As you can see from my signature, yesterday I bought a new laptop at Staples. I had been looking for a new computer and the deal they had on this one was just too good to pass up. The IbuyPower beast of a desktop I was considering would have cost me $950 before tax for the whole deal. This laptop has one of the new AMD Fusion Quads with the graphics chip built into the same die and it’s just amazing. My old one was giving me an average of 20 frames per second on the lowest settings in World of Warcraft but this one is averaging 75-80 fps with much higher settings. Besides what is in my signature, it also has a 640gb HDD and a BluRay player DVD burner combo Optical drive. The price after a $50 rebate is $599 plus tax. I’m a very happy camper tonight. The complete model number is DV6-6140us.
To make this more relevant to the Avast! forums and community I’ll add this somewhat amusing tidbit. While checking out, the manager of the store tried to sell me Norton 360 by telling me the machine did not come with any kind of antivirus protection. I already knew that it did come with a 60 day subscription to Norton Internet Security so I turned down his offer. I then added that I was planning on using the free Avast. He told me that “the problem with that is they are always like 3 weeks behind in detection updates”. So I mentally put him in the idiot bin and told him I just wanted the machine and nothing else. ;D
All the reports I read said that the new Fusion quads, while in other types of applications are beaten by the new Sandy Bridge Intels, in gaming blow away the Intel mobile offerings (including the i7) if only the built in graphics are used. The HD6220G is far superior to the Intel HD Graphics 3000 that is integrated into the Intel chips. The 6220G is equal in performance to the discrete HD5570 card and offers the first true discrete class integrated graphics solution.
You should easily be able to find the A8-3500M processor in a Google search because I did when I was looking for reviews.
I just finished encoding an Xvid video to a DVD using DVD Flick and it did the 1:53:00 video in just over an hour. My old laptop would have taken about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the same thing. I also did not have to install any codecs because the processor also has built in decoding of most of the popular formats. Xvid and Divx videos, as well as H264 ones play in Windows Media Player without the installation of any additional codecs.
Craig, the link you posted for the comparison is comparing the new desktop Fusion quad to the desktop i7 and while the AMD is still impressive in gaming, it’s not the right comparison to choose. My processor needs to be compared with mobile i5’s and i7’s. Here are some links.
Personally I use a Mac, for Business we use Dell. Their support can not be beaten, especially the Optiplex/Latitude business class computers. If you have a hardware failure just run their diagnostic and write down the code, call the support line and they overnight you the part(s). Even their consumer support is ok, but they do make you go through useless troubleshooting over the phone before they will send the part even if you have the Diagnostic Failure code.
Also if buying a dell, I highly recommend getting their CompleteCare Accidental coverage. If they can’t repair it they give you a new one even if its your fault
Here there is consumer support but they are very bad and quite insulting. And, Dell Inspirion laptops have complaints here mostly with their webcams. Actually Dells have the most complaints but people buy Dells more. I guess their offers are very interesting for first time buyers.
People here don’t usually try to repair PCs or laptops. They just buy and throw it away and buy another one. So, these guarantees and all are totally useless for the majority.
And, I personally don’t trust Lenovo. I think its a security risk so does the U.S government. Here is an old article
I’ve had a Tashiba laptop since 2005, and it spent many years on the dash of my van for mapping and sending emails at stop lights :o)
I retired it this spring for an Acer Aspire one netbook (smaller) but it’s back in use, as the Acer is dead (mallware) and I have yet to be able to fix it.
Ah… The heat problem with Sony notebook. I’ve read the news about the recall too. However, from my experience of 7 times of buying Sony notebook (using 4 of it myself and other as a gift), the notebook tend to last for a long time. I still have my Pentium 3 and 4 notebook run perfectly 'till now which I use to fiddling with Linux.
Well, there’s a problem with Sony product indeed but I haven’t come across the same problem. So, Sony notebook is still good and reliable in my book.
There have been reports of that and recalls have occurred. Laptops from HP,Sony,Dell, and Toshiba all had very large battery recalls. As far as I can see, all those batteries were made by Sony.
Right, I’ve read about that too. It’s a rootkit which automatically installed when you play CD produced by Sony BMG in your computer, right?
Thanks for the link. It’s a nice read. Too bad that Dell and Toshiba included in the report as the manufacturer which using those faulty battery from Sony. I hope Sony learn its lessons.
Really hard question to answer. But, my general opinion is that if you change you computer every 2-3 years all brands will work fine for you. And second thing, you must have a little luck when buying, because there is a mass production of hardware and controls are so efficient as before - just guessing. ???
