Maybe this one?

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You know, when I woke up this morning, I thought, "Hey, today's a good day to spam my flist with computer specs." No, really, I didn't. Sorry. BUT:

Satellite M500-ST6444 ($655.00)

• Intel® Core™ i3-330M Processor 2.13 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache, 1066MHz DDR3
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 3GB DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM (2048MB+1024MB)
• 250GB HDD (5400rpm, Serial-ATA)
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator HD
• DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
• Customizable, so if I want more of any of these things, I can get them.

Maybe? I don't know. I read some scary things about the Sonys and now I am a quivering ball of indecision. Seriously, it's worse than trying to ask a guy out on a date. Because dates don't cost you $700 and imply a minimum 2 year commitment.

Comments

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

Good components.

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Thanks for the advice. :)

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

Hey, I asked my tech guru for a rec for you and he picked out something. I'll c&p the specs as soon as the email arrives. He works for one the component manufacturers and really knows his hardware.

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

Hi, here you go: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/load_configuration.do?destination=review&email_id=1552753&jumpid=in_r329_emailconfig

That was his recommendation for stuff that works together well, though he also rec'd a desktop machine if you don't move your computer around much. Easier to change out one component if it breaks.

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Cool, thanks! I don't think I could get a desktop, though. I don't move the computer much, but I don't actually have desk space, so the laptop mostly lives on my coffee table.

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

Fair enough, lol...no space is no space. :)

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

If you're not a gamer that would be a very good machine indeed. I had thought of recommending Hewlett Packard to you but my wife's HP laptop has started overheating frequently and, investigating the issue online, I found that it is not uncommon with HPs.

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Nope, not a gamer. And yeah, I'd heard some not-so-good things about HP, so I'm a little wary. (Of course, I'm discovering that if you google enough, you can find bad reviews of just about everything.)

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

The problem HPs are with the older processor that ran pretty hot. The i3's and i5's don't have the same problem. Much smaller architecture to the chip, so it physically doesn't produce a lot of heat.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I'm expecting to need to buy a new one myself at any time, so I'm paying attention to the more knowledgable people's comments. ;D

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Heh, I am almost there, I think. I've got it narrowed down to Toshiba and the specs I want, but my dad said to check prices to see if I could find it cheaper someplace else.

[blackoberst.livejournal.com]

If you decide to go with this one, I'd strongly suggest getting a customization in the HDD department. size-wise isn't really the issue, as much as the 5400 RPM which you will start cursing your luck for within a few months.get a 7200 RPM HDD and maybe even a graphics card (true, if you don't use graphical applications as much, you won't actually feel much of a difference, but if you need Corel, Photoshop, 3D Max or anything else that requires lotsa GPU power, the Intel card will simply fail.)

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Hmmm. 7200 RPM wasn't an option for any of the computers I looked at. caromiofic did mention it was a bottleneck, but I'd have to go with one of the more expensive models in order to get it, which puts Toshiba completely out of my price range.