Laptop Question

[Frontier]

Likely to buy a laptop on-line over black friday; never owned a laptop before. The number one thing I want in it? Normal size keyboard. Not a 'smushed' laptop size keyboard. I hate using such when I use my sister's laptop or some such. How big does a laptop need to be to guarantee it has a normal size keyboard?

 

[ares93]

Well if you need a full keyboard, including the numerical section, then you need a 16"+ computer. The 16 inch laptops have a cramped version of the full keyboard though, so i think you should opt for a 17 inch laptop instead.

Here's my 17.3 inch Asus X72-JR

EDIT: Compared to my 13.3 inch Panasonic Toughbook CF-29. Note that the emissive keyboard is somewhat rare. The standard keyboard is more cramped.

 

[sojourner]

Yeah, 17" most likely, but then again, can't you just look at it before you buy it?

 

[Ryan6]

Definitely opt for 17!! ares93's Asus is a nice model.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Well the bigger the screen size, the bigger the keyboard will be generally. But I must say, even if you got one with a smaller keyboard you would likely get used to it soon enough. I got a netbook last year, which has an even smaller keyboard, and I thought it would be tough to get used to but after a couple of days my hands had adjusted and I didn't even notice the size difference.

Laptops are much better than they used to be, so whatever you end up getting you will probably enjoy. The brand I've had great success with in the past is Toshiba. Cheap, reliable, and lasted many years.

 

[SicOne]

For those of us looking to purchase a laptop but aren't all that computer-literate, do you guys and gals have any recommendations for something decent for everyday use (Facebook, Trek BBSing, some gaming)? I don't want to hack the Pentagon, but would like something inexpensive with a full-sized keyboard.

Or, more specifically, what NOT to get!

 

[Kestra]

I think it depends on what gaming you have in mind. Otherwise for the Internet stuff, a net book would work fine.

Also in regard to the OP, you'd be surprised at how quickly you adjust to the keyboard.

 

[SicOne]

Kestra, I guess I don't know much about netbook computers. How do they stack up against regular laptops and desktops?

Regarding gaming, though I don't have much interest in any of the relatively new games that have come out (hell, I still play Unreal Tournament 2002 and SimCity...), that may change in the times ahead. I'm looking for something mostly to take with me on my travels, watch Netflix, do Facebook and various message boards, email, Internet surfing, etc, but also plan to resume writing and will want to use a laptop or netbook for that as well.

I'm a locomotive engineer and spend a lot of free time at my far-terminal, so I also need something fairly sturdy that I don't necessarily have to baby it or encase it in yards of bubble wrap in case other crew members put suitcases and duffel bags atop it.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Kestra, I guess I don't know much about netbook computers. How do they stack up against regular laptops and desktops?

Regarding gaming, though I don't have much interest in any of the relatively new games that have come out (hell, I still play Unreal Tournament 2002 and SimCity...), that may change in the times ahead. I'm looking for something mostly to take with me on my travels, watch Netflix, do Facebook and various message boards, email, Internet surfing, etc, but also plan to resume writing and will want to use a laptop or netbook for that as well.

I'm a locomotive engineer and spend a lot of free time at my far-terminal, so I also need something fairly sturdy that I don't necessarily have to baby it or encase it in yards of bubble wrap in case other crew members put suitcases and duffel bags atop it.

Netbooks are meant for different purposes than traditional laptops, so there are some key differences. The biggest differences are that netbooks are much smaller and have no CD/DVD drive. They are meant for travelers who will use the computer mainly for surfing the net (hence the name "net"book) and creating simple Word and Excel documents. They are very small and light, making it quite easy to take with you on plane, car, train, boat, etc. trips because they can fit into small cases, carry-ons, or even purses. At my former university, many students just stuffed them into their backpacks with the rest of their junk. So if you are planning to travel a lot, netbooks are a convenient choice.

They are also much cheaper than traditional laptops. But keep in mind that you won't have that disk drive. However, you can buy an external disk drive for very cheap and plug it into the USB drive of the netbook. I use this when I need to install new programs from a disk or want to play a game that requires one. Also keep in mind that you will not have the same power as a traditional laptop, so if you are planning to play top-of-the-line new games, it might not be the best choice. Also, I have encountered a couple of games on my netbook that I cannot play due to the smaller screen size, which the game is not configured for. Usually this is not a problem, but occasionally you might run into it.

Also, most netbooks come with what is called "Windows 7 Starter," which is a stripped-down version of Windows 7. I was worried about this and thought I would likely need to upgrade when I first bought mine (the upgrade is about $60), but I have had Starter for over a year now and I found that I'm not really missing any of the features they took out. The biggest thing you will probably notice on Starter is that you cannot change the desktop picture, it is a light blue background with a Windows logo in the middle.

Regular laptops are very powerful nowadays, so if you are using it for basic web, email, word processing, and some light gaming needs, then you will be fine with even the cheapest model. I will again suggest Toshiba, which are usually the lowest price but which I have found to be quite reliable. However, everyone's opinion on what you should get will differ, so the best advice is to go in to a Best Buy and play around with the models that they have sitting out.

 

[Brolan]

One thing to consider is if you want to use it for gaming? If you do, you must make sure the machine has some dedicated graphics hardware. You don't want to see the words "integrated graphics" in the description. You would want to see some sort of chipset mentioned made by Nvidia or ATI.

 

[sojourner]

^The ATI branding has been killed. You have to look for AMD dedicated graphics now.

 

[ares93]

^The ATI branding has been killed. You have to look for AMD dedicated graphics now.

Doesn't mean shite. Everyone still calls it ATI anyway.

 

[sojourner]

Except for where he was told to look, on the product.

 

[SicOne]

Thank you, folks, especially Spot's Meow...gives me food for thought.

 

[JoeZhang]

^The ATI branding has been killed. You have to look for AMD dedicated graphics now.

Doesn't mean shite. Everyone still calls it ATI anyway.

Yes, that's just what computer novices who are buying their first laptop are calling it.

"that guy said look for an ATI - those are all AMD, must be no good".

 

[An Officer]

If I remember correctly, Toshiba does an 18.4 laptop (with Harman Kardon speakers - seriously good for a laptop especially if you don't want to carry around an additional set). That's probably about the biggest keyboard you are going to get on a laptop. Depends if you are ready to haul that much weight around. Still, the pay off will be a serious entertainment screen. I also believe Toshiba are a sturdy build. I don't know that there are many laptops that will survive luggage on top of them though!

I once full sat on mine for quite a while without realising (it was under a duvet), and it was perfectly fine. I wouldn't like to try that more than once though!

The only one of that size I can truly vouch for is my own, never had a problem with it. It's a Dell studio 17.3 inch and comes with JBL speakers which are great for someone interested mainly in entertainment - you can really hear the difference with music and films. At the time I was looking for mine, I didn't see very many laptops with great inbuilt speakers, not even the Macs or Sonys. Bought mine a while ago though, I'm sure the evolutions will have even more features. Oh, the other thing that grabbed me was the camera, it was a 2mp webcam, slightly better than others of a similar price at the time.

The only reservation I had about it, is the many reviews complaining of the noise of the fan, and they seemed to be implying it was an inbuilt fault in all of them. I almost didn't buy it for that reason. I took the plunge though, as it was the only one that met all the criteria I needed at a price I wanted, and found that the only way I could hear that fan, is if it were the middle of that night, there was nothing else on, and I was making it work a lot, and then only if I stopped breathing and put my ear directly against the machine! I think some people live just to nitpick!

Depends what your priorities are though, I was willing to give up processing power in order to have better sound and a bigger screen at an affordable price. I think this one would be in the category of desktop replacement and doesn't see much travelling except from room to room occasionally. I have carried it in a rucksack before though, and didn't find it too hard to manage.

 

[Holdfast]

The number one thing I want in it? Normal size keyboard. Not a 'smushed' laptop size keyboard.

Moderately big, but not massively so. Mine has a normal size keyboard and it's 16.4". Much smaller, and you start losing the number pad as a separate entity. Avoid netbooks if you want a decent size keyboard.

I just bought this laptop a few weeks ago, after my old one died after 5+ years of good service. It happens to be a Sony Vaio as was the old one, but it's not really worth recommending specific brands as none of us really have a sufficiently large standardised sample to give more than our personal preferences. FWIW, my personal preference is that I like how Vaios look, perform, and last.

I think for most normal users the most useful way of deciding what kind of laptop you want is to determine whether you want the ultimate in portability, or performance and screen size. Trying to compromise on both doesn't really work. It's not a weight issue; it's an overall size issue and that's limited by the screen size itself. I use mine as a desktop replacement, so my choice between those extremes was easy.

 

[Frontier]

Well, the numpad isn't important to me at all, I never use it. But I don't adapt well to anything. It takes me months to 'get used' to something, during which time I'm insanely frustrated. I just want the normal keys in their normal places spaced normally like on any keyboard you use for any desktop, lol.

This laptop is really likely going to be for bumming around. I'm looking to get a good sale via black friday, spend as little as possible, maybe do some writing or play solitaire or watch the occasional DVD on the thing. Not much else. I have a PC I'll be using for 80% of my other computing needs, like games and what else.

 

[ares93]

In that case, I'd recommend a 15.4, 15.6 or a 16.4 inch laptop.

But like me mate always says, "No matter how much advice you ask for. You'll still do what you want."

Just go to a random store and try 'em out.

 

[tomalak301]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I too have a question about laptops. What's a useful life of a laptop. I ask because I've had mine (Toshiba Satellite) for a little over 5 years and I am in the market to get a new one for Christmas. I like the one I have, fine, but it can get real real hot, and the audio is not as good as it once was. Not to mention the bubbling sounds on the audio is here and if the computer get's really hot, it will turn off automatically. I figure since I probably need to upgrade Operating software to Windows 7, I might as well get a new Laptop but I'm not entirely sure yet.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.