<p>How are Toshibas?</p>
<p>well, I wasn’t just talking about ram. as far as i know, u can remove and upgrade anything on a thinkpad and i’m guessing it’s harder if not impossible to do it with the mac’s unibody. the hard drive is even easier to upgrade than the ram and it doesn’t void the warranty; only takes one screw on the thinkpad. u wont give a damn about voiding the warranty if u laptop only comes w/ the default 1-year warranty.</p>
<p>dunno if this applies to most people, but in a few years, dust will accumulate in the fan and u might wanna be able disassemble ur laptop to clean it.</p>
<p>yeah, after a year you’ll want to at least dust it out, or it’ll begin frying on you.</p>
<p>my brother used a vacuum to suck out all the dust XD</p>
<p>i bought some compressed oxygen for mine.</p>
<p>huh, ok wow that’s cool, didn’t know thinkpads gave you that kind of options. i dunno if you could do the same with dells, as they come with longer warranties and would probably not be happy if you did surgery on your laptop before sending it in, lol…</p>
<p>ya that compressed oxygen is good… used to use that on my desktop when i had one.</p>
<p>don’t know anything about Toshibas, sorry. You don’t really see a lot of them on campuses anymore, i don’t think…</p>
<p>I second everything soulkamikaze mentioned in his/her last post…Macs unibodies basically prevent hardware upgrades. You can remove, service, and replace the hard drive, RAM, communication chips (WiFi, Bluetooth, HSDPA), heat sink, and even the motherboard and processor on a Dell XPS without voiding the warranty (as long as the hardware is compatible). </p>
<p>Apple OSX is a candy-coated and oversimplified operating system that hides a lot of processes such that it becomes hard to troubleshoot. God forbid anything go wrong on a Mac, but when it does, you’re boned. And please, a Mac is a computer too. **** will hit the fan sooner or later…But then again, if you’re a UNIX buff, then you can use OSX perfectly. That’s the beauty of OSX, IMO – the Terminal. Terminal is so very powerful, but few people use it as it is meant to be. All this doesn’t go without saying that Vista is a piece of ****. However, Windows 7 is rather nicely done, so don’t worry too much about Windows being a pain. Also, Dells are infinitely more compatible with multiple releases of Linux, if a user ever decides open-source is for them.</p>
<p>I also think iLife is an overpriced complement to Apple’s overpriced hardware. For example, all photographers prefer Aperture or Lightroom to iPhoto, so iPhoto goes to waste. GarageBand is replaced by programs like Fruity Loops, and so on. </p>
<p>The only appeal to Macs, the way I see it, is you have a very thin and very sexy sheet of aluminum wrapped around your internal components that you paid far too much money for and being a part of the “Apple community,” which is overpopulated by wannabe artists, directors, and others who are trying to make it in “the industry.” </p>
<p>I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, and I’m really sorry I come off so callous. I guess this is a topic I’m rather tired of discussing and opinionated about, heh. I apologize. Just…people need to realize Apple is truly exploiting the bandwagon appeal. There are far better alternatives to Macs, most, if not all, of which will save you a good amount of money…</p>
<p>As for Toshibas, I hear they’re decent computers, but they have poor quality control. They also tend to overheat, in my experience. I’ve only used one laptop off their Satellite line. Don_Quixote is right. You really don’t see very many of them around campus. The most common computers you’ll find on campus are Macs, Dells, HPs, and ThinkPads. There are a few ASUS and Acer laptops here and there.</p>
<p>Hamburgler brings up an often ignored choice…Don’t Vostro laptops come with a roll-cage, like the ThinkPads? It’s worth looking into, I would think.</p>
<p>Oh, the cans of air are either carbon dioxide, nitrogen, but definitely not oxygen. Please don’t try breathing that stuff :(</p>
<p>only complaint above is that iLife isn’t really overpriced, since it’s free, unlike Aperture or Fruity Loops. I really do think it’s the best thing macs have going for them, considering you can get all the 3rd party software you want for a PC and won’t have the integration of iLife. (For instance, the ability to have GarageBand import a track from iTunes, tweak it a bit, and then export it all automatically to iDVD and burn it to a disk or make a podcast. and iPhoto isn’t really made for “photographers,” it’s kind of a normal-people item. You plug in a camera, it imports the pictures, you hit a couple buttons, type info, and it can automatically upload the album to facebook. It’s just handy. </p>
<p>all that to say that there are people out there for whom macs may be a real option. probably doesn’t include the OP given the budget concerns, but if you’re someone who wants to be able to work with a lot of media and minimize the hassle, the price you pay for an Apple might be warranted. /rant</p>
<p>but yeah, the fanboy/bandwagon effect isn’t really helping anyone but apple, and it’s definitely there.</p>
<p>I am really excited to see Windows 7 though. If you’re buying a laptop the free upgrade is something to look for, if there are still companies offering that.</p>
<p>Oops, I meant over-hyped…not overpriced. Eh, moot point.</p>
<p>Thanks for remaining civil in your response, Don, haha. I think I sound quite a bit out of hand. I suppose iLife is a redeeming point for Macs, but it feels like the price of iLife is included in the price of the computer. </p>
<p>Windows 7 is pretty well-done. It’s not a feature-rich presentation like Vista was, but it takes Vista and cleans it up. All the features from Vista are there, but they’re improved behind-the-scenes. I’m pretty satisfied with the RC, although there is one small hiccup that should be fixed in the RTM.</p>
<p>I would say you buy neither. I’m very cheap and…</p>
<p>They are WAY overpriced for what they offer imho.
They do not offer descrete graphics and 650 for a mediocre asus is just theft.
In addition they both only offer 1 year warranties.
Laptops are one of the few things you NEED an extended warranty with. Why? Because you’re travelling with a delicate piece of machinery. </p>
<p>I like these two, own one of them and am considering switching over to the other.</p>
<p>Acer Timeline 14" - 549 + tax.
[Costco</a> - Acer Aspire Timeline 15.6" SU2700 Ultra-Low Voltage LED-Backlit Display](<a href=“http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11481406&search=acer%20timeline&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=acer%20timeline&Ntt=acer%20timeline&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1]Costco”>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11481406&search=acer%20timeline&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=acer%20timeline&Ntt=acer%20timeline&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1)</p>
<p>4.2 lbs
1 inch thick
slow processor - 1.3 ghz core 2 solo
3 gb of ram
AMAZING battery. 4-8 hrs depending on load
I have the 15 inch version and it would go 4-5 hours at load. (as good but probably better battery life than the sony and WAY better than the asus which has a 2-3 hr battery)
802.11n and NO bluetooth
2 YR WARRANTY (compliments of Costco with 90 day return period)</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>HP 8710w - $810 no tax in CA (after bing cash back)
[HP</a> Compaq 8710w KA451UA Laptop Computer - Intel Core 2 Duo T9500, 2GB DDR2, 160GB HDD,DVDRW, 17", Windows XP ProVista Business (Open Box) H24-17021 ON at TigerDirect.com](<a href=“TigerDirect Sunset”>TigerDirect Sunset)</p>
<p>2.6 ghz proc with 6 mb L2 Cache
17" screen with 1900x1200
Vista Business
3 YEAR WARRANTY
Quadro 1600M GPU
802.11n and BLUETOOTH
7.5 lbs
1.3 inch thick
2.5 hrs battery</p>
<p>Go to Best Buy first thing tomorrow morning and get this HP laptop for $399.</p>
<p>Hardware
Product Name G60-458DX
Product Number VH171UA#ABA
Microprocessor 2.00 GHz Intel Pentium Processor T4200
Microprocessor Cache 1MB L2 Cache
Memory 4096MB
Memory Max 4096MB
Video Graphics Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Video Memory Up to 1759MB
Hard Drive 250GB (5400RPM)
Multimedia Drive LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
Display 15.6" Diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Display (1366x768)
Fax/Modem High speed 56k modem
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN
Wireless Connectivity
802.11b/g WLAN
Sound
Altec Lansing
Keyboard 101-key compatible with full size keyboard with integrated numeric keypad
Pointing Device Touch Pad with On/Off button and dedicated vertical scroll Up/Down pad
External Ports
5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
1 Headphone out
1 microphone-in
1 HDMI
1 VGA (15-pin)
1 RJ-11 (modem)
1 RJ -45 (LAN)
Other Devices
HP Webcam with integrated microphone
Dimensions 14.88" (L) x 9.9" (D) x 1.38" (min H)/1.72" (max H)
Weight 6.57 lbs
Security
Kensington MicroSaver lock slot
Power-on password
Accepts 3rd party security lock devices
Power
65W AC Adapter
6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery
Software
Operating System:
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with Service Pack 1
Security and Support:</p>
<p>Sunfish has an AWESOME alternative to your Asus. That is an amazing deal if you just need a decent laptop.</p>
<p>HP’s quality is subpar compared to the rest of the laptop community. I’ve seen numerous keys broken as well as twisted screens. Also, their speakers are tinny and they overheat quite a bit.</p>
<p>If you want to save money, go for a netbook (<$400); they’re quite the trend at the moment. Asus Eee PC is a good choice for a netbook.</p>
<p>@sunfish: Try posting the link and a short description (like hitoyzx) rather than the entire product description…</p>
<p>Netbook isnt that great for what you’re paying. I’d honestly rather get a crap laptop for the same price as a netbook that does more and is more powerful.</p>
<p>I second what fiesta of fire said. most people use netbooks as a secondary computer. netbooks are really only good for internet browsing.</p>
<p>hitozx’s asus looks like a steal. only downside is the slow processor.
i’m against getting the HP Compaq cause HP’s are generally crap and Compaqs are even worst than their mainstream models. plus the $800+ pricetag is way more than u need to pay for a budget laptop. sure, the processor’s nice, but packing such a fast cpu into a laptop that’s notorious for overheating is not a good idea.</p>
<p>that being said, sunfish’s HP looks like a steal.</p>
<p>macbook pro</p>
<p>Because you asked. How are Toshibas, I have not had anyone say anything good about their dependability in several years. I would not consider one.</p>
<p>hmm…i haven’t heard anything bad about Toshibas either and they do come pretty cheap. u can find one on sale for $400-$500 in office depot, staples, etc…</p>
<p>I’ve got a Gateway and it’s been pretty good for me, but I’ve heard Dell and Sony are good. My laptop was probably only around $450-$500 and it’s been running pretty well since January when I got it</p>
<p>
I strongly disagree. You’ll find bad experience with just about anything. Google a little and you’ll find horror stories on anything you care to name.
On average, HP’s quality is at least as good as other companies. Their customer service is definately better than others. All these cheap laptops are made in the same place using the same components by the same poor souls. The difference is in company’s management philosophy, customer service, current and future software support, and engineering and design expertise. Do you really believe that Acer/Gateway, Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, and Sony are better than HP in any of these difference makers?</p>
<p>When buying a computer, focus on needs and value. Once a target is identified, do some research on any specified problems/complaints unique to that model. Finally, paying twice as much doesn’t give you twice as much value. The feel good/bragging right value in overpaying luxury goods doesn’t apply to a commodity like laptop.</p>
<p>Yea, I’ve always used HP and have nothing but positive things for them. I agree that you’ll find cringe stories about every and all companies. The laptop I currently have, hp dv4t, is great. feels very solid and has amazing specs and only $800, which I thought was a good deal.</p>
<p>I imagine that HP is okay for most people. only real problem is maybe it heats up too much. ventilation is so bad that a lot of the heat just gets trapped inside, raising the temperature of ur components and palmrest.</p>