I've currently got a Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop. Celeron 866 CPU, 256mb of RAM, and a GeForce 2 go video card.
I'd like to get 1.5ghz minimum, 512 of ram, and (this is the big one) I would really, really, really like to get one with the pointing stick thingy in between the G/H/B keys. I hate the touchpads, and an exterior mouse is annoying and bulky to cart around with the system. The Inspiron I have now has the pointing stick, and I love it.
I would like to go with a brand new system, so I am hoping to avoid eBay or places like that. My spending limit is around $2500, though I'd prefer to spend around 1500-2000.
Can anyone advise me as to a good route to go looking?
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith
If not, I might be able to whitebox a laptop together through one of my suppliers... *shrug* dunno though.
Lucky for you, IBM laptops rock ass, provided you're not looking for a desktop replacement. You probably want something in either the T or X lines.
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Alidane wrote, obviously thinking too hard:
As far as I know, IBM is the only laptop manufacturer that still comes with the pointing stick...nubbin...trackpoint...whatever you wanna call it.Lucky for you, IBM laptops rock ass, provided you're not looking for a desktop replacement. You probably want something in either the T or X lines.
What I need is a laptop to be primarily used as a mobile chat station (AIM, IRC, MSN), and secondarily as a download/media station, with games coming in at a distant 3rd.
When the lappy is on, it's always running IRC/MSN/AIM. But I know that any laptop I get can handle that much no problems. The reason I'm looking for something with a bit of power is so it can be running torrents, and so it can watch DIVX and XVID files without de-syncing video and audio (As my current one does). I play my games on the desktop, but I often download smaller games to dink around with on the lappy (IE : Gunbound, PSO, flash games, etc... nothing like HL2 or Bards Tale or WoW).
In regards to the IBM Lappies, the X series has 12.1" screens, so I'll probably end up going with the T series for the 15" monitor. What kinds of suggestions can you make to me? 
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Khyron painfully thought these words up:
In regards to the IBM Lappies, the X series has 12.1" screens, so I'll probably end up going with the T series for the 15" monitor. What kinds of suggestions can you make to me?
I wrote a bunch of stuff but it was mostly wrong. Just go build one yourself. Make sure to get a screen that has a higher res than 1024x768, get a gig of RAM, and don't worry about processor speed overly much--my 1.3GHz Pentium M has no problem playing large DivX files while running multiple torrents (it's running gentoo, though). Alidane fucked around with this message on 09-04-2005 at 12:16 AM.
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Alidane had this to say about Captain Planet:
Other note I just thought of: don't shell out the money for a mobile DVD burner unless you're DEAD SET on one (they're expensive), and I'd suggest looking into an external drive if you want a lot of HDD storage. You won't have any problem watching videos off of it or anything.
Right now I'm running a 40 gig drive and it's got more than enough space for what I'm using it for. I'm using a 15" screen with a weird resolution (1400x1050), hopefully the IBM ones use the same resolution with the same size of monitors.
I don't need a burner at all - I use the PC to burn everything, the laptop just needs to be able to play CD's and DVD's. If I want to back up data, it gets shunted across the network to the PC anyways, so...
On the down side, Dells Tech support has gotten even worse over the last couple years. It is now impossible to get anyone that speaks english as a first language.
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Nobody really understood why Khyron wrote:
and an exterior mouse is annoying and bulky to cart around with the system.
Have you seen the mice they have available for laptops? They are no bigger than the palm of your hand, have retractable cords, and are optical, withscrollwheels. I mean, if you carry a laptop bag of some sort, they'll easily fit into a pocket with your power cord, and if not, they'll fit in your pocket like a pocket knife.
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This insanity brought to you by Khyron:
Right now I'm running a 40 gig drive and it's got more than enough space for what I'm using it for. I'm using a 15" screen with a weird resolution (1400x1050), hopefully the IBM ones use the same resolution with the same size of monitors.
Yea, there's 15" 1024x768 and 15" 1400x1050 available.
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Kegwen got all f'ed up on Angel Dust and wrote:
Please note that Pentium M (Centrino) is a must. It outclasses the Pentium 4 and has much lower power consumption and better battery life. Basically there is no reason to get any other laptop processor unless you really, really hate Intel.
I'm curious as to how good AMD's turion line is.
If you want a nice bag, look for something made by Trager Outfitters. I spent 150 on mine and it rocks hard. I bought it at Tom Bihn. It has a nice small case that can slip into another protected compartment in the big one. I can get pictures later.
