TR Forums

Hey,

Been looking rather seriously at getting a laptop and I've done all my homework and yet have come off rather annoyed...

I'm looking for a powerful development (video/photo editing/coding/etc) laptop for around $1600 and have already gone through looking at Dells, Compaq, emachines, etc, etc. but haven't really been that impressed (plus I've been picky and seeking a hardware modem and a nice big screen).

Just looking for any suggestions you guys have and if anyone has gone through with something similiar (not looking for google links or stuff like that, I've already beaten that resource to death).

Thanks in advance,

Draal

powerful and cheap are mutually exclusive, especially in laptops. Big screens tend to jack the price up quite a bit. The Dell D600 and Compaq nc6000 are both available with large (1400x1050) screens, but they're not going to hit your price point.

If you're willing to make some compromises, and look at the tier below the "big names" you might be able to find something suitable. If you can live with 1280x800 this one could fit the bill. And this one meets your specs almost exactly, but by the time you've kitted it out with all the RAM and HD etc that you want, you'll have blown past your price.

Don't know how well either one of those operates in the real world, but you can find similar systems from other makers (in some cases they're the same system, rebadged). ASUS, for example, makes notebooks that white box retailers sell either under the ASUS name or their own.

Good luck finding a "real" modem. I assume you're trying to avoid softmodems because you want to run Linux?

Here's one with a nice 16.1" UXGA screen for $1,299.99 - leaving you $300.00 for another stick of memory if you want/need it and a nice case and wireless USB notebook mouse.

Moved to Mobile Tech.

-mac_h8r1

How's this Acer?

http://www.digitalspyders.com/catalog/p ... s_id/27421

That is a Canadian Price which is $1,694.61 USD.

there's an athlon 64 laptop with that same odd 1280 x 800 resolution, but it has a 15.4 inch screen.

http://www.emachines.com/products/produ ... ines_M6807

specs right here -

Display: 15.4" Widescreen TFT LCD WXGA (1280 x 800 max. resolution)
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
CPU: Mobile AMD Athlon™ 64-bit 3000+ Mobile Processor
64-bit Architecture operates at 1.800 GHz
System Bus uses HyperTransport™
Technology operating at 1600 MHz
1 MB L2 Cache
Memory: 512 MB DDR SODIMM (PC 2700)
Hard Drive: 60 GB HDD
Optical Drives: DVD +/- RW Drive (Write Max: 2.4x DVD+R, 2.4x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-R, 2x DVD-RW, 16x CD-R and 10x CD-RW disks, Reads 8x Max. DVD-ROM disks, Reads 24x Max. CD-ROM disks); Media Reader (Compact Flash, Micro Drive, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro)
Video: ATI® RADEON™ 9600 Discrete Graphics with built in 64MB Video RAM

edited to add specs

Whats really annoying is that you arn't given exact specs on the screen, chipset, etc. and your damned if they don't list the monitor spec (XGA, UXGA, etc). Ga'h... Even if my price point leaves something to be desired, I'd be happy to just find something that I can say I got a fair deal on.

Anyway... Thanks for the suggestions however I'm still looking and will probably be until I decide on what I am willing to go without just because they don't offer what I'm looking for (at any price point but yes, I'm looking to run Linux).

http://pctorque.com/5680.php
http://pctorque.com/4760.php

Also Sager will honor their unique policy in regards to dead pixels. Sager will replace all screens on the 5680 and 8890 within 30 days of Sager's invoice date that have one or more dead pixels in the center area.


Just change above specs to a 7200 hard drive and there is your video editing machine.