THIS THIS THIS. I'm doing this right now. I don't have to ever worry about "Will my box be able to play game X," and my backpack's weight is reduced significantly by only having a netbook. I have an Asus Eee 1015PEM, but I bought that in November - There's definitely something even better by now. I bought this one because of its advertised 8 hour battery life (it only gets 6, but hey, that's way better than any other laptop I've owned).
I just bought a new laptop. Went with a 15" Dell XPS 1502X, and managed to get it down to about $850 (with tax.) I've had it for a few days and it's pretty great so far (at least after I reinstalled Windows to get rid of all the crapware that came on the machine from Dell.)
I'm all for the netbook and desktop combo. If you REALLY need to play pc games on the go, spend a couple hundred extra and buy a higher end netbook with an ION gpu. Those asus 12 inch eeepc's are around $500 and can still run most of the games you'd actually want to play on the go. You can probably get something like that even cheaper.
You all have made me reconsider my plan. I like the idea of having a more upgradable, more powerful desktop, and a more mobile netbook with better battery life. I have a few reservations though. The first is that if I buy a desktop, it will be a pain to transport, meaning I'll have to leave it in my dorm during breaks and holidays. The second is that if I don't want to work in my room, or I want to study elsewhere, then I would have to so using my weaker netbook. Finally, I would need to have some way of synchronizing file between the two computers. It would suck to prepare a presentation on my desktop and get to class only to realize that I don't have access to it.
The first is that if I buy a desktop, it will be a pain to transport, meaning I'll have to leave it in my dorm during breaks and holidays.
What college are you attending? Also, you can build an SFF PC and just bring the box home on break.
The second is that if I don't want to work in my room, or I want to study elsewhere, then I would have to so using my weaker netbook.
You are seriously overestimate the "power" needed to study. I can do everything needed for all of my classes with a netbook, Google Chrome, the proper extensions, and a Google Account (for calendars, Apps, blogging, etc). Soon, Chromebooks will make this even more streamlined.
Finally, I would need to have some way of synchronizing file between the two computers. It would suck to prepare a presentation on my desktop and get to class only to realize that I don't have access to it.
Dropbox, Google Cloud, iCloud. Pick one. Evernote to sync text notes and audionotes.
I'm going to be at Tufts next year. I live in central New Jersey, so it isn't actually that far to bring a medium sized tower. And I'm becoming more and more convinced that building a desktop is the best plan.
I'm going to be at Tufts next year. I live in central New Jersey, so it isn't actually that far to bring a medium sized tower. And I'm becoming more and more convinced that building a desktop is the best plan.
I have friends at Tufts. You shouldn't be worried about a tower getting stolen there. Lock it down if you're paranoid, but if you keep doors shut and locked when you're out of the room, you'll be fine.
Seriously, just build a mid-tower and buy a netbook.
I've been looking at parts for a while and am being drawn to the build outlined here. Considering that I get Windows for only $30 instead of $100, that leaves me a bit of cash for peripherals and a netbook.
That build doesn't include the monitor(s), so you're looking at $1200 for the desktop itself, plenty more if you're investing in a monitor that'll actually let you utilize the high-powered graphics. I dunno what your budget is, but you might be better off with a cheaper build, maybe an AMD processor since it's waay cheaper than Intel (and not much worse), lower graphics, less RAM, and maybe drop the SSD too. SSDs are nice and all, but if your budget is in any way an issue, RAID is cheaper and more reliable.
I agree, the SSD is a bit unnecessary at my budget. Assuming that none of the rebates pan out, and that I cut the SSD, I'm looking at $797 for the computer sans keyboard, mouse, monitor and speakers. For $170 I can get this monitor which brings my total up to $967. Now assuming I spent $25 on a mouse and keyboard, and buy some speakers on sale, I am spending just over one grand. If the rebates pan out, I could be paying as low as $920ish.
Lenovo seems to have a pretty sweet Labor Day sale going. As in, the X220 is under $900. Severely tempted, because my old laptop is starting to get long in the tooth.
For $200 bucks thats not bad, but I would probably spend more than that. You really do get what you pay for. If you go the netbook route, the higher end eeepc's are where its at. I really like some of their 12 inch models with ion graphics and 6 hour battery lives. If you really want battery life you could get a lower end basic eeepc that has like 11 hours but I don't know if it would be enough for what you want. I really want an X220 with the battery slab so I have 20-some hours of battery life. The Alienware m11x's are nice too if you want something small, powerful and shiny for around the same price.
I made more money than I expected to this summer. I should pick up the battery slice.
Gamers: Do not underestimate the X220. It only weighs 2.5-3lbs with the 29++ battery, 3.5 with the battery slice. It will, however, still run Bad Company 2. I haven't tried DX:HR yet, but I'm betting that I can run it on low settings.
I made more money than I expected to this summer. I should pick up the battery slice.
Gamers: Do not underestimate the X220. It only weighs 2.5-3lbs with the 29++ battery, 3.5 with the battery slice. It will, however, still run Bad Company 2. I haven't tried DX:HR yet, but I'm betting that I can run it on low settings.
Really? The integrated Intel card can play a modern game? Are you serious?
Yeah. It's not a bad card at all. I was really surprised at the results.
EDIT: Correction. The physics engine in BC2 really thrashes the framerate, so the game is unplayable once you get into combat (just tried it out; previously, I'd only really loaded the game to see if it would ever run). However, the fact that BC2 will even boot is pretty impressive; stuff like HL2, CS:S, and the Portals probably won't be a problem. I must conduct further tests for science.
I have a problem. We (meaning the parents collectively) are looking into getting my son's day care center a laptop. They use it for collecting pictures which they then can show/give the parents at annual teacher-parent conversations. The one they have right now for this use is so old and busted that they are actually using several of the teachers' personal laptops.
Anywho, main point: it will not be used for anything even remotely processor intensive. And the people using it are mainly not geeks.
Normally in this circumstance I would just suggest ponying up the money for an 11 inch Macbook Air and enjoying the best effing (non-geek) consumer laptop ever made. However, there is the problem of the other parents which makes a) the price an issue, and b) the brand an issue. Remember that this is Finland, birthplace of Linux and Nokia, and more than one of the parents are just neckbeardy enough to resist the fruit logo out of principle.
TL;DR: Need sub $500 laptop that does not completely suck ass, are there any?
They use the laptop to collect pictures... Why do they even need a laptop? Just get an Eye-Fi card for their digital camera. It can automatically upload the photos to Flickr or Picasa or whatever. Then parents can just go look at the photos on their own computers.
If you insist on not changing the solution, there are Thinkpad Netbooks such as the X100E. I know some people who run Ubuntu on them as their primary machines for all their dev work and such.
Also, is it really that neckbeardy in Finland? Dayum.
As Scott says, if it's just for collecting pictures then you don't even need a laptop at all. If you don't need any real power at all, a netbook is also a fine choice, since it's cheap and portable.
At the moment, I have a ThinkPad Edge E320 which was ~$500 new and it's okay. Mind you, it's a ThinkPad in name only, but if you're okay with 13" and it's available then it's a decent choice.
Also, this forum is not bad when it comes to notebook recommendations.
They use the laptop to collect pictures... Why do they even need a laptop? Just get an Eye-Fi card for their digital camera. It can automatically upload the photos to Flickr or Picasa or whatever. Then parents can just go look at the photos on their own computers.
It is illegal for the day care staff to upload pictures of the kids.
Also, is it really that neckbeardy in Finland? Dayum.
The neckbeardyness may be a selection effect. We live in a moderately upscale neighbourhood which implies that people have good jobs which makes it probable that they work in the tech sector. And Nokia is just a matter of national pride, you would not belive the amount of "Nokia is going to pull through" rethoric there is around here. I just hope that the people in the Ministry of Finanace have started plannig on what to do when that company does not provide x% of the nations tax revenue anymore.
Thing is Nokia could very easily stop sucking. That new Lumia is actually pretty nice. All they have to do is sell it with default untouched Android, unlocked, reasonably priced, and deploy updates to the newest Android versions constantly. Too bad they jumped on the sinking Microsoft ship.
Thing is Nokia could very easily stop sucking. That new Lumia is actually pretty nice. All they have to do is sell it with default untouched Android, unlocked, reasonably priced, and deploy updates to the newest Android versions constantly. Too bad they jumped on the sinking Microsoft ship.
Being the home country of the second largest mobile phone vendor in the world, with the greatest market share in the world, I'm probably guessing they are kind of a big deal, yeah. For perspective, Apple holds a 4% market share, global. Nokia holds 22%.
Being the home country of the second largest mobile phone vendor in the world, with the greatest market share in the world, I'm probably guessing they are kind of a big deal, yeah. For perspective, Apple holds a 4% market share, global. Nokia holds 22%.
Not to mention that we're a smaller country than NYC.
Comments
Seriously, just build a mid-tower and buy a netbook.
Gamers: Do not underestimate the X220. It only weighs 2.5-3lbs with the 29++ battery, 3.5 with the battery slice. It will, however, still run Bad Company 2. I haven't tried DX:HR yet, but I'm betting that I can run it on low settings.
EDIT: Correction. The physics engine in BC2 really thrashes the framerate, so the game is unplayable once you get into combat (just tried it out; previously, I'd only really loaded the game to see if it would ever run). However, the fact that BC2 will even boot is pretty impressive; stuff like HL2, CS:S, and the Portals probably won't be a problem. I must conduct further tests for science.
Anywho, main point: it will not be used for anything even remotely processor intensive. And the people using it are mainly not geeks.
Normally in this circumstance I would just suggest ponying up the money for an 11 inch Macbook Air and enjoying the best effing (non-geek) consumer laptop ever made. However, there is the problem of the other parents which makes a) the price an issue, and b) the brand an issue. Remember that this is Finland, birthplace of Linux and Nokia, and more than one of the parents are just neckbeardy enough to resist the fruit logo out of principle.
TL;DR: Need sub $500 laptop that does not completely suck ass, are there any?
If you insist on not changing the solution, there are Thinkpad Netbooks such as the X100E. I know some people who run Ubuntu on them as their primary machines for all their dev work and such.
Also, is it really that neckbeardy in Finland? Dayum.
At the moment, I have a ThinkPad Edge E320 which was ~$500 new and it's okay. Mind you, it's a ThinkPad in name only, but if you're okay with 13" and it's available then it's a decent choice.
Also, this forum is not bad when it comes to notebook recommendations.
Thing is Nokia could very easily stop sucking. That new Lumia is actually pretty nice. All they have to do is sell it with default untouched Android, unlocked, reasonably priced, and deploy updates to the newest Android versions constantly. Too bad they jumped on the sinking Microsoft ship.