so for new zealand I need a laptop to be able to do some work, emails and all that while computers are on travel and then use it there after

So I think I can set a budget of £1200 tops and more around £1000 or less

Now my bro has got a mac book pro and its very nice and while I do not plan to get one and plan to get a xp vista based one I still would like it to be slick.

Since I will most likley use it for playing movies and dvds and possibly games for a bit as well as photoshop and programming it needs to have those in mind.

I have no clue to laptops at all, all I know is the ones with the glass looking screens look really good.

Screen size I do not want to go over the top, whats standard and what is nice these days etc?

Basically what do you folk recomend?

Well ive just splashed out on a new 15" macbook pro... used to use a tiny ibook G4 before it... and its absolutely awesome! Dont underestimate how great bootcamp is!

Im not really a big PC gamer and tbh - theres no way in hell Id ever use a notebook as my main gaming machine - as long as I can play hl2~ graphics at the moment im more than satisfied and the macbook pro more than satisfies this demand.

The new intel chips make running Swsoft Parallels an absolute dream!

heres a good article:
http://www.macriot.com/article.php/20070617022727773

QuoteTraditionally, traversing these additional layers presented challenges in running the guest operating system effectively. The main issues stem from how fast virtualisation ran compared to running Windows natively, to the ability to completely integrate the necessary drivers and input/output (I/O) communications. Thankfully, the use of faster Intel chipsets coupled with the advancement in virtual machine technology, has made virtualisation become usable, in the realworld sense. Youd know what we mean, if youve ever tried to run Virtual PC on older PPC Macs in stark comparison to the recent Mac Intels running Parallels.

With a macbook pro you really do get the best of both worlds tbh! Oh and as youll already know, the build quality and aesthetics is unrivaled.

Also the new macbook pros (15" model) have brand spanking new LED backlit screens instead of the old (cathode?) screens. They are EXTREMELY (ever used one of those apple hd displays?) bright and you can have them in that glassy look like you said above.

If your thinking of doing work use  more than games i.e browsing, programming, then I would with little hesitation recomend a Dell Lattitude.  Either a 420 or 620.  They are very impressive bits of kit.

The 420 you can fit in handbag (if you wanted) and will work for hours with the optional battery life extender, its so small it uses an external CD/DVD drive.  The 620 is slightly larger but a lot more functional wifi, bluetooth, DVD RW, high quality widescreen the lot.  

What you are getting is a well built peice of kit with connectivity and further expansion options.  Dont go for some micky mouse Packard Bell laptop.

I am thinking still of a macbook but I am also thinking movies at least

The most common screen size is 15.4" widescreen but personally I think this is a bit big if youre planning on it being mobile. I prefer 14.1". Bearing that and all your needs in mind, how about this Sony Vaio VGN-CR11Z/R? It rivals the macbook in terms of slickness in my opinion and the Sony screen is a very nice one.

Youre not going to get a decent gaming laptop without parting with a big wad of cash (see Rock if thats what you want) but at least this has a discrete graphics card.

XPS 1330 is big money, great laptop and I am chuffed to bits with it. However I would not recommend getting it due to Dells absolutely shocking customer service.



I got mine last week after SEVENTY THREE days of waiting, and it has a CPU whine so I am reporting it as faulty later :x

If you can stretch it there is no comparison to a 15" Macbook Pro.

I use one at work, with Parallels running WinXP and its the most flexible platform Ive ever used.

Switches instantly from OSX to Windows.

And mines a previous gen Macbook Pro (i.e. no LED screen and new chipset)


Id seriously try to stretch to a 15" new Macbook Pro then run Leopard and Vista on it.

At 1300 quid its only slightly above your budget.


I think Ill be buying a Macbook Pro myself to replace my IBM Thinkpad T43 early next year.... when they release multi-touch screens!



You could also get a Sony Vaio AR series (the 51). Thatll get you a high spec, nice 17" screen (1920x1080) and Blu Ray for the same price as the Macbook.... but Id still go for the 15" Macbook.

Quote from: RobThe most common screen size is 15.4" widescreen but personally I think this is a bit big if youre planning on it being mobile. I prefer 14.1". Bearing that and all your needs in mind, how about this Sony Vaio VGN-CR11Z/R? It rivals the macbook in terms of slickness in my opinion and the Sony screen is a very nice one.

Youre not going to get a decent gaming laptop without parting with a big wad of cash (see Rock if thats what you want) but at least this has a discrete graphics card.

I had a look when I was in town after I went to the hospital and I think your right, 15.4 widescreen looks fine to me and is the now the size I am looking for any above is to bulky
Will look at those sony ones now, thanks

And kunal I am considering one

Dam, if those 14inch sony ones had a 15 inch version I would get them, and the 15inch macbook looks great and would be £1000 if I could find someone to take the vat off

How about this 15.4" Vaio then: BX41VN.

Quote from: RobHow about this 15.4" Vaio then: BX41VN.

Not that nice, the FE series is allright

ive found sonys to be ok machines, but far too fragile if you arent being very careful with them.  They are stylish, but they just cant take a pounding, and to be fair a work machine is pretty much bound to take a bit of a knock when you move it around places.