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Geek Culture / A new laptop

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Lord Raoul
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 03:50
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I am looking for a new laptop, for programming, modelling and gaming. I want something with plenty of power and something that won't get to be useless really quickly. Basically I have found what I deem to be a good deal and want some opinions, is this PC worth the money and if not why?

Ultima 17.1 Plus

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
Processor: Intel ® Pentium ® 4 - 540 with Hyper Threading (3.2GHz Prescott, 1MB L2 Cache, 800FSB)
Memory: 2048MB PC3200 DDR (400MHz)
Hard Drives: 80GB (4200rpm) ATA-100 Hard Disk Drive
Graphics (Notebook): 256MB ATI Radeon M11 DDR Integrated AGP 8x
Monitor (Notebook): 17.1'' TFT WXGA (1440 x 900) Colour Screen
DVD-ROM (Notebook): 8 x Dual Layer DVD-RW (-/+)
Sound (Notebook): Integrated 3D Stereo SoundBlaster Compatible
Speakers (Notebook): Integrated Internal Speakers + Subwoofer and Microphone
Card Reader / Floppy Drive: Built-in 7-in-1 Card Reader
Modem (Notebook): 56kBPS Modem, featuring data and fax.
Bluetooth: Built-in Bluetooth module
Webcam: Video Camera Built-in
Wireless LAN: Built-in 802.11g Wireless Lan Card (internal)
Notebook Carry Case: Free Carry Case - Standard
Warranty: 1 Year Parts & Labour, Collection & Return Warranty - (Terms Apply)
Delivery: Insured Del within Mainland UK (+ £39) at £39
Ports: Firewire,2xUSB,IrDA,TV-Out,Parallel,Monitor-Out,SPDIF
Card Slots: PCMCIA Slot, supports zoomed video

Price Including VAT & DEL: £ 1489.72
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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 05:48 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 05:49
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What Are Laptops?

Laptops are portable computers that you can use for a extended period of time without plugging it in.

Even with gamming going on, you are just overpowering your laptop, and draining your battery.

Processor: AMD, 1.8 - 2.4 at most
Memory: 2048MB PC3200 DDR (400MHz) (OverKill, unless you are counter productive and run more then 3 programs at once, 1GB)
Monitor (Notebook): 17.1'' TFT WXGA (1440 x 900) Colour Screen
Subwoofer (That could be a problem, but it is probally a rip off sub anyways)
Webcam: Video Camera Built-in (Redundant, this is only to make you pay more)
Warranty: 1 Year Parts & Labour, Collection & Return Warranty - (Terms Apply)
Firewire (A must have for digital imaging, amoung other things)
2xUSB(the more USB the better)
Parallel(printer?)


But in the end run, it isn't the stats that count. it is the company that is selling it, you NEED to check up on that company, read the complaints, know their weakness'. Some laptops sound really good on paper, but have a bad internal part that is not a part of the standard list (I.E. The mother board). But it sounds okay for the price, $1100 usd apox?

P.S. the battery type isn't listed, that could mean you have a bad battery for the computers power.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Banjo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 09:09
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Actually Merranvo, there are tons of laptops used as "mobile desktops". They use processors even higher than 3.2ghz, up to 4GB of RAM sometimes, 6800 Ultra 256mb Go videocards..and they work fine. Battery power, yes, is only about an hour when you're playing games and stuff, but that's when you bring an extra battery (or two..or three ) or plug it into another power source (in a car or hotel or house..etc)

Those specs definetly aren't overkill for a laptop.

Lord Raoul, they are very nice specs.
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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 10:53 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 10:55
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a "Mobile Desktop" is only a excuse for buying a laptop.

Truths, a "Mobile Desktop" is not a desktop. It is a overpowered laptop.

Why, laptop parts are NOT the same as desktop parts. the laptop parts are designed to work in small spaces with low power requirements. "Mobile Desktops" defys laptop nature.
Those are high power parts with high heat exaust shoved into a low powered confined space.
yes sometimes you have propper parts, but most "mobile desktops" are just laptops with modified desktop parts (I mean by the parts company).

You are overpowering the computer, it was never designed to work with those parts. Take sonys new PS2, if it were propperly designed, the casing would never get that hot, but because of the demand of los idiotos, they caved in and made it smaller.

But the end run is that you don't need to spend an extra $700 on a laptop. You can't be mobile with it so it is NOT a laptop anymore. YES desktops are harder to move when you travel. But there may still be the desktop computers (I forget the propper case name, these are 4 inch tall computers/ I forget the stats too...) somewhere.

READ THIS BEFORE REPLYING
I know that some companies take the extra step to make the high power parts to yeild low heat, and use low voltage, but they can't bring the heat down to levels that normal laptops would have unless they use much more expensive materials, like silver, which has a lower heat exaust.

now you may discredit me. But the endrun is true, you are producing a lot of heat, and useing alot of electricity in a very confined space.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Drew Cameron
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 13:58 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 13:58
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It's still a laptop though.
Even if it heats up more.

I don't really get what your saying, to be honest.


Katie Holmes does not endorse D&C or Drew Cameron.
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Lord Raoul
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 16:16
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Thanks for the advice. Sorry for the lack of information in the first post.

I do intend the laptop to be a desktop replacement but I want something that I can mainly keep in one place connected to mains power but have the option of taking it places easily, e.g. college and next year university lectures etc. The reason it is slightly overpowered for the moments (eg 2gb of RAM) is that I find it unlikely that I will get the funds to replace it anytime in the next few years and I want it to last. I made a mistake when buying my current PC as I opted to spend less and as a result my PC is now pretty much useless for modern games and high end applications. If I had invested another couple of hundered pounds it would still be okay.

Merranvo , thanks for the advice about looking into the suppliers. I have checked up and they appear to have a good reputation. Most of the reports I have found say that their machines run very well for a long time with no faults. I am still looking into the battery.

Thanks again everyone.
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UnderLord
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 16:48
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http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=1350606&sku=A180-1046

there is the labtop i want its perfect for making web pages / small 2d games on plus its cheap you can always upgrade it ect ect. But when i get it im gonna buy me a attery that last longer.

When we talk to god, we're praying. When god talks to us, we're schizophrenic.
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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 17:12
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Drew, it generates more heat than it was made to generate. so they put a lot of heat sinks in, and use a lot of fans. If one of the fans clog, the whole system will die very fast. It just presents issues. Making somthing smaller then it was designed to be created.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Ace Of Spades
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 17:37
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Im also now looking for a laptop but I have a problem. My budget is only $700 right now. Is it possible to get any type of decent laptop for that much?

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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 17:41
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if you don't overpower. Yes,

shop AMD, they are heat crazy, but that is just one part, and the price of thier chips is good enough for me.

Shop 4200rpm, cheap and still works.

Look for DDR1, you may get a lower price for similar functionality.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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David R
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 18:58 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 19:00
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Quote: " if you don't overpower. Yes,

shop AMD, they are heat crazy, but that is just one part, and the price of thier chips is good enough for me."


You should my Dad's Laptop. It cost him £950.... and man that thing is spec'd up.

It has an AMD 3.2GHZ, 768mb of RAM (DDR400), an Nvidia GT 6800M and a 50GB HD. It has a battery life of 5 hours too

Quite a good deal I'd say, during mind the GT6800 is about £150 on its own.

(all the components are squished in tight, so this battery is pretty huge. It runs the whole length of the laptop)

[url=www.lightningstudios.co.uk][/url]
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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 20:26
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Okay, that is building, I think. But yeah, building costs less. People just buy the wrong parts if they don't know how to do it.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Me!
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 20:35
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@ Leys: you could go for an Acer, I have two, they seem reliable (3 & 1.5 yrs old respectivley) and only cost £599 for a 2.4 celeryon with ATI graphics, I can code in DB and run Unreal Tourney 2004, RTCW, Halo and Quake2 well enough, the Cpu is the worst part, you can get better spec Acers for a little more money.

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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 20:39
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Acer has a bad reputation though, i forget what for. And they have smaller batterys.

Remind me to get that information again...

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Jeku
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 22:16
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Quote: "Drew, it generates more heat than it was made to generate. so they put a lot of heat sinks in, and use a lot of fans. If one of the fans clog, the whole system will die very fast. It just presents issues. Making somthing smaller then it was designed to be created."


And.... so? A desktop's insides can melt if a main fan breaks down too. Most power supplies and CPUs shut down if the temperature raises to a certain level anyways.

And you're wrong about the whole "no laptop but desktop" argument. I bought a laptop recently to replace my desktop, and it is every bit as good, if not BETTER than a high-end desktop PC. Who cares if everything's shoved into a tight space? That's the whole point! And just because the battery length is short--- who cares? It's still a portable computer. Your logic astounds me.


My "everyone else has one so why can't I?" blog: http://www.jeku.com/blog/
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Merranvo
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Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 22:31
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I do! Does it make sense to have all that heat in a confined space, or a more open space. That is the issue. A desktop will fry SLOWER then a laptop because of that simple truth.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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the_winch
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 00:01 Edited at: 4th Aug 2005 00:02
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Quote: " Does it make sense to have all that heat in a confined space, or a more open space"


It depends what you are looking for in a computer. If you want something that is small and portable then it makes sense to cram it into a confined space.

Quote: "A desktop will fry SLOWER then a laptop because of that simple truth."


Neither will fry so how can one fry slower than the other?
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Merranvo
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 01:39
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read above posts (soon to be my sig at this rate)

In the event of a error (ie, fan stops working), the laptop will have a greater chance of serious dammage then the desktop computer.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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Aoneweb
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 04:25
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I have a satellite, P4 538 with Hyper Thread 3.2ghz, 15.4 trubrite display, 1 gig of mem, Radeon 9000 IGP with 256meg sheared.

Can it play Doom3, if you don’t want detailed graphics, It sucks.
FPSC EA works ok though.

Toshiba,3.2Ghz,ATI Radeon 9000 IGP 128mb,1.2gig of Ram,Windows XP Home. www.aoneweb.com

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BearCDPOLD
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 05:15
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Quote: "I know that some companies take the extra step to make the high power parts to yeild low heat, and use low voltage, but they can't bring the heat down to levels that normal laptops would have unless they use much more expensive materials, like silver, which has a lower heat exaust.

now you may discredit me. But the endrun is true, you are producing a lot of heat, and useing alot of electricity in a very confined space."


I'm so terribly sorry, but all that you say leads me to believe that you are a load of BS. I am discrediting you because you have no valid source to go off of. Have you ever run tests on laptops and desktops measuring heat and the temperature of individual components compared to a chart describing the melting points of each component?

I think not.

Have you even read into significant detail about techniques used for heat control in laptops and their efficiency? Maybe, but probably not enough for me to believe you.

Your logic makes sense, but it's not confirmed, and you impress it upon us as though it is when we've all got rather nice laptops that have had no problem whatsoever.


I'm going to eat you!
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Merranvo
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 05:39
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You know. I had a nice reply worked out, but frankly, Bear, I am not going to bother.

And If you really want data, my underpowered laptop (with good battery life, and less weight) still is producing 3 deg greater then my desktop.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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BearCDPOLD
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 05:52
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Darn, if you get the energy I'd like to know what your counter arguments were.

My laptop produces more heat than my desktop as well, but the components don't melt. That's a given, what we're disputing is whether or not that will eventually destroy the components or at least considerably faster than those of a desktop.


I'm going to eat you!
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Jeku
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 06:08
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Quote: "Does it make sense to have all that heat in a confined space, or a more open space. That is the issue. A desktop will fry SLOWER then a laptop because of that simple truth."


Do I really have to spell it out for you? For fun, I will:

If it doesn't make sense to you--- then don't buy a laptop! There, I saved you a wad of cash to buy a so-called "real" computer


My "everyone else has one so why can't I?" blog: http://www.jeku.com/blog/
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Merranvo
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Posted: 4th Aug 2005 06:44
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Okay... I just bought a "real" computer, but he is a bit grumpy, saying that I am wasting his time making him compute things by hand.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
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