Need Advise On A Laptop

[Slinky]

i disagree with that 100 percent. ^^^ obviously build quality is important but you dont want to compromise that for specs. if you want to have your computer for more than a damn year, you have to upgrade the specs.

[kingsuv]

Well i ended up picking one up.....3 actually

HP DV5-1160's

Decent specs and not a lot of BS I will never use.

Thanks for all the help.

[Amalan]

Well i ended up picking one up.....3 actually

HP DV5-1160's

Decent specs and not a lot of BS I will never use.

Thanks for all the help.

good choice hope you enjoy them

[KoolDrew]

i disagree with that 100 percent. ^^^ obviously build quality is important but you dont want to compromise that for specs. if you want to have your computer for more than a damn year, you have to upgrade the specs.

And if you want the computer to last more than a damn year, you need to buy something that won't fall apart within that first year. Personally I'd rather have a laptop with decent specs that won't fall apart, rather than having really good specs and having it fall apart. That's the compromise you have to make if you want something cheap. If you don't want to make compromises, you have to pay for it. Given the use of the laptop (just web browsing and download/watching videos), I would say build quality is of much more importance as well. He doesn't need something beefy to do what he wants to do with it. Also, if you took a look at the R series I recommended or something similar it's definitely more than enough hardware to get the job done, but is of much higher quality than a cheaper consumer laptop.

I'm definitely not saying go buy an old piece of crap with crappy specs just because it's built like a tank. What I'm saying is build quality should be put into consideration. If you find something for dirt cheap with really nice specs, there's a reason it's so cheap and build quality if of much more importance than people think. The most common thing to go on cheaper laptops is the LCD screen especially, and if you were to take one apart, you'd see why. The LCD screen isn't protected by anything, just plastic. ABS plastic easily flexes, and what happens when it flexes? So does the screen.

In the end you have to take all these things into consideration and decide which is most important to you. For me both specs and build quality is very important, which is why I went ahead and bought a T61 for almost $1700. I also carry mine around a lot so obviously build quality may be a bit higher on my list of requirements than somebody who was looking for more of a desktop replacement.

Edited December 4, 2008 by KoolDrew

[KoolDrew]

Well i ended up picking one up.....3 actually

HP DV5-1160's

Decent specs and not a lot of BS I will never use.

Thanks for all the help.

If it's anything like the dv5t, it's a solid choice.

[raytard]

my .02, laptops are part of the "shit will always go wrong no matter what" part of electronics

get whatever has the best warranty and the specs you want

mine was 1500 when i got it (nothing fancy either...no video or sound card per se, all onboard junk), gone to toshiba 2ce in 2 years and this third time im fixing it cuz its out of warranty.

hope you enjoy that hp laptop though, post back with how you like it

[Slinky]

laptops are not diamonds, they wont last forever. however, a decent laptop should last a couple years at least. Ive had mine a year and a half and its still kickin as strong as the first day i got it. also mine is on 24/7. i do not turn it off.

x2 on a decent warranty. it never hurts to have a good warranty just in case something to come up.

[Amalan]

laptops are not diamonds, they wont last forever. however, a decent laptop should last a couple years at least. Ive had mine a year and a half and its still kickin as strong as the first day i got it. also mine is on 24/7. i do not turn it off.

x2 on a decent warranty. it never hurts to have a good warranty just in case something to come up.

that and after 2 years you can get a new laptop!! lol ive been using the same like 1500 bucks since 2002 to keep replacing my laptops with newer models i just need to rebuy the warranty and im set.

[Slinky]

that and after 2 years you can get a new laptop!! lol ive been using the same like 1500 bucks since 2002 to keep replacing my laptops with newer models i just need to rebuy the warranty and im set.

haha, yeah thats one way to gimp the system.

[Slinky]

And if you want the computer to last more than a damn year, you need to buy something that won't fall apart within that first year. Personally I'd rather have a laptop with decent specs that won't fall apart, rather than having really good specs and having it fall apart. That's the compromise you have to make if you want something cheap. If you don't want to make compromises, you have to pay for it. Given the use of the laptop (just web browsing and download/watching videos), I would say build quality is of much more importance as well. He doesn't need something beefy to do what he wants to do with it. Also, if you took a look at the R series I recommended or something similar it's definitely more than enough hardware to get the job done, but is of much higher quality than a cheaper consumer laptop.

I'm definitely not saying go buy an old piece of crap with crappy specs just because it's built like a tank. What I'm saying is build quality should be put into consideration. If you find something for dirt cheap with really nice specs, there's a reason it's so cheap and build quality if of much more importance than people think. The most common thing to go on cheaper laptops is the LCD screen especially, and if you were to take one apart, you'd see why. The LCD screen isn't protected by anything, just plastic. ABS plastic easily flexes, and what happens when it flexes? So does the screen.

In the end you have to take all these things into consideration and decide which is most important to you. For me both specs and build quality is very important, which is why I went ahead and bought a T61 for almost $1700. I also carry mine around a lot so obviously build quality may be a bit higher on my list of requirements than somebody who was looking for more of a desktop replacement.

if you really want to get into it, you need to look at what your gonna be doing with your laptop and where youll be taking it. if your gonna be on the battlefield lookin up gps coordinates then sure you want a solid laptop. if your not so extreme most things should suffice. I personally own a dell inspiron 1501, and it is solid as shit. however i hate the newer dell laptops. you just have to shop around, read reviews, and use your head.