Question about purchasing a laptop.

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Question about purchasing a laptop.

Postby Anjira » Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:55 pm

I'm going to be a college bound student in a couple of weeks and I am currently on the hunt for a decent laptop that will handle video editing as well as photo editing for my budget, which is sadly only up to 800 dollars. Does anyone have any good suggestions?

Thanks. ^^
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Postby Krisqo » Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:59 pm

This is just under your budget, but it looks likewhat you're looking for. Its a good place to start.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/entnb_e1505?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
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Postby Anjira » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:01 pm

Thanks for the tip but...I'm really not a fan of Dell...
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Postby Krisqo » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:09 pm

Had to search some more:

Here's HP Pavilion

<a href="http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/compare_category.do;jsessionid=EjOuXwbf1rXa4wg2sEjU0ana7RMqVWcn3mj1ydWCNo508WPMXqpR!1848349081?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&catLevel=1">HP</a>

Sony and Toshiba seem a little too pricey for you.

You can also try searching through

http://www.laptop.com/

This is all I can offer. I'm searching for a laptop myself, but I think you're gonna need to shell out a good grand for a good video editing notebook. Photo editing shouldn't be a problem on many cheap ones.

Good luck in your search.
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Postby Anjira » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:36 pm

Ah, thanks much, and well...that is what I had figured but right now...with tuition and such...I don't have the money to get anything too fancy ><;
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Postby TaranT » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:44 pm

If you can get to a Best Buy, there is a $100 coupon for laptops. Good to this Saturday (Aug 19) and only from regular prices.

Print a copy of the coupon here.

You might get a better deal by finding one that is already on sale this week and where the coupon won't apply. Two weeks ago a friend of mine got a decent Compaq there for $400 plus tax.
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Postby Willen » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:27 am

Also, for video editing, you can't go wrong with a dual core CPU and at least 1GB of RAM. The HDD size and speed is gonna suck due to space and power requirements.

If it is gonna cost too much to get the dual core, at least get the RAM.

As for AMD vs. Intel, as much as I like AMD, I recommend going for Intel in a laptop, atm. If available, go for the Core 2 Duo processor. Next would be Core 2 Solo, then Core Duo, Core Solo, and Pentium M bringing up the rear. At this point, I'd try to stay away from the Celeron M, unless it is really cheap. And if someone is selling a Pentium 4/4M laptop, it is a dinosaur, they should practically give it away.

AMD is decent, but not quite enough (especially compared to the Core 2 Duo) for me to recommend unless it is quite cheaper than the comparable CPU, i.e. Turion 64 vs. Core 2 Solo, Turion 64 X2 vs. Core 2 Duo. Versus the non-2 versions (Core Solo / Duo), then it is recommended, but you just limited your hardware vendors to Gateway, HP, Compaq, and a few others.
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Postby Anjira » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:33 pm

Well...the most that I think i can afford is 512 MB and an 80 GB harddrive....
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Postby Kai Stromler » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:06 pm

Just as a heads-up, if you go with the Pavilion, keep your warranty information close to hand. I got issued one for work, and while it ran my editing apps smoothly (A64 3200+, 1GB RAM), the screen lasted only for almost exactly a year before completely dying.

Of course, this one was used hard, trucked almost all the way around the world, and subjected to a total of about 13 airport baggage-scan x-rays, so your mileage may vary.

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Postby Joe88 » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:50 pm

I used to have a Paisonic Tough Book light but I sold it
to buy PC parts

It was awsome though...
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Postby BasharOfTheAges » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:59 pm

You've probably done this already, but have you thought through whether or not you actually need a laptop?

Is the primary purpose for this thing going to be editing? If so then don't bother as you'll be tethered to a wall most of the time anyways as the processor-intensive nature of editing requires you to use a lot of power all the time.

Are you going to commute, or are you living on campus? Definately get the laptop if it's the former, but think twice if you're living there. It's honestly not worth it for a lot of people (such as myself). Does your school have dedicated computer labs for your major? That's another deciding factor if you're lliving there - because it detracts from any school-related need for the laptop.

For reference, I live at school and have a laptop which i find to be a waste of money because I keep it hooked up to the network downloading stuff all day and really have no need to bring it to class whatsoever (and i'm a CS major is that makes any diffence). Using the money I spent on it I could have gotten a better desktop system.

Just one man's opinion though...
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Postby Anjira » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:49 pm

Hm, not a bad idea, but like...the pc that I'm on right now, I'm sharing, so I want my own laptop both for school and for my own personal usage.

And I'm going to be living on campus, but going home on weekends, and I don't particular like going to a computer lap late at night...
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Postby BasharOfTheAges » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:14 pm

What I was suggesting is buying a desktop, not buying nothing. :lol:
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Postby Anjira » Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:44 pm

Oh, sorry; I misread what you said XD

But, I did manage to get a toshiba laptop so...I'm gtg now.

Well, I just need adobe premiere elements and then I'll be truely ready.
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