laptop specs?

**stupendous man** · 07-01-2008, 10:02 AM

So I'm looking for a laptop to take to south america, fully knowing it may not return.

My uses will be word processing, interwebz - including managing all finances and life crap, photos, posting on forums, webcamming and phoning a la skype.

I need something that can take some abuse, user friendly, including syncing with my HP desktop to get all files and syncing with whatever people use down in SA.

I'm looking at maybe old macs, lenovos, refurbished models...not sure. Size screen between 12-14 inches.

Trouble is, not understanding the lingo, when the specs pop up I have a hard time translating into what that means. So, I guess rather than which brand or model I should choose, can anyone recommend what specs I look for?

thx.

**Danno** · 07-01-2008, 01:24 PM

I would stay away from vista, unless you have at least 2 gig ram (which is pricey in a laptop). Try to find one with XP.

**Phill** · 07-01-2008, 02:52 PM

When buying used make sure you check out the battery life as it can rapidly go to shit.

And fyi Dell = cheapest = opposite of durable

**RShea** · 07-01-2008, 08:42 PM

Do you want the web cam to be built into the screen? If so that will narrow your model selection down quite a bit. If not and a small Logitech or similar brand web cam that you carry with you and attach to the system is OK then you pretty much have to decide on Mac vs PC as your first step.

PC will probably be a cheaper option and think about size and weight also if you are going to be a road warrior and not just in a single place once you fly down there.

**milton** · 07-01-2008, 08:46 PM

refurb/used thinkpad or lenovo. Tanks they are.

**Wiilbert** · 07-01-2008, 09:01 PM

Age will be a good benchmark for what you want to find. The oldest I would go is say... 4 years. A decent laptop from 4 years ago will do what you're asking without much difficulty and you can throw it in the garbage when you're done.

Ideally, you'll be looking for something like this:

CPU/processor: ~2ghz. Dual core would be nice, but not necessary.
RAM: 1gb and you'll be fine. 512mb bare minimum
Hard Drive: Depends how picture/video happy you are. Anything you can find will work, say 30gb as a minimum
Video card: Does not matter for what it sounds like you'll be doing. Any laptop with the above specs will have a good enough VC.
CD/DVD burner: speed doesn't matter much. You probably won't even want a DVD burner, but it might be nice to have.

You'll have no need for Vista, although it will run on the above stats. XP should be totally compatible with everything you'll encounter. If you find something and it's missing software, feel free to fire me a PM and I can set you up.

**RShea** · 07-01-2008, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I would stay away from vista, unless you have at least 2 gig ram (which is pricey in a laptop). Try to find one with XP.

Most used laptops are running XP or older, Vista is still pretty new (out only a little over 1 year) to find a bunch of used laptops with Vista. Also memory is actually one of the cheapest and easiest laptop upgrades to do. Only the oldest laptops out there are pricey to take up to 2 gig. I would never recommend upgrading an old laptop to Vista unless there is a really good reason and it has been tested on the specific unit.

**Danno** · 07-02-2008, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by RShea

Most used laptops are running XP or older, Vista is still pretty new (out only a little over 1 year) to find a bunch of used laptops with Vista. Also memory is actually one of the cheapest and easiest laptop upgrades to do. Only the oldest laptops out there are pricey to take up to 2 gig. I would never recommend upgrading an old laptop to Vista unless there is a really good reason and it has been tested on the specific unit.

true, but I'm not sure he's committed to buying used, he may buy a new cheapy that has Vista. I was in the market 6 months ago and saw many cheap new models with Vista that really weren't spec'd to handle vista.

**stupendous man** · 07-02-2008, 09:09 AM

Thanks for this info, esp. Wilbert. That's what I was looking for. I know to stay far away from vista. I'll have a lot of music, so memory upgrade might need to happen. I also know to get something I won't miss if it goes to the travel gods. We'll be mixing it up between being on the road and in one place.

**Snow Dog** · 07-02-2008, 09:20 AM

You could go with something small like an Asus EEE. Barely bigger than a paperback. It come with a 7" or 9" screen, Linux or XP, with or without a camera.

**Danno** · 07-02-2008, 09:56 AM

it might be worth your while to have a external hard drive with you too, they make pretty slim ones. that way all would not be lost if the travel goods take your laptop. and you don't need a memory upgrade for music, you need a larger hard drive (ie not more memory, more storage).

**stupendous man** · 07-02-2008, 10:36 AM

I am such a computer JONG. But, it's well known that I am in general a tech talk JONG.

Don't think I'll take the external, but I already have one with most of my music, pics and docs stored, as well as Norton Ghost with that freaky "image" of your whole computer that can rescue it in case of crash or stolenness. I'll have a website as well that I upload things to, and I'll keep my external in the USA, and I'll prolly keep my desktop in the USA just in case.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 07-02-2008, 10:40 AM

There's a nice-looking Sony Vaio on Woot.com right now for $500. It's refurbished, but that's damn cheap. Looks like nice specs from what I know of the subject.

**Whiteroom_Guardian** · 07-02-2008, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Steven S. Dallas

There's a nice-looking Sony Vaio on Woot.com right now for $500. It's refurbished, but that's damn cheap. Looks like nice specs from what I know of the subject.

Yep, just came to post the same thing. Of all the PCs laptops I have ever owned the Vaio was the best. Get it!

**wi3dzmin** · 07-02-2008, 10:46 AM

**stupendous man** · 07-02-2008, 10:51 AM

It's got vista, though.

**XXX-er** · 07-02-2008, 11:13 AM

ghost is great ,I would re-ghost a spare drive once a month . It made a totally bootable mirror copy of my work LT it would save days of setting up another LT if I ever had to use it

**Wiilbert** · 07-02-2008, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by stupendous man

It's got vista, though.

Don't let that stop you. Unless $500 is more than you wanted to spend, I'd get on that...

**stupendous man** · 07-02-2008, 12:15 PM

Well, its that or what if I could get for about 70 more bucks, a Lenovo ThinkPad 14.1'' widescreen R Series notebook?

**Wiilbert** · 07-02-2008, 01:17 PM

I'd say either one is a good choice. They're both decently fast and will do everything you want them to with ease. ~$500 for a laptop is a damn good price too...

**RShea** · 07-03-2008, 07:09 AM

Many of the Lenovo systems can be purchased with XP on them, or ordered with the Vista Business and it allows you to load up XP Pro.

There are or were some ~$400 entry level deals recently out there but most are 15.4 screens and over 5 pounds.