Need Good Laptop

I'm using SWX in my desktop, but I would like to get a laptop to use when traveling.
What do you recommend? I would like to get good and fairly inexpensive laptop to load SWX2004.
I need some educating on the type of display panel, chip and how much memory is adecuate. Is AMD or Intel a better buy? Dell, HP or Gateway is the way to go?
Your help is very much appreciated.
Thank you.

Search this newsgroup for laptops.
snipped-for-privacy@water.com wrote:
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TOP wrote:
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TOP is not being curt.
He is realistic as there must have been over a dozen threads in the last 6 months alone, and there are probably a half dozen higher end laptops discussed (some of which at 14 pounds are not laptops in my opinion), and even the newest Apple MacBook Pros running WinXP Pro (which I am using when outside).
High end laptop video cards from nVIDIA are the one thing needed to be a happy camper with SolidWorks, so check the SolidWorks website for approved video cards.
Bo

Including Matt's posting where he compares his laptop to his desktop on steroids.
Bo wrote:
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The latest Desktop Engineering has an enticing article about the newest Dells, M65 and M90. I'll admit I drooled on my keyboard a little reading about the M90.
Dell only ships with Intel. The newest Intel processors compare pretty nicely with the AMDs. If you prefer AMD, you can get similar performance from companies like Alienware (recently bought by Dell), Hypersonic, Boxx and a few others.
The main thing with the new M90 is the screaming video card. It's not what you call "cheap".
If you don't have to have the latest and greatest, I've posted a fair amount in the past 6 months on laptops, "desktop replacements" or "portables" or whatever you want to call them. Performance and real modeling usability definitely come at the cost of portability.
snipped-for-privacy@water.com wrote:
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Even though the Dell M90 is expensive, I have priced some similar other laptops in the past, and when you put up the same screen and video card and other specs, the prices were fairly close.
The minute you start dropping screen resolution, video card, memory, Hard drive size, various wireless options and so forth, it is not a fair comparison anymore, and all those things can drop price by $1k-$2k.
Bo
snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net wrote:
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Dell is OK if you can live with wretched customer service.

You gotta pay.
Whether I buy Apple's Apple Care or Dell's CompleteCare, it makes no difference as I want 3 year parts and service, and with high end laptops, you need the extra coverage.
Dell has fixed even minor things that went wrong on-site in less than 24 hours, everytime I've had a glitch, and they fixed them right.
In one case with lines on the LCD display (a loose connection somewhere), they simple replaced EVERYTHING; cables, video card, LCD, Backlight, etc. I asked the guy why, and he noted, they lose money hand over fist, if they have to come out a 2nd time, so they just replaced everything.
Bo
Paul wrote:
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"Bo"
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My experience with Dell has been different. "next day, on-site" turns out to be "parts only" shipment to wrong address, and no technician calls or shows up. Dell's solution? Re-ship "parts only", again no technician. Service call placed the morning of the 13th. It will be the 19th at the earliest before parts arrive. I have asked for a refund of the price of CompleteCare warranty service. This is a lot like when I ordered a Dell notebook and paid for 2nd-day delivery, but didn't get the system for 6 days, on the morning I was to fly overseas on business.
There is a site I recommend looking at before buying from Dell: www.ihatedell.net
I'm sure some customers get good service. That hasn't been by experience.

Wretched abominable service like that deserves a legal action in small claims court, where I would think you would win HANDS DOWN. Judges have been screwed on warranties just like everyone else.
One thing I have noted is that service in the major metro high density areas is better than what I've heard in other areas, just from anecdotes. My service has always been done in Orange County, CA, and been quick as I said before.
If I lived in the Owens Valley or in one of the ski resorts, I might expect a bit more time, but I wouldn't expect a run-around, or I would simply lodge my suit in small claims court, particularly because I had PAID EXTRA for the warranty.
Bo
Paul wrote:
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Matt,
You can now get the Hypersonic FX7 with FX Go 2500 video.
Wayne
On 15 Jun 2006 19:28:28 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net wrote:
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There is at least one "hi-end" laptop which was noted on http//slashdot.org recently that has 2 video cards, if I remember right.
Given the fairly quick ramp up of Intel's latest CoreDuo laptop processors, I think I may limp along until the next generation arrives as there are already hints of dual CoreDuos in the next generation laptops.
Bo
Wayne wrote:
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