Laptop advice, what's hot!

[Sneeky]

Hi folks
Looking at getting 2 new laptops. Have been using HP NX7010's for a few years now and have been very happy with them but we are going to get new ones.
These ones were great fr connectability, wireless, big screen.

Looking for more portable options now, smaller, but does not have to be minute though.
These laptops are used for all you normal office/accounting programs.
Any recommendations of good models around these days? Looking at R15-R20k per machine.

We travel quite a bit, so wireless connectivity a must have, dvd write, windose.
thx

 

[Messugga]

If you'd like something smaller than 15", I'd go for 13.3". 10" is nice but urgh for longer working hours and 13.3" will give you better bang for buck.
I'm a bit of a Sony fan boy, I'm afraid, but can honestly say their S series of notebooks are 13" of the most fun you're ever going to have.

VGN-SZ79
Kinda expensive but within your budget and the specs are pretty good. That link is just one of the first ones I saw when I googled. Don't see many sites listing it yet, so it's probably pretty new. The 13" models from Sony have always been getting really good reviews though. Keep it in mind. Alternatively, Toshiba do a rather nice 13", but I don't like the brand much... support issues and whatnot.

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

Kinda expensive but within your budget and the specs are pretty good.

I don't agree with that 100% they are really reliable. But if you're gonna spend that amount of money on a laptop, you can get many other options n brands with much better specs for just as good reliability n quality.

Just my personal opinion though.

 

[Messugga]

I don't agree with that 100% they are really reliable. But if you're gonna spend that amount of money on a laptop, you can get many other options n brands with much better specs for just as good reliability n quality.

Just my personal opinion though.

I didn't say it was his only option, it's just what I'd get 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo, 250 hybrid hdd, 2gb RAM, a somewhat useful graphics processor and all the usual other bits, squeezed into a 13"? That's plenty in my mind. It's a HELL of a lot more powerful than my desktop lol

Of course, you can get a godly 15" for that sort of money, but the 13" is my favorite size.

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

True true - you could also get the 12" Acer, with similar specifications.. for cheaper if im not mistaken. hehe. If i had the cash to go buy a 15k laptop - I don't think Sony would cross my mind. But then again, it's all personal favourites. Many ppl nowadays would say buy a mac.. but I just couldn't

 

[Messugga]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of Acer either. I'm a HP and slightly Packard Bell man. As you said though, personal preferences.

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

Dell have actually recently allowed resellers access to selling Dell products - they have some pretty nice deals on as well. AFAIK, apart from Apple - they're the only other manufacturer I know of offering a laptop with 17" screen with full 1920x1200 res.. not bad

 

[Messugga]

Yeah, but their after sales service in SA is absolutely terrible. Besides, this guy wants something portable and a 17" is anything but! That resolution's rather nice though...

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

Just making a point. Hows this Messuga (just in comparison to the sony, apart from screen size):

Extensa 5620G, EX5620G-6A2G25Mi,* Intel® Pentium® C2D T5750 (2MB L2 Cache, 2.0GHz, 667MHz FSB), 15.4" WXGA (CrystalBrite), ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with Hypermemory, 2GB (1*2048MB) DDR2 667, 250GB HDD, DVD-Super Multi, 802.11a/b/g WLAN, 6 cell battery,* 4 USB ports, 5-in-1 Card Reader, Two built-in Acer 3DSonic stereo speakers, Built-in Microphone, Gigabit LAN, ExpressCard™/54 slot,** IEEE 1394 port (4-pin), S-video, Bluetooth, 0.3MP Acer CrystalEye Webcam, XP Pro

This goes for generally about +-R9400 ex vat .. Maybe I can convert you to being an Acer man

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

big PLUS - it comes with XP preinstalled. What a pleasure.

 

[Messugga]

Well, it's 500Mhz slower and lacks the hybrid hard drive It seems like a good machine but I'd be happy with dropping some of that hard drive space and rather picking up a HP 15" for around the R7k mark. That 2" size difference influences the price massively though, doesn't it? It's funny how that works. Larger than 15? You pay more. Smaller? hah! Cough up the money!

1440x900 res on that Sony. Not exactly bad for a 13"

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

Yeah not bad at all - but take into consideration that Sony make TVs and cameras as well. So you'd expect the optics and screen quality to be good

I did mention to Sneeky that for office/accounting use - he really doesn't need to spend 15grand. But if the company wants to spend it, why not. Haha

 

[Messugga]

Yup, any computer worth 15k is quite overkill for what he wants to use it for. Sony's LCD tech is awesome. Asus have been making some not too shabby machines as of late, as well. The Lamborghini is quite nice, but I refuse purchasing products with Italian supercar manufacturer labels on them, if I don't actually own one of said manufacturer's products

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

It's over 20k for that lambo laptop.. ridiculous what ppl pay for materialistic things (secretly inside i reeeeeeallly want one though )

The new Asus F3 and F5 series really is good, apart from the fact that most of them come with 1GB RAM and vista. 1GB and Vista just don't go hand in hand in my opinion.

 

[Messugga]

Anything and Vista just doesn't go hand in hand. I despise that OS. Yet to install it on any system I get in contact with Agreed on the price... Spending that much on a computer is a bit bonkers and what would you use it for? It's not like it does games very well, which means it's good for watching movies and whatnot and last I checked, it didn't make coffee or popcorn so it can't do anything more than a more bottom end 15"

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

Haha - good analogy. Same goes for Acer Ferarri range, although those are considerably cheaper (sitting at like R13 000 and you get a free 19" LCD when purchasing one).

The Vista GUI is awesome, just the fact that for the most part of it it uses like 750MB of ram to run.. I didn't think Microsoft could ever f-up so bad with an OS.

 

[Messugga]

New Windows is arriving next year though, if I'm not mistaken. I'm so glad I'm giving Vista a skip. Any operating system that requires 4GB of RAM to run properly and even then, not perfect, is ridiculous. Maybe they should look at some Linux distro's and tae some notes

 

[Raizon.I.T.]

For those who use illegal software, there is something called XP Black. It is XP Pro with SP3 slipstreamed and pre configured with a full Vista GUI. Exactly the same. So essentially is the best of both worlds. Also doesn't require a serial number.

But of course, this is only viable for people sitting at home not making money off their PC and don't mind using illegal software.

 

[Messugga]

Ooo sounds appealing. I actually have a legal copy of XP on my machine but wouldn't mind seeing what this is like. Will Google it a bit tomorrow. Think i need to go get some sleep now though. Laters

 

[dhez]

If you'd like something smaller than 15", I'd go for 13.3". 10" is nice but urgh for longer working hours and 13.3" will give you better bang for buck.
I'm a bit of a Sony fan boy, I'm afraid, but can honestly say their S series of notebooks are 13" of the most fun you're ever going to have.

VGN-SZ79
Kinda expensive but within your budget and the specs are pretty good. That link is just one of the first ones I saw when I googled. Don't see many sites listing it yet, so it's probably pretty new. The 13" models from Sony have always been getting really good reviews though. Keep it in mind. Alternatively, Toshiba do a rather nice 13", but I don't like the brand much... support issues and whatnot.

i second this, i have a SZ for the last 2 years and it still runs as if it is new, i also have a apple macbook, and as good as it is, i still love my sony!