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Thread ID: 94853	2008-11-14 23:26:00	Laptop Shopping	PaulBNZ (9317)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
720272	2008-11-14 23:26:00	Hi, I'm beginning to get into the market for a laptop to take away to uni next year. I would like to get one around Christmas/New Year to take advantage of any sales but I've been looking around at a few different options. At the moment I'm fairly interested in the HP range and the XPS M1530. Really, my main criteria are 3-4 GB RAM (4GB preferably), 2.2-2.4 GHz CPU (C2D probably) and 256-512 MB of discrete graphics. I just noticed yesterday on Dell's XPS site that you can only take advantage of the 4 GB of RAM with a 64 bit O/S and CPU. Now, I never quite understood the difference between 64 bit and 32 bit but it seems quite pointless offering 4GB of RAM on a system you can't customise to 64 bit and by extension can't utilise all the RAM? So maybe 3 GB of RAM would be more practical and cheaper if I was just going to run 32 bit Vista? Secondly, I cannot stand the finish on the new HP laptops!:) It seems to impractical which makes me like the XPS more but does anyone know if Dell is going to begin providing 512 MB graphics cards in their XPS M1530 range soon? It seems many other manufactures already are so possibly dell is a bit behind on this one! Cheers, Paul	PaulBNZ (9317)
720273	2008-11-14 23:44:00	I wouldn't recommend dell-they're certainly not the most reliable. Looking at your specs I would go for a toshiba gaming notebook or an asus one	Blam (54)
720274	2008-11-15 00:22:00	www.dse.co.nz If you have the cash. One thing I noticed is it claims to have 3GB RAM with only 2 DIMMs. Can you get RAM in 1.5GB DIMMs? * Processor: Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology featuring Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P7350 (2.0 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) * RAM: 3072MB DDR2 (2 Dimms) * HDD: 320GB 5400RPM * Display: 15.4" WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display * Optical: LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±RW with Double Layer Support * Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 512MB Dedicated graphics memory * Networking: Integrated 10⁄100⁄1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN * Wireless: Intel® WiFi Link 5100 * Webcam: Yes * Software: Microsoft® Office 2007 Pro (60 day Trial), Muvee AutoProducer Basic Edition (with 20 Day Trial Full version), Adobe® Acrobat® Reader, Symantec™ Norton Internet Security (60 days live update), Symantec™ Norton Anti-Virus™ Definition Files update, HP QuickPlay Windows 3.7, HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent, HP PhotoSmart Essential, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Cyberlink Youcam * Operating System: Windows® Vista® Home Premium * Warranty: 1 Year	Netsukeninja (13296)
720275	2008-11-15 00:36:00	www.dse.co.nz If you have the cash. One thing I noticed is it claims to have 3GB RAM with only 2 DIMMs. Can you get RAM in 1.5GB DIMMs? * Processor: Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology featuring Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P7350 (2.0 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) * RAM: 3072MB DDR2 (2 Dimms) * HDD: 320GB 5400RPM * Display: 15.4" WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display * Optical: LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±RW with Double Layer Support * Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 512MB Dedicated graphics memory * Networking: Integrated 10⁄100⁄1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN * Wireless: Intel® WiFi Link 5100 * Webcam: Yes * Software: Microsoft® Office 2007 Pro (60 day Trial), Muvee AutoProducer Basic Edition (with 20 Day Trial Full version), Adobe® Acrobat® Reader, Symantec™ Norton Internet Security (60 days live update), Symantec™ Norton Anti-Virus™ Definition Files update, HP QuickPlay Windows 3.7, HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent, HP PhotoSmart Essential, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Cyberlink Youcam * Operating System: Windows® Vista® Home Premium * Warranty: 1 Year It will be 1x1GB and 1x2GB I would assume. I've never seen a 1.5GB DIMM.	jwil1 (65)
720276	2008-11-15 00:56:00	Do you want a "laptop", or do you want a "luggable computer"? Laptops with decent specs (like discrete graphics etc.) tend to be quite bulky and heavy, with poor battery life. Whereas more portable laptops come with less powerful CPUs, integrated graphics and so on. So a big question really is, do you intend to take the laptop with you anywhere, or will it stay tied to your desk at your flat/hostel or wherever you end up living? If you're taking it to uni every day with you, the last thing you'd want to do is lug around a power adapter all the time because of poor battery life. I bought a Dell Inspiron 640m 2 years ago (for work), and the battery easily does 5hrs on a single charge. I think most laptops these days give between 2-3hrs of battery life as standard, and the more highly-speced ones with discrete graphics do 1-2hrs battery life.	somebody (208)
720277	2008-11-15 02:01:00	Vista 32 bit with SP1 can see 4gigs of ram without problem	CliveM (6007)
720278	2008-11-15 02:14:00	CliveM-SP1 make tricks Vista into thinking there is 4gb of RAM in System Properties, but it does not actually recognise all 4gb	Blam (54)
720279	2008-11-15 04:33:00	CliveM-SP1 make tricks Vista into thinking there is 4gb of RAM in System Properties, but it does not actually recognise all 4gb That right? My Laptop has 4gb ram & 32 bit Vista and sees it all!	CliveM (6007)
720280	2008-11-15 04:44:00	That right? My Laptop has 4gb ram & 32 bit Vista and sees it all! It "sees" it, but most applications cannot use it. Some programs such as those optimised for servers (e.g. database servers) can use the full 4gb visible thanks to PAE, but most common applications cannot do this.	somebody (208)
720281	2008-11-15 22:10:00	I'm probably someone who'll leave the laptop on a desk most of the time and and only take it places when I really need it. If I'm only going to be using a 32 bit O/S for the near future it sounds like there really is little point in spending extra on 4 GB RAM for the moment. Does anyone have any personal feedback on the Tosh A300 series? I've played with a few in the shops but hopefully someone will be able to chip in with their own comments. Cheers, Paul	PaulBNZ (9317)
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