Buying A Laptop

[davejonesbkk]

Hi I'm getting a laptop soon and I've never owned one before so I have a few Q's:

1/ The main reason I'm getting this laptop is to use it in wi-fi spots to do work so what do I need? Can I just buy a wireless USB modem and just plug it into a usb port and then get a net connection?

2/ How about the spec? I only need this for using the web (but with multiple tabs open in Firefox) and office programs....

I think thats everything, if there's anything else that i need to look out for when purchasing a laptop then please let me know.

David

[tingtong]

hi

1/ you dont need usb wireless modem, as all the laptops now come wiht built-in wireless.

2/ if you dont like much more than to use web, then basically any cheaper should do. there are plenty to choose in the 20-30k baht price range.

i like ASUS, and would advice to check them out. when something goes wrong, it is good that it comes with 2 YEARS warranty. ( not many brand do that!)

[Firefoxx]

1. As said above. Wireless is standard on all laptops sold now.

2. Nearly all new laptops, regardless of the specs, will satisfy your needs. Just be sure that your needs will never change, since laptop internals can't be changed (with a few exceptions, like RAM and harddisk), unlike desktops. Cheap laptops can't play 3D games (which nearly all modern games are), are pretty slow at multimedia, and can't multitask very well.

Warranties vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even from model to model. Many offer extended warranties of perhaps 3 years, which is really the usable life of a laptop. Keep in mind that when paying for low-tier laptops, you aren't going to get much, so don't expect much. When getting a laptop, don't fret about the memory too much, since it's easy and cheap to upgrade (1GB costs roughly 1k baht), and you should upgrade anyways to at least 1GB.

[nikster]

"Any machine speed will do"

But there is one caveat - Vista is going to be slow if you get less than 2GB RAM.

[crabstix]

Many of the Fujitsu laptops have 3 year warrantees. It seems that your needs are fairly basic and you are quite fortunate that most laptops will serve those purposes. However it is important to consider whether you will be moving around a lot with your laptop. If so, weight will most certainly be an important factor. 2.44kg is standard these days but I would recommend a 2kg laptop if you will travel a lot. In general, the lighter the laptop, the more cramped the keyboard will be and screen size will be smaller.

If you are only occasionally travelling with it, then go for a screen larger screen and heavier laptop. These will usually be cheaper and more comfortable to use. I love a big keyboard and big screen. Nice for sufing, more durable,bang for the buck, and less neck pain. Just be sure not to drop it!

[davejonesbkk]

Im planning on sticking to Windows XP...is that possible or do i have to get Vista now?

I will be traveling a bit but mainly in taxis so weight shouldn't be an issue just as long as its not a breeze block.

I think I saw one in a mall for about 17k with 2gig of RAM so might go for that...

Thanks,

David

[tingtong]

possible to use XP. some still comes with it, some with Vista, some with Linus, and again, I found some they sale without any pre-installed.

[nikster]

No problem to get XP in Thailand... businesses for the most part still run XP so hardware support - drivers and such - should not be a problem either.

[Firefoxx]

The main problem about getting XP vs Vista is whether the laptop manufacturer will provide you with XP drivers or not. Nearly all new laptops will come with Vista drivers *only*. Some brands will have XP drivers available on their website, some won't, and you'll have to search on your own. Mine didn't have XP drivers at all, on the disc or website, and I didn't want to spend hours searching for alternatives which might or might not work, so I just installed Vista.

For the RAM, I already did mention that you should install as much ram as you can. Applies to both XP and Vista... XP will be a dog on a notebook with 512MB.

A laptop for only 17k with 2GB of ram? Sounds mighty fishy.