Which laptop? Again!

[HotPhil 10]

You can never have too much RAM :-)

 

RAM is one of the most cost effective performance upgrades. I think that certainly when we're looking at running XP, 1GB is going to be very noticeably quicker on a laptop than 512MB - regardless of if the processor is slightly quicker. The bottleneck in the system will be hard drive write/read - being able to keep data in RAM will give a definite performance boost.

In short, 512 will do. But if you later upgrade it, you'll kick yourself that you didn't do it earlier.

I'd be happy with any of the machines you've linked to, if intended use is browsing, email, Office etc.

[ukstudent 10]

I might go for the HP one then (with a faster processor) but also upgrade the RAM

 

Are HP a good brand for laptops? Good customer service / well built etc?

[HotPhil 10]

I don't know about HP's customer service for laptops/desktops, but their customer service and build quality etc for servers and enterprise kit is excellent - I look after over 100 HP servers and associated stuff and their aftercare (even on standard warranties) rocks.

Hopefully, they have a similarly good setup for their laptop aftercare etc.

[ukstudent 10]

thanks hotphil

[stuchyg 10]

ok dont know if you have done anything about this yet but i buy quite a few laptops and after a bitter experience with Hp i now steer well way from them if anything goes wrong i have found HP to be very very disapointing with support

 

there is a local laptop stockest called CBC that are mainly a tosh stockist but do have other makes as well

 

give them a ring and ask for christine 08452305066

 

they sometimes even have ex demos

 

in regards to laptops you want dual core and 1Gb of ram but it always comes down to price i have just got a toshiba u200 which is a good bit of kit but does come in at over £700

 

i will shut up now

 

stuchyg

[Sheff_Jeff 10]

Ive seen it all now, a bloke recommending Vista running on a Dell machine.

 

I could weep.

[stuchyg 10]

Ive seen it all now, a bloke recommending Vista running on a Dell machine.

 

I could weep.

 

ooo look microsoft have brougt out a new OS its called windows vista.

 

sorry for the sarcasam but everybody forgets the problems that pop up when microsoft do this i meen does anybody remember ME everyone onlinewas telling em how bloody wonderful i was luckly im not stupid and im not a sheep and i just kept 2000 going

 

real time advice is dont go for vista untill after service pack one is relesed

 

and if you do dont put it on any laptop or pc that is 12 months older

 

a geeky friend did a bench test between xp and vista and it took vista an extar 3 mins to bootup and be ready

 

MICROSOFT WE LOVE YOU

[Heeleytastic 10]

Ive seen it all now, a bloke recommending Vista running on a Dell machine.

 

I could weep.

A mate of mine has had a Dell PC for five years and it's never, ever once gone wrong; we used them where I used to work and I don't believe one ever had a problem. I've certainly not had any problem with my Dell laptop; okay, it's only been two weeks, but I've not had one single problem with it. It's a slight annoyance that they bundle a load of rubbish software that you don't want with it, but that doesn't take long to uninstall.

 

For the price I paid for this laptop I could have got an Acer or something with a much lower spec. The build quality of it's great as well. From what I've heard and read, Dell are fantastic machines- until you actually want support from them, and that's where the trouble starts, but that doesn't worry too much as yet.

 

 

sorry for the sarcasam but everybody forgets the problems that pop up when microsoft do this

I've certainly had no problems; it works perfectly here and is more stable than XP. It's easier and more intuitive to use than XP and it looks and feels better. Yes, some software isn't compatible yet and there aren't yet drivers for a lot of things, but whose fault is that? Microsoft developed the OS and it's up to software developers to get things compatible with it. A lot of problems can also be contributed to user error as well, and a failure of understanding how Vista works.

 

a geeky friend did a bench test between xp and vista and it took vista an extar 3 mins to bootup and be ready

Vista boots up in super-fast time here- around 40 seconds or so from a cold start; I've never timed it but I will do when I start up tomorrow. It starts up quickly and runs super fast as well. A mate of mine earlier said "I don't want Vista because it runs sooooooo slow" upon enquiring on how long he'd been using it for, he replied he hadn't- he'd "just heard". NO, it's not slow- it's lightning fast here. Okay, I do have 2GB RAM and a dual core processor, but still, it's very fast indeed; I certainly couldn't go back to XP now.

 

Saying that, I wouldn't upgrade my desktop to Vista because it just wouldn't be able to handle it. On newer machines it works very well indeed- or it should do anyway.

 

 

MICROSOFT WE LOVE YOU

We certainly do; I have no problem with Microsoft and no problem with Vista. I'm not a fanboy either- just an impressed user. I fail, for the life of me, to see what all the fuss is about here. 'All the bugs Vista has' people say... what bugs? Where? I've not encountered any. No OS is perfect; I'm not saying Vista is perfect- there are a few things I think could have been implemented a bit better, but to hear people go on and on and on about how 'bad' Vista is, is just bizarre. A lot of it, as demonstrated by my mate earlier, is through people having not sat down and actually used Vista for any length of time. Okay, some people might not get on with it and I respect and understand that, but Vista is NOT the tool of the devil that people are making it out to be.

 

If I'd never used Vista I would think it was awful too going on what people are saying, and yes, in all honesty, I was a bit dubious about it at first, but as soon as I started using it that soon vanished. I love it; it's better than XP- I personally find it runs and works better than XP and it is an absolute joy and a pleasure to use. Yes, I recommend Vista and yes, I recommend Dell. Why? Because of my PERSONAL good experience thus far. I'm not talking about the experience of someone's uncle Jack in Kettering who had a glitch once and thinks Vista and Dell are evil- I'm talking about my OWN experience. If I use something and find the experience good then I'm going to recommend it.

 

All companies and products have their good and bad points; nothing and no-one is perfect, but if you steered clear of everything you read or hear a negative report about then you'd never buy anything. People often say how bad Virgin Media is, but again, I've never had a problem. Maybe I'm lucky- but I tell you one thing and I tell you right here and right now, I'm happy with my experience and I will therefore recommend them to all and sundry.

 

[Sheff_Jeff 10]

Trouble is your recommending Dell to people when you admit you have only had a machine for 2 weeks. I'm advising people to look elsewhere based on years in IT having dealt with dell servers, laptops and desktop PC's.

 

As for Vista again you are recommending it based on a couple of weeks use, I have been playing around with it since Beta assesing it to see if its a viable office replacement for XP. My research and anecdotal evidence from everyone with eyes says it isnt. Microsoft knows this which is why all cheap laptops come with Vista. Microsoft are practically giving the OEM licenses away. Maybe after SP1 who knows but at the minute its a fancy looking piece of crap.

[Heeleytastic 10]

Trouble is your recommending Dell to people when you admit you have only had a machine for 2 weeks.

Maybe so, but like I say, I know many others who haven't yet had a problem with Dell's laptops or PCs. Before I bought my laptop I did so much research it's untrue and yes, I'd heard and read a few negative reports about Dells, but then again, I've read and heard negative reports about ALL manufacturers of computers- the lot of them. Mesh were on Watchdog last week and I've read glowing reports on them too; I just think it varies from person to person.

 

You're in the IT business and therefore have more experience than I do; I'm just a fairly experienced home user, but I'm not blind to problems. I know Dell aren't perfect and I know Vista isn't perfect, but then, exactly what IS perfect? I'm a heavy computer user (by that I don't mean I'm of ample weight!) and since getting my laptop I've spent a LOT of time on it and I just find Vista more intuitive and comfortable to use. Not everyone will like it because the world doesn't operate that way; some people just won't like it, which is fair enough, but I do.

 

I'll be honest and say I wouldn't recommend Vista with less than 2GB RAM; my suggestion would be for the OP to save up a bit more and get something with 2GB RAM; Vista IS a bit more resource hungry, though it uses memory in a different way to XP- a better way, in my opinion.

 

Someone earlier recommended steering clear of HP; I have had a HP desktop for three years and find it to be reliable. As I said, experiences vary from user to user. No one company is 100% excellent- they all have their weak points and problems and it's all pretty much of a muchness. What one person finds excellent another person will find abominable, but I chose Dell based on the vast amount of research I'd done and on people's opinions and thoughts I trust and respect, but like I say, you wouldn't buy a thing if you were put off by bad reports and I'd heard a few bad reports about Vista and Dell.

 

The OP is looking for a machine for everyday use and not in an office environment and Vista and Dell will provide that- mine certainly does. Okay, the OP's budget isn't gargantuan, but I'd recommend a Dell and an AMD dual core processor over a Celeron any day of the week. My AMD Turion lappy wipes the floor with my Celeron desktop, though the desktop is a few years old now.

 

I do think Vista is brilliant; I can do more in less time than I can in XP; it really is more intuitive to use- in my own opinion, anyway, but like I say, I do have 2GB RAM; I'm not sure I'd enjoy it quite so much with just 1GB. It's not crap though, really it's not- it's new and is still bedding in- give it time.

 

No-one in this thread's done it yet, but what really mangles my carrots is when people say things like "oh, THIS piece of software doesn't work in Vista! I hate Microsoft"... There are lots of things that I used on XP which don't yet work with Vista, but like I said earlier, it's NOT Microsoft's fault, it's down to the developers of the software in question to make it compatible. AVG Anti-spyware doesn't yet work with Vista but I don't blame Microsoft: it's up to AVG to get compatibility sorted. A lot of people do though and it's quite frustrating.

 

I really think, if possible, the OP should save a bit more and get whatever they feel happy with; a dual core processor is a must, even if you're only browsing the Internet with a few programs open at once- it will help things run a bit smoother; and as someone else said earlier, the more RAM the better.

 

I'm not a fanboy at all, despite my ramblings, I'm just fighting Dell and Vista's corner based on my own experiences and that of people I know. I've also read and heard glowing reports about Toshiba laptops, so they're definitely one to look out for, though my advice would be to save a bit more and go for a dual core processor and lots of RAM.

 

[Sheff_Jeff 10]

Thanks for that my granny now knows officially how to suck eggs.

[Heeleytastic 10]

Thanks for that my granny now knows officially how to suck eggs.

Absolutely no offence was meant in any way, shape or form. You challenged my opinions and I responded to that in the best way I could. I already stated you have more experience than I do on the matter; that is not being argued here. I've given my opinions; if you don't like them then that's up to you, but I make no apology for them.

 

I like Vista and I like Dell, based on my experience so far. You have had bad experiences with both- they are your opinions and I respect them, but, to be honest, there's no need for an attitude like that.