Building a Laptop - A serious Q/A

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netdale

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Messages
99
Ok, so I've been looking and looking online for exactly what I want for the exact price that I want to spend ---> it just doesnt exist. Thus, I have a few questions for you brilliant minds out there. How can compile a laptop with a 7200rpm HD (that 60giger kicks butt), 1024 of system RAM, NO OS (I can install XP myself), but has the support/warranty and "feel/look" as a well respected IBM Thinkpad (or whatever flavor you like....IBM or Sony for my tastes)???

Oh yea, dont forget my graphics requirements (what do you think 5600? 9600? something beefy).

I'd have no problem buying the HD 3rd party and the memory from Crucial, but I cannot find an OEM (I called Sony and IBM) who will sell me a laptop w/o an OS and Hard Drive (and w/o memory while you're at it)......

So, anyone have some suggestions? I love to get a P4M (I believe this is the chip that has some power saving capabilities yet utimately has the 1meg cache if I'm not mistaken). It'd also be wonderful to have an internal wifi card (802.11g would be even sweeter). Anyways, these are my desires.....answers?

Thanks Dale
 
P4M does not have 1mb cache.

P-M does, IIRC, but the P4M does not. I had one. Doesn't have it.
 
Originally posted by t0ad
I bought one from IBuyPower myself .. and i'm still waiting for it to ship. 3 weeks later. :mad: [/B]
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I am buying the S-Series laptop from ibuypower.com I am going to get the 3day delievery, maybe you did ground and it got stuck or lost? I would call or contact them and figure out what exactly happened to your product, if you did, what did they say?
 
that one from ibuypower looks interesting.......1856.00 for everythig I'd want........

What kinda parts do they use? What screen am I getting? Anyone actually own one of these?

Thanks Dale
 
I even like the one gaming notebook from ABS (a lot more power and whatnot - I'd think it wouldnt have as much battery life).

What do you guys think? That gaming one from ABS sound good?

P4? or the mobile.......the 128megs vs 64megs on the video card.....

BTW - can I PLEASE not have that multimedia reader - PLEASE.

Any suggestions - I really dont want my new laptop to have a unless reader....

Thanks again fellows
Dale
 
Anything else?

I hate the idea of shelling out $1700+ for a laptop with a media reader I'll never use (and shudder to look at). I also am still wondering the performance differences between the 9600 w/ 64 vs. 128.......

Thanks and bump
Dale
 
Might wanna check out powernotebooks.com ....the Sager from what I hear is something....or a emachine 68xx at your local bb or cc
 
pctorque.com

5xxx or 8xxx series.
Sold with no OS, configurable to 1GB of RAM, Dual channel, P4 HT enabled CPU's.
 
lol those aren't notebooks they are desktop bricks only good for lans. :D

if you want do to some serious gaming gets the ones that oldman suggested above.

but if you value your battery life get an IBM DELL or Emachines (amd64 goodness)

and yes there is a substantial difference between 64 mb and 128mb and that memory gap will really shine through in AA and AF applications.
 
Neither of those Emachines come with 128 Video Ram....

What has been the general consenus? These eMachines worth the money? I've worked on many desktops, and lets just say I hope their notebooks dont reflect the same level of quality.

Anyways....
Thanks once again guys, Dale
 
the Emachines are nice, but remember that the cpu is soldered in them, meaning no upgrading to Dothan's later on. They're nice for the price, though. Note that I received my IBuyPower notebook a few days ago, and i'm quite happy with it. see here for details. Definitely recommended.
 
Originally posted by t0ad
the Emachines are nice, but remember that the cpu is soldered in them, meaning no upgrading to Dothan's later on. They're nice for the price, though. Note that I received my IBuyPower notebook a few days ago, and i'm quite happy with it. see here for details. Definitely recommended.
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WTF are you talking about?

It's a ZIF socket, and it's Athlon64, NOT Intel, so of course it won't get Dothan. :rolleyes:

The eMachines are great. Ever since the company started over, they've done a MUCH better job. Great systems.

I play UT2k4 on it at solid settings and get NO slowdown. Great system.
 
Originally posted by lopoetve
WTF are you talking about?

It's a ZIF socket, and it's Athlon64, NOT Intel, so of course it won't get Dothan. :rolleyes:

The eMachines are great. Ever since the company started over, they've done a MUCH better job. Great systems.

I play UT2k4 on it at solid settings and get NO slowdown. Great system.
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woah, brainfart. i've looked at one too many laptops lately, they're all starting to look the same :D
 
If you're looking for a desktop replacement, there's nothing better than a Sager. The Emachines definitely has a bit more portability to it. Then again I've heard of many little problems with the Emachine so far (the mysterious different speed HD's in the same model for instance), and Sager has a pretty darn respectable reputation for customer service. Check out www.notebookforums.com for some user feedback on them both.
 
Originally posted by t0ad
woah, brainfart. i've looked at one too many laptops lately, they're all starting to look the same :D
Click to expand...

Lol...

The drive issue isn't. You are guaranteed a 4200 RPM drive, or faster. Nothing more. Nothing less. It's SUPPOSED to have a 4200 in it. The 5400 is just icing on the cake. :p

Netdale, I'd go either Sager or the Emachines for a big one. I don't trust no-brand computers, had WAY too many bad experiences. Nuy a respected brand. Parts are readily available, and you know what you're gonna get.
 
Very well put.........I'm SOO tempted to get the eMachines and just take it back under the 14-day money back guarantee!

I've been told though that Sager may come out with a PowerPro w/ ATI 128megs video card. That may be one sweet machine.

I also priced a Sager NP4080 ULTRA @ 1774.........
*I love the eMachines except for screen, I want to run at least 1280x1024) - Specs of the Sager

7200rpm 60gig
1gig of RAM
DVD/CDRW
2.8 p4 (w/ HT)

??
 
Originally posted by netdale
Very well put.........I'm SOO tempted to get the eMachines and just take it back under the 14-day money back guarantee!

I've been told though that Sager may come out with a PowerPro w/ ATI 128megs video card. That may be one sweet machine.

I also priced a Sager NP4080 ULTRA @ 1774.........
*I love the eMachines except for screen, I want to run at least 1280x1024) - Specs of the Sager

7200rpm 60gig
1gig of RAM
DVD/CDRW
2.8 p4 (w/ HT)

??
Click to expand...

I think you'd like the screen, if you give it a try :)

I love the thing, and I came from a 1600x1200 USUXGA from Dell.

And the 9600 Pro OC's like NUTS.
 
Originally posted by Tekara
the lynncomp laptop isn't a no-name, it's a Mitac laptop, the same Mitac that you would buy from voodoo or from Hypersonic. Though lynncomp doesn't appear to offer the a paint-job with theirs and there's some minor differences with the included parts.

it's currently the only athlon 64 that I can find with a 128mb card that's reasonably priced. There's a few other small venders that sell the same laptop just under a different name.

http://www.amdboard.com/athlon_64_notebook.html
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Interesting... Cool, then! Might be hard to get warranty service still, though...
 
*shaking head

You guys are great at confusing me!

So the lynncomp is alright? Somehow I think that the eMachines will have more of following and thus more updates (bios/drivers). What do you guys think? The eMachines weights a pound less too.

Is it worth the screen and the name for an eMachines over something like that lynncomp?


Thanks
 
Originally posted by netdale
*shaking head

You guys are great at confusing me!

So the lynncomp is alright? Somehow I think that the eMachines will have more of following and thus more updates (bios/drivers). What do you guys think? The eMachines weights a pound less too.

Is it worth the screen and the name for an eMachines over something like that lynncomp?


Thanks
Click to expand...

You don't pay anything for the eMachines name :p

I don't know... really. I'd get the eMachines, but that's because I own one and love it.
 
Well I have my new eMachines right beside me....

Its sweet, blue leds and all....I'll get back to you later this weekend on its performance, etc......

Dale
 
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