[laffand]

I'm getting a new laptop soon .. and was wondering as a non-computer-smarts type person .. what I should look for and what brands are best.. etc.
Any suggestions?
-Danielle

[Chad]

Assuming you aren't going with an Apple laptop, look for two things and you'll be golden:

1) 2GB of ram/memory (though 1GB will suffice .. which is 1024MB)
2) Dual core processor
3) Don't go with any laptop using Celeron (they are slow)

Other than that, the rest is icing on the cake.

I would recommend FutureShop (click to see listings) simply because I've had 2 laptop purchasing experiences with them (one for my sister, and for myself) and haven't had any problems. Usually FutureShop carries the higher end, thin and light, more expensive laptops. If you're looking for an 'ultimate' laptop... thin, light, big screen, long battery... then look there. But if you're looking for a cheaper laptop then theres other places to find one. The nice thing about Futureshop is they have a Back To School sale with great deals and usually throw in extra things like 'Buy a laptop and get a free printer'. In which case you can get the sales rep to sometimes exchange the free printer for something better like a leather bag or USB key. My friends have Dell laptops which are also very good quality. MDG is another decent pick.

Battery life can be an important factor to also take note of. Battery life usually lasts between 2-4 hours on average, so you'll want a laptop with less of the battery-hungry 'media center' options. You can browse FutureShop for battery life specs as well.

Other recommended laptop distributors:
- Dell.ca (have a good choice starting at $799)
- MDG.ca (entry level that is decent starts at $899)

If you're looking to buy an Apple laptop, visit the TITLES bookstore at Mac, they have an Apple computer area that is a certified seller and can show you the differences/advantages, as well as give you the Apple student discount.


---

What type of computer were you looking at getting? Just one to surf the net, type in Word, and use msn? ... oh and visit MacInsiders of course lol

[lorend]

I have friends who had Dell laptops in the past, and hated them A LOT.

However, everyone I know with a Dell right now is content with them. But, when they do break down, they break down well.

[Chad]

The downside to Dell that I don't like is that if you don't pay the big bucks for the insurance, then there isn't an easy quick way to get your laptop fixed... you need to send it to their warehouse for repairs. If you were with, for example, MDG... you can go to one of their many local locations and have someone look at it very quickly without giving up your laptop for a week or two.

[laffand]

well I was thinking an apple.. does any1 on here have any info on that?

[rlevitin]

Only thing I've heard Apple wise other than "They're GREAT" "They're EXPENSIVE" and "I WANT AN MAC!" is that the MacBook Pro's seem to have some sort of battery issues -- they over-heat and have short battery life.

Go for a good ol' MacBook and you should be fine.

[laffand]

I am really looking into apples now. I read a lot about the MacBook and that was really what I was interested in. Colour really doesn't matter to me .. and the slight difference between the 3 slightly confuse me. Why is there such a price gap for very little difference? Is one better then the rest? I would only use it for basics .. nothing else. As well the ipod deal with it.. is that worth it? Because it says "up to $229 mail-in" and then the rebate form says "$229" - wihtout a mention of the "up to" .. My mom and dad are not entirely convinced about the apple yet though.

[lorend]

Just to warn you if you don't already have one...ipods are crap. They break down a lot, and do lots of weird funny things (ie with mine, where I can't hold more than 20 songs on the damn thing now, even though it's apparently 2GB).

I know lots of people who have had, or are having issues with theirs.

I love mine, but it's a piece of shit.

[Chad]

My next laptop would probably be a Mac Book Pro since im in Multimedia at Mac. Right now I have an Acer Ferrari and Sony Vaio. Both of which are great, the Vaio is so thin

The major difference between Mac Book and Mac Book Pro is the video card. You get a dedicated video card in the Pro, which makes it way better and able to run much more multimedia intensive programs like Final Cut for video editing, etc.


Some comparison comments on this blog (macbook vs pro)

[laffand]

well .. i have had a few ipods and i am FULLY aware of there crappy-ness. mine is horrible .. its the old mini's so what can you really expect.. so far my ipod experience has been really bad... im hoping this one will go well .. since its 'newer' if not i know ALL of the signs very well ..

[lorend]

I'm sorry you had poopy ipod experiences too! :(

[Chad]

I haven't had any issues with my nano, but my neighbour's ipod crashed on him and he had to get it replaced. I guess it's luck of the draw

[laffand]

yea my brother has had all the ipod luck. which i have had none.

[ankitR]

These days, the general trends of laptop purchasing are that more laptops made in Japan are being favoured over brands which are made in China. VAIOs, Fujitsus, Panasonic, Asus (i think) are built very well and are comparatively reliable. The downside is that japanese made brands are more expensive than chinese made brands; if affordability is an issue, then I would recommend getting an HP (I've used one for a long time and it is pretty reliable)

BUT if there was a Sony with less features retailing at the same price as a Toshiba or an Acer with more features, I would go with a japanese brand anyday

[lorend]

If Sony laptops are anything like their TV's...don't get one!

They break down often and Sony doesn't like to repair them. And I worked in an audio/video store for over two years...which refused to sell Sony due to the problems they had.