It still works great but the physical structure is breaking apart. There's cracks and holes and stuff; I'm afraid a literal bug might crawl inside. Also the CD/DVD drive hasn't worked for more than a year, though I haven't really had to use it. Also I think the warranty ran out recently. Much if not all of the damage comes from me dropping it or it overheating or opening and closing the lid and such; wear and tear that admittedly might've been avoided if I were a bit more physically careful, but that's really part of being a laptop, isn't it?
So I guess it's a good idea to look at replacements about now. Does PMS have anything to recommend?
*My current system is a Dell inspiron 1420, fyi
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
Have you considered a MacBook?
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Seth: What are you making?
Evan: I'm just drilling holes. Last two weeks, **** it.
Have you considered a MacBook?
Not much. What are the advantages?
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughbook/laptop-computers.asp
Not much. What are the advantages?
It runs Mac OS X, and is designed well enough so that you won't have these problems.
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Seth: What are you making?
Evan: I'm just drilling holes. Last two weeks, **** it.
http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughbook/laptop-computers.asp
Those look kind of pricey. I guess my budget for a laptop is about $1000ish, $1200ish. If that's the cost of durability then it'd be more worthwhile to treat my laptop a little more respectfully, and/or encase it in bubble wrap.
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
AMan, Mac OSX can't protect against physical damage. The build quality of a Mac can, but since I'm not familiar with Apple hardware really I can't speak to that much. I do seem to remember that Macbooks have active shock protection so that the hard drive stops if the laptop falls or vibrates.
So UltimateDensity, that's one thing I'd look for, is hard drive shock protection. That's probably your biggest thing. I also thing you'll drop it less the lighter it is because it's easier to use with one hand or to make a last-ditch grab and catch while it's falling.
I recommend a Macbook as well, if you like Mac OSX, but if you like Windows 7, I recommend Lenovo. You can go to lenovo.com and in the top navigation bar, choose "Laptops & netbooks" then "Help me choose a PC". There's a really good survey there to help you pick one out.
Also, do we already know you by another name, or are you new here?
P.S. I work with computers for a living so I can always help with software-related questions/problems, but really nothing I can do obviously about physical damage!
Also! If you have a desktop and you are primarily going to be using the laptop as an extension of your desktop, I recommend a netbook, or even an iPad, depending on your taste. You can go light on the specs and still get a good functioning level out of it.
However, if you don't have a desktop or if your desktop's not particularly pleasant to use and you want a high-performance laptop, check out the Lenovo Y series, and then comparison-shop that against Dell's and Apple's offerings (again, don't know if you want Windows or OSX).
Completely unrelated to this topic but - this is for you, Jordan - my next laptop will be a Mac.
Still a PC guy for desktop though.
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"A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing." - George Lucas
I recommend a Macbook as well, if you like Mac OSX, but if you like Windows 7, I recommend Lenovo. You can go to lenovo.com and in the top navigation bar, choose "Laptops & netbooks" then "Help me choose a PC". There's a really good survey there to help you pick one out.
Hey, cool. Looks like they've got some good ones. Of course I'll be comparing around, but I definitely dig some of these.
Also! If you have a desktop and you are primarily going to be using the laptop as an extension of your desktop, I recommend a netbook, or even an iPad, depending on your taste. You can go light on the specs and still get a good functioning level out of it.
I'm also kind of considering doing something like that, using my present laptop as a desktop, so it gets to stay home and chill until I need it for more intensive uses, and meanwhile happily schlepping a netbook all over the place. Are there any particular disadvantages to that? I'm not really sure how light is too light.
Also, do we already know you by another name, or are you new here?
You certainly do know me here, so don't bother calling me over to give myself a toaster.
Anyway Jordan knows this but my taste is to avoid Apple. Sorry Jordan!
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
What is your reason for avoiding Apple?
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Seth: What are you making?
Evan: I'm just drilling holes. Last two weeks, **** it.
I find their fanbase to be an insufferable elitist.
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
That's a pretty dumb reason not to use Apple products. If you tried one and decided that it suit your needs the best, why would it matter what their fan-base is like.
Also, why do you think their fan-base is that way when say, that of a company like Dell is not?
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Seth: What are you making?
Evan: I'm just drilling holes. Last two weeks, **** it.
I mean, also any time I use Mac OS X it feels alien and sluggish to me, and I don't really care to get used to a new system with a new set of softwares.
Also, why do you think their fan-base is that way when say, that of a company like Dell is not?
Do you know any Dell fanboys? I have never met one.
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.
DIM? I wouldn't have suspected it was you. I don't remember you ever quoting from Matthew before, nor surprising us with a new name.
I have a desktop at home. It has 2 TB of storage and is great for gaming and I also use it to back up Jess's computer to. I never have to worry about charging it and everything is full-size, you know, the keyboard, the mouse, the monitor. It's like the "mother ship". Then when I'm going to fly through space, it's nice to have a small pod to go out in.
The laptop is just not as gaming-capable and ergonomically full-sized and capacious (word?). So I guess the disadvantage in your situation is that the situation when you get home isn't really any better than it was on the road. So you've just got two laptops. So if you're not really that concerned about the stuff that a desktop can do, then you're not missing the "mother ship" experience and you might as well just have two laptops. And maybe you can even hook the one at home up to an external monitor or whatever. So I think I still recommend a netbook, but then, it's not as much of a "man I have a sweet computer" upgrade because netbooks are little and cute and cool, but they might miss stuff you'd appreciate. So buying yourself a new laptop (and being more careful with it) is going to be a much bigger difference from your current situation.
I guess that was all stuff you could've guessed, but you did ask. That's what I can think of from the top of my head.
Well, I think I posted with this account once or twice before and the quote was obscurely topical.
Thanks anyway.
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"My throat is a desert and the desert is my throat" - unknown wanderer.