10 
  	      42X5953   	SBB INTEL CORE2DUO PROC. T8300 	  	  	  	 
  	      42V8011   	VBB MS WIN VISTA HOME PREMIUM 	  	  	  	 
  	      42X1839   	SBB MS WN VS HPR 32 US ENG 	  	  	  	 
  	      42V8880   	SBB 15.4" WSXGA+,BT 	  	  	  	 
  	      42X5970   	SBB INTGMA X3100,GM965S-V,PCIE 	  	  	  	 
  	      41W2060   	VBB 1GB PC2-5300 667MHZ 1DIMM 	  	  	  	 
  	      42V8195   	SBB KEYBOARD US ENGLISH 	  	  	  	 
  	      42V8884   	SBB ULTRNAV TRACKPOINTTOUCHPAD 	  	  	  	 
  	      42X1447   	SBB 80GB HARDDISKDRIVE,5400RPM 	  	  	  	 
  	      42X1443   	SBB CD-RW/DVD-ROM 24X24X24X8X 	  	  	  	 
  	      41W1501   	SBB INTELPRO/WL3945ABGUSCNLAAP 	  	  	  	 
  	      62P6054   	VBB INTEGR.BLUETOOTH PAN 	  	  	  	 
  	      42V8188   	SBB 6 CELL LI-ION BATT.(2.4AH)

4/19/2008 1:07:03 PM

i love my x61t

4/19/2008 5:39:09 PM

Quote :

"I know everyone is bashing Evan for his mac love, but The mac book pro did get rated as the best laptop for running windows."

haha you realize they picked laptops for that comparison? You can't take a top-of-the-line mac laptop and compare it to low-midrange pc laptops and expect to be taken seriously.

If you take some of the nice quad core 8800sli laptops that are out there they would COMPLETELY smash the mac book pro running windows OR OSX. The mac laptops specs are horrible compared to some of the high-end pc laptops out there. This is obvious because people don't buy mac book pros for gaming, so apple doesn't put quad cores and dual 8800s in their laptops.

4/19/2008 7:27:27 PM