PC Fair @ PWTC this weekend

[JoeJaffar]

I'm planning to go there this weekend since my sis in law wants to buy a notebook/laptop. Since I'm not really up-to-date with the latest ins and outs of notebooks, laptops and PC fairs, can anyone give me any advice on what to look for or expect of the PC Fair.

1) Is it worthwhile going to the PC Fair to purchase a notebook/laptop? Are there major price differences as compared to the normal outlets, or the PC Fair mainly rewards buyers with free gifts?

2) Since my sis in law is still studying, which is suitable for her, a notebook or a laptop? Cos I was informed that there are differences between a notebook and a laptop, or could I have heard it wrongly?

3) Besides looking at the system specs, softwares etc, what else do I need to look at; batteries, hardwares, network peripherals?

[aRwEn]

huh??? notebook = laptop la.... u mean desktop izit??? ;)

[usjarian]

huh??? notebook = laptop la.... u mean desktop izit??? ;)

I agree with arwen that for many of us, Notebook and Laptop are just the same thing to us.

A google search reveals the below:
http://whitecapcomputer.com/newsletter/articles/notebook_vs_laptop.htm

[Firefly]

Get reputable brands. If it's going overseas, make sure they are covered by an international warranty or minimum, the country it's going to be in.

PC fair = pasar malam. Just watch out you don't get shortchanged.

A fren got short changed this way.... The vendor promised an Intel P4 with Intel Mobo, At delivery, it Intel P4 but Intel chipset mobo. What's the diff, stability. :mad:.

I shopped for a SD memory chip the last time and the price difference is huge. one stall quoted me RM400 for a piece of 512mb. another stall RM120 and then one stall RM90. I settled for the RM90 to later find another stall RM75 :confused:

[bslee]

Since the last 2-3 weeks, DDR Ram for desktop pc's have dropped drastically to about RM200 for a 512MB module.(E.g. Kingston 512MB/PC3200/DDR-400). I've noticed that the current price is ROCK BOTTOM. Its never reached this level before. I highly suggest to anyone wanting to upgrade the onboard RAM to do it now.
The prices of older PC133 SDRAM modules are still very stiff going at RM380 for a PC133/512MB module.
OK..go grab it before the prices starts being volatile again.

Disclaimer : I'm not affiliated or associated with any shop, vendor or distributor. This is based upon my personal findings and monitoring of current hardware price trends.

[pcyeoh]

1. As what Firefly says, go for reputable brand eg IBM, HP or DELL. These three are manufacturer cum distributor and have principal presence here. When it comes to warranty, their pockets are very deep. Most of the time it is done with no question asked. Toshiba sounds good but in terms of features, I still prefer the the Big Three. Toshiba is distributed by Teledynamics and from past experience, I have issues with them. Turnaround time not up to mark.

2. Don't ever touch those unheard brand (clones) eventhough they are cheap. There are hardly any component or cards that can be easily swapped like the desktop. So any hardware problem is changing the whole motherboard which is equals to the price of a new notebook.

3. Go for three years warranty even though you will have to pay for the enhanced service and the additional two years where parts and labour are inclusive. This is be less painful when down the road you face hardware problems. Demand for the warranty card. Without the warranty card, suspect that it may be goods returned and resold again.

4. Buy from authorised resellers so that you can choke their neck if you are shortchanged. There are less chances you end up with parallel import where without international warranty, you are a lame duck should you have technical problem.

5. Try to purchase from the nearest shop. You don't want to go all the way to Cheras for assistance. HP service authorised centre in at SS 19 where the new flyover is being built.

6. Go for the Centrino as the wifi features make Internet surfing more mobile within the house (imagine surfing on your toilet seat. Not applicable to those squating ones) and in the city where hotspots are practically everywhere. If you smack with the law, they don't know where you are. They can't possibly pay you a friendly visit to learn about surfing.

7. Features wise, go for the 'must have.' Eg CD Writer, XGA screen, 256MB or 512Mb. To keep it affordable (between RM 4K - RM 5K), don't think of wide screen (can buy 17" TFT monitor when not on the move use), DVD Writer (can use external which you can share with your desktop), 1GB RAM, latest processor ot the very high graphic cards.

8. For best value buy, check out the new notebook offered by mysticalangel as she is disposing that.

9. Best of luck. If you can't find anything, PM me. I can get the many distributors that I know to sell you at dealer price usually about RM 200 - RM 300 cheaper. No credit card lah. Or you buy direct with your credit card over a 12-18 instalment at no extra cost. Your choice.

[JoeJaffar]

notebooks = laptops to some, notebooks are not laptops to some.. aiyoh :D

anyway, thanx for the input. i'm always wary of these pc fair lah, home fair lah etc. and the big crowds pushing and shoving each other is a major turn off.

[kwchang]

Notebook or laptops (Joe, I'd like a bit of tuition to tell the difference between them, please?) - they are both mobile and main targets for theft. Leave it in a hotel room or in the car and it could disappear when you come back.

2nd bad point is that all the parts are more expensive than Desktop varieties. So either have a good service with parts warranty or hope nothing fails within 3 years. Why 3 years? After 3 years, everything is so "old" that you'd want to get a new one!

One good point - notebooks are now becoming popular. In fact I read somewhere that desktop sales are being eroded by notebook sales.

[JoeJaffar]

What I read was that notebook is a term used by the tech savvy and computer industry, while laptop is what is normally used by the consumers. So basically it's the same, as what was written on the website referred by usjarian. It also said size wise, notebook is smaller than laptop because a laptop incorporates a built in disk drive (floppy or cd) while a notebook has none. It must be connected externally.

I am a bit worried that my sis in law wants a laptop instead of a desktop. It's prone to theft, and she may lose the laptop. And it's pricier than an equivalent desktop. Oh well, she wants one, and it's her money. I'm just here to drive her to the fair and stores :D

[CCY]

If you do not really need the mobility , then the cost of one notebook can get you 2 decent destop . You can put one in the office and one at home . Maintainance cost much lower .Choice of accessories to tweak your pc are plenty . It doesn't disappear into thin air that easily . Less to worry about broken car windows ...

[HTH]

a notebook to some is buku 3 lima :D


anyway, thanx for the input. i'm always wary of these pc fair lah, home fair lah etc. and the big crowds pushing and shoving each other is a major turn off.

Try to go on Friday or Sat morning. Less crowded. And don't bring any kids.

[pcyeoh]

The first version of the mobile computing hardware is called the LUGGABLE. Compaq was the first to introduce mobile computing. It is the size of the luggage similar to the one being lugged along by our airline pilot or stewardess. Then it was downsized further and was called PORTABLE. At this point, you couldn't possibly place it on your lap without breaking any bone. You need a strong arm to carry it. The screen is still the CRT 9in size and inside the box, they still use those desktop peripherals like the graphic cards,floppy disk, hard disk and therefore needed the power supply instead of batteries. That explains the size.

It was only in the late eighties that we come across the laptops which for the first time have dual source of power supplies - batteries operated and the 230 volts current. They no longer used the CRT but plasma (not the same as today's plasma TV). It still came with one expansion slot just in case.

It is only in the nineties that we start to call this gadget notebook as now it resembles a book where the internal components are fully integrated onto the motherboard. It does not have any expansion slots and USB ports are there for connectivity to external devices such as monitor, mouse, keyboard, scanners, digital cameras etc etc. Floppy drive, CD/DVD Drive, additional batteries become interchangeable. The display has also improved till we are getting XGA with wide screen capabilities as notebook nowadays has a varied usage. It is not solely use as a computer but rather as infortainment gadget. The price has fallen from the good old days of RM 25,000 down to averagely of RM 3,500.00.

Today, there is a thin line between a notebook and a PDA with Windows O/S. What can they think of next?

[CS Chua]

I suggest that you do your homework first before going to the PC Fair. Identify the brand and the model you want to buy and know the market price very well. Then stick to that chosen model and look out for discounts at the Fair. Do not be sway by the cheap sale here and there for they will lead you astray. I highly recommend IBM Thinkpad. After using a few brands, I bought Thinkpad 12 months ago and I am very pleased with this purchase.

If a notebook is not essential to your sister-in-law, buy a desktop instead as they are cheaper and more powerful. For classroom and library usage, buy a PDA and a detachable keyboard. She can "sit" the PDA on the detachable keyboard and use it like a notebook. When she goes home, she can transfer the notes to the desktop. It is very handy and convenient. My son loves it.

[JoeJaffar]

CS Chua,

That's a good idea, I've never thought of that before. A desktop and a PDA, and that should be just about the price of a decent laptop.

[Firefly]

Chua's idea is good only thing is how far are you going to take it overseas. Not logical to lug a desktop to UK for 6 months.

Care looking at the Apples? they are suppose to be pretty cheap now and very reliable. :cool:

[JoeJaffar]

Sis in law has no plans to go overseas, currently doing marketing diploma @ politeknik. So her most probable plan after completing diploma is to work 1st before pursuing her degree. With the latest in PDA techs, I feel it negates the needs for a marketing exec to carry a laptop all over the place. Maybe the desktop+PDA combo is more suitable, at least the PDA is small and light.

[Firefly]

Firefly here has been trying to use a PDA for the last few months. Think the buku tiga lima is still a better choice.

So far lost 1 stylus lost all data once, battery went flat.

[CS Chua]

Cheaper actually if your intended notebook is a branded one. For desktop I usually get a friend to assemble it for me. That way I get the specs that I wanted. He will also advise where the "speed bottlenecks" are. That helps a lot as I am not a truly technical man. BTW if you buy the previous PDA model you can get it below 50% sometimes. Everytime a new replacement model comes up, the current model will drop in price. Check out Tungsten 3 or Treo 270 which is a PDA-phone. The Treo 270 is only selling for $900 :) Maybe someone in the forum knows a better deal or other models going with deep discount.

[JackRyan1975]

To me, a notebook + PDA phone combo is the best. Full mobility. Though a bit expensive but one doesnt have to worry about the logistics i.e. going home or office to upload data, when you can actually do it anywhere and anytime. But again, it is really up to an individual's preference.

[CS Chua]

Firefly, it is true that the triple 5 book is a marvellous invention. I love it. Both the PDA and triple 5 book have their own plus and minus. For travelling in less developed countries, I prefer triple 5. No hassles with charging, weight and potential losses. In home environment where appointments need to be made on the spot, the PDA shines. It is "gaya" also. ;)

[vceg]

Not sure about other products, but for noteboooks, prices are pretty much the same as before the fair. The only difference is the freebies they give out like pen drives, optical mouse, printers etc....

I'm also going to the fair to get an IBM notebook. Already checked the prices at a few shops.


Cheers

[mysticalangel]

Sis in law has no plans to go overseas, currently doing marketing diploma @ politeknik. So her most probable plan after completing diploma is to work 1st before pursuing her degree. With the latest in PDA techs, I feel it negates the needs for a marketing exec to carry a laptop all over the place. Maybe the desktop+PDA combo is more suitable, at least the PDA is small and light.

Joe, if she's going to come out to work, most companies provide mobile staffs with notebooks anyways & very good one too especially if she's going to be in marketing & sales.

[JoeJaffar]

That's food for thought for her.

[Firefly]

Me going on Friday to get consumables...Toner and 1 Keyboard. else, just to look see, look see...:D

[JoeJaffar]

1st is just look see, look see.. then itchy fingers, become look buy, look buy :D

[totoro]

Yesterday a lot of booth already ran out of stock...
Even some of them refuse to sell their remaining stocks.

3468018


bought 512MB DDR400 Kingston for RM175. Those selling or claim to sell for RM170 also claim to not have any stock left.

bought creative webcam live pro x 2 for RM325 total.

bought seagate 160gb plus 3.5" casing for RM378.

bought sony cd-r x100 for RM65.

bought 1GB usb thumbdrive for RM285.

bought PCMCIA wifi b card for RM39.

bought Prolink wifi G USB card for RM100.

bought Altec Lansing VS2121 for RM120. ^_^ (HWM)

[JoeJaffar]

Went to the PC Fair on Saturday, found out that there's not much price difference for laptops with those sold at the normal stores. Free gifts also comparable. Wife and sis in law decided on the cheapest compaq available, presario m2019. And in today's Star, compaq is offering the same price and hamper as what was given out during the PC Fair. But the one at PC Fair came with only 512KB cache, while in the ad it said it has 1MB cache. Oh well, I'm just the driver, wife and sis in law decided what to buy. At least I get to spent a wet Saturday afternoon, stuck in traffic around JSI-Tun Razak-Kg Baru for 1 1/2 hrs. Yishhh...

[Firefly]

You poor thing.... Firefly here went on Friday evening. Not much crowd. What Firefly set out to do he ended up not doing...:( toner only compatible avaliable. org is the same price...no offer.

Bought a RM10.00 Keyboard, A 4 port wireless router, 2 optical mouse and 1 bluetooth doggle.

[Alexius Lim]

Wanna buy PCs and Laptops.... bring CASH! and they would treat ya like king... or queen!

Just picked up a Acer notebook M2300 with built-in wifi 802.11b/g 40GB HDD/DVD-CRrW/15" screen/3USB/LAN/MODEM/etc etc for RM3100...and they threw in a 256USB Thumbdrive/11 in 1 Card Reader and and Optical Mouse....

Oh... by the way.... no need to go to PC Fair, got it at Sunway Pyramid LL2.... In the newspaper, it was RM3400! :) Din have to fight traffic to KL!

[echua]

bought 1GB usb thumbdrive for RM285.



That looks cheap. What make/brand? Am looking for similar capacity.

[totoro]

That looks cheap. What make/brand? Am looking for similar capacity.

afaik, all brands!

512Mb thumbdrive with mp3 player goes for RM280 as well.