# Looking to buy a lap top
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581
**Category:** PittSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [January 20, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581 "2009-01-20T13:56:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@cleanquick306](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cleanquick306)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/1 "2009-01-20T13:56:24Z")
I have done no research yet and know pretty much nothing about computers. I bought my “vpr matrix” at best buy in '01 and have had excellent luck with it but it finally took a shit and will not turn on.
I have been thinking about getting a laptop for a while, but dont want to spend alot…any suggestions?
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### Author:  [@Zack01GC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Zack01GC)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/2 "2009-01-20T14:21:37Z")
I didn’t know anything about laptops when I bought mine, but I bought it and have had literally no problems yet.
Toshiba Satellite A215
> **[Toshiba Satellite A215 Review | NotebookReview.com](http://www.notebookreview.com/notebookreview/toshiba-satellite-a215-review/)**
>
> The Satellite A215 series is a new line of consumer notebooks being offered by Toshiba. The A215 sports variations of the AMD Turion64 X2 CPUs and is being positioned as a multimedia notebook with its large 15.4 glossy screen, large hard drives,...
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### Author:  [@cleanquick306](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cleanquick306)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/3 "2009-01-20T15:32:27Z")
whats the advantage with that over this one:
[http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9163772&type=product&id=1218040476935](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9163772&type=product&id=1218040476935)
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### Author:  [@JLude7](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JLude7)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/4 "2009-01-20T16:07:37Z")
toshiba’s are usually pretty solid labtops. Im a fan of lenovo as well, and some choice HP models. what do you use your computer for? video games, graphic design, office applications, or just the everyday kinda thing…
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### Author:  [@cleanquick306](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cleanquick306)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/5 "2009-01-20T16:19:29Z")
I do some video and photo editing, internet, use office alot…i would think the stuff that would effect it most would be video editing/watching…my computer that just died was a pretty good pc in '01 but was still good enough for what I did up until it quit working so I would think that I wouldn’t need anything crazy out of a new computer, but then again I’m not sure.
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### Author:  [@Zack01GC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Zack01GC)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/6 "2009-01-20T16:30:48Z")
> [@members data list?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/members-data-list/39442/4):
>
> whats the advantage with that over this one:
> [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9163772&type=product&id=1218040476935](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9163772&type=product&id=1218040476935)
Mine has 4 USB ports, different graphics card, and weighs a little more? Like I said, I don’t know much about the different laptops, but I do know that mine has been great.
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### Author:  [@thrillissues](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/thrillissues)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/7 "2009-01-20T16:33:00Z")
> [@WTB: one all season 180/65-R14 or two snows in a similar size.](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-one-all-season-180-65-r14-or-two-snows-in-a-similar-size/39397/4):
>
> I do some video and photo editing, internet, use office alot…i would think the stuff that would effect it most would be video editing/watching…my computer that just died was a pretty good pc in '01 but was still good enough for what I did up until it quit working so I would think that I wouldn’t need anything crazy out of a new computer, but then again I’m not sure.
That would be true, but since most new laptops will now have Windows Vista they have to pretty much be powerhouses to run as fast as your old one probably did.
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### Author:  [@77rednecktruck](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/77rednecktruck)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/8 "2009-01-20T18:44:06Z")
hp, lenovo, sony - in that order
do not get any other brand, they are built with shitty parts and have shitty support.
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### Author:  [@JLude7](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JLude7)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/9 "2009-01-20T21:02:54Z")
idk i just bought my toshiba a few months ago and love it. but i would stay away from some of the special edition hp laptops. a few of the models had some bugs. i like lenovo a lot though. if your going to download a lot of movies and photos, stay upwards of 250 gb hard drive, and a decent graphics card for some photo editing. i would say the standard now for most laptops are around 2 or 3 gigs of ram. if your playing video games at all, get 4 gigs. its just going to keep your computer faster. there are many options, just do a little looking around and keep your eye out for some deals.
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### Author:  [@ZEX350Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ZEX350Z)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 5:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/10 "2009-01-21T05:45:35Z")
> [@Top 5 War Movies](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/top-5-war-movies/39443/11):
>
> hp, lenovo, sony - in that order
>
> do not get any other brand, they are built with shitty parts and have shitty support.
I would modify that list a bit.
HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, Sony
If you haven’t bought a computer in years I would stay away from AMD. I just did a custom gaming rig and AMD looks like they may be on their way downhill. BUT BUT BUT - their processors use VERY little power - good for laptops I guess. I don’t really conserve electricity.
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### Author:  [@steelcitysix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/steelcitysix)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 7:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/11 "2009-01-21T07:15:28Z")
I have an HP its so old it has a pull start on it…but it runs like a clock
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### Author:  [@MONTE\_SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MONTE_SS)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/12 "2009-01-21T08:26:18Z")
deal with 20 lenovo’s daily… no problems here, just need to take some of there stuff “apps”… that you will never use.
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### Author:  [@berad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/berad)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/13 "2009-01-21T08:43:19Z")
Here’s an email I sent out recently to my brother…
> Bare Minimum…
> Windows: Windows Vista Home Premium
> Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile / Centrino
> Memory: 4 Gigabytes DDR2
> Hard Drive: 200 Gigabytes
> Optical Drive: DVD±RW/CD-RW
> Network Cards: 10/100/1000 LAN and Wireless 802.11 B/G
> Ports/Bells/Whistles: up to you. 3 USB is pretty much standard. Anything else like firewire, memory card readers, video output, lightscribe, blu-ray, dual layer burner, bluetooth, built in web cam, media buttons, optional.
> Size, weight and screen type is also up to you. Some people like wide screen but it makes the whole thing bulky and less portable. Some people like the glossy screen because it looks sharper and brighter while others like matte style so there is less glare.
> Good Brands: Sony, HP, Lenovo(IBM) Toshiba in that order. Sony and Toshiba are more stylish for home use. Lenovo is more plain/business oriented and HP has both styles. Some models come in different colors now. Business ones are usually black or dark gray.
> Stay Away: Gateway, Acer, Dell, E-machines = total garbage.
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### Author:  [@JLude7](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JLude7)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 9:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/looking-to-buy-a-lap-top/201581/14 "2009-01-21T09:28:58Z")
> [@Douglas the Pug](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/douglas-the-pug/39429/52):
>
> Here’s an email I sent out recently to my brother…
thats good advice, and usually when laptops have 4 gigs of ram in them, its going to have larger then a 200 gb hard drive, at least from what ive seen. thats like more of the better models that have specs like that. look into some of the new toshibas, they have some really nice products. personally i like my laptops small so i went with a 14.1 inch screen i believe. im a big fan of the 13 inch ones too tho. more portability but to each his own