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The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: Matt_H on March 16, 2005, 11:42:11 PM

Title: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Matt_H on March 16, 2005, 11:42:11 PM
Does anyone know of any good AMD-based laptop systems/vendors? Not interested in anything Intel-related, only AMD. AMD, AMD, AMD. Intel is not getting my money ;-)

It'd be fantastic if there was a retailer that sold systems without Windows, too... I've already got a copy kicking around.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: adolescent on March 17, 2005, 01:54:06 AM
There's not that many brands that sell AMD equiped notebooks.  Off the top of my head Acer, and HP/Compaq are the only large companies (Sony had a few models, as did Toshiba but they've largely left the AMD behind).  

Intel has much better mobile offerings currently, this may change with Turion.

Edit: Fujitsu also has a single AMD XP-M model, the S2010.  (I have an older Lifebook S and they are great notebooks, not very fast, but great size and portability.

Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: 6 on March 17, 2005, 02:41:05 AM
Matt, I highly recommend you look at emachines.com.  We bought an AMD tower and it has been a lot less stressful than our daughter's P4 Gateway.

They have the 64 bit processors too.

6
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Matt_H on March 17, 2005, 02:49:19 AM
@ adolescent & 6

I'll scope these out. Thanks!
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Methuselas on March 17, 2005, 02:49:33 AM
Stay away from Gateway....Stay away. That aside, if you want an AMD laptop, my suggestion is to look online for one that's an aftermarket from the far east. Sure, it's not going to be a US one, but it will definately be cheaper and you can order it without Windoze.


Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: the_leander on March 17, 2005, 03:45:46 AM
I know you're going to hate me for saying this, but if you're after a laptop, I would strongly urge you to get an IBM laptop, yes its an intel cpu, but the reliability of these machines is all but legendary.

You can find many second hand also at very good prices.

At the end of the day, its all well and good saying, "I'm not going to buy such and such a laptop because of X cpu brand" but if at the end of it you're left with a lemon, how much better are you going to feel for not having bought a decent one in the first place?

Besides, if you buy second hand Intel don't get a cent from you!
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Floid on March 17, 2005, 05:11:43 AM
As an AMD shareholder, I salute you! :-D

Quote

Matt_H wrote:
@ adolescent & 6

I'll scope these out. Thanks!


Keep in mind that emachines *is* owned by Gateway now; they're also essentially the biggest brand if you want something from the "far east" but can't be bothered to track it down in the proverbial back-of-the-Computer-Shopper yourself (meaning, y'know, cheap, national, and available at Best Buy, but check the reviews for specific models)...

I don't know what's currently available, other than seeing that decent XP-Ms are now practically commodity (with Staples and others carrying the never-heard-of import brands) ... I would assume that with Turion out, anything carrying the "Athlon 64 Mobile" label is going to be a good deal, for being effectively the same thing but brandname-obsolete.

TheInquirer (http://www.theinquirer.net)'s weekly hardware roundups are a good way to track down the usual ovarclockar-site reviews of all the import hardware from brands you've never heard of; you might catch blurbs or hands-on reports there.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: samanosuke on March 17, 2005, 08:39:12 AM
I'd screw x86 altogether and go for a Powerbook personally.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: bloodline on March 17, 2005, 08:47:46 AM
Quote

samanosuke wrote:
I'd screw x86 altogether and go for a Powerbook personally.


Maybe he doesn't want to spend £2000 for a pretty looking calculator.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: samanosuke on March 17, 2005, 09:32:23 AM
Isn't every computer just a calculator when you think about it?
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: bloodline on March 17, 2005, 09:39:49 AM
Quote

samanosuke wrote:
Isn't every computer just a calculator when you think about it?


I know, I was just being facetious... When I was shopping around for a Laptop, I rather fancied a PowerBook G4... but After running the software (Logic Audio, Reason etc...) I needed to run on it and then the same software on an x86 laptop; the x86 gave me better performance for half the cost (with more memory and bigger hard drive, LCD wasn't as good though).
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: samanosuke on March 17, 2005, 12:18:05 PM
Heh, that's exactly what I use my Mac for! Strangely I found the CPU usage under Reason more effecient (even moreso under OS9) when compared to my friend's similarly spec'd x86 laptop. Don't know about Cubase though so I can't comment there. I can imagine that the G4 'books are becoming outdated now thoug - Apple really need to switch to G5 in their laptops as the G4 is showing its age.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: bloodline on March 17, 2005, 12:23:45 PM
Quote

samanosuke wrote:
Heh, that's exactly what I use my Mac for! Strangely I found the CPU usage under Reason more effecient (even moreso under OS9) when compared to my friend's similarly spec'd x86 laptop. Don't know about Cubase though so I can't comment there. I can imagine that the G4 'books are becoming outdated now thoug - Apple really need to switch to G5 in their laptops as the G4 is showing its age.


I don't run Cubase either :-D

I was compararing a top of the Line PowerBook G4 with a 3.06Ghz PIV Laptop... To be really honest I'm not surprised the PIV was faster (and cheaper).
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: darksun9210 on March 17, 2005, 01:38:32 PM
if you want a spanky AMD laptop, look to alienware.com or .co.uk or try voodoopc.com

personally, i'm looking at that Dell XPS gen2 / inspiron 9300 thing. its currently the only laptop with the 6800ultra GPU, and 1900 x 1200 17" screen yumminess.

Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Noster on March 17, 2005, 01:49:11 PM
Hi,

@bloodline

> To be really honest I'm not surprised the PIV was faster (and cheaper).

And louder, and with less akku runtime ;-)

Noster
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: Failure on March 17, 2005, 02:20:42 PM
Eh, looks like this is pretty well fleshed out already, but I'll just report I've been pleased with my Compaq Presario 2175US (marketed as "2100Z").  Had it for well over a year now with no problems.  Granted, I probably can't expect it to survive being dropped off a counter on a routine basis like a Thinkpad.  Luckily I do not go skydiving with my laptop or stress test it under the wheels of a Mack truck.

Friend of mine lately bought one of Compaq's AMD64 offerings and likes it just fine too.  I do not buy laptops often though, so the most I can say is Works For Me(tm).  FWIW.  Caveat emptor.  Etc.
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: bloodline on March 17, 2005, 02:41:03 PM
Quote

Noster wrote:
Hi,

@bloodline

> To be really honest I'm not surprised the PIV was faster (and cheaper).

And louder, and with less akku runtime ;-)

Noster


Oh, yeah MUCH louder and MUCH hotter than a G4!!! But since it is used to run softsynths on stage for no more than an hour at a time that doesn't matter!!! :-D
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: rayt on March 17, 2005, 02:44:58 PM
Quote
personally, i'm looking at that Dell XPS gen2 / inspiron 9300 thing. its currently the only laptop with the 6800ultra GPU, and 1900 x 1200 17" screen yumminess.


Those notebooks usually have a battery runtime of about 1 hour or something.. and carrying a 17" notebook is no fun either.. I prefer a low power(e.g. ppc) 12"/13" notebook over these beasts any time.. but its all a matter of taste I guess..

Quote
And louder, and with less akku runtime


Yup, building PIV based notebooks is incredibly stupid imho.. theres a good reason why intel has the pentium m.. but intel sucks anyway..
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: bloodline on March 17, 2005, 02:50:22 PM
Quote

rayt wrote:

Yup, building PIV based notebooks is incredibly stupid imho.. theres a good reason why intel has the pentium m.. but intel sucks anyway..


I agree, but I needed something powerful and cheap, at that moment... and the AMD64 laptops were ages away.... so I had to go with the smelly intel one :-)
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: adolescent on March 17, 2005, 02:51:57 PM
Quote

darksun9210 wrote:
personally, i'm looking at that Dell XPS gen2 / inspiron 9300 thing. its currently the only laptop with the 6800ultra GPU, and 1900 x 1200 17" screen yumminess.



But that monster weighs 9 pounds! Sure it has great performance, but you'll need a back brace to carry it.  :lol:
Title: Re: Suggest a laptop
Post by: dbalaski on March 17, 2005, 03:04:40 PM
Well,  HP has a couple I liked:

Hewlett-Packard Pavilion Notebook with AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor 3200+  Model: zv5405us
about  $1250 US

also Averatec
Averatec Notebook/ Portable DVD Player with Mobile AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor 3000+  Model: AV6240-EH1
about $1200 US

Acer
Acer Aspire 1522LMi-XPP - Mobile Athlon 64 (3000+) 1.8 GHz
Mfr Part#: LX.A3706.002
about $1050 US

stay with ones that have the Athlon 64 (IMHO )

Checkout  BESTBUY.COM or INSIGHT.COM

hope this helps
dB  the dba