Laptop Advice - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 10:49 AM

I am looking for a laptop to replace our existing laptop. Currently we have a Sony VAIO 14" laptop. My wife would like something smaller/lighter. It is really only used for surfing the internet. No gaming, no work, just internet. We do hook it up to the TV from time to time for downloaded content.

Any suggestions? I realize that for what I need it for we mostly need to worry about the size and asthetics.

Should I wait until boxing day? Should I buy online? Online and on boxing day perhaps?

edit: I should also mention that I was going to just use an old thread, but the latest one was more focussed on making fun of the OP about using the word labtop than it was about discussing laptops.

Rathji · 12-14-2011, 12:41 PM

Have you considered a tablet? Seems to fit the bill for what you are using it for.

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 12:44 PM

I asked her about a tablet, but she really wants a keyboard for writing the occasional letter or long email.

MickMcGeough · 12-14-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starfishy

I asked her about a tablet, but she really wants a keyboard for writing the occasional letter or long email.

Most tablets support keyboards.

Madrox · 12-14-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

Most tablets support keyboards.

Yep, and something like this might fit the bill:
http://eee.asus.com/en/eeepad/transf...prime/features

I kinda want one myself.

Failing that, I'd look at a netbook with a discrete gpu so it can handle outputting at 1080p.

MickMcGeough · 12-14-2011, 01:12 PM

If a 14" Vaio is too big, you need to be looking at ultrabooks. If $1000 fits your budget, there are quite a few nice ultrabooks to choose from.

wookster · 12-14-2011, 01:39 PM

For what its worth, we just recently bought an ipad2 instead of replacing our laptop. My wife used the laptop basically for the same things your looking at...email, internet, some photo-editing type stuff with pictures, nothing hardcore but just simple photo stuff. Anyways, within days of having it, we are hooked...this thing is so much more convienient to use and just so handy...you want to quickly look something up online, no problem, it just takes seconds. Email, same story. I will admit, the touchscreen keyboard is a bit trickier to use than a keyboard but I don't really find it any worse than using a laptop keyboard and touch scrollpad.

I guess it really does depend on what your using it for but our experiences so far with the tablet have been very positive. I have a desktop pc that I use for business stuff and games etc. so we don't really need our laptop for anything like that.

For convienence, ease of use, speed (the OS is very solid and fast) the tablet has been way more usefull than our laptop. If you can wait until boxing day and can handle the crowds etc. you will likely get a better deal for sure though.

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 02:02 PM

I have no intention of going into a store on Boxing Day. Don't any stores have online boxing day specials?

How practical are the tablets for storing media content and displaying that content to a TV? I would have thought they would lack a little on that front?

Rathji · 12-14-2011, 02:06 PM

Well you cannot store very much on a tablet, but is this your only computer?

wookster · 12-14-2011, 02:20 PM

That is true...storage is limited on a tablet for sure, but we use our main PC for that and our tablet is basically used for day-to-day use, not storage. If you don't have another computer and need the storage, a laptop might be a better choice.

MickMcGeough · 12-14-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starfishy

I have no intention of going into a store on Boxing Day. Don't any stores have online boxing day specials?

How practical are the tablets for storing media content and displaying that content to a TV? I would have thought they would lack a little on that front?

Neither are "practical" in the age of $99 universal media streamers and cheap external mass storage.

What downloaded content, specifically?

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 02:43 PM

I really like the idea of that transformer tablet being able to be plugged in, but in the end we will be using this for some storage (although we do have an external hard drive). Probably best to stick with a laptop for now.

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

Neither are "practical" in the age of $99 universal media streamers and cheap external mass storage.

What downloaded content, specifically?

We watch some TV shows that we miss and download. And some cartoons for the kids. The TV shows are usually of the torrent variety.

MickMcGeough · 12-14-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starfishy

We watch some TV shows that we miss and download. And some cartoons for the kids. The TV shows are usually of the torrent variety.

Yeah I suppose if you're really dead set on making one device serve as your household's only browser, email client, torrent downloader, and media streamer, you don't have much choice but to go with a laptop.

So, until you let us know what your budget is, I recommend a fully-tricked out 13" Macbook Pro. Don't skimp out on that 512GB SSD.

Starfishy · 12-14-2011, 03:14 PM

Interesting question on the budget. I really don't know what it should be? $1500?

I am interested in getting good value. I think that if I actually spent $1500 I would be getting more machine than I actually need, no?

Rathji · 12-14-2011, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starfishy

Interesting question on the budget. I really don't know what it should be? $1500?

I am interested in getting good value. I think that if I actually spent $1500 I would be getting more machine than I actually need, no?

In a way, yes.

Since the only thing you are using it for is internet and holding data (ie videos), a entry level laptop from Dell ($400) can do exactly what you need, but fails on your size requirement.

The size requirement is problematic - smaller and lighter than a 14" Vaio is really small, and has been mentioned already in this thread you are looking at netbooks or similar machines (Macbook Air, Dell XPS14z, etc)

All of those machines fall in the $1000 range, where it makes more sense to go with a Mac.

MickMcGeough · 12-14-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starfishy

Interesting question on the budget. I really don't know what it should be? $1500?

I am interested in getting good value. I think that if I actually spent $1500 I would be getting more machine than I actually need, no?

$1500 is plenty but if you're looking at ultrabooks (and imo you should be), they typically start at just under $1000 and go up to $1500, so it's probably about right.

I'd start here to see what's out there and current:
http://www.engadget.com/tag/ultrabook/