[Godotology]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

light weight... for a tiny college freshman.. under 5lbs? lol.. (i can't even really lift a 5lb barbell)..

is there one particular that you or anyone have in mind that matches some if not all the specifies?

thanks!!

light weight means you'll have to sacrifice screen size. There is no 15" laptop that is under 5lbs. The lightest is the Asus V6 series is at 5.5 and a Samsung model also around that weight (Samsung does not sell in the US due to a deal with Dell).

14" will be barely squeezing it as they can range around 4.5 to 5.5lbs

so you're really going to be looking at 12-13.3". I'm guessing you might be new to buying laptops, so you should stop by a store and see if you're really comfortable with those screen sizes.

Cheapest new model would be the Dell 710m for 12", it's silver just like how you'd like it. MSI has some nice 12" widescreen models but they are either black or white.

13.3' you're stuck with just the Sony Vaio SZ, Asus Z35f (coming soon), and the Fujitsu S series

if you're willing to move up to 14" and carry something borderline 5lbs, there's the Dell E14xx series, Asus Z62f (silver and a good deal next to the dell), Asus W3 series, MSI 1022

[xxlilshortyxx]

i'm planing to buy a laptop this summer and i'm not sure what i should buy. do u know what i should get? i want sumthing with a lot of space and memory, light mayb 5lb or less, thin, widescreen. so any recommendationS???

[Godotology]

i'm planing to buy a laptop this summer and i'm not sure what i should buy. do u know what i should get? i want sumthing with a lot of space and memory, light mayb 5lb or less, thin, widescreen. so any recommendationS???

pretty much the same thing I told the person above me who is also looking for something similar.
Hard drive "space" and memory are easily configurable on any laptop. 5lbs or less limits you to laptops from 14" and down.

[luckycarrienew]

NB---->Freedom!!!

[Seria]

Im wondering.. is MAC a better OS for multimedia stuff than Windows? My course is about digital graphics (3d, 2d animation, web, digital arts, etcetc) .. Is MAC the way to go? (Im on windows all my life but Im willing to adapt) I heard some great reviews on the MAC OS.. Plus I think they're more lightweight and travel friendly than my hp pavillion zv6000.. Should I go for Macbook Pro (or maybe wait for the powerbook g5..if it does come out o_o).. But my mind is open for other options instead of mac..

should be powerful enough for high end graphic editing, reasonable size and weight (i only commute to college), and good all round specs though. Money is no issue...

[Godotology]

Im wondering.. is MAC a better OS for multimedia stuff than Windows? My course is about digital graphics (3d, 2d animation, web, digital arts, etcetc) .. Is MAC the way to go? (Im on windows all my life but Im willing to adapt) I heard some great reviews on the MAC OS.. Plus I think they're more lightweight and travel friendly than my hp pavillion zv6000.. Should I go for Macbook Pro (or maybe wait for the powerbook g5..if it does come out o_o).. But my mind is open for other options instead of mac..

should be powerful enough for high end graphic editing, reasonable size and weight (i only commute to college), and good all round specs though. Money is no issue...

hmm depends what kind of programs you use. So far, the only thing I heard where MAC programs have a big advantage in, is primarily video editting. otherwise well known 2-D stuff like Photoshop, and 3-D stuff like Maya, etc are windows (or both).

Your zv6000 is pretty big for a 15.4". I'm guessing you want a thinner 15.4" or are you wanting to move down? Apple has a 15.4" model with the x1600 and a 13.3" with integrated graphics. Both seem to have some serious heat issues, but other wise have good design and build.

in any case, based on your need for 3-d rendering, you'll need something with a vid card, and thus you're limited to 14" and 15.4" mahcines.

for 14": by far.. Asus A8jm or W3j. the A8jm has the Nvidia Go 7600 and a built in webcam, not sure on the price but its going to be between $1500-1600. the W3j has an ATi x1600, and going to be either $1699 or 1799. The reason why the W3j is more expensive is because it uses carbon fiber on the lid and chassis. I'd go for the A8jm. Both will start shipping next week.. they're very new models. These two models by far, rule the 14" widescreen market. No other notebook in the US offers the same power.

for 15 and 15.4": Asus V6 series. the V6J is the current model with Core Duo. But there's a rebate ont he older V6va. V6J is 1799-1899.. but the V6va has a rebate that m akes it around 1499 (or was it 1599). I seriously reccomend the V6va even though its just a Pentium M, not a Core Duo. the V6va has an IPS screen (one of the best for a laptop) and an x700 card, which beats the V6J's Nvidia 7400 card. It's also cheaper too! Both V6s are the lightest 15" laptop in the US, at 5.5lbs. It's also very sleek and got an all aluminum palm rest (no fading).
In the future, Asus will release the V1J, which basically looks like the 15.4" version of the W3J. It will also use the x1600.
There is the Asus S96J (a good value) and the MSI 1039. both have an x1600 but they're heavier and I think you'd probably want something considerably lighter than your HP right?

[krnforsale]

ok im' gona byt one at the end of the summer...will there be significantly better ones out??

[Godotology]

ok im' gona byt one at the end of the summer...will there be significantly better ones out??

there will always be more out, especially by the end of summer when the back to school season starts. Intel's prices should also drop by then too.

[LeN]

firstly, thanks for writing this guide for us Range

like others, i'm also planning to get a laptop
i mostly use it for browsing the net, basic photoshoping and watching dvds
i was interested in 14" but the choices were little as i'm looking for both performance as well as look-wise

i've been looking at sony FE series (15") but i read some bad reviews about the battery...it only lasts for about 2 hours though performance is great considering it's a dual core
i heard that there are some issues about dual core, is that right?
should i get a dual core or just a normal pentium M?
i'm a heavy multi-tasker as i like to open many applications at once
is upgrading the ram to 2gb necessary? considering i'm a multi-tasker and i don't like slow computer

would appreciate your opinion on sony FE series,,thanks before-hand!


ps. i have about 3 months to look for the laptop cuz i need one to go with me to overseas,,i know 15" would be heavy to carry but i don't plan to bring it along with me everywhere

[Godotology]

firstly, thanks for writing this guide for us Range

like others, i'm also planning to get a laptop
i mostly use it for browsing the net, basic photoshoping and watching dvds
i was interested in 14" but the choices were little as i'm looking for both performance as well as look-wise

i've been looking at sony FE series (15") but i read some bad reviews about the battery...it only lasts for about 2 hours though performance is great considering it's a dual core
i heard that there are some issues about dual core, is that right?
should i get a dual core or just a normal pentium M?
i'm a heavy multi-tasker as i like to open many applications at once
is upgrading the ram to 2gb necessary? considering i'm a multi-tasker and i don't like slow computer

would appreciate your opinion on sony FE series,,thanks before-hand!
ps. i have about 3 months to look for the laptop cuz i need one to go with me to overseas,,i know 15" would be heavy to carry but i don't plan to bring it along with me everywhere

what kind of performance are you looking for? most laptops can be customized with higher/lower GPU, HD and RAM. are you talking about a video card? those are more model specific.

the Batterly life for the FE series is decent. 2 hours is more like watching DVD and playing some games. 4 hours is possible with more conservative use of it.
check out this review.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?...view=Sony+FE590

Quite honestly, despite the supposed claims of better battery life for the Core duos.. it seems that when combined with a vid card (ATi or Nvidia).. they get significantly less than their Sonoma and Dothan counterparts (the previous generation of Pentium Ms).

I also think 1GB of Ram is good enough for most people.

Like I told most people, ask at the end of summer when you need it as more models will be out and intel prices will drop.

But as far as performance, portability and looks go:

13: Sony SZ series, Asus W7 (summer release). its actually your only choices for a 13 widescreen with a vid card.. both using an Nvidia Go 7400. The Sony is a nice black and silver. Despite having magnesium in its build and carbon fibre.. it's quite flimsy. The Asus will come in all white or all black.

14: Asus W3V, Asus W3J, Asus A8jm, Compal HGL30. these 3 have the best vid card you can get in a 14" widescreen. the ATi x1600 or Nvidia Go 7600. W3J will be shipping this week and imho, is the best looking. The W3V is last years model. Same look, but has alot of rebates going for it, so it costs around $1299. They both use carbon fibre and aluminum. Asus A8jm is a "budget" model.. in that its all ABS plastic (but still well built).. and has a webcam. Its significantly cheaper than the W3J. Compal HGL 30 is a whitebook. It'll be released in summer and should be cheap and very very configurable. For those who are unfamiliar with Compal.. they are the ODM behind Dell Inspirons and Toshibas. Only the W3V will get 4 hours on conservative use. the others suffer a bit because quite frankly, you trade off battery life for that kind of performance.

15: Asus V6va, V6v, V6j. Asus S96j. MSI 1039. the V6 series is the lightest 15" laptop in the US. It is very good looking. the V6v and V6va are last years model and have big rebates going on. the V6va is a good choice as it has a great IPS screen and an x700 card. the V6j is the Core Duo upgrade but has an Nvidia Go7400 (like with the Sony FE). Asus S96j is a cheaper model but for its price, you get something very powerful with an x1600.. imho it's the best deal on a 15.4" notebook next to Dells E15xx series. However the S96J is bulkier. MSI 1039 has an x1600 but uses a Turion 64 instead of a Core Duo. No word on the battery life.

[LeN]

by the way i'm from australia so there is not many choices here
the FE series here only has 1.66ghz and 512mb ram

so u reckon the price will drop in august? (i guess that's when summer ends in the states?)
but i heard that sony hardly reduces its price and the prices are pretty much the same everywhere

i was looking at sony sz before but i don't like the color (too black for me), though the size would be perfect for mobility and the specs are great
i'm looking for white colour like the FS series
i will have a look at asus, havent considered that
thanks for the recommendations Range!

[Godotology]

by the way i'm from australia so there is not many choices here
the FE series here only has 1.66ghz and 512mb ram

so u reckon the price will drop in august? (i guess that's when summer ends in the states?)
but i heard that sony hardly reduces its price and the prices are pretty much the same everywhere

i was looking at sony sz before but i don't like the color (too black for me), though the size would be perfect for mobility and the specs are great
i'm looking for white colour like the FS series
i will have a look at asus, havent considered that
thanks for the recommendations Range!

Ah, you should have a bit more choices like BenQ which has a nice model in the form of the S series. I think you guys have Samsung too. Asus models that aren't here in the US, should already be available in Australia. And yeah, should be cut by August. And yes, Sony hardly reduces its prices until a model reaches EOL. Quite frankly other than few deals here and there, they are over priced for what you get, and not very high performing. They just look nice.

[Pao!]

Hi Range!

I'm planning to buy a laptop over at Ebay, and after a long search for the laptop for me, i chose these 2:


Dell Inspiron 6000D 1.73GHz DVDRw

Laptop Features

Processor
Intel Pentium M Processor 740 (1.73GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)

Display
15.4 inch WXGA LCD Panel

Memory
512MB, Shared DDR2,533MHZ 2 Dimms

Hard Drive
40GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive

Video Card
ATI Mobility Radeon X300 64MB HyperMemory Video Card

Operating System
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Network Card
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Adobe Software
Adobe� Acrobat� Reader 6.0

Combo Drives
8X DVD+/-RW Drive

Wireless Networking
Dell Wireless 1370 Internal Wireless (802.11b/g, 54Mbps)

Productivity Software
Corel WordPerfect word processor only (Pre-Installed)

Misc Software Roxio Creator Basic/MyDVD Basic , Sonic Cineplayer
Battery
53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Limited Warranty, Services & Support Options
1 Year Limited Warranty

Dial-Up Internet
AOL

Digital Imaging
Paint Shop Pro Standard


-OR-



Dell E1405 Intel Duo Core 1.66ghz Mobile Processing Power w/2MB Cache & 677MHz FSB

LCD Panel: 14.1" WXGA (1280X800) Widescreen Display
Hard Drive: 80GB SATA 5400rpm Hard Drive
Combo/DVD+RW Drives: 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer (dual layer) DVD+R write capability
Memory: 1GB DDR2 533Mhz High Speed Memory
Primary Battery: 6 Cell Battery
Video: Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Wireless Networking Card: Dell 1390 WIFI Wireless 802.11b/g, 54Mbps Mini Card
Operating System: Genuine Windows XP Media Center
Audio: Integrated HIGH DEFINITION
Software: Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0, CyberLink PowerDVD v5.5, Corel WordPerfect 12, Symantec PC Restore Recovery System, Paint Shop Pro, McAfee 7.0 90-day Trail
Warranty: 1Yr Ltd Warranty, 1Yr Mail-In Service, and 1Yr HW Warranty Support

-------------------
The first one is being sold to me at USD800 including shipping, while the 2nd one is sold to me for USD900 with shipping too.

Which one do you think is a better buy? Or is it cheaper buying directly from Dell, with these same specs? I trust your opinion and would surely follow whatever you choose. ^^

Thanks sooooo much!!~

[Godotology]

The first one is being sold to me at USD800 including shipping, while the 2nd one is sold to me for USD900 with shipping too.

Which one do you think is a better buy? Or is it cheaper buying directly from Dell, with these same specs? I trust your opinion and would surely follow whatever you choose. ^^

Thanks sooooo much!!~

I'm pretty sure you could get both much cheaper by buying directly from Dell. not sure how much cheaper but I last recalled the latter model could be as low as $600! I'm pretty sure Xarthan would agree too.

Furthermore, the first model is last years model.. it's already been phased out of dell's line up and replaced by a Core Duo version.. and quite frankly.. neither is the best for gaming..even if the Inspiron 6000D has an x300 card (its very very low end). However at least with the E1405.. you got something lighter and more portable with a nice battery life. Try time your purchase with some Dell coupons.. I usually spot them at forum.notebookreview.com. Although they get used up fast.. you save a heap load of money!

[hayashi_hoshi]

by the way i'm from australia so there is not many choices here
the FE series here only has 1.66ghz and 512mb ram

so u reckon the price will drop in august? (i guess that's when summer ends in the states?)
but i heard that sony hardly reduces its price and the prices are pretty much the same everywhere

i was looking at sony sz before but i don't like the color (too black for me), though the size would be perfect for mobility and the specs are great
i'm looking for white colour like the FS series
i will have a look at asus, havent considered that
thanks for the recommendations Range!

Hi there,
I'm in Australia as well here and I just bought a Sony FE18, which is the Core Duo 1.83 GHz. The Asus V6 series, as range said is a great laptop, it's light and Asus is quite well build. However, just keep in mind that V6 series in Australia is very expensive. Price wise it will go beyond AU$3000. You can find Sony FE15 with core duo 1.66 Ghz for less than AU$2200. If you look for great design, you can try to have a look at LG S1-J3A2A and Samsung X60. Both has the same processor as Sony FE15. The LG will cost you around AU$2400 and Samsung is at a dear AU$2800.

Just to let you know, the FE series is not a bad laptop, been using it for 2 weeks and never crashed once, surprising considering im using windows. But the DVD-RW and the keyboard is kinda noisy. And so many bloatware pre installed, took me a while to remove the unecessary ones. Otherwise, it's a great laptop.

[luckycarrienew]

N B

[tieulongnhi]

I orderd the dell inspiron e1505 last night... how is that? lol.. hope it fits the category!!

[Jin]

Dell is releasing a hot ultraportable next week.

A Core Duo, 12.1" ultraportable with DVD-RW integrated, optional integrated webcam and dedicated graphics.

If a small, powerful laptop is what you're looking for, WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK!

[Godotology]

Dell is releasing a hot ultraportable next week.

A Core Duo, 12.1" ultraportable with DVD-RW integrated, optional integrated webcam and dedicated graphics.

If a small, powerful laptop is what you're looking for, WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK!

yeap, the XPS 1210 was it? it's quite nice, I hope it comes with a good price tag like most of their other models.

[tieulongnhi]

^^ are you serious? lol.. i ordered online at dell.com.. is it possible to cancel now!?!?!?! hmm but whats the price of that?