Buying a computer

[seththelezzy]

Hey guys.
In about a year, I'm going to be buying a new computer. I want to get a laptop and was thinking about a Macbook. I had them at my school and I thought they were great. I am used to using Windows but it seems like there is a lot of stuff on Windows that I don't need. Also, Macbooks have the microphone and camera built in so I could record music.
Do you think I should get a Macbook, or any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Seth.

[Triplex72]

Re: Buying a computer

If you're looking for one a year in advance, stuff is going to change. As in it wouldn't be that high-end anymore.

[seththelezzy]

Re: Buying a computer

Yeah I thought about that. But I meant something along the lines of a Macbook. Like a Mac laptop, or maybe another brand...

[LythincaMan]

Re: Buying a computer

Uhm, most laptop have a built in mic and webcam. Not to mention the built in mic sucks ass, and is bad qaulity. Also if your looking for gaming, Windows XP/Vista is the way to go.

[seththelezzy]

Re: Buying a computer

Thanks.

[RandomPscho]

Re: Buying a computer

Play around more with the Mac OS X at your school and see if you like it over windows.

Otherwise, the same laptop, not from apple, will be quite a bit cheaper. It just won't have OS X on it.

[tsugomaru]

Re: Buying a computer

Make sure you ask yourself what do you want to do with your computer. When I got my first laptop, I was only twelve years old and the only thing I thought about was, "I would like a laptop because it takes up less room". Although this is true, if you're going to stick it in your room most of the time with a thousand cables sticking to it, you might as well go with a desktop. Desktops have the ability to upgrade, so even if you buy the desktop next year, it's possible for you to make it better

~Tsugomaru

[OrganisM]

Re: Buying a computer

Laptops in general tend to suck because of the numerous battery life issues, the fact that they're extremely fragile so they don't do well with wear and tear, they tend to be more expensive for less processing power and are less upgradeable... if one component fails you can't just swap it out for another, your whole system's screwed...

Unless you REALLY find you absolutely NEED a laptop's portability, trust me, put together a good desktop and you'll be happy. Cheaper, faster, better.

[seththelezzy]

Re: Buying a computer

I need a laptop for school. Why aren't laptops upgradeable?

[LythincaMan]

Re: Buying a computer

Actually, most laptops cost the same as a slightly crappier or equivilant desktop. I know that becuase I went shopping for desktops and laptops yesturday.

Also, new 2007 laptops have more cells in their batteries, meaning longer life.
Not to mention that, most laptops arent fragile at all, and can take alot of abuse.

2006 and 2007 laptops are upgradeable, You can upgrade RAM, HDD, the drives (CD, DVD, HD ect). Just the videocard cant be upgrades, unless you send it into the manufacturer.

Get a laptop that has nvidia or ati videocard. Do not get "Intel" or "Intel (Shared)".

[OrganisM]

Re: Buying a computer

Because you can't really feasibly swap out and upgrade most of the components. You're pretty much limited to swapping out hard drives and ram. Anything else, forget it. Don't even try.

And like I said, one piece fails, all pieces fail.

There are some good bets out there, like the Sony Vaio laptops, which I've found to be good... get something dual core... or by the time you buy it, probably quad core.

And don't EVER buy anything Toshiba. They've screwed me over on thousands of dollars with their defective hardware I couldn't get them to fix or refund.

[OrganisM]

Re: Buying a computer

Actually, most laptops cost the same as a slightly crappier or equivilant desktop. I know that becuase I went shopping for desktops and laptops yesturday.

Also, new 2007 laptops have more cells in their batteries, meaning longer life.
Not to mention that, most laptops arent fragile at all, and can take alot of abuse.

2006 and 2007 laptops are upgradeable, You can upgrade RAM, HDD, the drives (CD, DVD, HD ect). Just the videocard cant be upgrades, unless you send it into the manufacturer.

Get a laptop that has nvidia or ati videocard. Do not get "Intel" or "Intel (Shared)".

I've had several laptops, and I know very well that just like any other small electronics, they take virtually no abuse. They're terrible.

And unless you're using the thing for just word processing, something tells me that a laptop is extremely limiting.

And if I build a desktop, which was what i was talking about, I can make an extremely powerful computer as opposed to a crappy laptop with a ton of constraints. And for the same price.

I don't consider HP's and Dells real computers.

[seththelezzy]

Re: Buying a computer

I'm on a Dell Computer right now that I have had to fix like 7 times. It was the same with my computer each of those times.

It says the NLTDR is missing (or something like that) and I had to take everything off my computer by using the MS-DOS, and I lost everything.

I don't think that there is one computer that is perfect, but I'm just trying to find one that I can use for a lot of things. Games, work, recording, stuff like that. Pretty much everything, and my Dell desktop just hasn't done the job for me.

[LythincaMan]

Re: Buying a computer

Actually Toshiba is good. Their laptops are durable. IBM Thinkpads are very durable, as you can drop one from the top of a house, put it through fire, rain, dirt, and put heavy things on it, and it will still work. (They did a test on IBM.com)

Also, MDG Aptonbooks and MDG Visionbooks are VERY good laptops. I got a Aptonbook XL Fully loaded, with built in mic, webcam, 17.4 inch Widescreen, 160Gb HDD, 256 MB Nvidia 7600, 2GB RAM, for $1799. Came to like $2150. MDG is having a giant sale, like always.

MDG is also good for customer service.


Organism, your being biased. You cannot just say ALL laptops break easily.
As, IBM's, and MDG's, and the OLDER AlienWares, can take alot of abuse.

[OrganisM]

Re: Buying a computer

Actually Toshiba is good. Their laptops are durable. IBM Thinkpads are very durable, as you can drop one from the top of a house, put it through fire, rain, dirt, and put heavy things on it, and it will still work. (They did a test on IBM.com)

Also, MDG Aptonbooks and MDG Visionbooks are VERY good laptops. I got a Aptonbook XL Fully loaded, with built in mic, webcam, 17.4 inch Widescreen, 160Gb HDD, 256 MB Nvidia 7600, 2GB RAM, for $1799. Came to like $2150. MDG is having a giant sale, like always.

MDG is also good for customer service.

If Toshiba's good, then why do I have a $2000 Fujitsu (they only do the monitors, Toshiba handles all the hardware) sitting here next to me with a defective hard drive and other hardware they wouldn't fix even when it was under multiple warranties?

For your $2150 I can build a desktop like you can't even imagine. For two of those laptops, I can practically build the closest a consumer can get to a supercomputer.