^^ the fire runs Android as well. I am getting a fire for two reasons Amazon prime and Amazons app store. Prime gives one free ebook a month and streaming video. I have plenty of FAOTDs saved up from my phone, I have a feeling the nook is going to be extremely app-limited. Neither device will have the google market. Storage differences won't make a difference since everything will be streamed, I have 47GB of music on the Amazon cloud player. Minor differences in performance won't matter as long as Netflix and Amazon instant work.

11/9/2011 9:22:57 AM

Is there any store locally with the Asus Zenbook? I want to get one but I'm wary of buying it before messing around with one.

11/9/2011 10:27:35 AM

^ that looks like a nice laptop (obvious macbook air ripoff though) but the marketing jibber jabber on asus product page makes me want to barf

Quote :

"It is the world’s first PC that encourages people to seek greater meaning in their interactions with technology"

[Edited on November 9, 2011 at 10:32 AM. Reason : ]

11/9/2011 10:31:16 AM

Yeah that's gross (although I guess it does go hand in hand with coopting Apple's shit), but MBA - $200 + higher res screen cancels it out.

I've heard the keyboard is kind of shitty though, so I'd like to see one IRL.

11/9/2011 12:34:16 PM

Okay, so I need a laptop that meets the following criteria:
* 2nd gen i5 (or i7, but not neccessary)
* resolution >= 1440x900
* price <= $1300 (but less if possible)
* weight < 5 lbs
* not a piece of shit

Any recommendations? The Zenbook seems like the best fit except for the last item, which seems to be up for discussion. I know the Macbook Air is going to be way better build quality, but it's lower res and $200 more. Lenovo's U300s comes out any day now...

BLERG FIND ME A LAPTOP TWW. I hate my current laptop so hard. It's less than a year old, runs at 85 degrees C on a regular basis, crashes from overheating about once a week, and weighs almost 8 pounds. I have a shitty back and it isn't helping. It's burning my left hand as I type this. RARRR RAGE. I want a new laptop right away but I definitely need one before next semester because I can't lug this piece of shit around campus anymore.

11/10/2011 10:53:40 AM

screen size?

this came up on my deal alerts...doesn't look like the resolution is quite what you want, though: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3530018

11/10/2011 10:58:43 AM

Thanks for the heads up. Resolution's more important than screen size to me, unfortunately, and has been the big hurdle in my search. Lenovo and Dell have had some crazy deals on things that meet everything I need except they have a 1366x768 screen (with no option to upgrade on the version that's on sale--like the one you posted, I'd gladly pay $100 to upgrade the screen, but it's not possible). I'll have to do a fair amount of work in Eclipse on it, and 720p is just too small to do that comfortably (for me, at least).

11/10/2011 11:04:03 AM

have you considered just getting a 24" 1080p monitor for ~$150? or are you really doing everything on the go and need the resolution of the screen?

11/10/2011 11:12:25 AM

I work on a 27" iMac at home with that 11302904398$texasp display, but I still need to do some stuff at school.

I might just go with the 1366x768 since it'd make my life a lot easier.

11/10/2011 11:44:52 AM

Quote :

"resolution >= 1440x900"

that was a big factor for me too in my last laptop search. i hate how like 90% of laptops are 1366x768. i got this one last year http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834214083, it's a got a 15.6" 1600x900 LED backlit display and i've been pretty happy with it. it was one of like 3 options i found that had a high resolution but wasn't 17". this model is no longer in production, but i'd bet they've got an equivalent upgraded model now

[Edited on November 10, 2011 at 11:53 AM. Reason : .]

11/10/2011 11:51:41 AM

^^ well, you'll certainly get a "better" (faster, more features) computer for your money if you drop that single requirement...but i get the desire for resolution

when i was looking, i decided i'd rather save myself the several hundred dollars and weight (i want nothing bigger than 14") and settled

*shrug*

11/10/2011 1:20:07 PM

Quote :

"^ i think the $50 is well spent when you consider just the extra 8GB of internal space and SD slot of the nook color...that's assuming you're going to do more than read books on it, though nook claims better battery life, too (which is believable considering it's a bit larger)"

The only thing that I don't like about the Nook so far is that it's Barnes & Noble. I know it's only $250 but I just don't like the thought of buying into a platform that is destined to be a marginal player. I'm concerned that B&N will be swallowed up or something and the Nook will lose support in the future. I'm sure I will end up rooting either a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet.

11/10/2011 5:19:34 PM

Quote :

"Okay, so I need a laptop that meets the following criteria: * 2nd gen i5 (or i7, but not neccessary) * resolution >= 1440x900 * price <= $1300 (but less if possible) * weight < 5 lbs * not a piece of shit Any recommendations? The Zenbook seems like the best fit except for the last item, which seems to be up for discussion. I know the Macbook Air is going to be way better build quality, but it's lower res and $200 more...."

I'm confused. The 13" MBA is 1440x900 on a 2nd gen i5 or i7, starts at $1299, and weighs less than 5lbs. Where are you getting that it's lower res & $200 more? Did you look at the wrong model or something?

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

11/10/2011 6:40:56 PM

I'm just saying the Asus UX31 is higher res and $200 cheaper. I'd like to spend less if possible. But yeah, I realize the MBA fits, but it's like the minimum of what I need for the maximum of what I can spend.

11/10/2011 10:46:16 PM

Gotcha. My bad, I didn't follow your line of thought there and thought you were talking about what the mba didn't have. As for the res, is something higher than 1440 on a 13" screen really beneficial? It seems like 1600 would be a bit too much on something smaller than 15" when dealing with text.

11/10/2011 10:59:32 PM

1600 vs 1440 isn't going to make much of a difference in terms of view-ability if the vertical resolution is the same (900) when the screens are the same size.

11/10/2011 11:25:36 PM

i have a 1366x768 windows 7/8 64bit with an ati hd mobility 5470 on 13.3" and its beautiful, ill post a screen

11/10/2011 11:32:05 PM

11/10/2011 11:35:25 PM

You realize it's just a picture of your desktop and it tells us NOTHING of how it looks like on your computer.

11/10/2011 11:48:59 PM

i do not

11/10/2011 11:56:34 PM

Keepin my eye on this gem: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/07/lgs-thin-and-mighty-p330-laptop-surfaces-at-korean-retailer/

Fingers crossed, hoping someone sells it in the US. Would be killer for SC2 (and obviously all productivity and web stuff as well)! People talkin about it on this forum: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lg/585292-lg-p330-i7-nvidia-555m-35.html

It has no optical drive, so perhaps can handle the extra heat from a 555. Wish there was more news about this thing coming to U.S. though

11/11/2011 9:37:34 PM

i can't decide if i'm happy with my laptop or not...i picked up a dell inspiron N4110 for about $540 after tax (goal was $500)...it's not a spectacular deal, but i don't think it's bad...the notables:

- 14" 1366x768 display (i won't go with a larger screen, so this is the unfortunate limiting factor)
- Intel Core i5-2430M 2.40GHz (turbo boost up to 3GHz, 3mb cache)
- 6GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory
- 640GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
- bluetooth
- WIDI (don't think i'll ever use this)
- (2) USB 3.0 ports (1 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 2.0/eSATA combo charging port)

http://www.jr.com/dell-computer-corp/pe/DEL_I14RN1818DB/

i'm rather indifferent about the other standard stuff (webcam, dvd burner)...i think my biggest concern is the graphics...i had discrete graphics in my last computer, but i never used them...but i feel like i should have that or one of the newer AMD APU setups...i hate buying tech because i continue to look even after i've gotten something

11/12/2011 8:23:24 AM

I need a new laptop since my Viao got jacked in Nashville.

I was looking at this.
http://i.bfads.net/a/878/i_Best-Buy_2011_HP-Laptop-with-156-Screen-Size_1321016182.jpg

is there anything that is comparable? I loved my Vaio

remember I am a DJ and need a decent laptop for that...the 15.5 is about the perfect size too.

that price range is what I am looking at as well.

11/15/2011 4:53:59 PM

the combination of sony + best buy = 2x overpriced

11/15/2011 5:15:51 PM

so hit me up with some suggestions please.

Im long out of CSC 201 and need some help.

thanks!

11/15/2011 5:17:34 PM

well you posted HP so thats better value than sony but i would look at asus or lenovo for the same price

11/15/2011 5:27:40 PM

But isnt HP getting out of the PC business?

11/16/2011 2:56:30 PM

^ i believe HP backtracked on that idea

11/16/2011 2:58:09 PM

Quote :

"You realize it's just a picture of your desktop and it tells us NOTHING of how it looks like on your computer."

Quote :

"I do not"

LOL I think this needs to be reposted in that funny pc stories thread...

11/16/2011 5:03:00 PM

i was being sarcastic, i just wanted to show the default scale of the desktop items at that resolution

11/16/2011 6:21:50 PM

Again... If I view that on my 40" TV, it doesn't tell me shit about scale on a 13.3" screen. You could have a 15.6" screen and the screenshot you posted of it would have the same exact "scale" that your 13.3" screen has...

11/16/2011 6:52:11 PM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230214

11/26/2011 8:38:51 AM

got the dell 14z from this deal: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3581854

$425 net cost (after tax) got me:

Intel Core i5-2430M (2.4GHz with 3.0GHz turboboost)
14" LED-backlit screen with TrueLife
500GB hard drive
4GB memory (single chip)
wireless-N
bluetooth 3.0
dvd burner
1MP webcam
mini displayport
HDMI
brushed aluminum exterior
(2) USB 3.0 ports
(1) USB 2.0/eSATA/charging port

i think $425 is a good deal for the specs, but what makes it crazy awesome to me is that it's one of the smallest 14" laptops available (the wiki said that it's on the vostro 13.3" chassis, though i'm not sure how that works) and the HDMI + mini displayport lets me use two monitors with digital interfaces without needing a dock...the USB 3.0 is nice, too

11/29/2011 8:50:02 AM

Quote :

"Again... If I view that on my 40" TV, it doesn't tell me shit about scale on a 13.3" screen. You could have a 15.6" screen and the screenshot you posted of it would have the same exact "scale" that your 13.3" screen has..."

No not if the resolutions were different. Scales going to be the same no matter the size of the display as long as the resolution is the same. Or am I missing something? If you post a screen shot in the correct resolution of your monitor the "scale" will be correct. AKA we'll know what it looks like on your desktop (size of icons compared to size of desktop etc).

11/29/2011 10:19:40 AM

this is more a processor question than a laptop question but...

i've had my eye on the Lenovo T420s for a few weeks, but I can't decide if I should get the readily available i5, or get an i7. afaik, the biggest difference is i7 can do hyperthreading. i use my laptop mostly for software development, so i want to get the most power out of a laptop as i can - but most of the time my CPU on my current i7 doesn't even break 10%. so the extra capability is probably not even being put to use anyways.

is it worth getting an i7 or is an i5 going to be just as good? anybody used both?

[Edited on January 18, 2012 at 10:51 PM. Reason : .]

1/18/2012 10:49:28 PM

Gonna be doing some traveling so I'd like to get a gaming laptop. If I wanted to spend < $1500, what are my best options?

1/18/2012 11:14:21 PM

qntmfred are you going to do any VM images on the T420? I have a T410 for work with i5 (though last generation) and others I work with have the T420 with i5 and they're not good at keeping up with heavy duty workloads. I'd get the i7 if it doesn't blow your budget.

1/19/2012 7:47:40 AM

will ultrabooks ever have docking capabilities? I hope so.

1/19/2012 8:02:40 AM

Is there a big difference (enough to justify an extra $100-$200) between the Macbook Pro update from late 2011 (October-ish) and earlier one released in February of 2011??

I posted a question in another thread about the refurbished Macs and now I'm trying to figure out if I should shell out a little extra cash for the newer updated model.

1/19/2012 9:03:30 AM

You won't be as cool unless you have the latest Apple product.

1/19/2012 10:07:23 AM

The newer one supposedly has a better processor. From what I understand, the Macbook Airs that were just released in the summer have the same processing capabilities as the then currentish MBP. Not 100% sure though. How much extra are you talking? If it's not much more, I'd prefer getting the newer one, but that's me, regardless Mac or PC or whatever.

1/19/2012 10:27:00 AM

More importantly what will you be using it for?

1/19/2012 10:29:09 AM

Quote :

"afaik, the biggest difference is i7 can do hyperthreading"

which processors in particular? my i5-2430M does hyperthreading...

1/20/2012 4:14:56 PM

yeah, but that's a dual core with HT... not a quad core with HT...

1/21/2012 5:45:50 AM

Quote :

"More importantly what will you be using it for?"

Work. Solo practice as an attorney.

I've got a three and half year old Macbook that's finally starting to fill up with pictures, music, and now tons of clients files. I want to leave that one at home and get the Pro for work.

1/21/2012 10:44:38 AM

^^ since he didn't mention the number of cores and said the biggest difference was HT, i assumed he was comparing the i5 with a dual core i7 (like the i7-620m or something)...i was just pointing out that some of the i5 mobile procs support HT, just in case he thought they didn't

1/21/2012 1:46:08 PM

Ok, so another laptop bites the dust. Any suggestions for a new laptop between $350-$450? Does not have to be latest and greatest, I just surf the net on the thing.

1/22/2012 7:11:01 PM

I am going to be needing a medium duty commercial laptop for some engineering work this summer. Something that can run cad and 2012 solidwork programs on Windows 7 x64. Any recommendations on particular brands of video cards (nVidia vs Intel vs ATI) or minimum memory requirements? I know what the program minimum specs are, but considering I'm not yet familiar with these programs and their demand on hardware systems, how much can be efficiently utilized or what should I expect the minimum to be from a commercial/industry standpoint? I hope these questions/requests make sense as it is really early in the morning.

Trying to keep it around $800 or less, but upon preliminary searches I may need to bump my pricepoint.



Thanks!

1/27/2012 3:44:00 AM

so... I'm looking at this:

Asus K53SV-DH71 15.6" Intel Core i7 i7-2670QM (2.20GHz) -$860
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+K53SV-DH71+15.6%22+LED+Notebook+-+Intel+Core+i7+i7-2670QM+2.20+GHz+-+Mocha/4155236.p?skuId=4155236&id=1218456934996

Buy.com is cheaper by ~$22 at $838:
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=224172203&sellerid=10001650


I generally keep my equipment at around 6-8 years before replacing, so I'm thinking the little extra I pay now will be nice in the future. I am really brand loyal to Asus, though again, I'm open to suggestions for comparison in case I may have overlooked something.

[Edited on February 10, 2012 at 6:01 AM. Reason : ..]

2/10/2012 5:57:18 AM

max memory is only 8 GB. i'm not sure you'll be happy with that in 5 years if you do keep it that long. there's enough laptops out there that support 12GB+ it might be worth looking at. also 1366 x 768 would piss me off on a 15.6" laptop.

2/10/2012 7:48:15 AM