What Laptop and specifications to buy? [Archive]

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Naka

06-02-2010, 10:42 AM

I am thinking of getting a latest laptop to replace the older one.

What is the latest specifications and how much it is?

Thanks

fRaNkY

06-02-2010, 03:11 PM

You better look at the photoshop hardware requirement before getting a new NB :D Sure this one of the application u will use :D

Naka

06-02-2010, 03:24 PM

You better look at the photoshop hardware requirement before getting a new NB :D Sure this one of the application u will use :D

Thanks, I was going to mention it. :D

fRaNkY

06-02-2010, 03:51 PM

Also, since you travel a lot, planning to bring it with you? the weight?

Eyes problem? :D Need a big screen? Can fit in you travelling camera bag? :D

Naka

06-02-2010, 03:57 PM

Also, since you travel a lot, planning to bring it with you? the weight?

Eyes problem? :D Need a big screen? Can fit in you travelling camera bag? :D

Yes, Frank, will have to carry it on board, at least 500 GB, at least 4 GB memory, screen- not too small, I tot they come with matching bag.

Any idea how much in KL?

Thanks

p/s...I dun travel a lot now..too tired.

fRaNkY

06-02-2010, 04:40 PM

Depends on the hardware RM1500-3500.... most come with 250GB,... they do come with a bag... but there are cameras bag (Haversack) that can put a nb and cameras.... :D Thought u might want to consider tat... see which camera bag first b4 commit to the NB.... u might want to go jalan2 see at the nearest .... usj carreforre there the IT shops... I would prefer Lenovo, HP and Fujitsu... with a powerful CPU or two.

Naka

06-02-2010, 04:54 PM

Naka

06-02-2010, 09:57 PM

To make it easy, I had just gone through my junk mails & here are some laptops on sale here.

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP1.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP2.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP3.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP4.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP5.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx148/uc-naka/COMP6.jpg

I wonder what are the prices in KL.

Thanks

p/s...how come the photos did not appear?

fRaNkY

06-02-2010, 10:35 PM

Wondering how come today no computer experts around :D

Get one with computing power.... fast CPU... rendering with PS is rather show... the memory also... can go 4GB... go for it...

Forget ASUS, Dell and Acer... my opinion.

kwchang

07-02-2010, 12:42 AM

I don't know about you Naka, but in another computer-buying thread, I had already mentioned about the intermediate notebooks ... those that are having specs between (a)slightly bigger and more powerful than netbooks (which run on the Atom processor) and (b) the more heavy, full-powered notebooks. Why the intermediates? Well, mainly because they are lighter (2Kg or less), longer running time off the battery (averages 8 hours, some going to 10 hours on a single charge).

Acer Timeline started the ball rolling around Nov 2009 with their CULV processors which are reduced Pentiums or Core 2 Duo processors. Then Asus came out with their UL30V, UL50V and UL80V series.

Recently, in the CNET show, ASUS unveiled their new notebooks running on the i3, i5 or i7 Intel processors and using DDR3 RAM chips. Fortunately I did not buy the ASUS then and at that time I was also looking at the DELL V13. Well, ASUS have yet to launch those new notebooks while DELL and ACER have already launched a few new ones.

The specifications to look out for -
Processor = i3, i5 or i7 - go for at least i5 (forget the Core 2 Duos, they are out-dated)
RAM = at least 4GB DDR3 (do not get DDR2 as they are now out-dated)
Operating system = Windows7, 64 bit version (I try not to get the 32-bit)
Weight = less than 2Kg, if 1.7Kg even better.
Battery = 6 or 8 cells, should be advertised to run 8-12 hours on a single charge
Screen = should be High Definition (HD) or compatible, LCD backlit, non-shiny if possible
Graphic cards = the new machines have 2 graphic cards where one is on dedicated graphic memory and another on shared memory to save power usage
Price = that should get it up to RM3,000 at least.

If you are looking at Sony, Fujitsu, Lenovo or Toshiba, the prices for similar specs can get it up to RM5,000 - RM9,000 !! :eek: ... I wonder why Franky suggested to avoid ASUS, DELL and ACER?

So far, I have yet to find a suitable machine. I think there is at least another month's wait before something nice pops up to strike my fancy. At least I get some time to save up for it :) :D

Naka

07-02-2010, 06:20 AM

I don't know about you Naka, but in another computer-buying thread, I had already mentioned about the intermediate notebooks ... those that are having specs between (a)slightly bigger and more powerful than netbooks (which run on the Atom processor) and (b) the more heavy, full-powered notebooks. Why the intermediates? Well, mainly because they are lighter (2Kg or less), longer running time off the battery (averages 8 hours, some going to 10 hours on a single charge).

Acer Timeline started the ball rolling around Nov 2009 with their CULV processors which are reduced Pentiums or Core 2 Duo processors. Then Asus came out with their UL30V, UL50V and UL80V series.

Recently, in the CNET show, ASUS unveiled their new notebooks running on the i3, i5 or i7 Intel processors and using DDR3 RAM chips. Fortunately I did not buy the ASUS then and at that time I was also looking at the DELL V13.

Well, ASUS have yet to launch those new notebooks while DELL and ACER have already launched a few new ones.

The specifications to look out for -
Processor = i3, i5 or i7 - go for at least i5 (forget the Core 2 Duos, they are out-dated)
RAM = at least 4GB DDR3 (do not get DDR2 as they are now out-dated)
Operating system = Windows7, 64 bit version (I try not to get the 32-bit)
Weight = less than 2Kg, if 1.7Kg even better.
Battery = 6 or 8 cells, should be advertised to run 8-12 hours on a single charge
Screen = should be High Definition (HD) or compatible, LCD backlit, non-shiny if possible
Graphic cards = the new machines have 2 graphic cards where one is on dedicated graphic memory and another on shared memory to save power usage
Price = that should get it up to RM3,000 at least.
If you are looking at Sony, Fujitsu, Lenovo or Toshiba, the prices for similar specs can get it up to RM5,000 - RM9,000 !! :eek: ... I wonder why Franky suggested to avoid ASUS, DELL and ACER?

So far, I have yet to find a suitable machine. I think there is at least another month's wait before something nice pops up to strike my fancy. At least I get some time to save up for it :) :D

KWChang, you have given me a lot of useful info. The price of abt $3,000/= looks favourable & may I know which shop in KL sell this.

I heard computer in HK is also cheap.

Is LG popular in Malaysia?

Thanks

fRaNkY

07-02-2010, 10:50 PM

Have very bad experiences with Dell and Acer.

Asus... so so lar.

kwchang

08-02-2010, 12:12 AM

Just found out today after chatting with a salesman at an HP outlet on the lowest floor of 1Utama (corridor that links the new wing to the old wing) ... I was told that the i5 draws a lot of power and hence computers using the new i-chips may NOT have much sustainable battery power with a single charge ... I do not know if that is true. Another thing I learnt was the cache memory size of the processor is important for processing speed. In the HP notebook that I saw, it was an Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 MB of cache - as a dual core processor, that would translate into 3 MB of cache memory for each core. Most processors have smaller cache memory ... mostly like 514KB. The salesman said that HP had a faster processing speed due to its larger cache when compared with the i5 processor - I cannot tell you if that is true ... got to learn a bit more from the web.

Naka, all the brands are available at most vendors. Some of them may concentrate on some specific brand. There are so many places to go computer shopping - Sg Wang, Low Yat, Section 14 PJ and even the IT sections at Pyramid Sunway, Subang Parade, Summit, MidValley Megamall, CarreFour at Subang Jaya or the newer USJ19 City Mall (previously named the Digital Mall).

Finally, you can also order online at the Dell Malaysia website - or the Ozzie site if you prefer to buy from where you reside. Most configurations can be changed by you yourself online and the price is reflected based on the changes made. Sometimes, after picking the configuation, you may try talking to someone on the phone from Dell ... they may be able to advise you further or give you an even better deal.

By the way, based on the reviews that I had been reading, the ASUS notebooks have a less bright screen and thus the screen images may not look as sharp or bright compared to other models. You should go hands-on to check it out before buying. Do check out also the keyboards ... if you are a touch typist, that will be important as you could be making mistakes due to differences in the keyboard configurations of different notebooks. The track pad is also important as some reviews have indicated that some of them are either too sticky or not sensitive enough. Do note that most of the lightweights do not come with a CD/DVD drive ... you either need to buy an external CD/DVD drive or rely on copying CD/DVD to thumbdrives on another computer that has its own CD/DVD drive.

Naka

08-02-2010, 06:33 AM

KWChang,

Thank you very much for your important input.

Yes, I think I am quite up to date now.

Cheers

mlkok

08-02-2010, 04:26 PM

Sorry to let you know that the guys at the 1U HP don't really know their stuff.

The reviews and numbers on the new mobile Core i3, i5 and i7 are not out yet.

Based on the numbers on the desktop versions, they outperform the old chips and draw less power. So there's still hope for the new mobile chips. :D

kwchang

08-02-2010, 05:19 PM

Sorry to let you know that the guys at the 1U HP don't really know their stuff..
HaHaHa, my sentiments exactly ... that is why I am looking forward to owning at least an i5 powered notebook. But his explanation about the 6 MB cache sounded reasonable to me ... so I will also check the amount of cache available. Never trust the recommendation of the salesman, if possible check out the requirements and performance capabilities. That is why it takes me so long to acquire an expensive 'toy' like a notebook.

mlkok

08-02-2010, 05:33 PM

The new chips has their FSB removed and the memory controller and video incorporated into the die. It makes data transfer much faster.

If it's an equivalent chip, then the L2 cache will matter as we compare apples to apples. But this is a different architecture. I checked out the WEI index on an Acer running an i3 chip with 3MB cache. It beats my T7500, which runs at 2.20Ghz and has a 4MB L2 cache. Go figure. :p

kwchang

08-02-2010, 05:40 PM

Naka

08-02-2010, 09:16 PM

It may take me a while to sink in but at least I have some clues & can yak & yak as if i know a lot when i next see a computer salesman :D :D :D

mlkok

09-02-2010, 10:31 AM

Here's a link on the Lenovo using an i5 processor:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5525&review=lenovo+thinkpad+t410

Battery life seems pretty good.

I will post more when I can find any new reviews.

Naka

09-02-2010, 10:47 AM

shthang

27-02-2010, 10:57 PM

Thanks for the info, MLKok, at least I am more confident to drop the Centrino processors and wait a bit longer for the i5 or i7. Of course I'd prefer an i7 but I wonder if I should pay more for an 8-core processor (or is it quad-core?) when a dual-core would do just as well. Finally, the deciding factor for me would be price and weight ... I really hate lugging around a laptop that is above 2Kg

strong lightning struck my abode yesterday and damaged my computer, all-in-one printer, modem, router, wii console, astro decoder/disc, wireless phone, etc....really 'shuei' :mad:....but thank god that all the affected items are insured and claimable but still a big hassle to replace/repair these household essentials.

i bought a new Dell Inspiron i5 1464 (http://www.evernew.com.my/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=291) notebook today at PJ Digital Mall. the price was rm2949 (4G DDR3 SDRAM). my earlier plan was to get ASUS i5 notebook but understand from the sales agent that ASUS notebook for i5 processor will only be available next month and the price will be above rm3k. i couldn't wait and decided to buy the powerful i5 processor over long battery life ASUS UL80VT (http://www.evernew.com.my/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=148) despite the prices for both models are about the same.

all IT sifus here...did i make the right decision? :D

kwchang

28-02-2010, 11:25 PM

strong lightning struck....but thank god that all the affected items are insured and claimable... I had almost similar problem once and lost my router/modem and a charger but the insurance needed a report from the service company to declare that the items were struck by lightning ... silly hassle because then I would have to pay the service company to do the check. Ridiculous hassle to claim a few bucks, so I forgot about the claim eventually. I guess I'd go for the hassles of the claim if it was the fridge that got zapped.

i bought a new Dell Inspiron i5 1464 (http://www.evernew.com.my/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=291) notebook today at PJ Digital Mall...my earlier plan was to get ASUS i5 notebook but understand from the sales agent that ASUS notebook for i5 processor will only be available next month and the price will be above rm3k. i couldn't wait and decided to buy the powerful i5 processor over long battery life ASUS UL80VT (http://www.evernew.com.my/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=148) despite the prices for both models are about the same.

all IT sifus here...did i make the right decision? :D
Me no sifu but I have been on the browse for all the CULV and Netbook specs since Dec last year. Yes, the ASUS is probably going to come out only in March. However, I may not go for the ASUS unless they improve the display screens ... the current ones are glossy and have poor contrast.

I will go for long battery life and light weight. Currently the new netbooks with the new dual core Atom seems enticing. The Lenovos are also enticing. The ultimate would be the VAIO's but they come with a hefty price. I am still waiting.

Let me know how the i5 performs?

shthang

28-02-2010, 11:43 PM

....the insurance needed a report from the service company to declare that the items were struck by lightning ...

i did that by sending the lightning struck items to respective service centres in klang valley. i hv been running like a headless chicken in the past 48hrs.

....I guess I'd go for the hassles of the claim if it was the fridge that got zapped.
true. i hv no choice but to undergo the hassles coz the expensive items like laptop and printer got 'kaput'

......I will go for long battery life and light weight. Currently the new netbooks with the new dual core Atom seems enticing. The Lenovos are also enticing. The ultimate would be the VAIO's but they come with a hefty price. I am still waiting.

Let me know how the i5 performs?
i was hesitating for a while yesterday to select between netbook and notebook. eventually the powerful core2 i5 cpu became the turning point in my decision.

my wifey has been using the new i5 notebook in the last 24hrs...she was very pleased with the speed, HD graphics, built-in surround sound. will update more after 1 week. :D

QuietStorm

01-03-2010, 06:39 PM

strong lightning struck my abode yesterday and damaged my computer, all-in-one printer, modem, router, wii console, astro decoder/disc, wireless phone, etc....really 'shuei' :mad:....but thank god that all the affected items are insured and claimable but still a big hassle to replace/repair these household essentials.Sorry to hear about the incident but thank goodness, they are insured. You didn't unplug them when it was raining heavily? Whenever it rains, I'd stop the laptop/desktop/TV and unplug all the power cords just to be safe ...

shthang

01-03-2010, 06:46 PM

Sorry to hear about the incident but thank goodness, they are insured. You didn't unplug them when it was raining heavily? Whenever it rains, I'd stop the laptop/desktop/TV and unplug all the power cords just to be safe ...

bradder QS, i didn't unplug the chords...heavy lesson learnt for me.

luckily my new TV and audio systems were ok.

Naka

01-03-2010, 07:07 PM

bradder QS, i didn't unplug the chords...heavy lesson learnt for me.

luckily my new TV and audio systems were ok.

I still cannot understand why the storm/lightings in Boleh is more damaging than that of kanggaroo land.

There must be a reason. :confused:

I do not have to take all these precautions.

kwchang

02-03-2010, 02:23 PM

Coming back on track of this topic ...

...Currently the new netbooks with the new dual core Atom seems enticing...
Just when I am narrowing my sights on the Ion chip (dual core Atom), I find a new revelation today on the Ion 2 (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2360800,00.asp) and they are talking about 8-core and 16-core versions ! Wow, with the light-weight of Netbooks, this is going to make me postpone my purchase a few more months until the Ion 2 machines come on the market :D

kwchang

02-03-2010, 06:02 PM

Naka

02-03-2010, 07:33 PM

I think if you wait another 3 months, something more powerful will appear.

It's a never ending affairs. :D

shthang

02-03-2010, 08:20 PM

Check out this hands-on writeup on the new Acer One 532G (http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/hands-on-acer-aspire-one-532g-review-673172), a 10-inch netbook which has the Ion 2 processor - promises 10 hour power (possible due to an automatic selection of power-usage options based on the graphic qualities required), weighs 1 Kg, separate video chip with dedicated 512MB RAM, Windows 7 Premium OS. It will probably be on sale in April. By then there will be others to choose especially from ASUS, Lenovo, HP and Dell. Well, I need to wait again la ....

i echoed naka taikor's comments. IT innovation is fast changing and the product cycle is short. life is short...dun wait too long and just do it in april....money only yours when u spend it :D

btw, many sifus in lowyat forum alleged nvidia gpu is not as good as ati gpu.

Sugarfree

02-03-2010, 08:46 PM

i echoed naka taikor's comments. life is short...dun wait too long and just do it..(deliberately edited :p).i agree,bradder shthang.life is short.just do it.

PeterHng

02-03-2010, 09:07 PM

I think if you wait another 3 months, something more powerful will appear.

It's a never ending affairs. :D

ya, just like the "Never Ending" thread:D