Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with laptop

Help me pick a new best friend for the next 4 years

amethysts — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:16:33 -0800

Finding a new laptop is making my head spin. I'm finding a lot of advice for "gamers" and "people who only do email and Word docs" or "people who need a mobile video editing suite" but I'm in the middle of the spectrum - the heaviest duty stuff I use is graphics programs like Flash and Photoshop and I don't do video games. I'm finding lot of bad reviews and stuff that says "Great all around except for the graphics". How am I going to make sure I find a laptop that does everything I need and lasts for years and years? I have a 4 year old Gateway M320 (80gb hdd and 512mb ram) which is still doing OK but gets really slow on Flash, Photoshop, Firefox, etc. and is needed elsewhere in the family. Once all the Adobe stuff is gone it will be perfect for that purpose.

I remember hearing at various times that the following brands make absolutely shit products and should be avoided:
Asus, Acer, Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo, HP, Gateway, Mac
The following brands are ones that I can get a discount on through my school:
Acer, Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo, HP
The following brands are ones that I've had good experiences with in the past:
Gateway (2005-present), Lenovo (formerly IBM I guess) 2002-2005

This one is my front-runner so far, Lenovo Thinkpad SL510. It gets positive reviews but the bad ones seem really bad.

These are its main features, which I've been using as a baseline, and seem to be everything I need, but I really don't know:
* Core 2 Duo T5870 / 2 GHz
* Centrino
* RAM 4 GB
* HDD 250 GB
* DVD-Writer
* GMA 4500MHD
* Gigabit Ethernet
* WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft)
* Bluetooth 2.1
* Windows 7 Home Premium
* 15.6" Widescreen TFT 1366 x 768 ( WXGA )
* camera
* matte black
* TopSeller
* Microsoft Office Ready

I will be using it for graphics programs like Photoshop and Flash, MS Office, internet, trillian, Itunes, etc., preferably all at the same time.

Also as much as I would like to get a Mac my budget is limited to around $700.

So here's my questions:
Am I on the right path?
Does the one I'm looking at seem like it'll be a good match?
Are there ones that I should be looking at but aren't due to outdated biases?
How do I know I'm making the right decision?

Graphics card and external display confusion

dfriedman — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:09:18 -0800

I'm getting a new computer. I need help understanding the video card specifications. More detail inside. I'm getting a new computer. I'm looking at this HP laptop. The question I have is about its graphics card.

I have a 21" external flat panel monitor (measured diagonally, including the black bezel frame). Call it 20" of viewable space.

On my present laptop, the maximum resolution for this external monitor is 1680 X 1050, which is too little. I would like to be able to, for example, see two full pages in a Word document, side by side.

So, some questions:

(1) Is the maximum display resolution of this external flat panel determined by the computer's video card or the display itself or some combination thereof?

(2) I am thinking of getting the 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 for my new computer. But I am unclear as to what the maximum display resolution for an external flatpanel is. It has two descriptions: "DisplayPort output support: 24-bit and 34-bit displays at all resolutions up to 2560 X 16002" and "HDMI output support: supports all display resolutions up to 1920 X 10802."

So the bottom line here: assuming I choose this laptop with this graphics card, how do I tell what the maximum resolution available for my external flat panel will be?

If you need more information let me know.

Thanks for the help and happy holidays!

How can I compare laptop keyboards?

futility closet — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:48:01 -0800

Is there a website that presents keyboard layouts for various laptops, to faciliate comparison? Or can anyone recommend a store in Raleigh that has a good selection of laptops on display? My wife is looking for a new Windows machine and wants to find one that's easy to use.

Power Button on iBook G4 Inoperable -- what now?

fantine — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:56:48 -0800

To transport or not to transport, that is the question! I have an iBook G4 that has been my primary computer for a few years now. It contains the bulk of my 30 GB + music collection among other things. My main computer is now a MacBook. Though the Macbook has a great deal of memory, it doesn't have enough for all my music, so I have yet to get that off my iBook.

A while ago, I spilled soup on the iBook G4 and many of its keys no long work (though I've been able to operate it just fine with an external keyboard). This includes the power on/off button, so I have not closed the screen, put it to sleep, or turned it off for several weeks now.

Now, however, I am heading home for Christmas break and am not sure what is the best course of action to take. I don't mind leaving it at school, but I do plan to acquire an external hard drive for my music (sometimes I've been planning on for a while, just haven't had the funds), so I could possibly bring home the iBook G4 in the car to transfer the music over break. However, I have always been told to close or shut down a laptop before moving it, and it makes me nervous to imagine a 4 hr + car ride in which the laptop could be jolted. Also, its battery life is not that great and it will certainly go to sleep from low battery within two hours.

Is there any way to wake up an iBook G4 without using the power button? I know that shutting the laptop and re-opening it *usually* brings forth the login box, but sometimes it doesn't on the G4. I don't want to bring back my G4 if it means it will enter an eternal sleep.

iPhone challenged

madred — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:27:24 -0800

My home computer bit the dust and I want to transfer everything on my iphone onto my laptop. Can I do this? More specifically, how can I transfer everything, not just purchases?

What lightweight but powerful laptop should I buy?

bkudria — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:36:10 -0800

Which light-weight yet powerful laptop should I buy? I like the Sony Vaio Z, followed by the MB Air and the Thinkpad X200. Am I missing any models? I'm looking to replace my current work laptop - I use it for web development, so I need to be able to run Apache, MySQL, PHP, and some other stuff. I also use Chrome pretty heavily, and of course I watch a DVD every now and then, play music, etc. I don't run an office suite or play any games.

I carry my laptop to and from work every day, and my current HP is pretty heavy, so I am looking to buy the lightest laptop possible that still has a real CPU (e.g. no Atom, ULV, etc). I don't want anything at all resembling a "netbook". What I'm not considering at the moment is price - I'm happy to pay extra for a nicer, lighter, laptop.

At the moment, the best option I could find is the Sony VAIO Z-series. It weighs 3.3 pounds, not the lightest on my list, but it has a nice CPU (a T9900 @ 3.06 GHz). The MB Air is 0.3lbs lighter, but the CPU clocks in at 2.13 GHz and as expected does slightly worse in benchmarks. The Z also has a higher-res screen. I use an additional external monitor, but it is a nice extra. The Lenovo Thinkpad X200 and X200s are lighter even than the MB Air, but have even smaller screens and slower CPUs.

(Note: I am aware of the Z's in-BIOS VT block. I have no problems with patching the BIOS to work around this. I don't consider it a downside.)

Additional details: I plan on running Linux, so gross Linux incompatibilities are a no-go, but I think I can handle anything merely pedestrian. Also, I plan on swapping out the HDD with an SSD some point in the future, so if that has any bearing on anything, I'd love to know. I'm still in the research phase for that.

In short: I want a light yet powerful high-quality workhorse laptop. The VAIO Z looks to be a good balance.

My question: Am I missing anything in my analysis? Do any of these laptops have any glaring flaws? Are there any other models that have solid build quality and similar or better specs?

Thanks!

What can I do with an old laptop word processor?

ollyolly — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:00:18 -0800

I've seen great ideas for modding old laptops, but what can I do with an old laptop word processor? A few years back I bought a cheap word processor on eBay so I could write when away from home. Besides being huge and weak-batteried, the thing's been usurped by my new netbook.
I've seen a lot of cool instructions about what to do with old laptops (e.g. dedicated media center, use the display as a second monitor, etc.), but none of these work for the decrepitude that is the word processor (for one thing, the display isn't great and I imagine the memory is not large). Here's a photo I found via Google.
Any ideas for putting it to good use?

Besides claiming the year is 1995 whenever I turn it on, here's some specs:
- Brother "Super PowerNote" Model PN-8500MDS (I think Brother makes sewing machines now)
- 3.5" floppy drive and AC power adaptor
- ostensibly portable
- Claims to have "access to CompuServe and Internet Email", though I've never connected the thing
- Currently offers word processing, spreadsheet, and TETRIS
- 22 line by 80 character black-on-green LCD display (about 4"x9")

I have a key; which lock does it fit?

flabdablet — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:54:55 -0800

Is there a tool available that will tell me which version of Windows the product key on this sticker is for? This second-hand laptop came with a completely erased hard drive (it looks DBAN'd). There's the remains of a Windows OEM sticker of some sort on the bottom. The 25-character product key itself is still perfectly legible, but the part of the sticker identifying the Windows version is ripped (looks like another label was put over it and then removed, taking half the Windows sticker with it).

I'd like to put Windows back on it, but the XP Home OEM installer I guessed at won't accept this product key. Before I go down the path of trial-installing every conceivable version of Windows one at a time, does anyone know of a tool (either online or downloadable) that will tell me which version my product key matches?

Suggestions on laptops that can take abuse

thewalrus — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:21:58 -0800

Rugged laptop filter: Other than the various models of Panasonic Toughbook (as used by the military, etc) what laptops can be considered somewhat ruggedized? I'm also thinking of laptops that are not specifically designed to be abused but have a reputation for being very robustly built, such as the old IBM Thinkpad T and A series. At least one aspect of ruggedness is more easy these days - drop a 80GB or 160GB Intel SSD into the laptop instead of a rotating drive. Much simpler than the days when there were gel shock and vibration packs around a 2.5" HDD.

From the dust/dirt, drop resistance, liquid ingress and general tough construction perspective, I'm wondering if Panasonic has any serious competition in the fully-ruggedized laptop market yet. There is also a series of partially protected laptops sold under the Toughbook name that do not have the full protection level...

Laptop vs Tablet: 2009 edition

filthy light thief — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:10:19 -0800

Computer Selection Filter: I've been thinking about getting a laptop (or a netbook) for a while, but I've been holding out in hopes of tablets getting cheaper. If I'm not including the costlier tablets, I'm wondering why I shouldn't get a netbook. Lots of pondering inside. I have a desktop Windows PC that is suitable for my needs (casual Photoshop use, general word processing/ internet browsing/ video watching, not into video games), plus an external HD for back-up and additional storage. My wife has a laptop that we use for browsing the 'net and watching movies while waiting in airports, but it's her computer and she gets annoyed when I download music or videos, so I keep that to a minimum.

I'd love a tablet for pen/touch-based input with Photoshop, so tablet PCs seemed fantastic, but new models seem to be set firmly in the $1,000+ range. I love the idea of sketching directly into the computer, but I don't know if this pricepoint is worth it if hobby-level use. The Always Innovating Touch Book seemed like a fantastic little tablet netbook, but the forum discussions aren't positive. Are there some reasonable tablets I'm missing, or are tablets expensive because of the materials? Are used tablets reliable at all? And if I don't get a tablet, what would be the bonus of getting a larger laptop over a netbook?

Also, I like the idea of ebooks, but having a single use device of that sort seems limited, when compared to netbooks or laptops. I know digital ink displays are more paper-like and use no energy to display a set image, but I don't think I'd make enough use of a dedicated ebook.

Features I'd like:
- tablet screen (ideal, but not necessary if too costly)
- 6+ hours per charge
- decent screen for viewing websites and text docs as formatted

Bonuses
- line in recording port
- microphone for Skype
- video camera for Skype

Do I need an upgraded video card to watch HD video?

markblasco — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:13:59 -0800

Do I need an upgraded video card to watch HD video? We're buying a new laptop, and with all of the sales going on right now, it will probably be sooner rather than later.

We don't game on the computer (that's what the Xbox is for). I am not concerned with doing any graphics design (we have another computer for that), so I am wondering if going with the integrated Intel 4500M card is going to work fine for us (not the 4500MHD). We want to be able to watch HD video both on the computer and on the TV through HDMI.

Do I need an upgraded video card to watch HD video, or will having a computer with a Core 2 Duo and 3 gigs of memory work fine with the integrated video card?

Law-abiding civilian wants to kinda remove personal info from a laptop

salvia — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:41:33 -0800

What are the basic steps to remove personal information off of a hard drive? (XP Home, SP3) I'm trading up a work computer for a newer one. I'd like to make sure to erase things like my frequent flier password, browsing history and downloaded docs, emailed files, and documents I created myself.

I realize many people would find it easiest just to reformat the hard drive, but I'd rather not do that myself, as I don't know what I'm doing or have the disks, plus that'd look more suspicious than leaving behind a few non-work files. I'm not concerned anyone is going to run file recovery software or investigate me, and I don't have any confidential client data that I need to protect. I don't use this for much besides work, and I never save bank passwords, and they're probably going to reformat the computer right away, so I'm not that worried.

I just don't want someone to open a folder and accidentally stumble across some doc I forgot about ("FindingANewJob.doc") or some cached NSFW pic or pdf download that I clicked on in Metafilter, or some embarrassing google search term, or a personal essay a friend emailed me on Outlook that I edited over the weekend. I'm looking for a middle ground between the Department of Defense seven-wipe wiping standard and/or total reformat, and just leaving behind entire folders full of potentially-personal things.

What's a reasonable way for me to clean files and browsing history off of the computer? Is there a good checklist of folders to empty out? Is there a way to know which folders have exclusively system files and which have user-created documents? If you delete a file, then empty the Recycling Bin, is that pretty good or is there one step further you need to take to keep someone from accidentally encountering TMI?

If it matters, I am one of three users on the machine, and I don't know if I have full admin privileges, but I can add and remove programs.

I realize this is a pretty common question, and I've found some decent eHow articles, but I trust AskMe more than my googling skills. Thanks a bunch for any advice you can offer.

To buy or not to buy?

timdicator — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:15:00 -0800

Is this laptop a good buy for the money? Does anyone have any personal experience with it? Office Max is offering an HP Paviollion for $379.99 tomorrow. Since I don't have time to do a lot of test driving, help me figure out if it's a good buy.

Is mac really better than pc? Help me buy a decent student computer.

Miss Mitz — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:27:51 -0800

I've been a happy Pc-er for the last couple years. That is, until a few months ago when my AVG failed me and my pavilion got all virused up... Twice. Ultimately I had to d-ban the poor thing. Since I was only 'mostly sure' I still had the original operating system disks, I have since been using my mom's mac. While I've been slowly getting used to the system (on a casual basis, no work yet, just internet) I still miss the windows format. My old tower is past it's prime, even with a new system. I'm about to become a student in English and am highly discouraged by previous Windows failings. Should I release the ghost and go with the more 'secure' mac? Or stick with my roots? I would like some advice on my next computer purchase. I'm looking for a laptop that can handle a students workload for the next... lets face it, many years, with minimal extras. The only thing it needs, is to be fast. I break things that go slow. I'm not looking to game (much) or download + store music (at all), I just need to research crap at high speed. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Cheers!

Music-making: Suggest a capable laptop, please!

Cantdosleepy — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:33:57 -0800

Which laptop computer for making music? It's PC vs Mac with the usual provisos... I'm going to be getting a computer in the new year for making music. I'll most likely be using Reaper on it, perhaps Reason as well if latency isn't a killer, otherwise with a variety of VSTi and VSTs running simultaneously.

It'll be my main computer for my other roaming surfing listening to music needs so it has to be a laptop.

So the first question: Windows or Mac? I'm not interested in the ideological war - I have owned and used both in the past and am happy with both systems, so not interested in design or useability arguments. The software I'll be using is available on both, so that's not an issue, either.

Macs are A LOT more expensive - firewire (is that a must these days for musical stuff?) doesn't start on a Mac for less than £1000 (that's for a refurbed Macbook Pro with a poky 13.3" screen). Also if I get a refurb I can't choose my spec, so might have further costs there - if I'm recording audio I'll need a 7200rpm drive (presumably external). £1000 is the absolute limit to what I can spend, really.

But if I get a Windows computer will I have to spend a couple of hundred on an ASIO card/breakout box to deal with the horrible latency issues?

I could get a Lenovo for 2/3rds the MBP price with what seems like a pretty good spec: http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/gbweb/LenovoPortal/en_GB/systemconfig.runtime.workflow:LoadRuntimeTree?sb=:000000F0:00000082:&smid=2BD61D210D4B420DB4A05F15220AEEF7 which includes a faster HD and the same amount of RAM.

I realise that this won't be as fast as the Pro, but I'm not interested necessarily in system-wide speediness. I want something that can handle simultaneous recording of audio and MIDI, and that won't fall over and die if I want to play with delay and reverb on four or five audio tracks with a couple of drum machine VSTIs and softsynths, as well as lasting as my lug-around-town regular computer for the next five years.

Any advice greatly appreciated - and if there are issues I've forgotten don't hesitate to flag them up!

If it makes a difference, I'll most likely be picking it up in the January sales.

Grandfather's first laptop

XcentricOrbit — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:13:05 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations on setting up a new laptop for my 92 year old grandfather. He is essentially a "first timer" to modern computers, having never used a computer with a modern operating system and internet access, so any ideas to make it simpler and safer for him are welcome. Relevant details:

Gramps: He's 92 years old, and the last time he owned a computer was probably in the early 1990's, and it was running MS-DOS / Win 3.11. As far as I know, he's never used anything more "online" than a BBS. He is "aware" of the internet and web, though, as he watches quite a bit of TV. He recently expressed interest in a netbook or similar that he could keep next to his favorite TV watching seat. His eyes and hearing, while diminished a bit at his age, should be up to the task of using the computer we got for him. His fine motor control is a bit lacking, but the keyboard keys are large enough, and we're getting a wireless mouse just in case the touchpad is an issue.

Laptop: Since the netbooks mostly had too small of a screen for his eyes, we ended up with a 15.4" Celeron-based Acer with a steal of a price from Best Buy ($249!). It has Windows 7 installed, and for now, at least, I think we'd rather keep that than install a flavor of Linux.

My google-fu has mostly failed me, and I haven't found much related on AskMefi (a couple posts about first timer users and children). Essentially, what I'm looking for is software recommendations, tips and tricks, and even hardware and accessories to help him ease into using his first modern computer. A few things that have come to mind:

Browser: What's the best browser and combination of plugins to help him avoid scams, unwanted pop-ups / redirects, and other generally malicious sites, but still leaves the browser easily usable and not confusing? NoScript in FireFox, for instance, is awesome for me, but it seems to boggle many people who aren't aware of exactly what it's doing.

E-mail: Best client or webmail to help him avoid scams and such, but also very simple to use to keep in contact with family and friends.

Security software (antivirus, anti-spyware, etc): Which ones are the best mix of safe, lightweight, and non-intrusive? Basically, what works without getting all up in his (or the laptop's) grill?

Accessibility: Any programs you have experience with that make the computer easier to use for someone of his age? Launchers, desktop mods, etc.

Any other general software recommendations are welcome (or any important areas you think I've omitted), and personal tips and tricks you've seen or used would be great. He has a "lap table" that should be big enough to the laptop with room to spare for a wireless mouse, but if you have a accessory that you think is the bee's knees, definitely link it! Heck, even simple games you think a senior might be interested in would be of interest.

And with that, I've popped my AskMefi question cherry. Thanks everyone! One of these days, I'll get around to doing an FPP too!

What Bay Area stores carry the Dell Adamo?

Susan PG — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:32:58 -0800

Where can I see a Dell Adamo (not the new XPS, but the one that was released last year) in person, in the San Francisco Bay Area? Frys doesn't seem to carry it, and I don't know who else would. I'm considering buying one, and want to handle it and check out the keyboard, weight, etc., in person, before making a decision. Thanks for any help you can provide :-)

Help me Bag an Apple

GJSchaller — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:58:20 -0800

Looking for a good backpack for a 17" MacBook Pro I'm looking for recommendations for a durable, long-lasting, and comfortable backpack that can contain a MacBook Pro, as well as the rest of my geek gear. I'm not a HUGE gadget freak (I don't carry an entire IT closet on my back), but I do have some accessories, and some occasional books. I am not fond of shoulder slings or messenger bags. The 17" requirement makes things a bit trickier.

I've found several bag suggestions online, but need feedback on which are actually good (outside of on-site reviews). I live in NYC, but the Apple Store doesn't have a wide variety in stock - I'm trying to think outside the box for better bags that might not be sold in retail. One of the sites I've seen is Tom Bihn's Brain Bag - has anyone had any experiences with them?

Mystery noises and BSOD on my newish Acer Aspire One netbook. Am I screwed?

tealsocks — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:47:12 -0800

Mystery noises and BSOD on my newish Acer Aspire One netbook. Am I screwed? I bought an 11.6" Aspire One at Staples about a month and a half ago, and the night before last it started making a clicking sound followed by a beep which I can only assume is coming from the hard drive. Sometimes this sound is followed by a blue screen of death and sometimes i can just pick the computer up and it goes away. Is this the sound of a hard drive failing? I carry my netbook around a lot, but it's always in a padded laptop bag so I'm pretty sure I haven't damaged it in any way. Do I need to get a replacement?

How to restore a glossy laptop screen?

bashos_frog — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:22:31 -0800

Is there any way to restore the glossy coating on a Macbook Pro screen? It seems that my keyboard has has transferred enough oil to my screen to permanently damage the glossy coating in spots (especially the line caused by the bottom edge of the keyboard). Is there any way to reapply some kind of coating, or restorative that will make the screen look new again?

Which of these 11.6" PC laptops should I get?

ishotjr — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:20:29 -0800

Looking for an ideal 11.6" laptop/netbook for under $600. I have $600 to buy a laptop and I think I've narrowed it down to two (I think). They both run Windows 7 and seem comparable in other respects.

I plan to use this laptop for taking notes, writing papers and browsing the internet, as well as maybe occasionally streaming video like on Netflix or Hulu. I own an external optical drive already for DVDs. Thing is, I know nothing about video cards.
My current full-size laptop is still functional for watching movies and I don't play games other than Snood and the games that come on the computer (Solitaire and that sort of thing).

This Acer from a previous post seems pretty great, but I'm a little hung up on the price once I pay for expedited shipping.

I'm also considering this Toshiba model that has a dual-core processor (right?). For this one, I can buy it in person (from the dreaded Best Buy), which is a plus in that I need it ASAP.

I've read up on these on CNET and other user reviews. But if anyone has strong feelings either way on these, or can tell me if one is glaringly better for the price, I'd really appreciate it. Or, if you want to suggest a different 11.6" laptop (other than Dell), I am definitely open to other suggestions. The choices were somewhat overwhelming.

Help me find a laptop to match my TV.

markblasco — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:05:22 -0800

Help me find a laptop to match with my TV. More inside. We are looking to run a laptop along with our TV as a sort of media center. It would need to have component (RGB) output, not HDMI. We have a tuner it would plug into, which would route the sound and video to our TV. When not in use with the TV, we would use it while sitting around the living room, so a desktop media center PC is not an option.

We do NOT need to record video on it, since we don't have a cable subscription. What we are looking to do with it is to watch hulu and other online shows, as well as do some web surfing. We would also watch HD videos from the computer, so the computer needs to be able to support HD output, which the currently available netbooks don't seem to do (and they also don't have component output connections).

Can someone help me find a solution?

But will it game?

askmehow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:17:23 -0800

Will my developer laptop be able to handle the current crop of RPG games? Specs after the jump I'm interested in getting back into computer gaming. I'm thinking about Fallout 3 and Dragon Age Origins. I've got a beefy laptop, with a poor gfx card, and I'm wondering if it will be able handle the games I'm interested in:

Windows 7 64
8gb RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 370M (256MB)

If that's not going to be able to handle these games, any recommendations on immersive RPGs that aren't twitchy that I can play on this?

thanks,
jt

Do I 'need' a gaming laptop to play MMOs?

Kurichina — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:12 -0800

Do I 'need' a gaming laptop to play MMOs? Computer hardware knowledgable people: what sort of system do you use for determining your 'needs' for a computer? My HP lappy conked out last week (very likely a motherboard failure, I'm told) and I'm in the market for a new one. It wasn't an ideal time financially for this to happen, so I don't want to spend anymore money than I have to. However, I also want this next laptop to last 4-5 years if possible, or, at the very least, 3.

I'm not a huge gamer, but I started playing a fair amount of WoW earlier this year and it's not unreasonable to think I may branch out into a few other MMOs. On my old, mid-range HP, WoW had many errors (not able to process the zone files and crashing) and was generally frustrating. Other than the games, my needs are fairly basic: a small amount of graphic design, word processing/spreadsheets, listen to music and watch DVDs/blu-rays. Is it worthwhile to splash out on a newer, more powerful processor *(quad core or I7, for e.g.) and some extra memory or will this be money wasted due to not using this power? Is there an objective (i.e. not trying to sell me something) site out there that will determine my hardware needs?

I've seen this but that question didn't discuss the needs of MMOs, and I'm not interested in the PC vs Mac side of things. (For reasons of cost and wanting to keep using the same software I already own, some of it purchased at "educational" prices for which I no longer qualify, I'm sticking with a PC.)

How do you fix a fried laptop?

Bobby Bittman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:20:31 -0800

How badly have I fried my laptop? I went to a friend's house last night to watch a perfectly legally downloaded movie, and planned to hook my laptop up to his TV with an S-Video cable. Well, something wasn't grounded - when I touched the S-Video cable to the jack on his TV, there was a spark and my laptop shut off.

Now it's a brick. No power lights, no response at all.

I'm going to find all of this out on Monday when I take it in to the repair shop, but I'm anxious: how badly have I damaged it? Is this the kind of thing that can be repaired? How much does it cost? And most importantly - is all my data recoverable?

If it matters, it's a 4-year-old Gateway laptop. All educated guesses welcome. Thank you!