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Any laptop recommendations?

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by Barry, 2008/05/13.

  1. 2008/05/13
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    My son is leaving soon to study aerospace engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology. I want to buy him a laptop computer. I hear that the Lenovo ThinkPad T61p is a good choice, but I'd like feedback from this site to see if you have other recommendations or to help me to choose the ideal configuration, along with the best place to purchase it in the USA. Along with his engineering studies, he also does 3-D graphics/animation, so a basic computer wouldn't work for him. I'd like to stay within a $1500 budget, if possible.
    What are the pros and cons in regard to the 14.1" versus the 15.4 "?
    Integrated graphics or discrete graphics?
    I figure the T9300 Duo CPU, but I understand that Duo CPUs only give advanced performance when using a 64bit operating system. He is used to XP, but which OS do you recommend?
    Any preference on graphics card?
    2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM), leaving him a slot to add another 2 GB later, if needed?
    UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with or without Fingerprint Reader?
    Intel Turbo Memory 1GB?
    ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ or Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)?

    Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I'd like to get this in June.
     
    Barry,
    #1
  2. 2008/05/13
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    How does this sound:

    Dell Precision M430:

    • Intel®Core™2DuoT9300(2.50GHz)6ML2Cache,800MHzDualCore
    • Genuine Windows® XP Professional, SP2 with Media
    • 3 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 3 Year NBD On-Site Service
    • NVIDIA Quadro FX 360M, 512MB Turbo Cache memory (256 dedicated)
    • 15.4 inch Wide Screen WXGA Anti-Glare LCD Panel
    • 2.0GB, DDR2-667MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS
    • 80GB Hard Drive, 9.5MM, 5400RPM
    • 8X DVD-ROM w/ CyberLink PowerDVD
    • Dell Wireless™ 1395 802.11g Mini Card
    • Standard Touchpad
    • Resource CD - Contains Diagnostics and Drivers for Windows XP
    • 6 Cell Primary Battery
    • 90W A/C Adapter, Energy Star Compliant

    Cost? $1,399 (Limited Time Offer)

    I would change:

    • Genuine Windows Vista® Business, with Media
    • 120GB Hard Drive, 9.5MM, 7200RPM (Free Fall Sensor)
    • Dell Wireless® 360 Bluetooth Module for Vista
    • Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Dual-Band Mini Card
    • Touchpad with UPEK® Fingerprint Reader

    Pushes the price to $1,576

    -------------

    My other option would be:

    Latitude D830

    • Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9300 (2.50GHz) 6M L2 Cache, 800Mhz Dual Core
    • Genuine Windows Vista® Business, with media
    • 3 Year Limited Warranty and 3 Year Mail-in Service
    • 15.4 inch Wide Screen WXGA LCD Panel
    • 2.0GB, DDR2-667 SDRAM, 2 DIMMS
    • 120GB Hard Drive, 9.5MM, 7200RPM (Free Fall Sensor)
    • 8X DVD+/-RW w/Roxio and Cyberlink Power DVD
    • 256MB NVIDIA® Quadro NVS 140M™
    • Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Dual-Band Mini Card
    • Dell Wireless® 360 Bluetooth Module for Vista
    • Touchpad with UPEK® Fingerprint Reader
    • 6 Cell Primary Battery
    • 90W A/C Adapter

    Cost? $1,355 (Limited Time Offer)

    I'm a Dell fan, you'll find others comfortable with other brands. I've had no reason to try another brand ;)

    I wouldn't consider a screen smaller than 15 ".
     
    Arie,
    #2


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  4. 2008/05/13
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    I would go with the Lattitude d830 (because I already have one!).
    But upgrade to the 9 cell battery, for a few more dollars it's definitely worth the extra battery life. The d830 will support 4 GB RAM & has 2 slots, one beneath the keyboard and ine easily accessable from a cob=ver plate on the bottom. So if order this model, request that a single 2 GB stick be installed in the slot beneath the keyboard, that way if ever wish to upgrade RAM it's easy to access on the bottom.

    I have a page describing how to install Linux on the d830, but there's a section on the page describing how to buy a d830 from Dell and save the most money. http://members.cox.net/tonyt/d830
     
    TonyT,
    #3
  5. 2008/05/13
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    My concerns with Dell are that I understand that upgrades can only be made with Dell hardware, limiting changes to the system and boosting the cost, along with added unnecessary software that slows down the system. What are your thoughts on that? According to PC World, their ratings are as follows:
    1) Micro Express IFL9025
    2) Lenovo ThinkPad T61p
    3) Acer Aspire 5920G
    4) HP Pavilion HDX
    5) Dell Inspiron 1720
    6) Apple MacBook Pro
    7) Fujitsu LifeBook A6110

    Has anyone had any experience with any of these?
     
    Barry,
    #4
  6. 2008/05/13
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    What hardware would you be changing on a laptop? Hard drive? Can buy any off the shelf... Memory? As long as you have a free slot, you can buy any standard memory that's compatible with the system.

    Other then that I don't see a 'normal' person changing any hardware.

    I have no experience with any of the laptops you list; I wouldn't touch them!

    If you want a 'clean' system, get a system with FreeDOS or Ubuntu from Dell... that's what I did. I get systems from their small business section (don't like Inspiron).
     
    Arie,
    #5
  7. 2008/05/13
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Arie, are you saying that I could replace the hard drive, graphics card, PSU, CPU, RAM, fan or other similar hardware with non-Dell products? If I request FreeDOS or Ubuntu from Dell, would I be getting a system with no non-essential programs added? If so, how do I request this, and what is the difference between FreeDOS and Ubuntu? What are the differences between Dell and Lenovo, other than Dell has triple the warranty?
     
    Barry,
    #6
  8. 2008/05/13
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    1. No! What's being said is that the average user can easily add RAM or a hard drive or cdrom to ANY laptop computer. Changing ANY laptop graphics adapter or the cpu is a major task ONLY for professionals in a shop. Generally, after purchase, one need never upgrade laptop hardware other than hard drive or RAM, one should order a laptop that with enough "umph" so that in 3 years it will still be comparably efficient.

    2. Dell Ubuntu systems come with Ubuntu linux pre-installed. Dell Free-Dos systems come with Free Dos pre installed. See my page linked to above that explains how to purchase Dell computers.

    3. Dell computers are made by Dell. Lenovo computers are made by Lenovo. Different hardware on each.

    On my Dell d830 I upgraded using the following:
    1. added 1 GB RAM bought at MicroCenter. (any brand will work)
    2. replaced the Dell 1390 mini-pci-e wifi with a Gigabyte W101-GT mini-pci-e wifi.
     
    TonyT,
    #7

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