Getting a laptop - please help!

[jackdaniels]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks all. With the exception of Vista, which I'm still not sure about - how does this look?

Components
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5450 (2MB cache/1.66GHz/667Mhz FSB), English
Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium Edition, English
Jet Black Color with Matte Finish
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display with TrueLife ™
NO WEBCAM OPTION
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
120G 5400RPM SATA HDD
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3000
8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Essentials
Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD, English
IntelJ3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
Please select an ISP subscription
Norton Internet Security™ 2007, 30 Day Trial, English
1 Year Return to Depot Service and Technical Support
DataSafe Online Backup 3GB (included with price)
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
High Definition Audio 2.0
Accessories
Also Includes
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.08Compatibility Alert
Recalculating Price

[/ QUOTE ]

Looks solid. Don't worry too much about lacking software, I'm sure you can find a friend with MS Office Suite [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

As for Vista, I run Vista on one machine and XP on another. So far the only problem I had with Vista was sound card driver issues and that has already been resolved. If you can wait for a deal, as another poster suggested above, do it. If you can't, this is a pretty nice machine in your price range and needs.

I wouldn't upgrade to wireless N right now. It's cutting edge, top dollar and in order to benefit from it, you'd have to upgrade your wireless router as well (more monies).

[TheDudeAbides]

Thanks all - sorry to keep bumping this thread, but I have another question. Is there a huge difference b/w Intel and AMD?

This is my other option:

AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-56 (1.8GHz/1MB), English
Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium Edition, English
Jet Black Color with Matte Finish
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display with TrueLife™
Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
160G 5400RPM SATA HDD
ATI RADEON® Xpress1270 HyperMemory™
8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Essentials
Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD, English
Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini-Card
Please select an ISP subscription
Norton Internet Security™ 2007, 30 Day Trial, English
1 Year Return to Depot Service and Technical Support
DataSafe Online Backup 3GB (included with price)
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
High Definition Audio 2.0
Accessories
Also Includes
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.08
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Go with the first or second?

[Beavis68]

yes there is a huge difference. like 20 to 30% or more on more in most apps/benchmarks.

[TheDudeAbides]

[ QUOTE ]
yes there is a huge difference. like 20 to 30% or more on more in most apps/benchmarks.

[/ QUOTE ]

So Intel is the way to go?