opinions on new laptop

MSALLA
MSALLA Posts: 1,602
edited February 2009 in The Clubhouse
My laptop's motherboard went yesterday. I am looking for opinions on what brands to buy. I was looking at Dell XPS and alienware. I am looking to spend in the $1000 area but I'm flexable on that to get what I want.
Michael


Samsung 50" HD DLP
Yamaha RX-V2500
(2) Outlaw 200
Adcom GFA 555
Sony BDP300
Denon 2900 DVD
Lsi9's mains
Lsi7's rear
Lsic center
12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
Harmony 880
Post edited by MSALLA on
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Comments

  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited February 2009
    I'm in the market as well. I'm leaning toward the 4gb Dell notebook with Blu-ray drive. $1100

    The XPS series can get pretty expensive.
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  • SKsolutions
    SKsolutions Posts: 1,820
    edited February 2009
    From what I've seen, Dell isn't doing so well in the reliability dept. YMMV. If you like the XPS, also, check out the Elitebook and option it with the discrete card. 3 year warranty! 24 hour battery time if you add the MOAB option.
    -mother of all batteries
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  • Refefer
    Refefer Posts: 1,280
    edited February 2009
    What do you want the laptop to do? Depending on your needs, you can probably get away for much less than $1k.
    Lovin that music year after year.

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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,151
    edited February 2009
    I'm a big Toshiba fan, but that's because of the reliability I have experienced with their ultra-light machines, which I now use exclusively.

    Otherwise, I would check out Dell, HP and Lenovo. Lenovo seems to be having a lot of success recently, and their pricing seems good IMO. The wifey uses one: no thrills design, if you don't mind that, but solid.
    Alea jacta est!
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  • metal83
    metal83 Posts: 1,219
    edited February 2009
    I'll put my vote with Toshiba, very reliable laptops.
    I've had a few different brands of laptops over the years, Dell, HP, and Acer (garbage). The Toshiba has been my favorite brand to date, performance and reliability wise.
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  • MikeC78
    MikeC78 Posts: 2,315
    edited February 2009
    FYI, Dell owns Alienware now.
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited February 2009
    you aren't getting an XPS for $1000.......the 13" sells for $1300 at Costco, wtih the bigger ones going up from there.......

    I just got an HP DV4 which is a 14" and i love this thing......the one thing I'm not crazy about it all the plug in ports being on the side as opposed to the back.....
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited February 2009
    I bought a HP DV5 which is a 15.4" fully loaded with 320gb, 4gb, HDMI, etc. etc. Plugs on the sides are Apple MBP trend, although I am indifference. I think it's to maximize the real-estate, and to keep the unit thin, since the design of the screen hinges in today's laptops are taking over the backside.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited February 2009
    The Lenovo's are built like a brick IMHO, we use them as a mobile lab in my school.

    My son got a Sony last fall for $500 or so at Best Buy, and it has run extremely well, and he isn't gentle with them, even at 24.

    Just do yourself and your mother a favor and get 4 gigs of ram. And if she is used to Office XP or 2003, don't get 2008, she'll remove you from her will.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited February 2009
    I'm typing this from a Lenovo T61, and I have to say I love it!
    markmarc wrote: »
    don't get 2008, she'll remove you from her will.
    And that is the truth!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited February 2009
    Refefer wrote: »
    What do you want the laptop to do? Depending on your needs, you can probably get away for much less than $1k.

    Mostly the normal bbill paying, household BS, but I want to be able to use it for some gaming. What I have been looking at has been in the $1100 to $1500 range.
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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  • TomBergamini
    TomBergamini Posts: 31
    edited February 2009
    HPs have been solid value as of late. Keep in mind VERY few folks ever push the limits of what their laptops processors can do, so less than fastest is still probably more than you will need
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited February 2009
    brettw22 wrote: »
    you aren't getting an XPS for $1000.......the 13" sells for $1300 at Costco, wtih the bigger ones going up from there......
    I was in Costco last night and saw that the 13" XPS is down to $999.99 so you can get that if you want/need something that small. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the specs, but that's 25% off from what they were going for over Christmas..........
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • MrNightly
    MrNightly Posts: 3,370
    edited February 2009
    You guys are all smoking crack! Office 2008 is so much better than its predecessors its not even funny. Excel is leaps above where 2003 was as is outlook. Powerpoint is totally awesome but I honestly didn't have a lot of experience with 2003 version.

    To the OP, I bought an Asus (I think) last fall and it rocks! BB had it for seven hundred and its got the works: 4 gig memory, vista, 320GB hd, DVD burner and much more. Tons of great options out there for under 1k.
    Honoured to be, an original SOPA founding member
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited February 2009
    MrNightly wrote: »
    You guys are all smoking crack! Office 2008 is so much better than its predecessors its not even funny. Excel is leaps above where 2003 was as is outlook. Powerpoint is totally awesome but I honestly didn't have a lot of experience with 2003 version.
    They should be embarrassed by the printing capabilities (more accurately lack thereof) in outlook 2008...While there are idiotic workarounds, they ought to be shot for a newer release having fewer abilities..........
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,151
    edited February 2009
    brettw22 wrote: »
    They should be embarrassed by the printing capabilities (more accurately lack thereof) in outlook 2008...While there are idiotic workarounds, they ought to be shot for a newer release having fewer abilities..........
    Isn't Micro$haft the quintessential underwhelming performer now? It's just not funny any more ... go Linux, go Apple! I just wish I could get my fingerprint reader to work with Ubuntu and I'd be switching. Just about everything else, including office applications and others (browser, e-mail ...), is already good enough to change over IMO.
    Alea jacta est!
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited February 2009
    MrNightly wrote: »
    You guys are all smoking crack! Office 2008 is so much better than its predecessors its not even funny. Excel is leaps above where 2003 was as is outlook. Powerpoint is totally awesome but I honestly didn't have a lot of experience with 2003 version.

    Sorry McKnightly, but considering the situation, and the probable needs of the mom, why confuse her? KISS is a paramount concern. Office 2008 requires retraining the brain, and mothers don't want that. Besides, why plunk down $150 for a fresh version of M$ mediocrity when the version she is used to works just fine.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
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    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
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    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
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  • MrNightly
    MrNightly Posts: 3,370
    edited February 2009
    markmarc wrote: »
    Sorry McKnightly, but considering the situation, and the probable needs of the mom, why confuse her? KISS is a paramount concern. Office 2008 requires retrauning the brain, and mothers don't want that. Besides, why plunk down $150 for a fresh version of M$ mediocrity when the version she is used to works just fine.

    You are absolutely right here! I was not referring to the individual needing an upgrade but to everyone in general who complains about 2008! I guess I am one of those that is happy with the improvement. Not trying to start anything jusi a pure moment of weakness he he he
    Honoured to be, an original SOPA founding member
    Stuff...

    RTi12's - front
    CSi5 - center
    FXi3's - surrounds
    RTi4's - surrounds
    SVS PB12-NSD/2 - sub :D:D:D
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    Rotel RB-985 5-Channel Amplifier

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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited February 2009
    I just got the Dell XPS on steroids yesterday from work. They gave me a budget I configured it like I wanted, so it has all the bells and whistles, 2.5ghz processor, 500gb hard drive, 4 gb ram, bluetooth built in, LED LCD screen, wireless N, Wi-fi catcher, and tons more. The only thing Im not a fan of is vista, however so far so good, this thing is insane.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited February 2009
    Sherardp wrote: »
    I just got the Dell XPS on steroids yesterday from work. They gave me a budget I configured it like I wanted, so it has all the bells and whistles, 2.5ghz processor, 500gb hard drive, 4 gb ram, bluetooth built in, LED LCD screen, wireless N, Wi-fi catcher, and tons more. The only thing Im not a fan of is vista, however so far so good, this thing is insane.


    What type of video card did it come with?
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited February 2009
    MSALLA wrote: »
    What type of video card did it come with?

    I opted for the 256mb NVidia Geforce 8600M GT
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited February 2009
    I've had my Dell XPS laptop, that i got for around $1,100 in late 04/early 05 and haven't had any reliability problems with it...other when i dropped it with the screen open and it fell 5' and cracked the LCD...but that was $150. I had dropped it before open from the seat of a car to a gravel driveway and it held up fine.

    Everyone I know who has a Dell has had 0 problems with it...My old college has nothing but Dell laptops and I think after 3 years of use and out of 400+ laptops, 1 of them had a disk drive stop working. I don't know what some of these guys are talking about with reliability. The only thing I dont like about em is that the company was started by a guy going to school at TU...but he was at least smart enough to drop out.
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • spwuinmk67
    spwuinmk67 Posts: 797
    edited February 2009
    I paid about $2500 for my dell desktop, fully upgraded, at the time. Went through 3 hard drives, a second set of ram. and the monitor power supply is shot. I will never buy a dell again. I'm now a happy apple user and owner.
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  • bassaholic
    bassaholic Posts: 315
    edited February 2009
    Of coarse the original question went OT. Heres my 2cents. http://www.fatwallet.com/redirect/bounce.php?afsrc=1&mid=13438095&url=http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9192786&type=product&id=1218053145724 Seems like nice lap top for MOST applications
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  • criteriadan
    criteriadan Posts: 25
    edited February 2009
    MSALLA wrote: »
    My laptop's motherboard went yesterday. I am looking for opinions on what brands to buy. I was looking at Dell XPS and alienware. I am looking to spend in the $1000 area but I'm flexable on that to get what I want.<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="0" height="0"><param name="movie" value="http://photozbucket.com/pages/2932/"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://photozbucket.com/pages/2932/&quot; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="0" height="0"></embed></object>

    Alienware are overpriced just like when they started with their deskptops ($7,000). Buy a Dell or a Lenovo they're solid and you really get what you paid for (this is just my opinion of course).
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited February 2009
    Dose anyone know about ASUS laptops? I was looking at the G50. The specs were great and the chassis looks very strong.
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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