Laptop suggestions.....

[AnneWynne]

The monitor on my laptop is fried...the good news is that I can hook it up to a monitor and use it, but that is too bulky for portability. Sooo, I am in the market for a new laptop.

I am not a nuts-and-bolts computer geek... I really do not know what I _really_ need to look for in my next laptop. Previous decisions have been made on price during the Black Friday Sales.

This is what I use a laptop for:
Processing photos when I travel (I prefer to use my desk top for most of my processing)
I would like to be able to review what I just shot on the laptop monitor (shoot teathered, preferably blue-toothed)
I also use some old software that will not run on XP or above, so I need some sort of solution for that (it is embroidery digitizing software and I do not want to spend several thousand more to get software that will do what I already have.)
I am doing some website development and need fast linkage.
I also like to watch TV streamed from the internet, as well as DVDs,etc.
I also listen to music online, so I would like decent sound.
I also use it for wordprocessing and administering some psychological test programs, and because of that, I cannot use a Mac (the test programs are not compatable with Macs from what I have seen, unless Macs can now run Windows progams).
I tend to use my computers for a long time...years and years...with out upgrading anything.

So, I know I need something with a good graphics/media capability, but how do I know/what do I ask for when I am shopping for the next laptop? I don't want some salesperson jacking up the price selling me something I don't really need as my budget is really tight.

While I would like a replacement soon, I can wait and not rush into it, but if there is a really good price on what I need the Friday after Thanksgiving, I'm willing to stand in line.

Can anyone give me some tips for this next investment?

TIA,
Anne

[fletch]

Juding by yoru requirements you need to look for the most of everything you can afford. Key things will be:

Screen quality: Most laptops have crappy screens which make photo aplications a ball ache
Lots of RAM: Will make multiple applications run faster
Large hard drive: for stoing all of your photos and video etc
Good battery life:

As for Windows XP compatability you have a few options. Windows 7 (the premium version I think) contains a windows XP emulator for running XP programes. You can also run Windows on a Mac but I don't know the details of that.

[dsenglish]

I agree. Make sure you get a good quality screen, which equates to more money. Try to get a 64bit system so you can get around 4gigs of Ram. Blue ray for dvd is about a 100 upgrade, not really worth it to me, but you might want it. And this is just me talking, but I have always been more of an Intel guy than an AMD guy. AMD is good, but I prefer buying Intel. AMD should save you some money though, if the budget is tight. Just make sure it is a Dual Core CPU.

Windows 7 Pro has an XP mode for older software. If that doesn't work, you can download this program. VirtualBox

This will allow you to run just about any version of windows on your new machine. It is awesome and free. Just use our old OS disk and you should be able to install and get XP or 2000 up and running. Maybe even 98. I haven't tried anything that old, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I have always been partial to Dell, but ask anyone and they are just as bad as any of them on the market. Look for the best sell that has everything you want. Bluetooth on board the laptop is going to be hit or miss. I am guessing since you are looking at higher end laptops, it will probably have bluetooth. If not, just get a 20foot USB 2.0 cable and you can shoot tethered pretty well that way. My dell laptop has an SD slot built in, so I can just pop my card in and exam my pics pretty quick that way. I like it cause I don't have to bring a reader along with my laptop.

Once the sales are announced, maybe you can narrow down your selection and post again.

[dsenglish]

and as for sound, bose headphones! Can't beat them. Skull Candy is awesome too.

laptops have massive restrictions in space, so sound is a real problem for them. But I have heard some high end gaming laptops that have crazy sound in them. But really, do you want the rows around you in a airplane listening to what you are pumping out??

[AnneWynne]

OMG, you guys are wonderful! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your knowledge and taking the time to share it with this hardware novice.
DSENGLISH, thanks for the tip on the Virtual Box program and the headphone suggestions. I will go ahead and put it on my desk top now as it does not run the digitizing program.

Fletch, thanks for the key elements I need to look at.

Now to examine the online Black Friday Ads for potential laptops.

Hugs to you all,
Anne

[fletch]

If you are buying in the sales make sure you don't end up with some end of line Vista crap. Vista is not that bad but it will be a real ball ache to run XP programs on and is a memory hog compared to Windows 7. There should be some Windows 7 deals around.

[AnneWynne]

Fletch, I agree about the Vista crap. Not going to get a computer with even an upgrade offer to Windows 7. I am not going to dive into just getting something because it is cheap...ends up being costly in the long run.

Thanks for the imput.
Anne