Which Laptop would you choose and why?

Question

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=200477#CustomerRatings

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/215818/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8892745&productCategoryId=abcat0502003&type=product&id=1211587727496

Answer 1

I would choose that one red Gateway. It has the most amount of RAM - 3gb out of these laptops. (acer has 3gb of RAM too, but it has a slow processer) It also has the T5750 intel processor which belongs in the Core Two Duo Family. (the acer has a pentium dual core processor which is outdated compared to the core 2 duo) It also has a really nice keyboard (i have this model, but with better specs) and the top doesn't scratch unless you get urself a knife and dig into it. (i've dropped it a few times on cement and no scratches)

No, it does not fall apart, i promise. I have used Dell, Sony ( i luv sony), gateway, and acer. Acer is bulkier than this gateway. It has one usb port on the right side (for the mouse), two more on the left.

Answer 2

Alrighty then, lol.

If you’re buying a laptop, there are a few things to consider.

1.     The processor. Most, if not every decent laptop in today's market has dual-core technology. This means that it has two processors working as one to compute information. Now, what's the difference between speeds? In all reality, for a common user (that is not a hard-core computer geek like some of us), the difference between 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz is negligible. The only areas you will be able to notice will be in gaming, and video encoding.

2.     The memory. If the OS (Operating System) is a "32-bit" then it can only read approximately 3 GB of RAM. Only the "64-bit" processors can understand 4+ GB of RAM. RAM is what the computer uses to store temporary information, like open programs (internet, word processing, music players, etc...). A general rule of thumb is that the more RAM, the faster the computer will load programs/files to a point (as with everything). An industry standard nowadays is around 3 GB. The faster the "clock speed" of the ram (the higher the PC xxxx), the higher quality the RAM.

3.     Hard Drive space is what you store the more permanent information on - word files, music, videos, programs, etc....If you have an extensive music library (5000+ songs (legal songs)), then you should be looking at a computer with at least 250GB (1 GB = 1 Billion Bytes). If you don't really need all that space, then a laptop with 160+ GB of Hard Drive space would suffice.

4.     Graphics Processor!!! If you will not be watching many DVD's or playing any games, then you can settle for an integrated video processor such as the INTEL X3100. If you want the security of being able to play the occasional 3D game, then I would recommend a dedicated graphics card with dedicated memory (256MB or 512MB). You can check whether or not the card is integrated by going to "http://www.notebookcheck.net"

5.     Most laptops now feature DVD/CD Burners. Some offer a built in feature known as "Lableflash or Lightscribe." This will allow you to "etch" images on special CD/DVD's. It makes the finished CD/DVD look more professional.

6.     Price Comparison. Expect to spend $550+ for a decent laptop nowadays. You can sometimes (or during really good sales) find ones cheaper around $450.

       The first laptop I would recommend is the Toshiba M305D-S4829 from Circuit City this week. I just purchased it last Wednesday, and am typing on it right now. It has a ton of power, like seriously. I was playing BF2142 last night with no problems. It costs $699, but It'll be running strong for a few years before anything begins to become too demanding for it. The sound quality on this laptop is phenomenal. It has Harman/Kardon speakers that are Bose quality. It has 4GB of RAM, an ATI Radeon 3100 processor, which is nearly equal to most mid-range dedicated graphics processors. It support 802.11b/g/n networks. It has a standard webcam (not to mention facial recognition software for extra secured log-ons) and all the other features you need lol. The style on this laptop is phenomenal.

       If that is slightly out of your price range though, I would say go to Best Buy and pick up the HP DV5-1002NR. It costs $679, but it is nearly as good as the above laptop with only a few exceptions (it is actually better in some areas as well, lol). The touchpad on it has a glossy feel which is fine for cooler weather, but if its humid out or your fingers are the least bit sweaty, it becomes quite difficult to move the pointer. It has a slightly better video processor - the ATI Radeon 3200 (the main difference is that it has a HDMI output). It has a slightly larger screen at 15.4" WS. Its half a pound heavier, which isn't really a big deal to me at all. It also runs the 32-bit OS of Vista which will only support 3 GB of RAM, which is fine for nearly everything. I hope this helps you in your quest!

       The next two are right about tied for abilities if the above prices are a bit out of your budget. I would recommend testing each one, and then deciding which one you prefer better.

       The first one is the Toshiba L305D-S5868 from BestBuy this week at $549. It features the ATI Radeon 3100 which is capable of handling many 3D games, and in fact - it is the same video processor as the laptop that I am using. It features a built-in webcam, as well as standard DVD/CD re-write ability. It has a 250GB hard drive running at 5400RPM. One feature that it could improve upon is its stock RAM. From the store, it only comes with 2GB. This can be easily upgraded to 3GB from any computer retailer (including www.newegg.com). It also comes with a user-friendly touchpad as well as a nice blue form factor. Although it doesn’t necessarily have all of the extra-goodies, this laptop is perfect for the common pc user, and comes at a great price!

       The second one is the Toshiba L305D-S5881 from Circuit City. This laptop is nearly identical to the last l

Answer 3

Obviously all budget laptops, but I would go with the Acer if I was going to go with any of them. I have one with the same specs, have had it for 2 years, and its still powerful enough to do whatever I want it to do. The only disadvantage is that you wont be able to play any games.

I would stay away from the dell, I have to work on the alot and they have their own modifications of windows that makes its really infuriating. I have Vista and love it, but the Vista I see on Dells is different than all other of th Vistas, I really hate dealing with them.

If I was you, I would spend a little extra and get something special. For about $750 you can get a lenovo SL400, which stands out because it has an incredibly 5-6 hour battery life. None of the laptops you listed last longer than 2. That makes the lenovo so much more useful than the other laptops, or any other laptop, since lenovo makes every laptop with over a 4 hour life, and all of the inexpensive ones.

If you really wanted to go all out, you could get a Lenovo R400, which comes with a 25w cpu, which gives it almost a 8 hour battery life. It is just slightly over $800.

I figure youll be using this laptop for several years, so why not spend the little extra to go from a budget computer to one that stands out from all other laptops? You will be spending  great deal of time on your laptop, several hours a day, and its a fraction of the cost of everything else related to college. Personally, I think you should go for something a little better than even one of those.

If you bumped your budget up to $1100, which is still very small compared to what youll be spending on school, you could get a T400, which is extremely outstanding because for that price not only do you get the 7-8 hour battery life, you get a special video card that is powerful enough to play the newest games and it turns off when its not needed. Even better, you get the highest resolution screen available for a laptop of that size, and you get a large capacity hard drive. Its comparable and superior in some ways to even extremely expensive latops. Its quite a bit better than something like the macbook Air, which starts at over $1700.

I really think that if you are going to buy something, you might as well buy what is going to be the best for the long time you will have it.

Answer 4

The acer laptop looks better with specs but acer itself makes crappy laptops, the are bad bad bad and i cant stress it enough bad. Personally I would go with the gateway just because i know how bad acer is. If you go into a store with good brand laptops and ask, you will see how few people buy acer.

Answer 5

The Acer!  Hands down.  Gateways fall apart and even though it's got a slightly faster processor, the Acer has a better quality webcam, larger hard drive, and FIREWIRE!  That means you can hook up your video camera and do editing or add high speed hard drives and the like.

I've had Gateways and Acers.  Trust me, go for the Acer.  The other two computers aren't even contenders.

My choice:

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/2158...

Peaces,

B

P.S.  I have an Acer 6920 right now and am completely happy with it.  Their products have gotten MUCH better over time.  My Gateway is sitting on the floor behind me right now and randomly shoots me the blue finger of death within five to ten minutes of turning it on.  I've restored it to factory original several times after several attempts.  They don't even offer anything to flash or update the bios with.  Gateway = garbage IMHO.  Don't sweat the processor differences as they will be hardly perceptible.  The extra 90GB of hard drive space will MORE than make up for it.  ;^)