Help With Buying A New Laptop

[bozodos]

plx explain?

[D_C]

all the alienwares ive had to fix were either motherboard replacements, (ie mobo will just completely die for absolutely no reason, this seemed to be the most common issue, user would try to turn it on 1 day and get absolutely nothing) the second most common issue was the GPUs dying.

and a personal opinion, the cooling of the alienwares (m17x anyway) is shit, especially when you compare it to a G73.

[Beer Baron]

That link does not have a SSD for 3k

It has 3x 640GB 5400rpm spinners.

I know. read again. I have 2 laptops. I was talking about the Z seriies with the SSDs which is 4k and linked before. I said I also have the big boy. it doesn't have SSDs and costs 3K. but does have some other great gear. including a beautiful full HD display.

[iseekool]

I have one of those

The Asus G73: Intel i7, 8Gb DDR 3 Ram, ATI 5870m video chip, 2x500Gb SATAs. I got mine for ~$2.3k which makes it one of the 'better value' desknotes around for the performance.

Only weakness would be the lack of SDDs in the Asus but it comes with 2 HDD bays & swapping HDDs is one of the few upgrades you can do to a laptop yourself.

The Alienware is like a Veryon gaming laptop as you can config it to have the fastest video card configuration (dual 5870ms) while the Asus is more like a performance Jap import, not the fastest but good performance for the price.

That is actually good value - swap the 2x500GB HDD to 2x256GB SSD and you will be laughing.

But for CAD or professional applications I stress you should be using nVidia based graphics cards. If you an have extra budget best aim for a laptop with nVidia Quadro based graphics - this is becuase these cards are optimised for CAD.

[iseekool]

My rule of thumb for any laptop buyer. Minimum specs

CPU - Must be 2 cores or more and 64 bit - Don't be fooled into thinking having many cores will make it faster - unless you run many virtual machines or software engineered for many cores. More cores are nicer - but will do squat if your sodftware doesn't utilize them.

RAM - As much as you can afford or physicaly put inside the laptop (probably the most important component).

HDD - If the laptop is going to be moved/transported alot - get an SSD drive 64GB should be the minimum. If the laptop is going to be stationary and rarely moved aim for the largest you can afford.

Graphics - Anything that can hardware decode 1080P video. nVidia based systems are the optimal choice for stability and performance on the portable scene.

Other - Aim for a laptop that runs cool - no point buying a laptop that runs hot and has reliability issues.

[DivHunter]

That is actually good value - swap the 2x500GB HDD to 2x256GB SSD and you will be laughing.

But for CAD or professional applications I stress you should be using nVidia based graphics cards. If you an have extra budget best aim for a laptop with nVidia Quadro based graphics - this is becuase these cards are optimised for CAD.

You mean the drivers are, it's essentially exactly the same hardware. In fact drivers have been hacked before to swap between rendering type apps and gaming on the same cards.

[R31Nismoid]

I know. read again. I have 2 laptops. I was talking about the Z seriies with the SSDs which is 4k and linked before. I said I also have the big boy. it doesn't have SSDs and costs 3K. but does have some other great gear. including a beautiful full HD display.

you need to speak better englishs

[Messiah]

bah damn mac critics.

before anyone calls me an artfag... i'm a unix sysadmin... hence osx is a great option... BSD CLI, plus interoperability with MS exhange servers for mail plus cisco compatible vpn client built in.

Now its not about better specs, i agree its pricy, what i recommended it for was the package.

17inch anti glare screen. really useful trackpad (not the useless pc ones) great graphics adapters (two gpu's.. one for video... one for number crunching) dvi out, 500gb 7200 rpm hd 4 gig of ram. plus toys (cam light sensing screen /keyboard dimming etc etc)

Plus its multi os capable, so osx, windows or pic a linux distro. As far as some pc laptops go.. windows and probaby ubuntu but no guarentees due to driver issues.

I agree, not equal spec for spec with some offerings like the g73, but a very well thought out package.

[bozodos]

unix!?, where do you work? I'd prefer an actual Linux distro to OSX gayness kthx (then again I can't really see any point in running one apart from maybe security!?), and the trackpads are f**king awful, my 4 year old HP has a better trackpad than the current macbooks!

Macs + Active Directory domains + roaming profiles = shithouse btw!

The macfag types at work keep up this bullshit about how we should run Linux servers to serve their special needs, they also tend to try and talk up the virtues of thin clients lol.

[IOWNU]

Hi Guys,

I am also in the market for a new laptop.

But my budget is around the 1000-1500 mark.

What is so bad about HP? I currently have a Toshiba which I have found to be excellent and only recently has it had issues after many years.

I would prefer Toshiba or Asus, but for the $$$, it seems HP offer more, here are HPs im looking at:

http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/29399 (HP DV6-2119TX Core i7, 4GB, 640GB, Blu-Ray Burner, TV Tuner, 1GB Video $1,295.10)

or

https://www.mln.com.au/product/?itemID=894

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor • 1.6 GHz

Memory: 6 GB DDR3 (1 x 2048 MB + 1 x 4096 MB)

Storage: 640 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 5400 rpm

Optical Drive: LightScribe SuperMulti DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support

Screen: 15.6 inch diagonal High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display

Video: ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5650 Graphics with 1 GB dedicated

I wouldn't mind paying the same money for a lower-spec laptop that is ASUS or Toshiba.......but yeah, advice would be appreciated.

Also where to go in Melbourne? I checked out Centrecom and MLN so far.

Thanks.

[Messiah]

unix!?, where do you work? I'd prefer an actual Linux distro to OSX gayness kthx (then again I can't really see any point in running one apart from maybe security!?), and the trackpads are f**king awful, my 4 year old HP has a better trackpad than the current macbooks!

Macs + Active Directory domains + roaming profiles = shithouse btw!

The macfag types at work keep up this bullshit about how we should run Linux servers to serve their special needs, they also tend to try and talk up the virtues of thin clients lol.

Currently Westfield, before that News LTD. Great things about macbooks (i'm using a pro btw) is that you can run any os including linux distro's windows and osx, so spoilt for choice. Under the hood osx is really just a bsd varient, so if your used to bsd itself, or solaris or slackware etc your set, i start pulling teeth out if i have to use putty in windows, so if i can get an OS with a native terminal.... SCORE...

Then comes the problem of email, every office i know uses exchange... which is balls and whist you can connect with evolution if the windows admins have been friendly, you often suffer from niggling issues (like calendar and contacts etc). Office for OSX works quite nicely in that i can deal with the windows centric management stuff which requires office, without being stuck with windows (yes open office is okish to an extent). Cisco VPN is no issue has its built in and is only a click away from connecting... no cisco client software required.

So my requirements have always been a high level of compatibility, not seamless integration. So AD domains, roaming profiles etc... never an issue.

So what it does give me is access to business required software (email and office apps), work required functionality (bash term rsync ssh xforwarding etc etc all the common gnu tools) without need for cygwin and a half decent vpn client.

Now as a disclaimer, at work, my desktop is a pc, so its running ubuntu with windows running in a vmware workstation instance (i need to be able to do things quick so i skip the more industrial nix varients for a desktop). But for a laptop that needs to double for work AND pleasure (i do photography stuff too...so photoshop gets thrown in) the max works out quite nicely.

And what do you mean the track pads awful... the multi touch makes like so much easier.

[DivHunter]

I was going to say stuff but it's already been said.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/macbookpro-app...eview-1513.html

[bozodos]

from what I'd been told, the OSX/Linux integration at least left a lot to be desired! interesting set up you have there, in my workplace it's quite the opposite outcome needed, seamless integration is what we want and get with 99% of the network apart from the god damn macs.

What's so bad about putty, my sysadmins seem to cope fine with that!

In regards to exchange, most of the problems we have (well almost all of them in fact!) relate back to the Cisco call manager software we have :S

[SoFreshSoClean]

I was going to say stuff but it's already been said.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/macbookpro-app...eview-1513.html

All this stuff is null and void as apple have upgraded the macbooks recently to i5/i7 etc etc

[trance]

if your going to use cad as a primary function, your looking at the wrong lineup of notebooks. div is on the mark, look for nvidia quadro powered notebooks. that type of notebook is generally called a "mobile workstation".

anything over 15.6" is going to see the price range go up and over $5-6k, so if your budget is at $4k, might need to consider the screen. the resolution on most mobile workstations are higher than the gaming notebooks anyhow.

ps: all the bickering over brands is lol. ultimately, its service you should look for in a notebook. unfortunately for the anti-apple tribes, they have the best service (apple). imo there is no difference in support from dell/hp/lenovo/toshiba, the only way youll get great service is with carepacks (that includes apple as well). asus have a slight advantage for people whom dont purchase carepacks, due to the amount of asustek service centres in australia (i think its 1/state). normally offer pickup/delivery to all metro areas and you can drop your notebook off at the centre.

i dont know enough about dell in regards to whether they use authorised repair centres or have their own, but generally (in order):

apple (combined; apple genius bar, authorised agents)

asus (combined; asus service centre, authorised agents)

toshiba (combined; toshiba mobilecare/procare, toshiba authorised service providers)

samsung (combined; samsung service plaza, authorised agents)

hp (authorised agents)

lenovo (authorised agents)

--

dell (?)

anyway, gl!

ps bozo: everything in our office is microsoft, but cant knock the osx environment for what most mac users operate in (or can you?? ). i cant navigate the osx ship like i can the windows/server ship, but the old man has a mac and i pissfart around with the ios4 sdk off of it; nice light os.

[bozodos]

nah piece of shit OS that breaks at random, adobe products which operate exactly the same in both platforms, dont f**king work at random for no apparent reason (even the CS5 test machine gives errors when exiting the program LOL), can't specify any individual updates to them, even Itunes is still horrible! The superiority complex of the users is hell annoying too!

Most of these persistent problems have an inevitable answer of "oh you have to make all users local admins." which will never ever happen. Certain computers also won't let some users log onto them for no apparent reason too, or you have to restart it to log in!

Dell ProSupport is fkn awesome, I ring them at least once a day (have an all Dell workplace except for tape backup, switching/phone gear and Macs), but some of their other departments in India are just as useless as any of the others. Their delivery of parts and subcontracted warranty jobs are very fast and efficient too.

[DivHunter]

All this stuff is null and void as apple have upgraded the macbooks recently to i5/i7 etc etc

You'd think so, shame they are still overpriced and have the same software. All the same concepts still apply as they do to almost all Apple products, I'm assuming almost but I can't think of one.

[Messiah]

from what I'd been told, the OSX/Linux integration at least left a lot to be desired! interesting set up you have there, in my workplace it's quite the opposite outcome needed, seamless integration is what we want and get with 99% of the network apart from the god damn macs.

What's so bad about putty, my sysadmins seem to cope fine with that!

In regards to exchange, most of the problems we have (well almost all of them in fact!) relate back to the Cisco call manager software we have :S

Ahhh well theres your problem... your trying to integrate linux into osx... One thing i will step up and agree on 100%, OSX is not what i'd use if i wanted to run enterprise style linux software. yes i can do it, but its not nice. Yes you could whack an httpd instance on there and get it to server mail and do a few novel things, but i wouldnt use it to develop on or as a facsimile of a linux machine. When it comes to working with linux, being able to xforward netbackup or legato clients, scp or rsync to and from the desktop, not have to specify my username every time i try and open a new connection to a box all make getting the job done that little bit easier and faster. yes you can do it on widows, but its always a little awkward, open a putty session, open up a winscp client, dick around trying to create certs to save a little time sshing to boxes. It can be done, it just takes more time than its worth.

I use linux as a desktop, so i can do perl shenanegans on demand have bajillions of virtual desktops and basically be a close to the OS's i'm working on as possible. That comes at a price of not playing nice with most windows centric corporate networks, but it can be worked around.

All i need in the office is my tools of the trade (linux stuff) an rdp client and a fully windows compatible mail client and office suite... probably visio too and in my old place of work a way of loading a internet explorer only crm. Hence the vmware instance and windows. 90% of the work is *nix... hence 90% of my tools are.

tbh things like call manager etc i can live without... i'll just use my phone the old fashioned way.

When moving about and using my laptop, i dont want to have to deal with a vmware all the time, power saving variable clock speeds, limited resources (compared to a full blown pc) etc etc make running two os's at the same time undesirable.

Also i dont want to have to switch between os's to perform different tasks... nix for nitty gritty fun stuff.... save info to file and push to the windows partition reboot to windows and do reporting stuff in office 2008 cos some manager somewhere insists on the latest microsoft format.

So if i wanted an os where i could interact pretty well with linux, deal with any random business crap and do the own leisure odds and ends without switching os's part way through osx is the one that does the job.

But i agree, if you want great linux integration.. use linux, windows integration, use windows. but doing windows work on linux or vice versa is a pain in the ass. hence osx.

[Leroy Peterson]

I need a new work laptop. my 3.5yro Lenovo is struggling to keep up and has served me well. Work software is very varied, some of it is really poorly optimised while some of it has never been updated since Win98. I would like to have something with decent grunt, 15" screen, dont care for touchscreen. Would like to play some games when away for work, so integrated graphics is a no-go. I havent used Win10 much, but will definitely be holding on to my old laptop for legacy software and guaranteed win10 issues.

Some searching common brands was a bit fruitless and came across the custom laptop game. I really like this Metabox Prime P650RP.

15.6" FHD 1920 x 1080 IPS WVA Matte 60Hz LED
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5 VRAM
Core i7-6700HQ Processor (6M Cache up to 3.50 GHz)
16GB DDR4 2133MHZ (1 x 16GB)
Crucial MX300 525GB SATA 3 M.2 SSD
Intel 3165 AC Dual Band WIFI/BT (up to 433 Mbps)
External USB Slim DVD-RW Optical Drive
Win 10 Home 64BIT License & Media - Installed & Ready-Out-Of-The-Box
1 Year Platinum + 1 Year Extended Premium Care Protection

Spare AC Adaptor 200W

$2,300AUD delivered. (thats with not many optionals, and one downgrade)

It seems like a great price. almost, too good.

Does anyone have experience or recommendations for these boutique or custom laptop companies? Similar spec (some higher) laptops for other companies didnt get much change from $3k, so I'm a bit skeptical.

[niZmO_Man]

Have you checked out MSi? I probably mentioned it in this thread, but they are well build machines. Can't comment on Metabox, never used or seen lol.