Can someone recommend me a laptop?!

mdameron · Sep 26, 2005

My needs:

Needs to be pretty reliable <--- main thing
Wi-fi a plus
be able to add some ram is a plus

I don't really want a tank for a laptop, smaller is better. ALL this thing is going to be doing is running a word processor (prolly word) in my classes...
I suck at writing. Because of this, a LOUD fan would suck...

I'll probably just throw windows 98se on it (I have) and office '97 (i have)

Whats a reputable laptop that can do/have these things for around $300-350 SHIPPED?

A Mac isn't out of the question, but I'd like to have no problems with compatibility if I decide to hook up to a network at home or with my PC... Plus I don't have a copy of OSX layin around in case i get format happy, which is often.

Any advice and recommendations are awesome and greatly appreciated!

Hamspiced · Sep 26, 2005

i just bought an Hp DV1331SE and i love it.

Small Reliable, Bunch of goodies, 100gb HDD< 512mb ram<14" screen,

great deal at best buy.

mdameron · Sep 26, 2005

LMFAO! did you read my post?

mdameron · Sep 26, 2005

and... back to the top we go! bump!

whoever · Sep 26, 2005

I just bought a used dell L400 on ebay for $270 shipped, it has 256mb max memory, 20gb, 700mhz P3, 12inch screen, less that 1" thich, have to buy wireless card for network.

Although I havn't gotten it yet.

I had to have something at school and didn't want to spend $2500 to try to compete with my home rig (2.65 A64, s 6800GTs, 2 10K raptors). Plus i wanted portablility and a touchpad (no little earaser crap).

mdameron · Sep 27, 2005

Thanks, just checked that out! I too don't like that little eraser thing for a mouse... does anyone else have a recommendation?

jnev_89 · Sep 30, 2005

check out wal-marts laptops, they're supposed to be pretty good quality and run linux (lispire, though any distro will run on it). i think it's something like 1ghz p3, 256mb ram, 40gb hd, wifi for ~$500, maybe a bit less.

if you're set on $300-350 then ebay is probably your best bet.

JJ_BPK · Oct 6, 2005

If new isn't a must,,

Look on eBay for an IBM Thinkpad,, the 600e or 600x..One of the best ever made,, stopped production in 1998(?) yet still sought.

My 600E, 366 MHz, 560 MB, cd-rw, 40GB HD, w/Win PX pro SP2,, WIN small bus office,,, under $350, last year..

In the swappable bay I have and can put an extra battery, DVD, cd-rw, 3.5 diskette, hardfile or nothing,, some come with a blank bay filler,, keeps the weight done for travel. Weights a little over 6 lbs with the blank bay cover. You can cut even more weight off by only carrying the brick and leaving ALL the batteries at home.

Also has USB 1.0 port, modem, PCI/CIA slots(2),,

It's not a gamer,, but gamer & cheep is an oxymoron??

ADDED: Just re-read, If you don't like the mouse "thingy",, all laptops should have USB-serial-PS/2 mouse ports.. I put a USB optical on mine,, I don't like the 'thingy' either..

Good Luck
Jim

skou · Oct 7, 2005

To add to JJ's post, let me put an oar in for the T20-23 series.

Yes, they have the "eraser" thingie, (it's called a "trackpoint") but you get used to using it. I think it is better than the little pad thing.

You can go anywhere from a 700MHz to 1.0, on the 20-22, and to a 1.2, on the T23. Any of them will handle 2000 or XP, with no problem at all. They have the same bay thing, for extra drives, with the options of DVD, DVD burner, CD, CD burner, extra battery, extra HDD, or nothing at all.

The 20-22 are all identical, in the build. The 23 is different inside, but looks the same on the outside. It has a different CPU socket, different mobo, and different video processor. It also has capabilities for internal wireless, instead of using a PC card.

I am somewhat familiar with these, so ask me if you want to know any more.

steve

skou · Oct 7, 2005

Oh, one more thing, Thinkpads are pretty bullet-proof. Tough little lappies.

Memory, on the 20-22s, 512 max. (2, 256 sticks) T23, 1 GB. (2, 512 sticks)

steve

perfectturmoil · Oct 9, 2005

I have a Thinkpad T22. Its great. I bought it for pretty much the same reason you did.. school, cheap, and a lappy won't match the "real" rig ;- ].

I got it for 311 shipped off of ebay.. Its in decent shape for the most part - the top is a bit scrached, and the screen has a few light bleed spots, but I knew that going in (cause I was hunting for a fast bargain).

And now, my Dad is perma-borrowing it. I'm going on the hunt for a T23 :- ]

So, there's my suggestion.

skou · Oct 9, 2005

perfectturmoil said:
And now, my Dad is perma-borrowing it. I'm going on the hunt for a T23 :- ]

So, there's my suggestion.

Turmoil, the T23 is a SWEET machine. I just picked up my first one.

Granted, it needs some goodies, but it looks like a keeper. (It'll probably replace my 1.0 T22.)

steve

Lionsault_100 · Oct 9, 2005

the dell cpi's are nice, a 400mhz cpi was a great competitor for the ibm 600 series, (and the CPX for the 600x models)

its so easy to find parts for the CPI because from 233mhz to 2.4ghz the same drives, batteries, adapters etc are all compatable. so upgrades are DIRT CHEAP.

and these machines can take an asswhoopin

Xtreme Barton · Oct 9, 2005

http://www.accurateit.com/details.asp?iid=355

violineb · Oct 9, 2005

I'm suprised that the first few posts were almost worthless. The IBM T20-23s are certainly the best choice along with the Compaq Evo N400c and N600c. All of these will run WinXP perfectly and do a lot more. All of these can be had for under $400 and closer to $350 on ebay.
I own both a N600 and N400 and both are built as well as the thinkpads IMO though the N600 seems thinner than the T series from IBM.

Example sale link on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-EVO-N600C_W0QQitemZ6808818416QQcategoryZ31550QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Since this one is the 1.2ghz model it has a 32MB Radeon card in it. The others are 16MB and the N400 is 8MB ATI Rage, plays playstation well enough.

1.06ghz one
http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-Evo-N600...809997461QQcategoryZ31550QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Can someone recommend me a laptop?!

mdameron

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