My laptop just gave up. I'm looking to buy an iPad anyway so I was wondering in addition, what would be the best laptop to buy right now?
I was thinking the Macbook Pro but with me getting an iPad anyway, I just dont think its worth spending upwards of $2k.
I'm looking to spend between $1000-1500. Would be great to hear some ideas.
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For the love of God dont get a Mac. You could get such a great PC for the price of one of those things.
Seconded.
Just what I was thinking but I have been using a PC for years. Maybe I need a change. I cant think of any real good Windows laptops right now anyway.
Depends on what you want to do. Watch videos? Fuck around on the internet? Take pictures? Use the mouse a lot? Mac is your scene. Use your computer for things other than fucking around? PC.
As for which PC, there is one easy choice: Thinkpad. It costs more but its performance is unrivaled in my experience.
General really. I think a combination of the two. If I have an iPad, I dont think i really need a Mac. Definitely noted Lenovo as one of my choices. Thanks.
You really can't go wrong with these three laptops.
1) SONY VAIO Z Series ($1,500)
2) Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon ($1,100)
3) DELL XPS 13 ($1,000)
I just got a Dell Precision... it's on the thick side but it's pretty powerful and built really tough. Lenovo Thinkpads and HP Elitebooks are in the same (business) class. I was using my dad's Samsung Chronos series and it was pretty nice, that's an ultrabook.
I've had a very nasty experience with a Dell laptop (screen went black permanently), still have a bad taste in my mouth. Their quality has deteriorated in the last few years, they used to be quite solid back in the day. Maybe consider Toshiba or Lenovo. I have a high end Acer desktop and it's awesome, so maybe give their notebooks a whirl. Obviously not a Macbook, unless you're a closet hipster who wants to sit there pretending to write some garbage paper on literary theory, or an old grandma who doesn't know where the any key is.
The two biggest problems with laptops these days are 1) crashing hard drives, and 2) flimsy screens.
They fixed problem #1 with SSDs, but it's hard to find a decent screen on a laptop.
One of the problems on my current Dell and the only problem of my Vaio before that. Machine still works but the screen is completely dead.
i'm a big fan of asus. quality machines.
Agreed. Best and most resilient laptop I've ever owned.
Seconded. Had my ASUS for about two years now and it still runs great and hasn't given me any problems. Every piece of hardware I have bought from ASUS has been quality. I don't have a lot of brand loyalty in general but ASUS is one of the few I will rec to people without hesitation.
I snagged a G75VW from best buy as a floor model for 700 bucks. I'm a cheapo but from now on will spend the extra dough for an ASUS.
Probably go with Lenovo or ASUS.
I've been looking around recently and haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I really like the Lenovo Ideapad U410. In my mind, it's not too big, not too small and not too heavy. It isn't the lightest of ultrabooks, but I can't bring myself to care about a few tenths of a pound. Additionally, they have a discrete graphics card, which many ultrabooks don't have, so that feels like a huge plus. The biggest drawbacks seem to be an average resolution screen, so nothing super great or HD and a keyboard that isn't backlit. Those are both things I think I can live without, so I will probably be picking one up pretty soon.
This is a pretty good deal right now...
http://www.adorama.com/LE59351627.html?utm_term=Other&utm_medium=Shoppi…
It was actually about $50 cheaper a couple days ago, but still easily falls under your expected price range. I was out of town and not able to buy it, so I missed out on the better pricing. Because I don't need a new PC right now, I'm going to wait and see if I can catch it on sale as we slowly approach Christmas.
Regards
http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/x-series/x1-carbon/
[quote=BTbanker] The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is definitely my favorite Lenovo right now. I'm thinking of getting that one.
http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/x-series/x1-carbon/[/…]
That looks pretty good. Approximately a billion times better than some slimy idiot box made by a company named after a fruit.
Thanks! Looks great. You reckon it may be even cheaper come Christmas?
Honestly, it's really hard to say. Truth is, I should probably just buy it at the current price, since it's only $50 higher than the 'sale' price last week, but when I went to the Lenovo website and saw what the similarly spec'd version sells for retail, I realizes this was deeply discounted already.
In the month leading up to Black Friday, the U410s were selling for $600-$650 at a few places, but those were i5 processors, not i7 and they were all running Windows 7 Pro, not Windows 8 Home Premium. In theory you would be paying an 'extra' $100 bucks for the updated version of Windows and the better processor, which is probably a steal compared to the difference you would have to pay if you built it that way.
Microsoft was offering upgrades for $15 from Windows 7 to Windows 8...which I believe would work with the equivalent version of what you had, so 7 Pro to 8 Pro, or 7 Home to 8 Home. Interestingly enough, the cost to go from Home to Pro is about $60.
Additionally, one of the deals was through the Microsoft Store which, as some else pointed out, removes all the extra crap that manufacturers put on there. Not having that isn't going to be a deal breaker for me, but that mixed with the fact that I don't need a new laptop right now and the potential for sales in the coming weeks has convinced me to wait it out and see if I can snag a better deal. Chances are it will only be $50 or so but what can I say, I got a little IP in me.
Regards
I can give you only one advice. Stay away from Acer!
I'm seconding the Lenovo ThinkPad. Solid as a rock, subtle and professional, great reputation, and some serious processing power. The new X1 Carbon looks good.
Samsung ultrabook series 9. It's basically the Samsungs rip off the macbook air. But I don't care because its simply amazing. Got it for about 1100 bucks. If you go to the Microsoft Store, they remove all the bloatware that the manufacturer puts in.
Best laptop I have ever had and I have gone through many.
Samsung Series 9 is sexy as all hell and durable. A similar device for slightly less is the HP Envy series. I have an Envy 15 (2011 release version) and it is gorgeous and works beautifully. Intel i7 core, 8 gigs of RAM, and the optional Radiance display is heavenly - extremely bright and pushes to 1980x1080 on a 15-inch laptop. That in itself is awesome.
I like the Envy too but I feel I am getting too much of the Mac in it. And considering the prices of the Envy range, its probably best to get a Mac.
I'm on my 4th straight Lenovo and haven't had any major problems. Only reason I had so many is that my last job got me a new one every year. When I left I bought another. If it ain't broke, why fix it?
Looks like Lenovo's are badass. I was choosing between a Lenovo W530 or a Dell Precision M4700 and went with the Dell cause I was able to talk the price down quite a bit more with Dell than I was with Lenovo.... call them when you order it and try to haggle them down if you want, I got a couple hundred off the initial price and a $115 gift card.
Lenovo is hands down the most durable thing you can buy, and will be a great work laptop. That said, I can't imagine doing anything media-intensive on a Lenovo and I'm personally not a fan of their form factor. I think for 1-1.5k you can afford something slightly more flashy, haha.
Sony Vaio Z needs more love in here. Best screen hands down and don't underestimate the Integrated graphics cards these days as well. My 3 year old Z can run Starcraft 2 handily with an integrated, but on video benchmarking tests on my friends new Z, it matches up really well.
I suggest the Lenovo W530 mobile workstation. Durable and extremely fast. You can get a fully loaded W530 for $3-4k if your work is paying for it and I like it so much I am using it as my personal computer as well!
Buy something cheap for ~ $600, use it for a couple of years and throw it away.
Did that with my current Dell.
I would definitely suggest looking at the Sony Vaio Z series. Fast, powerful, and very sleek looking. Don't have any complaints with mine so far.
Had a Vaio before, was a great machine. Just worried about the screens. Mine gave up and I've heard thats a problem with their new products too.
While you all discuss whats good or not. You could just get an Apple Macbook Air and be done with it, knowing it will last and work well.
Sounds great, assuming you don't need to use excel.
What....
Microsoft Office for Mac 2011....
Do all college students that buy Macs not use excel then? What about all the private prep schools that now require macs? They dont use excel either right?
From my personal experience don't get Lenovo. The thinkpad line is utter crap when IBM sold it to Lenovo. Back in the day I had a T61 and a T40 before that and both of the were workhorses with high battery life, great keyboard and I could play most games on ultra setting. When I got my T500 (the first thinkpads that were of Lenovo and not IBM design) it was garbage. The motherboard went bad after 5 months and had to be replaced, after a year the battery couldn't hold a charge and to compound the problem the graphics card died around the same time also. Never again.
What are you using now?
Got a Lenovo Thinkpad back in 2008 and was very happy with it. I've moved on to a Sager now though. It all comes down to what you plan on doing with it.
With my ignorance, I've never heard of the Sager..shed some light?
Sager is the American name of Clevo systems. Sager is a boutique company that makes higher-end gaming computers. Probably not what you're looking for.
I don't understand the hate for Macbook in this thread. I have a MacBook Air and I love it. Besides, whoever said you don't have access to Microsoft Excel on Macbook is seriously misinformed... for what it's worth, I have everything Microsoft-related on my laptop, even Windows. (yes, u can run Windows as an alt option on Mac)
At work, I use my company laptop and when I am home or when Im travelling I use my Macbook Air. It's fast, super light, easy to carry, easy on the eye, good for surfing the net, very ideal for watching movies, taking pictures, playing games, etc.
At the end of the day, unless you are a software engineer, you really don't need something so technologically advanced. Just get a laptop that is within your budget, and the one you like the best.
Umm, no...you are misinformed. Excel on Macbook is lacking in a number of ways that annoy the crap out of any legit power user. It isn't the same program with the same level of functionality. Yes, you could run full Windows through a virtualization service, like VMware, but that seems like a bit much to just get Apple hardware.
I've had a dell vostro 1220 laptop (small, easy for transport) for almsot 3 years now with no issues and it's pretty damn fast (4gb ram) and was pretty cheap at ~$700...i just hook it up to a large monitor, keyboard, mouse when I'm home.
That being said, I think I will go with a 16GB of RAM since I now find myself running ~4-6 programs at a time and I hate closing stuff. I usually have ~20 tabs+ open and spotify playing, Word, Adobe, FF, Chrome, Skype+ random open all at the same time.
I'm exactly the same. I hate closing stuff and constantly leave it on sleep. I think bigger RAM then my current 4gb is a definite.
it may be better cost-wise to get a laptop with a little bit of ram and buy extra ram and upgrade it yourself
If you're using your laptop for Internet and Media, Mac is pretty solid (disregarding the dreamy price tag). If you're using it for anything else in any serious way, you're SOL. I own a macbook.
Thanks everyone for their help. I'm likely getting one of the new Vaios, the X1 or a Macbook. I need something with a bigger RAM and speed. I dont envisage needing a laptop for work so the added bits is unnecessary for me.
Another Dell is out of the question and something small (i.e. 12-inch) isnt really practical for me although I do like the fact that its light and portable. I think the Lenovo's are pretty sweet but something about them screams avoid. the X1 does look great however.
What does everyone think about the Envy series? I do like them but they are pretty pricey for essentially a Macbook rip-off? Anyone with Windows 8 at the moment? Never tried so interested in views. Also ASUS seems decent value.
I'm thinking about getting a mac book air. I know people say Macs are overpriced but I see them as a worthwhile. just my .02
Nerd time.
My rec: Lenovo Y580
Hard specs: 8gb RAM,1TB HDD + 32GB SSD, GTX660M, IB i7 Soft specs: backlit keyboard, 1920x1080 15.6", JBL speakers
Pros: With above specs, it's easily one of the top of the line models at the $1k-$1.1k budget More important pro: with these specs you can beat off to models in style (Excel and female) Cons: 5400RPM, i7-3630 and GeForce great but not fantastic
If you want a touch better on the graphics side, maybe check out the Toshiba Qosmio X870-BT3G23. Pretty similar specs and same 1100 price after online rebates but you get 670M instead of the 660M.
That's a good point. I think the Toshiba is the 17" right? Personally I like the 15.6 as the 17 starts getting bulky - to each his own. I also like the y580 over the thinkpads because you won't have the "work" computer aesthetics and feel (yes these things do matter, esp since he brought up the Macbook to start). If OP wants strictly for work, then Thinkpad forsure. If OP wants a work/entertainment balance, the y580 package was a good fit imo
edit: the model in reference is the y580 20994nu
I saw this model go on sale a few times over the last couple months, so make sure you check all the known 'deal' websites if you decide those specs fit what you are looking for.
Additional 'cons' might be its weight and that it's less portable than other laptops in that price range.
Regards
Lenovo Thinkpad.
That's a work horse. No one wants to think about work when they're watching a movie at home on their laptop, damn... haha
You don't need to spend $1000, $400-500 will get you a great laptop from HP. If you want high performance, cyber PC ive heard is good.
i did a lot of research and ended up getting the HP Envy for about $1600.
I think you shouldn't get an ipad especially if you have an iphone. My 64 gb has been collecting dust since I got it as a gift
try to get a good warranty on it too... my brother had an accidental warranty on his and when it was about to expire he just smashed it and got a new one for free after a couple years.
go to notebookreview.com and ask some people there. I was basically told HP Elitebook/Lenovo Thinkpad/Dell Precision for the amount of money I was willing to spend but they (and my CS professor) really just stressed getting a computer from a company with a good warranty and fast repairs
If you want one for work and don't care much for gaming etc. go for "Ultrabooks". ASUS Zenbook is the most impressive ultrabook on the market today.
For 95% of PC users it would be enough to purchase a solid notebook in the 500-800 range... But most people for lots of unknown words and functions and go beyond 1500+
I'm a bit surprised at the lack of Apple support, and this is coming from someone who can't stand using OS X, Mac keyboards, or iTunes. Apple is the only company that consistently understands customer needs and does not make sacrifices.
While most notebook manufacturers have switched to cheaper 16:9 screens and offer paltry resolutions like 1366x768, Apple has stuck to the far more usable 16:10 aspect ratio and offers resolutions of up 2560x1600 or 2880x1800 on their 13" and 15" models, respectively (read: that means you can view more Excel cells). 16:9 is frustratingly useless on a computer because the vast majority of content is vertically oriented. The extra 10% of vertical space doesn't sound like much, but it makes a big difference when you're already working on such a small screen.
I find it hard to believe that so many people are willing to spend $800-1200 on a piece of hardware and then choose to interact with it using the same TN panel screens found on budget laptops and $100 "HDTVs." It's like buying a new car with the steering wheel and pedals of a worn out 70s junker.
At least Apple is design oriented and actually understands how people interact with devices. Yes, unfortunately their products are overpriced relative to the hardware. Also unfortunately, no other company produces notebooks with similar specs.
Macs have the same processors, motherboards, RAM, SSDs etc. found in PCs so how would they perform worse in Windows?
The problem is Apple’s Boot Camp, which is the only supported way to run Windows directly on Apple hardware. The Apple-supplied drivers are substandard, and they don’t allow Windows to take full advantage of the underlying hardware. Tests show that battery life is cut in half, but this impact on disk and graphics subsystem performance isn't Apple's fault. They obviously don't want people using Windows, and I wouldn't recommend it. Just get a PC, and save money.
I'm not sure what you mean by "supported way to run Windows", but there are virtualized solutions like VMWare and Parallels that allow you to run Windows SEAMLESSLY side-by-side in OS X. If you're buying a MacBook (be it Air or Pro) with a solid-state drive, Windows will fly in VMWare or Parallels. Being that in finance you only need Windows for Excel, PPT, and maybe Matlab and Word or something like that -- using VMWare will be more than sufficient. So, no, you don't have to reboot the damn thing every time you need to fire up Excel. But I will concede that Excel for Mac blows.
Find MacBook Air copy (e.g. the Samsung ultrathins) that gets closest to MacBook Pro specs. Swap out what's left (e.g. HDD for SSD, or 128GB SSD for 256GB SSD) with the help if necessary of your local friendly teenage geek. You still have enough spare change for a week in Thailand. Dual boot Ubuntu/Windows.
NB: PowerPivot doesn't work on Mac. Very slow in the Mac version of Windows. You guys will understand with Excel 2013 :P
Ok, here's the deal, MOST PC COMPANIES OUTSOURCE FROM THE SAME ODMs. So whether you buy a dell, hp, lenovo, asus, etc its going to be made by Compal, Quanta, Wistron, Pegatron, etc. Not much difference so just get whatever specs meets your budget.
Just make sure you get a laptop with SSD. Absolutely no point in owning a laptop without SSD these days. It will be your entire bottleneck if you go the old 7.2k (or worse, 5.4k) rpm HDD route -- and a 7.2k rpm HDD can get warm, real warm. All laptops are essentially the same -- Lenovo has old-school but durable design, Samsung can be sexy, and Asus is solid as well -- as long as you have an SSD and at least a newish i5, you're in business. Emphasis on the SSD part. SSD.
the new lenovos are amazing
gonna agree with the SSD recommendation
msoft surface?
MacBook Air + 128GB SSD (256GB if you really want it but not necessary) + 4GB of RAM + VMWare + Windows 7 x64 = absolutely everything you need and all of it will fly. The Air is an awesome machine. I remember when they first came out and totally sucked, but Apple has really stepped it up with that model.
I second this. I am a MacBook Air owner and have never been this happy with a laptop before. I use a Dell for work, but I wish I could use my Air at my work, too. I once brought my Air to my work, and at least 4 guys came up to me to ask if you are allowed to use a MacBook Air at our company instead of the Dell company laptops. (unfortunately, the answer to that question was a no)
I think all this talk about which laptop has that marginal edge in certain functionality shouldn't concern much of buyer's market, considering the fact that most of us aren't software engineers.
You can tell me Acura TL is a better all-around car with a better price than a BMW 5-series all day, but I wouldn't touch Acura over a BMW because I just love how a BMW 'feels' when driving. (sadly, I don't own a BMW, just a big fan of it) The same thing with a laptop = get something you feel is right.
This thread really makes me want a Lenovo!
Oh yeah, another thing to keep in mind about Lenovos is that they don't have a full keyboard (no num pad)... so if that's a big deal to you, think about it.
Not a dealbreaker. My Dell has a full keyboard but my Vaio didnt so I could live without it.
I'm actually waiting for the surface pro. Then my fat but powerful HP will turn into a desktop replacement hooked up to my TV as a combination netflix and blu ray player. Ideapad Yoga if you can't wait. 2 cents of actual laptop purchase advice: get highest res matte screen you can and a SSD
got my alienware m11x 2 years ago and it still runs great
Wait a minute...I just realized that Alienware is owned by Dell??
MIND = BLOWN
Also it looks like most of the Alienware laptop models have been discontinued. Must have been too intense for people to handle. You can only have so much fun.
13" macbook pro retina display.
I like the Air, but honestly its pretty expensive for only a 256GB and from what I gather is not SSD.
I think one of the lighter Lenovo series or perhaps a Vaio seems the best option at the moment.
OK, thanks! It didnt mention it in the spec page on the site. Question, you mention its fine to stick with the 128 rather then the 256. Any reason why? The bigger space surely should be better. Is it because the SSD being smaller allows faster performance?
Look into Thinkpads. Great battery life (I have a T420i and it can get up to 12 hours), pretty light, and powerful enough for most things. Not so great for watching movies and playing games though, but I don't do either of those much so it works out well for me.
Another plus for mac: bash > Powershell (and you don't need to relearn everything).
bash love is best love.
I use bare bones SSD for my portable system, and a 500GB HDD hooked up via USB 3.0 for data. When I need more space I'll upgrade to a 1TB or buy a new one, they are very cheap and light even branded. My HDD follows me everywhere, and there's even a Ubuntu live-USB boot for cases when I don't trust my host's PC. That also allows me to work from a desktop at work, which has been beefed up beyond what you can stick in a laptop.
Most of the time you don't need that much space - save your work on the external, and keep the laptop clean, loading what you need from the external for the time you work with it. Personally, I find RAM to be the killer, esp in 64 bit Excel - 16GB vs 8 is definitely worth investing in if you will play with millions of rows; some of my xlsx are >500MB so I need to save them externally and only keep whichever I am using on the PC.
The Mac is like a Mercedes C class. It may have the exact same features/HP as an upper-end Hyundai Sonata and cost 60% more. But hell, it's easy to drive and it feels good. And when you drive (open) your Mercedes (Mac) to the club (Starbucks) everyone will know your driving (using) a Mercedes (Mac).
That might be true if the Mercedes C class has the gas and brakes triggered by the same pedal. Except to activate the brakes you have to hold your hand on the windshield.
I'd recommend the McBk Pro 13" Retina display. If you need to run excel, a bootcamp to windows will do the trick. Slim and Style can never be better exemplified!
jesus...
I guess everyone on here is about looking cool with a glowing fruit on your laptop while building models.
Best laptops (Originally Posted: 12/08/2013)
Looked at the Samsung Ativ book 9 plus & Asus ultrabooks.
Anyone have other suggestions for a good laptop?
The new Retina Macbook Pro.
For personal or business?
Personal use mostly, but something that is also solid for business use would be nice
Thinkpad X1 Carbon Thinkpad T440s
I'm definitely looking into the X1 Carbon for my next computer. Lenovo is the shit.
Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. Hands down best computer. 3200 x 1800 pixels - can't beat that.
Unless you need a laptop for business. Then you want something lighter and a battery that lasts longer (3200x1800 =/= long battery life).
Another vote for a Macbook right here. Generally speaking, above $1K the only options are Apple and Lenovo.
If you need something under $1000, I recommend not buying a laptop at all. Laptop computers break (see: Dell), are far more prone to overheating (see: every HP that was ever made), may be limited in specs/features relative to everything else you can get, and generally just aren't worth the money when compared to a PC tower.
I've had Dell, HP, and Asus laptops, and though I still have the Asus netbook, it's slow as hell. My late-2008 Macbook is what I still use to run Windows via Parallels for MS Office and to do work in general.
If you're looking for something on the cheap, I say go on Craigslist, get a 2011 iMac for $500, format to factory specs and go with that until you can afford something worth the cost.
Ipad/Personal laptop (Originally Posted: 01/06/2011)
I will be an SA at a BB this summer. I am considering buying an ipad. Will I be able to use it in the office and connect to the internet through the companys wifi?
There's no wifi due to security/compliance issues.
As an iPad owner, I can tell you it is the most overpriced device on the face of this planet. I wish I could get my $500 back
A couple of associates would use their iPad's to watch the world cup this summer. I think they had the 3G ones so could stream without WiFi.
Needless to say, there were often 3-4 analysts who just happened to have some bandwidth and would jump into said associates offices to see if they needed anything.
having used a tablet for the last few months (not ipad) I am happy to be using my laptop right now. The mobile operating systems are better in the phones where they belong. We did not have any wifi to use at the bank I used to work in
I'd wait for the Motorola Xoom
Or maybe the new RIM one... I'd have to do a bit of research on them, of course.
I've got one, really not worth the fuss/money. Also as stated, BB's do not have Wi-Fi, so it would be pointless anyway.
afroman23
I'm waiting for the RIM Playbook; you can tether it to your Blackberry and use the 3G services to access the net in case there's no WiFi.
I have an iPad and actually love the thing.
Laptop suggestion (Originally Posted: 02/19/2014)
Hi all,
I am doing a TTS class at my school and then joining a BB for the summer. I have a mac now, but I am looking to get a PC because of the TTS emphasis on excel shortcuts.
What do you think? Does it make sense to get a budget PC?
I really like the Toshiba Satellite Series. Probably going for an i3 with nothing fancy - just need something to learn the keys and do excel. What do you think about that laptop series? Suggestions?
There are thousands of threads on this subject.... Not being rude but use search bar, top right.
No one uses Macs bro, get a PC
As long as it can handle a lot of spreadsheets at once it's fine. I'd look for one with good RAM and a good processor. You don't want excel crashing every other time you open it.
Lenovo dawg
haha my b jbone, you're right.
I appreciate the responses though guys. Fuck this mac forreal. Ended up getting the Inspiron 15 Non-Touch
Woulda gotten a lenovo MIJ if I was getting it as a primary laptop.
Laptops - Common ones? (Originally Posted: 03/10/2013)
I know finance isn't like graphic designing or engineering were you need certain computers. But what are good laptops for finance? Which ones are common in Wall Street? What laptop do you have?
Lenovos
This. Specifically: T series.
Are you looking to buy? If so, I'd go with Sony.
Get a Macbook, and if you need Windows, put Windows on it. Otherwise get a Lenovo.
Lenovo Thinkpad or Macbook Air. Have both and personally I'd recommend the Air but I know a lot of people don't like Macs, and the Thinkpad is built like a tank.
I was afraid to even suggest it.
You're going to have a lot of problems trying to shortcut your way around MS Office on a Mac though. I have no experience in dual booting Windows on it but when trying to get some work done from home on the weekend my Mac it made me want to smash the thing to pieces.
This.
Well, put Windows on it. In my experience, Windows runs better on my Mac than any PC I ever owned.
Dual booting into Windows is incredibly easy and it gives you 100% functionality with a top spec machine. Plus you get OSX for everything else.
Get a relatively cheap, but decent desktop for home login if you plan to work remotely, then get a Macbook Air (or whatever you want for that matter) for personal use. If ever you need to travel or work onsite (at your client's office) as an analyst and you don't already have a company-issued laptop, most banks will let you use a loaner one that's configured to access your firm's database remotely. This is what I do at least.
Should also note that I have a Samsung Chromebook and that's pretty sweet too.
Laptops - Finishing up college (Originally Posted: 11/23/2009)
I'm finishing up college and I am in the market for a new laptop. What do you guys suggest? My current laptop is a Dell Latitude D620. I got a lot of the extras - 100 mb hard drive, 2GB ram, intel duo processor 2GHz. Its treated me well and the service on it was great. But I want an upgrade. What is common/preferred in the industry?
I want to stick with a PC so do I get ... Another Dell, Sony VIAO, Toshiba etc. I'm going into trading is that makes a diff.
I'm finishing up college and I am in the market for condoms. What do you guys suggest? I've used all my life Durex Extra Sensitive - 0.05 mm thick for a natural feeling. They've treated me well and have never broken during the countless intercourses I've had in my life. But I want an upgrade. WHAT IS COMMON/PREFERRED IN THE INDUSTRY? I'm going into corp finance if that makes a diff.
Also... what toothpaste should I also use? Please please please tell meeeeeeee!!!
I would suggest the Durex Extra Pleasure it will really help when you go an fuck yourself tonight
Do you know how thick they are?
Also, you forgot to suggest what toothpaste is common/preffered in the indudstry :)
o my bad. .they're nice and skinny... like you and for the toothpaste.. Colgate Total
Thanks. Really appreciate it ;)
I've bought several Dells over the years and they've all been great machines. I haven't bought top of the line Dells with all the bells and whistles, either. I generally spend around $850 and I get a machine that lasts 2-3 years. Amortize that and it's a smokin' deal considering everything I use mine for. I'm currently using an Inspiron E1505 I bought in 2007. I plan to replace it in June of next year when my Windows 7 trial expires.
Macbook.
dannnnnnnnnnnng 100mb hard drive? that's so big!
Asus are also very good. Both Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable computer on the market. So check them out.
http://www.evertiq.com/news/15584
[quote=Jack_NY]Asus are also very good. Both Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable computer on the market. So check them out.
http://www.evertiq.com/news/15584[/quote]
I have a toshiba satellite - it's been giving me problems since day one. It overheats easily and sometimes crashes for no reason. It's 13 inches if that makes a difference...
I previously had a Dell and had no issues. Definitely getting a Dell as my next laptop.
My uncle had the toshiba satellite, it was the 16 or 17 inch and he seemed to have a few probelms too. He had it replaced twice. According to the article that I had attached, it said that HP are the worst out of all the laptops, but I had my hp for 4 years now and I have had no problems. which Dell are you getting?
I'm not getting one for a couple of months, but probably a 13 or 14 inch Inspiron. I think they are the best value.
is it true that a bank will buy the laptop.. i find this hard to believe being that i will be a first year analyst in S&T
Recommend a Laptop (Originally Posted: 05/03/2007)
Hey guys--Im looking to buy a laptop, but I'm not sure which one. What do you all recommend. I'm thinking Lenovo, probably X series.
what do u want/need it for?
personal use. usual bullshit...dvds, spreadsheets, porn etc.
Run windows if you really cannot deal with OS X.
ThinkPad
macs are the best machines out right now. ive owned windows based computers for years and finally made the switch to mac. ill never go back. and if you really need windows, the upcoming release of the new OS X will have a program that will make using windows software seamless and easy. its called "bootcamp"
go mac
if ur not playing any games, and need something to take around with you the x series thinkpads are pretty good. i've owned two so far. but they were both IBM's, and not Lenovos. My next computer will be a mac... no doubt about it. if you could hold off until June 15 then wait for the WWDC, cuz that is when Apple will release their next line of products. if they dont release anything new, go with the x-series.
stay away from Dell, hp and all that other crap.
t-series (Thinkpad) is also quite good. have a T60 and it's been great. lots of not and 'useful' features too-like a fingerprint security scanner to protect your precious models.
and agree with tubs-stay the hell away from that other crap. especially hp.
Ive never thought about going the mac route. Is mac's microsoft windows/office 100 percent compatable with PC? Esp. excel/word/ppt
The Mac does have a lot of very nice bundled software but it is pretty much useless when it comes to work unless you decide to put windows on your Mac. If f you did that then it would just defeat the purpose of buying a Mac. So if you don't need the laptop for work get a ThinkPad but if it is purely personal I would recommend the Mac.
get a tablet, love them.
When you buy a Mac, you pay for the design premium. When you buy a Thinkpad, you pay for the functionality premium. Shock sensor + Airbags for the hard drive + fingerprint + drain holes for keyboard + night light.
depends on the model. The Macbook Pros have better graphics cards, faster processors, and more memory than their Leveno counterparts. And actually I believe the Macbookpro is less expensive than the Leveno.
It really just depends if you are a mac or a pc person. I've had PCs all my life and I have no problem with them. I would consider getting a Macbookpro and only running windows on it though--the design is much more appealing.
As someone with a degree in CS and who assembled a couple computers in his time, I feel like I can weigh in on this.
The main selling point of the Macintosh is its vastly superior graphic design software. The things you can do on a Mac in this field are far superior to a PC. This is why you'll find almost every artist or musician with a Mac. Macs are also very user friendly and thus cater to "beginners" more so than PCs.
The real question you should be asking yourself is "What do I want to use this machine for?" If you want to do graphic design, by all means pick up a Mac. For all other purposes, go with the PC.
In terms of specifications, again, ask yourself what you are looking to use your machine for. The areas you never want to shortchange yourself on are the processor and the RAM. While dual processors may be the latest and the greatest, a nice fast single processor will put you where you want to be. Again, ask yourself what you will be using the machine for. RAM, well, I wouldn't go anywhere less than 2Gigs these days. RAM is just so cheap for the payoff. The last important part is really the harddrive. You probably don't need one that runs at 7200RPMs. They are too noisy. Go with the 5400rpm and choose size according to whatever you store on your machine. If you have an external harddrive or don't plan to install a complete library of photos or songs, 80gigs should be more than sufficient. Lastly, don't waste money on top of the line graphics cards if you don't plan on playing video games or doing anything graphic intense. A simple 128MB card will handle more than your basic needs.
My brother recently purchased a customized (high end) laptop from Dell from their website for $1500. I don't know why people bash them so much. I think we have too many finance and "strategic" gurus on the site that people fail to realize that a company in trouble doesn't necessarily mean poor products. At the same time, I don't recommend buying from one of the smaller or unknown vendors... I've gotten ripped off on a $750 plasma monitor 6 years ago (wow, it has been awhile).
Final tips: Stay away from Wireless-N. The technology doesn't appear too stable and there are more problems with it than good as far as I can see right now. Also, get the best battery possible because long lasting batteries rule. And, if you are simply looking to buy a pre-set system, I've used the T series extensively and the T60 is definitely a good machine.
How does this sound:
Thinkpad T60--$1517.00
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T5500 (1.66GHz, 2MB L2, 667MHz FSB)1 Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium12 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8 No integrated fingerprint reader 60GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm4 CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo 24X/24X/24X/8X Max, Ultrabay Slim5 Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG10 9 cell Li-Ion Battery[60] 1 Year Limited Warranty7
That's a pretty solid machine. I think you'll find it suits your needs as long as you aren't a hardcore gamer.
manny07, are you still in school? If you are, go to one of the college computer stores and pick up a laptop with education pricing. Many stores will allow you to customize our own computer as well.
That is a pretty nicely spec'd T series for the price. But, keep in mind that the new T61s based on the Santa Rosa chipset are due out soon.
If you're going with the T series, spend the extra few dollars and get a separated graphics card. With the large screen, you want the extra graphics power. 64 or 128MB dedicated card will be fine.
If you can, go to a store with both the X series and T series on display. Having own both (and currently using the X series), the X series is significantly lighter and smaller. The keyboard is perfect, and what defines a thinkpad as a thinkpad. The screen is smaller @ 12', but with an external monitor, I think it's the perfect tradeoff between portability and performance. However, this is personal, so take a look for yourself before you buy.
In comparison between a X60 and your current T60, you don't lose anything. The biggest drawback of the lighter X60 is the lack of an external graphics option, and just an integrated one. However, your T60 config has the same card (GMA950). The GMA950 will accomplish all basic computing needs, drive an additional external monitor to extend your desktop and run Aero fine. You can get everything else with the X60 (the optical drive needs the ultrabase, but that serves as a dock which is nice).
Either way, thinkpads are very well designed and have won many accolades in the past. Try both the T and X out, and see what suits you the best.
I got a Dell laptop for $780 after "50% off for purchases over $1500" coupon about three years ago...
still running well and had no problems with it...
I've had bad luck with dells. Their service has been good, but it seems the god damn thing breaks every three to four months.
Any good reasons to have a laptop over a desktop? I'm not in college anymore, and I'm not one of those people who blog at Starbucks.
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