Laptop/notebook advice

[starrylizard]

I have basic questions.

What does one look for in a laptop/notebook these days? Does something along these lines sound like a reasonable deal?

If possible I would like something powerful enough to vid on, but it wouldn't have to be super fast at it. I mostly just want it for travel, so light would be good. Also, money IS an object. I need something reasonably priced in Australian dollars.

Does anyone buy netbooks any more? My understanding is they can't do much, so a cheaper laptop would probably be a better deal... though that might mean bigger and heavier.

General advice from anyone in the know would be most appreciated. I'd like to have something set up and running by early March, so I can take it to my conference late in March.

Thank you! xxx
(Feel free to jump in whether you know me or not.)

Comments

[leoraine.livejournal.com]

The HP Pavillion you linked to seems to have similar parameters like my notebook Asus, which handles vidding and media well.

I'm no expert in the field, so all I can tell you is if you want a vidding comp, you should probably go for the notebook rather than the netbook. While the netbooks are cheaper and smaller.... I'm really not sure how they handle vids.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

The HP Pavillion you linked to seems to have similar parameters like my notebook Asus, which handles vidding and media well.

Thanks! That's helpful! :)

Yeah, I don't think netbooks would vid at all. Just wondering if anyone used them these days. Separate question, not phrased well that. They have some sort of reduced (Atom) operating system. Just wondering, because they are cheap and small and would probably do for travel, but I'm not sure they're worth the money when for about double you appear to be able to get a fully-functioning laptop.

[heylittleriver.livejournal.com]

I got a netbook for uni because my (14") laptop was too heavy to lug into uni. I love it, because I actually have notes for classes that make SENSE now.

(Because: a) my handwriting is atrocious. b) I'm carrying one thing that I can organise by folders easily, as opposed to when I'd have four different subjects and notes in one book, upside down and back to front.)

I don't think it'd survive vidding though.

Mine's this one: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers/toshiba/10-inch-netbook-sku-73712/ but I got it on sale from Wow for $389 back in June.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh the choices. Thanks!

Yeah, I'm a bit torn, because I have a great desktop, so a netbook might be a good way to go if I could sync the main files I need...

I'm going to go shopping on the weekend and get a feel for how heavy the laptops and notebooks are these days.

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

Ya know, I used to be able to answer questions like that, but since I switched back to Mac, I haven't been keeping up on the Windows systems, except that I don't even vid on laptop. I vid on the desktop. That's mainly because FCP just goes "NOMNOMNOM" on the memory.

If you're just going to take it on one trip, size shouldn't matter that much. It's when you have to lug it around ALL THE TIME that it gets really annoying if it's too big. The occasional trip should be ok even if it's a bigger laptop since most of the time you'll be using it at home. If you just get a smaller one because of 1 or 2 weeks you have to travel with it, while you spend 1-2 years or more using it at home, well, that just doesn't make sense.

Hope all of THAT made sense.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah that makes sense. I really need to decide what I'll use it for. :)

Thanks!

[gorengal.livejournal.com]

I read recently that netbooks most likely won't be made any longer in the near future.

I'm not sure about the specs for vidding because I'm not a vidder, but it seems like a decent price.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I know nothing at all, but from my surfing this model is probably cheaper because it's intel i5, but I'm sure that's plenty good for what I'm after. Same model with intel i7 goes for just under a grand. I'd be interested to see how heavy they are. Must actually walk into a store for that, because they aren't giving the weight anywhere. Curious. LOL.

Love your icon!

[ljmckay.livejournal.com]

Dunno how much I can really contribute here, but another 2 cents can't hurt, can it? Maybe you can get enough for a bus! ;D

Anyway, I have a netbook (Acer Aspire One) and I love it to bits. It's 2.5 years old now and still going pretty strong. I am not a heavy sort of user but I am on it *all the time* so I don't know what that does to its processors and stuff. Sooo knowledgeable, me. ;)

It has slowed down considerably since I got it, but I've also loaded it up with a lot of video files (six seasons of Spooks, plus the current season of four other shows).

I have only "vidded" once on it, and that was more of a photo slideshow than anything with proper video files. But it did well with that.

I will be sad if they stop making these. :( I just got a nice leather bag for it that fits perfectly, so I hope they last long enough for me to get a new one when Jezza dies...

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Interesting, thanks! The last laptop I owned had a 40GB harddrive (which my iPod almost beats now, LOL), so I'm pretty out of the loop. I'll be sure to check out the Acer brand too. :)

[kaaatie.livejournal.com]

I have an ASUS netbook and I really like it. It's great for travelling, because it's so small and light, but I only use it for basic stuff (like email and reading my LJ). I've never tried to vid with it, but I suspect you'd have trouble. If you want something to vid with, the notebook is definitely the way to go.