Laptop Advice

Mr.Craig · December 30, 2012, 05:40:46 PM

I'm thinking about sending my old Toshiba L500 2.1GHz 320gig out to pasture and just wanted some advice on my next purchase. Basically the issue I'm having is space and processing power. I've got an external HD and have dumped as much as I can on there but even so, with a considerable itunes library and a photo collection I don't want to store away things are tight. She doesn't run that smootly at the best of times and it gets frustrating when it takes 30-60 seconds just for an application to open. I know buying some more ram might be an option but I think I'm set on getting a new machine.

I don't watch a lot of streaming video, I don't play any performance hungry games. Basically I just need a bigger storage space and some more fire power for times such as when I've got 2 or 3 FF game tabs open, DT site open and am Facebook/Googling all at once. I have mobile broadband and recently upgraded my USB to help at that end but I feel like the old girl is holding me back a bit.

My budget is only $600 max so I was looking at this -

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/hp-pavilion-g6-2231tu-laptop.html

I think I'm pretty set on getting that one but if you have any thoughts/advice that would be great. :)

kilbluff1985 · December 30, 2012, 05:55:13 PM

how much storage are you currently using?

i get all my pc stuff from these guys http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/laptops-c-100_119.html?sort=3a

i think there prices are good if you live near a store you could go in tell them what you need your laptop to do and they will suggest a good one

harvey norman are fairly expensive imo

Mr.Craig · December 30, 2012, 05:59:20 PM

From the 284gig of available space I have 25gig left but it's got down as low as 10gig at times.

tbagrocks · December 30, 2012, 06:02:46 PM

HN are very expensive, Office Works are good value

Mr.Craig · December 30, 2012, 06:06:25 PM

Quote from: tbagrocks on December 30, 2012, 06:02:46 PM
HN are very expensive, Office Works are good value

Normally they are but I've done some price comparisons with similar machines and in this case it looks well priced.

Mr.Craig · December 30, 2012, 06:14:07 PM

Interestingly I currently have 4GB of RAM and this new one does to (as do most around that price point). Just a question of if the processor is really going to give me a noticable performance increase.

Intel Pentium 2.1GHz vs Intel Core i5 2.5GHz... :-\

kilbluff1985 · December 30, 2012, 06:38:38 PM

Intel Pentium 2.1GHz vs Intel Core i5 2.5GHz.

the red is the bit that matters as much as i can tell with laptops, how much more stuff do you think you are going to put on it? if you think you wont use 500gb then don't get one with 750gb

not sure how big your current external HDD is but you can get 500gb external drives for $50 these days

but really you could walk into a shop tell them what you want a laptop for and your budget and they could assist you

Capper · December 30, 2012, 06:59:57 PM

Dell have some decent machines at Dell.com.au for about $600. Check them out

Mr.Craig · December 30, 2012, 07:05:28 PM

Quote from: kilbluff1985 on December 30, 2012, 06:38:38 PM
Intel Pentium 2.1GHz vs Intel Core i5 2.5GHz.

the red is the bit that matters as much as i can tell with laptops, how much more stuff do you think you are going to put on it? if you think you wont use 500gb then don't get one with 750gb

not sure how big your current external HDD is but you can get 500gb external drives for $50 these days

but really you could walk into a shop tell them what you want a laptop for and your budget and they could assist you

I have a 500gig external HD, haven't checked recently but I'd say it's about 1/3 full. The i5 sounds like it would be enough for all my needs and the 2.5GHz can be boosted to 3.1GHz when necessary. I went to the intel site where you could compare the stats for my old processor and the i5 3210M and it all looked good as you'd expect, it's just hard for me as a layperson to translate that to what the increased performance might be.

I guess with the difference in clock speeds and various improvements I'd be hoping for something around the 25% to 30% mark in terms of improved performance to make it worth my while.

pyronerd · December 30, 2012, 08:56:25 PM

Quote from: Mr.Craig on December 30, 2012, 07:05:28 PM
Quote from: kilbluff1985 on December 30, 2012, 06:38:38 PM
Intel Pentium 2.1GHz vs Intel Core i5 2.5GHz.

the red is the bit that matters as much as i can tell with laptops, how much more stuff do you think you are going to put on it? if you think you wont use 500gb then don't get one with 750gb

not sure how big your current external HDD is but you can get 500gb external drives for $50 these days

but really you could walk into a shop tell them what you want a laptop for and your budget and they could assist you

I have a 500gig external HD, haven't checked recently but I'd say it's about 1/3 full. The i5 sounds like it would be enough for all my needs and the 2.5GHz can be boosted to 3.1GHz when necessary. I went to the intel site where you could compare the stats for my old processor and the i5 3210M and it all looked good as you'd expect, it's just hard for me as a layperson to translate that to what the increased performance might be.

I guess with the difference in clock speeds and various improvements I'd be hoping for something around the 25% to 30% mark in terms of improved performance to make it worth my while.

an i5 is plenty if you aren't going to be doing any high-end stuff on your computer.

4gb RAM should also be enough as without running anything mega resource intensive (or having like 40 web browser tabs open at once :P) as you probably won't max it out

Master Q · December 31, 2012, 12:01:30 AM

Have you looked at the Dell Inspirons? If you cut down your RAM to 2GB you could get a bigger hard drive (1TB?), but I guess your machine would be very strong heading into the future.

I have a Dell Studio 1555 from Jan 2010 and it keeps up to date with most of today's laptops... 4GB and 500GB hard drive with Intel Core 2 Duo Processor...

JBs-Hawks · December 31, 2012, 02:23:05 AM

Just bought a cheapo laptop with my Xmas money after my last one died about a year ago. Windows 8 will be the death of me biggest piece of shower ever.

pyronerd · December 31, 2012, 11:56:43 AM

Quote from: JBs-Hawks on December 31, 2012, 02:23:05 AM
Just bought a cheapo laptop with my Xmas money after my last one died about a year ago. Windows 8 will be the death of me biggest piece of shower ever.

windows logic

let's take windows XP, make it look better but perform showerly, then release a whole new OS that fixes the problems but makes more, then let's put a tablet-style OS on a PC

::)

Master Q · December 31, 2012, 01:08:30 PM

Quote from: JBs-Hawks on December 31, 2012, 02:23:05 AM
Just bought a cheapo laptop with my Xmas money after my last one died about a year ago. Windows 8 will be the death of me biggest piece of shower ever.

Should of asked for Windows 7...

JBs-Hawks · December 31, 2012, 01:09:23 PM

Quote from: Master Q on December 31, 2012, 01:08:30 PM
Quote from: JBs-Hawks on December 31, 2012, 02:23:05 AM
Just bought a cheapo laptop with my Xmas money after my last one died about a year ago. Windows 8 will be the death of me biggest piece of shower ever.
Should of asked for Windows 7...

I have no idea when it comes to computers but have a mate coming around to put windows 7 on for me soon