So basically my motherboard is fried on my old computer that's built with 4 year old parts anyways. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but I need a new computer.

I was thinking more the lines of laptop now, though I wasn't at first.

Here's the thing: I won't carry the laptop everywhere I go, but it'll be nice to have portability to if I need to. I don't play games at all on my computer, and I use Ubuntu/Kubuntu Linux on my old one and have been since summer, and love it. It would be nice to get one of Dell's laptops that have Ubuntu already on it, but I'm weary about it. I never bought a laptop before. And Dell's screens are 14.1" anyways..is that big for a laptop?

I mention Dell because I don't think one could even build their own laptop by their selves, and if I have to go to a "premade" company such as hp, compaq, etc, I'd choose Dell.

The only problem besides deciding what computer to buy, is that I would love one that had a Finnish/Swedish keyboard layout. After 2 days of searching online (Not literally straight, mind you, but close enough >.>), I can't even find that style keyboard for a PC. I've heard people plugging in an external keyboard to their laptop, using a bigger monitor, and plugging in an external mouse, but I'm not sure how all of that works.

So: What computer should I get, and how can I solve my Finnish/Swedish keyboard layout needs doing so?

Go for it, they have good reviews.

I think so, but then again, Im one of those guys that thinks 4 pounds for a laptop is way too heavy.

One can build a laptop by hand, but the case will always be bulky and ugly.

Method #1, Method #2 (source)


I did that for a time, and several of my users do now. It usually works fairly well.

unless you are using your computer for some intensive thing you are not letting us on to, I would just find a new motherboard and call it good, $120 vs. $400-500 I would take the $120 any day.

It is going to be pretty tough to find a finish laptop keyboard layout, most likely you will have to buy it from a finish store (no dell for you :() or do some pretty intense rewiring with an existing laptop. For a laptop, I would definitely go with a bundled company like Dell, HP, or Toshiba. They all do good jobs on their laptops. Acer is OK for preformance/price but they are a very cheap construction.

The trouble with building a laptop, is that for it to really be effective, the motherboard must be custom built for the case.You can buy white box laptops, with just a MoBo and case, but the thermal capabilities of the case will limit the kind of CPU and video card you can get. It's just the nature of the beast.

I recommend looking at Asus. They have pretty good laptops for good prices.



14.1 inches is the smallest size you can buy a regular laptop. Anything smaller is considered a ultra compact, and you may find typing frustrating on them, and you won't be able to find any powerful hardware on them. (Slow energy efficient CPU in the 1-1.6GHz range no video card, ect.) If you want to use it as a main PC, definitely get a 15.4 incher. Anything smaller is just frustrating unless you carry it around with you everywhere. Only consider a 17 incher if you know you won't be carrying it around much. You don't want anything that size if you backpack it everywhere, but it'd be ok if you just want to be able to take it somewhere in your car every once in a while.

Trust me, if it's primary use is on a desk, 14.1 inches is way too small. I've owned two that size, and they're great for keeping in my back pack for school, but it'd drive me crazy if I had to use that as my main PC.

macbook.

This is what I was going to post. Typing from one now (a black one) and loving it.

Switching to Mac was the best thing I ever did.

Macbooks are 13.something, widescreen, have a 2.0 (or better) ghz dual core processor, and a decent video card for browsing and minor gaming, and they aren't "ultra compact".

I think your algorithm got fubar'd. It's anything under 12" is ultracompact iirc.

I know you can find normal CPU is compact or ultra compact PCs, I was generalizing a tad. The bottom line is, laptops smaller than 14in are configured for weight at battery life, so they aren't very practical choices for a machine that will sit on your desk. Also the Macbook uses an Intel x3100 which is integrated. Even my crappy HD2300 is better than that.

i fail to see a problem.

Which is irrelevant, because we've already established that a small notebook is stupid if it's primary use will be on a desk.

Just a thought, but what in the world possessed you to get the black one? You really think black is worth $150?

I'm very weary about buying a macbookpro because they are so expensive :\

If he plans on taking it ANYWHERE it'd be a good idea to go small. It's not like 13.3 is super stupid tiny. And also, if it really bothered him, he could use his PC's LCD and keyboard/mouse. Problem solved.

Not really my problem. My problem is I don't know what laptop to get or how to obtain a finnish/swedish keyboard.

Macbook :p

But honestly, I wouldn't get a finnish layout on my laptop. It's not something you can just swap out if you decide you don't like it anymore. Plus it'll really kill any resale value it has (in the US).

If you really need a finnish layout, get an external keyboard from Finland or something and use that.

You mean that nobody will buy a laptop with a keyboard that has 3 extra buttons?

Don't need one, fool.

Why would you want to buy a computer that is primarily geared toward portability if that's not you're primary use for it? If he only occasionally takes it places with him, a larger size would be better so he can make use of the larger screen/keyboard. The size really only becomes a big deal if you take it everywhere, and trust me 12-13 inches is annoying. I'd hate to have to use my 14 incher as my main.

There are more differences than that.

Fixed to make honest.

Trust me, 13" isn't annoying. Seeing as I have such, and use it on a daily basis at home, even at my desk.

http://www.notebookreview.com/dellCoupon.asp

if you go with dell...

the word is wary.

weary means something completely different.

Well, I guess it varys from person to person. At the very least he look at laptops of different sizes at a store before he buys one.

I like small laptops, but not for extended periods of time.

Small laptop + port replicator + big LCD monitor = pretty much as functional as a big laptop in everything except gaming.

I use a D620 (14" screen) as my primary PC (desktop hardly ever gets used for more than a file server), and it does everything I could need it to just fine (admittedly I don't play PC games much at all anymore).