noob Q: Notebook/Laptop Brand Advice

snm · 25th September 2005, 4:45 PM

Hi,

I'm considering getting a cheap laptop / notebook but there are a huge number of different brands out there and i don't know which ones i should/shouldn't be considering. Some advice / user feedback would be appreciated. Not only which brands but on which processors give the most bang for buck.

Basiclly I don't want to spend more than say $1600 (new salary sacrifice

)

I'm hoping for:

Wireless LAN
DVD Rom
40GB HDD Min
Sound Card
The smaller the better (i like the widescreen ones)
Preferrably a standalone vid card so i can run some games such as Generals, Call of Duty, NFSU2 etc....

Basically so when i'm away on business i can watch DVD's, play a few games, connect to the internet n keep myself entertained without having to have 10 external USB devices attached.

Look forward to the replies!

puterz_r_4geekz · 25th September 2005, 5:04 PM

Acer 3503Wlmi....

snm · 26th September 2005, 6:27 PM

Big W have an Acer Aspire3003WLWi on special this week for $1296 is that a good price?

Link to advert: http://www.users.on.net/~shaunm/temp/16.pdf

Is there any negative feedback bout Acer laptops?

Mitch01 · 26th September 2005, 9:05 PM

Acer's are good, and well supported in Australia.

Decent build quality, specially in the higher end models.

While they may not be the nicest looking, smartest notebooks on the market, they offer sound value for money.

Note: All models are plastic... and there are some quirks that may annoy people (positioning of drives and ports).

But for the most they are a good quality, good value notebook.

While I dont personally own one, we resell alot of them as our main notebook (with 2 HR repair warranty).

mordy · 26th September 2005, 9:10 PM

dude, make sure u play around with whichever laptop in the store ... some are just plain annoying

puterz_r_4geekz · 26th September 2005, 9:13 PM

Dude that's a 3003wlmi

You can get a 3503Wlmi which is a lot better from Dick Smith Electronics for $1498.00

Nephilim · 8th November 2005, 11:57 PM

Not sure if it's got what you want but maybe the ASUS W3N from www.cworld.com.au

arrow224 · 9th November 2005, 7:08 PM

For a tad bit more, the Aldi laptop is great value.

Mitch01 · 9th November 2005, 8:35 PM

In the paper today, ASUS outsold Toshiba in the 3rd quarter of 2005, and are now the 5th highest selling notebook manufacturer in Aus.

KRAGGAH · 9th November 2005, 8:45 PM

i own compaq/ hp and toshiba laptops

compaq are mostly plastic frames, exept the edging around it is all steal. great bang for buck, especially the 14" WXGA widescreen, solid build.

toshiba? simply the best i have used. great support. i have a old school toshiba one (p3) and its about 7yrs old and runs like a rig, i can still order power packs from toshiba should the need to arise, and i had a issue with my lan, so i rang them up and they were happy to help me with a 7yr old lappy. wow.
downside is that u pay a price for this, toshibas are gernerally more dere.

Valtagor · 11th November 2005, 5:14 PM

Be brand aware!

I have:
Dells - no problems (but are all less than 4 years old)
Toshibas - last one due to be retired next week. Have performed well
IBMs - Solid (no windows key - so no Win-E, Win-R)
Compaqs and Toshibas - all retired except 1 Toshiba Libarato 50 - still going strong!
Clevo/First Lite - If you can't say ANYTHING good.... - I thought of something nice to say about them: I only got calls about these breaking down for the first 2 years.

PS Our laptops are sued hard. They are either the mobile desctop replacement , or 'light industrial use'.

Although I have not used ASUS or ACER, I would suggest that either would be a reliable machine. ASUS seems to have some good prices recently.

25th September 2005, 4:45 PM	#1
snm Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Adelaide SA Posts: 229	noob Q: Notebook/Laptop Brand Advice Hi, I'm considering getting a cheap laptop / notebook but there are a huge number of different brands out there and i don't know which ones i should/shouldn't be considering. Some advice / user feedback would be appreciated. Not only which brands but on which processors give the most bang for buck. Basiclly I don't want to spend more than say $1600 (new salary sacrifice ) I'm hoping for: Wireless LAN DVD Rom 40GB HDD Min Sound Card The smaller the better (i like the widescreen ones) Preferrably a standalone vid card so i can run some games such as Generals, Call of Duty, NFSU2 etc.... Basically so when i'm away on business i can watch DVD's, play a few games, connect to the internet n keep myself entertained without having to have 10 external USB devices attached. Look forward to the replies!

26th September 2005, 9:05 PM	#4
Mitch01 Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 21,286	Acer's are good, and well supported in Australia. Decent build quality, specially in the higher end models. While they may not be the nicest looking, smartest notebooks on the market, they offer sound value for money. Note: All models are plastic... and there are some quirks that may annoy people (positioning of drives and ports). But for the most they are a good quality, good value notebook. While I dont personally own one, we resell alot of them as our main notebook (with 2 HR repair warranty). __________________ "I think in this world, if you can do something you love as a job and it doesn't feel like a job that is one of the greatest gifts you can have" - Hugh Jackman 2009

8th November 2005, 11:57 PM	#7
Nephilim Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 604	Not sure if it's got what you want but maybe the ASUS W3N from www.cworld.com.au __________________ E6420 @ 3.2GHz \| TT Typhoon VX \| P5B-Deluxe \| 4GB A-DATA DDR2-800 \| 8800GTS 640mb \| Antec NeoHE 500 \| CM Stacker 810 \| 3 x 500GB SATAII \| 2 x 250GB PATA \| 2 x 16x SATA DVD-RAM \| Logitech G15 \| Logitech MX1000 \| Dell 2407WFP \| Hitachi CM721F \| JBL Studio L890's \| Cambridge Audio 640R

9th November 2005, 7:08 PM	#8
arrow224 Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,449	For a tad bit more, the Aldi laptop is great value. __________________ ASCII a stupid question, get a stupid ANSI! Get Firefox Member #49 of OCAU iRiver club Successful trades with: Copycat, BuuBox, SCwerTA <-------- The information went data way -------->

9th November 2005, 8:35 PM	#9
Mitch01 Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 21,286	In the paper today, ASUS outsold Toshiba in the 3rd quarter of 2005, and are now the 5th highest selling notebook manufacturer in Aus. __________________ "I think in this world, if you can do something you love as a job and it doesn't feel like a job that is one of the greatest gifts you can have" - Hugh Jackman 2009

26th September 2005, 6:27 PM	#3
snm Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Adelaide SA Posts: 229	Big W have an Acer Aspire3003WLWi on special this week for $1296 is that a good price? Link to advert: http://www.users.on.net/~shaunm/temp/16.pdf Is there any negative feedback bout Acer laptops?

26th September 2005, 9:10 PM	#5
mordy Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: melb Posts: 5,070	dude, make sure u play around with whichever laptop in the store ... some are just plain annoying

9th November 2005, 8:45 PM	#10
KRAGGAH Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: kangaroo point, qld Posts: 725	i own compaq/ hp and toshiba laptops compaq are mostly plastic frames, exept the edging around it is all steal. great bang for buck, especially the 14" WXGA widescreen, solid build. toshiba? simply the best i have used. great support. i have a old school toshiba one (p3) and its about 7yrs old and runs like a rig, i can still order power packs from toshiba should the need to arise, and i had a issue with my lan, so i rang them up and they were happy to help me with a 7yr old lappy. wow. downside is that u pay a price for this, toshibas are gernerally more dere. __________________ 0517EPMW 3000+ "venice" 2808mhz @1.56v \| DFI NF4 ultra D \| 2x512MB OCZ UTT BH-5 RAM \|AC Freezer 64 \| Topower EPS 600w 24pin PSU \| albatron 6600 pcie (515 / 735) \| 5x250gb + 80gb \|49 Successful trades \| PCDB

11th November 2005, 5:14 PM	#11
Valtagor Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bne Posts: 131	Be brand aware! I have: Dells - no problems (but are all less than 4 years old) Toshibas - last one due to be retired next week. Have performed well IBMs - Solid (no windows key - so no Win-E, Win-R) Compaqs and Toshibas - all retired except 1 Toshiba Libarato 50 - still going strong! Clevo/First Lite - If you can't say ANYTHING good.... - I thought of something nice to say about them: I only got calls about these breaking down for the first 2 years. PS Our laptops are sued hard. They are either the mobile desctop replacement , or 'light industrial use'. Although I have not used ASUS or ACER, I would suggest that either would be a reliable machine. ASUS seems to have some good prices recently.