1st Time Laptop Buyer... Help Would Be Greatly Appreciate

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Thread Started By: simply_me9999

Posted: February 27, 2008 01:14 am

I'm going to buy my first laptop. I just need it to do the regular computer stuff like running Office, Photoshop, Internet, playing some music and be able to watch DVD movies.

Please share with me what I should buy (including brand and model suggestions).

Budget is below $2000.

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Comment 01: sianned

Posted: February 27, 2008 12:23 pm

Get the Asus A8, which I believe is selling for $1898 now. (Been laptop shopping with my bf) biggrin.gif

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Comment 02: IkuTube

Posted: February 27, 2008 12:26 pm

The next question that you should ask yourself is whether you will be carrying your laptop around. The physical specification will, therefore, play a part in choosing the right one for you.

Things to look out:

01. Platform - What type of processor appeal to you? Intel or AMD?

02. Video & Display - Resolution and video memory

03. Optical drive/built-in bay devices - Should get DVD since you will use it to watch DVD movies

04. Memory - Just make sure it is dual channel and if possible to get at least 2GB. Photoshop and Vista are resource/graphic hungry.

05. Hard disk - the bigger the better

06. Connectivity - Lan/Wireless Lan/bluetooth

07. Connector Interface - card slot/usb/audio/firewire/s-video/fax/modem

You might want to wait for IT Show which will be held on 6 - 9 March.

NEC IT Promo

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Comment 03: TopChinese

Posted: February 27, 2008 02:16 pm

If you're a size queen, how about the filthy gorgeous Macbook Air?

http://www.apple.com.sg/macbookair/

Sooooo sexy. Pity I can't download p--n on Mac.

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Comment 04: tennis_uncle

Posted: February 28, 2008 08:21 am

(TopChinese @ February 27, 2008 02:16 pm)

If you're a size queen, how about the filthy gorgeous Macbook Air?

http://www.apple.com.sg/macbookair/

Sooooo sexy. Pity I can't download p--n on Mac.

The MacBook Air is not really about size, its about weight.

For size, u'd want a 17" screen MacBook Pro.

And who says u can't download p--n on Mac?

If u really need to use some apps from the dark side,

all current Macs can run Windoze... via Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion.

bw2/thumb.gif

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Comment 05: sianned

Posted: February 28, 2008 02:32 pm

I think you missed his most important criteria....budget below 2k.... lol. After the introduction of the new macbook pro, I find the $90 difference between it and the macbook air is negligible....the specs are so much better.

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Comment 06: tennisball888

Posted: February 29, 2008 12:39 am

Does anyone has anything good (or bad) to say about the ASUS Eee PC, which all other PC makers want to hate?

I think it would make a very good travel companion because of its small size.

Any idea where I can get hold of one?

Is it available at Sim Lim Square?

Hopefully it is under $1K

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Comment 07: gachi_muchi

Posted: February 29, 2008 01:30 pm

Come across reviews in Hardware Magazine on some Notebooks.

You might want to check it out.

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Comment 08: simply_me9999

Posted: March 01, 2008 12:32 am

Thank you so much for those who have replied me. Yes, at times, I will carry it around.

Please pardon me, can anyone explain more about :

Connectivity - Lan/Wireless Lan/bluetooth

Connector Interface - card slot/usb/audio/firewire/s-video/fax/modem

I appreciate if someone really can recommend a brand.model. I really new to notebook and don't really know how to compare.

Come to hardware, I am very lousy.

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Comment 09: oralb

Posted: March 01, 2008 01:07 am

LAN = local area network, to home use, it simply mean using RJ45 cable to connect directly to your laptop for internet access. you can plug directly to a modem or via a router

wireless LAN = as name implies, using wireless technology to access the internet. that;s provided your moden already is a wireless model or your modem connets to a wireless router or switch

bluetooth = peer to peer transfer, low range, must be near close proximity. usually used for connecting to mobile phone or other prepherials

a laptop MUST have LAN and Wireless LAN connection. Bluetooth is a good to have function, but if you transfer a lot to your mobile phone, then bluetooth will be useful

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Comment 10: DirtyOldMan

Posted: March 01, 2008 05:12 am

One thing I can advise is it seems Win-XP runs more stable than Windows Vista.

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Comment 11: oralb

Posted: March 01, 2008 11:27 am

Oh DOM, that's common in Window OS, in fact the current so called stable version WinXP is because of the patches Microsoft chuned out. It is called WinXP SP2.

I believed Vista's SP (support pack) is coming out. With that, it should make Vista more stable...

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Comment 12: SunDevil

Posted: March 01, 2008 11:35 am

Simplyme, for a budget of 2K, may I suggest that you check out Compaq Presario or Dell Inspiron?

Just google these names and you'll be able to find more info.

Just to add on to all the info that's been given here :

1. Get at least an Intel Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa chip (T7000 series and above) that comes with Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN embedded on it. (This wifi card supports 802.11a/b/g/Draft N)

2. If you decide to run Vista, get 2GB DDR2 ram. For XP, 1GB is enough.

3. The standard HD size that comes with notebook these days should be anything from 160GB upwards.

4. If you wanna do DVD burning, get a DVD burner, which should also be a standard with notebook these days.

5. If you're into playing games on your notebook, opt for a dedicated graphics memory like Nvidia GS8400, which is a pretty good basic GC. If you don't play games, onboard graphics memory should be sufficient.

6. Bluetooth should come as standard. Opt for also at least 3 USB ports for all your USB devices ie. mouse, external HD etc.

7. Firewire is for those Mac-related devices, so if you're just a Windows user, you won't find much use for Firewire.

8. S-video is for you to plug your notebook into any TV and it's a standard feature for notebook these days.

OK! Hope I've covered enough for you to have an idea what to look out for. Do let us know if you have more questions.

DOM, I think Vista is as stable as XP, but you'll need much more memory to run Vista compared to XP.

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Comment 12: DirtyOldMan

Posted: March 01, 2008 03:10 pm

With S#2000 you sure can buy a very good laptop - my advice is do not over buy- meaning that buy just enough and you could go over a bit if that does not cost to much. Reason is PC does not last for too long - it will b throout of date depending on how fast the new OS is been released. So never think of "invest" for the future. With the Win-XP it has managed to make the PC last longer than before. Acually what I have bought last Dec was just a mere JPY50,000 laptop from SOTEC ( not sure Spore has this brand as I am in Japan ) and it is more than enough for me to do almost what I want. I think nowsadys due to DELL's productivity it has dropped the laptop price quite a lot and prices are ver competitive. Another advise is if possible choose a model does not come with extra charged application as possible as that can lower the price. I am sure you may have some application that you can install yourself. Imagine if I were to buy the original Ms-Office Pro it can cost as much as my physical laptop stated above. Again do not one shoot add all memory as the current memory maybe enough. If you need to add memory no need to by original as the cheap-one are equally good. Sometimes your jeans may last longer than your PC - so PC is not something which can last for a long long time. If possible, buy extended warranty in case it gets break down. Just my advice.

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Comment 13: sianned

Posted: March 03, 2008 01:20 pm

Try the Asus A8SC20 for $1898...I think the specs are quite good for the price and Asus's build quality is quite good. Their service centre is at the Adelphi opposite funan, which is more central.

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Comment 14: oralb

Posted: March 03, 2008 02:16 pm

For those who are looking for the cheap entry level ASUS laptop

http://www.qala.com.sg/qmaxwsgpromo_wsg.htm

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Comment 15: bearlover

Posted: March 03, 2008 09:23 pm

(oralb @ March 03, 2008 02:16 pm)

For those who are looking for the cheap entry level ASUS laptop

http://www.qala.com.sg/qmaxwsgpromo_wsg.htm

Does anybody own an Asus Eee PC and would like to share their thoughts on whether its a useful tool? Non-owners welcome to discuss as well smile.gif

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Comment 16: oralb

Posted: March 03, 2008 11:35 pm

BL, personally this is really good for those who needed a 2nd laptop for web surfing or hard on cash.

Pro

- cheap price

- built in web cam

- light

Con

- limited size, i believe this is only 4GB HDD

- also due to processor and RAM, only useful if you use Linux, using WinXP would slow down the machine, i dont think you can even load Vista

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Comment 16: SunDevil

Posted: March 04, 2008 05:31 pm

Here's my take on Asus Eee :

1. Runs on Intel Mobile Celeron....too slow for me.

2. 7" Lcd screen......I can't live with anything less than a 14"

3. No HD...only comes with 4GB or 8GB flash memory...although you can expand the memory with the SD card slot.

4. I actually like the fact that it runs on Linux with all the open source softwares installed in it.

5. Doesn't come with any optical drive....bummer!

6. Only 512Mb ram!!

If you're a diehard Mac/Windows user, I don't think this is for you. Better off adding some money to get a basic notebook out there.

I think Asus is trying to bridge the gap of notebooks and PDAs in Eeee. It's actually a good try, but more improvements are definitely needed for wide-scale adoption of this product to take place.

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Comment 17: bearlover

Posted: March 04, 2008 10:35 pm

(SunDevil @ March 04, 2008 05:31 pm)

Here's my take on Asus Eee :

1. Runs on Intel Mobile Celeron....too slow for me.

2. 7" Lcd screen......I can't live with anything less than a 14"

3. No HD...only comes with 4GB or 8GB flash memory...although you can expand the memory with the SD card slot.

4. I actually like the fact that it runs on Linux with all the open source softwares installed in it.

5. Doesn't come with any optical drive....bummer!

6. Only 512Mb ram!!

If you're a diehard Mac/Windows user, I don't think this is for you. Better off adding some money to get a basic notebook out there.

I think Asus is trying to bridge the gap of notebooks and PDAs in Eeee. It's actually a good try, but more improvements are definitely needed for wide-scale adoption of this product to take place.

I think that's the whole purpose of the Eee. It's not meant to be (or replace) the primary notebook but more of a 2nd notebook. I think it comes in handy if you're the type who needs casual access to the internet while out and about.

For the weight and price, I can leave my full featured notebook behind.

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Comment 18: bokeh

Posted: March 04, 2008 11:32 pm

When buying a notebook computer, if you don't plan on upgrading often, then it may be a good idea to consider extending the warranty to 3 years.

On another note, I do own an ASUS eeePC, the 4 GB version, bought it in December last year, price about $590. It is meant to be a portable alternative to my primary notebook. So far has served its purpose well.

My personal experience with this ultraportable is :

Advantages :

1. Light weight

2. Speedy startup and shutdown

3. All the usual software are preloaded. It runs on a customized version of Xandros Linux. Software preloaded include firefox, skype, pidgin (for IM), openoffice, mp3 and movie player, etc.

4. Has 3 USB ports and 1 SD card slot

5. Internet connection works flawlessly. Even HSDPA modem can connect on first try (I spent many frustrating hours trying to connect the modem with Ubuntu).

6. Tons of help available on the internet on how to use this toy. http://forum.eeeuser.com/

Disadvantages :

1. Keys are a bit tiny for my fat fingers.

2. Only 4 GB memory! Even though there are many software available out there, the memory available is limited. I'm currently down to 100mb free space. However there seems to be a workaround by loading the OS using external SD card. But it is still too cheem for me as I'm a noobie Linux user.

3. Short battery life! This is quite unforgivable. Only about 2hrs + battery life. For an ultraportable, I would expect at least 4hrs.

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Comment 19: guests

Posted: March 05, 2008 01:40 am

New 9 inch Asus EEE on its way with supposedly 12GB flash memory. Just so you know.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/hands-o...-9-inch-eee-pc/

[simply_me9999]

Thanks again for those who have answsered me.

Please pardon my ignorance. How do I test a notebook I want to buy? I am a 1st timer using notebook. I think I might buy Asus A8E. Anyone has any review on that? I wish it could be lighter (it's 2.3kg I think).

Also how to I connect to Internet using wireless connection? very pei say for asking such basic questions :oops:

[chub77]

for testing notebook, if you r saying testing the model like, u can go to the shop which showcases the notebook and u can ask the person in the guy to let u test... when u decided on the notebook u wan, make sure the person get a new set for u and ask him to test it on the spot.

For the wireless connection, nowadays notebooks come with internal WIFI adapter and it is usually default on. Just go to place (like Funan) where they provide free wireless connection and connect to the network there.