Shopping for a new laptop...

honey

honey

Active member
Well my laptop bit the dust just as I was getting ready to start shooting a ~45min feature. I'm shooting in SD and was planning on editing in vegas 7 on my laptop. It's sort of a mixed blessing cause my machine was a few years old and might have been a little sluggish.

What specs should I look for in shopping for a new laptop? Anyone have any specific suggestions?
 
Check out the systems available from Boxx Technologies. They build really outstanding production-suitable machines; since I stopped building my own systems I haven't bought from anyone else.

Typing this on a GoBoxx W2500 3GHz quad-core. A very suitable machine for editing...
 
Sad Max said:
Check out the systems available from Boxx Technologies. They build really outstanding production-suitable machines; since I stopped building my own systems I haven't bought from anyone else.

Typing this on a GoBoxx W2500 3GHz quad-core. A very suitable machine for editing...
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I'll definitely check it out. I'm just editing SD, how much power do you think I need? I wasn't planning on buying a new machine at all, so this is sort of an unexpected expense.
 
Well...Boxx does build professional systems, which can get pricey. Although I think that as an existing customer if I refer you they might cut you a discount.

Check out their site, see what you think and if you're interested I'll find out if there's anything I can do to sweeten the deal.
 
Rick Meyer said:
Wowieee, they are pricey! no?
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what max looks like in real life...
monopoly-man.gif
 
...it always depends upon what you're using the equipment for. A system like the one I mentioned pays for itself in a week, on the right show - and, more important, having the right kind of equipment fit can be very important in getting that right show...
 
I am looking for a new laptop too... just want to do Photoshop, watch streaming video, and writing.

But I don't want a Netbook.
 
Lenovo has enjoyed a good rep for a long time but from what I'm hearing from a number of people I know their quality - and especially their customer service - has suffered horribly since they went Chinese...
 
Sad Max said:
Lenovo has enjoyed a good rep for a long time but from what I'm hearing from a number of people I know their quality - and especially their customer service - has suffered horribly since they went Chinese...
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What have you heard about Acer?
 
I don't have direct experience with Acer products but from what I have heard their quality/service is not stellar either.

Before switching to Boxx I bought my notebook machines from Dell. I always had good experience with Dell equipment and support, but I know people who have complained about them, too...

...I think that for anyone who can swing it Boxx and similar professional-grade providers are the way to go. You do get what you pay for, with those guys...
 
Sad Max said:
Before switching to Boxx I bought my notebook machines from Dell. I always had good experience with Dell equipment and support, but I know people who have complained about them, too...
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This is a good and helpful topic. Finding a good computer brand that can be had for a reasonable price is difficult to find.

Lenovo? I've heard were fairly solid. As well as Toshiba.

I am one of those "Dell" guys. To me, its not enough to have decent service (that should be a given) and a reasonably priced unit but I think a computer should do what it says it can. And, I know I've complained about this with Dell before but since it's being brought up...my laptop has been a solid performer for the most part. I've had it for a few years and it starts fine and the service was good when I was under warranty. But, it has never performed up to its spec sheet. Ever. I couldn't edit anything. And, the disk drive is sloooooow. It can take 45minutes to burn a disc that would take 6 minutes on my desktop (which is older and has lower specs, btw).

I guess what this amounts to is that Desktop computers when stacked against similarly spec'ed laptops are always going to be more robust. That, or the components that Dell puts in their computers leave something to be desired. Unfortunately, the best way to go is to build your own but as far as I know, you can't do that with laptops yet.

HP? I've heard lousy things about them too. In fact, I don't know of any universally reknown PC-laptop (or desktop for that matter) brands. Just individual accounts which vary.
 
My last two laptops have been Sony VAIO they have a great customer support system and other than dropping my laptop I really haven't had problems with it.

For some reason I just want to stick with Sony.
 
Does anyone know the difference between the processors out on the market right now?

Intel® Pentium® processor T4400
Features an 800MHz system bus, 2MB cache and 2.1GHz processor speed.

AMD Athlon™ II dual-core processor M300*
Features 2.0GHz processor speed, 667MHz system bus and 1MB L2 cache.

AMD Turion™ II dual-core mobile processor M500*
For enhanced performance in an ultrathin, ultramobile laptop.

  • System Bus
    800MHz
  • Cache Memory
    1MB on die Level 2
Processor Speed
2.2GHz


I'm assuming that I'll be able to plug a firewire card into any of these. But I see now that none of these machines have PCMCIA slots (and obviously no firewire ports) so I guess I'd be out of luck with firewire right?




The three machines I picked for examples are linked below ($460-570)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+...atte/9717814.p?id=1218158732993&skuId=9717814

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway...rown/9732686.p?id=1218162981351&skuId=9732686

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway...lack/9739334.p?id=1218164387626&skuId=9739334
 
Okay forget the processor nonsense.

Does anyone know if I can connect firewire to a normal $500-600 laptop?
 
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