Laptop Recommendations for an Affiliate Marketeer

[maxcl]

Not sure if this is the correct forum category, but couldn't find anywhere else on WF that was relevant. Anyhow...

I need to get a new laptop to run my affiliate business from, and am not really a hardware person - so could do with some advice.

Could you guys recommend a new laptop for me? Including spec and operating system?

I will be doing video and image work on the laptop as well so need to factor that in - any ideas would be ideal thank you.

[Alex Blades]

I use Sony Vaio and love it, but it's different strokes for different folks. You are better off getting out and looking for your own taste in laptops.

[maxcl]

My wife has a Sony Vaio and it's been really bad - so I am kind of a bit wary of Sony and laptops now - suppose we might have just had a bad model though

[goldbear]

I've used the standard PC laptop for years. It's only recently that I have done a lot of reading about laptop quality that I've decided that my next laptop will be a Mac.
There are just too many people I've talked to who have switched over to a Mac and love it forever.

Dr. Mike

[maxcl]

Originally Posted by goldbear

I've used the standard PC laptop for years. It's only recently that I have done a lot of reading about laptop quality that I've decided that my next laptop will be a Mac.
There are just too many people I've talked to who have switched over to a Mac and love it forever.

Dr. Mike

I would love to go Mac - but I've invested so much in PC software though over the last 2 years for the business so it's probably not going to be advisable for me.

[butters]

Anything with 8 gig ram, quad core processor will be more then sufficent, get the screen size you prefer ! I actually use an iPad myself when I am on the move.

[Alex Blades]

Originally Posted by maxcl

My wife has a Sony Vaio and it's been really bad - so I am kind of a bit wary of Sony and laptops now - suppose we might have just had a bad model though

I think lately they have been releasing lower priced versions, but I never had any trouble with mine. I leave mine on for months at a time and have about 7 computers in my offices and always end up working out from my Vaio whenever I can. Like I said though you have to go out to your local Best Buy or electronic retailer and test them out yourself to see what works best for you.

[maxcl]

If I go PC, is Windows 7 still the best route?

[Tomas Lodén]

One Apple imac 27" ci7 3.4 16gb/1000 fusion drive gtx680mx 2GB in my office and a Apple Macbook Pro Retina when im on the road. Both highly recommended.

[Alex Blades]

Originally Posted by maxcl

If I go PC, is Windows 7 still the best route?

I think so, my kids have windows 8 but I think I am going to set them back to windows 7. Windows 8 was unnecessary IMO.

[Randall Magwood]

You should get a Dell. One of the older (yet still very good) Dell laptop is the D630. It's easy to take apart and make repairs or swap things out. Shoot for an i7 or i9 processor, at least 200GB hard drive space, support for 4 gigs of RAM, and Windows 7 (but XP would be fine too) operating system.

[Tomas Lodén]

Originally Posted by Alex Blades

I think so, my kids have windows 8 but I think I am going to set them back to windows 7. Windows 8 was unnecessary IMO.

Yepp same here for my daughter.. Windows 8 a confusing operating system (or maybe im just slow), mostly because of the GUI changes rolled out by Microsoft also due to the lack of a Start button =)

[TeamBringIt]

Originally Posted by maxcl

Not sure if this is the correct forum category, but couldn't find anywhere else on WF that was relevant. Anyhow...

I need to get a new laptop to run my affiliate business from, and am not really a hardware person - so could do with some advice.

Could you guys recommend a new laptop for me? Including spec and operating system?

I will be doing video and image work on the laptop as well so need to factor that in - any ideas would be ideal thank you.

Getting a laptop, with i7 processor and 8-16gb of ram should work. If you are doing heavy, graphics then 16 would be ideal.

[Alex Blades]

Originally Posted by Tomas Lodén

Yepp same here for my daughter.. Windows 8 a confusing operating system (or maybe im just slow), mostly because of the GUI changes rolled out by Microsoft also due to the lack of a Start button =)

I think Windows 8 is more for the Facebook crowd, people who mostly use computers and internet to socialize and share pictures, after Vista, Windows 7 has been awesome

[maxcl]

thanks guys - this has really helped so far - will be going onto Amazon over the weekend to see what I can find based on the feedback :-)

[latestnewsheadline]

If you use a specific software for video creation, take a look into software specification for minimal requirements.

[salegurus]

Originally Posted by maxcl

I would love to go Mac - but I've invested so much in PC software though over the last 2 years for the business so it's probably not going to be advisable for me.

FYI - You can run a copy of Windows on your Mac with the aid of Boot Camp:
Boot Camp: Windows 7 installation frequently asked questions
Another option is Parallels Desktop:
Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac - Parallels

[ezekielseo]

I have last years MacBook 15.4, I'm probably going to upgrade to the retina display one once they up the hard drive capacity.

[preets]

I am using lenovo for last 5 years without any problem. I recently upgraded my OS from Vista to Win7 . For me this is the best working smoothly.

[agmccall]

The toshiba satellite has been a real workhorse for me

[Japles]

I use a Macbook Pro with 4 gigs RAM and a 750GB HD.

I also have a couple terabyte hard-drives for extra storage.

Some things that help me with IM and Affiliate Marketing are:

• It comes with quicktime and a built-in camera that make recording your screen or yourself a breeze.

• With Apple mail, you can connect all of your accounts together into one program. For someone that has more than one email account, this is a no brainer.

• Theres an app store which makes finding a solution to your problem that much easier. Some apps I like are: Notes, Reminders, iMovie, and Calendar

I realize that other computers could do these same things, but I like the aesthetics of Apple products and the fact that they are easy to use.

However, whatever you decide, I suggest you upgrade the RAM immediately. I am using 4GB now and it is just too slow to keep up with me

[andrej]

I would go for a Dell because of its "next business day" warranty. An affiliate marketer cannot afford to stay e.g. 1 or 2 weeks without a PC while your PC would be being repaired.

[tonyb23]

If you're looking for something that is inexpensive and just works well, I've heard great things about Google's chromebook. I think it somewhere around $250. You can run your entire business on that thing.

[JDX]

If you go with Windows 8 with or without a touchscreen. This program is going to make the interface more familiar and convenient to work with. It gives you back the old start menu and is free: Classic Shell Freeware download and reviews from SnapFiles
Works great for me...
also Windows 8 upgrade on an old dell gave it a big increase in performance.
Next one for me will be a Mac with paralells

[ecoverartist]

I'm going to throw in a recommendation for Lenovo. I've had two Dell's that flatlined within 2 years and a Vaio that's had its share of ups and downs. So far the Lenovo has outperformed them all.

[linkx]

Acer triplecore AMD - 3gb RAM more than enough for internet marketing.

[Techmaverick85]

Bearing in mind this is a business laptop you are after, stick with a tried and tested operating system. I use Windows 8/Server 2012 because I am an IT professional, but it's not as straight forward as it should be.

If I'm doing IM stuff, my BIGGEST frustration is when the most simple tasks take too long. So stick with Windows 7 for the time being, or the mac equivalent (I should, but I don't know what that is. I think it was named after some sort of zoo creature?)

Anyway, on the hardware front, they are all much the same underneath. An Intel i7 is an Intel i7 whether you are using Dell, HP, Tosh etc. Yes you get different quality of memory etc, but it's not a huge factor unless you are doing a self build PC - they all have to meet certain standards.

For Image editing, RAM is important, minimum 8GB - anything else is a bonus, but an SSD disk drive will really be the component that you get the performance you need. Oh, and get a minimum of a quad core CPU - you won't notice the difference between AMD or Intel, so go with what fits your budget (AMD are a bit cheaper generally)

As someone correctly mentioned, the warranty is really the crucial factor, and Dell are one of the better vendors for this. It IS worth extending if you have the budget, as there's no saying when thing's will go pop.

That reminds me, must do a backup soon :|

[Alex Blades]

Originally Posted by ecoverartist

I'm going to throw in a recommendation for Lenovo. I've had two Dell's that flatlined within 2 years and a Vaio that's had its share of ups and downs. So far the Lenovo has outperformed them all.

I bought a Lenovo a couple years, and am yet to use it. I have heard alot of good things about it, may turn it on this weekend and give it a spin

[ptaylor98]

I agree--I strongly recommend a Sony. They're well-designed and very reliable. I use a Toshiba Satellite with Windows 7 (forget 8--actually, no real improvement has happened since XP, in my opinion.)

[art72]

Currently running on a pc, but as a prior MacBook and iMac owner, I still prefer a Mac, personal preference perhaps.

As far as Win8, I just purchased a new laptop with the Win8 OS, and I have tried to get used to it... but I think it's gotta go!

The simplest tasks have become a dizzying search for "where the hell did it go?" and a great deal of time wasted using a platform that looks like it was designed for a kindergarten student.

Any newer pc will do the job. Ultimately, it is the operator that determines how well!

[mraudi]

I recently went from a toshiba laptop to a macbook air. it runs so much smoother and quieter, I spend a lot of time on it so that's important to me.

[Danny Shaw]

One word..... ALIENWARE

[ymest]

I have an Acer and it's really good! I have had it for 5 years and use it EVERYDAY! Pretty strong stuff! I hear Vaio are good too! Acer computers are quite affordable too! I have a notebook-- Samsung-- and I am not that impressed! So, I'd go for Acer or Vaio!

[Lloyd Buchinski]

Originally Posted by ecoverartist

I'm going to throw in a recommendation for Lenovo. I've had two Dell's that flatlined within 2 years and a Vaio that's had its share of ups and downs. So far the Lenovo has outperformed them all.

I'll put in a good word for Lenovo too. I am on the road and have to do everything with a single laptop. (Very frequently backed up ) I couldn't have a better computer for it, a W701, and it's been doing everything for nearly 3 years so far.

But I do think they are a bit over priced. If it comes time to get another one, I'll check out Acer, Samsung, and Toshiba, all of them already recommended in this topic.

The last time I checked, 2 of those brands had the lowest repair rates, including lower break down rates than Mac or Lenovo.