Reasons to/not to buy

[pammy]

http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=TOS14434&ref=kelkoo&cam=TOS14434&key=142524

I've had enough of the noise my PC makes so want it out of the lounge and want something neater. Portability not the major factor. Have viewed this one this aft and the image is nice and bright and crisp - much better than the Sony Vaio.

I don't play games on them so not bothered about the gaming factor but it does need to handle images and multi task which being dual core I think it should.

 

[stats007]

All PCs multi-task - a dual processor means it may be capable of parallel processing which is different. To be honest I'd spend half of that on a Dell - though if you're doing a lot of photo work then an IBook would be a better choice.

 

[Chris_J]

Macbook or Macbook Pro, which will do all of this nicely and it can also dual boot with Mac OSX and Windows. If you go Mac though, wait until June for the new operating system.

 

[gaz_l]

If it's noise you're worried about, I can thoroughly recommend the Mac Mini. I was fed up with my PC wheezing away in the corner of the living room - I rebuilt it into a low noise case and changed as much as I could over to passive cooling, which was better but still not brilliant. When the Mini came out I bought one out of curiosity, and despite having no experience with Macs I was won over straight away. It is near as damnit silent, tiny, and does what I need (mostly email and web browsing) perfectly. Although OS X has a bit of a learning curve if you've only ever used Windows, it's worth the effort IMHO. It's much nicer to look at and very stable. Crashes are a thing of the past..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Chris_J]

Agreed, the Mac Mini should also suit. Wait a little bit though, and I'm sure the Core 2 Duo will be put in them.

 

[pammy]

Agreed, the Mac Mini should also suit. Wait a little bit though, and I'm sure the Core 2 Duo will be put in them.

Like the look of the mac mini - but would prfeer a laptop - although won't be lugging it around town etc - It's be nice to be able to take it to diff parts of the house. So I can have privacy when the kids are watching TV in the lounge - they won't be looking over my shoulder.

Plus I could watch DVD's in bed if I felt like it

No not that kind of DVD

 

[Ian B Walker]

No not that kind of DVD

no one would associate you with that sort of thing............................and live

Ah but are they Forum compatible, you know the trouble we have with BMW drivers and this forum

 

[Chris_J]

If size and weight are an issue, then Macbook. I have a Macbook Pro and a G4 Powerbook. The powerboook is still going strong after about 3 or 4 years, and the only issue I've had is the power supply melted the other week.

The Macbook is the muts nuts, and mega fast. Doesn't cope with Windows quite as well as a PC, but plug in a mouse and keyboard, make sure you have English keyboard set and you're away. You try getting a \ with the laptop keyboard

Price being the issue, I'm not sure how the Macs compete but take into account the software you get. iLife is pretty darn expensive on its own.

 

[hawk20]

Apple are OK but very pricey. You can get a Dell laptop for a quarter of the money.

Toshiba OK but only 1 year guarantee. I buy Dell and get a three or four year next business day guarantee with it -- and it still comes out less than the Toshiba. And they do come out within twenty four hours, though my current laptop has been faultless. John Lewis do two year guarantees on laptops if you want Apple or Japanese and I think you can extend the guarantee for sensible money.

 

[grober]

To get the full benefit of Windows Vista you want dual core 64 bit type architecture which that Toshiba seems to have. Toshiba were first in the market with portables so should be fine altho others have now caught up of course. As a general comment upgrades on a laptop tend to be more difficult/expensive than desktops so make sure you get the spec you want from the off. Only other comment was the recommendation that windows vista works best with 2 GB memory but you can probably spec that in before purchase if you wanted to.

 

[pammy]

My first question to the PCW numpty was about the RAM being only 1meg and I had heard how Vista really needed two - so how easy would an upgrade be. £200 was the reply and it's not really needed Reckons as long is I'm not gaming on it it would be fine. I dunno - you tell me

I have little faith in those guys telling you what you need to hear. Especially as he then tried to convince me I'd need a 1/2 price case, 1/2 price Norton oh and he'd give me 2 months of their cover for free. He was miffed when I told him I didn't want any of those - would rather have £40 off the price. He took one of those - "she doesn't know what she's on about" looks - so huffed Pammy stomped off . I might not always know what I do want but I do know what I don't want

I've had Tosh lap tops before through work and loved them - they were brill. Very reliable. Currently got a Fujitsu Siemens which again is OK - but they're for diff purposes. I liked the screen on the Tosh I saw yesterday, 17", and the whole thing looks neat and would fit in my room. I also like the full keyboard - ie seperate number pad.

Trouble with me if I'm speccing something up I always go to far so when I'm speccing up Dell's they come in at over £900 with a 17" screen

 

[hawk20]

I liked the screen on the Tosh I saw yesterday, 17", and the whole thing looks neat and would fit in my room. I also like the full keyboard - ie seperate number pad.

Trouble with me if I'm speccing something up I always go to far so when I'm speccing up Dell's they come in at over £900 with a 17" screen

I think most of us are using computers massively more powerful than we need for the tasks we are doing -unless you are into gaming in which case a games consol is much better anyway.

Sounds like you really like the Toshiba so go for it. Japanese reliability is a real bonus. But check out John Lewis: they will match or beat any price you get and will give you a two year guarantee for no extra charge (and you can usually extend it for sensible money.

 

[Sp!ke]

The Toshiba is a very very good laptop but the 3 year warranty arguement from Dell is a big plus. Laptops do need this warranty as they tend to have a hard life.

 

[hawk20]

The Toshiba is a very very good laptop but the 3 year warranty arguement from Dell is a big plus. Laptops do need this warranty as they tend to have a hard life.

I agree guarantees are well worthwhile especially on laptops. But I think John Lewis may allow extending to three years or more.

 

[pammy]

Thanks for that guys. Checked out John Lewis online - we don't have one near here - but they don't do that model anyway. Nearest 17" Tosh they do is £999 so I guess that's out.

I hear what you're saying about lap tops use demanding a higher degree of protection from warranty and part of me says - yeah this fine if you're taking them out and about a lot and I won't be. But I know the reality will kick in and I will end up taking out and about. Maybe not on the train but certainly in the car.

 

[HughJarse]

Im currently using vista on my macbook pro to type this and its very stable and fast.
As for the 2gb ram for vista; I have vista on main PC so Ive just taken 1gb out leaving it with 1gb and it amde not noticeable difference; I ran the vista pc test and it dropped 0.1 of a point which is absolutley nothing; conclusion is 1gb or ram is absolutley fine for vista.

This macbook pro is the quietist laptop I have or have ever had, to be honest i dont even know if it has a fan!

I have a couple of sony vaios, the first is a couple of years old and I still love it. The other is a massive 17" screen job with a blu-ray burner - its gorgeous, big, gorgeous, big ehhh ooooh and extremley fast - however it comes with a massive price tag.

If I was in your position I would definitley consider a macbook pro and would buy ffom the apple refurbish store saving over £400 on the new price.

 

[pammy]

I'm now £700 poorer

But got a shiny new toy to play with

eta - if only all things in life were so simple. Switch on - BT home hub code in - and off we go - fantastic. One happy budgie

 

[stats007]

Just like a woman to ask for advice then not listen to any

 

[pammy]

Just like a woman to ask for advice then not listen to any

I did - I listened, investigated some more and did not see anything that said don't buy it - it aint gonna work etc etc.

I am as ever always grateful for people's views and opinions and the fact that Tosh are reliable etc was a big one for me. And that 1gb to run Vista was fine swung it. I don't like not being able to see what it is I'm buying and that was always the problem with Dell.

Must admit I do like this keyboard too. Can work much faster on it.

 

[hawk20]

Just like a woman to ask for advice then not listen to any

Hardly fair. Some of us thought the Toshiba fine, but merely suggested trying to extend the warranty. That applies to all makes. IMO Japanese are much the most reliable.