School me on laptops

[Cliche Guevara]

Again, comments much appreciated fellas. Hopefully we can avoid making this a Mac vs PC thread, as I have established that a Mac isn't suitable for me based on cost per performance and desire to run windows specific software on a windows machine, despite the fact that they are great machines.

Sorry, I'll stop being an argumentative ass.

What's your budget?

Side note: that quote in your sig is one of my altime favorites.

[shiftbmw]

Can someone explain what a refurbished machine entails? Is this a used machine that broke and hard a part replaced? Or is it a case with all new internals?

[Vivek]

It may depend on the company, but it's likely the opposite. It's probably a new or very good condition case, new battery and screen, and good but used internals (CPU, GPU, motherboard, etc.).

For example, a replacement iPhone has a full new outer case, new battery, and a new screen. It'll look, feel, and perform like a brand new phone. But, most companies likely have a page explaining what exactly their refurb process is, I'd look around for that on their website.

[Holland]

Mac people:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=168472&highlight=lukes+sig

Anyway in a laptop package I would most definitely get something with an Intel processor. My last few PC's have had AMD's and the heat they build up is immense. Yes I clean them and maintain them regularly.

I remember seeing quite a few years back someone comparing temps between similar Intel and AMD processors. The AMD ran at considerably higher temps than the intel and in a compact laptop package it's essentially a hand grenade. My current laptop runs an AMD and while it's quite gaming capable, it fails. It will run beautifully for about 10 minutes or so and then the fan kicks on and it becomes lag-o-matic.

[shiftbmw]

What's your budget?

Around 500, give or take.

[u3b3rg33k]

A good, $500 laptop doesn't exist, imho. my $1300 macbook has lasted me 5 years so far (and I've dropped it more than once) - and I'll probably get at least another two out of it. The only thing that seems to slow it down is having 300 tabs open in firefox for a few days. firefox no likey. (and flash ends up using gigabytes of ram after a while).

As for the virus argument, i've not gotten a virus on my mac, or my pc in years. wtf are those people doing???

[Rose E30]

I would recommend the Thinkpad. Although currently made by Lenovo, they are super tough machines, and have healthy performance. I have had mine since august and I can get 6 to 7 hours of battery life easily. Buy a newer one that has the Intel i7 processor, and you will have a computer that will stick around for a while.

[Axxe]

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge, bought it beginning of this year for $625 in maple syrup money. So expect $100 off for US puts it in your pricerange. Core i5 2nd gen, 4 gb ram (upgraded to 8gb with $17 worth of on-sale memory), 500gb 7200 rpm HD, win7 pro NOT home. Runs autocad 2d no problem, and all the structural analysis and hydraulic/hydrologic modelling I can through at it, which is not that impressive, the software isn't very demanding. But I do it all at once with 12 tabs open in chrome, winamp playing, while running a second screen as well. Runs lightroom and photoshop without issue, even works well with my g/f's stylus pad for drawing, that would slow her machine down with similar specs but only 4gb ram and 1st gen i5.

[James Crivellone]

HP Elitebooks are where I put my money everytime I buy a laptop. I own a 12inch and 15inch Elitebook Mobile Workstation and they are both fantastic. Great built quality, support that comes to you, and you can get them with some nice hardware.

That being said, they are Macbook Pro money, however while I did the Powerbook thing back in the day I will NEVER purchase a laptop with an aluminum skin. They dent, they bend, and for a true working class laptop I'll take function over beauty any day of the week. HP, Dell, Lenovo have been using plastic casings with magnesium inner frames for a years. They are built to flex, built to be dropped, and designed to have plastic bits snap off, versus bend and dent on Apple and other aluminum laptops.

I also recommend going with a PC versus a MAC, but I truly despise OSX (I used it for 4 years so I can comment on it) and to this day I don't understand the reason people use it.. simply too much form over function for me.

my , oh, and 500 dollar GOOD laptops don't exist

[pureaudio]

For around the $500 mark, I would probably be getting a low end Lenovo Thinkpad. You would be looking at a Intel Core i3 processor and 2-4gb of ram at that price.

I would avoid refurbished, just my experience but I've had nothing but bad luck with anything refurbished.

[shiftbmw]

So what do you guys think of this one? Any good for the coin?

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?GroupID=457&Code=1024AFU&category-id=6C9D31566AE16AEE64C8DA425092E945

[Fusion]

^

Or better yet, get a refurbished R60 / T60 for a couple bucks.
Not sure if Lenovo still has the refurb program.
These laptops have always lasted me 5+ years and can be had at a bargain.
A 1.83 or 2.0GHz dual core, 512MB card and 2-4Gigs ram will be sufficient for your needs.

The only thing needing refurbishing on them is the keyboard (shiny letters from use), touchpad (shiny), and sometimes LCD hinges.

[nokincy]

+1 on the Lenovo, I'm currently using an old B570 running Ubuntu and, it's been a great little laptop.

[Dermeister3]

A good, $500 laptop doesn't exist, imho.

False. I bought a toshiba Satellite A665 on sale from Office Depot three years ago. It cost about 550. Still runs great, and has very good performance still after the years ive owned it. I occasionally game on it (CS:s, Wow, LOL, some rts games) and they all run well.