Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Bump Topic Topic Closed RSS Feed

Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+

Enquiries/Recommendations Buying a new laptop? NEED RECOMMENDATIONS? V20, Kindly FOLLOW the FORMAT TQ~!

views
     
blackangel
post Aug 13 2013, 09:26 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


Looking for a laptop for computation use

- music
- programming
- Matlab
- Must have discrete graphics for faster rendering
- prefer the shape to be squarish/edgy (hate big fat round shapes -> toshiba)
- as cheap as possible
- ventilation will stay good for very long much like Thinkpad T series, won't be hot even full load after a long period of ownership. Again toshiba sucks here.
- Dos OS is ok. I will use *NIX.
- Screen is the sharper the better (Thinkpad T series screen sucks even for that price -.-)

I looked at Asus k46CB. Looks OK. But again, thin body makes me think of very bad ventilation.
blackangel
post Aug 14 2013, 01:35 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(nexus2238 @ Aug 14 2013, 04:22 AM)
Gave us a bunch of info, but lack the all important "price" indicator.
Read the 1st post of this thread, and try to understand the logic of "suggested format" lah  doh.gif
Compute that  icon_rolleyes.gif
*
Sorry for not reading the 1st post on format.

But there is no need to compute the price. As far as price is concerned, the cheaper the better. Cheap here is an indicator already. Plus, I have already looked at all the suggested laptops. The only thing I question is how solid the laptop is overall especially the ventilation. BIG no for noisy and hot laptops.

Experience with bunch of laptops:
Dell Inspiron - Keyboard replacement x2
Toshiba Satellite - Overheat to cook an egg
Dell Vostro - board burnt in 7 months
Dell InspironZ - the screen looks like manufactured flaw. Looking for the side, the screen is not flat but with tiny waves of coating( imagine flawed tinting)
Lenovo Thinkpad T430 - lousy screen and bad batteries. Overall the best laptop in terms of engineering quality. Quiet, cool, and super solid but comes with a price.

I have never tried Taiwanese brands. So I am here to look for suggestions or experience in owning them.


Decided to either take a M processor or MQ processor. Any recommendations?

Vostro has the M I think.

This post has been edited by blackangel: Aug 14 2013, 01:53 PM
blackangel
post Aug 14 2013, 05:30 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(nexus2238 @ Aug 14 2013, 02:55 PM)
It really doesn't matter about "brand", it's about models line-up of brands.
Toshiba is not all "round", look at Tecra line.
Inspiron is consumer class laptop. Vostro is entry-level business class. Vostro 5460, I'm not sure it's even business class anymore tongue.gif
Satellite is also consumer class laptop.
Thinkpad T series, however, is proper business class laptop. T430 not necessary spec with "lousy" screen and "bad" battery. If you buy retails, you are stuck with the spec Lenovo Malaysia push out. If you get through corporate account, you can demand HD+ screen (1600x900) and bigger capacity battery.

Anyway, for all the models you mentioned, except Thinkpad T&W (which production is gradually being moved back to Japan), the rest are all manufactured in China by the big OEM.

If you appreciate Thinkpad T430 good built quality and ventilation, then for Dell you should consider Latitude E5/6 series, or for HP Elitebook, or for Toshiba Tecra, or for Asus PRO.
And proper business class laptop is not going to be "cheap".

Asus
PRO45VJ-V0049X, i7-3520QM + Nvidia GT635M@RM3099[2.4kg], 8GB, 750GB, W7P
PRO45VJ-V0047X, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT635M@RM2399[2.4kg], 4GB, 500GB, W7P
Dell
Latitude E5430, i5-3320M + Intel HD4000@RM3200, 4GB, 320GB(5400rpm), W7P (32-bit)/W8 Pro, 3 years pro support; [CPU Options: i5-3320M - i7-3520M], HD+ screen upgradable
Latitude E6430, i5-3320M + Intel HD4000@RM4300, backlit keyboard, 3 Years, W7P (32-bit); [CPU options: i5-3320M-i7-3720QM][GPU option: Nvidia NVS 5200M], HD+ screen upgradable
HP
EliteBook 8470p, i5-3360M + AMD HD7570M@RM3999, 4GB, 750GB(7200rpm), W7P/W8, 3 years warranty
EliteBook 8470w, i7-3520M + AMD FirePro M2000@RM4999, 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7P, anti-glare, 3 years
Toshiba
Tecra-R940-2021X, i7-3540M + AMD HD7570M@RM4999[2.15kg], W7P/W8P, 4GB, 640GB (7200rpm), 3 years international (local onsite) warranty, Microsoft Office HOme & Business 2013
*
Thanks for the suggestion man. I will probably go with lower range intel M laptops or go back to T430... at least they have improved the screen this time...

Elitebook is out. I have used an elite book back in 2012 (forgot to mention earlier). The fan can be very loud and the heat is hardly dissipated from the inside. For that price, this kind of issues should be taken care of.


QUOTE(xproc @ Aug 14 2013, 05:09 PM)
time for you to try business / corporate line up laptops, I agree dell latitude / precision series or lenovo thinkpad series (those  expensive one) will have better quality than most consumers laptops in the market now...

One thing to note from Lenovo is their lousy customer service...my employer is a big fan of Lenovo and all our developers used to use Lenovo thinkpads..but the customer service is ... speechless -.-

I am not trying to complain..but sadly we pay so much to get so much pain...

of you have one more alternative for consumer line up ... which is apple... it has overall best keyboard, best touchpad, overall best built quality, best overall battery life... if you still want run windows, you can always bootcamp and install windows in it... the cons is the price tag and the screen not yet retina yet, but its TN panel screen already very good and even beats many so-called IPS screens in the market (unless 15" at RM 6799 with outdated ivy bridge processor)

if not for work... we actually do not need to rely on windows that much (compare with 10 years ago)... even for architecture student, they can actually adapt mac earlier...

just for positive consideration and discussion, i sad at market no one actually making good quality laptops...
*
Well, apple spec is outdated yet I need to pay for the most advance price out there. -.- sad...
blackangel
post Aug 15 2013, 11:42 AM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


Any idea on quality of Lenovo ThinkPad Edge series? V480 ?
blackangel
post Aug 15 2013, 03:17 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(devour @ Aug 15 2013, 03:10 PM)
bulky , glossy , very normal build quality  laugh.gif

the Pros - with window 7 pro + warranty support
*
They are just prolly borrowing the ThinkPad name.
blackangel
post Aug 15 2013, 11:08 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(nexus2238 @ Aug 15 2013, 06:08 PM)
Lenovo has to "leverage" the Thinkpad brand (they paid big money for it laugh.gif )
Dell has Vostro, HP has Probook, so Lenovo has to counter with Edge, stick a Thinkpad to make it sound nicer laugh.gif

V series basically is a consumer laptop.

Edge - you have the Thinkpad small business software suite, the fingerprint reader, blah blah blah ...
Built quality is still pretty good, but the screen is really cheap stuff.
And don't drop this on the floor like a T series. My numerous T series had suffered my abuse over the years (fell down 1 flight of stair case, dropped from shoulder height to floor, food and drinks spill, bang on keyboard ... ) and survived.
The Edge 430 I bought for my wife 5 months ago has its bottom top left corner cracked on 1 drop to the floor from table tongue.gif Still running but we can see the mainboard laugh.gif
*
I think I have made up my mind to get back a ThinkPad T430..but this time maybe the T430u which is the cheapest among them. Just wondering if they will be upgrading the cpu to Haswell line up anytime soon..
blackangel
post Aug 15 2013, 11:09 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(nexus2238 @ Aug 15 2013, 06:08 PM)
Lenovo has to "leverage" the Thinkpad brand (they paid big money for it laugh.gif )
Dell has Vostro, HP has Probook, so Lenovo has to counter with Edge, stick a Thinkpad to make it sound nicer laugh.gif

V series basically is a consumer laptop.

Edge - you have the Thinkpad small business software suite, the fingerprint reader, blah blah blah ...
Built quality is still pretty good, but the screen is really cheap stuff.
And don't drop this on the floor like a T series. My numerous T series had suffered my abuse over the years (fell down 1 flight of stair case, dropped from shoulder height to floor, food and drinks spill, bang on keyboard ... ) and survived.
The Edge 430 I bought for my wife 5 months ago has its bottom top left corner cracked on 1 drop to the floor from table tongue.gif Still running but we can see the mainboard laugh.gif
*
I think I have made up my mind to get back a ThinkPad T430..but this time maybe the T430u which is the cheapest among them. Just wondering if they will be upgrading the cpu to Haswell line up anytime soon..
blackangel
post Aug 16 2013, 08:12 AM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(xproc @ Aug 15 2013, 11:16 PM)
soon... maybe right after you bought it...

anyway what makes you choose T430u instead T431s, price?
*
I need an extra GC to run matlab rendering.



Edited:

Just to let any of you who are looking for laptops know...Sometimes SPECS are not the most important things. SPECS are what manufacturers used to market their products...much like AMOLED Screens/# of cores in smart phones nowadays. You need to convince yourself by looking at the laptop build that it is a solid product you are buying.

A safer approach is extend the warranty brows.gif

This post has been edited by blackangel: Aug 16 2013, 11:14 AM
blackangel
post Aug 16 2013, 11:38 AM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(leaderfrontier @ Aug 16 2013, 10:16 AM)
Hi all,sorry to disturbing everyone again but I have some question here..
err...
I going to study Engineering course soon...I had check through the internet and they are advising me
1)processor must be fast(2Ghz or above)
2)Ram should be higher(6GB++)
3)Battery life have to about 5 hours..(Well,this is one of the problem,so far as I know,for most kind of laptop with fast processor,its battery will not last long,around 2to 3 hour at most right?..haiz cry.gif )
So,currently,any suggestion laptop for me?hopefully not so expensive... smile.gif
And sometimes I play game too tongue.gif (but this one is optional  biggrin.gif ) hehe..

thanks all!!
*
What kind of engineering course are you studying? For Undergraduate..I believe unless you do memory consuming programming or drawing with 3D CADs like PRO/E or SolidWorks....else engineering doesn't really require a high spec pc. I could miss other factors wink.gif

blackangel
post Aug 16 2013, 11:49 AM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(leaderfrontier @ Aug 16 2013, 11:41 AM)
degree in civil eng...so,yes,undergraduate...
Actually I am newbie in this field.... tongue.gif
*
Well, maybe you will put your hands on some 2D Drawings software like AutoCAD 2D or so. Preferably with a graphic card. Again, no need to be extreme specs unless you insist.
blackangel
post Aug 29 2013, 02:04 PM

On my way
****
Senior Member
556 posts

Joined: Dec 2004


QUOTE(PF T.J. @ Aug 29 2013, 01:39 PM)
I don't think you should burn your dad's pockets with the MacBook 15 Retina Display man lol... earn your own money for one later on nod.gif

Actually you can also go for an above-average notebook and an external monitor with good color reproductions (if your photo and video editing work is very serious) too. Still cheaper than the MBP 15  laugh.gif

Or just get an Illegear with the top screen upgrade, its a viable option as well nod.gif
Since I am also into photo editing (not video though tongue.gif), RAM > CPU > GPU. These are the main requirements (in that arrangement) for Photoshop. If I were you, I will go for an Illegear RE-15, upgrade the RAM to 16GB, opt for an SSD, warranty extension and of course, the screen upgrade.
Just my 2 cents  icon_rolleyes.gif
*
I would have clicked "LIKE" for this reply. Nowadays, gadget buyers have no idea what they are buying. Buying the best gadget out there and hardly produce anything significant that has the same level of processing requirements.

Another thing is, if one were so rich to splash, there is really no need to ask around here cause they usually have no budget constraint. Better save some money as gadgets phase out so fast... -.-

Just being harsh in general, no pointing icon_rolleyes.gif

Topic ClosedOptions
 

Change to:
| Lo-Fi Version
0.0514sec    0.77    7 queries    GZIP Disabled
Time is now: 9th December 2025 - 11:30 PM