Laptop

[colm-ccfc84]

I'm going to America next week and I am considering upgrading my laptop while there. If anyone is knowledgable about them any help or advice would be appreciated! Here are some details:

Budget: Apporx $1000

Size: Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

I am going to buy in America.

Brands: Not too bothered.

Tasks: Surfing the internet, word processing, excel, watching TV & films online, instant messaging, photo editing, listening to music

Travelling: I will be travelling a lot and walking everyday with the laptop in my bag.

Games: Won't be playing games.

Battery: More than 2 hours, as much as I can get really.

Buying online: I don't mind buying online.

Operating system: I don't really mind. Probably prefer windows to mac, have always used windows. Not an issue.

Screen: Widescreen. I'm not so sure on the technicalities and intricacies. Probably go for glossy.

Looks: Yes the looks and style are very important to me.

Buying: In the next couple of weeks and hoping to last a few years.

Hard drive: 120gb maybe

Optical drive: CD/DVD RW


I don't think I have any other requirements. I am a college student so I carry my laptop a lot. I watch a lot of TV shows, listen to music, instant messaging and doing college work. A good battery life is desirable. Also light weight and style.

[Pringle]

Personally, I prefer desktop pcs, BUT if I was buying a laptop I'd go fo something like a Toshiba or Sony or Compaq running Vista and I'd opt for an Intel over an AMD processor.

Off topic kinda; but I'm thinking of dumping my AMD processor, keeping my hard-drive and getting an Intel processor etc built into a Asus 'bare bone'. If you want a bargain look at Ebuyer - Cheap Computers, Laptops, Digital Cameras, TVs & more!

[CD]

Is that not alot of money to spemd on something in another country? Would you not be better off spending it at home - that way you always have a comeback should something go wrong with it. Would it have to be sent back to the shop or would the brand only fix it in the country it was purchased etc?
Personally I wouldn't buy anything like that abroad! To much of a risk.
Do you have 'Staples' in Ireland Colm? They have some good deals in there (probably better than PC World).

I want to get a laptop for DJing (been wanting one for ages!) but have been hangin on thinking I'll get better one if I wait a few months. That's the annoying thing about computers - as soon as you buy one you can get a better one at a cheaper price!

[xzibit]

toshiba are renowned for producing the best laptops. sonys can be buggie. macs are ok if you're not too worried about software compatibility.

[MachielS]

sony and toshiba are making the best laptops at the moment..
i couldnt advise compaq.. somehow had some bad experiences.
and i wouldnt get vista.. it SUCKS! (from a programmers perspective) but since youre not doing that.. its ok :p

[weed]

got a tosh myself. no issues and completely reliable. highly recommended.

[colm-ccfc84]

In relation to buying abroad. I don't think it will be a problem. I have bought abroad before. I'm going back again for the summer and if in the unlikely event there was a serious problem I could arrange for someone to sort it out there. I am looking at iMacs and Dells. I've never had an iMac, but they seem very good. Has anybody got one?

[pinoni]

i have a mac. the great thing is you have no worries about viruses and they look cool and sexy.

[colm-ccfc84]

Which one do you have Pinoni? Would you recommend it? Is it worth a little extra money?

[CD]

I got an old iMac (+ a PC) & some of my friends have a eMac & the newest iMac. No problems encountered by any of us! I would say from experience is that reliability is better! Only downside is the amount of products that are compatible with Macs. Sometimes you have to 'search things out' rather than just buying something like you would do with a Windows based computer!!
Macs look so much better than ANY other computer on the market!
It will probably take you a little while to get used to the Mac - well I did (so did my friends who have Macs) as I'd only used Windows before.

Good luck with whatever you go for!

What other expensive electrical products have you purchased abroad Colm?