Need help selecting a laptop for arts and technology major?

by y2nyce Jul 17, 2006 8:02AM PDT

I need advice on a laptop that will be able to run programs such as photoshop, renderman and Maya at a decent speed. It should have video editing capabilites and enough memory to store videos and thousands of photo and music files. A good graphics card is a must. I have looked at many laptops ranging from dell, Apple and Boxx but can't decide on any one. The Boxx laptops look great but are too expensive for me. I can only afford to spend upto $2500. Any advice will be appreciated. Please Help!

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Why not Apple?

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jul 17, 2006 8:12AM PDT

At 2500 you get nearly the top of the line from them. Something does not jive with that budget and claiming you can't afford dell or Apple.

I will write that the quest for speed is never ending. Today's 600 buck laptops can make 2 year old machines look sluggish.

There's a free lesson here. Don't over invest in this.

Bob

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Choices :

by Ghost26-20878886633866019035262628200812 Jul 17, 2006 8:38AM PDT

There is not a lot of models that have a good GPU inside.

Look at the Dell Inspiron E1505 ( or 6400 ) with the ATi Mobility Radeon X1400. Some underestimate this GPU but it can be very nice graphics solution. I have this laptop. Please, read my review ! : http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7587-0.html?forumID=69&threadID=175582&messageID=1929522

A good model is a Sony. It has a powerful nVIDIA GeForce Go 7600, a little bit more powerful than the X1400 : http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_FE_Series&ProductSKU=VGNFE690PB&TabName=feature&var2=

I don't recommend a 17" laptop. THey are too heavy and they take too much place. But the advantage is that tehy have a premium GPU.

Asus also makes very good model :

http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=61&l3=0&model=1036&modelmenu=1

http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=61&l3=0&model=1072&modelmenu=1

http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=61&l3=0&model=1095&modelmenu=1

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Tell me about Asus parts, service and support...

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jul 17, 2006 8:47AM PDT

What a known name, even they seem to falter on motherboard (parts) support. Why go with a no-name here?

Bob

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No-name !????????????

by Ghost26-20878886633866019035262628200812 Jul 17, 2006 9:08AM PDT

R.Proffitt ! Asus makes very nice laptops !

On my European forum, there is a lot of people that own an ASUS laptop.

ASUS is the most popular laptop brand in Europe !

But in America, it is to verify.

The quality is very good of these laptop. Components also.

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Here in the US, not so good.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jul 17, 2006 9:32AM PDT

Never spotted on retail shelves and no visible support system.

For your part of the world, maybe. Not here.

Bob

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I live in Canada but ...

by Ghost26-20878886633866019035262628200812 Jul 17, 2006 9:39AM PDT

I was thinking that ASUS laptops were good because ASUS makes a lot of motherboard and I always saw that ASUS has a good service support for motherboards.

In Europe, they are very good so I was thinking that this is the samething in America.

So if we forget ASUS, there is any model with an ATi Mobility Radeon X1600 except the MacBook Pro !

Why there is not a ton of 14.1 " with this graphics solution ? It is possible because ASUS have this chip in their 14.1" models. This could fun to have a small laptop wiht a powerful GPU.

Need help selecting a laptop for arts and technology major?

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