Laptop Question

[reinko]

Nerds, unite!    

In the market for a new lapper, south of a $1,000...would be interested in enough horsepower to run HD via HDMI.  Not a gamer, I don't have a ton of music or anything like that, and smaller the better because it would be traveled with a fair amount.

Looking for some suggestions...

Thanks!

[MUCrew]

You could always go with a MacBook Air, if you're a mac-head like me.  Not sure about the HD HDMI output though.  Starting price is at $999

[NavinRJohnson]

[reinko]

You could always go with a MacBook Air, if you're a mac-head like me.  Not sure about the HD HDMI output though.  Starting price is at $999

Thanks for the suggestion, I like Mac's, but no HDMI on it, and I think that might be a deal breaker for me.

[chren21]

I got a HP - Pavilion dv5.  It has everything you are looking for.  Purchased it about 2 months ago for just over $800.  Includes microsoft word, excel and notepad 2010.  Also Kaspersky Antivirus. 

I love it.

[rocky_warrior]

Thanks for the suggestion, I like Mac's, but no HDMI on it, and I think that might be a deal breaker for me.

Just so that terminology doesn't confuse you "DisplayPort" is the "new" HDMI (not really, but most will send out HDMI signaling), and most new laptops will be dropping HDMI to support DisplayPort (because it has no royalties, and HDMI does).  

If you get a DisplayPort, there's a cable you can get to plug into your HDMI TV (or other HDMI Device).

Turn to Wikipedia for some more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort

And turn here for a cable
mini DisplayPort -> http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10246&cs_id=1024603
DisplayPort -> http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10246&cs_id=1024607

p.s. - MACs have a mini DisplayPort which IS HDMI compatible

p.p.s - I think it's extra funny that the Macbook air page advertises 30 days of standby.  Who the F spends that much on a computer to let it do nothing for 30 days!

[🏀]

Why you got to be stealing my gig?

[ChicosBailBonds]

The only thing to be aware of with Display Port is that some devices it will not function as an HDMI replacement.  For the most part, it does, but check with your OEM on the devices you plan on using with it.

A quick search of display port compatibility shows there are still a number of devices out there that don't like the display port

[rocky_warrior]

It actually doesn't have much to do with HDMI - i.e. - HDMI is HDMI.  It all depends on how good the DisplayPort driver is at acting like an HDMI driver.  HDMI is the tougher spec to meet, so it's not usually an HDMI device that isn't working with a DisplayPort.  In contrast, the DisplayPort just isn't acting like a very good HDMI driver (and probably wasn't HDMI certified...that would require a royalty).

Here's some more info from Dell on the reasoning for vendors to go to DisplayPort - of course they leave out the obvious....$$$.  But otherwise some good information.
http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/direct2dell/b/direct2dell/archive/2008/02/19/46464.aspx

Finally, I guess I should clarify that only Dual-Link display ports are intended to be used for HDMI too.they'll have this logo


So now that I've confused the conversion with all this DP talk, it's probably worth noting that in another year I doubt you'll find a laptop with HDMI.  However, if that's your critical need right now, it's probably the best bet to get the HDMI port, and not a DP.  Though, in most cases a DP will work fine, the technology is just newer (the past 3 laptops we've bought at work - dells - all come with DisplayPorts instead of HDMI).

Whew, glad I got that off my chest

[jesmu84]

If you're a MAC person... get a mac. that's not my area of knowledge...

If you want to get a PC, I'd recommend Acer, Dell or HP - in that order. If you have no need of bigtime graphics use (gaming, intense photo software, etc) then stick with a Core i3 or i5. At least 2GB Ram. Probably in the neighborhood of 300GB hard drive.  I'd stick with something similar to these specifications, if you want it to be relevant for a couple years:

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&series_name=dm4t_series&a1=Processor&v1=Intel&a2=Screen size&v2=12.0 - 14.9

[jaybilaswho?]

Reinko...

Thanks for starting this topic. I am also in the market for a new laptop (my current one is what I took to college with me 7 years ago-its crashed 3 times on me) and found this to be very helpful as I am not a gamer either.

socrplar125...

would you change the ram and hard drive size if I have alot of pictures and music that I would store?

[Shanunu]

Just got an HP Envy 14 with i5 processor for just about $1000. I love it, and HP just put out some promo coupons for I think $150 off (right after I bought mine of course). A little googling will probably find it for you.

[77ncaachamps]

check slickdeals.net

especially with the holiday season coming up. monitor the deals and discounts as well as the offers of laptops with your specs.

[jesmu84]

Reinko...

Thanks for starting this topic. I am also in the market for a new laptop (my current one is what I took to college with me 7 years ago-its crashed 3 times on me) and found this to be very helpful as I am not a gamer either.

socrplar125...

would you change the ram and hard drive size if I have alot of pictures and music that I would store?

eh. without a real reason - same as graphics (games, photo/video editing) - you won't NEED more than 4GB. with an i3 or i5, you likely wouldn't ever really use it. and very little software would ever need that much. you could go to 6GB, but i think 8 is overkill.  Hard drive increase would be a little more reasonable - going up to 500GB.  if you fill that up quickly (and that's a LOT of storage, unless you've got a bunch of movies), i'd go with another 1TB external drive.

[rocky_warrior]

you won't NEED more than 4GB. with an i3 or i5, you likely wouldn't ever really use it. and very little software would ever need that much. you could go to 6GB, but i think 8 is overkill. 

LOL, you apparently underestimate how fast software developers can come up with uses for that extra memory.

If you get a 64-bit OS (which you probably should at this point, esp with the i3 or i5), get as much ram as you can afford.  That said, make sure the system is expandable.   That way, in a year or two, you can double the amount of RAM you have, which will breath another year or two life into your "old" computer.

[mu_hilltopper]

Bah.  I use Win7, 64 bit with 2 gigs of RAM .. works just fine .. and I'm a power user, although I do not do video editing on that machine.  Everything else, though.

BTW .. EASILY one of the best investments that you can make is for an SSD hard drive.

The #1 bottleneck -- by far -- is the speed of your hard drive.  Not CPU .. only sometimes RAM, but that's because without enough, your system is using .. drum roll .. your HD a lot.

I've installed a couple of SSDs in my systems .. they make your laptop SNAPPY.

Best $100 you can invest:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0344221
$120 - 20 rebate.

Sure .. it's only 60gigs .. I have a Win7 laptop using that SSD, with all my programs and most of my data (sans video, pictures) and have 15 gigs to spare.

[reinko]

So my needs have changed a bit, and I am now leaning toward a netbook (both a squeeze on the checkbook and will be traveling more than I thought)...now I know the computer folks balk at netbooks...but I did find this one on newegg that has more horsepower than most, and the price is right...found it for under $400

Thoughts??
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834237003

[mu_hilltopper]

Netbooks have a place.  If you really were traveling a lot and wanted the smallest form-factor possible, it makes a lot of sense.

But .. it is a limiting device.  Small screen, small keyboard, usually low horsepower CPUs .. which may be enough for what you want to do.

But I would *NOT* buy one because of price.  If $400 is your budget, there are dozens of laptops in that range. 

Here's a random one from BestBuy .. but NewEgg has 5+ of them in that range too.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Laptop+/+AMD+Athlon%26%23153%3B+II+Processor+/+15.6%22+Display+/+3GB+Memory+/+320GB+Hard+Drive+-+Biscotti/1258296.p?id=1218243757227&skuId=1258296

[spiral97]

p.p.s - I think it's extra funny that the Macbook air page advertises 30 days of standby.  Who the F spends that much on a computer to let it do nothing for 30 days!

Well... they are macs... is there really much else you can do with them other than stare at the built-in brainwashing program they almost surely must come bundled with?