Which Laptop

[Steve]

Right, having taken all your good advice in another thread the other day, I've decided to get Windows XP for my new work laptop rather than Vista. So now which one should I get?

It's got to come from [url]www.misco.co.uk[/url] as that's who our office use for such things, and I need two recommendations - one at sub-£700 and one at sub-£850

My initial thoughts are 2GB RAM minimum, Intel processor rather than AMD, Dual Core or better, 2GHz processor speed or more, 100GB HDD or more. I'd like it to run Pheonix sim effortlessly so it needs suitable graphics capabilities.

Apart from the Pheonix sim and Windows XP Proffessional, all of the above is open to negotiation!

Which ones would you consider/recommend?

I'm to place my requests into the office tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.

[Leebert]

Misco were doing some good deals on thier site a while ago.
Dell have been too (under the Small Business section but you don't have to be a business to order from there and you can order via credit card). I think you could pick up a nice one for the money you are thinking about spending. :D
I just ordered a Dell Vostro 1000. Absolutely basic, bottom of the range but for £199 I think I'm getting a bargin!

[Fixxxer]

These would be my choices

[url]http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=288436&CatId=0[/url],
[url]http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=284226&CatId=0[/url]

and for under £850 then this samsung as it has a dedicated graphics controller although it would be wise to up the ram if possible.
[url]http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=282886&CatId=0[/url]

The first one is nice as it's got a 17" screen. Oh and i just looked at those that came with xp.

[Ashley Davis]

I just bought an Acer Gemstone 5920G, very nice spec for the money (£799)

[robgt]

Ditto - except mines the 5720 and was 599 :D
Cheers,
Rob

[Steve]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm struggling with the graphics controller part of the specs. They all say something different, and I have no way of knowing which ones are good enough and which ones aren't.

I'm drawn towards this one [url]http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=290467&CatId=0[/url] and this one [url]http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=288177&CatId=0[/url] with a RAM upgrade to 2GB.

I used to have a Sony Vaio years ago - back in Windows 98 days and was always impressed with the feel of it - the keys always felt good and positive as did the finger pad. Bearing in mind this is a work machine where I'll be doing mainly serious stuff in the office (and lots of it), and then using it for sim at home (or lunch-break!), it needs to have a 'quality' feel to it.

Some of my colleagues at work have Samsungs and Fujitsus, and they all feel awfully cheap under the fingers. The Fujitsus in the office have both lost keys within 6 months of being bought! We also have 1 Acer, and that's not too bad.

Oh, and my price limits are EX VAT!

[Fixxxer]

Excluding VAT, ah you should have said earlier. Personally I'd go with the highest spec Toshiba.

The sony is good but I think it's going to be borrowing it's gfx memory from the system ram and the HP doesn't give a gfx specification. Both are fine power wise with decent bus and memory speeds.

On a side note a quick google seems to suggest that the intel X3100 gfx accelerator in the sony is in the same ball park as an ATI Mobility Radeon X600 or Nvidia Go 7200

[Steve]

Thanks Fixxer, but what I really need to know is - will they run a decent simulator such as Pheonix?

Come on you lot, don't be so uncommittal! :p:p

[Ashley Davis]

Both have integrated intel graphics accelerators which typically take fom your system memory in order to run. This is not desireable for good video performance.

[Steve]

[QUOTE=Ashley Davis;84120]Both have integrated intel graphics accelerators which typically take fom your system memory in order to run. This is not desireable for good video performance.[/QUOTE]

So help me here Ash please, what do I need then (within budget of course)?

[robgt]

The laptop Ash bought is within your budget, and ideal, but the website you have to buy from doesn't appear to sell it!

Doh!
Cheers,
Rob

[Steve]

So what does Ash's laptop have that I need in order to run the sim?

[robgt]

A dedicated graphics card with it's own memory :D
I haven't tried running the sim on mine yet...

Cheers,
Rob

[Steve]

How much of its own memory?

[robgt]

[URL="http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Aspire_5920WSMi_Laptop_LX.AGS0X.015/version-1.asp"]This [/URL]was the Laptop Ash bought :D

I bought [URL="http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Acer_Aspire_5720WLMi_Gemstone_Laptop_LX.AHE0X.154/version-1.asp"]this one[/URL] :D
Cheers,
Rob