Shopping for a New Laptop

A

arncap

New Member
I live in Tokyo. I have a Panasonic Let’s Note CF-W5 laptop that’s about 3.5 years old. I bought it with a Japanese operating system but re-installed it with Windows XP English version to change the OS. I also have an older Toshiba Tecra laptop (English OS) that is only used as a desktop because the screen doesn’t work and it has to be hooked up to a monitor.

I feel like both laptops on there last legs and could break down permanently anytime! As a result, I am considering buying a new laptop. The reason I am posting is to seek advice about what I should consider buying. I will explain what my needs are and hopefully I can get some good advice / feedback about what I should get.

1. Size / Weight: Most importantly, it needs to be fairly light because I take it with me everywhere everyday. It doesn’t have to be that small, but weight is the most important thing.

2. Speed / HD size: I use a wireless internet connection that plugs into a USB port when away from home. I often run several applications at the same time, so memory is really important. I currently have 60GB HDs on my current laptops and really need a lot more space.

3. Usage: I use it mainly for high-speed surfing, skype, e-mail, TV/movies/videos, WORD documents, and stuff like that. Like I said, I like to run several applications at the same time.

4. Power Supply: It would be really nice to have a machine with a long battery life. It would come in extremely handy in some situations.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I look forward to some suggestions.
 
Any Budget?
I would recommend you get 14" with 1366 x 768 as you take it around. While for CPU, probably core i3 series??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220711
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127101

Or if you don't mind losing CPU performance for battery life, get one of those intel SU cpu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220687

BTW, since you are in Tokyo, have a look at Fujitsu S710. But I don't know if it is cheaper in Japan.
 
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Thanks very much for the responses and great info.

Budget-wise... Well, I'm hesitant about spending the kind of $$$ I've spent on laptops before. This is because it seems that I'm only going to get 3-4 years max. with just about any laptop before needing to replace it anyway. As long as performance is really good, I'm not sure spending big $$ is anything more than buying a name. Or is it? My Toshiba Tecra (originally purchased in 2002 but replaced by Toshiba over 2 yrs. later due to so many problems) was upwards of 300,000 yen (over $3,000). My Panasonic Let's Note was just under 200,000 yen (or about $2,000).

What are you thoughts on that? I know that I always have to have at least 2 working laptops at all times, otherwise I run the risk of being laptopless if one breaks down.

I guess the most important things for me are weight, durability, speed, and battery life.
 
I won't recommend you spend over $1500 on laptop. The new hardware is release so fast that the high end component get outdated within 2-3 years.

Since you have that much money to spend, I would recommend you have a look on laptop with core i7 for its performance or SU9XXX for battery life.

BTW, I don't see the point of getting 2 laptop. Just back up all your important file with USB flash drive/ external HDD. You can always buy your second laptop when the one you are using is broken...
 
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I appreciate the responses. One of the most important things for me is having a lightweight machine. Very light is very important! It doesn't have to be too small but I need lightness as I carry it everyday everywhere I go. Durability is just as important as I take it all over the place on a motorbike! That's why the Panasonic Let's Note was a good choice 3.5 years ago (very durable, lightweight, and a nice size). I was hoping to spend much less and get something else good this time too. Before my Panasonic, I had a Toshiba Tecra that was too big and heavy and fell apart on a regular basis. It was a pretty decent laptop but a real lemon. I have seen the new Toshiba laptops and they are a zillion times different. However, I am still a bit concerned about getting another one. I probably won't touch the Sony Viaos for the same reason. While they look like beautiful lightweight technology, I am really concerned about their durability.

Ordering internationally is not always possible – it usually depends on the company’s willingness to do so. There can sometimes be problems – some places won’t ship to Japan or the cost of shipping is extremely high. However, there are ways around that (ie) have it shipped to a friend or family member in North America, and have them ship it to me from there.

One more thing… I often like to run several applications simultaneously. How important is memory? I upgraded my current machine from 1 to 2GB of RAM. I know that some new laptops have 8GB of RAM. However, I don’t think it’s easy to get them without compromising the size and price of the laptop. Speed is one of my primary operating concerns.
 
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