Torakhan ([info]torakhan) wrote,
@ 2009-07-03 03:05:00
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Entry tags:computer, laptop

The Laptop Bug... I has it.
Soooo... I'm seeing so many deals right now on computers and... I'm trying to decide if it's time to crack and buy a laptop.

I think I can pretty easily swing $400, so I'm trying to find the best deal for my money.  I don't mind refurbished machines or open-box items, as long as everything's there and someone's still there in case it fries shortly after I get it--I won't mind a scratch on the outside here or there.
I'm looking to do web-stuff (videos, browsing, maybe some Open Canvasing), Photoshop and CorelDraw vectoring, maybe watching movies and listening to music. 
I guess if I get into Photoshopping on the go, the CPU and memory will be very important--not so much the video rendering, from what I've heard.  So I guess dual-core and at least 2GB memory would be prefered.
Screen-size seems like it would be important too.. no smaller than 15".
VGA ports, S-video, or some way of using my or other larger monitors with it would be good too.
A brand, or even a model that folks use and have had good luck with (reliability) would be prefered too.
... I'm guessing that I'd probably want XP on it for now, unless Windows 7's "XP Environment" means that my Photoshop and other programs work on it just fine."

I don't actually NEED a laptop.  It's much more of a "want".  It'd be nice to think that with a laptop, I'd find myself with my Wacom tablet out at some WiFi place, logged into OpenCanvas and finally drawing with other artists as drawing with folks locally just isn't going to work.  I'd like to think that I could do graphic design on the fly, have my files with me and be productive wherever I went. 
Past history tells me that very likely, my laptop would be under-utilized as I found other reasons why it just wouldn't work the way my fantasy-brain would like it to. 



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[info]wingerramble
2009-07-03 12:29 pm UTC (link)
Sean & I have Acer Aspire 5315 after our computers had problems... oh, a good 6 months ago, one and then the other. They're 1.00 GB RAM and 2.13 GHz processors. They seem pretty reliable so far...

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Acer Aspire AS5536-5883 Laptop Computer
[info]torakhan
2009-07-04 08:24 pm UTC (link)
Acer Aspire AS5536-5883 Laptop Computer

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4786612&csid=_23

I'm thinkin' I might get this one... But it's good to know that you're happy with the one that you've got. That helps a bit.

I'm also thinking somewhere along these lines:
Lenovo 3000 G530 4446-24U Laptop Computer
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4483720&CatId=17

Both are pretty similar, but the Lenovo offers a DVD burner.

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[info]thatdamnvirgo
2009-07-03 08:45 pm UTC (link)
My Photoshop CS4 runs perfectly fine on the Windows 7 release candidate, as does my Paint Shop Pro 9. I'd recommend going with Windows 7. It's much better than Vista, and I'm liking it marginally more than XP. I don't think compatibility will be an issue for long because I think 7 will do what Vista couldn't and fully replace XP in the near future. Just be sure you get the 32 bit version of Windows 7 if you do get it.

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[info]kalphoenix
2009-07-04 09:42 pm UTC (link)
I have the same issue with my tablet laptop being underutilized. Hopefully that will change once I get windows seven. I really dislike the version of Vista on my machine now, but it will NOT accept an XP downgrade. I believe it has something to do with the Wacom drivers.

Glad to hear about compatibility with Photoshop and PSP though for windows 7. I haven't got further than installing Gimp, because I've already had to wipe and reload the OS four times because of authentication issues with my version of Vista since I got it in March, and got tired of having to reinstall everything else. My Vista version panics about authenticity (If it's a pirated version, it's not) whenever I don't have access to a wireless connection which is a lot in the summer.

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