$2000 laptop choices

mickw65 · 31st March 2005, 12:33 PM

Hi people, I need to pick your brains.

I did a search here and visited about half a dozen sites but there are too many bloody choices. Most people asking what/where about laptops seem to post in this forum, so here we go!

A family member has started Uni and decided she needs a laptop, mainly for PowerPoint/video presentations and accessing Uni data when she's not in class.

She wants it to have XP, Office and be future proof for a couple of years.
2kg or less, fast cpu, 15 inch screen and a decent amount of graphics.
Wireless, a burner (cd or dvd), fire wire and thumbprint security.
She also wants output for mouse, monitor and printer.
It will not be used for playing games.

The problem is she's only been given a budget of around $2000.

She went to a shop in Brissie, which has a large chain of stores, and this is what they offered her for $2194 with a student discount:

Acer 382 laptop
p4 2.6, 60 gig hdd, 1 gig ram, cd burner, windows home, 4.2 hour battery.

I asked her to get the store to provide details of the type of ram, graphics, conns, security etc but she said the bloke couldn't/wouldn't give any further info.

Is she being taken for a ride because she knows nothing about laptops?

What can you guys recommend for around $2000.00 that meets her requirements, if any?

Oblong Cheese · 31st March 2005, 12:51 PM

TPG Notebooks may be worth a look. Failing that you could check out Apple's iBooks - cheap, but not sure about the XP/Office<->OSX compatability.

Varuna · 31st March 2005, 3:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickw65

I asked her to get the store to provide details of the type of ram, graphics, conns, security etc but she said the bloke couldn't/wouldn't give any further info.

Is she being taken for a ride because she knows nothing about laptops?

Undoubtably. If the vendor is refusing to give you details on a product, that should be the point where you walk out the door. Also, four hours of battery life on a P4 laptop is either a blatant lie, or the battery weighs more than 2kg on its own.

It's hard to find a well built laptop with a 15" screen that weighs less than 2kg. For $2000, it just isnt going to happen. If you dont mind an extra half kilo, something like this might be more suitable:

http://www.cworld.com.au/info.php?ID=117270
http://www-605.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...&catalogId=-36

Purchase a version of office at the uni coop bookshop at educational rates, it's much cheaper than bundling an OEM version with a notebook. You can also use openoffice, which is free. With the exception of onenote, it's arguably better and easier to use than ms office.

sml_nail · 31st March 2005, 3:41 PM

Is thumbprint security a must?
The only ones I know of that have this integrated is some of the IBM T43 Notebooks however they are about $3000.

Varuna · 31st March 2005, 3:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oblong_Cheese

TPG Notebooks may be worth a look. Failing that you could check out Apple's iBooks - cheap, but not sure about the XP/Office<->OSX compatability.

I use NeoOffice on my powerbook, it's an openoffice 1.1 port. Works with pretty much everything but word macro viruses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sml_nail

Is thumbprint security a must?

Thumbprint readers are a pain, half the time they dont work and you have to use your password anyway.

mickw65 · 2nd April 2005, 3:41 PM

Oblong_Cheese and Varuna, thanks for the links.
I'll refer her to the TPG Centrino and the HP Compaq nx6120.

She wanted thumbprint security because her friends laptop was stolen.
Without having the extra money for that feature, she will just have to be careful.

Cheers for the alternatives to MS Office and the uni coop bookshop option.

woo_yah · 2nd April 2005, 3:54 PM

Does it have to be a windows box? As mentioned above, you could try an iBook...

They're pretty cheap, especially with student discount!

psylink · 2nd April 2005, 4:09 PM

If a laptop get stolen, it gets stolen.. no thumbprint security is going to save you

edit: if its going to be moved around a lot.. maybe she should look at some 12" laptops.. i'm currently thinking about a Dell 700m

mickw65 · 2nd April 2005, 4:15 PM

Yes, I had a look at a G4 comparible in price to the ones previously mentioned.
It only had 1.2, less ram, 9200 vs 9700 and a smaller display.

And after browsing through OCAU, Whirlpool and brand sites for her, she said she doesn't want an iBook. No real reasons, MS brainwashed perhaps?

jimbow · 4th April 2005, 2:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickw65

Yes, I had a look at a G4 comparible in price to the ones previously mentioned.
It only had 1.2, less ram, 9200 vs 9700 and a smaller display.

And after browsing through OCAU, Whirlpool and brand sites for her, she said she doesn't want an iBook. No real reasons, MS brainwashed perhaps?

perhaps...

Reading the specs she wants, a 14" iBook or a 12" powerbook would probably be perfect for her needs. Office Compatibility? Just buy MS Office!! Office 2004 Student & Techer Edition is only $299 from the Apple Education Store
I'd keep an eye out over the next fews weeks though, as a lot of people are expecting new/revised iBooks to be released...

HTH

Kelvin · 4th April 2005, 7:05 PM

If she's comfortable with Xp and PC stuff, there NO point moving across..

There enough incompatibilities with Mac and PC office to be very irritating... not to mention web sites that don't work with safari properly...

Dell and MSY's just as examples...

P.S. I own a PC and a Mac.. (just got rid of the mac 2 weeks ago.. awaiting the newer Imacs)

31st March 2005, 12:33 PM	#1
mickw65 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Mount Isa Posts: 171	$2000 laptop choices Hi people, I need to pick your brains. I did a search here and visited about half a dozen sites but there are too many bloody choices. Most people asking what/where about laptops seem to post in this forum, so here we go! A family member has started Uni and decided she needs a laptop, mainly for PowerPoint/video presentations and accessing Uni data when she's not in class. She wants it to have XP, Office and be future proof for a couple of years. 2kg or less, fast cpu, 15 inch screen and a decent amount of graphics. Wireless, a burner (cd or dvd), fire wire and thumbprint security. She also wants output for mouse, monitor and printer. It will not be used for playing games. The problem is she's only been given a budget of around $2000. She went to a shop in Brissie, which has a large chain of stores, and this is what they offered her for $2194 with a student discount: Acer 382 laptop p4 2.6, 60 gig hdd, 1 gig ram, cd burner, windows home, 4.2 hour battery. I asked her to get the store to provide details of the type of ram, graphics, conns, security etc but she said the bloke couldn't/wouldn't give any further info. Is she being taken for a ride because she knows nothing about laptops? What can you guys recommend for around $2000.00 that meets her requirements, if any? __________________ OCAU MetaL Club Member #1365

31st March 2005, 12:51 PM	#2
Oblong Cheese Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Brisbane Posts: 6,980	TPG Notebooks may be worth a look. Failing that you could check out Apple's iBooks - cheap, but not sure about the XP/Office<->OSX compatability. __________________ My Website \| Ubuntu Linux - It's better than Windows & OS X \| On my... LAP: Dell XPS M1330 (Ubuntu 9.10) DESK: i7 920, P6T-D, 6Gb G.Skill, GTX285, Xonar DX in a P182 (Vista Home Ultimate 64-bit) \| Why Windows Causes Stupidity

2nd April 2005, 3:41 PM	#6
mickw65 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Mount Isa Posts: 171	Oblong_Cheese and Varuna, thanks for the links. I'll refer her to the TPG Centrino and the HP Compaq nx6120. She wanted thumbprint security because her friends laptop was stolen. Without having the extra money for that feature, she will just have to be careful. Cheers for the alternatives to MS Office and the uni coop bookshop option. __________________ OCAU MetaL Club Member #1365

2nd April 2005, 4:09 PM	#8
psylink Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Brisbane Posts: 178	If a laptop get stolen, it gets stolen.. no thumbprint security is going to save you edit: if its going to be moved around a lot.. maybe she should look at some 12" laptops.. i'm currently thinking about a Dell 700m __________________ Successful Trades : seven7, Encore, KRAGGAH, leathal_leigh, Michegianni, Volumex, Nightwatchman, gjbrook, Skinz, Some Other Guy, Megsy, daffy, melbourne-ocoa, dewy, guyv3r, syxx, 1shot1kill, blackbart53, nEoKnIgHt, Danno, Andypoo, Sarkazein, chiku, StOo_Burger + many many more. Outstanding Traders : gjbrook Last edited by psylink; 2nd April 2005 at 4:11 PM.

2nd April 2005, 4:15 PM	#9
mickw65 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Mount Isa Posts: 171	Yes, I had a look at a G4 comparible in price to the ones previously mentioned. It only had 1.2, less ram, 9200 vs 9700 and a smaller display. And after browsing through OCAU, Whirlpool and brand sites for her, she said she doesn't want an iBook. No real reasons, MS brainwashed perhaps? __________________ OCAU MetaL Club Member #1365

31st March 2005, 3:41 PM	#4
sml_nail Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Newcastle, NSW Posts: 790	Is thumbprint security a must? The only ones I know of that have this integrated is some of the IBM T43 Notebooks however they are about $3000.

2nd April 2005, 3:54 PM	#7
woo_yah Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Top End Posts: 378	Does it have to be a windows box? As mentioned above, you could try an iBook... They're pretty cheap, especially with student discount!

4th April 2005, 7:05 PM	#11
Kelvin Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 1,668	If she's comfortable with Xp and PC stuff, there NO point moving across.. There enough incompatibilities with Mac and PC office to be very irritating... not to mention web sites that don't work with safari properly... Dell and MSY's just as examples... P.S. I own a PC and a Mac.. (just got rid of the mac 2 weeks ago.. awaiting the newer Imacs)