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General discussion

Laptop Shopping

by donnajpro May 20, 2009 3:11AM PDT

Hi Happy

I'm in the market but am in no hurry. Glad to hear about Windows 7 as I have an unfounded fear of having to go to Vista.

I'm currently using a Sony VAIO I bought at the turn of the millennium. I didn't realize what I don't want in a laptop until I bumped into irritants once I got my laptop home. I don't understand why the hard disk had to be partitioned. What a programs-and-data housekeeping nightmare!

I don't use the battery in my current laptop, possibly because its too short-lived for me.

I have a desktop PC running WindowsXP that I would like to be able to network with. I do mainly document work, some web design. Sometimes I live on the Internet.

My work is not graphics intensive, I don't do gaming, but good graphics capability would be a plus for watching DVD's in bed when I'm on the road or something Wink

Good speakers would be a plus.

My main priority would probably be reliability -- I want a laptop that has a good reputation for parts not going on the fritz.

Thank you for your recommendations.

Happy Donna P.

Discussion is locked

16 Posts
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A helpful laptop finder. . .
by CodyG [WINDOWS-TEAM] May 20, 2009 5:35AM PDT

Donna-
Something that quite a few other laptop shoppers have found useful is this new application called ?Laptop Scout? (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-laptop-scout/default.aspx).

You can use that site to input what you do and don?t want in a laptop (as well as adjust for budget issues), and hopefully find one that fits. You sound like you?ve got a pretty good idea about what you?re looking for, so I think this might be really handy for you.

Not quite sure what your budget is, but here?s quick match that popped up when I did a Laptop Scout search for you: an Acer Aspire 8930, which is priced at 1699 and comes with a huge 18-inch screen and a Dolby-ready sound system. If that?s out of your price range or you just want to look at some more options, I recommend you check out the site, as there?s quite a few other options there.

Since you?re in no rush to purchase, it might also be a site to consider monitoring in the long-term, as they?re working to continuously add to the available laptop database. Good luck!
Thanks,
Cody
Windows Outreach Team

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Perfect - thank you!
by donnajpro May 20, 2009 7:21AM PDT

Dear Cody,

I did a brief benchmark search yesterday to see what popped up. In the "green" category the Acer you mention turned up and sounded perfect for me. I thought I'd ping a users group to see what suggestion I might get and there you are with another vote for the Acer.

My budget is whatever I have to pay to get what I want. My past history is to spend way too much on stuff I end up not needing and never using, so I'm trying not to let that happen again.

What are the pro's and con's of getting WindowsXP (if I can still get it) or Vista versus waiting for Windows 7?

Thank you! And I will definitely check out the laptop finder gizmo as well.

Donna

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Also the Acer 8930 is being replaced in June with the
by orlbuckeye May 20, 2009 7:54AM PDT

AS 8935G. I been researching that since the first 18.4 Acer the 8920. The 8935 will come in different configurations as did/does the 8930. The top of the line will have a quad core with 1 Terabyte of HD with BluRayand an ATI graphics card. All the new Acer XX35 models are going from NVidia to ATI. I figure the top of the line will be between 2000 and around 1700. They are available in Canada and England now but in June in US.

As far as XP versus Vista. Well advantages of XP are you have been using it longer and it's been out longer for more updates. XP works with older hardeware better. XP will be phase out in future.

Vista advantages. Better driver support on new devices. More built in security to protect you from worms and viruses and yourself. Vista will have a clear upgrade path to Windows 7. Vista will be supported my Microsoft longer then XP. Most new machine come with Vista.


I'm buy an Acer when Win 7 comes out. I was looking at the quad core AS8930 but since it was the guy on the block not many were made before the announcement of the 8935.

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Acer 8930 +
by donnajpro May 20, 2009 8:47AM PDT

Good points. Thank you. I'm not sure I need top of the line as my home computer and laptop typically do not get hard use. But you could talk me into it if there's good reason to get the very best -- for example, is my laptop user experience going to be noticeably better if I get more more more? It's not like I can't afford it.

I did read the blurb on the Acer site about recommended memory size etc.

Thanks for the help - I appreciate it.

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Acer Aspire 5735
by diggy77 May 25, 2009 12:16AM PDT
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Review Acer Aspire 8935G
by deepblueii Jun 10, 2009 6:04AM PDT

On this Site http://www.blueshore.de you can find some Information about the new Acer Aspire 8935G, with a lot of photos and some Benchmarks...

greetz deepblueii

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Review Acer Aspire 8935G
by donnajpro Jun 10, 2009 11:06AM PDT

Thank you! Happy

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XP vs. Vista
by Renegade Knight May 20, 2009 7:48AM PDT

You can get XP on the Thinkpads but to be honest, Vista will be fine. I've only had problmes upgrading older laptops. Where it's native it should be fine and the interface is a lot nicer for various tasks.

Thinkpads won't give you great sound. They are business machines. My best sound came from a Toshiba Qosmia (which is being serviced for the 3rd time on an extended warranty).

The screens are matte finish. Not the best for video, but pretty good for everting else. The T400 version has a high nit screen available. You may need that to use it on a road trip if you have to compete with outside light to watch a video.

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XP vs. Vista
by donnajpro May 20, 2009 9:11AM PDT

Thank you - good things to think about.

I also worry about software compatibility. I own software I already know is not going to work on Vista; it will be a pain replacing some of it since there IS no replacement for at least one program I can think of.

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Looks like I was too slow!
by CodyG [WINDOWS-TEAM] May 21, 2009 6:12AM PDT

Glad to see you're getting some of the answers you needed. I'd totally agree with the pros and cons list that orlbuckeye gave you. As far as your compatibility concerns with Vista go, you might also want to check this site out: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/ That site lets you search to see if in fact the software is compatible with Vista, and'll even link you to downloadable updates/patches. Or, if you want to just wait for the official Win7 release, you can do that too.

How's the search going? Any new finds?

Thanks,

Cody
Windows Outreach Team

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Not too slow-just in time
by donnajpro May 21, 2009 9:21AM PDT

Hi Cody Happy

As a matter of fact, I'm exploring other laptop styles - right now I'm looking at the Acer TravelMate 6593-6325 and just this minute returned to the CNet Forum to ask you your opinion: buy now, or wait [some weeks or months] for ... that's the question - Win7? Newer-better models?

I have decided since I have a desktop at home - I should get something lighter, but I don't want a wimpy 'puter. And I type over 110 wpm when I'm writing, so a good keyboard would seem to be more important than a fancy sound system. Apparently the fancy sound system only comes on the bigger, heavier Acer Aspire 8930. It seems unintelligent not to have Bluetooth since I have Internet with my cellular service and Starbucks hot spots all over town.

I've checked out other manufacturers. I keep coming back to Acer.

Thank you for your help - you must be psychic.

Happy Donna

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Vista-phobic no longer
by donnajpro May 21, 2009 9:28AM PDT

Time marches on, and OSes come and go. That's e-life. It's possible for me to access my home pc and run a program remotely, isn't it? I wrote a little database app in MS Access (believe it or not) and I'm too lazy to bring it up from whatever version of Access I ported it up to last (2000, or 2002/3) but I use this app all the time. Actually, I never compiled it and made it into an .exe -- I'm still running it through Access since it's just for my own use.

Also, I've faced the idea that having to leave stuff behind that isn't moving forward will keep me on the lookout for newer, better software/shareware that has added new capabilities since I last equipped myself.

So Geronimo ... I guess ... I'm ready to take the plunge (although I note the Acer TravelMate gives me the option of downgrading to WindowsXP - I may weaken in my brave new position) ...

Happy Donna

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Congrats!
by CodyG [WINDOWS-TEAM] May 26, 2009 2:39AM PDT

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, but I was out enjoying the long weekend.

Congrats on making the jump, Donna! You're right, you should be able to access your home computer remotely, provided that the operating systems get along with one another.

Keep us updated on your laptop shopping progress!

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GET A MAC!
by jbjerome May 23, 2009 6:14AM PDT

There are not as many choices across the price range as with PCs, however, if you just want something that works and not worry about partitions and data housekeeping then get one of the MacBooks. With Time machine so much headache is alleviated. You can go to an Apple store to see for yourself what the screens are like, their weight and how they just work.

My first computer was an Apple IIe, then a IIc. However, I used PCs in college and grad school and had numerous problems from Windows 3.1 all the way to XP. I won't even tell how many times I had to reinstall to regain some performance under XP. Once I was able to, I switched back to Macs and have not looked back since.

I have had a MacBook Pro for the last 2 years and it still runs as smoothly and as fast as when I first bought it. I also have a Mac Pro and have had no problems at all, very much unlike my experiences with Windows.

If not the Macs then, depending on how experienced you are you may want to consider Linux - Ubuntu and Fedora are favourites. They work well, are fairly secure but require quite a bit of tinkering under the hood if it's not a factory-supported install. I've used that too with my PC with relative ease, but there was always some hardware that didn't work because of lack of driver support and the work arounds were sometimes a bit trying, but once up and running the system was as stable as can be, something that could never be said for Windows even with the same hardware.

So get a Mac, because they just work, else if you don't do anything other than browse the web, write an occasional letter and print then install Linux on your VAIO and saw a bundle either way.

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I agree!
by jennywren1420 May 24, 2009 2:19AM PDT

Macs are great, and you can even use Windows on yours, if you are so inclined. I love my Mac, my mother (very old), sisters (not so old) and others in my family, including the last hold-outs, my daughter and son-in-law, all use Macs now.

If you want to use Windows (with Book Camp?which is included?or an application you buy), you'd still have to get protection against malware, but if it would help you to make the transition, why not?

At least look at the Macs and ask around, eh? Think about it. I think you'll save yourself a world of trouble and enjoy the laptop experience all the more.

Best,

Jenny

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laptop shopping
by bcarb70 May 23, 2009 7:45AM PDT

well, if you want light, power, graphics and decent battery life, and $$$ isn't an issue, then take a look at the new Sony Vaio Z series. Not sure what your issues are with the partitioned hard drive but you did say your older Vaio has lasted you several years now. Vaio Z is in it's own category as far as a combination of portability and performance.

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