# Any recomendations for new laptop? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094 "2003-05-09T13:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/1 "2003-05-09T13:13:43Z")
Much as the title says, I would like your recomendations for a new laptop. Budget is whatever it takes, but: 1. It has to be a windows system 2. System performance has to be fantastic, especially graphics 3. It must have an integrated DVD. 4. Battery life of at least 3 hours 5. As lightweight and small a system as possible. Basically I’m looking for as close an equivalent to an iMac as possible in a Windows system. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/2 "2003-05-09T13:41:42Z")
warning : I have never owned a laptop. for starters, get a one of the new centrino laptops. Centrino = Intel’s new chip it’s actually pentium THREE. with MAJOR improvements. it’s technically has a slower clock speed then pentium 4 laptops, but clock for clock it beats the pants off the pentium 4. I believe the fastest p4’s have better performance when you get to the 3.0 ghz rating, but battery life, size… etc awards all goto the centrino. fantastic graphics will be a tough problem. Make sure to get the geforce 4 go, or the radeon 9000(?) mobile graphics chipsets. Remember however the better the graphics the lower the battery life. these chipsets usually hog more power then your CPU will. I’d look at dells, and IBM. Sony makes some fantastic looking (and damn small) laptops but generally they’re ridiculously overpriced. VPR(best buy brand) makes some VERY nice laptops, but i’m not too sure about their quality. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/3 "2003-05-09T13:56:59Z")
Hmmm. I was going to suggest the Thinkpad X series, but I don’t think the DVD drive is integrated. I’ll research and post back to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/4 "2003-05-09T14:02:48Z")
The only advice I can offer is: don’t buy it without trying it out first- my laptops is great on looks, performance, features etc but (in order to be one step ahead on the CPU speed stakes) it has a CPU that is not a ‘mobile’ version; this needs a lot of cooling all the time and the machine sounds like a hairdryer. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/5 "2003-05-09T14:05:59Z")
Know what, I’m going to recommed the ThinkPad T series. It’s what I use and it’s what I’ve recommended to others. I watch DVDs on mine in the car during trips and the graphics are nice. The T series isn’t as light as the X series but I didn’t want to have to attach the CD-ROM/DVD drive each time I wanted to use it. Plus the T series is hot swap capable which was a must-have feature for me. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/6 "2003-05-09T14:21:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Harmonix \* > \*\*Sony makes some fantastic looking (and damn small) laptops but generally they’re ridiculously overpriced. \*\* Ridiculously overpriced really isn’t a problem. I must admit that I’d really like something that looks good too. The only thing is the graphic cards are a bit underspecced for me. Juanita, I looked at the IBM. It’s nice kit, but I’m looking for some (and this will sound dreadful) a bit better looking, as it’s a personal system for around my house. OK, I know thats sad as hell. Sorry. The Dell 8500 looks like a good system, with the sort of performance and graphics I’m after, such as Pentium 4 processors and 64 mb GeForce4 graphics cards. Is there any manufacturer out there who does a similar spec machine in a smaller or better looking package? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/7 "2003-05-09T14:32:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary Kumquat \* > \*\*Juanita, I looked at the IBM. It’s nice kit, but I’m looking for some (and this will sound dreadful) a bit better looking, as it’s a personal system for around my house. OK, I know thats sad as hell. Sorry. \*\* Well, as long as you admit it’s sad, I guess I won’t rant too much. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard the form over function rejection. An acquaintance of mine was looking for a wireless email device and I, of course, recommended what I use: a RIM/BlackBerry. She squealed, “But they’re so _ugly_!” I guess I’m just a geek at heart. I do understand where you’re coming from, though. It’s the same place I come from when I explain why I won’t shop at Aerosole or Naturalizer for my shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/8 "2003-05-09T14:41:05Z")
I’ve been using a Dell Inspiron 8000 every day for the past 2 years. It’s been dropped onto pavement at least 3 times (out of the bag) with no problems. I can’t speak to the graphics but you can forget about 3 hour battery life. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/9 "2003-05-09T14:50:42Z")
The engineering is superb, but I’d steer clear of Sony for two reasons: – They have loads of bells and whistles loaded on the machine; jog dial managers, toolbar thingumajigs and keyboard enhancers; the system tray is halfway across the taskbar as soon as you get the machine out of the box. Unless you are going to format and reinstall, you’ll be stuck with a load of multimedia doohickeys that just get in the way. – The support is really really bad - unless things have changed a lot recently, it is pretty much a case of “Haha! you bought it, YOU work it out.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/10 "2003-05-09T15:02:38Z")
If you buy an open box laptop from Circuit city you can try it out & bring it back without paying anything. They give full refunds if its an open box buy (at least they did last time I looked)…If its not an open box buy you have to pay a percentage. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/11 "2003-05-09T15:32:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*This isn’t the first time I’ve heard the form over function rejection. An acquaintance of mine was looking for a wireless email device and I, of course, recommended what I use: a RIM/BlackBerry. She squealed, “But they’re so _ugly_!” > > I guess I’m just a geek at heart.\*\* And so am I, it’s just I’m a houseproud geek who likes things to be well made. I’m not rejecting function for form, but I do want both and judging by Apple’s kit it’s technically possible too. Ah well, looks like a Dell 8500 it’ll have to be. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/12 "2003-05-09T16:10:15Z")
DON’T WHAT EVER YOU DO WON’T GET A COMPAQ PRESARIO I have had nothing but hassle from mine, and known several other friends with the same problems. My supervisor has a Del and loves it. Del seems like the only ones smart enough to put both a touch pad AND a stick (nipple). You said you want DVD, make sure it has a s-video out line so that you can plug your computer into a tv. My only other advice is don’t skimp on the price, and get the best 3 year warrantee you can find, it will pay for itself over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/13 "2003-05-09T16:31:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Del seems like the only ones smart enough to put both a touch pad AND a stick (nipple). The ThinkPad T30 has both a trackpad and a trackpoint. Yes, Compaq laptops suck and have sucked for quite sometime. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/14 "2003-05-09T16:44:13Z")
I have an HP laptop. I’ve had to take it in to get repaired 3 times in a year. I haven’t had to take it in a fourth time, yet–it’s been good for nine months. I think that the laptop is going to wait until exactly three years and one day after I originally bought it and then poop completely out. This is because it knows that if it breaks one more time, I can return it under warranty and get a new one. It _almost_ overheats, and you can’t leave it on for more than about six hours without the heat actually slowing it down; once you approach ten, it becomes unusable for anything except very basic webbrowsing or typing. This time is cut in half, at least, if you start doing something like graphics manipulation. And the battery life is laughable. Just warning y ---
**Author:** ![The\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Face)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/15 "2003-05-09T17:10:02Z")
what a timely thread…antone have any info on Panasonic Toughbooks? pro or con? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Face)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/16 "2003-05-09T17:11:16Z")
DANG–anyone…not ANTone. grrr! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/17 "2003-05-09T19:09:14Z")
My IBM T30 isn’t the most stylish thing, but it’s stable and sturdy. And with a 1.something GHz processor, it’s quite nimble in the spreadsheets and databases. I haven’t messed with power profiles as 99% of the time, it’s docked and running at “high performance” as a desktop replacement. At this setting, it sucks about 15% of battery capacity in 15 minutes or less. Some of our software behaves badly if a computer goes to standby, so all of the standby/hibernate/sleep capacities are disabled, so your battery milage will vary. The Thinkpad X and R series are lighter and smaller, but at the cost of leaving things like optical drives out and transplanting them to the “slice” or dock. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/18 "2003-05-09T20:28:10Z")
Our neighbors just picked up a HP3500 series from Circut City last weekend. Nice little system and it’s only $750 after all the rebates. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/19 "2003-05-09T20:38:57Z")
I’ve got a Toshiba Sattelite. I have been VERY happy with it. 1.8 gHz processor, 3 gb HD 256 MB DDR Nvidia video card SB Audigy DVD ROM/CD-RW Drive Floppy drive 15.1 TFT Touchpad The battery it comes with is 2hrs, but it can be upgraded to a better battery The version I have with the standard battery was $1400. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094/20 "2003-05-09T21:26:01Z")
“AND a stick (nipple).” Is that the mouse? My friend calls them clit mouses. Although nipple is a fine second. Best Buy has lots of laptop on sale as does Staples. You can find deals on them at [techbargains.com](http://techbargains.com) or [fatwallet.com](http://fatwallet.com) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-recomendations-for-new-laptop/174094.md?page=2)