# Recommend a new laptop **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511 "2008-11-19T20:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/1 "2008-11-19T20:12:33Z")
I think I’m going to be buying a new laptop in the next few days. My current one (Dell Inspiron 5100) is almost six years old and has done stalwart duty, but is now quite slow running several apps that have been upgraded over the years and are expecting a little more oomph under the hood. This will be pretty much a “desktop replacement” unit. My primary use is for software development, standard internet stuff (email, web, ftp, etc.), office stuff (Office 2003), plus serial communication work and troubleshooting (I know I’ll probably have to use a USB to serial adapter, that’s what I’ve been using for years anyway). I’m looking to spend around $2000 if possible, and my list of possible specs is something like this: - 17” widescreen, probably 1920x1200, LED backlight would be nice - Core 2 Duo processor or equivalent, something in the 2.2 to 2.5 GHz range, like a P8400 - 3 gig ram, depending on processor and bus DDR2 or DDR3 - 250 gig or larger SATA 7200 RPM - integrated wireless 802.11 b/g/n - enough battery to run at least a couple of hours, preferably three - keyboard with backlight and 10 key pad - DVD/CD R/W drive - Windows Vista OS - Something not too delicate, this thing goes everywhere with me and gets banged around a bit. One of the big reasons I went with the Dell Inspiron for my last box was that it was kind of heavy and solid. Things I don’t care about: - Weight. 9 or 10 pounds plus the power adapter doesn’t bother me a bit. - Super fast video. I’m not a gamer. Thing that would be nice: - I spend a fair amount of time in hotels and at client sites, so I do occasionally watch DVDs, listen to music, play solitaire or other light entertainment stuff. So better speakers and sound without using my headphones would be nice. - Blue Ray player So, any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/2 "2008-11-20T01:15:21Z")
Right now Dell has a $199 discount and free shipping on Studio 17 model laptops. I went through the ordering process and added everything you specified along with a 3-year warranty and the total came to $1894. I’ve never used that model but it seems worthy of consideration. ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/3 "2008-11-20T03:23:36Z")
you actually WANT Windows Vista? Yea… can’t help ya there…:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/4 "2008-11-20T04:04:59Z")
Why in the world would you want Vista? That OS is a dog on wheels, thankfully, to be put out to pasture soon. Why not get a MacBook Pro? With Bootcamp you get the option of running both OSX and XP on the same machine, and you have a Mac. ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/5 "2008-11-20T04:23:58Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Why in the world would you want Vista? That OS is a dog on wheels, thankfully, to be put out to pasture soon. > > Why not get a MacBook Pro? With Bootcamp you get the option of running both OSX and XP on the same machine, and you have a Mac. agree and agree. For $2000 you can get a macbook pro. OS X is MUCH better than Vista (Vista is basically Windows doing everything it can to copy OS X and failing miserably in most regards) or run Linux (though OS X, being based on a BSD Kernal, is almost as good as Linux in a lot of regards. Better in that it has more commercial software like Photoshop and Office. Worse in that it’s not as tinker-able. Though not having to tinker around with crap is a big plus in a lot of people’s minds) seriously though, if you require windows for some reason, go WinXP. But a dual boot MacBook Pro with OS X and XP is your best option for that, imo ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/6 "2008-11-20T04:38:24Z")
For $2,000, plan to spend it on a “business” laptop. You will receive much better support than if you buy a typical “consumer” laptop. Take a look at Lenovo or Dell. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/7 "2008-11-20T05:02:30Z")
I’m a fan of the Dell Vostro series, having a Vostro 1000 for the past year. I checked your specs and for a Vostro 1710 meeting all your requirements, the total would be $1163.00. When you go to the Dell website, click _For Office \> Laptops and Tablets \> Small and Medium Business_ then choose the Vostro series. ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/8 "2008-11-20T05:11:13Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Why not get a MacBook Pro? With Bootcamp you get the option of running both OSX and XP on the same machine, and you have a Mac. I spend 90% of my time running an application that will not run on a Mac. Being able to boot into an OS that doesn’t do anything I want doesn’t do much for me. Besides, in addition to my current Dell, I have a Mac running OSX (15” G4 Powerbook) and don’t care for it. > [@Duckster](#): > > For $2,000, plan to spend it on a “business” laptop. You will receive much better support than if you buy a typical “consumer” laptop. > > Take a look at Lenovo or Dell. I’ve been looking at the Dell Studio 17 (the same one **Number** suggested) for the last few days, but I was hoping to find someone who had laid hands on one and had a feel for how solid they were. The XPS series seems to have great reviews, but they are pricey for what looks like about the same speed hardware. I haven’t looked at Lenovos in while, I’ll go look at them again. Thanks! > [@Rico](#): > > I’m a fan of the Dell Vostro series, having a Vostro 1000 for the past year. > > I checked your specs and for a Vostro 1710 meeting all your requirements, the total would be $1163.00. > > When you go to the Dell website, click _For Office \> Laptops and Tablets \> Small and Medium Business_ then choose the Vostro series. I’ll look at them, thanks! Has anyone used one of Toshiba’s higher end boxes? ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-laptop/473511/9 "2008-11-20T17:06:12Z")
bump for the daytime crowd