Buying a New Laptop. Need Some Opinions...

[Aura Master]

I am planning on buying a new laptop within the month, because the desktop I am using now is outdated. i think what I have planned is pretty solid and I'm pretty good with computers, but I would just like some secondary opinions.

I'm planning on buying an HP TouchSmart tx2z. Link

The way I have it customized out to be is as follows:

Windows Vista (32 Bit) (I plan to upgrade to Windows 7 later)

AMD Turion(TM) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86 (2.4 GHz)

4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3200 Graphics with 64MB Display Cache Memory

12.1" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)w/Integrated Touch-screen

LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support

Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Reaction)

Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth

Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rabbt]

Maybe you should upgrade to Windows XP instead. Windows 7 is the most DRM laden POS ever. Seriously. And the DRM they use is ********. Example: if you have a microphone plugged in, audio quality is drastically reduced.

XP has better compatibility and way more options than 7.

Also, it seems like a bit of overkill for a 12" screen. With all that hardware I was expecting 17" or something.

p.s.
7 sucks

 

[AltF4]

Seems like a lot of money for that...

Also, don't buy 4 Gigs of RAM. Windoze can't address it all. You'll only be able to use around 3.25 Gigs of RAM using a 32 bit system. You have to upgrade to 64 bit to use it all.

And yes, I know. 2^32 = 4 Giga. But Windows is dumb and can't/doesn't use it all. In Vista SP1, they released an update to correctly DISPLAY the amount of RAM you have. But they never fixed the actual problem. Your machine still won't use it.

 

[Aura Master]

Seems like a lot of money for that...

Also, don't buy 4 Gigs of RAM. Windoze can't address it all. You'll only be able to use around 3.25 Gigs of RAM using a 32 bit system. You have to upgrade to 64 bit to use it all.

And yes, I know. 2^32 = 4 Giga. But Windows is dumb and can't/doesn't use it all. In Vista SP1, they released an update to correctly DISPLAY the amount of RAM you have. But they never fixed the actual problem. Your machine still won't use it.

While i do understand that Windows will only use 3 Gigs, they are offering me a free upgrade from 2 to 4 Gigs, so I'll go with it.

 

[AltF4]

oic, then that's fine. Just don't pay for the upgrade from 3 -> 4.

What are you planning on doing with the laptop? Gaming, artwork, video editing? Or just editing text documents and searching the web?

 

[Superstar]

xample: if you have a microphone plugged in, audio quality is drastically reduced.

What does it mean, that the microphone doesn't record well, or all sound functions? Either way it seems bad, but shouldn't sound drivers get past that?

 

[rabbt]

What does it mean, that the microphone doesn't record well, or all sound functions? Either way it seems bad, but shouldn't sound drivers get past that?

Either the recording quality drops massively, or the playback quality drops massively. IIRC it depends on the source and such. Drivers are loaded and controlled by the OS, so the OS ultimately has control of everything. All drivers do is give specialized processing libraries to hardware, as opposed to the OS's built in processors.

 

[Superstar]

Googling didn't give me any significant hits on that. The only thing I got was that the Windows 7 Sound Driver is a piece of a crap, and someone changed their driver to Realtek to solve their mic problem.

 

[Aura Master]

oic, then that's fine. Just don't pay for the upgrade from 3 -> 4.

What are you planning on doing with the laptop? Gaming, artwork, video editing? Or just editing text documents and searching the web?

I would probably barely use it for gaming, since I have a Wii and 360. At the most, I may use it for some video editing and programming. Besides that though, I'll mainly be using it to browse the web and stuff.

 

[rabbt]

I would probably barely use it for gaming, since I have a Wii and 360. At the most, I may use it for some video editing and programming. Besides that though, I'll mainly be using it to browse the web and stuff.

There's no reason to get a tablet then. That's adding a huge chunk of change to the price tag.

 

[Aura Master]

There's no reason to get a tablet then. That's adding a huge chunk of change to the price tag.

Tablets are great though for editing and stuff. Plus, Windows 7 is going to have many features that utilize touch screens.

 

[AltF4]

Oh, lol, I didn't even realize that it was a tablet PC. That's probably why I thought it was a tad expensive. If you want it, I guess. But I don't see the allure in tablet PC's quite yet. It might be just me, but I don't see any applications where I'm thinking "Boy, this would be way better if I could write on my screen."

Maybe if you're trying to draw... I dunno, I'm no artist.

 

[kigbariom]

DELL makes a good tablet PC of that's what you are looking for it's all Intel as well. Also, the Windows 7 Release Candidate is available for free. It's a nice break from the troubles of Vista, I suggest you get it once you're up and running.

Since you're not using it for gaming it probably a better buy then some, and it has a good speed.

 

[Diddyknight]

honestly XP is better than vista. XP is more compatitiable with other things than vista. PC games are more better off with XP since XP you need to patch a few of them

EDIT: nvm its a tablet ^.^;; stick with the one your going with =3

 

[kigbariom]

Windows 7 will have fancy tablet features! Even the free release candidate.

 

[noradseven]

No instead get the W700DS end of story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhGkxkzmPbQ

Nahh your setup seems pretty solid, vista works fine after SP1, so I would go with what you have right now its a upgrade from vista to 7 and you can keep all your data, and personally I think 7 rules, but what do I know.

 

[rabbt]

7's XP mode is horrible, so don't expect to be able to run.......anything.

 

[Superstar]

I hear otherwise on compatibility, actually.

Vista's XP mode isn't too grand either, though it helps.

 

[GhillESuitBebop]

What are you paying for this machine? If you've got the money I would definitely try to get a laptop with an intel processor in it. The AMD chips tend to overheat quite a bit. If you've got a decent amount of money, check out the high end Dell and Sony lineups.

Plus on top of that, definitely stick with the 64 like you were saying. 64 bit software is going to eventually become standard, so if you wanna keep your machine for a while, why wouldn't you go for 64?

 

[noradseven]

Yeah Intel is better right now, just make sure you don't get an intel graphics card.

If your looking for other ones to look into the Asus line that is what I normally suggest for people its pretty solid stuff, and not too bad a price.

 

[rabbt]

Don't get Dell. Most of their stuff is refurb, and sometimes all they do is clean it.

Also avoid Gateway, their repair company went bankrupt, so if your **** breaks you're ****ed.

 

[Shök]

oic, then that's fine. Just don't pay for the upgrade from 3 -> 4.

What are you planning on doing with the laptop? Gaming, artwork, video editing? Or just editing text documents and searching the web?

So what would you recommend, AltF4, for editing text documents and searching the web?

 

[Narukari]

So what would you recommend, AltF4, for editing text documents and searching the web?

If you just want a machine to edit documents and web-surf, you might want to take a look at the netbooks that are coming out from asus/acer/dell. They are pretty cheap ($300-$400), while they aren't the most powerful thing on the block, it isn't going to feel like your back in the 90s, and the battery life is gigantic on those small things. I'm posting this right now on my EeePC and I currently have 8 hours of battery life left (80% remaining).