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Author Topic: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.  (Read 4634 times)

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Doc

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The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« on: July 20, 2006, 02:02:59 pm »
So I just got my tax returns and I'm looking for a laptop and looking for suggestions.
At the moment I'm leaning towards portability over power (though I still want something that I can upgrade to 2gig of ram with a reasonable video card, none of that integrated nonsense in my house) but most laptop review sites are, bluntly, utter shit and that's when they're not just blantant copy pasting of press releases (gods forbid we'd ever see actual benchmarks).
Anyway who here has a laptop they think is awesome? Who has nice things to say about recent models and does anyone know what (if any) relationship there is between normal and mobile versions of video cards (e.g. does the nvidia geforce 7600 actually bear any relationship to the go7600 as far as performance is concerned?).

The only two that have really caught my eye are the following, both asus which I have heard are not great for support but do seem rather tasty as far as specs go: A8J and W3J.

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jough

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2006, 02:58:42 pm »
Asus laptops tend to be pieces of crap, though.  Seriously, people will wonder what the funny smell coming out of your bag could possibly be.

I really like the new Compaqs.  They have some models that are really sleek and compact, and you get a lot of bang for your buck.  Even if they break, they have an excellent service plan, which is something to consider.

Also something to consider if money is no object: the new MacBooks will run windows and are pretty fast and built like little tanks.
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FlipConstantine

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2006, 03:39:33 pm »
Quote
Also something to consider if money is no object: the new MacBooks will run windows and are pretty fast and built like little tanks

I can't tell you how much I love the macbook.  It is currently my prime "what I'm saving for" object. It does have intel GMA 950 integrated graphics though.  If money's even less of an object the MacBook Pro is basically similar with a higher clocked CPU and a discrete VRAM x1600, of course it's also retardedly expensive and the first rev looks to have some heat issues.  Also, Merom will probably be making its way into those soon so now would probably not be the best time to invest in a Yonah one. 
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jough

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2006, 04:28:59 pm »
When money is less of an object for me I plan to upgrade to the second gen Macbook Pro and I'll likely dual-boot OS X and Windows.  Who knows, maybe I'll make the switch, but I doubt it.  You can't play CounterStrike on the Mac.  Right there I'm less than interested.
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Doc

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2006, 11:10:51 pm »
While I do enjoy using macs at uni for work related stuff the lack of gamage is a sticking point. I know we can use boot camp these days to get windows running on them but if I want to run windows anyway I may as well buy a windows compatible machine.

Are Asus lappies really pieces of shit? I do want something with a decent service plan. I've even considered (horror) going over to Dell just because they are decently customisable and I've heard their lappies don't suck as bad as their desktops and they've got good service.

Sigh, the troubles of my life.
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KeithHernandez

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2006, 11:45:41 pm »
All I know about coputers is I have a dell and I hate it.  I don't know enough to tell you why, but I would seriously go against dell.

« Last Edit: May 06, 2007, 08:47:50 am by KeithHernandez »
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jough

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2006, 01:17:03 am »
Dells are awful, and their support sucks now.  It used to be good, back when they were small.

HP is awesome for support.  Apple is pretty good too.
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Doc

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2006, 01:43:17 am »
I'll look into HP then as our God-Emperor commands, I wonder how if their service is as good in this hemisphere.
Despite what you say though those Asus are still looking tasty, I still haven't found anything else with those sort of specs smaller than 15 inches.

Slightly off topic: I went to check out the Alienware site and their notebooks are all just horribly under powered and over priced. When did this happen? I mean they've always been over priced but I swear they used to give you some bang for your buck. WHAT THE HELL ALIENWARE?
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Doc

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2006, 03:01:55 am »
Ah now I see, because I am in a foreign country and obviously still coming to grips with the electric light bulb Alienware.com.au has a product line so far remove from alienware.com that they aren't even worth talking about like they are the same company.
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Hobot

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2006, 04:06:00 am »
 You also don't have to use Boot Camp.  There's a better programme out there, but the name escapes me at the moment.  I'll get back to this thread when I'm not in the middle of nowhere, hunched over the tiny keypad of my dad's Blackberry.
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jough

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2006, 06:02:24 am »
There's Wine which runs a few Windows programmes natively on Linux or OS X, and then there's Parallels which does a little more but is dead balls slow.

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Lister

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2006, 08:05:06 am »
I can't speak for particular systems, as I don't know what you'll be able to get in that Oz place you live in (Why is that country so far away, anyway?  What the hell?), but I'll address some generalities:

Dell was once good.  Right now I associate them with late-90s Packard-Bell, who wanted to make the cheapest machines possible, and it showed.  Dell sources its parts based on price and price alone.  I've also observed many of their laptops to fail completely after about the two year mark.  I don't plan on buying another laptop from them.

HP computers don't seem to be noticeably worse than Dell computers, and their service is superior.

Sony Vaios are beautiful little machines, but almost as overpriced as Macs.  I have less data on them, but my Vaio that replaced the Dell is still running.

As far as video cards, in general the desktop version will run faster because they're looser on the power and heat restrictions.  On the other hand, the mobile versions are almost always later revisions of the same chip, and thus have had some time to mature.  This means that a mobile 7600 (or whatever) will most likely run slower than a 7600GTXOMGPWNT card you'd put in a desktop, but will have the same features available and will likely have fewer glitches.  Usually if you do some digging you can find the important stuff like processor speed, memory speed, and number of pipelines, and then compare them to the desktop version.  Most often the laptop version equates to the "budget" card for a particular chip in a desktop.

Something unfortunate to be aware of, though, is the fact that laptop video drivers are updated much more slowly than those for desktops, if they are updated at all.  When I last looked into it there was a way to hack desktop drivers to work on mobile chips, but they weren't universially successful.  If you play games with release notes that say "We need version 26.92r581b or better to work correctly," you might run into problems with a laptop.  If you play older games this will be less of a problem.

I don't have to say to get the newest video card with the most memory you can possibly afford, right?  'cause they can't be upgraded, right?
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Doc

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2006, 12:01:38 pm »
Quote from: Lister on July 23, 2006, 08:05:06 am
I don't have to say to get the newest video card with the most memory you can possibly afford, right?  'cause they can't be upgraded, right?

Indeed you do not.


At this point I think I'm going with one of those Asus models. Basically I can't find anything else decent (or customizable) at less than 15 inches that doesn't involve me importing from the US and all the warranty and shipping headaches that entails. Cest La Vie.
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Hobot

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2006, 06:24:24 pm »
Quote from: jough on July 23, 2006, 06:02:24 am
There's Wine which runs a few Windows programmes natively on Linux or OS X, and then there's Parallels which does a little more but is dead balls slow.

Ah yes, Parallels was the one I had in mind.  I think its benefits outweigh its downsides (such as speed).  It is basically the best programme out there (that I know of) for dual- and triple-booting.  I think that Boot Camp is just needlessly complicated.


(UPDATE: I am using my grandmother's ancient laptop with the detached M key and 56k dial-up to bring this informative post to you, the reader.  I hope you feel special.)
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jough

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Re: The 9th circle: Computer thread redux.
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2006, 04:22:02 am »
Well, I feel special, but not because you're using 56k dial-up.
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