Evesham.Com Laptop/Notebook

[(Shovel)]

For reasons I don't understand I posted this in WebDev a while a ago.. I think I must have been drunk/asleep/vacant at the time, but anyhow.

Looking to get a Laptop over the summer, so I'm not yet looking at specific models as the specs will hopefully change. However, I need to get manufacturers in mind.

Dell are, it seems, the Daddy, but are very expensive, and I'd like an LCD screen for my main box as well. Evesham seem to offer very competative machines at less cost. The only "cost cutting" I can notice is that some of their graphics chips are branded as: "SMA graphics (up to 32MB)"

Anyone know who makes them and whether it matters?
Others seem to be Intel 830 chips or "ATi Mobility".

Advice on the whole laptop area very welcome.

 

[Daffeh]

yeah i could do with getting a laptop,but dont have a clue on who sells em

any help would be appreachiated

second hand is acceptable

 

[old.Jas]

Seems what both you two need is the Dell Factory Outlet. End of line/promo/demo models at (for Dell) piss cheap prices

http://www.euro.dell.com/countries/uk/enu/dfo/default.htm

 

[(Shovel)]

Interesting. Shame they don't seem to give detailed specs (no network cards?!?!- very odd..)

The problem I've always found with Dell is that they either use very high quality, or rip off, RAM. To get 256 meg can be an extra £100 to the cost - and God forbid if I'd like a bit more!

Anyway, holding out for the Evesham verdict

 

[S-Gray]

i have a Toshiba "Brick", had it about 2/3 years, not used it in a long time

Last time i used it the laptop fell off the Workstation and fell on meh toe... fuckin hurt !

 

[Summo]

Xavier was raving about the Toshiba Satellite 5000 a while back. Seeing as it does 1600x900 on its 15" TFT screen AND is powered by a meaty nVidia 17m chipset, you'll prolly never need a desktop system at all. It'll run all your games a treat.

I think it costs about £2000 though. How much are you looking to spend?

 

[Embattle]

http://www.computers.toshiba.co.uk/...ption.jsp?z=105&PRODUCT_ID=16046&DISC_MODEL=0

 

[FuZor]

Originally posted by Super_Gray
i have a Toshiba "Brick", had it about 2/3 years, not used it in a long time

Last time i used it the laptop fell off the Workstation and fell on meh toe... fuckin hurt !

WOW so have I!

Mines a p120 Satellite PRO yours?

 

[Summo]

Heh heh. I have a Satellite Pro 440CDX. The screen makes my brain hurt.

 

[(Shovel)]

Budget is £1500 max really. I'll also want an MS-Office liscence for it though - but being a student type that is only £100. I'll go with £1500 for the laptop, can worry about office later.

- unless you find something truely stunning that's very close to that

 

[Daffeh]

i aint really bothered about it being able to play games, i just want something i can do my uni work on

 

[PR.]

Originally posted by Shovel
I'll also want an MS-Office liscence for it though

*snigger*

 

[(Shovel)]

Ahh shaddap

 

[(Shovel)]

OK, a *current* spec from Evesham, which to me looks pretty good. But I've never bought a laptop before, so I may be wrong.

Pentium 4 1.7
15" Screen
8x DVD-ROM
348 MB
20 GB HD
ATi Mobility 16 Meg graphics
10/100 Network card
Sound.

£1514.48

 

[S-Gray]

Its a

Toshiba... thats all i can see on the front coz there is a Server Case (empty) on top of it, and on top of the case is books and boxes... and it says fuckk all on the front except Toshiba

 

[Embattle]

Originally posted by Shovel
OK, a *current* spec from Evesham, which to me looks pretty good. But I've never bought a laptop before, so I may be wrong.

Pentium 4 1.7
15" Screen
8x DVD-ROM
348 MB
20 GB HD
ATi Mobility 16 Meg graphics
10/100 Network card
Sound.

£1514.48

Is that P4 the M version?

 

[old.Jas]

Impressive specs for £1500

 

[(Shovel)]

That's what I thought.

However, if it says "approxomate Battery Life: 3 hours", how long have I really got?

 

[S-Gray]

10minutes tops

 

[old.Jas]

Forget the 3hrs for sure - always overestimated

 

[(Shovel)]

How much are spare batteries?

 

[old.Jas]

They are usually custom (read: expensive)

 

[PR.]

Don't touch that shite!!!!!

You can surely get a better system than that for £1500.

And don't touch that P4(non M) even with my P3 1.2Ghz (8100) busts the P4 1.7ghz (8200) in almost all the benchmarks except the ones that took advantage of the P4 and the ones that use the GF4go [Gimme my GF4go for a 8100, Pweeeeese dell, Pweeeeeese]

 

[(Shovel)]

eh?

This was an Evesham, not a Dell 8200.

Although I don't think it was a P4-M

 

[Embattle]

P4-M is the processor to try and get since they last longer in oridinary usage although they generally cost more.

 

[S-Gray]

right my Toshiba "Brick" is a Toshiba T4850CT

I found out after removin all the shit off the top of it

 

[FuZor]

lol they are bricks allright! Still use mine but only for one day at a college a week

hehe Someguy mines got a TFT screen but its starting to fadeeee

 

[S-Gray]

i think i may power it up... not been on for about 2years now, if its nice and smooth'ish i may network it

 

[S-Gray]

Lol just powered it up:
I get these messages on Startup:

First Error Message:

NO FDD ERROR
Adaptec AHA-1540CF/1542 BIOS v2.02

<<Press <CTRL> <A> for SCSISelect Utilities>>

Second Error Message:

ERROR IN CMOS. BAD CHECKSUM

Third Error Message:

I didnt catch this one, but it said something like BAD BATTERY or Low battery..


===

So the first error message must be when i dropped the laptop on my Toe, and the Cable come loose or somethin.

the second error message has now gone since i went into BIOS and clicked Save/Exit.

The third is obviously Battery life, its not been turned on so all the power from the Battery has been drained

 

[(Shovel)]

No FDD is presumably Floppy Disk Drive. got one?

CMOS error was because of the motherboard battery going flat and it got reset.

And yes, you probably do need to recharge it.