what laptop should i buy for IM?

mac if you can afford it, if not any quality laptop will do

Cheers wsocr, don't think id be up for playing with a mac however, my PC runs on windows so i think it would be a bother working alternatively on both systems....it would drive me mad!

I appreciate that fact though that a mac is much more secure in terms of coming under attack from viruses!

Yes i was looking at HP, they seem to have some good value laptops which have good graphics cards

I love Mc! But the problem is that if you are in IM, there are many programs (software) you need to use that are not compatible. Therefore I think that a PC is the best way to go.

A mac all the way baby.

I just got mines on order today from ebay, it's an
Ibook. I love macs....and I've used PC's for years.

No - com - parison

There are programs (such as 'parallels' and a couple others) that allow you to run Windows on a Mac. Trouble with an HP or any PC laptop (to me) is no one really makes a reliable hard drive for a laptop other than Mac. My opinion. I would get a Macbook Pro and run Windows XP on it.

Hp Laptos are robust, but Bulky.
The Netbooks are options but for very light jobs.

Depends on what you actually DO in IM... if you are a graphics designer, then it's one thing, if you blast out articles all day, it's another.

You can drop a pretty penny on hardware from all major vendors, but you can also head to the nearest office supply store (at least in the U.S.) and grab the close-out deal of the week for a decent price.

Tell us more about what you do and how you would use it. If you prefer, PM me... I've answered this very question for 3 people off-line in the last week.

I use the new Silver Sony VAIO NW series.

It really depends on what you need the laptop to do. As long as you're not creating and/or doing lots of video editing, just about any mainstream laptop will be up to the task. Just make sure it has at least 3-4 Gb of RAM if you multitask a lot, and a large enough hard drive to store the files you download and create (250 Gb would suffice for the majority of people, unless you work with a lot of video).

Mac + parallels or bootcamp. That's what I'm doing and it friggin' rocks lml^_^lml

I have a HP dv8000 that's been around the world and refuses to die. I'll probably remain an HP customer until I have a reason to switch.

As Gary King pointed out. A lot depends on what you do. Unless you are a graphic designer you don't need to worry about a graphics card or any of that nonsense. You don't even need one if you're only doing light photoshop work. If you're using 3D Studio Max or playing WOW then you want a graphics card. Additional RAM will give you more far more mileage and is a better investment.

Pretty much any off the shelf notebook will suffice for most IM work.

Personally, when I pick up a new computer I'm going to aim for small and portable. It's easy enough to plug in an external monitor and keyboard for home use and lugging around my 17" desktop replacement has gotten old.

I use dell for my business with extended warranty because if anything goes wrong no matter where I am I simply ring and they come and replace it or the part.

The other week my screen broke and they were there and replaced the screen on the spot no questions asked.

IM is all about being consistent and if your machine dies so does your business.

Getting a MC and running windows as a dual boot is the best however this is a good alternative.

Quentin

If you want something you just just pack anywhere i would go with the hpmini or some type of mini laptop. If you go that route get a portable harddrive also it wil come in handy.

Desmond

I don't know which is the best but I'm getting so fed up with the windows problems that I am going to seriously look at the macs next time

I would recommend you a Mac
I'm a Mac user myself

Windows 7 is seriously improved over Vista, and you'd be surprised at how much more stable and user-friendly it is now, for people that haven't sampled a Windows 7 machine recently.

Hey all,

I'm considering of getting an Acer laptop, any inputs?

Thanks,
Gerry

I've had a Toshiba for about 3-4 years and have never had a bit of trouble with it. I went with Toshiba because a computer technician I know recommended them, says they're more rugged than most.

Hi!

The brand and the OS should matter less than the capacity/capability of the laptop. First consider all the things that you need to do in your internet marketing activities and make sure that the laptop you buy has at least a little more than enough capacity to handle them.

Go only for laptops that have the functionalities you need (don't forget to include provisions for a little entertainment, you need to take a break, too, you know ) and ignore high-tech innovations that you will not be using.

Cheers!

You need one that will be capable of running
Word, Camtasia and Firefox at the same time.

So I guess any decent dual core with at least 2gb Ram
will do the trick.

You need a quality processor and a big hard
drive to store the materials: videos, reports, seminar recordings
etc.

Igor

I have a HP I use with customers I bring to there
offic. I have been happy customer for 3 years.

thanks all for the inputs :-)

Gerry

Toshiba, HP, Asus, MAC.

A netbook might do the trick as well

I would recommend a Macbook Pro. I am using it for my IM ventures and I am very satisfied with it.

Don't buy a mac. You might not be able to run specific programs that run on PC. Just buy some decent laptop. IM doesn't require a lot. WiFi connection probably and that's about it.

If i were about to buy then i would select DELL laptop, which is my first choice.

The laptops in my past...

Acer - That was the last Windows machine I owned and it was the one I liked best (even better than the Dell's my office gave me to use). However, it was a tad on the clunky side as far as size/weight goes.

12" PowerBook G4 - My absolute favorite laptop of all time. If they'd done an Intel version I'd still have one. Why? Because at 12" it was a JOY to carry around to coffee shops, etc. And when I was home I'd plug a full size keyboard/mouse into it as well as a 20" flat screen. It was my main development machine for at least a couple years.

15" MacBook Pro - What I'm using now and it's nice. I'm really glad I didn't go with the 17" version a year ago -- this is big enough for development purposes even without an external monitor but still small enough to lug around.

As far as Windows vs Mac, there's *very* little good Windows software that isn't also available for Mac. And if there IS something in the IM world that's Windows only, either complain to the developer, or tell me what it is and maybe I'll whip out a Mac clone. =

Jay Jennings

I would recommend a laptop that could do multi-tasking..

Dude, get a dell !!!!!

Hey,

I use a lenovo x60s. It's a little monster! I can run programs such as Market Samurai, FileZilla, Paint.net, I can have about 3 word documents open and run firefox all at the same time! I can't remember the last time she crashed. I have used Windows Vista in the past, but now I'm on Windows 7 and it runs so much quicker. I really think it's essential to be using Windows 7. I couldn't use any other laptop again!

The problem with Macs is that they're extremely priced up. You can get something of better performance for a lot less of the money. A lot less.

And when buying a new computer for professional purposes, you should get into the habit of only buying what you NEED, as opposed to getting all the latest jazzy equipment. And this is coming from someone who uses both PCs AND Macs.

I'm just beginning to think a best laptop for you, It was said that you need a laptop that can be portable and easy to carry whenever you are. i suggest that you but a lite a easy to carry laptop but a good specification laptop. One thing you must priority the life of battery.

I say go with Windows - you can run it on a Mac if you
prefer Mac, but the software available for Windows is
considerably more expanded.

Example: all IncanSoft stuff runs on Windows. It's
great, practical software for IM.

I would get something with a FireWire port in it, too.
Some Mac laptops lack Firewire. FW is essential,
imo, for multimedia.

I can understand why people whom have macs swear by them , but its just not for me. I have always used windows systems and the move would be too big a jump, also there is the software compatibility issue.

I am against Sony, because of the layout of the keyboards (the buttons are all standalone which makes it hard for typing )

Its either going to be toshiba or Hp.
Toshiba always seem bulky to me so i think Hp is going to be a more likely purchase.

I am involved in all aspects of IM including design so a good allrounder is reqd.

Thank you all so much for all of the replies.

Buy the biggest, fastest, most rugged laptop you can get your hands on.

Start with the max price you can afford, and work from there. Take your time, do your research, and strike a compromise you can live with for several years.

And unless all you're planning to do is surf the web and check emails, I'd stay away from the netbooks. Cheap, but not worth it.

I use both and to be honest...like another poster said, I can't say that the Mac is better at a specific thing or anything like that...its just that when I work on the Mac stuff gets done faster.

And I too work with photoshop, dreamweaver and the likes.

Windows 7 is great but it somewhat still has the same problem that I always hated about windows...it's still somewhat difficult to find a certain window when you have 20 open at once. On the mac I just hit one button and its all in front of me.

I would recommend either a 15 Macbook Pro or a Hp Envy if you want windows.

Loads of good advice, if anyone here sells computers make sure you offer the memory upgrade, to me that's a great way to upsell.

To me I'm just not convinced that mac's are worth the extra money, but then I do love my ipod, so maybe when I'm cash rich I'll treat myself.

get an atari 1040st!

these arguments always lead down the path to stupidity.

Mac people are always going to chant that Mac's are far superior blah blah blah... and PC people are going to say that they can do everything a Mac can do and more. Well, you can run Win software on a Mac and my XP Pro system never crashes so I guess both sides are right to some degree.

It really doesn't matter.

Use what you are comfortable with and what makes you happy. You're not going to see much of a difference between the two and for most IM work you'll do fine with a $700 off the shelf special from best buy.

I have to agree with Jason, there's way too much emphasis placed on the type of computer here. As the saying goes, a poor workman always blames his tools! Here's some food for thought - Tellman Knudson started his IM business on a barely running half-busted PC and $50, and he was able to leverage that into thousands of dollars within a few short weeks! Once you have a few thousand dollars, go pick whatever PC/Mac/laptop strikes your fancy, in fact this could work to your benefit by setting a goal to make a certain amount of money in the fastest time possible so that you can go out and buy your favorite PC or laptop with it! I'd say that you shouldn't even bother about the type of PC you have initially, especially if you have barely made a dime in IM yet. MAKE that money first, and then go out and buy whatever you want!

Jordan, thanks for sharing. How did you pick up that X31 (which is at least several years old)? Was it a refurbished model from one of the retailers there? You are right though, instead of obsessing over getting the latest and greatest model, get something inexpensive that works, and use the money that you saved for your IM endeavor...use it for software, tools, advertising, etc. You'll get a far higher ROI on that than spending $2,000 on a brand new top of the line laptop!

Doing online work does not take a super fast computer. I got a core 2 duo(I dont like slow computers really) which is not the fastest but it moves vs my old AMD 3200 single core laptop.

These days I often recommend to people to get a laptop with a docking station that connects to a keyboard, monitor and mouse. They're (the laptops are) so powerful that you can use them as a desktop and then just unplug the bad boy and go.. Especially if you wanna write outside or somewhere else..

I'm going to do that once I make more than $1 a month from aff marketing. LOL

*** If you are serious about buying a laptop please read the whole post. If not, skip to the end for a simplified reply ***

I strongly dislike the whole MAC vs PC argument as many havn't a CLUE what they are talking about. It nearly always turns into a fan-boy war and nothing of real value is revealed.

There are so many variables to think through such as driver dependability and availability, hardware dependability and quality, warranty, software availability for your specific needs, ease of use, multitasking ability, upgradability and how often would you be willing to replace your computer etc.?

How relevant is this machine to the current software I need to use and it's future demands? That is how long until it becomes a doorstop, eg. obsolete.

A quick way to check is to look at the software/programs you use and look for its minimum requirements. If the computer's specs are close to the minimum standard, be prepared to upgrade/replace it within a year or two.

Computer technology is changing at such a dramatic rate that many manufacturing companies only offer a one to two year warranty on a lot of parts. Does this mean that it will die a year or two later? No. That's why many computer stores offer their own warranty packaging,
and believe me that's where they make their money. Trust me I know, I build computers.

So what does that say about your choice? You either get a computer that will do for the moment, to get started etc. or you can invest in one that will last you for at least 3-5 years (or more depending on yours needs)

There are SO many different variables that one can not just spout out a single solution instantly without explaining why.

Regarding your question "what laptop should I buy for IM?"

1) What Are Your Needs?

Obviously you are looking to purchase a laptop specifically for IM. What are the things you find you are (or will be) doing the most in IM?

- Do you use/record video or audio? If so you will need a
Laptop that offers a variety of I/O (ins and outs) to
remain flexible for future purchases of say a mic and
perhaps a quality camera/video camera and a perhaps
backup drive.

I HIGHLY recommend a backup drive, that is any form
of storage that you can copy and backup files to...not
enough people do this. Hard drives fail, all too often, its
a fact. It is FAR (and safer) cheaper to spend 50-100 on
a backup drive then to try and get your data restored at
50+ an hour and higher, plus parts etc. And even then
there is no guarantee you will get it all back. Back it up!

- Do you use photo editing/video editing software? You
will need a graphics card/chip that can handle it. Again
look at the minimum requirements of the software and
compare them to your future purchase. Are the
minimum specs close to your future purchase's specs or
are they quite a ways higher?

- Do you find yourself using multiple programs at once?
If so, do they chew up a lot of resources? If so, you will
need a CPU/processor that can handle whatever you can
throw at it as well as RAM/Random Access Memory that
fully complements the CPU. If you only use one
program at a time once, stick to a dual core
For a multitasking CPU I highly recommend quadcore
CPUs (especially 64 bit, of course you need an OS that
is also 64 bit), some might think this is overboard but I
think they would think differently if they have ever had
to multitask between video and audio software, word
processing, and multiple webpages at the same time
while downloading without blinking an eye.

Yes RAM has something to do with it, but trust me, if
your CPU can't handle so many streams of processing
(eg bottleneck) it does not matter how much RAM you
have.

Quadcores have also come down in price. Get a 64 bit
CPU and OS if you can, its multiple computation ability
is far superior than 32 bit. But then again it depends on
your applications demands.

- How much memory should I get?
This one is a toss up. Generally higher is better, I would
recommend 4Gb. There are other factors such as RAM
speed, quality and stability under different stress loads,
but for the most part with laptops, since power is
always an issue (higher speeds equals more voltage to
remain stable) aim for the most RAM you can afford .

*Note: 32 bit OSs are limited to just under 4Gb of RAM,
this is a software limitation. 64bit OSs are theoretically
capable of handling up to 128GB (If I remember
correctly, pardon if this is off, but it is quite substantial)
of RAM. This of course is far more than a consumer
could ever need at this point in time, but the point is,
its not limited to just 4GBs.

One last thing on CPUs. CACHE! Clock speed does not
mean much anymore, look at the CPUs amount of
cache, that is the internal CPU memory. The higher the
better. This greatly increases your CPU's ability to
handle data.

- What kind of hard drive should I get? This is the one of
the biggest things people overlook. Believe me hard
drives are not created equal. Total amount of space
means nothing if the hard drive struggles to
retrieve/write data on demand.

When looking for a hard drive, look at the
manufacturer's product history first. Second, look at
the amount of cache (kind of like RAM but built in)
memory it has, the higher the better.

And finally, what is the hard drive speed? This is crucial.
More and more laptops are offering a 7200RPM speed
hard drive which is a massive improvement over the
5400+ RPM HDs (Hard Drives). The reason being HD
manufacturers are becoming far more efficient in power
management, as are most manufacturers with computer
parts in general. Also, if cash isn't a deterrant check out
Solid State Drives or SDDs. These have no moving
parts, therefore the odds of them breaking down are
reduced by a lot, as one of the most common issues
with HD failure is due to moving parts.

- How mobile will you be? That is, how often would your
laptop be unplugged? Battery life is vital if you do not
have access to a power socket/plug. Generally speaking
the more cells a battery has (for laptops) the better.
Also when looking at the manufacture's specs on
battery life, do not assume what they say to be correct,
it often is quite a bit lower. Again, research research
research!

2) Operating Systems

What are you comfortable using? Are you prepared to
learn a new operating system? If so, how much time are
you willing spend to learn the ins and outs? Basically,
how valuable is your time?

When looking at buying anything, first research the
heck out of it. Go to forums, review sites etc. (like you
are doing here but in one that is directly related to
computer tech).

Correctly informing yourself is THE single most
important thing before making any purchase.

Now both OSX and Windows have their pros and cons. I
use both a Mac and PC, so OSX and Vista/Windows 7.

One idea would go into a computer store that lets you
try out the different laptops that they sell and see what
one suites your fancy. No one can tell you what you like
better than yourself.

This is a toss up as people are wired differently. Some
will gravitate towards Windows and some towards OSX
and some towards Linux/free based OSs such as Ubuntu
etc. Therefore user experiences will vary. Some like
complete control and customization over their
computer, those folks will usually go for Windows/Linux
based OSs. Some just want to turn their computer on
and not worry about the ins and outs, those folks will
generally gravitate towards OSX/Mac.

But mostly it is about comfort zones. What are you used
to? etc. Again the question is what is the context? Do
you want to be able to be more hands on with your
hardware? Do you need lots of options for graphics,
sound, integration?

Now I'm going to make some generalizations here, just
bare with me.

Macs are generally expensive to buy and to fix. The only
price/performance package that I think is a solid deal is
their iMac line-up, but of course that's not a laptop.

People are willing to pay more if that means they can
have a system that is generally reliable, stable and
efficient. Mac does a very efficient job of this. The
downside is the lack of hardware and upgrade options,
basically its a disposable computer.

When you buy a Mac, you know it will work and work
quite well and you have a warranty that will cover any
issues that may come up. But, once you are past your
warranty look out, Macs are quite expensive and
tricky to fix, especially if you go through the main
companyApple (expensive).

I realize that with laptops hardware upgrades are
already limited, but (good PC based Laptops are
becoming far easier to upgrade).

Although Macs have been a lot better about hardware
options lately (and many of those options are quite
good), I feel they are still quite limited and over priced
when I compare the same specs to PCs. You are
essentially paying for a brand. The other thing you have
to be careful with Macs is their accessories, they make a
killing here. Also integration with other PCs can be a
pain when networking at times.

That said, I believe that is why Boot Camp and other
Windows emulators have become almost a norm for a
lot of Mac users. And it's a great idea!
But it will cost you a bit ($150-250 usually) to buy the
Windows OS of your choice. I'd recommend buying an
entire OS instead of an emulator as they are not a
complete solution. But not having to switch to Windows
everytime you need something is definitely a nice
touch

One reason why PCs are generally not as stable is due
to the amount of possible hardware combinations that
Windows etc. has to account for, have general drivers
for.

In contrast Macs have a limited set of
possible hardware combinations which, generally
speaking, makes drivers a lot more stable (since they
only have to deal with the said limited set of hardware
combinations).


**** Start here for the simple reply! ****

If you can afford it get a laptop that has:

- A quadcore CPU if you do a lot of heavy multitasking, a
dual core if you don't. Make sure the CPU has at least
4Mb of cache (CPU internal memory). An investment in
a quality CPU is the first thing you should think of in
terms of your computer's longevity. I would also
consider a 64 bit processor as well as a 64 bit OS.
Do not worry, a 64 bit OS can still run 32 bit
programs . Most programs do not use 64 bit
technology, but if you are using video/audio editing
and recording programs I'd really recommend it, as
good programs will be able to fully utilize your
hardware

- A good battery, for laptops this is absolutely crucial if
you spend long periods of time away from a power
socket. Generally the more cells it has the better.

- A 7200RPM Hard drive (try for 32mb of cache) this is
the lifeblood of your data access/write times.

- A laptop with lots of ins AND outs. USB, Firewire,
Storage access such as SD cards etc.

- A laptop that suites your needs in the audio/visual
dept. I would recommend anything AMD/Ati in the
HD4000 series and up. Nvidia 260M and up. Now some
may think this is overboard, again it depends on how
long you plan on using this computer and what your
needs are. In my experience the demand for increased
graphics performance industry changes so quickly it is
shocking. Something that was ok 6 months ago can be
easily outdated and obsolete now. But again it depends
on your needs.

- RAM. At least 4Gb. With 32 bit OSs you are limited to
just under 4GB of RAM. You can have 4Gb of RAM but it
will not recognize all of it as that is it's limitation. 64 bit
OSs however have a far higher limit (much higher than
a consumer end computer can have) at around 128Gbs
(yes that is not a typo!). Basically if you expect a lot of
heavy lifting out of your computer go for a 64 bit set up.
That means your CPU and OS have to be 64bit. Don't
worry 32 bit programs run just fine on 64 bit OSs.

- Audio & Video. This is also a toss up, onboard (that is
built in audio chips) tend to be noisy and picky about
what kinds of ins and outs you can work with etc. I
would purchase a firewire, usb external audio device if
you are serious about recording quality audio. M Audio,
EMU and some podcast packages are a great way to get
around the recording on a Laptop hassle.

Video is a bit tricky. If you want a high quality video,
you'll need to buy a decent camera, some built in
webcams are ok, but generally are quite poor in quality.
Again it depends on your needs, if you never record
video or audio, just stick with the onboard sound


Conclusion: (yay)

IF and I stress IF, you want my biased opinion, I would go for a PC Laptop. This is my personal choice and taste.

Why?

With Windows 7 a Laptop PC is now a very good choice, the power options are great, the hardware usage over
Vista is greatly reduced and of course you get many possible hardware options to boot.

Most programs that I use are written to run on a PC.
I am more comfortable on a PC because if a problem arises, I can usually fix it. I love the customizability (new word hehe) that PCs offer.

Basically, I'm more comfortable with a PC.

Now, a company called AMD has realized that most consumers do not understand or want to understand the hows and the whys of the workings of a Computer, they
just generally want to know what it can do.
So they have released colour coded sticker to put on all their platforms. This greatly simplifies what a PC can do to the average consumer.

When a consumer looks at a laptop with the sticker and the sticker is black, they know its AMD's higher end multi-media based system inside and so on with other coloured stickers.

AMD do not make their own laptops, just CPUs and Graphics. Since they are both a CPU and GPU (graphics) company they can greatly increase the optimization, communication and power consumption of a PC
Laptop.

Now I realize Apple has been doing this for quite
(focused integration) some time and it works very well! Again, with a PC, and even with just this company you have many more options.

If I were looking for a bang for buck PC Laptop I'd check out HP, they are really good at staying current, affordable while giving the consumer a large variety of laptops to suite their needs.

Other companies with good reputations are Toshiba and Dell. There are of course many others, but for the mainstream bang for back these are good ones to pick
from. I saw Acer, Emachines mentioned...I'm sorry to say but my experience with them has been all over the map.

** Note, when buying an external drive, make sure you know what brand of hard drive is in the case. Some good ones are Samsung, Toshiba, Western Digital. I've had nothing but issues with Seagate, I would not recommend them at the moment. **

** Note: I would suggest getting a maintainence program that keeps your computer in top shape. With
time and use computers slow down, this is due
to data being spread all over your hard drive, that is if you think of your hard drive as a library. If you do not have some one to keep it organized so you can find what you are looking for, you are going to spend a lot of
time looking for data that is not in its proper place.
I would recommend getting a program called System Mechanic to keep things running smoothly.

I sincerely apologize for this extremely long post...perhaps I should shorten it, but I feel that I need to give in depth details, as this is a serious and vital investment in your business.

I hope it was some what coherent.

Cheers,

Connor