blog.jimbo.org.uk - Comments on Budget laptops http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml My laptop, emerald, is dying. The screen isn't very well connected to the graphics card any more, the case is flaky, the keyboard ropey, and the battery completely useless. It's going to get replaced. Luckily, I have in the region of £700 kicking around ready to spend on a replacement... An iBook, through the Apple Higher Education Store, will cost me £681 with a 60GB drive, 12" screen, 256MB RAM and bluetooth module, plus I'd want to some extra memory (£27 from Crucial for 256MB extra). But I'm wary about buying into the whole Apple thing, and so I'm wondering if there's anything in the current x86 world that would serve me as well. So my dear readers, the question is this: where can I get an x86 laptop for no more than £700, which won't fall apart within 2 years, is designed to be portable rather than a mostly-static "desktop replacement", and will happily run an OS other Windows? Built in wireless stuff would be nice, too, although I imagine that's standard these days... Answers on a comment :)... en-gb Tue, 01 Mar 2005 17:14:23 +0000 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:33:30 +0000 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 jkg@jimbo.org.uk 180 By Joe Mills Thinkpad or bust. The best and most robust x86 portables out there. Not great looking, but should last a fair while. Another thing to note if you do decide to 'buy into that whole Apple thing' (Isn't it just a computer?) - iBooks supposedly deal with being knocked about a lot better than PowerBooks. http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c187 187:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ Thinkpad or bust. The best and most robust x86 portables out there. Not great looking, but should last a fair while. Another thing to note if you do decide to 'buy into that whole Apple thing' (Isn't it just a computer?) - iBooks supposedly deal with being knocked about a lot better than PowerBooks.

]]> Tue, 01 Mar 2005 18:33:33 +0000 By James The "whole Apple thing" refers to the complexity of introducing yet another OS into my computing life, mainly. But yeah, I suppose it is "just a computer"... I'll revisit Thinkpads, anyway; I'd ruled them out as too expensive, to start with, but I guess I mostly looked at the X series... Thanks! http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c188 188:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ The "whole Apple thing" refers to the complexity of introducing yet another OS into my computing life, mainly. But yeah, I suppose it is "just a computer"...

I'll revisit Thinkpads, anyway; I'd ruled them out as too expensive, to start with, but I guess I mostly looked at the X series...

Thanks!

]]> Tue, 01 Mar 2005 20:05:55 +0000 By Andy I went for an iBook and couldn't say anything bad about the thing. If your used to open source apps it has loads for it, if not the software avaible is good too. I has some of the best battery life I have seen and is very light. I will also add I didn't get any extra ram, on the grounds I would by some later, and still haven't felt an urge too, I notice I need some more each now and again but it is not as bad as my old 256mb windows laptop. http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c189 189:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ I went for an iBook and couldn't say anything bad about the thing. If your used to open source apps it has loads for it, if not the software avaible is good too.

I has some of the best battery life I have seen and is very light.

I will also add I didn't get any extra ram, on the grounds I would by some later, and still haven't felt an urge too, I notice I need some more each now and again but it is not as bad as my old 256mb windows laptop.

]]> Tue, 01 Mar 2005 21:12:17 +0000 By Art (Just in case you didn't see my comment over on your LJ feed (oops): Unhelpfully, I'd also say go with the iBook. It's a great little laptop, the Just Works factor is priceless, and the battery life ain't too shabby, either. Do get the extra memory, though - 256 is tight, 512 is ample. http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c190 190:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ (Just in case you didn't see my comment over on your LJ feed (oops):

Unhelpfully, I'd also say go with the iBook. It's a great little laptop, the Just Works factor is priceless, and the battery life ain't too shabby, either. Do get the extra memory, though - 256 is tight, 512 is ample.

]]> Tue, 01 Mar 2005 22:10:20 +0000 By James Art: (I don't generally check the LJ comments, although since you mentioned this I did notice another comment there, so thanks!) Anyway, that's not unhelpful at all; I was rather hoping people might try to sway me towards the iBook, that'll save me hours of looking for another option :) Andy: very light and good battery life are strong plus points, so thanks; also, you're the first person to not strongly suggest 256MB RAM was not enough, but it's encouraging that at least one person is happy with that arrangement... http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c191 191:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ Art: (I don't generally check the LJ comments, although since you mentioned this I did notice another comment there, so thanks!)

Anyway, that's not unhelpful at all; I was rather hoping people might try to sway me towards the iBook, that'll save me hours of looking for another option :)

Andy: very light and good battery life are strong plus points, so thanks; also, you're the first person to not strongly suggest 256MB RAM was not enough, but it's encouraging that at least one person is happy with that arrangement...

]]> Wed, 02 Mar 2005 00:03:00 +0000 By Joe Mills Ok then, ignore my previous comment - get an iBook. I did say the Thinkpad was only the best of x86 laptops, not all laptops. OS X version 4 (Tiger) will be released sometime in the first half of this year... It might be worth holding on until you can get that preinstalled. Might want to check out http://www.nimoll.co.uk/macguide/ too... ;-) http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c192 192:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ Ok then, ignore my previous comment - get an iBook. I did say the Thinkpad was only the best of x86 laptops, not all laptops. OS X version 4 (Tiger) will be released sometime in the first half of this year... It might be worth holding on until you can get that preinstalled.

Might want to check out http://www.nimoll.co.uk/macguide/ too... ;-)

]]> Wed, 02 Mar 2005 10:52:30 +0000 By Andy It is very easy to for people to fall into the you must have 512mb ram category, I am sure when I get round to it, it will be great, but I'm going to wait off and go for an extra 512mb since I think that will give me amble for everything. But yes I think Art's statement 256mb is tight is a reasonable one, I cannot run every single app on my mac at the same time, but then on windows I wouldn't expect to. Macs don't close programs when you shut them, so even at this moment I have iCal, iTunes, Terminal, Safari and Mail all running with no problems. If I load MS Office I would expect to have to close some of them to I can keep switching without issues, since it will need to swap some programs, but I use office, terminal, safari and itunes at the same time normally with no issues. http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c193 193:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ It is very easy to for people to fall into the you must have 512mb ram category, I am sure when I get round to it, it will be great, but I'm going to wait off and go for an extra 512mb since I think that will give me amble for everything.

But yes I think Art's statement 256mb is tight is a reasonable one, I cannot run every single app on my mac at the same time, but then on windows I wouldn't expect to. Macs don't close programs when you shut them, so even at this moment I have iCal, iTunes, Terminal, Safari and Mail all running with no problems. If I load MS Office I would expect to have to close some of them to I can keep switching without issues, since it will need to swap some programs, but I use office, terminal, safari and itunes at the same time normally with no issues.

]]> Wed, 02 Mar 2005 21:15:36 +0000 By Mike Nolan I bought an MV Mobeus (http://www.go-mv.com/) about a month ago and it's great. The version I got (1.6GHz, 256Mb - cheaper to add extra memory yourself) is a little over your budget but it's a lovely little machine. Great quality screen and once I'd added an extra 512Mb of RAM it's blisteringly fast! It comes with a copy of the Linux-powered PowerCinema giving you 'instant on' for DVDs. When you run on the power adaptor it even overclocks the CPU! http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c194 194:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ I bought an MV Mobeus (http://www.go-mv.com/) about a month ago and it's great. The version I got (1.6GHz, 256Mb - cheaper to add extra memory yourself) is a little over your budget but it's a lovely little machine.

Great quality screen and once I'd added an extra 512Mb of RAM it's blisteringly fast! It comes with a copy of the Linux-powered PowerCinema giving you 'instant on' for DVDs. When you run on the power adaptor it even overclocks the CPU!


]]> Wed, 02 Mar 2005 23:38:19 +0000 By James Cheers for the advice, people. I think I've ruled out the MV Mobeus on the grounds that it's a little over my budget, although I might reconsider that. I'll revisit the thinkpad range, maybe looking at the price of the T-series, but I think I'm most likely to get an iBook. I'll be buying it some time around Easter so I can be at home to get it delivered, and I'll be sure to let you all know how I get on with it :-) http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/archives/2005/03/budget_laptops.shtml#c195 195:87@http://blog.jimbo.org.uk/ Cheers for the advice, people. I think I've ruled out the MV Mobeus on the grounds that it's a little over my budget, although I might reconsider that. I'll revisit the thinkpad range, maybe looking at the price of the T-series, but I think I'm most likely to get an iBook.

I'll be buying it some time around Easter so I can be at home to get it delivered, and I'll be sure to let you all know how I get on with it :-)

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