New Laptop computer
 

Good morning,

I am looking to purchase a new laptop and am not very savvy when it comes to this. I am looking to use this at my home only and would like to to be able to have a wireless connection built in. I would probably use this for surfing, picture downloading from my Cannon digital and downloading music to my IPOD. Just the basic computer usage.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to look at and where to start?

Thank you

Many of the computers are coming with wireless nowadays. I would just make sure that you get the mainstream 802.11b/g card, b at a minimum. Not many people use 802.11a because of the cost.

If you're just strictly looking for basic home usage and not gaming, etc., I would probably say just look at some lower-end IBM or Dell notebooks. The IBM Thinkpads are extremely good laptops, as are the Dells.

Depending on the amount of pictures you plan to store on your laptop, your harddrive size will have to vary accordingly. If possible, get a 7200rpm laptop harddrive so it will speed up your computer usage.

Hello. IMHO, anyone spending money on a laptop computer should really insist on a Centrino. Intel has created the Centrino specification to indicate that any computer with that sticker on it conforms to a few basic standards: WiFi w/ an Intel wireless chipset is one, 5+ hour battery life is another. My laptop is older and I only get about an hour to an hour and a half out of the battery. This is easily the most frustrating part of mobile computing. A long battery life should be your first consideration.

Other considerations would have to be prioritized by you. For me, they come in this order: display size & quality, weight, onboard burner/DVD-Rom, keyboard tactile response, pointing device type and responsiveness.

We've recently had the opportunity to experience the IBM T40 and it's pretty slick. Lightweight, crisp display, onboard burner and DVD-ROM, Centrino compliant and has both pointing stick and touchpad mousing interface. My next laptop may very well be an IBM.

Hope that helps.

I have a dell and while it's on the old side now ...it has performed well. My next one will be a powerbook though. I've always wanted a mac and it's perfect for what I need. If you want a windows based laptop I would recommend a dell.

Thank you all for this information. I need to figure out exactly what my needs are now and what they will be. It sounds like I will be looking at a computer with the Centrino lable for the wireless capability and battery life. I also will be looking for a light weight model.

Thanks again for your quick responses.

Ive always found that the best laptops are IBM, bar none. Ive been using them for upwards of seven years now, and in every case, they were far better than the competition. Ive dropped them, spilled stuff on them, abused them--and they survived. Best designed, engineered, and built laptops Ive found.

Now, definitely not the cheapest, so if price is a big issue, you may want to look elsewhere. If quality is the foremost concern, however--IBM.

On the x86 side, I've had good experiences with Acer laptops. Good quality at an even better price.

Still won't replace my TiBook though.

If you want a good laptop at a good price, check Dell, or if you don't mind buying refurbished ones, http://www.dellauctions.com/. Get something cheap, 'cause you probably won't need too many extras for that kind of stuff.