What is the best Notebook??

[RichS]

... A general question fer sure, but I am looking for general commments.

I am wanting to buy a notebook computer to take on the road with me. I am a programmer doing client server (VB.NET/SQL Server 2000) and web development (ASP.NET); also some Java. I also would like for my kids to watch DVD's while we are on vacation, etc.. I will have to have one that will run IIS, SQL Server and the .NET Programming environment. (None of the notebooks that I have looked at come with XP Pro...)

Armed with that perspective, please let me know your experiences with notebook computers such as customer service/support, upgrading to XP Pro, accessories (such as floppy drive attachments), what brands have you liked and disliked, etc.

Thanks for any advice at all.

Rich

 

[pmonett]

From a performance perspective, I find that floppy and CD/DVD drives are best when they are external.
That means that what is indeed in the notebook is pure power - the CPU/RAM/Video and HDD are necessary, the rest is not.
Also, external peripherals may be a nuisance to lug along, but when you just take out the notebook it tends to weigh a bit less, which can be pleasing.
That said, I see more and more notebooks with floppy and DVD/CD-RW totally integrated.
I have also heard of cases where people got thigh burns, and I have personally experienced a PIII-800 which I had to put on a book if I wanted to "laptop" it. It was too hot to keep on my thighs - even in jeans.
Since you are in for a rather demanding power range, I would be wary of the heat issues and ensure that I had some form of flat, heavy-duty protection between my skin and the bottom of the notebook.

 

[Pyramus]

Well Dell are the big sellers of laptops, and they offer both pro and home editions of windows. They are usually competeively priced with a build quality that will meet most peoples expectations. I've got an Insipron 8200 and can't complain, although the quality of the case could be better. The newer range of insiprons have better cases though.

You need to decide on how portable you want it to be- do you want a big laptop with everything in it, or a small lightweight one and carry around with you a load of peripherals.

 

[RichS]

Hey thanks for the advice.

I assume it will depend on what brand you have but is it difficult to re-install the operating system on notebooks? Most of the ones that I am looking at have a bunch of junk (MS Works, Money, etc.) on them that I will not want. Me being somewhat of a purist, I am accustomed to buying a new desktop PC nuking the harddrive and reinstalling the OS without all the baggage.

 

[pmonett]

Installing an OS on a laptop is no more difficult than ona desktop. The major issue is always the same : do you have the installation CD ?
If you do, you'll still stand a good risk of having to download a patch for the on-board sound chip, and another for the graphics engine.
Once you've got those two settled, and are sure the hardware works, you've got it made.