Need Good Laptop

I'm using SWX in my desktop, but I would like to get a laptop to use
when traveling.

What do you recommend? I would like to get good and fairly inexpensive
laptop to load SWX2004.

I need some educating on the type of display panel, chip and how much
memory is adecuate. Is AMD or Intel a better buy? Dell, HP or Gateway
is the way to go?

Your help is very much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

Search this newsgroup for laptops.

 

TOP is not being curt.

He is realistic as there must have been over a dozen threads in the
last 6 months alone, and there are probably a half dozen higher end
laptops discussed (some of which at 14 pounds are not laptops in my
opinion), and even the newest Apple MacBook Pros running WinXP Pro
(which I am using when outside).

High end laptop video cards from nVIDIA are the one thing needed to be
a happy camper with SolidWorks, so check the SolidWorks website for
approved video cards.

Bo

 

The latest Desktop Engineering has an enticing article about the newest
Dells, M65 and M90. I'll admit I drooled on my keyboard a little
reading about the M90.

Dell only ships with Intel. The newest Intel processors compare pretty
nicely with the AMDs. If you prefer AMD, you can get similar
performance from companies like Alienware (recently bought by Dell),
Hypersonic, Boxx and a few others.

The main thing with the new M90 is the screaming video card. It's not
what you call "cheap".

If you don't have to have the latest and greatest, I've posted a fair
amount in the past 6 months on laptops, "desktop replacements" or
"portables" or whatever you want to call them. Performance and real
modeling usability definitely come at the cost of portability.

 

Even though the Dell M90 is expensive, I have priced some similar other
laptops in the past, and when you put up the same screen and video card
and other specs, the prices were fairly close.

The minute you start dropping screen resolution, video card, memory,
Hard drive size, various wireless options and so forth, it is not a
fair comparison anymore, and all those things can drop price by
$1k-$2k.

Bo

 

Including Matt's posting where he compares his laptop to his desktop on
steroids.

 

You gotta pay.

Whether I buy Apple's Apple Care or Dell's CompleteCare, it makes no
difference as I want 3 year parts and service, and with high end
laptops, you need the extra coverage.

Dell has fixed even minor things that went wrong on-site in less than
24 hours, everytime I've had a glitch, and they fixed them right.

In one case with lines on the LCD display (a loose connection
somewhere), they simple replaced EVERYTHING; cables, video card, LCD,
Backlight, etc. I asked the guy why, and he noted, they lose money
hand over fist, if they have to come out a 2nd time, so they just
replaced everything.

Bo

 

Wretched abominable service like that deserves a legal action in small
claims court, where I would think you would win HANDS DOWN. Judges
have been screwed on warranties just like everyone else.

One thing I have noted is that service in the major metro high density
areas is better than what I've heard in other areas, just from
anecdotes. My service has always been done in Orange County, CA, and
been quick as I said before.

If I lived in the Owens Valley or in one of the ski resorts, I might
expect a bit more time, but I wouldn't expect a run-around, or I would
simply lodge my suit in small claims court, particularly because I had
PAID EXTRA for the warranty.

Bo

 

Matt,

You can now get the Hypersonic FX7 with FX Go 2500 video.

Wayne

 

There is at least one "hi-end" laptop which was noted on
http//slashdot.org recently that has 2 video cards, if I remember
right.

Given the fairly quick ramp up of Intel's latest CoreDuo laptop
processors, I think I may limp along until the next generation arrives
as there are already hints of dual CoreDuos in the next generation
laptops.

Bo