Laptop. Decision Made.

Revolution.

Revolution.

1,805
Australia
Adelaide
Revolution52
I'm after some advice.
I turn 18 on the 26th of October, and my parents have asked me if I'd like a laptop for my birthday.
They asked me to come up with the specs I'd like, then find some prices for them.
I do game a bit, so decent dedicated graphics is essential, preferably an 8600M-GT or HD2600.
2gb RAM is a must have, as well as a quick Core 2 Duo, 2ghz+.
I'm looking for a 15.4" model, preferably >1280x800, although that isn't essential.

I've done a bit of research and the models that seem to fit the bill are the gaming-oriented Asus G1S, the 'Gemstone' Acer Aspire (apparently it was co-designed by BMW), the Dell Vostro 1500 (plain looks, but cheap and powerful), the Dell Inspiron 1520 (not half bad looking, the colour options are nice, and just as cheap and powerful as the Vostro) and of course the ubiquitous Macbook Pro.

To be honest I find the Asus to be just a tiny bit tacky looking, the whole glowing gamer's laptop slathered in carbonfibre is nice, but not really my style. Acer looks decent, and supposedly has excellent speakers, but most people seem to recommend that I steer clear of Acer in general. The Dells seem to be awesome value, on the online configurator a machine with 4gb RAM, 250gb HDD, 1680x1050 LCD and a 256mb 8600GT came out to be just over $2500! And the Inspiron in chocolate brown looks quite nice. The best looking one of the lot of the Macbook Pro, and most of the appeal of the thing for me is in how it looks. As a bonus it is well-specced and there's always the bonus of OSX, which seems to be a good thing, although I've no preference one way or the other, I'll be installing Windows on it anyways, as like I said, I do game. I find them to be decent value too, once you factor in the Student Discount.

So, recommendations/responses? Anything I've missed? Anything I should take a closer look at?

Cheers, Revolution
 
Revolution.
I'm after some advice.
I turn 18 on the 26th of October, and my parents have asked me if I'd like a laptop for my birthday.
They asked me to come up with the specs I'd like, then find some prices for them.
I do game a bit, so decent dedicated graphics is essential, preferably an 8600M-GT or HD2600.
2gb RAM is a must have, as well as a quick Core 2 Duo, 2ghz+.
I'm looking for a 15.4" model, preferably >1280x800, although that isn't essential.
Click to expand...

You've just described a Macbook Pro. :dopey:

On the Windows front, Acer - 👍; Asus 👍; Dell (smiley for reasonable thumb). I'm very surprised that you've been steered away from Acer. They're highly reccommended by a lot of people here. Asus are just great, and as for Dell... Well, if you get a good deal, sure, but not everyone has had a good experience shall we say.
 
I've had a couple Acer's and both have been great laptops. I've been using a TravelMate 8210-6880 for some time now with no problems and and it's ran flawless. The carbon fiber lid is also a nice perk. :)

Something I would consider is how much 'on-site' repair versus mail-in repair is worth to you. Dell offered (or offers) a great on-site repair program if you buy the extended coverage. This is great for college students, etc. Acer also overs extended coverage but you have to take it to a authorized repair center or ship it back which extends the downtime. I have not needed to use my extended warranty, but it's nice to have. I have used Dell's on-site repair, and the service was great.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the input. 👍
Interesting about Acer, as most of my friends have pretty much recommended that I look elsewhere (from their firsthand experience). I'm not fussed either way, I've never used an Acer laptop for more than 20 minutes or so, so any input is helpful.

The main appeal of the Dell systems is the price, configured to the same specs as other laptops I'm checking out, the Dells always seem to be considerably cheaper. How is the reliability of Dell laptops these days? We had an old Inspiron about 5 years ago that served us well, has much changed in that regard? Another plus for Dell is of course the warranty which I'm told is very good.
I've got no experience with Macs, nor do any of my friends, so could someone fill me in about reliability and whatnot? How is Applecare? How are you finding your new MBP, Jon?

Hmm... repairs and warranties is something I need to research a bit more I think.
Thanks again guys!
 
I also have a 5 year old Dell Inspiron (8600 by any chance?) but have had nothing but issues with it.

These days they are apparently a bit better though... but I still wouldn't suggest Dell, even if they're priced good.
 
Revolution.
I've got no experience with Macs, nor do any of my friends, so could someone fill me in about reliability and whatnot? How is Applecare? How are you finding your new MBP, Jon?

Hmm... repairs and warranties is something I need to research a bit more I think.
Click to expand...

I love it. No other word for it. I like using OS X, and the hardware its self is very impressive. Despite some people's screen complaints, I'm very happy with mine. I'm actually starting to look down on other notebooks; not because of the OS (I'm not a Windows hater) but because of the quality of the machine its self. Oh, and it's pretty light too which is a bonus when taking it to school (my Compaq would have broken my shoulder by now). Windows runs just as well on it too (although Vista has already managed to screw up twice because of a certain update).

It hasn't broken yet, but I got a great deal with the warranty too. Providing you're a student of some kind, you get a free iPod nano and 3 years of Applecare for £58 instead of £300+. Even if you can get a similar specified proper brand (Asus, Acer, whatever) for £300 more, the insurance cost makes it worth the money. You don't necessarily need the extended warranty, of course, but it's nice just in case. If you went for a Mac it'd be stupid not to, really.
 
@GT - Ahh, I don't think we had an 8600, we don't have the thing anymore and all I remember about it was that it was black and had a 1.8ghz processor.
Thanks for the input though, I'm also a bit wary about Dell just from their general reputation... I'll have a look around online and see if I can go demo the notebook in person somewhere.

@Jondot - Aha, good to hear you're enjoying it. I've had a brief look at a 2.4ghz model at the store last week, and I was quite impressed by the finish and quality of it, it also happens to be a rather nice piece of design, which is always a bonus. For students, I don't think the free iPod deal applies in Australia, nor the cheap Applecare, the only Applecare I can see on the Australian Apple website in the student section costs $450ish. I hear you have a year to buy it though, so the cost isn't so much of an issue.
 
Very true 👍. And, that way, you don't have to order it direct from Apple (although you should get an 8% discount on the cost anyway).

I went for the 2.2ghz one (because I couldn't afford the other one :P). I didn't get a free Nano with mine either - I happened to order it 2 weeks too early, but meh.
 
If I wasn't buying for a business and it was strictly for personal use and could justify the use of non-PC applications, I would be looking at Apple's as well....
 
I'm gonna toss a vote in for a MacBook pro, they are well put together, etc. OS X is all right, I prefer my tweaked to hell and back Windows XP, but thats just me being me.

Other than that, Acer or Toshiba... Dell has good deals but they seem very hit and miss with quality.

And on clock speed... you wouldn't notice 2.2 vs 2.4 ghz. I doubt you would notice 2.0 to 2.4 either ghz, 99% of the time at least. Unless you compute fractals 24/7. In which case you are mental.
 
Azuremen
I'm gonna toss a vote in for a MacBook pro, they are well put together, etc. OS X is all right, I prefer my tweaked to hell and back Windows XP, but thats just me being me.

Other than that, Acer or Toshiba... Dell has good deals but they seem very hit and miss with quality.

And on clock speed... you wouldn't notice 2.2 vs 2.4 ghz. I doubt you would notice 2.0 to 2.4 either ghz, 99% of the time at least. Unless you compute fractals 24/7. In which case you are mental.
Click to expand...

I liked the Toshiba I had, until it overheated and died. Admittedly that was just the A60 product line's fault, but my friend's tosh's screen broke in the first 6 months of use. They always look so pretty, though...
 
So the MBP seems to be the way to go then? Is it easy adapting to OSX after using Windows all your life? Like I said I have no preference between them, I've never used OSX aside from playing around with demo machines at the shop, and I'll have Windows installed on there regardless, so if it turns out that OSX just isn't for me I can just use Windows, right?
 
I personally will never go back to Windows by choice. The hardest thing for me to get used to in OSX was using the command key instead of the control key, and the fact that you close windows from the left of the window and not the right. Also, in order to fully quit the program you have to select "Application name from the finder bar">Quit. OSX is just so much more intuitive and smooth and pretty :dopey: If you decide you don't like OSX, it is completely possible to do a complete full install of Windows.
 
Revolution.
So the MBP seems to be the way to go then? Is it easy adapting to OSX after using Windows all your life? Like I said I have no preference between them, I've never used OSX aside from playing around with demo machines at the shop, and I'll have Windows installed on there regardless, so if it turns out that OSX just isn't for me I can just use Windows, right?
Click to expand...
Personally, I would still go for another PC just because you are paying a lot less than you would be if you are paying for a Mac.

For example here's an Acer 5920 for £800, very similar specs to the MBP and it's even got a HD DVD drive, and the MBP costs from £1299, an extra £500.

It's whether you want to pay for the quality and extra operating system really. You can still use bootcamp to boot into Windows on it if need be. I've just never been convinced enough... yet. :P
 
Acer is very reliable from my reports. Dell, like others have said, is mostly hit and miss on quality. I have had a Dell desktop and it came with loads of bloatware. Plus it only came with 256 MB of RAM in a Windows XP world. If you are getting a free printer with the Dell if you choose them, they are horrible. I had to switch one out for an HP printer recently. The drivers consistently nag you to buy ink when you're low on ink. As for Apple, the reliability is top-notch and customer service is also excellent. I plan to get one for my next computer in about 2 years.
 
The price difference isn't nearly so large over here in Australia. :(
On the Australian Acer website the basic model 5920 with 2gb RAM, 2ghz SR C2D, DVD-drive (not HD-DVD.. not that I'm fussed, I'd have little use for a HD-DVD drive regardless) and 200gb 4200rpm hard drive etc etc is $2399 initial outlay with $99 cashback.
Here.

Whereas the 2.2ghz MBP is $2899, but once you factor in the $300 Student Discount, that brings it down to $2599, which is quite reasonable.
$2899, then click the Education button beneath and go from there.

@Mr.Hitler - Hmm, I'll keep an eye out on that then. If I was to get a dell, I'd make sure it had at least 2gb RAM, (in fact, I think the Inspiron 1520 starts @ 3gb?)
Lots of positive things said about Apple stuff, I might have to go find an Apple Store and have a chat to someone about a few things.
 
Revolution.
The price difference isn't nearly so large over here in Australia. :(
On the Australian Acer website the basic model 5920 with 2gb RAM, 2ghz SR C2D, DVD-drive (not HD-DVD.. not that I'm fussed, I'd have little use for a HD-DVD drive regardless) and 200gb 4200rpm hard drive etc etc is $2399 initial outlay with $99 cashback.
Here.

Whereas the 2.2ghz MBP is $2899, but once you factor in the $300 Student Discount, that brings it down to $2599, which is quite reasonable.
$2899, then click the Education button beneath and go from there.
Click to expand...
Ah, I see.

I would suggest the Mac then. 👍
 
Revolution.
So the MBP seems to be the way to go then? Is it easy adapting to OSX after using Windows all your life? Like I said I have no preference between them, I've never used OSX aside from playing around with demo machines at the shop, and I'll have Windows installed on there regardless, so if it turns out that OSX just isn't for me I can just use Windows, right?
Click to expand...

Sure can. Install bootcamp, which then guides you through to sticking in the Windows CD and installing. You can then set it to automatically boot from the Windows partition via an option in Control Panel (or System prefs under OS X). If you decide one day you want to boot in the opposite OS, it's as simple as holding down the Alt key after you turn it on, and voila - you get the choice of both. The chances are that you'll like OS X better after a few hours use, but meh. I have Windows installed so I can play GTA, and that's about it.
 
My parents are thinking of giving me their old MacBook (black one) after they get a Pro for video editing.

WILL INSTALL WINDOWS SO CAN PLAY DRIFT CITY (and buy games) KTHXBAI

Only flaw I ever noticed is that it can't play minidiscs and when you put in a CD it sounds like it's eating it.
 
Yeah, that's true. And there's no form of manual eject, so you have to turn it on to get the disk out, but it's no biggie.
 
I would recommend the Macbook pro. That's what I wanted. But they are pricey.

Revolution.
The Dells seem to be awesome value, on the online configurator a machine with 4gb RAM, 250gb HDD, 1680x1050 LCD and a 256mb 8600GT came out to be just over $2500!
Click to expand...

BS. I got a 17" HP Pavilion, 2gb RAM, dual core 2.2 ghz processors, 256 mb video, 240 gb HD, 1680x1050 widescreen for $1700. Dells are quite expensive too. You pay a lot to have those four letters on the top.
 
You live in America, I'm talking Australian dollars here.
In Australia, the HPs are no cheaper than the Dells, and from what I've seen so far, the Dells ARE cheaper than most other brands.

EDIT: A question for the MBP owners: Glossy or matte screen?
 
Matte, definately. Glossy makes the colours look better, but it also reflects a hell of a lot of light which ruins it. You'd mildly appreciate it for the first month or so, but after that it becomes a right pain.
 
Jondot
Matte, definately. Glossy makes the colours look better, but it also reflects a hell of a lot of light which ruins it. You'd mildly appreciate it for the first month or so, but after that it becomes a right pain.
Click to expand...
Correct. But if you tend to have the computer in a dark room most of the time, then I would vote Gloss

Having seen a matte MBP for myself, it's not bad at all anyway.
 
Revolution.
I'm after some advice.
I turn 18 on the 26th of October, and my parents have asked me if I'd like a laptop for my birthday.
They asked me to come up with the specs I'd like, then find some prices for them.
I do game a bit, so decent dedicated graphics is essential, preferably an 8600M-GT or HD2600.
2gb RAM is a must have, as well as a quick Core 2 Duo, 2ghz+.
I'm looking for a 15.4" model, preferably >1280x800, although that isn't essential.

I've done a bit of research and the models that seem to fit the bill are the gaming-oriented Asus G1S, the 'Gemstone' Acer Aspire (apparently it was co-designed by BMW), the Dell Vostro 1500 (plain looks, but cheap and powerful), the Dell Inspiron 1520 (not half bad looking, the colour options are nice, and just as cheap and powerful as the Vostro) and of course the ubiquitous Macbook Pro.

To be honest I find the Asus to be just a tiny bit tacky looking, the whole glowing gamer's laptop slathered in carbonfibre is nice, but not really my style. Acer looks decent, and supposedly has excellent speakers, but most people seem to recommend that I steer clear of Acer in general. The Dells seem to be awesome value, on the online configurator a machine with 4gb RAM, 250gb HDD, 1680x1050 LCD and a 256mb 8600GT came out to be just over $2500! And the Inspiron in chocolate brown looks quite nice. The best looking one of the lot of the Macbook Pro, and most of the appeal of the thing for me is in how it looks. As a bonus it is well-specced and there's always the bonus of OSX, which seems to be a good thing, although I've no preference one way or the other, I'll be installing Windows on it anyways, as like I said, I do game. I find them to be decent value too, once you factor in the Student Discount.

So, recommendations/responses? Anything I've missed? Anything I should take a closer look at?

Cheers, Revolution
Click to expand...

Acer Aspire 5920G. I bought it myself 2 weeks ago and the 256mb Gforce 8600GT is just pure amazing. I also have 250GB HDD.

Hope that helps :)

buddy, i just got the right laptop for you. http://global.acer.com/PRODUCTS/notebook/as5920g.htm#02
 
@Christhedude - I read that the speakers on the Acer are pretty darn good, do they live up to the hype?

For that matter, how are the speakers on the MBP and the Dell Inspiron 1520 (if anyone has one here)? From various video reviews the MBP speakers seem to be pretty good too, but you can only hear so much in a Youtube vid. :P
 

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