Laptop recommendations.........

WIMUSKY

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Since XP will not be supported anymore starting this spring and our desktop is going on 8 years old, I figure it's time for a replacement. I'm looking at laptops even tho those are pretty archaic compared to the technology that's out there today. For me, however, I see it it as a huge upgrade........Lol We bought the DELL directly from DELL. We built our own syatem by the options they provided which was cool, I thought...

We currently have DELL desktop with a Pentium 4 processor. It actually has served us well with no issues. After reading some reviews about DELL's technical support today, all they want to do is sell you something. They scored very low in the support arena.

We'll probably keep our desktop for pictures, billing forms etc. non internet use stuff........

We're not into gaming, watching movies on the computer. Basically use it to pay bills, Facebook(wife and daughter), downloading music and spending way too much time on forums(boat, car and snowmobile)....

I found this site and looked around a little:
Best and Worst Laptop Brands - 2013 Rating - LAPTOP Magazine

There was a Lenovo that I liked, of course it was $1900.

I've done a "little" research and it "appears" the price of a laptop is directly connected to how much RAM the system has, not in every case tho. I'm looking to spend in the the neighborhood of $700, give or take getting the most bang for my buck. That puts me around 8 gig of RAM. I see you can get up to 32 gig...:facepalm: I've seen 4th Gen Intel Core I3 - I7 processors. Not sure if that's unique to DELL. I would also like a 17" screen.

Soooooo, I'm looking for ideas and recommendations from the experts..........

Thanks in advance,
WIMUSKY
 
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oldjeep

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

If you want a lot of bang for your buck you might consider a Latitude E6530. Should be able to get an i3/i5 with 8GB of memory in your price range. Built like a tank and they have a 17" screen. We have a few hundred of them at work and the only complaints I've ever heard is the weight ;)

The Dell Online Store: Build Your System
 

GA_Boater

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Couple of questions, Musky. Do you only have the desktop now? Do you plan on running the desktop and laptop on-line at the same time?
 

MTboatguy

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

I purchased an HP and have been very happy with it, of course it has windows 8 on it, but I was able to download a couple of fixes to make it work like windows 7 and have never looked back. and it has a 17 inch screen. I have 3 desktops as well as 4 laptops running at any given time and they are all online.
 
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WIMUSKY

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Thanks for the info, Jeep. It looks like that model only comes in a 15".

I was messin' around a little and saw this:
Inspiron 17R Laptop | Dell
Or this:
New Inspiron 17 7000 Series 17

A little more money, I guess that would be the "give or take"............

GA - I have a desktop, the wife has a desk top with a docking station/laptop for work. And yes.....

Open to other options and advice......... Not married to DELL by any means.... :)
 

GA_Boater

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

At less than your price point how about this one - Inspiron 17 Laptop | Dell

For two reasons - price, graphics has it's own memory and it comes with Windows 8, which will be around a lot longer than Windows 7.

The two you linked have graphics that use memory shared with the processor. Windows needs memory to run at a good speed and shared memory doesn't help. The Touch has W8, but a touch screen is probably overkill for your needs.

Also, after you use the laptop tethered to the end of a cable for a while, you're going to want to to disconnect and use the in-built wireless modem so you can go to the garage and work on the rod while you access the Web. So you will need one of these - Netgear Wireless Router Dual-Band Gigabit ports - (WNDR3700) : Game Consoles & Video Games | Dell I have this wireless router because it has a USB port to hook up a hard drive to back up all four computers in the house. You can beat the price, I got mine at Best Buy for 75 bucks. And it was the easiest one I've ever set up. And the wife can go wireless too if she wants to surf in her jammies in bed. :)

I'm still looking around.
 

Bob_VT

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

What about this direct from dell Dell Factory Outlet

Inspiron 17R - 5721
  • Processor: Intel Core 3rd Generation i5-3337U Processor (3M Cache, up to 2.7 GHz)
  • Windows 8
  • 1 TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
  • 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L at 1600MHz
  • 17.3 inch HD+ (1600 x 900) WLED Display
  • 8X DVD +/- RW Drive
  • Intel HD Graphics
  • Dell Outlet Inspiron 17R - 5721 Laptop

    Click here for available options and upgrades
Price: $649.00

I have an OLD OLD Dell and still going and the wife has a newer HP which is great too. I have HP desktops too.
 

bajaunderground

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Since you're asking advice...I've switched over to Macbooks....while I liked my Dell, HP and Panasonic Toughbook, I've really come to appreciate the quality of the apple products (We have 2 ipod Touches, 1 ipod nano, iPad, Macbook pro, 2 iPhones). They have all served up very well and still plugging away...

My wife is illiterate when it comes to computers, she wanted the Apple feel without the Apple price and relearning the OS. She ended up with a really nice Toshiba Satellite Laptop (i5 intel processor, soft-keys, back-lit keyboard, lot of memory). She got it on black Friday 2011. Windows 7, which I personally loathe, and 580GB of hard-drive, DVD/CD Burner, fully loaded for $599.00 at Officemax...

BTW, What does Amazon.com call Bestbuy....their showroom!

~Brett
 

southkogs

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

^^^ I'm a Mac fan too. The hitch being Apple discontinued the 17" screen on the MacBooks. The 15" isn't bad, but it is noticeably smaller.

A couple "to-think-about's", but not what you asked for:

Have you considered the iMac? I know you said laptop, but the iMac is a single case unit that may be a nice option. Plus you can get it with a 27" screen.

The Mac Mini is another intriguing option - I've actually got one running as a server for a 5 machine network in a commercial environment. No where near as big as a traditional desktop, but rather powerful and you can get whatever size screen you like.
 

WIMUSKY

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

GA - Checked out your link. Looks like it has half the hard drive and memory. Also, the processor seems to be slow at 1.9GHz. My desktop is 3.0GHz. Seems like a lot of them are 2.7GHz which surprises me....... Your's is a lot cheaper. Maybe 8 gig and 750gig/1tb is overkill. It seemed like in the past more is better........ Also, in the link below, where would one find shared memory between the graphics and processor?

Also, we already have a wireless router. Soooooo, I can sit next to the Rod and order parts....Lol

Here is the one Bob is talking about, except new. It does look appealing. I haven't read the reviews yet. Bob, your link looks like refurbs? It appears a person saves $100 on the model listed:
Inspiron 17R Laptop | Dell

Baja - Macs are out. We discussed it and it sounds like there may be too much of a learning curve since all we know is Windows...

MT - Haven't looked into HPs............"yet"............ I don't want to confuse myself more than I already am...Lol Will look at HPs too.

All I know is, there are waaaay too many options....:facepalm:

Sure appreciate everyone's input............. :)

ps. A friend of mine just sent me this HP, I know nothing about the processor:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pavilion-17-3-laptop-4gb-memory-750gb-hard-drive/2287004.p?id=1219071221794&skuId=2287004&st=categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=3

For some reason it wont link...
 
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GA_Boater

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Here's why I mentioned the "slow" one -

We're not into gaming, watching movies on the computer. Basically use it to pay bills, Facebook(wife and daughter), downloading music and spending way too much time on forums(boat, car and snowmobile)...
.

And it's also why I'm saying dedicated memory for graphics because it allows all the memory to be used by the processor. One thing about Windows is it loves memory, the more the better. It comes with 4MB. If you were gamey (that doesn't sound good) and watched movies, a different choice for sure.

This is like picking the right oil or hull material or I/O vs O/B, unfortunately with a lot more choices.
 
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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

if you go dell then I would suggest going for a plan jane with the best processor then buying the extra parts online. I have alienware that I bought basic then added a ssd hard drive and ram for a lot less then dell charges. It was kinda expensive but its probably the last one I will have to buy for many years as nothing seems to tax the processors. If I ever do need the extra power the c-mos is unlocked so I can always turn it up a little more. Booting windows in under 15 seconds makes the ssd well worth the price and its makes a laptop more reliable as vibration does not affect the drive like the old fashion hard drives.
 

matt167

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

IMO Refurbished Dells are the best deal going if you want a basic computer, but only go for the Business class machines. Something like an Optiplex 960 with the Core 2 Quad with 2.83ghz and 6gb Ram can be had for less than $230 shipped. Add a nice monitor for about $150-200 and for about $4-450 you will have a very capable machine... They come with Windows Vista/ Vista COA but because of the way they do the software licensing for Windows by checking for a string in the Bios. A Dell reinstall disc for Windows 7 can be used to install Windows 7 and it will activate as long as the latest Bios is flashed. 960's were offered in the transitional period when Win 7 was a free upgrade for when it came available.

Something like this Dell Optiplex 960 SFF 6GB 250GB Q9550 Core 2 Quad 2 83GHz Free Shipping | eBay . It does have a dedicated graphics card, but could be upgraded with another low profile card if needed. Memory could go to 8gb, but 8gb is really all that is needed..
Dedicated graphics is more important than Ram, because most of what you do relies on the GPU and not the CPU.. Firefox and others use hardware graphics acceleration for scrolling, and movie players use it to reduce alias lines. If you had a video card that relied on system ram, than you would want an extra gb or 2 of RAM, but if the card has even 128mb of dedicated graphics memory, than you can get away with only 8gb... Most laptops have a dedicated graphics processor, usually an Intel chip BUT, they rely on system ram.. Whatever you do, stay away from the Latitude 820. It uses a dedicated Nvidia graphics processor which was pretty good, but it got so hot that it de soldered itself. Any one of them still running, hasn't been run hard or is on borrowed time, or has been re soldered ( which will fail again )

The new "I" series processor ( namely 5 and 7's ) ran right along side of the Core 2 Quads when they were first launched. The "I" series had a very slight advantage in that, they have an intergrated memory controller and could support the slightly faster DDR3 memory and the C2Q usually was paired with DDR2. There are other differences I am sure, but I usually deal with AMD boxes...
If you could build your own system, something like an AMD FX8320 chipped box with an Asus MATX mobo, 8gb of ram at least 1,600 MHZ and something like a Geforce GTX 650 graphics card would probably be right at your price range, but then you have to add the cost of Windows which would probably put it a bit over.
 

Bob_VT

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Yes, the outlet store at dell sells what is classified as refurbished but many are production over runs. I have always ordered computers for various local business applications and have never had a problem.

Your purchase decision needs to be be based on YOUR wallet and what you are willing to part with. If I had to get another laptop right now I would be looking at a business lease turn in or a refurbished.
 

britisher

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

The absolutely wonderful (not) windows 8 system was designed with touchscreens very much in mind that's why it's a PITA for everyone who hasn't got one. Thankfully my PC is W7. Despite the W8 new release, it's still very much about touchscreens. SO, if you want to get the best from this operating system, then get a laptop with a touchscreen.
That said, we run 3 Toshiba's in our household plus 2 Acers (1 x laptop and 1 x PC). I have to say the Toshiba's have been brilliant and we didn't pay more than $450.00 apiece for any of them. They all have about 6gb ram with 500 mb hard drive, so there is enough to go on for pics, etc. I cannot for the life of me see why people part with nearly $2000 for a laptop. There is nothing it can have that is worth more than paying $500. If you want it for simple tasks, keep the spend low and use the leftover money for the boat.
 

matt167

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

One thing about Acer is there is no support.. I have an Acer laptop that I paid good money for in 2008 but it wasn't the most expensive and was one upgrade over the base model ( $599 IIRC ).. Had driver issues out of the box and Acer's response and tech support was basically saying 'too bad' and if I called again, I would be charged $39. It turned out that Acer was using an XP driver hacked to work with Vista because the DVD drive was not yet Vista supported by the manufacture. I bought an OEM copy of XP and ran that way for a long time.. More recently, the computer is so cheap that the screen is almost broken off of the keyboard and the bezel clips are snapped.. I bought a refurbished Dell D520 for $78 with the Core 2 Duo T5500 ( 1.6ghz dual core ), upgraded the ram to 2.5gb and the OS to Win 7 pro and it runs circles around the Acer. It was quicker with 1gb Ram and XP as well.. They are about the same age and the Dell was a $1,500 laptop brand new. The Acer I have was $599 new, but there IS a difference.
 

WIMUSKY

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Thanks for the continued opinions/information. Nice details, Matt....:)

Still on the fence. I know whatever I decide the wife will go along since I'm doing all the research. She actually trusts my opinion.. I even bought our current house w/o her seeing it except in a couple pictures..... I haven't bombed.........yet... :)

My current system is just 1gb RAM running XP. Amazing it works so well.....

Edit: Funny, I'm getting a bunch of DELL 17R ads on this site.....
 
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oldjeep

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Thanks for the info, Jeep. It looks like that model only comes in a 15".

I was messin' around a little and saw this:
Inspiron 17R Laptop | Dell
Or this:
New Inspiron 17 7000 Series 17

A little more money, I guess that would be the "give or take"............

GA - I have a desktop, the wife has a desk top with a docking station/laptop for work. And yes.....

Open to other options and advice......... Not married to DELL by any means.... :)

Jeez, I always assumed mine was a 17 - a 17 must be huge then. My .02 - Inspirons suck, poorly built consumer grade laptops.
 

mr geets

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Re: Laptop recommendations.........

Now this just has to be a fluke but I spent this morning looking into a desk top. Our Dell is dated and is terrible (might have been the guy we paid to clean up the system!). I bought my wife an ipad and she loves it. I am not an apple fan but I got an iphone a year ago as the kids all love 'Facetime". When my son in law got a new computer and my old laptop died, he gave me his MacBook Pro. Actually I use my phone like a laptop for 90% of my computer stuff outside work. So this morning after finding a couple of desk top units, the thought came to look at Mac (EXPENSIVE BUT QUALITY) and saw the Mac Mini. You guessed it - new Mac Mini under the tree coming up Christmas. Good luck whatever you decide.
 
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