New Laptop

[FaSHioNaBLe_MoDErN_MAn]

small screen 12-13 inches

2GB RAM

built in webcam

I am looking for something around 800pounds but sad to say it is impossible to get those specs that I want for 800pounds after doing some research for a few hours.

[Guest vgnome]

Thanks for all the info guys..I just realised one thing. I am an engineering student and I do download pirated engineering software like Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics so there is no need for me to camp at the IT centre in the uni to get my work done! If I get a macbook, I don't think it will be possible for me to get a mac version of those pirated software. This is very important to me so I think I won't be able to get a macbook.

Any other recommendations other than macbook?

You can run parallels [virtualization] or boot camp [windows straight up running off the macbook hardware] if you need to run windows programs. I run parallels at my office to use our windows-only programs, and it works beautifully.

[BodiesOfLight]

Anyone eyeing a MacBook Pro shoud wait, they're about to introduce an new version w/Santa Rosa. Unless you don't really care for the performance and other upgrades (such as more RAM compacity) and want to get a great deal on a current MBP.

[Tiranis]

As vgnome said, you can use Boot Camp or Parallels if you need Windows... but ultimately it's your choice. And for what you do there's plenty of Unix/OS X software available, just do a search with "os x" added at the end.

Here's a good start: http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/macsimum_migration_kit_finite_element_analysis_products_for_the_mac

[mizanation]

a lot of the stuff he needs is not available for OSX. also, there is no way to tell if it will even work with bootcamp, unfortunately, since these engineering programs are so obscure and quirky.

[Tiranis]

a lot of the stuff he needs is not available for OSX. also, there is no way to tell if it will even work with bootcamp, unfortunately, since these engineering programs are so obscure and quirky.

Ehhh... I just linked him to an article exactly about the field he's taking courses in. What are you talking about?

And even if none of those are what he's looking for, then the programs he uses now will obviously work in Bootcamp because it's no different from having dell/hp/sony with windows.

[Lucas]

11 inch vaio thosse are really nice

or the very thin toshiba with the flip screen

Or 12 inch powerbook

[todesengel]

Lenovo X or T series are the top of the PC game. MacBooks are cool, but I've yet to see one that hasn't started to look like shit after a few months of regular use. They are cool, though.

[Tiranis]

Lenovo X or T series are the top of the PC game. MacBooks are cool, but I've yet to see one that hasn't started to look like shit after a few months of regular use. They are cool, though.

My looks brand new, except for one slightly dented corner because I dropped it. I've had it for 8 months now, 8hrs/day usage.

[Lucas0607]

Get a fucking mac.

I was once an avid windows user, wanted a mac, tried it, never looked back. I Love it.

Macbook is your best bet or go pro if you want more power.= bigger though.

Good luck man

[FaSHioNaBLe_MoDErN_MAn]

I think for my case macbook is definitely out of the question and the prices are ridiculously expensive well. It cost 250pounds more here for the same model in the US. I better stick with windows.

which processor is better? Intel or AMD? does it matters much? The HP tablet(link is above) that I am looking for is AMD processor and I have been using Intel all my life so I am not sure about this...any thoughts?

[BoardC3]

Do not buy a tablet, from someone who worked in best buy computers for a summer, 80-90% of tablets sold have broken hinges within ONE month. also but a core 2 duo over AMD (if you really cant get a mac)

[baladoongdoong]

Get a fucking mac.

I was once an avid windows user, wanted a mac, tried it, never looked back. I Love it.

Macbook is your best bet or go pro if you want more power.= bigger though.

Good luck man

sadly, i dun really feel u on that man...i just converted to an imac this year after my toshiba m30 crashed on me.

guess wat, the fooking 512MB ram aint enough man! its running like a snail n even when just safari is opened with 2 to 3 browsers sometimes! wtf!!! (of course no other programs opened in the background)

just made me regret it man, money spent couldve been used for far better purposes in life!

[todesengel]

which processor is better? Intel or AMD? does it matters much? The HP tablet(link is above) that I am looking for is AMD processor and I have been using Intel all my life so I am not sure about this...any thoughts?

Intel's laptop processors are better than AMDs, but AMD is much more affordable. Performance wise, you probably won't notice the difference unless you're doing gaming, video/photo editing, etc.

[batorizer]

i just got a new dell 6400 through their small business department because they're the only dell department to still sell a laptop w/ xp. I refuse to use vista and i refuse to use mac's. Like you miz, i'm pretty deep into windows and have been for about 10 years, I'm just not going to the mac side. This new machine has a 15.4" ws, 2gb ram, 1.6ghz core 2 duo, 80gb, and 256mb onboard video memory. It runs very smooth and i've yet to have any problems aside from some hard-to-find intel graphics settings. It was $800 shipped. dell does have an inspiron with a smaller screen (14.1")

[Tiranis]

Intel's laptop processors are better than AMDs, but AMD is much more affordable. Performance wise, you probably won't notice the difference unless you're doing gaming, video/photo editing, etc.

or complex calculations that he's doing... bother to read the thread, have you?

[bigd]

ASUS!! ASUS!! Macs are lame, overpriced, and ubiquitous. Everyone and their mother has one. If you want to be different and smart then get an ASUS. In a school of 2000 people, I'm the only one with an ASUS notebook and I get compliments all the time. The fit and finish and quality of materials on ASUS notebooks is superb. Trust me, when I was in the market for a laptop about a year and a half ago, fit and finish was a priority. I didn't want a laptop that with any flex what so ever and it had to look good, really good. My laptop is almost two years old and I constantly have people come up to me and say "where did you get that." The design isn't pretentious but rather sleek and modern. I don't know where you are from, but you pretty much find an ASUS dealer anywhere. However, if you go online, you can spec out your own laptop however you what and have it delivered to you. I got mine from these guys and the customer service is rather good:

http://istnc.com/laptops.htm

[bigd]

I would also like to add that unlike most laptops, ASUS' can be easily upgraded. I just installed a new 40gb 7200 hard drive myself and it was my first time changing a component on a computer. Moreover, they come standard with a 2 year global warranty.

[Jezebel]

do consider a mac purchase, you wont go back to PC. have lots of mates who have strayed from mac and always returned.

mac heads rock

[soyfunk]

got a Dell M1210 a couple of months ago

it looks nice and i like the media direct feature

i dont do anything labor intensive on it so it surpasses my needs sofar

[defiance]

sadly, i dun really feel u on that man...i just converted to an imac this year after my toshiba m30 crashed on me.

guess wat, the fooking 512MB ram aint enough man! its running like a snail n even when just safari is opened with 2 to 3 browsers sometimes! wtf!!! (of course no other programs opened in the background)

just made me regret it man, money spent couldve been used for far better purposes in life!

1GB isn't even enough on windows these days. lol

[nothx]

I am in the market for a new laptop as well. I really want to try mbp but since i play games occasionally, mac is out right? Why is mac so attactive to you guys? is it because of its stability?

[Scais]

get a pc! my housemate has a mac, and all he does is run windows on it which has crashed twice. Also mac os is hard to pirate programs for

[antoOFCOURSE]

this thread is definitely ... G - A - Y.

[homi29]

whats with everyone jocking MAC so hard...

i'm good enough with PCs that i dont get viruses, know how to keep my system clean of spyware, and optimized windows settings for performance

My logic is mainly, I can run everything I need on PC, but i can't run everything on Mac..

I'd consider a macbook, but then I'd have to learn a whole new OS, and re-DL all my software/games etc etc, which im not sure is worth it in the long run

then again if i do get a laptop it'd mostly be for word processing , surfing the net, and minor graphic editing

[destructodisk]

If you'd really just like to get away from Windows, and don't mind learning a new OS, stick with a PC and just run a Linux distribution and if you don't like that interface, use KDE.

Or, you could get a Windows laptop and wait for the new release of KDE to come out and you'll be able to run it on Windows. That way, you'll have the feel of using a completely different OS, but you'll still have all the benefits of Windows, like running useful applications.