I'm looking for a new lap top. As much as I would love an Apple, I just can't cough up the money for one.

I'm looking at Asus. I've been reading good things about them. For the $$, they seem to be a solid choice. It won't be doing any heavy gaming, but a nice mid level model runs about $600, full size key board with separate numeric pad, HDMI output (for streaming movies), 500GB hard drive, 2.5Ghz processor, DVD read/write, and a 15" or 17" screen... all in a pretty sleek body.

Anyone have any experience with them or suggest another lap top they like?

Also, Windows 7 . . anyone get a chance to check it out yet? I've purposely been waiting for the death of Vista before I made this purchase. :P

I'm actually going to buy an ASUS laptop with Windows 7 on it. I run Windows Vista Ultimate at home and I have the Mac Computer at work with OS X Snow Leopard. I can safely say that I want Windows 7 over what I have at home and the work computer. Windows 7 is much cleaner, and a hell lot better than a buggy Windows Vista who can decide if I'm the real ADMIN or not. I also hate how Microsoft loved to move every single simple function into some complicated task for Vista. The Apples computer make overpriced stuff you can get easily on a Windows for 1/2 if not free. They're decent, but they don't justify someone paying 2k out the butt, and not being able to upgrade it all the way.

I also have a Sony Vaio Laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium - HATE IT. Sony may be a great brand, but hell is the Windows Vista who can't load simple stuff into my graphic design programs properly. lol

My biggest pet peeve is that when I hit shutdown, it'll take 9 hours to shutdown. I miss Windows XP, it shutdown instantly and always.

I've been running Windows 7 RC for quite sometime on my main computer and so far no problems with anything yet. You can personally download it from Microsoft but I'm not sure if they are providing the keys anymore.

I prefer windows 7 over vista any day. At least the UAC on windows 7 is much intrusive than vista.

I haven't used an Asus before but have used Dell, Acer, and HP. You should check out some of the dell laptops. They have had some amazing deals in the past. I got my XPS m1530 for xmas 2007 for 40% off. What is the highest you are willing to spend on a laptop? How often will you be carrying it with you?

I like Windows 7 a lot more than Vista. It is a bit faster and uses about 20% less RAM. Windows 7 isn't anything new but rather what Vista should have been in the first place.

I prefer windows 7 over vista any day. At least the UAC on windows 7 is much intrusive than vista.

I just turn off UAC along with many other services. My biggest problem with Vista was the lack of support for some softwares when it was first released.

I don't recommend a 17". It looks nice and all, but if you do plan to carry it, it gets annoying. I have a 16.1, and wish I would have gone with a 15" or 13". As for a good laptop, I prefer Dell and HP, but other companies are coming up with some pretty good things. I recommended an Acer to a friend of mine and he's in love with it.

I'm in a similar boat.

I have my eye on the Macbook Pro 13 withthe 2.53 GHz processor, a Dell XPS 13, an HP Envy 13, or an HP Elitebook.

My DV9000 (HP) Pavilon is the biggest piece of junk I've ever owned. Two sets of hinges and now a burnt up video card has me running away from consumer notebooks. I'd buy the Mac, but I will need Windows...so I'm not sure paying 1200 for one (I can get a discount) is a great deal when I need Windows.

Any ideas? It must be portable. I cannot do another 17inch lappy....

(Yes I have a netbook....but I still need a portable fully capable computer)

I can speak for PC because I never had a Mac. Currently all my Laptops are HP: Pavillion DV6815, G60-445DX and Elitebook 6930p (company dime). Out of the 3, the Elitebook goes far & beyond. The G60 is a 17" and I use it as a desktop so being heavy and big does not bother me. I had a Dell before the Elitebook and that one was a piece of junk. Either crash working with databases or it was too slow.

I'm going to stay for a while with the HP's.... ;)

I'm in a similar boat.

I have my eye on the Macbook Pro 13 withthe 2.53 GHz processor, a Dell XPS 13, an HP Envy 13, or an HP Elitebook.

My DV9000 (HP) Pavilon is the biggest piece of junk I've ever owned. Two sets of hinges and now a burnt up video card has me running away from consumer notebooks. I'd buy the Mac, but I will need Windows...so I'm not sure paying 1200 for one (I can get a discount) is a great deal when I need Windows.

Any ideas? It must be portable. I cannot do another 17inch lappy....

(Yes I have a netbook....but I still need a portable fully capable computer)

Is the Dell XPS 15 too big for you? It seems to be a good $100 cheaper for the same specs. You pay more for the Mac brand rather than the parts that goes into it. The two biggest differences between the Dell and Mac are the video card and battery. The Radeon 3670 video card in the Dell is at twice as powerful as the Nvidia 9400M in the Mac. The Dell also has the 85 watt hr battery vs the 60 watt hr in the Mac. Replacement battery for the Mac is cheaper. The battery for the Mac is built in so it is a pain to take out when you are running on AC power. If you use your laptop as a desktop replacement at home then the heat will kill the battery within 2yrs. You get twice the harddrive space on the Dell but it's a 7200 RPM drive. It is faster than the 5400 RPM drive in the Mac but uses more power. The dell also comes with a 2yr warranty vs a 1yr warranty on the Mac.

Check the link below for daily deals on laptops. Haven't seen any huge deals in a while but some might pop up around December.
www.dealsea.com

I don't quite understand the need for a 17" laptop, at that point, you might as well get a desktop for much cheaper. I mean yeah I guess it is "portable", but my good will it be heavy and the battery life would be pitiful unless you got a 9 cell or better.

Here is a comp on sale at staples, that doesn't quite meet your needs, but should be good enough I think for your needs...
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1614047

In my opinion, the 500gb is unnecessary, just get an external for cheap (1tb is like 80 bucks nowadays). 2.5ghz processor may also be overkill for just a regular use laptop.

Keep us updated though with what you find. If you are not in a rush, I say wait until BF or even cyber monday. I am going to wait for that time to pick up a laptop. My dell precision m60 is pushing on 5 years!

I have had experience with asus, acer, gateway,Hp, and Sony laptops..Sony tops all and HP would come right after it. I would recommend Sony vaio's. Buy a good one the first time so you don't have to keep buying. And windows 7 is sleek, only had experience with x86(32bit) had some driver/software issues with 64bit. But its wayyy better than vista. Recommended as well. Edit: sony's fit, finish, and quality satisfy my needs.

I don't quite understand the need for a 17" laptop, at that point, you might as well get a desktop for much cheaper. I mean yeah I guess it is "portable", but my good will it be heavy and the battery life would be pitiful unless you got a 9 cell or better.


The point of the 17in is to replace the desktop and still have something to take with you when needed. Weight isn't the real issue with the 17in but rather the bulkiness of it. I had a 17in HP for a month before returning it because I couldn't fit it in my backpack. The battery life on the 17in is usually poorer because of the top of the line video card that sucks up twice as much power as the CPU. The battery life will almost be identical between a 17in and 13in laptop with the same specs. The power usage of the LED screens today are less than the older LCD screens.

I have had experience with asus, acer, gateway,Hp, and Sony laptops..Sony tops all and HP would come right after it. I would recommend Sony vaio's. Buy a good one the first time so you don't have to keep buying. And windows 7 is sleek, only had experience with x86(32bit) had some driver/software issues with 64bit. But its wayyy better than vista. Recommended as well.

I agree that it's best to buy a great one that you will be happy with for years. I think people should buy based on the system specs rather than the brand. I happen to like Dell because they offer laptops with great specs at great prices when on sale. The key is finding one on sale. When I bought mine in Dec of 07 Dell had a $750 off coupon, $250 gift card, along with a discount on their 4yr accidental warranty.

Trip:

This desktop I built, some two (2) years ago, involves an ASUS MoBo, running an Intel (Pentium IV) CPU. Aside from a considerable cost savings over an Intel MoBo, I couldn't be happier. NEVER a problem with ASUS. :thmsup: :D

I'm in a similar boat.

I have my eye on the Macbook Pro 13 withthe 2.53 GHz processor, a Dell XPS 13, an HP Envy 13, or an HP Elitebook.

My DV9000 (HP) Pavilon is the biggest piece of junk I've ever owned. Two sets of hinges and now a burnt up video card has me running away from consumer notebooks. I'd buy the Mac, but I will need Windows...so I'm not sure paying 1200 for one (I can get a discount) is a great deal when I need Windows.

Any ideas? It must be portable. I cannot do another 17inch lappy....

(Yes I have a netbook....but I still need a portable fully capable computer)

The Macbook Pro has a 7 hour battery life with 1000 + recharges. There is no loss of battery life if you use it as a desktop with external monitor, mouse and keyboard. The lifespan of the average Mac laptop is 5 years and the resale value is very high. You can run Windows on your Mac via Bootcamp or VMWare fusion. VMWare alows you to run both OS side by side and have the best of both worlds. I currently have the 13" Macbook Pro and love it. PM me if you need additional questions answered.

Trip:

This desktop I built, some two (2) years ago, involves an ASUS MoBo, running an Intel (Pentium IV) CPU. Aside from a considerable cost savings over an Intel MoBo, I couldn't be happier. NEVER a problem with ASUS. :thmsup: :D

My first build was with an Asus motherboard. Very stable and still running after 8yrs. I moved on to other brands because a good Asus MB for overclocking is just too expensive. Any chance that P4 CPU is a Prescott?

The Macbook Pro has a 7 hour battery life with 1000 + recharges. There is no loss of battery life if you use it as a desktop with external monitor, mouse and keyboard. The lifespan of the average Mac laptop is 5 years and the resale value is very high. You can run Windows on your Mac via Bootcamp or VMWare fusion. VMWare alows you to run both OS side by side and have the best of both worlds. I currently have the 13" Macbook Pro and love it. PM me if you need additional questions answered.

Have you tested the Mac yourself and got 7hrs? Heat is the primary thing that kills the lithium battery in laptops not the number of recharges. Running an OS on a virtual machine isn't as fast as running it on the real machine. Why introduce another thing that could go wrong like the virtual software. Macbooks are great for running Mac OS if you are willing to pay the premium. I would happily get one if they support Windows, offer a decent video card, and if I had the money.

1-VT3C might be on to something with the Sony Vaio. I just checked out their CW series and it looks pretty good. 14in monitor so that might be a happy middle ground. Great video card that uses less power than the Radeon. Just wish they would show the power rating of the battery. The only two downsides are the slower RAM and that the monitor is LCD instead of LED.

Great input. Tks, everyone. Keep it coming.

Good points about the 17" screen . . . While it will be replacing a desktop, weight savings and less drain on the battery are good reasons to go a bit smaller. I'm open either way.

Glad to hear others have had good experience with Asus. I've always had Dells and they've been the best bang for the buck with employee discounts and free shipping, etc... Nothing has really struck me at Dell recently but I'll keep looking.

I've browsed Acers and HPs, too. The thing that kept me coming back to Asus was the same features for a bit less coin plus more of their models had HDMI, DVD read/write and a separate numeric pad. Again, love Apples but can't justify the premium. (Love me some iPODs too but my $25 RCA MP3 player has been working just fine. :lmao: )

I'd like to keep it under $800. IMO there's no reason to spend more than that for basic computing . . . blogging, facebook, surfing, and streaming video. I can get the full Microsoft Office 2007 (with Groove, Publisher, Access, etc...) from work for $10, too, making the new PC even more reasonable for me. :thmsup: My 6 year old Dell's 80G hard drive is tapped out with Windows updates. Running OK overall but starting to get slow. Even though I transferred over 20G of data to an external hard rive, the C drive is filling up again quickly.

Time to upgrade. :yes:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VGN-Z850G-13-1-Inch-Windows-Professional/dp/B002PHM0TU/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1256183758&sr=1-18

Any opinions?

Have you tested the Mac yourself and got 7hrs? Heat is the primary thing that kills the lithium battery in laptops not the number of recharges. Running an OS on a virtual machine isn't as fast as running it on the real machine. Why introduce another thing that could go wrong like the virtual software. Macbooks are great for running Mac OS if you are willing to pay the premium. I would happily get one if they support Windows, offer a decent video card, and if I had the money.


I have a 13" Macbook Pro and with normal use (internet, music, youtube videos etc) and 3/4 screen brightness I can get about 5hrs from a single charge. Because of the all aluminum enclosure heat dissipation is very good which allows it to run cooler. The main reason for the longer life thou is that it's just a larger battery and the life cycle is maintained because it’s built with a chip that talks to each of its cells to determine their precise condition. The chip shares this information with the computer. And the computer uses an advanced algorithm to make delicate adjustments to the charging current, varying it to suit the changing conditions inside the cells. This Adaptive Charging reduces the wear and tear on the battery and gives it a much longer lifespan. Don't ask how I know this stuff :nuts:

Running an OS on a virtual machine isn't as fast as running it on the real machine.

That's true. You however install Windows on the machine and run it natively so you can boot into Windows or Mac whenever you need to.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VGN-Z850G-13-1-Inch-Windows-Professional/dp/B002PHM0TU/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1256183758&sr=1-18

Any opinions?

Def a nice unit. Comes with everything from GPS to Windows Professional. More Ferrari than I need but I'd consider it if I needed something more hard core.

I think you are making a mistake by overlooking Toshiba. After going through Dells, HPs, and other makes, I bought a Toshiba MANY years ago. It still worked perfectly when I gave it away to a student really needing a laptop. Since then two more Toshibas have been purchased, both still work perfectly. I got my gal an HP (her choice) and it has already been repaired once. Their track record with me has been exemplary unlike other makes I had tried before.

My gal's son and daughter in law visited recently and both had Toshibas. Both said they wish that they had taken my advice about the brand long ago after going through several others that conked out.

Watching this market a lot myself as the wife is really hinting for a new laptop for doing her online college work.

Our home laptop is actually a Gateway from way back in 2003 that still keeps running decently. No hardware issues...just muddled with 6 years wrth of different programs, etc, that occasionally slow it down. It was a HSN purchase off the cuff when my wife really wanted to replace our old desktop and it has done amazingly well.

My work laptops have been Dell and the last 3 years an HP. This current HP is one of the Compaq designs of which I am no fan...never have been a fan of what Compaq did. But it has traveled several thousand miles in my bag and is still kicking so...

Like RTF, I've heard some great things about toshiba units. I'm also considering Dell for this next one. And because we do most of our home computing time on the sofa or rocking chair, it will be a 17" screen unit that can travel and be completely secured from the young'uns.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VGN-Z850G-13-1-Inch-Windows-Professional/dp/B002PHM0TU/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1256183758&sr=1-18

Any opinions?

If that fits your budget, thats a great buy! Portability, specs, and features are amazing on it.
Check this one out its the newer version of the z850 its z880. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VAIO-VGN-Z880G-13-1-Notebook/dp/B002QE3G72/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1256228127&sr=1-1
Some differences though in 880 only 128gb HD, 2.53ghz processor speed(850 has 266ghz), idk which ever you want.

My first build was with an Asus motherboard. Very stable and still running after 8yrs. I moved on to other brands because a good Asus MB for overclocking is just too expensive. Any chance that P4 CPU is a Prescott?

Yes, I use a Prescott...80547 (LGA 775) Pentium 4 HT, Model 640+, 3.2 Ghz. I don't overclock it. With lots of cooling, it diligently goes about its business at 34-35 Celsius. NEVER a problem.

I don't quite understand the need for a 17" laptop, at that point, you might as well get a desktop for much cheaper. I mean yeah I guess it is "portable", but my good will it be heavy and the battery life would be pitiful unless you got a 9 cell or better.

Here is a comp on sale at staples, that doesn't quite meet your needs, but should be good enough I think for your needs...
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1614047

In my opinion, the 500gb is unnecessary, just get an external for cheap (1tb is like 80 bucks nowadays). 2.5ghz processor may also be overkill for just a regular use laptop.

Keep us updated though with what you find. If you are not in a rush, I say wait until BF or even cyber monday. I am going to wait for that time to pick up a laptop. My dell precision m60 is pushing on 5 years!

That is a really good deal, but staples is out of stock as of yesterday.:thumbsdow

I called Office Max last night and they had 6 in stock. The sale started today so at 7:45 AM I was at the store. Picked up 2 HP G71-340US @ 599.99 each.
+ 2 wireless n routers and a 1TB external drive.

I1:)

Have you tested the Mac yourself and got 7hrs? Heat is the primary thing that kills the lithium battery in laptops not the number of recharges. Running an OS on a virtual machine isn't as fast as running it on the real machine. Why introduce another thing that could go wrong like the virtual software. Macbooks are great for running Mac OS if you are willing to pay the premium. I would happily get one if they support Windows, offer a decent video card, and if I had the money.


I own a macbook pro, pre unibody and I got 5 hours out of my battery. I do agree it's the heat is a major factor in lithium batteries, since mine is currently 18 months old and has less than 50% capacity. You also miss the point that you can run windows without virtual machine with boot camp. I do renderings and until the software I use can be ran natively in OS X I'll be running windows in boot camp to do all my renderings. I only run the bootcamp partition in a virtual machine software that is not very graphic intensive. I would say 95% of the time my machine is under 100% load.

Here's my challenge: I dare anyone to find a 15/17" notebook that weighs in at 5-6lbs and has a 3ghz cpu and 4-8gb of ram. I've tried and spec'd other notebooks at a much higher weight, 10lbs is not bus friendly and it wound up costing more than a macbook pro.

OS X tends to handle memory better, and please don't say it does not matter, it does when your client wants it done and when it's not done when the machines crash due to overloading the computer.

FYI all computer manufactures cut corners designing laptops even apple, if you want a serious robust machine get a desktop. I find windows to be a PITA when it does not work right. I still see PC notebooks for under $1000 that still can't power a 1080p TV while my 5 year old powerbook still can.

For other people that have not used a mac or a pc extensively, you can't compare them until you've used them extensively. I still have my custom P4 Prescott rig. Final note, you get what you pay for.

I've run both systems in multiple lines of work. I used to use Windows primarily, and ran Windows Vista Beta, RC, and RTM. I have also been running Windows 7 through its same paces. I am an active participant in MSDN, therefore I've had Windows 7 Professional installed on my desktop for the better part of 2 months now.

I have been running a pre-unibody Macbook Pro for 2 years now, and have loved every second of it. What's surprising, is that despite the fact that I have to use Windows in my line of work (Electrical Engineering), I still prefer using my Macbook over any laptop issued by work or at work. Despite the fact that all the programs I use are written for Windows.

With everything I do with photography as a hobby, the color I get from my Macbook screen is exceptional compared to the colors on my Dell UltraSharp desktop monitor. Adobe CS3 also runs a lot smoother on my Mac than on my desktop, despite the fact they have the same CPU/ram setup, but with a better graphics card on my desktop.

As far as what everyone says about the battery, I have my Macbook plugged in 95% of the time, and my original battery still runs for 3-4hrs at medium brightness, doing more extensive work than just surfing the internet or Microsoft Word. I will be getting a 17" Unibody Pro next year to replace my 15" Pro.

As far as Windows laptops, I would suggest Asus, Acer Timeline's (great battery life on all systems), Dell, Lenovo Thinkpad's, and as others have recently brought up, Toshiba.

The systems I have problems purchasing are the following, with the given reasons from working for Best Buy's PC Sales and Geek Squad, as well as personal experience.
HP - Decent machines, with equivalent quality to most of the brands above I suggest, but get excessively hot during even basic usage
Gateway - The MOST returned laptop to Geek Squad for hardware malfunctions, repairs, etc, etc.
Sony - Proprietary components can sometimes even make changing ram a pain because of how picky their systems can be sometimes. Great design, good company, but unless you have an exceptional number of Sony devices, there isn't any appeal from them.
Compaq - Purchased by HP. Have a much better design, but can't say as much for the newer models as the older models. Old models used to have horrendous problems, requiring pretty consistent repairs as well.

The pick is up to you. I will remain with Apple for all my laptop needs, but as far as desktop's, for the price of the Mac Pro, I can build a much better desktop. The new Mac Mini's are quite appealing though.

The pick is up to you. I will remain with Apple for all my laptop needs, but as far as desktop's, for the price of the Mac Pro, I can build a much better desktop. The new Mac Mini's are quite appealing though.

Couldn't agree more, although the iMacs are also quite appealing since the new ones use desktop cpus and have the capacity for 16gb of ram all in a rather slim enclosure, although one could technically build the same computer albeit much larger in physical dimensions.

Stevencrosbie, Sony VAIO VGN-Z850G/B 13.1-Inch Black Laptop (Windows 7 Professional) $1,908. Ummm, TOO expensive for what you get. Take a look at BEST buy,

$629.99 Toshiba - Laptop with Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor - Black Onyx Model: A505-S6980 | SKU: 9549054
Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T6600; 4GB DDR2 memory; DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; Labelflash; 16" widescreen; 500GB hard drive; built-in webcam; Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Regards

Richard

Thanks for the heads up Richard!

My aim is at a professional line of laptops as my luck with the consumer models is less than steller. Yes they've lasted 3 years, but not without numerous trips back to the repair facility (8 for this HP).

I have harsh requirements for my machine. It needs to be 1inch thick, needs to be very solid / robust, needs to have a fully capable CPU (no low power units as I've not been impressed with their speed), needs to have 4 gigs of DDR3 ram, 13-14 inch screen, .....

Once you levy those requirements on a machine, its easy to see how I come up with these few models.

I really do think the 13 inch Macbook Pro with the 2.53 GHz Core 2 is the machine for me. I just need to find out how I can load Windows 7 (I have two licenses) onto the machine in bootcamp. (they are upgrade disks).

From the sound of the heat issue, I'll need to either spring for the AppleCare warranty or run the risk of needing a replacement for 150 bucks.....

Anyone have any luck with Asus Products?

http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=JExNpew5BY4uwRKv

I'm probably gonna buy a Mac this weekend otherwise.

Just picked up an HP with windows7, 4gb ram, Intel Dual Core, thing is sweet. Video suck but its not for any kind of games.

From the sound of the heat issue, I'll need to either spring for the AppleCare warranty or run the risk of needing a replacement for 150 bucks.....

Applecare does not cover batteries past 300 cycles and to get a replacement it needs to have <80% battery life. Also after 300 cycles capacity deminishes quite drastically. Mine came close to that limit but never crossed the threshold, my bottom enclosure regularly hits 44C, due to the heat produced by the cpu and gpu (usually between 75-80C with peaks of 90C), so with that heat it has held up well. Steve you should also cycle your battery once a month if you leave it plugged in all the time, even with normal use of the battery the full cycle allows the battery's controller to recalibrate itself.

Anyone have any luck with Asus Products?

http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=JExNpew5BY4uwRKv

I'm probably gonna buy a Mac this weekend otherwise.

Guess you'll be buying a mac, since the mobos are made by Asus.

I love the Mac and all, but I really am trying to exhaust my options for the Windows boxes as I will need Windows on the Mac anyway.

Its just me making sure I don't make a mistake in this purchase.

For a lappy I've yet to find a reason to retire my 14" wide Dolthan 1.7 ghz Toshiba. It has been as good a machine as one could expect form a over priced laptop type computer.

Between it the net book and i-phone I'm covered moble wise. If I were inclined to replace the Toshiba it would be with another unit from them. Mine has been rock stable with no care issues. The battery is about spent in it. But that happens with all near worthless lappy's.

I like the look of some of the new Mac's. But I would never ever buy one. They cost far to much for what you get. Are only really fast in a few special software/use's.

Good luck with your purchase!

Here is a very interesting link on the new battery in all the Apple notebooks. http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/battery/

I love the Mac and all, but I really am trying to exhaust my options for the Windows boxes as I will need Windows on the Mac anyway.

Its just me making sure I don't make a mistake in this purchase.

Nothing "quacks" like a Mac, but multi-OS capability makes a great thing even better. How about a kick-A$$ Sun "Sparc Server" running Win, Mac O/S, and Linux? Just take the entire cake! Go "Hog Wild!" :thmsup: :D

Haha.

Hog Wild! I'm not a Mac fanboy......I'm a Windows guy at heart who is scared to make the transition really.

I just want a quality laptop. Is that too much to ask?

Haha.

Hog Wild! I'm not a Mac fanboy......I'm a Windows guy at heart who is scared to make the transition really.

I just want a quality laptop. Is that too much to ask?

Stevencrosbie:

BIG Ditto with your statement. Everyone can pi** and moan, all they want, but it's STILL a "Mr. Gates" World. NO mere coincidence as to WHY I'm partial to Windows...as NT 4 and (derivative) XP are, IMO, the BEST versions ever produced by MS Corporation.

Although vastly improved, I don't "dig" laptops. Screen resolution still leaves a lot to be desired....and I DESPISE their tiny (and usually non-QWERTY) keyboards. That said, there are those who MUST be "portable." So, "Whatever!"

Alright :)

Dell XPS 13

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11487830&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670|4338&N=4017747&Mo=10&pos=1&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=4338&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10590-Cat56670&topnav=

That's the last one :). Seems like a decent buy.

Here's my challenge: I dare anyone to find a 15/17" notebook that weighs in at 5-6lbs and has a 3ghz cpu and 4-8gb of ram. I've tried and spec'd other notebooks at a much higher weight, 10lbs is not bus friendly and it wound up costing more than a macbook pro.

FYI all computer manufactures cut corners designing laptops even apple, if you want a serious robust machine get a desktop. I find windows to be a PITA when it does not work right. I still see PC notebooks for under $1000 that still can't power a 1080p TV while my 5 year old powerbook still can.


Laptops with those specs don't weigh 10lbs anymore. Dell and Sony have models with those specs weighing between 6-7lbs. They go for a couple hundreds under $2000 compared to the Macbook Pro 15 that costs $2600.

What are the specs on your 5yr old Powerbook? I highly doubt it can playback 1080p video. Are you sure the laptops under $1000 you say can't run 1080p don't really cost $500? Many laptops around $800 have HDMI outputs and will play 1080p videos without a hiccup.


As far as what everyone says about the battery, I have my Macbook plugged in 95% of the time, and my original battery still runs for 3-4hrs at medium brightness, doing more extensive work than just surfing the internet or Microsoft Word. I will be getting a 17" Unibody Pro next year to replace my 15" Pro.

The heat along with the battery always fully charged is killing it. Here is a good article on lithium batteries.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

Here is a very interesting link on the new battery in all the Apple notebooks. http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/battery/

They didn't bother to talk about the heat being the main issue more most users. Recharge cycles is only the main factor when you have to drain the battery to almost empty on a day to day basis. Increasing the cycles to 1000 doesn't really help when you lose about 40% of the capacity a year due to heat and always having a fully charged battery.

Alright :)

Dell XPS 13

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11487830&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|56670|4338&N=4017747&Mo=10&pos=1&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=4338&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10590-Cat56670&topnav=

That's the last one :). Seems like a decent buy.

Same price on the Dell website as well but you can upgrade to the 9 cell battery that will be well worth it. You might also want to look into this 14in Sony.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SYCTOProcess?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&LBomId=8198552921666016668&categoryId=8198552921644659496

To All:

Aside from battery issues described, another "kicker" on many Laptops is the P/S (Power Supply)...which typically tends to be undersized/inferior. :thumbsdow :(

Yet ANOTHER reason I won't touch a "portable," since I want the BIGGEST, most ROBUST P/S I can install! :thmsup: :yes:

Forget "Milk." You cooking with 550/600 Watts? Preferably MORE? :dunno: :scratch:

After much further research, I have decided against the MBP.....I sure hope I make the right choice.

I'm going with the HP Elitebook 6930p with the 2.8 GHz T9600 chip. Not a flashy computer, but I'm going for build quality. As much as I love the MBP, I don't think it is the right computer for me as I need Windows / MS Office (I hear horrible things about MS Office 08 for the Mac).

Not a cheap lappy...but looks to be oozing quality.

Decision is made...ordering through the business center on Monday. Too bad Apple charges restocking fees for their machines....makes it impossible to try one out (like install Windows via bootcamp to see how it runs).

Steve, using HP 2.8 GHZ T9600 chip, with Win 7. Installed Win 7 ten days ago, just love it. so far no issues. I even installed software rejected by Vista which I purchased in 2002 now works like a charm. Highly recommend W7, Regards

Richard

http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-dv4-1540us-Entertainment-Laptop/product_828023?cmArea=SC3:CG71:DP4118:CL161747

That is what I bought today. I'm gonna give it a shot. Seems to be much more solid that my HP DV9287CL.

At 550 with all of the stuff crammed in I had to try it out. The elitebook was over 2k......

My plan is to not buy an extended warranty. Use the lappy until it breaks after the 1 year and throw it away. I can buy 3 of these for 1 Elitebook.....

http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-dv4-1540us-Entertainment-Laptop/product_828023?cmArea=SC3:CG71:DP4118:CL161747

That is what I bought today. I'm gonna give it a shot. Seems to be much more solid that my HP DV9287CL.

At 550 with all of the stuff crammed in I had to try it out. The elitebook was over 2k......

My plan is to not buy an extended warranty. Use the lappy until it breaks after the 1 year and throw it away. I can buy 3 of these for 1 Elitebook.....

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1624531

How about this IBM? Same price with a few better features.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1624531

Steve good luck with the new lappy....

psy

Thanks y'all.

I took Trips' mode of operation and went with the cheapy disposable computer. I have backups in the house and am tired of paying out of my butt for things that break anyway (read current lappy).

After the 1 year....if something breaks that I can't fix...it goes in the recycle bin and a new lappy will be purchased.

Thanks y'all.

I took Trips' mode of operation and went with the cheapy disposable computer. I have backups in the house and am tired of paying out of my butt for things that break anyway (read current lappy).

After the 1 year....if something breaks that I can't fix...it goes in the recycle bin and a new lappy will be purchased.

:yes:

Nice find. I've been in Chicago but by this weekend I hope to have made a final decision.

I keep coming back to the Asus. For about $600 it comes with an impressive list of equipment similar to the HP you linked to. Plus it has a separate numeric keypad and an HDMI hook up which I want so I can feed my recent vice and stream movies to the plasma. Other than that, I need guaranteed windows compatibility and want speed and storage for as little coin as possible.

True that ... damn things are disposable anymore. If I can get a couple of years out of it, for the same $$$ in a few years you can get 2x more computer instead of repairing or even upgrading. I'm sure I can spend $600+ on my current PC to speed it up but why when a shiny new one costs that with everything built in?? :screwy:

I was at an Apple store in Chi town and damn they were enticing. The new magic mouse is great. It's essentially a mouse with a touch pad on it (think iPOD touch) and you can scroll and do things just by dragging your finger over the top of it.

I think that's the newer version of mine. I bought a dv4-1430us 2 months ago for the same price at Staples too.

I'm using it now. Its a lot lighter than my DV9000 and the white is really sharp.

I'm impressed so far. Windows 7 is pretty neat too.

Glad you like it Steven:thmsup: Great deal!!

I am very happy with mine also:yes:. I wanted the full keyboard like Trip.. Windows7 has been very friendly so far with Pics and Tunes. I would like to upgrade my other machines but 2 would require 7 pro or ultimate to have the XP compatibility.
I was amazed how easy the wireless router setups went down too.
The manager of the store tried to tell me it would not work with 2 routers:thumbsdow..FAIL
He also got ticked because I would not buy the extended warranty. :thumbsdow:thumbsdow I wish Staples would have had mine available:dunno: Then I could have just ordered it.:thmsup:



I1:wave:

personally. I think this is a screaming deal for what it is. I love the 13" screen, its so portable. THe vostro line is decent too (Entry level bus)

http://dealnews.com/Dell-Vostro-1320-Core-2-Duo-2.2-GHz-13-Laptop-for-539-8-s-h/326351.html

> id upgrade to a better version of vista though.

I was amazed how easy the wireless router setups went down too.


I hope this is the case for me, too. My work laptop is so damn fussy about trying to hookup to none-work networks including my own home router. Make traveling and hooking up to airport or hotel signals a bear. :censored:

My new laptop will be a personal laptop but I hope it comes without the frustrating hook up issues. Fingers crossed that it's an admin thing because it's work property.

Well...

Something to consider with the Dv4! I decided to box it up and bring it back to Staples.

1. The touchpad sensitivity is hard to adjust. If I get it to where my palm doesn't move around the mouse when I type...then it doesn't register my finger movements well.

That is my main beef.

I decided to bring it back and buy a Dell XPS 13. Let's see how it goes.

I got a refurb with the 15% off coupon.

Intel P7450 Chipset
4 gigs DDR3
13.3 LED WXGA screen
Bluetooth, Wireless N blah blah blah
NVIDIA 9500M discrete Graphics
500GB 7200 RPM HD.

I got it for 613 shipped to my work door (shipped to work so I can sign for it). Its about 40 bucks more than the HP with tax, but I think I will like this one better as the touch pad thing set me over the edge today.

On the subject of 17". When I was looking for a laptop a year ago I initially wanted a 15", but a coworker of mine convinced me to get a 17". Ended up getting a HP Pavilion (4 gig of ram, Core duo) and have been very happy with it and even with Vista that came with it.

While it is heavier than the 15 version (mom has a 15" version of the same thing) it's not that heavy. I don't carry it around like some people, but I do move from a table to a sofa and back to the table all the time. Seems fine to me. Definitely wouldn't trade the extra weight for smaller screen. When I use it for work it's definitely worth it. In fact the overall difference between my office desktop with a 24" screen is not that huge, I think because the laptop screen is naturally closer to me than a monitor on a desk.

Overall, very happy and never regretted getting a 17 inch vs 15.

And I do like Vista :) I know, I am probably weird :D but I much prefer it over XP even though it takes more resources. Stability-wise it seems fine too. Had a couple of issues due to a problem with the way HP installed Vista and from me trying to fix it :) But it's all fixed up 100% now, so no biggie.
Funny that mom's machine (exactly the same, but smaller screen) that I bought for her a couple of months after I bought mine has no issues whatsoever. Looks like HP solved it.

I decided to bring it back and buy a Dell XPS 13. Let's see how it goes.

I got a refurb with the 15% off coupon.



That would have driven me insane, too. It's little details like that - in computers or cars - that make the difference. Keep us posted on how you like the Dell.

I never saw refurbished units on their site. How are they refurbished? Turned in from customers and recycled? Internal rejects that are rebuilt? What's the warranty on them?

I would consider that. Gonna check out thier site more closely right now . . .

Trip, did you find the 15% off coupon code? The units are in the "outlet." Just go to dell.com and look at the bottom of the page.

Lemme know if you need help. The refurbs come and go and sometimes they are slim pickin's when the coupon codes come out (which I think go bad soon).

http://www.xpbargains.com/index.php/send_deal/122086

Steve do I need to bring up your old TL concerning used. You know who ever bought that can of worms got a so called refurb or certified something.

As the yougins say " O SNAP "

Can I interest you in a slightly used HCHII? :)

Steve do I need to bring up your old TL concerning used. You know who ever bought that can of worms got a so called refurb or certified something.

As the yougins say " O SNAP "

Can I interest you in a slightly used HCHII? :)

Oh....this is a concern of mine too Psy. I want nothing to do with a problem child like the TL (when equated to a Lappy).

If this machine sucks, it will get sent back to Dell. I have 21 days to decide.

While I admire my mothers HCHII's mileage, I've driven dad's new Jetta TDI. That is what I'd put my money on if I decided to get a car with great fuel mileage. For the time being...I'll drive the cheapy Elantra as it gets 35 MPG going back and fourth to work.

Have you driven one?

Oh....this is a concern of mine too Psy. I want nothing to do with a problem child like the TL (when equated to a Lappy).

If this machine sucks, it will get sent back to Dell. I have 21 days to decide.

While I admire my mothers HCHII's mileage, I've driven dad's new Jetta TDI. That is what I'd put my money on if I decided to get a car with great fuel mileage. For the time being...I'll drive the cheapy Elantra as it gets 35 MPG going back and fourth to work.

Have you driven one?

Both,,, Like the TDI,,, hate the dealer's around here.

Surprised no one mentioned the Lenovo T-Series.

I'm on my 3rd personal IBM/Lenovo T-Series laptop at home and 2nd one at work, everyone of them worked flawlessly, and are built to last. The service is great too when necessary which is not often at all.

BTW I hate touch pad and like the "eraser head" pointing device, there aren't too many laptops left with them, even the Think-Pads have both now............

Still wavering here but i have limited it down to two models that I just need to make a decision on:

An Asus and a Toshiba T6600. Both are comparable speed / storage / features: ~2.6GHz, 500GB drivers, 4 GB Mem, wireless, HDMI output.

The Toshiba is a bit bigger but weighs less and I like the touchpad feeling better. The Asus however looks nicer . . . sleeker, has power DVD loading whereas the Toshiba has the typical "drawer". The Toshiba is very busy looking with lights and chrome trim all over the piano black keyboard. I know that's really a back seat to functionality but it's just something that stood out to me. Both are around ~$600.

I'm also looking at getting a new printer with WiFi so I can easily print from the laptop and add it to my network so friends can use it when they stay over. Printers models I've looked at have ranged from $99 for basic printer to $200 for a scan/fax/print/copier combo. I'm deciding between an HP and an Epson. leaning towards the Epson because I've had great experience with them . . . easy to set up and they've lasted me for years at a time. My current one is 5 years old - works perfectly fine - it will just be inconvenient to use with the laptop.

OK . . . gotta poop or get off the pot here and make a decision :lmao:

Re: printer, I haven't looked at printers for some time, only ever bought two over the years, the first one was an Epson color jet, beautiful high resolution print out, when it worked......., the print head started to plug up rather quickly, I then found out it would cost 2/3 of what I paid for the printer to get it replaced, so I decided to see if I can take the print head out and clean it myself, got nothing to loose!

Well, even with my confidence and tools, it took me almost 2 hours to get the print head out, tried water, steam, alcohol, nothing worked.

I then went and got a Canon printer which can take a color cartridge but I only ever used it for b/w printing, it's big enough to print 11x17 if I want to (but never did), the print head is in the ink cartridge so it's a new print head every time I replace it when the ink is used up. And it only took a moist Kleenex with a quick wipe of the print head if the ink starts to dry a bit after sitting around for some time.

My next printer will likely be a b/w laser jet as I just don't find it necessary to print color anymore.

Avio is right. Anything I need in color is usually a photo and I'll send them over to Wallyworld or Wallgreens as they do a better job than I do anyway.


I have an HP 6310 that is three years old. It has a network port on the back that I just plug into the Router. Works great and you can print from any network PC.

Do you have links to the lappy? I hear good things about both brands, but the Asus has a better warranty doesn't it? I think its two years with one year accidental damage? http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-computer012.gif

Here are the two that I'm looking at. I mispoke about the "T6600" designation. That refers to the Intel chip set and they both have it. I just noticed the Asus also has face recognition software but does not have the power DVD loader. That must have been another model I was looking at.

Toshiba (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Laptop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B2+D uo+Processor+-+Black+Onyx/9549054.p?id=1218122294915&skuId=9549054&st=Toshiba)

Asus (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Laptop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B2+D uo+Processor+-+Merlot/9556036.p?id=1218124204238&skuId=9556036&st=Asus)

Steve, good point about warranties. I'll need to look into that. It could be the deciding factor.

Now that you guys mention it, a laser printer might make sense. 90% of the stuff I print is black, anyway. More decisions . . .

I'm wrong Trip.

It looks like Asus only allows the 1 year warranty through best buy.

If you order the same machine at NewEgg, it will come with a two year global warranty with one year accidental damage. I almost bought an Asus before I decided to go with the Dell....

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=341173

Both look like good value machines. The Toshiba has that 12 cell battery...which is going to mean some serious battery life. As well...the graphics card on the Toshiba is the 4500MHD verses the the 4500m. It seems that the HD might be a little better, but internet reports: The difference between the GMA X4500m and the GMA X4500mHD is that the GMA X4500mHD is capable of "full 1080p high-definition video playback, including Blu-ray disc movies", the GMA X4500 does not have that capability.

The Asus has an LED backlight screen. That is also nice for battery life and are usually a little brighter. It is also thinner and a pound lighter

I finally made a decision!

A refurbished Commodore 64. It's awesome! 64K RAM. A 10 pound 5" floppy drive. And when a modem is invented for it, watch out interwebz!

Joking, of course . . .

I went with the Toshiba. 12 cell battery. An extra USB port. The screen is beautiful! Netflix or DVDs both look fantastic on it and with the HDMI output it looks good on the TVs, too. I like the Toshiba's keyboard a little better - the chiclet buttons have a bit more heft to them. The dedicated number pad will make transitioning from a desktop much easier. It is a bit heavier than the Asus but not unmanageable by any means. Nice features like the front button to disable the touchpad when typing. Some reviews said the sound was terrible but the Harmon Kardon speakers sound great to me. Not much bass but it's a laptop for cryin' out loud. :P

It did not come with a recovery disc but it has a utility built in to create one. It took 5 DVDs but the entire system is ghosted onto them in the event of a partial system failure or catastrophic collapse. :paranoid:

I have a USB hub with 4 connections on it. Rather than a docking station, I'll plug in the hub and instantly have a mouse, printer, full keyboard if I want it, and the external hard drive.

I've had it for a week and it's been awesome.

After reading consumers' reviews, the Toshiba definitely had the edge in reliability and especially customer service. The Asus reviews were almost unanimous that their customer service stunk.

I'm pleased with Windows 7 so far. Easy to use. A bit different from XP but many tasks and programs are available in multiple places making it easy to find what I need. Help is very good. The UI is very sleek. Everything is familiar but with an updated look and feel with many Apple like qualities. I like how ALT-TAB or hovering over the task bar puts a translucent view of the window front and center.

So far so good. I'll drop a few more comments as I use it more.

:thmsup:

Just a rant, my sony vaio laptop wifi stop working randomely yesterday and it worked fine from the day before...:(

well I stopped reading about halfway through the first page.

It all depends on what you plan on doing with the computer.

In any case, 500gb is not too much as someone has said, they don't know your needs, I have 1660gb for instance, cause i require it for storage then i back up externally as well.

PM me if you want more insight or advice.

I just bought a new Gateway laptop to replace my old desktop that was starting to crawl on me. I swear the people who make antivirus software are in cahoots with the people who make computers, making their programs so huge and slow on purpose that you have to get a new computer every few years, even if you never upgrade any other software on it.

Anyhow, I jumped from XP to 7. So far, it's a wash. There's a couple of interesting things it does, like the clock and calendar always on the desktop. And the way it organizes data libraries is pretty cool too. But there's a lot of the control functions that it's changed around, and there's some "customizing" I'd like to do to my desktop that was easy to do in XP but that I still haven't found the controls to do it in 7.

That's the biggest thing I've always hated about Microsoft, they love to completely change the interface of their software every few generations to the point that they bring a learning curve back where one shouldn't have been. That's the reason I run Mozilla Firefox, I hate that they keep changing the interface for MSIE to the point I can't find anything in the new version. To me, that's the reason people like me keep jumping ship, why more and more people are going over to Mac or Unix or on a smaller scale, are switching to Firefox or Chrome, or to whatever the Microsoft Office competitors are these days. One of the best ways to keep your customers is to keep them comfortable as you evolve your software, but if they have to completely learn an all new operating system, they can just as easily be learning their way around Mac OSX.

And yes, I really did want a Mac, but I ended up spending hundreds on this laptop, compared to the thousands Mac wanted for their system that fit me best.

Surprised no one mentioned the Lenovo T-Series.

I'm on my 3rd personal IBM/Lenovo T-Series laptop at home and 2nd one at work, everyone of them worked flawlessly, and are built to last. The service is great too when necessary which is not often at all.

:yes: I have a Thinkpad T42 that's still running fine. Think it might be time to sell it though... Classified section?



I'm also looking at getting a new printer with WiFi so I can easily print from the laptop and add it to my network so friends can use it when they stay over. Printers models I've looked at have ranged from $99 for basic printer to $200 for a scan/fax/print/copier combo. I'm deciding between an HP and an Epson. leaning towards the Epson because I've had great experience with them . . . easy to set up and they've lasted me for years at a time. My current one is 5 years old - works perfectly fine - it will just be inconvenient to use with the laptop.

OK . . . gotta poop or get off the pot here and make a decision :lmao:

If your current printer doesn't have built-in networking, you can save money by buying a print server. If the wireless router and current printer are close to one another, you can buy a wired printer server. They run around $30-$40; Just run an ethernet cable from the printer to the wireless router.

If your current printer isn't near your wireless router, you can buy a wireless printer server. They run around $40-$60.

Unless you just want a new printer.....

If your current printer doesn't have built-in networking, you can save money by buying a print server. If the wireless router and current printer are close to one another, you can buy a wired printer server. They run around $30-$40; Just run an ethernet cable from the printer to the wireless router.

If your current printer isn't near your wireless router, you can buy a wireless printer server. They run around $40-$60.

Unless you just want a new printer.....

Thanks for this. I'd rather keep my printer. Nothing wrong with it. I'll see what I can find.

Have no interest in new computer, just added a bit of memory to my oldest one (2002) installed Windows 7 on all four of my machines, have been running since October 10th, and Win 7 is a winner. HASTA, LA VISTA. Regards

Richard

A distance-learning program I'm taking now uses Lotus Notes as the on-line collabration environment, the school sent out a notification that they are not yet supporting Windows 7, nor the newest version of the Lepoard for Mac, something about IBM is still working through some of the minor issues with these two new O.S.

Just a heads-up for any students on DA to ensure that you are aware of possible issues, however minor it might be.

well I stopped reading about halfway through the first page.

It all depends on what you plan on doing with the computer.

In any case, 500gb is not too much as someone has said, they don't know your needs, I have 1660gb for instance, cause i require it for storage then i back up externally as well.

PM me if you want more insight or advice.

My point is that you do not need 500gb on a laptop. I would personally backup everything on an external. I do not normally save unnecessary files onto laptops. I currently have similar space to you, but my laptop barely holds any of it, all of it are on two different externals.

There have been quite a few good deals on slickdeals recently for laptops. But I have a good feeling, there will be some even better ones either BF or cyber monday.

In terms of printers, they are honestly becoming one-time use quality (to a degree). I have bought at least 4-5 printers in the last few years, all either free or <<$30. My current printer is a wireless brother all-in-one printer that I bought from staples a few months back for about $25.

Quick Update:

Still really liking the Toshiba.

The screen resolution is excellent. We'll watch movies in bed and the large, sharp screen is great. The HDMI output makes it a snap to hook up to the TVs. Picture quality is very good. Streaming movies from Netflix works flawlessly.

Keyboard feel is good. Speaker sound is good - not amazing but it's clear and has good volume. The touchpad has the usual adjustments to adjust sensitivity and control. It does the "pinch" and "flick" thing to zoom in and out... like an iPhone or holding down CTRL and using a mouse scroll button.

The 12 cell battery is AWESOME! I can go up to 8 hours without needing a charge.

It didn't come with a backup disk but it has a utility that prompts you to create one after you first set it up. It takes 5 DVDs.

Windows 7, as someone else mentioned, isn't a whole lot different from XP . . . which is a good thing. It's been a seamless transition. Win7 has some neat differences like organizing all your data into "libraries" which I've found helpful.

The only issue I've had was some connectivity issues but I think it was more IE 8 than anything. I did call Toshiba and their tech support is terrific. :thmsup::thmsup: I told her what was up (and even though I did it already) she walked me through reinstalling the drivers and looked at various settings with me. Everything has been fine every since...

I hate Norton's AntiVirus!!!! :thumbsdow:thumbsdow This happened with my old PC, too . . . It constantly harasses you to renew your online subscription. Constantly popping up a window asking you to renew. At least with my old PC, it would still function without the latest virus definition updates. This new version disables all of your protection. F that . . . I uninstalled it, wrote them a "screw you" letter, and downloaded AVG Free. :yes: I used AVG Free on my other PC for some time now and it's been great. So far, working fine on the Toshiba, too.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this unit to someone. Next is to see long term reliability. So far so good...

if you are a college student, you can get windows 7 for 30 bucks :)

The free Windows 7 upgrade with purchase of a Vista computer wasn't exactly free. I completed my offer a few days ago and I got charged $12.99 for shipping. They couldn't have just let me download it?