What do you know about notebook computers?

[Pbartender]

So, I was thinking of picking up a small, inexpensive notebook computer for myself for Christmas this year.

I've started doing my research early, since I haven't really dealt with laptops or other portable computers before. What advice can you guys give me? What do I need to know before I choose one?

 

[tdewitt274]

Depends what you're going to use it for. If you're going to use it to surf the web, check your mail, and do some spreadsheets, go with the cheapest that has the most hard drive space (min 1 GB RAM, 2 is better).

If you're planning on gaming, that's a whole different story (mostly left to a desktop PC).

 

[fba827]

yeah, kind of what tdewitt274 already started with ... but

1) decide what your main purpose will be - gaming laptop? all purpose laptop too replace your desktop computer? just check email/web when on the go? etc -- your needed specs on the thing will vary greatly for either of those situations

2) decide what you 'might' want to use it for (this helps determine your "would be nice to have ad ons but nothing you're willing to break the bank for)

3) do you have specific needs - for instance, if you're working or in school and plan to use it for that if there is some special program or system that you need to have on it

but here are some general things.
*ram is good, 2gb seems to be a popular number these days. but you can get away with less if you're just using it for checking email/web on the go
*wireless card, just seems to be a must-have in this day and age.
*network port just in case you have a wired network at home/etc and that'll always be faster than using the wireless if given the option
*a couple usb ports are good
*a usb mouse might be good to have just in case you will be sitting somewhere for a while and want to get comfortable without using the built-in mousepad
* don't get any fancy drives that you won't need (for instance, if you don't need a 3.5 floppy drive -- if they even make them any more -- or a separate blueray drive then don't get it) -- added weight from drives. It may be a fraction of a pound here and there, but it will add up, especially when you have to carry it distances/frequently.
*if you're using it a lot then a larger screen is good (because that leads to a larger keyboard - depending on how small/big your fingers are which in turn leads to more comfort when using it for prolonged periods of time (or else pluf your regular desktop usb-connected keyboard in to it if you're going to use the laptop for a long time; your need for that will vary depending on how comfortable your hands are for the laptop's keyboard size)

that's all i can think of at the moment without knowing what you plan on using it for ..

 

[Hand of Evil]

as above

Also, think about how long can you go between charges. Also, if you figure this is not going to be a primary PC, think about NetBooks.

If you decide this is a primary PC, look into getting a docking station.

 

[drothgery]

Basically you can trade performance for battery life, size / weight, and/or cost.

You can trade screen size for size/weight and battery life, and by moving to more mainstream sizes, for cost.

 

[tdewitt274]

One thing to keep in mind with NetBooks is that they do not have an optical drive. So, installing software would require another purchase of an external disc drive ($90 last I checked, but this was long ago). At this price, it's worth getting a Laptop instead.

I usually rule out NetBooks because of the drive. If all I was using it for was gaming (D&D), viewing PDFs and email/web, then a NetBook makes sense. Until programs are installed on SD Cards or USB Drives, I can't justify a NetBook for a main computer.

 

[Pbartender]

If all I was using it for was gaming (D&D), viewing PDFs and email/web, then a NetBook makes sense.

This is mainly what I'd be using it for... An extra portable computer for Email/web while traveling, and secondarily D&D stuff. Portability is the main benefit for me. This would definitely not be a primary computer. I've already got a decent desktop for gaming and stuff like that.

Okay, a more specific question regarding the netbooks...

At home, I've got our computer hooked up into our own little wireless network (also with the possibility of a direct connection to the hub via cable). Is it possible (presuming the netbook has the appropriate hardware) to connect into the network, and have the netbook use the PC's optical drives? In other words, can a netbook use a desktop as an external drive through a network?

 

[tdewitt274]

In other words, can a netbook use a desktop as an external drive through a network?

I don't doubt it. I've never tried it, but essentially it should be the same as connecting (sharing) a network drive. It should act the same for installing programs.

 

[Merkuri]

At home, I've got our computer hooked up into our own little wireless network (also with the possibility of a direct connection to the hub via cable). Is it possible (presuming the netbook has the appropriate hardware) to connect into the network, and have the netbook use the PC's optical drives? In other words, can a netbook use a desktop as an external drive through a network?

I have a small tablet laptop at home that I use when I travel. It has no optical drive.

You can share a CD/DVD drive from one machine and read from it on another machine, but this can sometimes be slow depending on your network.

What I usually do when I want to install software on this laptop is I copy the files from the CD/DVD either onto my desktop's hard drive and then use the network to copy it to the laptop, or I'll copy it directly from the remotely shared CD/DVD drive. Then once the contents of the CD are copied to the laptop's hard drive I'll install it from there.

This is not always easy. Sometimes the installer program won't find what it needs unless it's in the root directory of the drive it's on (like it is when it's directly in a CD/DVD drive). I've gotten around that by either taking the slow route and using the shared CD/DVD drive from another PC directly over the network or by the somewhat roundabout method of sharing a folder on the laptop and mapping it as a network drive so that it appears like its own drive.

And sometimes (mostly with computer games) even once you get it installed the program will insist on making sure the disk is in the drive on the computer before it'll run, which is, of course, impossible. The type of information it's looking for cannot be copied. There's no way around this short of the legally questionable act of "cracking" the program so that it won't do this check.

So, yes, it's possible, but there are some caveats to it.

 

[Psionicist]

I've heard great things about Samsung NC20 (I think that's the name). It's in that gray area between "netbook" and "notebook". Should be perfect for internet, watching movies etc.