Buying laptop... need component advice.

mlevy · 01 Sep 2010

I happen to have an HP DV6 laptop, bought from BB in December. Overall, I'm pleased with it, but if i had waited I could have gotten a Core i5 instead of the C2D I got. Mine is loaded with 6 GB memory and a 500 GB 7200 RPM HDD. Heat? When it's on my lap and running flash games in the browser it gets WARM (~50°C), otherwise heat is not an issue. Keep in mind, my system has integrated graphics, the only games I play are ones that aren't power-hungry by any means. Performing comparable tasks on the laptop and desktop, it seems like there's little difference.

Regarding HP in general. My sister had one (that is now my mom's) for 3 years, she had issues with the wireless after Windows updates. Turns out there was a "silent recall" on her model. She sent it in for repair, using a box HP sent her, and when it returned she had a new MB with discreet graphics (rather than the integrated it had when she shipped it in) and a new power adapter, all at no cost even beyond the warranty. My dad and I bought ours at the same time, neither of us has had any issues, knock on wood, but it's nice to know there's a chance they'll take care of it if there is a problem. I'm still considering buying the 2-year extended warranty through HP since I can order service parts and repair it myself since I have HP APS certs.

FYI, between Intel and AMD, I've stuck with AMD on my gaming systems and have been pleased. On my current gaming system I can run a virus scan and play MW2 at the same time, same goes for doing a backup, it just charges through. I've seen no need for more performance than I currently have.

VulcanSoulPatch · 01 Sep 2010

mlevy, thanks for the info. I went perusing BB and Office Depot in depth last night, and came up with a few Toshiba options, per whs, but honestly nothing can compare to the value of what I can get at HP with their current promos, esp. since it is hard to find a preconfig'd i5 with all of the following: 8GB RAM; a 500GB HDD that runs at 7200rpm rather than 5400rpm; discrete gfx that are actually worth anything over the integrated; a decent sized battery. And the only decent Toshi at OD happens to be an i7-720...

. I am still going to stop by in-store to see what the offerings are like, but being as frugal as I am, it will be a tough call.

Along the lines of your sister's experience, my father-in-law bought a Compaq in 2007 and in 2009 there was a battery recall (due to overheating). Since it was out of warranty, I believe they could have just advised to buy a new battery, but they replaced it for free. Granted, it sucks there was a recall in the first place, but at least they are doing right by their customers.

Then there is the fact that my work has moved from Dell to HP laptops. Now, I know my work purchasing dept are not the sharpest tools in the drawer (they often make very insipid decisions), HP can't be all that bad if they are purchasing them company-wide and will be surveying all other computers within a few months (leaving us high and dry if the lappys fail).

But I know the drill, if I do go with HP, don't come running back here crying when it turns into "Horse Poo".

VSP

whs · 01 Sep 2010

1. I would not buy a VIAO because I think they are overpriced. But they are very good laptops indeed.
2. The higher RPM may make a little difference in terms of heat, but the biggest difference is in terms of noise.
3. The Seagate Momentus seems to be a very fine disk. But my knowledge is only from a couple of test reports. It looks like it is faster than standard HDDs. But here again, it is a spinning disk and the heat problem is probably the same as with any other. Reports though said that the 7200 is very quiet.
4. AMD has some nice recent CPUs. But the ones I looked at were high end desktop models (e.g. the 6 core). I know little about their recent laptop models. But there seem to be some nice ones in the Turion X2 Ultra series.