Laptop scrappers - help me decide

[cpstamper]

I am about to purchase a laptop that I will use primarily to scrap. I have tried to use my husband's laptop but the colors are horrible. I want to be happy with my screen and the graphics and run PSCS3. I am looking at building a Dell but with the stuff I think I need I'm going to spend at least $1000. I was wondering what brand you scrap with, did you upgrade your video card? My DH is a programmer so he can help me with the RAM and GB stuff but he doesn't have a clue when it comes to the digi scrapping world!

I'm looking for someone just to tell me what to get and make this decision easier!!!:thumbup: Thanks for any advice!

[digideb]

Hey. I use an HP. We didn't do any kind of upgrade on the video card & it seems to be fine.
I see you're a GA girl. Me too! Where abouts are ya?

[Sharon Kay]

Here is what I have...my ds specifically picked it out for me for scrapping...he knew what would be needed for CS3 and all my other stuff ...this one has worked GREAT!

http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/data_sheet/fs126ua.html

The ONLY downfall this computer has had is it is a 64 bit processor (most are 32 bit)... sometimes certain programs won't work with it (i.e. Arduino microprocessor, Quickutz Silhouette SD...which now has an update)...but right now...nothing except the Arduino is having troubles on it.

[ColleenSwerb]

I bought an HP 2 years ago. I bought one of their gaming models, and it's performed awesome for me. Plenty of RAM, HD space, no issues with Vista and programs or anything.

[emmasmommy]

I got this laptop for my bday last year and it sounds a lot like Col's. I love it and haven't had a problem at all. Mine's an HP as well

[LenaGardner]

I've enjoyed both my HP and *both* of my Toshibas. However, the Toshiba has been WAY less glitchy. Me and my friend both bought HPs at the same time and there were power cord issues, keyboard issues...little stuff. I replaced the power cord and the keyboard in my HP. I overall was quite pleased with it's usefulness though. I had a Toshiba before the HP and I have a Toshiba now, and the performance is just better all around. I'm REALLY hard on laptops :P I've only spent about $600 on each of my lappies and they've all been great!

[mummytothree]

I scrap with this Toshiba - Satellite Laptop with Intel® Celeron® Processor. (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9368169&type=product&id=1218092959299)

I run PSE6 and ACDSee together with about 70 GB taken up by scrap stuff and photos.

I will tell you one thing I learned when researching laptops before I bought. I wanted to make sure that I would have enough RAM. This one only came with two, but was upgradeable to four so I thought I would be good to go with a quick and cheap upgrade. Well I found out that a 32 bit operating systems (no matter how high you can up the RAM) maxs out at about 2.7 GB of RAM. Some may give you as high as 3 but you will never be able to utilize the whole 4GB. So I'm only running 2GB of RAM (PSE6 recognizes about 1.8GB) and I've yet to have a problem!!!

Good luck on your search!!!! Look around there are tons of Back To School promotions going on and you can get some great deals (like I bought mine about a month ago and only paid $299 for it even thought it's now selling for $330!!!).

[kristine]

I'm not a fan of HP, my last one was HP and everything seemed to go wrong on it all the time. It did get bashed around a bit, but still, it was super slow even though it was a good computer at the time. And it got silly hot, sometimes it just turned itself off because it was so hot. My SO got me a new one a couple of weeks ago as an early birthday present, that one was HP as well, and although it was really pretty I decided to take it back, it was really slow. Luckily the shop he bought it from has a policy that as long as it has been less than 30 days you can take it back wihtout having a reason and get your money back, even if it has been used. So yesterday I traded it in for an Acer with better specifications, and it is SO much better.

This is the one I traded in: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&series_name=dv6zae2_series&a1=Processor&v1=AMD My configuration had the good graphics card but the bad processor and 3 GB RAM. I think RAM and processor is more important when it comes to PS than graphics cards, those are more for games.

And this is the one I got: http://us.acer.com/acer/productv.do?LanguageISOCtxParam=en&kcond61e.c2att101=60964&sp=page16e&ctx2.c2att1=25&link=ln438e&CountryISOCtxParam=US&ctx1g.c2att92=447&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=2432602120 but with a slightly different processon (P7350) and 500 GB HD. So far I love it, and PS runs like a dream!

[joelsgirl]

I h.a.t.e. my Dells. The batteries on one had to be replaced after less than a year, and then after I had the new one a year, it stopped charging. So now, one of our dells is 3 years old and the other is 2 years old,but both have to be plugged in at all times. Total pain. I had an HP before, and it worked great for FIVE years. We went with the Dell because it was cheap, and I totally regret it.

I know nothing about hte screens, just had to throw my opinion out there about not liking the Dell.

[Jennilyn]

I've had this Dell Inspiron 1520 for a year and a half and I'm just now needing a new battery, although I think I can hold out for a few more months. You can get them on eBay cheaper than at the Dell site. I love our Dells...we had a desktop since 2000 which I just gave to my grandmother so she could play her games, DH & I have our own laptop and our daughters have a new desktop. I do think the desktops have less problems than the laptops do though.

[Leah]

I will tell you one thing I learned when researching laptops before I bought. I wanted to make sure that I would have enough RAM. This one only came with two, but was upgradeable to four so I thought I would be good to go with a quick and cheap upgrade. Well I found out that a 32 bit operating systems (no matter how high you can up the RAM) maxs out at about 2.7 GB of RAM. Some may give you as high as 3 but you will never be able to utilize the whole 4GB. So I'm only running 2GB of RAM (PSE6 recognizes about 1.8GB) and I've yet to have a problem!!!

I did not know this.

I just went and looked at my system (I'm on a Dell Studio 1537) and I have a 32 bit operating system with 4GB of Ram.

Is the 32 bit part upgradeable??

My computer has JUST started getting glitchy and I don't know why.

[ColleenSwerb]

Well every company has lemons. My first HP for college was a lemon and after about 14 months and having to send it back (all the way to Cali - but we had the super extended awesome warranty on it) 6 times, I demanded a new one as per my warranty. The fan was faulty and replace at least 3 times. The one I got as it's replacement was a gem and lasted me 6 years before it was just too slow to run PSCS2 for me at all. And I haven't had a single problem with this baby, but she's only 14 months old so it's a lil soon to tell I suppose.

Having said that, my Dad and Fiancee are both in computers/IT and wouldn't let me get a Dell when I got the new one, lol. I know lots of people have great experiences with Dell, but not on my end.

Now ideally, I could go for a Mac. But since Jordan is my IT guy (literally, that's his job) and he loathes Mac's, it's not in my cards I don't think, lol!

[Stacey42]

I just bought a new laptop last month. Because I was concerned about graphics I spent a lot of time looking at gamer laptops. They are designed to deal with heavy graphics loads.

I ended up with an ASUS with 6GB of RAM and a NVIDIA graphics card with 1GB dedicated RAM. It has the intel duo processor and 500GB hard drive. I went with the 17 inch screen which made it $1200. But the 15.6 one would have been $1000. It is totally worth every penny. I can run Lightroom and CS3 or PSPX2 at the same time. Teh color is great! I got it at Best Buy. I'd link it but the site is not loading for me right now.

[xboxmom]

Hmm am I the odd one out!? I have a MacBook its about 2 years old now. it has a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor and 4GB of Memory that I just recently upgrade from 2 to 4. I love it!!! :D Expensive but AWESOME! My husband would beg to differ and would tell you to go with the Dell! Of course he works for Microsoft so he is all about supporting the company!