Thread: I need a laptop, help please

After losing my wallet and roughing it at KL international with 50 baht for 14 hours I now have enough spare cash to purchase a brand new laptop which has been put on hold for a few weeks; a few minor points:

I have never owned a laptop

I don't know sod all about laptops/computers

I don't know what to purchase and at what price

I live in Bangkok so should be able to find anything thats recommended

I need a portable to remote access my work computer, the company has the software to do this. The only software I use is Microsoft office and the internet but I would also like to run other graphic design softwares aswell. Most importantly I need a lot of memory and fast internet.

I have just woke up, got to work and haven't had a coffee yet; all the above might be complete garbage but to be honest I really don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Any help will be much apprieciated.

Thanks in advance

What sort of budget are you allowing? best place to start

30,000 max

There are some good Acers around for that price and if you add little more you can get some thing even better
I bought the Acer aspire 4200G I think it is with 2 gig ram and 250 gig hard drive. Also has built in web cam and a good speaker system, Nivia graphics card that plays all the new games. I paid 34 or 32K I cant remember. But I am very happy with it
There are lower spec ones for 27,000

Im not much of a Windows lappie expert but I got an Acer Aspire 5315 for my dad.He uses it for casual browsing invoice/quotes etc and seems to be quite happy with it.That was about £300 in the UK 15" screen DVD burner,Vista,120gb hard Drive.Think it only takes a Gig of RAM though.

Acer has been reccomended to me before. Rigger I'm going to find out more about this Acer Aspire 4200G. What is the benefit of having 2 Gig of RAM as too one gig (I can't remember what it is!)

If youve got 1 gig of RAM and a few apps open they'll run slower than if youve got 2 gigs.More RAM usually brings better performance.Depends what sort of apps youre going to run.Some can be RAM hungry some can use very little
I was quite impressed with the spec of my dads Acer for the price.It had a dual layer burner in it as standard .More money will get you a better spec one

I notice the Aspire range series changes every thousand, the top of the range 4000 series was 37k looks interesting, bit over budget. I've been looking at the models above the one you got melv, can't find the prices.

Anymore (and there will be) questions i'll let you know

There used to be an Acer service center/shop on Rama 3 in BKK just before SV City Condo.I think they were a bit cheaper there than in the shops.Depends if youre in BKK I guess

Thinkpad R60 - ~30k

Long lasting work horse computer.

No shiny blue lights, no crap. Excellent keyboard, non-reflective screen and durable.
Last forever.

https://teakdoor.com/the-multimedia-f...tml#post580519 (Need new laptop)

This is the one I ended up with and it was just 31K

^ I was checking that one out, what do you use it for?

Originally Posted by melvbot

There used to be an Acer service center/shop on Rama 3 in BKK just before SV City Condo.I think they were a bit cheaper there than in the shops.Depends if youre in BKK I guess

OK good one

Checking out the Thinkpad now

Thanks for that link to the old thread, should be useful

I've not got anything to add, but just wanted to say thanks, as I'm also looking at getting a laptop, once I arrive in LOS. So this thread has already answered my questions!

^ Introduce yourself on the newbies forum

Originally Posted by Mr Pot

^ I was checking that one out, what do you use it for?

Surfing the web and games/music/programing fuel injection maps on my bike
and TD

In the OP you mention running 'other' graphic software. Get as much RAM as you can especially if your running any of the Adobe apps. Memory hogs the lot.

Auto cad also fits that bill

E. G.

thanks gibbo

I'v recently bought the COMPAQ Presario V3000 for less than 27K bahts in Panthip Chiangmai. It comes without OS and I' ve installed XP Pro and Mandriva Linux in Dual boot. It's a 14" laptop with 1Gig Ram extended to two Gig for 700 bahts.
Actually the exact model name is V3723AU.

The specs:

AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-52 (1.60GHz/512KB)
14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800)
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7150M
2GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1GB)
160 GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive SAMSUNG HM160HI
Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
802.11b/g WLAN + Ethernet
3 USB ports-Cards Readers
Integrated HP Webcam
12 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
1-yr Standard Warranty
Dimensions: 13.15" (L) x 9.33" (W) x 1" (min H)/1.54" (max H)
Weight (6 cell): 5.5lb

I'm very very satisfied with this machine. Could't have made a better buy IMO.

Compaq v3000z Review (pics, specs)

As for info, specs can change depending the model.

Originally Posted by friscofrankie

But if you're gonna spend 30K and you really can get a ThinkPad for that price Fuck the rest get the IBM. Not sure about support/repair infrastructure in Thailand, but they are reliable machines. __________________

Very good support. As far as I remember they do a collection and return if any faults come up.
i love my R60. It's boring as hell but it does a great job

I'd have to say that of all the laptops I had at work (Toshiba, Compaq, IBM, Gateway, HP, etc. over a period of 15+ years) the Compaq and IBM were the most trouble free and, perhaps, the most boring. Just plain workhorses.

Originally Posted by buad hai

the Compaq

Not anymore though. They are now all fancy touch bits and blue leds and fancy drivers required.

I had a presario 2100 for 4 or 5 years it was trouble free. The new ones just look and feel crappy. The missus has one and it's just too much tinsel for my liking now. Touch buttons and blue LED's

^Too bad. I hate all that crap. But, I'm really too old to appreciate it, perhaps....

Last night I was telling one of my students how I used to write code by punching holes in cardboard cards. I'm not sure if she really believed me, or not....

Originally Posted by Wallalai

t comes without OS and I' ve installed XP Pro and Mandriva Linux in Dual boot.

Did the Mandriva installation go easily? Any problems with drivers, especially networking ones?

Originally Posted by buad hai

Last night I was telling one of my students how I used to write code by punching holes in cardboard cards. I'm not sure if she really believed me, or not....

I started out as an assistant programmer. I had to sweep up the card confetti off the floor.