choosing a new laptop

[vhelp]

hi all. i have been shoping for a new laptop and especialy for the best keyboard. i finally found one that i think will work for me. tack-tile feel seems good so far that i tested it several visits when time allowed me. as you can see, the keyboard is a big deal to me.

one thing i am worried about, the os is Windows 7 Home Premium (i think there are three versions, but not sure which is right for me, since i do a lot of programming in delphi 6 standard pe and would need my apps to run in it- but if it doesn't then that is the deal-breaker and i will have to search for another laptop that offers 32 bit)

please give you opinions, pros and cons. as always, thank you.

ASUS X53E-RS93-RD 15.6" Laptop with Intel Pentium B960 Processor, 4GB DDR3, 320GB HDD

The ASUS X53E-RS93-RD offers an expressive combination of technology and style. This 15.6" laptop boasts the battery savings feature ASUS Power4Gear and Palm-Proof technology that prevents accidental input. The highly durable premium aluminum texture in bold red retains its looks and quality even during extensive, prolonged use, allowing you to do more in complete confidence. Best of all, this machine has all the power you need for both work and play. It features a 2.2GHz Intel Pentium B960 processor, a 320GB hard drive, 4GB DDR3 memory, Intel GMA HD graphics and HDMI connectivity that lets connect to an external monitor or HDTV for full 1080p HD playback.

Product Features:

2.2GHz Intel Pentium B960 processor is the classic and reliable choice for basic computing needs
15.6" HD display with 1366 x 768 resolution for a crystal-clear view
320GB, 5,400rpm hard drive stores all your important files
4GB DDR3 memory is expandable to 8GB for even faster performance
DL DVD+/-RW/CD-RW reads and writes a variety of formats
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Wi-Fi lets you connect to a wireless network at home or at a hotspot
On-board 10/100/1000 Mbps fast Ethernet controller for easy wired networking
2 USB 2.0 ports and 1 USB 3.0 port for connecting a wide range of peripherals
Intel GMA HD graphics enhance the multimedia experience
5-in-1 memory card reader is compatible with SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO and SDHC
Built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers for an immersive listening experience
Intel HM65 chipset ensures impressive performance
Integrated 0.3MP webcam for video chats
IceCool Technology uses the superior component engineering and the red aluminum surface to keep the palm rest and typing surfaces cool
ENERGY STAR qualified and EPEAT compliant for environmental friendliness
Palm-Proof technology and Kensington lock offer enhanced security
Chiclet keyboard affords comfortable data entry
Includes Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating system
Inputs/outputs: 2 USB 2.0 ports, USB 3.0 port, RJ-45 LAN, VGA port, HDMI port, headphone-out, microphone-in and 5-in-1 memory card reader
ASUS Power4Gear conserves the 6-cell rechargeable battery's power
Warranty: 1 year global; 1 year accidental damage*

(Model X53E-RS93-RD)

[aedipuss]

i'd look for a toshiba or samsung with an i3 and a 6 cell battery. asus 4 cell batteries have a bad rep for really poor under 2 hour working time. i3 15.6 laptops can be found on sale every couple weeks for ~300 and an i5 occasionally for 400.

[jman98]

Booting will likely be VERY painful with 64 bit Win 7 on that laptop. If that is a really big deal to you, switch to 32 bit or see if you can get a solid state drive to boot from (more cost though). I cannot comment on the Delphi thing as I know nobody who uses that.

Nobody really likes Intel's graphics chips but if you're not going to play bleeding edge games it's probably OK.

[Trippedout]

the on chip grafix of the i3 is realy bad not tryed the i5 but not a fan of on chip grafix that means the proccesor doubles as grafix and realy poorly a very cheep grafix card shows it up its that bad but I cant say anthing on what its meant to be a realy good processor the asus sounds ok compare them in store I dont like laptops to tell the truth id build a desktop not portable but will last much long than laptop will the charger will go on you and expencive to replace ive got my kids laptops here i can use them as door stops now my last pc was 8 years old still going strong but in cardbord box now mind I had to update it just wasent for giveing up btw was hombrew self built asus based.

[vhelp]

i had a few other choices but couldn't pull up the info then. now that i found it, here was my original choice although it doesn't say 32bit or 64bit:

http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers/laptop-computers/product-prod4000084#blank

Model: Toshiba Satellite L875D-S7230 Laptop

Powerful AMD A6-4400m Processor, great multitasking with 4GB RAM, plenty of storage with a 640GB Hard Drive. 17.3¿ HD LED Display with no compromise on portability (6.2lbs). Outstanding battery life at up to 5 hours and 6 minutes.Warranty 1 year limited warranty

Operating System                  Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Series                  AMD A6
Processor Brand                   AMD
Hard Drive Size                   640 GB
Installed Memory                  4 GB
Graphics                          AMD Radeon HD 7520G Dual Graphics
Screen size (in.)                 17.3
Optical drive                     DVD SuperMulti
Number of serial ports            0
Color                             Silver
Modem                             No
Cache memory                      4MB
Storage drive type                5400RPM Serial ATA Hard Disk Drive
Battery life                      Up to 5 hours 6 minutes
Number of DVI ports               0
Number of HDMI outputs            1
Number of IEEE 1394 ports         0
Product weight (lb.)              6.2
VGA port                          Yes
USB port(s)                       Yes
Energy Star compliant             Yes
Media card reader                 Yes
Processor speed                   2.6GHz
Number of game ports              0
Number of S-Video outputs         0
Bluetooth enabled                 Yes
Processor                         AMD A6-4400M Accelerated Processor
Product Size (W x D x H)          10.6 in x 16.3 in x 1.3 in
Wireless capability               Wi-Fi Wireless Networking (802.11b/g/n)
Built-in webcam                   Yes
Networking                        802.11b/g/n

[Trippedout]

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/laptop/3379947/acer-aspire-v3-571-review/?zk=laptop...verdictTab#top

http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/bestbuys/computing/small-laptops

couple links that mite help you decide they will use shared memory so when they say 4 gig it wont be because they use system memory for grafix

[usually_quiet]

i had a few other choices but couldn't pull up the info then. now that i found it, here was my original choice although it doesn't say 32bit or 64bit:

http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers/laptop-computers/product-prod4000084#blank

Model: Toshiba Satellite L875D-S7230 Laptop

The on-chip GPU for the Intel Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge product lines is fine for everyday tasks. The AMD APUs have better graphics, but the CPUs are a bit less powerful. These on-chip GPUs aren't powerful enough for cutting edge games or other GPU-intensive tasks, but that isn't what they are intended for. They are designed to be sufficient for ordinary office work and playing video.

The on-chip graphics shares memory with the CPU, but even if the GPU memory is not shared with the CPU, a 32-bit OS will still only allow the use of less than 4GB of installed RAM. The VGA cards own memory counts against the 4 GB total too. The manufacturer's specs for the Toshiba Satellite L875D-S7230 say Windows Home Premium SP1 64-bit, so installing more than 4GB of RAM is useful. Memory is fairly inexpensive and not difficult to replace on most laptops, so increasing the amount RAM to 8GB is a good upgrade for you to consider.

[aedipuss]

i had a few other choices but couldn't pull up the info then. now that i found it, here was my original choice although it doesn't say 32bit or 64bit:

http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers/laptop-computers/product-prod4000084#blank

Model: Toshiba Satellite L875D-S7230 Laptop

Powerful AMD A6-4400m Processor, great multitasking with 4GB RAM, plenty of storage with a 640GB Hard Drive. 17.3¿ HD LED Display with no compromise on portability (6.2lbs). Outstanding battery life at up to 5 hours and 6 minutes.Warranty 1 year limited warranty

Operating System                  Windows 7 Home Premium
Processor Series                  AMD A6
Processor Brand                   AMD
Hard Drive Size                   640 GB
Installed Memory                  4 GB
Graphics                          AMD Radeon HD 7520G Dual Graphics
Screen size (in.)                 17.3
Optical drive                     DVD SuperMulti
Number of serial ports            0
Color                             Silver
Modem                             No
Cache memory                      4MB
Storage drive type                5400RPM Serial ATA Hard Disk Drive
Battery life                      Up to 5 hours 6 minutes
Number of DVI ports               0
Number of HDMI outputs            1
Number of IEEE 1394 ports         0
Product weight (lb.)              6.2
VGA port                          Yes
USB port(s)                       Yes
Energy Star compliant             Yes
Media card reader                 Yes
Processor speed                   2.6GHz
Number of game ports              0
Number of S-Video outputs         0
Bluetooth enabled                 Yes
Processor                         AMD A6-4400M Accelerated Processor
Product Size (W x D x H)          10.6 in x 16.3 in x 1.3 in
Wireless capability               Wi-Fi Wireless Networking (802.11b/g/n)
Built-in webcam                   Yes
Networking                        802.11b/g/n

crappy cpu - the A6-4400M includes only one module with two integer-cores and one floating-point core. As a result, the CPU is not a true dual-core processor.

[vhelp]

these are things i never knew about in laptops. its disapointing to know they still utilize these sort of tricks. oh, and i'm not a gamer, if that helps. i will probably increase the ram to max if necessary. i would like a *very* fast startup and shutdown.

my price tag was suppose to be to $500, but now it looks like i may need to increase that. if i may ask, what do each of you guys/gals recommend in a new laptop, per usage below ?

main useage for the new laptop will be for:
* web surfing, youtube and other website video playback, 360/480/720/1080
* video encoding to h264 via x264 encoder (mp4 and/or mkv containers)
* delphi 6 programming
* ms access database development (work we use 2003 but they are now pushing to off 2010, these are professional versions, our sys/os are 32bit)

again, thank you.

[budz]

http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptop-finder#4294965746%204294965347%204294964282

Check out these laptops from Toshiba, AMD Quad core cpu. Just my 2 cents!

[aedipuss]

the price on this one with a quad core today is pretty nice. i've had good experiences with toshibas.

http://www.buy.com/prod/toshiba-satellite-p755d-s5378-15-6-notebook-amd-fusion-a8-3500...224474247.html

[jman98]

* video encoding to h264 via x264 encoder (mp4 and/or mkv containers)

This is one of the reasons why desktops still exist. Plus you can't really upgrade laptops so you are stuck with what you buy. Just something to think about.

[Trippedout]

aedipuss yep thats just the kind of thing vhelp should be thinking about nice one.

[Steve(MS)]

How well does that AMD processor handle the x264 converter?
I see it here: http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-A-Series-A8-3500M-Notebook-Processor.55755.0.html

My old 2009 laptop has a T4300 dual core, everytime I use it with the x264 or ffmpeg, it pegs the needle on my processor, I wouldn't trust it not to make an error for conversion...it is also much slower than my desktop's processor.

I see some of these gaming computers, they usually have the i7-3610QM Quad-Core in them but the price of the laptops start roughly at 750 and go up from there, depending on graphics card, etc.

Perhaps another factor would be when is a good time to catch laptops on sale.

[orsetto]

They all entail a compromise in one way or another: if the keyboard is great: the trackpad stinks, if it has an expansion slot: the screen is awful, if the screen is good: battery life may suck, etc. I'm very particular about keyboards, the best I've used are Samsung, Lenovo, and several Toshibas.

Samsungs are a nice balance overall and my current preference. They were much pricier last year, but now very competitive with Toshiba. Models change quickly at the low end/midrange so you need to jump on one if you like it. Only minor problem I've had with Samsungs is their USB controller is incompatible with some external optical drives that use older USB>EIDE chipsets.

The Toshibas vary widely in keyboard quality: some models are bad, some are great, you need to check for yourself. The cheaper Toshibas typically had the less-nice keyboards and lacked some features compared to the competition, but this seems to have changed recently and their current lineup seems more balanced at each price point. Toshiba has by far the widest choice of specs and internal components housed in the same chassis. If you like a particular Toshiba model's keyboard and screen but don't like the CPU, HDD or memory you can cross-shop multiple vendors for alternate versions of the same laptop.

The upper-model "consumer" Lenovo laptops feel zippy in video conversion performance with nice keyboard/trackpad/screens, but they're overpriced and known to have thorny compatibility issues with generic Windows installations. Since you may want to downgrade/sidegrade to 32-bit OS, you should probably avoid Lenovo since they really need their custom OEM versions of Windows. The business-oriented Lenovo ThinkPads are quite nice and can be purchased with a 32-bit OS, but the screens are terrible (like, Fisher-Price wouldn't use them in toys terrible). Lenovo laptop burners make lousy video DVDs that don't play well in standard set-tops, and unstable data DVDs: consider them playback-only drives.

HPs have long had horror-show trackpads and lousy keyboard layouts with wonky extra keys, but this was finally corrected in most current models making them much more attractive than they were in 2011. Asus has nice keyboards and good price/performance when on sale, but keyboard durability can be dodgy. The Dells sold in retail chains look good but have poor track records for durability, the better-built "business" models they sell direct tend to be expensive.

[Hoser Rob]

Beware cheaper machines with AMD 4 core cpus ... they're cheapo processors lacking features. Believe it or not, on the cinebench benchmark ... which is pretty relevant for users of this forum ... and mpst other benchmarks they are outperformed by Intel i3 (which has hyperthreading) machines at a similar price.

I'll never ever buy an amd powered computer agai.

[usually_quiet]

Beware cheaper machines with AMD 4 core cpus ... they're cheapo processors lacking features. Believe it or not, on the cinebench benchmark ... which is pretty relevant for users of this forum ... and mpst other benchmarks they are outperformed by Intel i3 (which has hyperthreading) machines at a similar price.

That is a misleading statement. Here is a review pitting the fastest locked AMD LLano 4-core, an A8-3850, against an i3-2105 using Cinebench. http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1649/9/ Yes the i3 beat the A8 for single core tasks, which is no surprise since, for one thing, the i3 is a 3.1GHz processor and the A8 is a 2.9Ghz processor. ...but hyperthreading is not as good as 4 real cores. The A8 came out ahead when all cores were utilized.

[Gabriel]

I am by no means an expert on laptops having recently bought my first one. It is an asus u56e-bal7 which is now discontinued and replaced by this

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+6GB+Memory+-+750GB+Hard+Dr...customerreview

both of which have similar specs and are much like those you listed except larger hard drive and more ram and an i5 processor.

I'm very pleased with its performance to date. When I bought it the touch pad didn't work right but a call to asus support they talked me through the steps to upgrade the soft ware. It seems to me it should have come upgraded, but in any event it works great now. Is very cool running. I have no complaints about it at all; that is saying a lot.

The newer model is currently 549.00 at best buy. I’m not a big fan of best buy but the product seems pretty good to me. Key board is better than many; not as good as standard but it becomes easier the more I use it.

[aedipuss]

gahh i'm confused what are they calling second gen i3/i5/i7 in laptops selling now. is it the ivy bridge based mobile cpus? which are actually the 3rd gen "i" series - 1-arrandale, 2-sandybridge, 3-ivybridge.

[Trippedout]

geez I dont know why this h.264/avc is populer iits like steping back in time conversion wise Ill stick wiith mpg2hd. slow and just silly if you ask me is it blueray or somthing dont even know what it is I can do mpg2fullhd in about 3 to 4 mins cant even be botherd leting it finsh to find out how long it takes this 264 thingy better things to do than step back in time runs about 60% cpu on my 4 core amd 965 black edtion does it come out gold plated or something if its a blueray thing glad i never boght one if you want to use this format you better buy something realy expencive and thats a fact or you will be waiting long time mind im converting from mpg so that mite be the reson for being slow not for me that formate geting flash backs to early 90s with this formate buying a laptop to do that idd say is just plain kraze

[zoobie]

huh?

[Trippedout]

just as I said above chap wants to buy a laptop to convert to that format I just test it out and its just kraze if you ask me as I said I can convert mpg2fullhd or vod in about 3 minets you cant do that with that formate very slow or maybe i did something wrong if i dident its like steping back in time as I said

[vhelp]

i meant as an option to encode on the laptop. my outdated 2-core desktop will continue in its chores.

i have not purchased anything yet. i really want to be able to testdrive the keyboards, unfortunately i cannot test via online. i think what i will end up doing is going to the following stores: BJ's, bestbuy, and staples, because they have a whole line of them that i can actually touch. i admit, i didn't pay serious attention to any of them when i stopped in those stores. so my next visits will be more serious and spend more time on each laptop, plus ask questions. hopefully i'll get a smart person.

i'm going over the deep end here-- i was thinking, if i could test each out via usb stick and some apps, what should i bring that will give me a better idea of how each performs, prob has to be small. i can talk to a couple of sales people that know me. like, command line or windows tools. maybe i can build a small (crude) performance guage tool and user-friendly video source file to bring with me to test each laptop. sort of a one-button does it all in under a minute kind of thing. what you guys think?

[yoda313]

About the laptop - is this going to be essentially a desktop replacement unit? Or is this meant to be used on the go? If its mostly going to be stationary why not use a usb keyboard?

If this is meant to go traveling or used out of doors and that kind of stuff than I can understand more about being picky with the keyboard. But if its just going to sit on a desk I'd just use another keyboard.

Just my two cents....

[Trippedout]

yes that sounds a good idea try to get one with the best
Processor you can aford and the clues bellow will help
DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM, 2 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 8 G SDRAM :clue 1

NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M with 1GB/2GB DDR3 VRAM :clue 2

500GB 7200rpm :clue 3

[vhelp]

after a lot of searching around, i think i am finally leaning towards this one:

Dell Inspiron 14R.
* 14" wxga ws
* intel core i3-2350M
* 6g ram, 500g hdd,
* 5.5 h battery, 5.3lb
* windows 7 home premium

(there are several model variations, but this one i liked the most bc the keyboard was excellent)

[Trippedout]

nice choice thats the idea 3 hours battery life under test conditions has a 5400rpm HDD you could always update at a latter date to 7200rpm HDD but for performance improvement would impact on battery life thats why components are so poor in laptops battery life instead of improving the batteries they down grade the components old calculators had small solar panels to help with battery life you would think they would come up with something that would help take performance the other way but thats the way it is.

[vhelp]

ok, so everyone was out of the 14R, so after some more searching around, here is what i took home instead.

here are the final specs: Dell Inspiron 15R

cpu: i3-2370M dual-core 2.4Ghz 3mb cache, 6g ram, 750g hdd, Intel HD graphics, 15.6" display
software: win 7 home prem 64bit, off 2010 starter w/ advertising (i guess i won't be installing that after all)
hardware: dvd+/-RW drive, wireless-N, webcam, hdmi, waves maxaudio, usb 3
oh, and a nice finger-friendly keyboard.

its nice, and i think i will be very happy with it.

so now comes the hardest part, installing/setting it up. one of the first things i want to do when i get to that area, is image it quickly, so that i can experiment with different setups and things. i am open to and tips and things before i get started, later on.

[Trippedout]

I would have sujested Seagate Discwizard but win7 has a very good wizard of its own a place I use alot is pc pitstop and speed guide.net and blackvipper having a look at these site mite help you set the laptop up give you some ideas the adds in office should be ok i had ms works with adds and had no probs untill i damged the cd rom it was on careless me as per rember backup first before instaling anything idont know if you can make a boot disk like you can with discwizard and install back up from memory stick or card reader have fun with your laptop all the best