Help please: looking for a good entertainment laptop...

[__disneygirl]

Hi everyone. A few months back I asked a question here about flat screen TVs and got an overwhelming response from all of you with tons of info that REALLY helped a lot! Now I am looking to get a new laptop and I figured you guys could help again.

I won't be doing a lot of work on this laptop, I have my desktop for that. Basically what I need is a good entertainment laptop. I need it to work perfectly with flash and shockwave and all those things that allow you to watch movies and TV on it. I want a computer with tons of space so I can download several movies on it at a time for trips. I need it to be able to hold thousands of songs as I use iTunes and my iPod constantly. I also want a large laptop, my last one was 17" and I found that perfect. I don't do any gaming so that isn't a problem. I will be uploading pictures from my camera and editing them on it too. Besides just general web surfing, that's all i'll be using this laptop for.

My last laptop was a Dell Studio 1735. In my experience Dell computers are great, I mean I LOVED my studio - it could hold tons of movies at a time with no problem at all and worked perfectly - until they break which is easily and often. I had so many problems with this laptop, and when I called to get it fixed they said they knew how to fix it but that I would have to pay either $79 for a one time repair or almost $200 that would cover me for 2 years in order for them to tell me over the phone what I needed to do. I found that ridiculous, didn't pay for it (I had just spent $700 on the laptop less than 6 months before it broke the first time, plus $90 for another charger because the cord broke!) and ended up having to do THREE system restores on the thing. I will not be buying another Dell.

I know I should just get a Macbook but like I said I really only need this one for entertainment, so I don't want to spend $1000 which is what Macbooks start at. I don't want to spend that much but I also don't want one that is going to break like my Dell. People have recommended HP to me and I found this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pa...lack/1308361.p?id=1218249067014&skuId=1308361

Is this a good laptop for what I need? I decided I wanted to spend $700, give or take a few, so the price is perfect and it seems like what I'm looking for. Then again, I am no computer expert.

Any help or suggestions you can provide me would be SO appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[golfgal]

I was going to suggest Dell. We have had several Dell's and other then the backlight going out on a 6 year old laptop, no issues with them at all.

 

[pixiewings71]

Hi everyone. A few months back I asked a question here about flat screen TVs and got an overwhelming response from all of you with tons of info that REALLY helped a lot! Now I am looking to get a new laptop and I figured you guys could help again.

I won't be doing a lot of work on this laptop, I have my desktop for that. Basically what I need is a good entertainment laptop. I need it to work perfectly with flash and shockwave and all those things that allow you to watch movies and TV on it. I want a computer with tons of space so I can download several movies on it at a time for trips. I need it to be able to hold thousands of songs as I use iTunes and my iPod constantly. I also want a large laptop, my last one was 17" and I found that perfect. I don't do any gaming so that isn't a problem. I will be uploading pictures from my camera and editing them on it too. Besides just general web surfing, that's all i'll be using this laptop for.

My last laptop was a Dell Studio 1735. In my experience Dell computers are great, I mean I LOVED my studio - it could hold tons of movies at a time with no problem at all and worked perfectly - until they break which is easily and often. I had so many problems with this laptop, and when I called to get it fixed they said they knew how to fix it but that I would have to pay either $79 for a one time repair or almost $200 that would cover me for 2 years in order for them to tell me over the phone what I needed to do. I found that ridiculous, didn't pay for it (I had just spent $700 on the laptop less than 6 months before it broke the first time, plus $90 for another charger because the cord broke!) and ended up having to do THREE system restores on the thing. I will not be buying another Dell.

I know I should just get a Macbook but like I said I really only need this one for entertainment, so I don't want to spend $1000 which is what Macbooks start at. I don't want to spend that much but I also don't want one that is going to break like my Dell. People have recommended HP to me and I found this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pa...lack/1308361.p?id=1218249067014&skuId=1308361

Is this a good laptop for what I need? I decided I wanted to spend $700, give or take a few, so the price is perfect and it seems like what I'm looking for. Then again, I am no computer expert.

Any help or suggestions you can provide me would be SO appreciated! Thank you!!

LOL That's the computer I'm posting from right now. I LOVE this laptop, it's great, fast, has great memory space, we use it as our blu ray player, watched a BR on it last night. We have an HDMI cable, we just plug it in and go. The only thing that I don't like is the battery life, it seems to need to be plugged in when it's in use, it's not that big a deal but it could be a problem if you plan on watching movies while taking public transit or something like that. It hasn't been an issue for us at all just thought I'd mention it.

 

[__disneygirl]

I was going to suggest Dell. We have had several Dell's and other then the backlight going out on a 6 year old laptop, no issues with them at all.

Well I guess you never know. Dells have been a nightmare for me and friends of mine, who knows why. If more people here tell me they have had no problems at all with Dells maybe i'll reconsider but I just feel it wouldn't be smart of me to buy another one knowing all the problems they've caused in the past.

LOL That's the computer I'm posting from right now. I LOVE this laptop, it's great, fast, has great memory space, we use it as our blu ray player, watched a BR on it last night. We have an HDMI cable, we just plug it in and go. The only thing that I don't like is the battery life, it seems to need to be plugged in when it's in use, it's not that big a deal but it could be a problem if you plan on watching movies while taking public transit or something like that. It hasn't been an issue for us at all just thought I'd mention it.

How funny! Thanks for the input. Do you mean that if it's not plugged in it just shuts off or does it have at least a few minutes before it dies?

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh no, it lasts for a couple of hours, maybe an hour and a half, and then it gives you warnings before it dies. I just had the impression that we'd be able to use it with battery power a lot longer then we can. lol
First time we used it to watch a BR it shut off before the movie was over, well it almost did, we had to rush to plug it in. I think that when it plays movies it uses more battery power then if you're simply surfing or listening to music on it.

 

[RitaE]

Those Dell 17" machines tend have historically have had major heat dispersal problems which unfortunately can fry out your components pretty quick. I had one here and my kids nicknamed it Frankenstein because of the number of times I had that sucker tore apart replacing various parts. Overall though I've had really good luck with Dell machines and durability. Not such good luck with their Customer Service though - their Customer Support SUCKS!

I think Lenovo makes an IdeaPad with a 17" screen. You might want to check those out. I personally find those big honkin' screens just too big because I like to put my laptops on my lap. So I'm not real familiar with them.

 

[pixiewings71]

Those Dell 17" machines tend have historically have had major heat dispersal problems which unfortunately can fry out your components pretty quick. I had one here and my kids nicknamed it Frankenstein because of the number of times I had that sucker tore apart replacing various parts. Overall though I've had really good luck with Dell machines and durability. Not such good luck with their Customer Service though - their Customer Support SUCKS!

I think Lenovo makes an IdeaPad with a 17" screen. You might want to check those out. I personally find those big honkin' screens just too big because I like to put my laptops on my lap. So I'm not real familiar with them.

My 17" laptop is sitting in my lap right now.... I love the screen size, it lets me watch TV on my laptop and I have a full keyboard and a full 10 key pad.

 

[__disneygirl]

Thanks guys, this helped a lot!!

I think I may end up getting that HP one. It just seems overall the best for what I need from what I have seen.