Ask Slashdot: How Do You Choose a Windows Laptop? 898
jfruhlinger writes "I'm a Mac guy. When our 2004-era Windows XP laptop, which was used primarily by my wife, died last summer, I got myself a new MacBook Pro and she inherited my still serviceable 2008 MacBook. But after about six months, she hasn't gotten used to it, and wants a Windows machine. I don't have an ideological problem with this — it'd be her computer, and we've got a bit of money stashed away to pay for it. But trying to pick one out is my job, and I find the the whole process bewildering. Apple's product differentiation is great at defeating the paradox of choice — you have a few base models, the difference between which is quite obvious, and you can customize each. The Windows world seems totally different. Even once I've settled on a vendor for a Windows laptop (something I haven't done yet), each seems to have a bewildering array of product lines with similar specs. Often models that you find in electronics or office supply stores that seem promising in terms of form factor are exclusive to those stores and can't be found online. Obviously people do navigate this process, but I'm just feeling out of my depth. How would Slashdotters go about picking a solid, basic laptop for Web surfing and document editing that won't be obsolete in two years?"
i choose by hardware specs (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:5, Informative)
+1 to this.
A Macbook makes a great Windows laptop, and since you already have it it'll be more cost effective to just buy a copy of Windows.
Set up a bootcamp partition (Apps > Utils > Boot Camp Assistant) and give it the lion's share of the disk if it's going to be her primary OS and then install.
Once you have Windows on there, the OS X software disks that came with it (or the ones for your MBP) have all the necessary drivers that are set up via install wizard - just pop it in after Windows boots for the first time.
Lenovo (Score:5, Informative)
I have always used Dell laptops or ones provided by work (HP). I purchased a Dell netbook for my wife assuming that during her time at home it would be portable and easy for her to carry around. After a couple of months she decided it was just too small and underpowered for her and she wanted something else.
We only had a few requirements: built in mic and webcam (Skype with the grandparents), Windows, and a 10-key pad.
NewEgg had a Lenovo laptop which met all those requirements for ~$475. We picked it up and it arrived a few days later. Widescreen, 10-key, mic but a bit of a lame webcam. The rest of the specs are irrelevant as my wife doesn't need anything except Firefox, Word, and Excel.
But the important thing about Lenovo wasn't the hardware. The important thing was when it began shutting down unexpectedly and without warning after 30 minutes of heavy CPU usage (like when my wife was catching up on her shows on Hulu).
I contacted Lenovo support. I explained the problem and what I had done to test it. There was no usual bullshit required script I had to run through with the person on the phone. Nope. They e-mailed us the instructions on how to ship it back and we did.
It arrived at their facility in Texas on the 15th. On the 16th FedEx knocked at our door with the repaired laptop.
Lenovo will get my laptop business again and again until they break the trust level they created with that wonderful service exchange--arguably the best service I have ever received from any manufacturer in my 25 years of dealing with these things.
Good luck.
Quick version of the laptop buying guide: (Score:5, Informative)
I get this all the time from my family/relatives. Here's the rundown:
Get your preferences in order: Screen size, discrete graphics (must/may/must-not), battery life (min) and then just browse Fatwallet's laptop section or slickdeals until something that matches comes up. These days, any intel i3/i5 processor and 3-4GB of RAM will crush light-office-type tasks. I don't worry too much about the brand so long as I've heard of them before. You aren't investing enough to make spending tons of hours on research pay off.
Next up, I want to share a contrary attitude that many of us in the non-Apple community feel. I hasten to mention that I'm not saying your attitude is wrong, but I want to share a different point of view. You said you don't want something that's obsolete in 2 years, but I kind of wonder why? Spending $600 every 2 years gets you a lot further than spending $1200 every 4 years. If you had bought a $1200 laptop 4 years ago, you'd have a first-gen Core2Duo (Merom), 1GB of RAM, 802.11g whereas $600 was a first-gen (Yonah) Centrino, 1GB of RAM, 802.11g. Meanwhile, 2 years ago $600 got you a Arrandale i3, 3GB of RAM and a far better Intel GMA (one that can accelerate h264@1080p) with 802.11n and +50% battery life. So you got 2 years of a slightly faster laptop in exchange for 2 years with a much inferior one all at the same price.
Apple gets you into the habit of spending a whole heck of a lot of money for a really nice machine, I'm trying to suggest that in the Windows world, buying less laptop more often nets you more bang for your buck over time. What's more, the commodification of the laptop means you have so much less at stake regarding breakage. I love not caring about cases, biking with laptop in a backpack, traveling around with it, not investing in a laptop-lock-cable, not caring if my nephew spills apple-juice all over it (the keyboard tray got most of it, the laptop lived on). There are people for whom spending more makes sense: graphic designers need a color-accurate IPS LCD, road-warriors need something super portable, gamers need the latest mobile video cards. For the rest of everyone, get a cheapo laptop, beat the crap out of it and then replace it.
Finally, for those that suggest I'm creating a bunch of unnecessary waste (leaving aside that I'm getting tangible utility out of shorter cycle here), every one of my old laptops has been DBANed and sent over to FreeGeek (where I volunteer) to further their service. It's not waste if you can find a use for it!
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:2, Informative)
Ask a student to buy it for you.
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:3, Informative)
Watch digital river for deals for students. I was able to pick up a copy of Windows 7 Pro X64 for $30 via digital river.
There are more sites like that as well.
It looks like the windows7.digitalriver.com is over, but they link to here:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/office/default.aspx
You can get the Windows 7 Upgrade for $80
ThinkPad. (Score:4, Informative)
I second this. I can't comment on Lenovo's consumer-focused IdeaPad line, but the ThinkPad line is top notch.
If hardware quality, good engineering, and support/warranty service are what is important to you, ThinkPads (at least the T, X, and W series) are still untouchable (even by Apple). And they're less expensive, too.
If you want a good general-purpose laptop, take a look at the T410 (which is on discount as it's being replaced) or the newer T420.
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:4, Informative)
I love the keyboard, but the trackpad is crippled under Windows. It still has multitouch etc, but has funny issues like right-click taps requiring 3 fingers instead of 2.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with the hardware and in general Windows is often better on a Mac than a PC. But it'd certainly be worth remaining aware of any issues - making your Windows experience superb and smooth is hardly Apple's priority so bugs go on for some time.
Re:Why hasn't she gotten used to it? (Score:4, Informative)
A windows license is considerably less than $200 here [newegg.com]. Dunno where you're doing your shopping.
As for a laptop? If she really only needs it for email and surfing, then pretty much anything will do the trick. With the exception of some flash games, nothing accessible via browser or email client is going to require much in the way of processor power.
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:3, Informative)
Agreed with that advice - Mac laptops are great, but try the keyboard on something real. If you are a coder - write code on that keyboard. If you are an accountant, type numbers on it. Don't just assume you will get used to it because it is very very odd.
I bought a Macbook Pro as a Windows laptop several years ago and it has been a phenomenal computer. But I say that only because I *never* use it without an external keyboard.
1) The keyboard is very small, compared to the size of the laptop
Here is why: there are no side air intakes on the Macbook Pro. The air intakes are part of the keyboard, as crazy as that sounds. The keyboard has a 3 inch margin on the left and right side, where the air intakes are. I assume this makes the laptop thinner, at the expense of usability. A classic Apple decision - form over function.
2) Compared to other keyboards of the same size, it is laid out stupidly.
- No delete key, but two enter keys. (what???)
- Spacers where the pg-up and pg-dn keys should be.
- ctrl, alt, and "apple/windows" keys are swapped.
- 2 "apple/windows" keys where 1 would be enough.
- there is a dedicated "eject" key which wastes a key.
- The backspace key is labeled delete (odd but easy to get used to).
Re:Just use the hardware you have (Score:4, Informative)
Fn + up arrow = page up, Fn + down arrow = page down
The swapping of the meta keys makes sense because the primary meta key you use is Command on the Mac.
Don't really see what's wrong with more meta keys on the opposite side of the keyboard. My think pad has more than one Ctrl and Alt. Considering that Command is the Mac equivalent of Ctrl it's exactly equivalent. Except my thinkpad has that silly menu key.
And virtually every PC has a hard eject button on the drive. So what?
Yup Delete is Backspace and if you want forward delete hold Fn+Delete.
I think if you actually bothered to learn how to use your Mac laptops keyboard you'd like it a lot better.
The only downside (Score:5, Informative)
Is that system builder licenses aren't transferable. It is 100% fine to use them on systems you do yourself, that's why Newegg sells them. However they are designed like OEM licenses that Dell et al sell which means that they are tied to that system, which in this case means a motherboard. So you install it, and life is good. However if you get a new computer later and want to transfer it, no deal, it is tied to the computer you put it on.
That's more or less what you are paying for with retail Windows is a "transfer tax" if you like, or having the license be like a book. You can only have it on one thing, but you are free to change what that thing is.
I'm not saying that is a big deal, just that it is something to know and recognize.
Re:The only downside (Score:5, Informative)
Unless something has changed recently, that's not entirely true. An OEM disc which comes bundled with a computer frequently has 2 keys available, one is on the disc and is valid for any number of computers as a part of the OEM computers and the one which is stuck to the side for that particular computer.
I've used OEM discs on upgraded computers many times and as long as you use the computer specific one on only one computer at a time you're fine. From time to time if you upgrade too quickly it will refuse to activate, but if you let it set for a period of time it'll install just fine. Otherwise you have to call MS for them to clear the previous install.
Re:But... (Score:1, Informative)
I find that if I really want that Windows feeling right away, I just grab a fork, put my other hand down flat on a table, then jam the fork into that hand so hard that it goes through and sticks into the table.
After that, I'm good for 18-24 months.