So the new boss tells me to go out and buy a laptop, as I'm using an old piece o'crap. Figured he'd say to keep the expense down, but budget has actually been approved for $2000-$2500 (what a change from my old company).

Being completely useless when it comes to computers, anyone have recommendations? Most people are saying Dell...maybe a Sony Vaio. What should I be looking for? Don't need anything real fancy, either.

Thanks for the help!

I jsut spent 2k on an HP dv8000t

200 GB of memory
1.8Ghz.
1.0 G of ram
DVD/CD BURN AND RW
6 in 1 card slot for reading digital photos and what not
MS Office
Windows XP
17" widescreen

etc.

If I had 2500 though I would have gotten a 17" Power Book

Then again, I am not all that savvy with computers either. That is just what I bought and it is a nice piece of equipment too

the sony vaios are really lightweight and look cool. this one is pretty pimped out and is in your price range: http://www.compusa.com/products/product ... pfp=BROWSE

get as much RAM as humanly possible, it's expensive and a pain and the ass to upgrade on a laptop.

definately a mac. now that they can run windows, its a no brainer as far as im concerned.

I have a VAIO that I use for personal use and a Dell for work. I have been very happy with my VAIO, which I bought last December. Generally, its a very solid and well made laptop. I got the big model with a 15" widescreen LCD monitor, which is about 6 lbs, but I know they have a smaller, 12" model which is more like 3 lbs.

The Dell seems to be made very cheaply (ie the screen wobbles when you move the base, doesn't feel solid, etc). It has given me a few problems with the harddrive clicking, but overall it has worked ok for me.

I just priced out a Lenovo (ne IBM) ThinkPad T60 for just shy of two grand.

I'd say start there.

Yeah, I was just looking at the VAIOs. Can you not purchase Dell computers in BestBuy or CompUSA? Don't see their laptops on the websites.

Nope, only through Dell's website or by phone, as far as I am aware.

Buy an IBM. In terms of initial quality and ongoing customer service, they beat the pants off anything you can get from Best Buy (or Dell - do NOT buy a Dell).

Why? (I have 4 of them and have never had a problem--all desktops though) Is there a specific problem with their laptops?

I think that you are thiniking of Gateway, Gordo - they were another traditionally mail-order company that a few years ago started selling their products in traditional brick and mortar stores like Best Buy and CompUSA.

Currently Dells are pretty much only available via mail-order....I've seen some kiosks in malls as well as ordering centers in Costco but my understanding is that you still end up having it shipped to you.

Never had a problem with Dell (3 different machines) and I've had 2 ThinkPads up and die on me (2 different generations).

In short, I'm getting a MacBook.

Yeah, laptops. Everybody I know who's had a Dell laptop has had serious problems early on. But with any kind of machine, the Dell support staff will have you taking apart your computer, removing and putting back delicate components, etc., before they will actually accept your word that there is a problem and give you a new part or an RMA number or whatever. Two of my friends have switched from Dells to Thinkpads and have been happy since.

Macs definitely have their share of problems. Entire generations of powerbooks were plagued with easily-damaged screens.

How portable does it need to be (i.e. how much do you travel)?

Anything special it needs to do, or standard office funcitons?

You can get a Lenovo Thinkpad T60 for under $1000 brand new

• 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Processor T2300 w/Centrino Duo Mobile Technology
• 512MB RAM
• 60GB hard drive
• CD-RW/DVD
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• WiFi 802.11a/b/g
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Profesional
• 14.1" XGA display

This is the correct answer. It's the only machine that can run all three major operating systems. There's no reason not to get one, especially on the company's dollar. The 15" Macbook Pro smokes.

BIAS ALERT: I work in an Apple store... but seriously, it can run Windows if you need to, and OS X all the time you won't want to.

if your company doesn't support macs then it's pretty irresponsible to buy one for work.

also, they're like greatest hits collections: only for housewives and girlscouts.

you obviously have no clue as to what youre talking about.

he's not buying it for a media center, he's buying it for work. why would you pay the overpriced sticker price when you're going to run windows on it anyway? does mac officially support windows, or are you expecting him to go to boot camp and figure out how to support it himself? why bother?

when youre paying that much, the apple premium you pay becomes insignificant. and no, apple does not support windows. however, given the gross incompetence of many or most computer companies selling laptops today in customer support, the gains you get from buying something thats supported are at best somewhat noteworthy, at worst negligible. its also possible to get by using os x a lot of the time, unless there is something that absolutely has to run in windows, which is quite possible.

[img][593:559]http://www.xeye.org/1995-2000/Pictures/Lemmings/lemming.jpg[/img]

isn't apple releasing a pentium version of mac os? i know there's beta versions floating around on bittorrent anyway.

where ya been? its been out for months now, used in the new apples based on x86 intel processors.

I abhor apple fanatics.. think for yourself, give apple marketing a night off

actually, right now, i own no apple computers of any kind. i do have an ipod, but thats it for any apple products.