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Laptop shopping for college and beyond- Any nerds/geeks want to help?

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Mor Paul

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So, I'm going to college soon. This means I want a new laptop (I'm using college as an excuse to my parents).
I do some processor-intensive and RAM-intensive stuff (High resolution graphics editing, audio editing, tons of multitasking, etc...) so that's a concern.
The graphics editing requires a somewhat high definition screen, so I want a minimum 1280x800. Firewire for future audio interfaces as well.
Long battery life for gigs and classes too.


I'm currently looking at a lenovo w520, customized
Description
ThinkPad W520 - 1 Yr Depot Topseller Warranty Edit
Processor: Intel Core i7-2620M Processor (2.70GHz, 4MB L3) Edit
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 Edit
Operating system language: Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 English
Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready Edit
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 1000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory Edit
Total memory: 6 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) Edit
Keyboard: Keyboard US English
Pointing device: UltraNav with TrackPoint & touchpad Edit
Camera: 720p Camera Edit
Storage subsystem: Internal RAID - Not Enabled Edit
Hard drive: 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm Edit
Optical device: DVD recordable multiburner Edit
System expansion slots: Express Card Slot & 4 in 1 Card Reader Edit
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55++ Edit
Power cord: Country Pack North America with Line cord & 170W AC adapter Edit
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 Edit
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN) Edit
Integrated mobile broadband: Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable Edit
Language pack: Language Pack US English

It's $1,828, so kinda pricy. Anybody know comparable laptops for cheaper, or ways to get this laptop cheaply?
 
I'd look at quality and warranty statistics. ASUS do very good in that area. Any specific reason for the Quadro graphics? Seems a bit excessive.

And with the way things are moving, USB 3 is more important than Firewire, though having both should be the most flexible option.
 
High performance graphics cards in laptops are not to be recommended for men of childbearing age.
 
Ha, the graphics card is what is standard in that model. I don't play games, but I do occasionally do 3d rendering. Haven't done it in a while because of my computer's limitations.

And Eric, I'd rather stick with a windows computer.
USB 3 is standard, and the model I am looking at includes firewire.
 
Were I to spend that much money and primarily be doing graphics/audio editting, I'd go a MacbookPro as well, they at least maintain some semblance of resell value later.

Don't buy a Dell, they're unreliable junk.

Took a quick gander, don't see anything "name brand" with those specs much cheaper, with the IBM there's no problem getting service if needed.
 
I third the MacBook Pro (I have one, and it's my favorite computer I've ever owned)
 
Hi Max (it IS Max right?  :laughing3: )

From the little I know, I would be leaning towards a Mac laptop...

Reasons being: you specify good graphics and music capability with Firewire. All of which Macs are renowned for. Later versions also take in the USB protocol. But either way you look, HD level screens are gonna cost you.

The uptake of Win 64bit software for music has been slow, not sure of other areas of software development (though I think latest versions of Cubase and Ableton Live might now cater for it). It may be overkill at the moment, though in a year's time who knows?


Steer away from Dell, even in Australia they are very vanilla and don't get good wraps for high performance. And a lot of their internals are 'proprietary', so they are not easy to take one component out of and replace with something generic. I'm told that upgrading Dells are a nightmare as a result.

Just a quick thought too mate.....Have you checked in with the College you are going to, to see if there's any student deals they may have lined up with nearby stores? While you can definitely buy this laptop as an "Academic" deal, there may be more discounts available if you buy from a retailer that has some specials going with the College. There must be hundreds of new College people (is this what they call 'freshmen'?) looking for similar gear right now, so there could be good deals to be had.  :dontknow:
 
I bought a Macbook Pro for college and use windows on it for my cad software and other windows only programs.
 
Heya Max--

I've spent a lot of years as a computer repair and help desk technician, after that, I have sold laptops and worked as a Geek Squad CIA, where I sold more laptops. Here's my take on Macs. A lot of people say that comparing Macs and PCs is a lot like comparing apples and oranges. To tell you the truth, comparing a Mac and a PC is a lot like comparing gold to copper--copper's cheaper and it has a lot more uses. Go with a PC.

Lenovo makes a GREAT machine--when I worked at Northern Michigan University, the school ran a lease program that provided every student with a ThinkPad on a two-year lease. The machines are tough, built well and have been making leaps and bounds to break out of the cookie-cutter business machine format. However, even the business class ThinkPads are good all-around machines that will do about 95-99% of what you will need it to do.

Other brands to consider would be Asus, a higher-end Toshiba, or a Dell. The biggest ones that I would avoid would be HP/Compaq and  Acer/Gateway/eMachines. HP has been really taking the build quality out of their machines, and cashing in on their name loyalty. However, they do still make the best printers out there, in regards to software support, drivers that actually work, and the ability to find replacement toner wherever you need. I also saw that you went with NVIDEA graphics for the machine you designed online. While going with a NVIDEA or an ATI Radeon graphics system works out really well on a performance desktop machine, its not really needed to go with something that extreme. I bought a Dell Inspiron in February, and have found the newest version of Intel's integrated graphics card is plenty powerful enough to run anything you throw at it without any delay or grief. I've thrown a LOT of stuff at my Dell, and its performed very well.

The other thing to recommend is avoiding a machine with an AMD processor. In a desktop, you can get away with it, where the cooling unit has more oomph to it, but in a laptop, where everything is condensed and the heat exchangers are that much smaller, the added heat from an AMD can cause, over time, distemperment in solder joints and cause them to open up. Trust me--I'm not nuts on this. I've had to fix the problem more than twice before. Intel is the inventor of the microprocessor, and still makes the faster, cooler-running and more dependable chip.

Also, I've always had a long-standing rule in regards to pricing. I have always called it the $600 rule. $600 always seems to be the line between a middle-of-the-road or a higher-end machines compared to the bargain-end machines that fall under $600. Under that line, you may find computers that seem like they have a lot of oomph, but they are often built with the lower-end components and never feel like they have a very dependable fit and finish.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you have any, and I'll be more than happy to help out--you're looking at someone who's had to help at least 30 of my close friends and family with computer purchases, and the advice I've given them have led to laptops and desktops that have held up now for close to eight years in some cases.
 
Leasing a laptop for the term of your College would be a good way to buy a bigger, better machine and still not pay much upfront. Of course, you will have the money repayments to deal with. Maybe, depending upon US tax laws, that expenditure could also be tax deductible against any income you make in pat time jobs?
 
That reminds me of one other thing that I forgot to mention:  talk to your mom and dad's insurance agent and see what you may need to do in regards to a policy for protecthion. Warranties only last a year, maybe two tops, but you can keep insurance on a laptop for maybe $50-$60 a year to protect from spills, getting stepped on, clumsy friends, what have you. An ounce of prevention is worth it, especially if it means not having to explain to mom and dad why they need to pay $350 for a new LCD screen, plus the cost of labor.

Aussie Pete is right about the idea of leasing a laptop-you have the benefit of the leasing company's insurance, you aren't stuck with an old laptop forever and many agencies allow for you to purchase your laptop outright if you decide to do so at the end of the lease. The only drawback is that it may be difficult to find a company to lease out just one PC. Many of these organizations are used to leasing out hundreds of machines at a time, and may not cut you the best deal in the world due to the fact you'll need just one machine. However, that trend may have changed since the last time I looked into it for my dad a few years ago. When he upgraded his equipment a few months ago, he simply bought everything outright, and has been extremely happy with the Lenovos he bought.
 
I totally agree with the quote:
"comparing a Mac and a PC is a lot like comparing gold to copper--copper's cheaper and it has a lot more uses. Go with a PC."

Reaper runs on Win7 64. ( But ... I'm about to install Win7Pro on a new i7 2600K desktop I'm building, and I'll be installing the 32bit version )

I'd avoid Toshiba. Service and support is terrible.

The reason I like Dell is they're very easy to fix or upgrade, and their web support, ( downloading drivers and manuals ) is the best on the planet.
I'm a freelance computer tech and have been for over 10 yrs.

Other things to consider:
Will you ever need firewire ( 1394 ) in, or a cardbuss slot for a good audio card?
 
Steve_Karl said:
I totally agree with the quote:
"comparing a Mac and a PC is a lot like comparing gold to copper--copper's cheaper and it has a lot more uses. Go with a PC."

Reaper runs on Win7 64. ( But ... I'm about to install Win7Pro on a new i7 2600K desktop I'm building, and I'll be installing the 32bit version )

I'd avoid Toshiba. Service and support is terrible.

The reason I like Dell is they're very easy to fix or upgrade, and their web support, ( downloading drivers and manuals ) is the best on the planet.
I'm a freelance computer tech and have been for over 10 yrs.

Other things to consider:
Will you ever need firewire ( 1394 ) in, or a cardbuss slot for a good audio card?
Click to expand...

I've been very satisfied with my Dell--especially with not only the online support, but really the build quality of it. There's confidence in the construction, much like a Sony (another brand I'd recommend). I've been skeptical about Toshibas in the past, but if you know your stuff about PCs, and you spend up on one, you'd be okay. For a novice, I agree that the support is shaky.

Also, feel free to use the line about gold and copper in the future. I totally pwned my aunt one time with that quote. She was bragging to my dad once about all of the Apple stuff she has and can do with it, and how she's one of the few people in Wisconsin that gets to trial run beta products, and how she's met Steve Jobs and blah blah blah... I told her that I can do much more with my PC than she could with her Mac, and she said the usual apples and oranges line. I snapped back with mine, and it took her by such a suprise I got a laugh out of my dad, my uncle and even my grandpa. When the hand you've been dealt in life is aces and eights, you take a victory whenever you can.
 
DangerousByUberschnozz said:
I'm currently looking at a lenovo w520, customized
Click to expand...

I bought my son a lenovo 520 when he went to college last year. I've used t61's for years. They are built like tanks. You can configure them however you like. They are the Warmoth of laptops. Expect it to last a long time.

 
The R series is no slouch either. It is cheapened up, but in ways that the performance and essential components aren't compromised from the T series. For example, The T series uses an aluminum structure frame for added internal support and to absorb shocks easier. The R series uses a magnesium alloy structure frame. It costs less to manufacture, but at the same time, you would be able to drop your T series ThinkPad from a few inches higher than your R series Thinkpad. The magenesium never had the flex that the aluminum had, but at the same time, when you're using your computer like a human being, you really wouldn't bump into issues. The other big thing that brought the cost down on the R series was that they were never installed with the fingerprint scanner. . You could order them, and I think the newest models have them, now that the cost has come down so much on them, but it was a special request. At the same time, you had the same system board for both versions, the same hard drives, processors, what have you Think of it the way Chevrolet had their full-size car lineup back in the mid-to-late sixties. You had your Bel Air (R series), your Impala (T series) and your Caprice (X series). I can't remember what would be the Biscayne of the Lenovo lineup though.
 
Well, financial situation was a bit shaky, so I had to forgo the Lenovo. I went with an ASUS, which has many of the same specs.
http://www.circuitcity.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=576146&CatId=4938
 
Max said:
Well, financial situation was a bit shaky, so I had to forgo the Lenovo. I went with an ASUS, which has many of the same specs.
http://www.circuitcity.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=576146&CatId=4938
Click to expand...

I thought CIrcuit City went out of business. But like I mentioned to you before--that ASUS has a LOT of chutzpah--it won't let you down.
 
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