My computer is broken, and this is a disaster. While I can temporarily use MrC’s laptop, I know that I need to find a more permanent solution to this problem soon. After all, a computer is my one big work-at-home investment. Yes, I’m choosing to see it as an investment rather than an outright expense. Think positive, as they say!
So now I need help. What machine do I buy? Truth be told I’ve been dreaming about getting a Macbook since the first pearly white one came out years ago. I’ve just never been able to convince myself that it’s worth the price. That’s because there are lots of other great laptops with similar specs, but at half the cost.
Basically I need a computer that is/has…
* Lightweight (ideally), with a great batter life. That entire computer will pretty much make up my mobile office I need my mobile office to be mobile-friendly.
* Great for multitasking. I tend to have a browser, word processor, Excel, sometimes Powerpoint, Photoshop and/or Lightroom, Skype, chat clients, oDesk team, sometimes uTorrent, my web browser with a flash game, Facebook, Twitter, my blog dashboard and other tabs, plus a bunch of other programs running all at once. My computer must be as good at multitasking as I am.
* Fast. Because slow computers kill my momentum.
* Lots of storage space. After all, what good is a mobile office if it can’t allow me to bring everything (meaning all of my files, photos and videos) with me all at once? And yes, a lot of these files, photos and videos are work stuff.
* Reliable. I’ve used 3 different HP computers over a span of 6 years. On average, after 2years they’ve gone all comatose on me. Is it me? I’d like to think that I’ve just been getting devices that aren’t up to par with my usage. Like with mobile phones, for instance. When I was on Nokia, I’d have to change units after a year and a half, two years max. Now that I’m on BlackBerry, I’m nearing the 2-year mark and my phone is running super well. So yes, I’m hoping it might just be an incompatibility issue.
* A real workhorse. I’m on my computer a lot. I keep it on almost all day.
Can you suggest a laptop that can do all of these things, that won’t die on me after a couple of years? I seriously need to get a replacement asap. What computers are you guys on? Are you happy with your device? I’d love to hear from you!
xo Patricia C. via WordPress for Blackberry
I’ve always been a Mac girl even when we didn’t have it here yet and everyone is thinking that I’m bonkers to get Mac laptops even if they’re “so hard to use” (yes, yan ang thinking dati! Haha!) but of course, it has its limitations talaga. I always have another Windows laptop for back up and usually I get HP or Acer. A researcher of ours in the office has a Samsung laptop that can double as a tablet (screen can be removed). She uses it for work and pretty useful since you have the option to use it either as a laptop or tablet, depending on your need. But the specs of Lenovo sounds good, too.
Happy computer hunting! 🙂
Joei
http://www.joeiandme.com
I’ve had the Lenovo for a little over a week, and I’m happy naman with it so far 🙂 I really want to switch to Mac, but my wallet keeps telling me not to go there yet hahaha!
Hardware-wise, Macbooks are great. Sleek, durable, and a great investment if you’re using it for performance-intensive applications, graphics and software development. But it’s expensive and you’re right about other brands out there that offer same great specs for a cheaper price (like Asus gaming laptops). Plus, Macbooks are not practical especially since you cannot do even the simplest troubleshooting: removing the battery. I don’t have a problem with the OS except compatibility issues. But just like any computer, you can reformat it with any other OS that you want but yeah, it removes the warranty.
HP performance laptops are good but I’m not really an HP laptop fan. Average lifespan of a laptop is 3-4 years. My HP work laptop became annoying after a year.
Toshiba and Sony laptops are good too, but expensive (except when you’re in Japan). My personal laptop’s Toshiba and it’s been with me for 5 years, and it’s always been reliable. For cheaper laptops but great reliability, I suggest Asus or Acer 🙂 Samsung’s good too.
For performance-related stuff, it all depends on your usage. But here are some tips:
* CPU. Usually a higher clock speed is better but it also needs more battery life. Intel’s i3 and i5 are good enough for most users. Basically, any CPU higher than 2GHz is fast enough to handle basic tasks. More cores doesn’t always mean faster, but it can handle more tasks/processes. Quad core processors are helpful for video rendering.
* Battery. Average lifespan of a battery is 1-2 years. High performance laptops usually have bigger batteries to compensate for the CPU and/or video card, but replacing will also be expensive.
* Memory. Minimum RAM for me is 3GB, personally. And it depends on the OS and how much the motherboard can support. 32-bit can only use up to 3.2 GB while 64-bit can use more.
* Storage. For internal storage, I can only suggest buying an SSD only if you require way faster reads, writes, and loading speed. But of course they’re expensive. The traditional hard drive is good enough. High performance laptops available here usually have big enough storage space for images, videos, etc. You can also look for portable external HDs if you need more storage space. Western Digital and Transcend are good brands.
* Graphics. If you’re a gamer or a video editor, this is something to look into. Nvidia or ATI make great video cards.
Hope this helps 🙂
I just found a Lenovo that has great specs. i5 2.6GHz, 4GB RAM, 1TB storage and and NVIDIA GEForce 2GB graphics card. And it’s within my budget. Winner na, right? 🙂
While Mac is considered an ideal laptop for everyone, but there are some instances that you might have compatibility issues, like if there’s a file you’ve made on Windows OS, it might not read on Mac OS. Android files won’t be read on Mac too (ya know, Apple and Samsung are mortal enemies, lol). Mac is ideal if you have other Apple gadgets like iPhone, iPad, or iPod because you can sync them with your laptop.
If you’re planning to purchase a new laptop, I would suggest to have it covered by extended warranty since you’ve mentioned that the average life span of your laptop is two years. Also, invest on a good portable external drive, nowadays 1TB portable external drive is at around P3,500 only. Western Digital is a good brand, but if you have a budget, then go for Seagate.
I still love HP. My Windows lappy is HP. Though I rarely use it these days, but I still don’t give it up because there are instances that Mac won’t cooperate with me, haha. Samsung is now becoming at-par with the market, Toshiba is also a toughie but a bit expensive and I think it’s heavy. Lenovo is also good because it’s from IBM. Sony, hmmm, expensive, haha. Dell is also good but I think there are only limited models available in the Philippines. I have this particular model that I like from Dell (a hybrid which can be a tablet by twisting the screen) is not available in the Philippines. My sister-in-law has it =)
A good budget for laptops (Windows-based) is around 25k-35k. Go to Gilmore at San Juan to check laptops if you have the time and energy (or actually, if you will do the math, just go to a nearby mall instead, hehehe. A lot of computer stores are offering 0% interest rate for 12months). Good luck on your search for a new laptop!
So, I’ve decided to park my Mac dreams yet again. Found a Lenovo that’s within my budget and with the specs that I want. 🙂 now to secure the funds hehe!