Update me, I'm out of touch

Licensed Devil

Licensed Devil

Licensed Devil

Soldato
Joined
6 Oct 2003
Posts
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Location
Wycombe, Bucks
Hi guys, it's been a while since I've been around here, as you will notice if my signature shows up...

Anyway I'm in the market for a laptop for uni and I need a bit of advice on what's hot and what's not (or rather how things compare these days, since I have no idea what is what)

Firstly, processors, as I see it I seem to have a choice between Intel Core2 Duo, of varying clock speeds, and AMD Turion TL50/TL56 etc., which typically tell me nothing of clock speeds, although I realise that comparing AMDs and Intels on clock speed alone is always a silly idea.

So, what is the general consensus on processors atm? All opinions roughly considered, it appears the AMD option is cheaper(?)

I might have a few more questions later...thanks for any help ;)

Oh and if you have any recommendations for actual laptops/brands without mentioning competitors then go for it
 
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As far as I know, Intel has won the battle of the 'next gen' processors so I would go for a Core 2 Duo (or Quad depending on your needs).

If you are an overclocker, some of the lower end C2D's have impressive overclocking ability on air-cooling alone!
 
twistedheat said:
As far as I know, Intel has won the battle of the 'next gen' processors so I would go for a Core 2 Duo (or Quad depending on your needs).

If you are an overclocker, some of the lower end C2D's have impressive overclocking ability on air-cooling alone!
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Its a laptop so overclocking is limited. (are you suggesting it could have water cooling? read the thread
 
Licensed Devil said:
hahaha I'd rather buy a ream of lined paper and several biros
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Certainly cheaper than a laptop, and can be easier to carry around. :p

Well to be honest, Dell is the best place for student laptops as far as I know, or just run around on google looking for things that seem powerful.

It depends on what your budget is, and what you'll be using it for. My flatmate bought a £400 one or something as she didn't need it for much other than MSN, and word.

I didn't go the laptop route as I wanted upgradability and needed the full power of a PC, so went desktop...for around the same I'd planned on spending on a laptop.

InvG
 
I got a Toshiba Tecra Pro

if comes with this guaranty that if it brakes in the first year, they will fix it or replace it then give you your money back for the whole thing!!!!

its practicably indestructible and the wifi on it is one of the best i have see, it picks up networks my desktop cant!!

1GB of ram and a 2GHz duo core processor, although the spec has probably changed

I've done some hardcore CAD moulding on it (50000 components) and it handled that fine, although i did need to switch to my desktop at this point.

Graphics aren't for games, but what laptop is.

But it is at the upper end of the price bracket, £700 ex vat
 
crazyDAJT said:
Graphics aren't for games, but what laptop is.

But it is at the upper end of the price bracket, £700 ex vat
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One of the reasons I went for a desktop, I also wanted decent gaming potential.

As for price, I was looking in the region of £1200 :eek: I know. But I wisely spent that on a desktop instead.

InvG
 
Well I did debate just taking my desktop to uni, but too much effort and I want to be able to take it to lectures...

I'm honestly worrying if I'm getting carried away with having a top spec laptop that I don't actually need, although as I'm doing mech eng it's possible that i'll need to run some pretty heavy-going graphics packages.

Ok well I've come up with some new questions.

Memory - does 2gb as opposed to 1gb make a noticeable difference running vista? I'm inclined to go for 2gb to be on the safe side...
 
Well the thing is, will you actually take it to lectures?

I do Computing, and nobody takes their laptop to lectures, loads of people have them, but none take them. Some may take them to the boring ones and play games, but that's it, never used for notetaking et al.

This is one of the questions posed to me when I was debating a laptop, do you really want to be the one that's sitting there using your laptop to take notes when everyone else is either using pen and paper, or (as is the most case) not taking notes?

On the memory side, more is always better. :p

InvG
 
InvaderGIR said:
Well the thing is, will you actually take it to lectures?

I do Computing, and nobody takes their laptop to lectures, loads of people have them, but none take them. Some may take them to the boring ones and play games, but that's it, never used for notetaking et al.

This is one of the questions posed to me when I was debating a laptop, do you really want to be the one that's sitting there using your laptop to take notes when everyone else is either using pen and paper, or (as is the most case) not taking notes?

On the memory side, more is always better. :p

InvG
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I agree, nobody at uni takes their laptops to lecture tbh, maybe 1 or 2 (max)
 
InvaderGIR said:
...never used for notetaking et al.
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et al ?

Is this some kind of extension to last week's It is ETC not ECT thread?

Adv. et al. - used as an abbreviation of `et alii' (masculine plural) or `et aliae' (feminine plural) or `et alia' (neutral plural) when referring to a number of people.
 
ok well whether i will actually take it or not is kinda academic frankly, I still can't be bothered to take my desktop heh

I notice that vaio's are considerably more expensive than their dell equivalents, so i think that puts them out
 
after 3 years at uni the number of people who have come to me with problems with their laptop (from cheap dell to expensive vaio's) i'm so glad i just took my desktop.

i don't know what it is but the amount of HDD and mobo failures i've seen was unbelivable. i don't know what caused 'em but i certainly couldn't fix it.

i used my computer for academics, games, vids and music and it saved me space in the long run as there was no need for a seperate TV, CD player, dvd player etc.

i manage to fit all my peripherals and cables into one of those long shallow boxes with a lid then my case and tft in a box (soon became 2 tho :D )

if it goes wrong your more likely to be able to fix it too as you can order the parts and fit them your self the parts are also cheaper!

my twopence on the debate that i had before i went to uni
 
yeah but frankly if it goes wrong it's gonna take just as long to fix it as it is to get dell's warranty repair people on my doorstep, and whilst i appreciate the view that isn't really the question i'm asking, i'm taking a laptop not a desktop, i want to know what laptop to get not that i shouldn't be getting one
 
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