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Duncan da Husky
duncandahusky
10 March 2008 @ 11:47 am
Laptop Envy  
So as I mentioned my laptop power supply gave up the ghost again. This is annoying because I only bought it two months ago. I will note that it was sold with the Compaq part number as its catalog number - not "compatible with" or "replacement for" - yep what they sent was clearly a knock-off piece of crap. The power module is twice the size of the OEM part, and the OEM power supply has a ground plug; the replacement didn't. Looking at the warranty, I see that they will "repair or replace at their discretion". Um, thanks but no thanks. I have a replacement coming in from Amazon that, which more expensive, I know will work.

For all that this is a relatively inexpensive part, the busted power supply reminded me that my laptop is really getting on in age. I was shocked when [info]takaza reminded me I bought it back at Christmas, 2004 - three years is a heck of a lifetime for a laptop that gets as much use and travel as mine has. Still, I'm also reminded of the problems: if you run iTunes and anything else, it slows down the whole system and any use of Java or Flash is cause for the system fans to crank up to "ultrasonic", the processor to heat to near-glowing, and the whole system to slow to creeping halt. I'm thinking it may be time for a replacement. Plus, [info]genet has mentioned that Midwest FurFest's Artists Alley needs a new laptop - they may be getting mine!

I've got my eye on a Dell Inspiron 1520 running Windows XP. I'm just not sure I'm ready to make the jump to Vista yet, though I know it's only a matter of time. Maybe after the next service pack release? I dunno. The setup I'm looking at has Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 processors, 3 GB on board, and a 250 GB hard drive - not a bad laptop for $900. Given that I'm going to be doing work with RAW files in the near future, I'm going to need something with plenty of processing power and memory. I've got time to think this over, though. I want to get the best bang for my buck, so I'll be looking at all possible deals and configurations while I can.
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Current Location: My Desk
Current Mood: thoughtful
 
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'Tivo Overo[info]altivo on March 10th, 2008 05:10 pm (UTC)
Note that most of those newer high speed multiprocessor laptops run very warm. You won't enjoy putting it on your lap unless you usually have cold knees. I've seen a lot of people recommending aftermarket cooling stands for them, with additional fans or whatever to prolong component life.

I won't make recommendations about which version of Windows, though, because my own reaction to either one is now "Eeeww."
Fuzzbear[info]fuzzbear on March 10th, 2008 08:11 pm (UTC)
Yes this is why the term "Laptop" has fallen out of favor with a lot of computer manufacturers

The Macbook pro I bought a couple weeks ago runs cooler then the last gen...but can still get up to 150 degrees EASILY! eep!
Kellic J. Tiger[info]kellicjtiger on March 11th, 2008 01:48 am (UTC)

Install this: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/23049/smcfancontrol


Your thighs will thank you. :xD
Fuzzbear[info]fuzzbear on March 11th, 2008 01:50 am (UTC)
I tried.. I don't think its compatible with the penryn MBP's yet. I found another fan controller that works ok though
Fuzzbear[info]fuzzbear on March 10th, 2008 08:12 pm (UTC)
Seriously, you should check out the low end Macbook's they are very nice and you can always run XP on them in a Virtual machine or natively with Boot camp :D
Duncan da Husky: happygolucky[info]duncandahusky on March 10th, 2008 09:40 pm (UTC)
Don't get me wrong - I'm not an OS zealot. I see a computer as a tool that allows me to do what I want. That being said, it just comes down to me being a cheap bastard :-) I can get a reasonably spiffy low-end laptop with a 15.4" screen from Dell running Windows XP for $900 delivered, or an ultra-low-end 13" Macbook from Apple starting at $1,099 (and still have to cough up another $190 for a legal copy of Windows XP).

So yeah, in the end it's the money talking the loudest.
Fuzzbear[info]fuzzbear on March 10th, 2008 09:43 pm (UTC)
I hear you, ive never spent as much money on a notebook as I did when i bought the MBP. The biggest thing I can say though about it. It is the fastest Windows Notebook ive ever had LOL.

Theres something to be said about a Hardware OEM also writing the drivers for the machine.
Kellic J. Tiger: Tiger Unleashed[info]kellicjtiger on March 11th, 2008 01:46 am (UTC)
Apple doesn't write its drivers. Esp its video drivers. Trust me on this; if it was up to Apple they would be writing their drivers from the ground up. ATI seems to take a decade to get their drivers to Apple. the difference is that Apple certifies and distributes the video drivers that ATI and NVIDIA puts out, which is far better then MS's certified program that isn't mandatory in any way.
Fuzzbear[info]fuzzbear on March 11th, 2008 02:22 am (UTC)
Im talking Core Hardware..not Video Card/Sound Card stuff.
Kellic J. Tiger: Tiger Unleashed[info]kellicjtiger on March 11th, 2008 01:41 am (UTC)

That and even though Windows runs on a Mac the functionality is iffy. I have a C2D MacBook pro and most of the internal interconnect components are done via USB. So the keyboard, WIFI, Bluetooth, and I think the iSight (Camera) are done via USB. While this doesn't sound like a bad idea; Windows XP is twitchy as hell when coming out of sleep with so many USB devices connected to something like 3 internal USB hubs. Invariably you will occasionally have a device fail to reinitialize or simply take a while to: yawn, look around, "Oh you want to do something" and start working again. Most PC's don't take this cheap approach to devices being connected to the mobo because they know that windows sucks with USB.

PS- Vista sucks less at it.
gypsypet[info]gypsypet on March 10th, 2008 08:50 pm (UTC)
I've got a Dell Inspiron from the 1500 series going on a year now, and I'm still in love with it. I paid a little extra for the nicer sound, video card, and screen, and don't regret it one ounce. The only complaint is that I bought it during that period that you couldn't buy any new machines with XP on them; only Vista. So. I have Vista.

Run. Run away. Don't do it if you don't have to.
Duncan da Husky: Erf?[info]duncandahusky on March 10th, 2008 09:42 pm (UTC)
Excellent! I'm glad to hear from someone who has experience with the model I'm looking at. And I was feeling ever so slightly charitable towards Vista until I read this well-timed article. Oh yeah, that's why I don't want to go down that path.
Kellic J. Tiger: Tiger Unleashed[info]kellicjtiger on March 11th, 2008 01:34 am (UTC)

If you can, stay away from the xx20 series. While we haven't seen too many issues with these I've seen even less of the xx30 series which IMHO is the best constructed laptop Dell has ever made in recient history. You crack the thing open and while its a colosal PITA for us techs to take apart its a master of design, something that easily rivals Apple in internal design, IMHO.

(Note: I do Dell warranty work and am a Dell Certed System Engineer, which is a fancy way of saying I know how to repairs pretty much anything made by Dell without fracking it up even further. :xP
Duncan da Husky: Husky Sign[info]duncandahusky on March 11th, 2008 01:56 am (UTC)
Alas, the XX20 series is what I can afford. The XX30's available all seem to fall under the XPS line, and to trick those out comparably it looks like it comes up to another $300-400 over the 1520. Plus it appears that only the 1520 is available with XP :-)
fuzzytoes: old[info]fuzzytoedcollie on March 11th, 2008 03:46 am (UTC)
I'll be watching this saga with interest, as my Toshiba Satellite laptop from March 2001 has just started being fickle in determining how much memory it has on boot--sometimes 128M, sometimes the 384M that is actually there. *sigh*

Windows XP would also be my choice of OS, as well (and a bit of an upgrade from Windows ME....*grin*)