I need a new laptop... suggestions?

[Mike]

Tim your assumptions about Asus is 100% correct they make good shit!

[cna]

I like Asus have build few pc's using there mother boards there reliable  , but buying new laptop comes down to his needs and now adays its a long term investment  stick to your price range and most times you get what you pay for.

[striktlyaccord]

I've been happy with my Asus.  It's a netbook, but it works well for what it's intended for.  I know a lot of computer guys that prefer Asus because they manufacture a lot of the parts that most other companies put in their machines.  I am however not a computer guy, so this should be taken with a grain of salt.

Sorry, can't do netbooks because I need a CD/DVD drive and as many usb ports as possible.

Bill:  Yeh, maybe I'm wrong in saying that a Windows-based PC can get the OSX operating system put onto it, but thanks for confirming that a Mac can get Windows put on it.  "Bootcamp" is what I've read about before, and it's a neat idea.  I've never heard of the Parallel method.  I've used Windows XP for years, but it might be cool to see how Windows 7 runs.

I think my biggest obstacle now is to figure out out of all of the programs I've bought and use regularly at this point, if any of them are "Windows-only" applications, because than I'd have to repurchase some stuff for a Mac if I decide to go that route.  I figure that most programs nowadays are cross-compatible though... I hope.  Buying all new software would suck ass.

[timot_one]

Dave, I was just pointing out that my Asus is a netbook and not a laptop.  It was just to point out that it is only used for basic functions.  I primarily use my MacBook for most of the stuff I do that is not work related.  Going on what Bill said, I ran Windows XP on Boot Camp and with Parallels on my MacBook.  I prefer Parallels because it is less cumbersome and I can switch from browsing with Safari on the OSX (which I'm more comfortable with) to Kpro running on XP.  It's a lot easier than booting between two different operating systems. 

[striktlyaccord]

^ Is Kpro a Windows-only program?

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

Dave, Acer is a good laptop company as well, so you could look into them. I've never owned a Toshiba, but if you got that much life out of yours, then I would turn back to them.

As far as the software compatibility between what you have now and what you'll be getting, I don't think it matters what kind of processor you get in your new laptop. What programs do you use on a regular basis? I could look up and see if they will work with Windows 7.

Personally, I wouldn't waste your time switching to Mac. You've got a setup that you've been used to for so long, why change it now? Plus, you're going to be paying a shitload more money for an Apple product.
My girlfriend has a MacBook, and she bought iLife '11. She went to go load it up, and it was like "Fuck you, you're not running the latest version of our software, which will cost you moar monies. " So she had to go out and buy Snow Leopard just to install iLife. I was reading through the new features in Snow Leopard, and there were like 5 things total. All Apple has to do is change the name of their OS, and bam, it's something new. /rant

So, check out Toshiba, Acer, and Asus. Those are all really good laptop brands. HP is okay, but I absolutely hate how they bloat up Windows with their shit. Their computers would run so much faster on a clean install of Win7. IIRC, Gateway is basically a clone of Acer as well.

[timot_one]

Yes, K Poo is a Windows only program.

Jeff, I feel your pain and totally agree with you.  It's fucking bullshit.  That is the main reason why I do not consider myself a "mac guy".  As much as I like their stuff, I'm not that brand loyal.

[cna]

Once you go mac you"ll never go back lol i use linux and i use wine for my windows apps which isn't that many and i also been on the bandwagon with cloud computing so no matter what i choose to use i have accese to all my files form anywhere  > have you decided what your top choices models are yet?

[Mike]

Please don't even say HP Jeff. I had my old one fixed twice then replaced then fixed two more times. I'm using a dell now, and I've been impressed but, its only 6 months old so I don't anticipate issues in that short a span. I have to say that the IBM/Lenovo Laptops I get from work seem bullet proof.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

I'm surprised, because my family has owned nothing but HP for years, and we've never had hardware failures. However, they all ran slow as shit because of all the bloatware.

[CYANiDE]

If you went so far with a Toshiba, I'd suggest you go back to them and look at a similar product.

I have an HP laptop now, and I just hate how heavy it is, but love everything else about it.

[alpha]

Once you go mac you"ll never go back

haha..  but i disagree..  I, for one example, recently purchased a Lenovo laptop with Windows 7 on it and I'm currently typing this on my MacBook Pro, lol..  The Lenovo is my primary development machine..

[striktlyaccord]

Well, many people here have various opinions on what to get, which is to be expected, so this topic has become a moot point in a way.  I dunno.

I actually went to an Apple store yesterday to get some info.  What a different world that place is though, jeez.  Regardless, they were helpful, and what helped more was that an associate I talked to was also a DJ.  However, there would be some downsides to switching to Mac, such as some programs that I use now being "Windows-only" compatible, and some odd formatting malfunctions that could come up on my external hard drive.  Sigh.

I haven't really narrowed down which brands I would get, but I know that I immediately avoid Compaq.  Had too many bad experiences with them in the past, which actually lead to me getting my current Toshiba for free!  And hell, this Toshiba is actually running fine again after an odd week-long slump.  I have no idea what to think. 

[alpha]

Keep an eye on it.  Hardware failures are not fun, especially if it leads to the processor overheating.

Macs are good machines, the hardware selection that Apple selects is typically very good.  But there are a lot of good machines out there, and in my opinion, Windows 7 is very nice.

If you decide to get something new, and are going to go with a PC, stay away from HP and Compaq (Compaq was purchased by HP a while ago I believe).  A lot of good brands have already been named in this thread.  From there, it's pretty much features and form factor of the particular laptop.

[timot_one]

From what I've read, HP has one of the highest failure rates when compared to other manufacturers.  It's something like 28%.  Another thing I would consider is the level of support you get with whatever you decide to go with.  You want to make sure that when you have a problem, the manufacturer will be helpful in solving your problem.