Computer/Laptop Recommendations

Off Topic
21

[quote]Claudan wrote:

[quote]chobbs wrote:
Clauden what’s your opinions on macs [/quote]

Great products. User friendly, etc etc, just very expensive.

The reason most PC-nerds hate on Apple products is because Apple does all the thinking for you, and literally tells you what options/functions you may use or may not use.

PCs let you change EVERYTHING as long as you know how to.

Also, I guess, PCs have upgrade-able parts while Macs you cannot upgrade individual components.
[/quote]
I concur man.

My dad learned long ago to just get macs for my mother and sister. Neither one is very computer savvy and macs basically provide a low maintenance and enjoyable experience.

He and I love PC’s though. Sure they’re a little more work, but you can basically make one behave however the fuck you want. Macs mostly behave how the people at Apple think is best for you whether you agree or not. Also if you’re going to do any serious gaming PC’s are still better and easier at that task even after all these years lol.

22

[quote]Heracles_rocks wrote:
I’ve had a toshiba laptop for approximately 6-7 years now. Its been a very reliable machine. But i’ve had many issues in the last 6 months with updates and lagging video play and etc that i rarely encountered before.

Long story short, i’m thinking about getting a new one. But i’m not sure exactly what to look for.

Keys attributes that i want: Speed and processing power, great graphics and big screen as i watch all my tv shows and ondemand on my laptop.

Some issues that i want to avoid: lag, and overheating.

Any recommendations on what to look for as far as attributes and/or which machines would be good options to look into?[/quote]

To address the OP directly, my good friend purchased his ASUS ROG laptop a couple years back, and it has been stellar. That’s a VERY powerful device at a much lower price than the other powerhouses.

23

Sorry for the late response.

Claudan, my budget is fairly open as i would consider it an investment as i do everything on it. Under 1000 would be a number that i’ve tossed around and would like to save money but that isnt necessarily a firm line. As far as lag goes, i don’t really have too many problems say on youtube even at 1080p, but game sites like addictinggames, some of the the games lag.

But i was referring more to processing my wmv, vlc or div players.(mostly vlc and wmv) I realize there are some different things that can be done as far as tweaking the settings but doesnt seem to make much difference. Usually if i let the show or movie buffer a little that usually works fine. I will also look into newegg and tigerdirect sites.

Kakno, i’ve considered getting a desktop replacement as portibility is no longer a priority for me. Regarding power, i keep my laptop plugged in most of the time and i use the high performance power option that it gives me and thus need to keep connected. Regarding gaming, i just play the free ones available online.

Anchor, i’ve thought about doing just that. That seems to be the thing to do, at least i know a few people that prefer to build there own machine. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble to put a list of things to look/purchase for i would greatly appreciate the advice.

Jlone and CB thanks for the insight on sony products.

Sorry if i missed any other posts, i will look into the acer and the asus rog laptops as well csulli and rampantbadger.

Regarding dell, i’ve heard alot of bad things about them as well, so thanks for confirming the reviews that i’ve come across.

24

It is not true that the big box stores are always rip-offs. They have sale items which can very often beat the online retailers. Look at the deal sites: those cheap-asses will and do go to Best Buy, Staples, etc to buy computers when they go on sale. Costco also runs some good sales. They can’t mark the prices on big ticket items up too high because people actually look at those prices.

The biggest rip-off in the big stores is accessories.

25

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
Costco also runs some good sales. [/quote]

This is a good point. I got my last laptop at BJ’s for $400, and it is still a solid machine, just old now, and blue screens from overheating. It also fried the wireless card a couple months ago, but I work around it, lol.

The laptop is only 4 years old, but for a total of $125 a year (bought $100 worth of ram to upgrade) I’m okay with it.

26

I’ve had a Sony Vaio for about 2 years and have no complaints.

27

[quote]Derek542 wrote:

[quote]Claudan wrote:

[quote]chobbs wrote:
Clauden what’s your opinions on macs [/quote]

Great products. User friendly, etc etc, just very expensive.

The reason most PC-nerds hate on Apple products is because Apple does all the thinking for you, and literally tells you what options/functions you may use or may not use.

PCs let you change EVERYTHING as long as you know how to.

Also, I guess, PCs have upgrade-able parts while Macs you cannot upgrade individual components.
[/quote]
Okay so do you buy them refurbed or from the store?[/quote]

i either buy refurbed online or original online.

28

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
It is not true that the big box stores are always rip-offs. They have sale items which can very often beat the online retailers. Look at the deal sites: those cheap-asses will and do go to Best Buy, Staples, etc to buy computers when they go on sale. Costco also runs some good sales. They can’t mark the prices on big ticket items up too high because people actually look at those prices.

The biggest rip-off in the big stores is accessories. [/quote]

That’s where we are differ in points. You are talking bout “sales” and “cheap”. I’m talking about paying a price, and getting product that is in actuality worth less because of inferior components.

29

If your computer SOFTWARE/OS breaks down after 1-5 minutes of usage, I’m not surprised.

If your computer HARDWARE breaks down any sooner than 6-10 years, then you had some shitty products.

30

[quote]Heracles_rocks wrote:
Sorry for the late response.

Claudan, my budget is fairly open as i would consider it an investment as i do everything on it. Under 1000 would be a number that i’ve tossed around and would like to save money but that isnt necessarily a firm line. As far as lag goes, i don’t really have too many problems say on youtube even at 1080p, but game sites like addictinggames, some of the the games lag.

But i was referring more to processing my wmv, vlc or div players.(mostly vlc and wmv) I realize there are some different things that can be done as far as tweaking the settings but doesnt seem to make much difference. Usually if i let the show or movie buffer a little that usually works fine. I will also look into newegg and tigerdirect sites.

Kakno, i’ve considered getting a desktop replacement as portibility is no longer a priority for me. Regarding power, i keep my laptop plugged in most of the time and i use the high performance power option that it gives me and thus need to keep connected. Regarding gaming, i just play the free ones available online.

Anchor, i’ve thought about doing just that. That seems to be the thing to do, at least i know a few people that prefer to build there own machine. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble to put a list of things to look/purchase for i would greatly appreciate the advice.

Jlone and CB thanks for the insight on sony products.

Sorry if i missed any other posts, i will look into the acer and the asus rog laptops as well csulli and rampantbadger.

Regarding dell, i’ve heard alot of bad things about them as well, so thanks for confirming the reviews that i’ve come across. [/quote]
Good, that makes it a lot easier. The graphics processor integrated in a modern CPU is more than enough for (almost all) video and simple games. They’ve really focused on that the last few years.

Do/will you have a separate display? If not, I suggest you get a pretty high resolution right away, as that is hard, if not impossible, to upgrade. So I suggest 1920x1080 or higher. If it’s mailny going to sit on your desk, a big screen is a plus.

(RAM and harddrive can usually be upgraded, unless it’s a very thin computer)

So I suggest you get something with
2nd/3rd/4th gen Intel Core i5/i7
1920x1080 display
And an SSD, separately if you have to. This is the part that makes the computer feel fast. Faster boot-up time, programs start faster, everything in windows just goes faster. And unlike a normal hard drive, it will continue to feel fast for years.

I’m not very good at computer shopping in the american market, everything feels a little more expensive than it should, but the one thing I’m jealous of is your lenovo webshop.

This looks really good.

(The one with the 1920x1080 display for 949. See if the 10% on your first purchase thing works too)

An alternative, if your computer is mostly going to sit at home, is to get a cheaper one with a lower resolution and buy a separate screen instead. The Dell u2317hm is very popular. (205 dollars) Or a riskier option is ordering a 2560x1440 display from ebay. Cost me 300 dollars to get roughly the same panel as the 1000 dollar apple cinema display.

Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find anything with an SSD and a high res screen without breaking the budget.

Anyway, you can upgrade to an SSD later if you want. That lenovo looks really good. You could also check out their thinkpad line for the best build quality on the market today.

31

[quote]Claudan wrote:
If your computer SOFTWARE/OS breaks down after 1-5 minutes of usage, I’m not surprised.

If your computer HARDWARE breaks down any sooner than 6-10 years, then you had some shitty products.
[/quote]

As to the hardware, doesn’t configuration matter?

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?

32

[quote]Claudan wrote:
If your computer SOFTWARE/OS breaks down after 1-5 minutes of usage, I’m not surprised.

If your computer HARDWARE breaks down any sooner than 6-10 years, then you had some shitty products.
[/quote]

I’ve had some problems with HP’s hardware on two different machines. HP tends toward the bleeding edge, and I tend to buy early in their release cycle before they’ve worked out the kinks.

I recommend an extended service plan with HP. Their first line tech support isn’t great, but after that point they’ve been very accommodating.

That being said, I’m now on my 7th year with a desktop replacement laptop I bought to do remote development while off at college. It’s now running my media center at home.

I had to replace the original motherboard after it overheated and burnt out, and I had to replace a hinge that mechanically failed. Also replaced a harddrive that failed. (I’m not a fan of Seagate anymore; WD has been great however.)

But, I mean, if you’re willing to keep it running… it’s been a good machine for me. The only shortcoming is it doesn’t handle 1080p very well. For everything else, it still meets my needs.

33

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]Claudan wrote:
If your computer SOFTWARE/OS breaks down after 1-5 minutes of usage, I’m not surprised.

If your computer HARDWARE breaks down any sooner than 6-10 years, then you had some shitty products.
[/quote]

As to the hardware, doesn’t configuration matter?

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?

[/quote]

Yes, if your BMW or Ferrari has a bad heating system/design, your Ferrari or BMW will fail, no?

What should we do? Probably address that particular issue, especially when its something as trivial as over-heating.

Either be mindful about the model-design of your next product(by comparing reviews) or invest in an external-cooling pad(for already bought products).

Poorly ventilated/cooled products will severely affect the performance of even the fastest CPUs/GPUs.

The most affected part by over-heating is always the hard-drive and that is why it’s the first to crap out, over time.

34

Like someone else mentioned, if you are purchasing a computer: building it yourself is the best investment.

Not only can it turn out LESS expensive than a “pre-made” computer, but it also allows you to hand-pick the best quality parts, aiding in the longevity.

35

[quote]kakno wrote:

Good, that makes it a lot easier. The graphics processor integrated in a modern CPU is more than enough for (almost all) video and simple games. They’ve really focused on that the last few years.[/quote]

I strongly and respectfully disagree. an integrated GPU is the one of the main reasons people get ripped off. It is absolute crap compared to paying extra $50 and getting DEDICATED memory for graphics operations, instead of using ‘communal’ memory to deal with graphics operations and any other operations.

Apps/videos/browsers/games are only getting MORE demanding, it only makes sense to dedicate independent memory for that cause, which ‘integreated graphics cards’ cannot provide.

36

[quote]Claudan wrote:

[quote]kakno wrote:

Good, that makes it a lot easier. The graphics processor integrated in a modern CPU is more than enough for (almost all) video and simple games. They’ve really focused on that the last few years.[/quote]

I strongly and respectfully disagree. an integrated GPU is the one of the main reasons people get ripped off. It is absolute crap compared to paying extra $50 and getting DEDICATED memory for graphics operations, instead of using ‘communal’ memory to deal with graphics operations and any other operations.

Apps/videos/browsers/games are only getting MORE demanding, it only makes sense to dedicate independent memory for that cause, which ‘integreated graphics cards’ cannot provide.
[/quote]

I wouldn’t get the integrated graphics either. But yeah, it’s probably sufficient for “(almost all) video and simple games”.

A dedicated GPU, with dedicated graphics memory, is a very nice thing to have. Besides the benefit for graphics processing, some applications are able to use the additional processor and use it for general computing when it’s not handling graphics.

37

[quote]Claudan wrote:

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]Claudan wrote:
If your computer SOFTWARE/OS breaks down after 1-5 minutes of usage, I’m not surprised.

If your computer HARDWARE breaks down any sooner than 6-10 years, then you had some shitty products.
[/quote]

As to the hardware, doesn’t configuration matter?

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?

[/quote]

Yes, if your BMW or Ferrari has a bad heating system/design, your Ferrari or BMW will fail, no?

What should we do? Probably address that particular issue, especially when its something as trivial as over-heating.

Either be mindful about the model-design of your next product(by comparing reviews) or invest in an external-cooling pad(for already bought products).

Poorly ventilated/cooled products will severely affect the performance of even the fastest CPUs/GPUs.

The most affected part by over-heating is always the hard-drive and that is why it’s the first to crap out, over time.

[/quote]

Yeah, I’m not arguing, just trying to get more good info out of you like this.

Herc, let me know when I can hijack with general computing questions.

38

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?
[/quote]

I don’t recommend anyone buy HP laptops anymore, I’ve had 4 of the big desktop replacement laptops (friends and colleagues) fail due to horrible cooling design. The last one ran so hot the solder holding the integrated network card melted and became dislodged.

39

[quote]Scotto wrote:

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?
[/quote]

I don’t recommend anyone buy HP laptops anymore, I’ve had 4 of the big desktop replacement laptops (friends and colleagues) fail due to horrible cooling design. The last one ran so hot the solder holding the integrated network card melted and became dislodged.[/quote]

You know the little rubber foot things on the bottom of the laptop to stop it from sliding? Yeah, my laptop ran so hot it melted the glue holding them on and they slide off. Melted the glue on the cooling tray I use too.

My laptop also melted the internal wireless connector (havent’ the slightest clue what the real name of this part is.)

I liked my HP outside of the heat to be honest. Like really liked it for the $. Just runs really, really hot.

40

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]Scotto wrote:

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

I mean, I remember reading that HP tends to make laptops overheat. They may use the best fans in the world, but if they aren’t big enough or the vent is in a bad spot, then best parts in the world will still fail, no?
[/quote]

I don’t recommend anyone buy HP laptops anymore, I’ve had 4 of the big desktop replacement laptops (friends and colleagues) fail due to horrible cooling design. The last one ran so hot the solder holding the integrated network card melted and became dislodged.[/quote]

You know the little rubber foot things on the bottom of the laptop to stop it from sliding? Yeah, my laptop ran so hot it melted the glue holding them on and they slide off. Melted the glue on the cooling tray I use too.

My laptop also melted the internal wireless connector (havent’ the slightest clue what the real name of this part is.)

I liked my HP outside of the heat to be honest. Like really liked it for the $. Just runs really, really hot. [/quote]

Yup same problems, I told my next door neighbor to only run it with a cooling tray, I cleaned it out and had the edges propped on some big books till she could get the cooling tray.