Laptop required - any recommendations?

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi all,

I've just taken on a new client, and it looks like I'm gonna have to take the plunge and get me a laptop so, I can show PowerPoint presentations.

So, the things it must have are:

1,) Windows (for PowerPoint)
2,) 15" display
3,) DVD drive
4,) Capable of 2Gb of RAM
5,) Fairly light, well built (in case I drop it)
6,) VGA output port
7,) RJ45 network port
8,) Wi-Fi
9,) Half decent battery life
10,) Not too expensive

To give you a flavour here....I've seen the Sony Vaio VGN-NR10 E/S in Comet/Currys/PCWorld and for £479 inc VAT it looks very attractive, with a Merom class Core Duo T2310 CPU, 2Gb RAM, 160Gb HDD.

Likewise, they also do the VGN-NR11 at around £529, which has same CPU, only with 1Gb RAM (:oops:), 160Gb HDD.

I've also seen the Compaq T742 & T757 on special (around £399), but they don't look very nice...although they have the same CPU, same size memory and/or HDD) whereas the Sony oozes some class (OK, not a lot, but it's all in the eye of the beholder !!).

I'm reckoning on spending no more than about £500 inc VAT (so a real Core 2 Duo is a bit beyond me).

And some shops are doing a "bundle" with MS Office for an extra £70 or so....although I need to check if this has the full PowerPoint app or otherwise, I can just get the viewer version for free...as I don't need to modify the presentation!

Any views??

regards

Tim

[UBT - Chris Suddick]

Tim,

Openoffice.org runs on both windows and linux as far as I know and it's free. It runs powerpoint presentations. Might save you a bit of money.

Chris.

[UBT - Timbo]

Tim,

Openoffice.org runs on both windows and linux as far as I know and it's free. It runs powerpoint presentations. Might save you a bit of money.

Chris.

Hi Chris,

OK, that's good to know.

Mind you - the MS Office app for £70-ish gives you three user licences as well....so I can then use this on the lappy plus two other desktop machines....just a shame it doesn't come with Outlook....!

OK, so I know OpenOffice is FOC....so it's all down to cash flow in the end, and just coming to Xmas as well....!

Can always get the MS Office later I s'pose....no point getting something if it's unnecessary...!

regards

Tim

[Gary]

Hi Tim,

I've had the use of one of these http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/ ... _ID=137398 of the last few weeks, I even used it briefly for the Gauntlet !

This is the first laptop I've ever used so I can't say whether its good or not.

[Timby]

Hi Tim, a work mate has just purchased from my normal suppliers and says its a great machine!!!  Here is a link for the full range, not sure how prices compare but they are offering a 9 Month interest free option ?


https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/nbranges.html

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi Tim,

I've had the use of one of these http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/ ... _ID=137398 of the last few weeks, I even used it briefly for the Gauntlet !

This is the first laptop I've ever used so I can't say whether its good or not.

Hi Gary,

I did take a look at the Equiums, but they were much taller than the Sony Vaio - which makes them a bit less "portable" - the Sony is only 30mm thick...I also noticed that the Tosh (and others, like the Compaq) have "locking lugs" on the screen "lid", which past experience means they can get snagged or they break, etc. The Sony doesn't have these and relies on a stronger "spring" to close the lid and keep it there.

regards

Tim

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi Tim, a work mate has just purchased from my normal suppliers and says its a great machine!!!  Here is a link for the full range, not sure how prices compare but they are offering a 9 Month interest free option ?

https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/nbranges.html

Hi,

I did take a look around the web for various other brands....but I must have missed the Novatech units.

They certainly look competitive on pricing, the Rasor, especially, and with the benefit of being able to choose a specific OS (or not) to go with it....! (which stops M$ from getting even richer !!).

I'll see what else is around and then order something....as I'll need it next week for 2 presentations I'm doing....

regards

Tim

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi all,

OK, I've now got myself a new lappy....

The afore-mentioned Sony NR10E/S won out in the end....main reasons being the 2Gb memory and 160Gb HDD....

But there were TWO other criteria which I didn't expect to have to consider...and they were:

1) The positioning (somewhere under the keyboard) of the CPU's...

Some laptops I saw used a metal covered "wrist plate" (on the top front surface) and these were actually quite warm to the touch - it helped me being able to go and see some of these laptops on a shelf, towards the end of a day, during which time they'd heated up quite nicely.

And the thought of my wrists getting slowly cooked, while typing on the keyboard was enough to turn me off.

The Sony, OTOH, has the CPU's on the underside at the rear right corner, where a suitable grille exists for the warm air to exit via the internal fan.

and

2) Another factor is that unlike some others, the PSU socket is actually on the back...quite a few had "side mounted" PSU sockets, and then the manufacturer seemed to have supplied plugs on the PSU leads that are NOT right angled....meaning the PSU lead comes straight out at the side, which can easily get snagged or worse still, break the plug and/or socket.

By contrast the Sony connector fits into the back and is right angled as welll...saving space and being less likely to break.

So, there we have it....and of course BOINC is on there, crunching away at a few WCG's...

Thanks for all the input,

Tim

[Gary]

Hi all,

And the thought of my wrists getting slowly cooked, while typing on the keyboard was enough to turn me off.

Tim

I wouldn't recommend using it on your lap either less you roast the nuptials !

BTW, I bought the Tosh above at a knock down price  :D can't get used to the controls or vista.

[Rockinfroggi]

Hi all,

OK, I've now got myself a new lappy....

The afore-mentioned Sony NR10E/S won out in the end....main reasons being the 2Gb memory and 160Gb HDD....

But there were TWO other criteria which I didn't expect to have to consider...and they were:

1) The positioning (somewhere under the keyboard) of the CPU's...

Some laptops I saw used a metal covered "wrist plate" (on the top front surface) and these were actually quite warm to the touch - it helped me being able to go and see some of these laptops on a shelf, towards the end of a day, during which time they'd heated up quite nicely.

And the thought of my wrists getting slowly cooked, while typing on the keyboard was enough to turn me off.

The Sony, OTOH, has the CPU's on the underside at the rear right corner, where a suitable grille exists for the warm air to exit via the internal fan.

and

2) Another factor is that unlike some others, the PSU socket is actually on the back...quite a few had "side mounted" PSU sockets, and then the manufacturer seemed to have supplied plugs on the PSU leads that are NOT right angled....meaning the PSU lead comes straight out at the side, which can easily get snagged or worse still, break the plug and/or socket.

By contrast the Sony connector fits into the back and is right angled as welll...saving space and being less likely to break.

So, there we have it....and of course BOINC is on there, crunching away at a few WCG's...

Thanks for all the input,

Tim

I have 2 Sony Vaio's and one is around 8 years old, still going strong and crunching 24/7.


Gary.

[UBT - Timbo]

I wouldn't recommend using it on your lap either less you roast the nuptials !

BTW, I bought the Tosh above at a knock down price  :D can't get used to the controls or vista.

Hi Gary,

Yup - the heated "bottom" of the Vaio could be an issue if used on one's lap - but fortunately, it's more likely to burn the knee than the wedding tackle...!

However, in my case, it would always be on a hard surface, so I can live with that.

Re: Vista.
The one thing I miss is the "Start > Run..." command....how else does one run a newly saved program (in order to install it), once it's been saved to a local temporary directory...?

Otherwise, Vista looks "nice", but nothing out of the ordinary...mind you another week or two might turn me one way or the other...!

regards

Tim

[Gary]

Re: Vista.

Otherwise, Vista looks "nice", but nothing out of the ordinary...mind you another week or two might turn me one way or the other...!

regards

Tim

Agreed, it looks nice but I neither have the time or inclination to get used to it, XP seems nice and simple in comparison.

[UBT-mark3346]

Otherwise, Vista looks "nice", but nothing out of the ordinary...mind you another week or two might turn me one way or the other...!

regards

Tim

Can you get Boinc to automatically start with Vista and if so how? Everytime I restart (not often) it comes up with something like "programmes have been blocked at start up" or the super annoying "a programme needs your permission to continue"...there appears to be no simple "always allow this" type of command