Laptop/Notebooks

[Akiyama]

As the title hints, I'm looking for a good starter/cheap Laptop/Notebook that would basically be used for browsing, email, documents, etc. Sort of like a homework computer, but not. I'm looking to fund one for my Mom actually so I can teach her how to use a computer so she'll stop coming over to my place to look at stuff. I regret the day I chose to move a couple blocks away. Wrryyyyy, etc.

Also, not right now, but I plan on making a thread about my current Desktop project where I'm looking to spend 500-600 bucks on a desktop. I've seen tons of topics already though, so I don't want to clutter the section, so for now.. any help on looking for a cheap laptop/notebook would be appreciated.

[Rockstaru]

A netbook would do all of those things, but you'd have to buy a CD/DVD drive, and the keyboard and screen might be uncomfortably small. The cheaper Dell Inspiron line looked like it was a decent deal for the price.

The Dell Online Store: Build Your System

[Kryssan]

ASUS Eee PC


Bloody hell just realized they deactivated the one I purchased. But the point still stands, EeePC all the way~.




I love love love love it to death. It's everything a laptop should be in my personal opinion. Do not keep the default OS though. And spend the 50$ to upgrade the ram to 2G. I use Ubuntu for mine, optimized for SSD setup. Works like a charm. Lack of a CDROM doesn't really hinder me since you can install Linux using a flashdrive. And if that's all you plan to use your laptop for, that same flashdrive is more than enough for transferring documents.

[Linliel]

I'm gonna throw in a vote for a Macbook. Eeeeeeee pcs are too small for me, and I love Mac's nice combination of usability + Unix when I want it

Plus you can run FFXI via vmware/parallels if you're super desperate for your fix

[Kryssan]

Ewww Mac. And holy pricetag Batman. If you're so desperate for FFXI and *nix, definately better solutions out there. For cheaper.

[Rockstaru]

Macs aren't really worth the money, especially since you're looking to do only the most basic computing with this. (The cheapest Mac I could find, a Mini, was $599, and I would imagine you're looking to put this together as cheap as possible.) I'd recommend just checking the major brand websites (HP, Dell, maybe Toshiba) and looking for something that will suit your mom's needs. Again, a Netbook would probably cover all the bases, but the screen/keyboard might be uncomfortably small--you could take her down to best buy and look at some of the ones on display and see if she'd be comfortable with one. Otherwise, of the laptops I looked at, the Dell seems like your best bet. It would probably work with the default barebones configuration--the only thing I could see you needing to upgrade would be possibly the OS, from Basic to VHP 32- or 64-bit (they cost the same), and maybe a processor upgrade. That would bring the total from $399 to a little over $500.

[virusiidx]

Also agree with getting a netbook. But you might wanna check out the sizes first since the keyboards are pretty damn small. I have an eeePC 900ha and love it. Got it for $350 on newegg. It took time to get used to the keyboard, but I'm fine with it now.

Though I wouldn't really recommend upgrading to 2GB right away as mentioned earlier. The XP it comes with is a stripped down version to help on resources. I've owned one since last November and never really needed to go beyond 1GB, though I am using it for what it's mainly intended for; web browsing, email, office stuff, etc... The 1GB extra will also lower the battery life a little. It usually gets a pretty good 5 hours of battery with the lcd backlight turned down.

SSD drive netbooks are nice and fast, but at this time, there's not many SSD drives out there that have a lot of space yet. Usually it's 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, etc... So unless you don't plan on putting much disc space on the netbook itself, then you might wanna go with a hard drive one.

Anyways, just my 2cents if you decide to go with a netbook.

[Kryssan]

Where is this small keyboard notion coming from? I guess it's due to the fact you're using the 900 series. The 1000 series with the 10" screen is very comfortable for a netpc and has minimal difference in size or weight. My keyboard is 10" wide, 3 3/4" in depth. My standard wave keyboard for my desktop (the ergonomical ones with the curve/split for better hand comfort) is 11" wide, 4" in depth (only counting the QUERTY section, not the numpad or function pad). Each key on my eeePC is 5/8" x 5/8", whereas my desktop keyboard is 7/8" by 7/8" on the square keys. Both are easy to use, the desktop being more comfortable due to the split/curve. The only things I don't like about my eeePC keyboard is not having a separate numpad (just a feature I like to have, but not one you'll find on small laptops, so I accept that) and the right shift being oddly placed and smaller than normal. Either have to get used to it's size or swap over to the left shift which is a normal size key. I was going to take pictures to illustrate this better, but it appears the batteries in my camera have died.



I don't have experience with the Windows OS, since at the time I bought mine the SSDs were only being offered on the Xandros OS. The Xandros OS that comes stock with the EeePC makes the EeePC more like a large phone than a computer, which extremely limits your ability to actually use it as intended. I was prepared for that though and had my USB stick ready to reformat when it was delivered. My runtimes even with the SSDs and larger screen are still 5~8 hours. Depends on how much I'm using the disks. With the optimizations you can throw into Linux for SSDs, you can definately coax a lot more speed and life out of them. For those unaware, I'm not sure if it is still done this way, but the SSD version I have has 2 SSDs in it, a 8GB and a 32GB SSD. My setup is to have / under the 8GB and /home under the 32GB. Using it just as a netpc you really don't need extra space/volume. I upgraded the ram to 2GB for mine so that I didn't have to create a swap volume, I just use /temp with /temp being mapped to RAM instead of the SSDs. I honestly see no difference in power consumption/runtime between the 1 and 2 GB versions (seeing as default shipping comes with 1GB so I got to play with both). Works like a charm, overall. Love it to death, glad to have waited for the Atom processor.

[Linliel]

I dunno, I just really like my Mac I guess. Not for everyone perhaps, but it's a great laptop for work & media, also for programming. One of the things I like about it a lot is that it seamlessly hops between wifi networks without nagging or whinging about them or getting confused, which most windows laptops I've used have done all the time. Actually just the lack of nagging is awesome, I hate going back to windows: "Oh I recognised that you inserted a USB keyboard! Isn't that great! Oh but now I have to install it! I'm going to go search for those drivers now! Oh, now your USB keyboard is ready to use! Aren't I fabulous?!" Whereas the Mac just does it all in the background happily.
I don't honestly want to play games on a laptop anyway, even windows-based ones are pretty awful, either due to size or heat emissions or whatever, all I was saying that if you are really desperate you can still play FFXI to counteract all those "wah wah you can't play games on a Mac" whinge.
The OP wanted recommendations so there's my recommendation Most the people who are "ew macs" never used one or used an ancient one at school or something. They're excellent hardware, good value for money, work seamlessly, and the included & available software is second to none.

[virusiidx]

Where is this small keyboard notion coming from?

Most netbooks don't have a full sized keyboard or 10" screen. There's quite a lot out there that use a smaller keyboard, so that's pretty much where it comes from.

If you're still on xandros, you might wanna check out the netbook remix version of ubuntu 9.04, it's pretty good.

And what do you usually use your netbook for that goes beyond 1GB of ram? What I was getting at earlier was that the XP that comes with the EEEpc's is a stripped down version to go easy on memory. Of course a full installtion of xp will take more and it also depends on the applications you have running as well. I don't see how using more memory wouldn't lower the battery life. More usage = more power. It goes for all devices in use on a laptop/netbook. Disabling my webcam and wifi saves me about close to an hour on a 6-cell.


As for Macs, that's more of a user preference there. But they are expensive. I work these these daily at work and they're very user friendly and really show what a unix based system can do. However, unless you're really bad at computers or not computer illiterate, then it's best to stick with Windows at this time. The whole VM thing doesn't do it for me either, it's good for testing, but it will always be a little slower than the real thing. I work with a lot of customers and clients that use Macs and most of them that have one switched because they aren't very tech savvy. Just my opinion, lol. Don't wanna start a pc vs mac war

[Kryssan]

Feel free to read former posts in the thread, lol. I already gave you the answers to the questions you're currently asking.


Also, my point to the small keyboard size is that you have the option of getting a netpc nowadays that is still small and light but actually has a nice screen/setup for still less than 500$, even with aftermarket costs of upgrading various pieces and parts to it.



And yes, I have used Apple before, dating all the way from the good ol' Apple IIes playing Oregon Trail and Roadrunner to the Airs people have nowadays. I say eww because the original poster asked for something cheap, and no Mac will ever fall into this category. For digital editing/music/3d modeling and general workstation use, an Apple is actually a very good computer. However, most people don't need this kind of setup and the cost of a Mac makes it prohibitive over cheaper solutions that will allow most end-users to perform the same functions.



Oooh, and double edit. Haven't used my EeePC in a month or so since getting my apartment setup so yep, upgrading to 9.04 at the moment.

[virusiidx]

Feel free to read former posts in the thread, lol. I already gave you the answers to the questions you're currently asking.

Yeah, sorry if I missed a few, I already edited my other post as well.

the good ol' Apple IIes playing Oregon Trail and Roadrunner to the Airs people have nowadays. I say eww because the original poster asked for something cheap, and no Mac will ever fall into this category. For digital editing/music/3d modeling and general workstation use, an Apple is actually a very good computer. However, most people don't need this kind of setup and the cost of a Mac makes it prohibitive over cheaper solutions that will allow most end-users to perform the same functions.

Best way to sum it up. And lol @ Oregon Trial, spent too much time on that game when I should have been paying attention in class.

upgrading to 9.04 at the moment.

:D

[Akiyama]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll probably look into getting a Netbook since that seems the most cost effective for the purpose it's needed. It'd basically be a "Starter" thing for my Mom with her birthday coming up. She's wanted to get something to use so she could learn how to use a computer forever, so I figure I'll start with something small.

I'll definitely go over what everyone's said and make some pros/cons on the different types of netbooks and what not.

[mootsfox]

Sorry but I think netbooks are pieces of shit. The only reason I can see someone buying one is to travel with it.

If this is a laptop for your mother, who isn't taking it on the bus/train/school, then buy a full size notebook. They are close to the same price but with better specs, and she'll enjoy using a full sized keyboard and screen (old people have bad eyes remember).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834114611

[Kryssan]

If it isn't for moving around, it shouldn't be a laptop. Period. Fucking. Dot.

[mootsfox]

If it isn't for moving around, it shouldn't be a laptop. Period. Fucking. Dot.

Fuck I know. All these shitheads (not talking about you OP, just fuckers in my store) buying laptops that will never move. Customers are fucking idiots.

More than 60% of new computer sales are laptops btw

[Akiyama]

I guess because laptops are the cool thing, and desktops are boring. Well, that's not my actual opinion, just my reasoning for people buying laptops instead.

[Kaisha]

Proper PCs are bloody desk hogs for your average consumer that'll just spend time surfing the net and doing e-mails/documents on the thing, which the laptop comes in handy for.

I've been looking into getting a small netbook (something light-weight and something I won't care about dinging/scratching up) for myself for means of googling image references while in class (Animation, weeee), since my MacBook Pro is too bloody large/heavy to keep lugging back/forth between classes and residence. Is Asus pretty much the name to go with them or something? Only netbooks I know about is their Eee brand since they pretty much struck gold with them. Hard to find one that has a decent vertical resolution (1024x600? Yeah right.....) that isn't double the price of the other netbooks.