What about this laptop?

[vassil3427]

Hey Guys,
I'm looking to buy a laptop, I dont do a whole lot, I design websites and stuff like that. For the price I was looking into the emachine, I know its and Emachine...But check it out, far better than any other competetion http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?oid=86637&WT.mc_n=61&c=1&b=g&WT.mc_t=U

Specs:
Mobile Athlon 64 3000+
512MB DDR
DVD+-RW
15" widescreen tft
Ati mobility 9600
Windows XP Home(I would upgrade to Windows 64-bit edition, MS has free download of it right now)
All for $1550 after rebates!

 

[XtR-X]

You need a 64 to design websites...?

 

[vassil3427]

Just trying to find a creative way to spend $1600-2000 dollars...Any recommendations?lol....

It's either a laptop or...
Athlon 64 3000+
1GB(2x512mb for dual channel)
DVD+/- Burner
Ati Radeon 9600XT
120GB SATA HDD
Audigy 2
Logitech 5.1 Surround
19" LCD

I'm tied between that and a laptop

 

[me(who else?)]

Unless portability is a must, I'd take the desktop. I found a nice Toshiba (A10-C8M) which is discontinued. It costs about $1450 CAD and has similar stats to the laptop you listed above (a bit lower). If price is an option, it's an excellent choice. If you don't have to worry about money, then I wouldn't waste time trying to secure one(I got one sent in from Carleton).

 

[dani_17]

Dump the lap.

Beter go for the desktop.

Specially to work, I hate laptops. They are not practical, the are not comfortable.. they are just cute.

I do web design/programming. I also had the idea of a laptop long time ago but it's a concept that doesnt work. Also, the screen is not going to give you the exact contrast/color that the final user will see on a regular pc.

 

[agissi]

Ya unless you need a laptop, go for the desktop

Athlon 64 3000+
1GB(2x512mb for dual channel)
DVD+/- Burner
Ati Radeon 9600XT
120GB SATA HDD
Audigy 2
Logitech 5.1 Surround
19" LCD

Sounds real good. Onboard sound is really good these days, I'd save yourself the $100-$200 on that Audigy 2 and get yourself an 8x DVD burner instead of 4 or whatever you were getting OR get yourself a second monter I'd go for the second moniter.... you may want a CRT and an LCD. My CRTs color differs quite notacibly from my LCD, so you may want a CRT instead of 2 LCDs.

 

[vassil3427]

Ok guys, I really do love your help, I'll go for the Desktop...
However I have a couple questions:
The LCD I was looking at was the Sony SDM-S93 19" it costs $719.00, anyone know anything about this screen? Anyone recommend a better one for same price(near same price?)
As far as color, I have a 17" Flat tube CRT I could hook up as a second monitor.

One other thing, what Motherboard would you all recommend if I wanted to go ahead and use the onbaord sound?, I want the Nforce 2 chipset, and it has to support dual channel(And have SATA)

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Gigabyte K8N Pro

or wait a couple of months, until socket 939 arrives for the AMD64.
Alternatively, Prescott is also only just around the corner....

 

[dani_17]

Monitor: Samsung 191T.

Excellent monitor. I think it's about 650$ or something like that.

I have that configuration, the lcd and a samsung syncmaster 750s. I use it to preview the code and also because colours differ from the lcd.

 

[Godataloss]

I have an 18' Sony lcd and it has gorgeous color saturation and is fast enough for gaming. I forget the model (im at work), but I picked it up at best buy for $350 and got them to throw in 3yrs service (quite the negotiator I am). You really have to watch Sony as they dont fab the lcd's themselves so there is quite a wide spectrum in quality of their monitors. Read reviews- especially for that kind of cash.

Also dont let these agoraphobics talk you out of that laptop. I have really enjoyed my rig with the dvd burner and camcorder I have already done 3 weddings( and one excellent bachelor party) for friends- burnig the wedding dvd before the reception was over. The whole show fits in a carry-on bag- try that with a desktop!

 

[XtR-X]

Originally posted by dani_17
Dump the lap.

Beter go for the desktop.

Specially to work, I hate laptops. They are not practical, the are not comfortable.. they are just cute.

I do web design/programming. I also had the idea of a laptop long time ago but it's a concept that doesnt work. Also, the screen is not going to give you the exact contrast/color that the final user will see on a regular pc.

I'm sorry but I would have to disagree. I, myself own a laptop. I take it to all my night computer classes and I take it on the go. It comes in very much handy and I can't live without it. I do lots of typing, programming, taking notes, etc.

I own a *****'n PC but I still need to have the laptop. I love the laptop, its very good for on the go.

If you're only going to make sites... and if at home... or work... stationary... you need to stick with a desktop. Laptop for mobile... desktop for stationary... (yeah that's kinda obvious).

I think that that laptop is awesome. Good price for what you get...

Go with what you really want. You don't want to take a desktop everywhere...

 

[me(who else?)]

I also disagree. I have only a laptop and it suits me just fine. I take it everywhere, all over the house, etc. When I need to, I set it down on a desk and wire it up to some external speakers, my LAN hub, etc.

Even so, it really isn't efficient to buy a laptop if you're going to be doing web design from a home office, etc. One thing I like about laptops for web design is that if you meet your customer in person, you can go over designs on the laptop. Other than that, save your money and get the desktop.

 

[dani_17]

I partly agree with me(who else?) and Xtr-x. In part a laptop is cool, like if you buy a 30 gig mp3 player. But it depends a lot in the use you are going to give to it. You can take the laptop mobile in your house/work/class, thats true. It's a great advantage. In some cases, like your night classes xt-r, it's a must, there no other alternative. If you are a normal user, it's also quite okay to use a laptop.

But for power users, and programming/web/gfx design, there is no advantage. It's a kind of work you need to feel comfortable for long hours of duty. you need the kind of perspective a real user will get, they are going to see the site in a desktop pc, at least 90% of the users. Any customer will have a desktop pc in his office, If not, some other worker will have one. And, alternatively, you can always borrow a laptop if you need. I personally hate showing my work in a laptop, the view angle and screen size is poor. I normally rent or use a projector in their office and connect it to the laptop.

Then there is a very touchy subject. Expandability. If you are going to tweak/mod/upgrade your pc, then the laptop is going to be useless. The few upgrades you can stick to them are unimportant and very expensive.

Some people love laptops, I personally don't and find them usefull only if you really requiere a mobile solution. It's not even near the possibilities of a desktop pc.

 

[XtR-X]

Also, I don't have to use a laptop, I choose to use one. All of my night courses provide computers there, I just prefer to use my own because I can save data, most importantly, and I have an environment in which when I try to change a little tiny thing that would have no effect on the computer in windows, I get a lock...

Originally posted by dani_17
But for power users, and programming/web/gfx design, there is no advantage. It's a kind of work you need to feel comfortable for long hours of duty. you need the kind of perspective a real user will get, they are going to see the site in a desktop pc, at least 90% of the users. Any customer will have a desktop pc in his office, If not, some other worker will have one. And, alternatively, you can always borrow a laptop if you need. I personally hate showing my work in a laptop, the view angle and screen size is poor. I normally rent or use a projector in their office and connect it to the laptop.

You're essentially saying its better to take a desktop everywhere? And that more than 90% of users don't use LCD screens... because I haven't seen a laptop with a CRT screen that weighs 40 pounds.

You can always sit them down right in front of the computer... it doesn't matter...

I too, design websites, I've been doing it for almost 5 years now. I have displayed lots of work on my laptop and it looks perfectly fine.

Originally posted by dani_17
Then there is a very touchy subject. Expandability. If you are going to tweak/mod/upgrade your pc, then the laptop is going to be useless. The few upgrades you can stick to them are unimportant and very expensive.

Here's something I have to agree with you about. These things are hard to change. What you can change is the RAM ammounts (add), and change the hard drive... and not much else. Like important upgrading... the motherboard, maybe the CPU, etc.

vassil3427, go with what fits you best. Stationary=Desktop, Mobile=Laptop. 'Nuff said. :grinthumb

 

[me(who else?)]

I had to choose between a laptop and a desktop and I chose my laptop. I love my laptop and I wouldn't trade it in for anything (except an AlienWare desktop :grinthumb ). Of course, I find that the portability is mind of a nice novelty. To me desktops seem kind of plain. If I had enough time, then I would have built my own desktop, but I'm too busy, so I found the most novel thing I could find, a laptop.

 

[dani_17]

I agree with will56.

The laptop has to be seen as a compliment, not as a replacement. It's mobility features make it very good in some situatons.

Although, I still hate laptops, handhelds, mobile phones whith 3000 * 10^3 features that are useless... The desktio provides, at least for me, the better experience for working and playing games.

The last thing I would take in a trip would be a laptop. It would ruin my trip. It would be like taking your work to vacations.

 

[lowman]

Laptop\Desktop

If you don't NEED the mobility - take the desktop...you'll be much happier in the llong run, and upgrades are a cinch...

 

[me(who else?)]

I disagree completely! I don't do a lot of gaming (a bit of UT2004) and my laptop suits me just fine. I don't really think that the monitor is that bad (for DVDs and games I can use TV-OUT). I do web design and programming on it and have no trouble.

 

[vassil3427]

Is there still ghosting on an LCD with a 16ms response time? I am looking at the Sony DeluxePro SDM-X73/B 17-inch which has a 16ms response time, good choice or not? Also contrast ratio is 500:1