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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Lookin' to buy a cheap laptop
Lookin' to buy a cheap laptop
2008-09-01, 8:33 PM #1
Just looking for help from the collective intelligence here. I'm looking for a cheap laptop that just does the basics (word processing/reading PDFs/reads the ol' email), is fairly compact, but has decent battery life (at least an hour). I was looking into netbook type deals (such as the ASUS Eee PC and the MSI Wind Notebook), as they seem to usually be in my price range. I don't give a crap about OS or anything, ja.

Thanks for the help.
2008-09-01, 9:01 PM #2
Get an old IBM if you can... you could get it dirt cheap. Small... Not sure on the battery life though. I've never seen a laptop get less than an hour... so I don't think that would be a problem.

My dad had an IBM laptop for such basics and he liked it.
2008-09-01, 11:30 PM #3
Buy an EEE or MSI Wind like youmentioned, or the Lenovo S10 (although it's currently OOS).
一个大西瓜
2008-09-02, 12:07 AM #4
Only buy an MSI Wind or a derivative if you LIKE to tap your mousepad.

Because you can't disable it.
2008-09-02, 5:31 AM #5
Oh... what's wrong with that?
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2008-09-02, 5:34 AM #6
options that cant be disabled arent really options.
My girlfriend paid a lot of money for that tv; I want to watch ALL OF IT. - JM
2008-09-02, 7:20 AM #7
It drives some people mad. Personally I love tapping. Google around it to gauge peoples' reactions - it's quite surprising the level of h8.
2008-09-02, 7:53 AM #8
When I got my first touchpad laptop I thought tap-clicking was stupid too. Then I used it for an hour. Now I wonder how people manage to go without it. Pressing those little buttons all the time is like asking for carpel tunnel.
2008-09-02, 8:01 AM #9
Totally agree Matty.

As an aside, not all of the Winds have scrolling touchpads either apparently. I'm so used to my 2 finger scroll on my PowerBook that I can't cope without it now...
2008-09-02, 8:03 AM #10
Tap clicking is fantastic, although not being able to disable it sounds annoying if you don't like it.

Two finger scroll is also the way to go. The side scroll on every PC notebook I have ever used sucks ***. It seems to work only half the time, and usually isn't native scrolling.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-02, 8:25 AM #11
Even better: two-finger tap clicking for right click.

I now do this on every laptop I use, and it pisses me off cause I hit the touchpad like 10 times waiting for it to right click, only to realize that wait, that's a macbook-only feature.
2008-09-02, 10:18 AM #12
used ibook g4
gbk is 50 probably

MB IS FAT
2008-09-02, 10:37 AM #13
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Even better: two-finger tap clicking for right click.


My Powerbook G4 has two-finger scroll, but I still have to ctrl-click for context menus. That makes me a :gbk: panda.
2008-09-02, 10:44 AM #14
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Even better: two-finger tap clicking for right click.

I now do this on every laptop I use, and it pisses me off cause I hit the touchpad like 10 times waiting for it to right click, only to realize that wait, that's a macbook-only feature.


Yes, it becomes so natural. Same for the two-finger scroll. My sister's laptop pisses me off because it only has that scroll bar on the right side of the trackpad.
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2008-09-02, 11:04 AM #15
The EEE is pretty great. I have the 701 and am looking to upgrade to the 1000 for supreme battery life and bigger screen/keyboard. There's also a thriving community so almost any distro that interests you is supported somewhere.
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
2008-09-02, 11:52 AM #16
I find the EEE a ***** to type on.
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2008-09-02, 4:12 PM #17
Originally posted by TimeWolfOfThePast:
I find the EEE a ***** to type on.


The 1000s at least have a nearly full-size keyboard, not sure about the 900s.
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
2008-09-02, 4:24 PM #18
Acer has a netbook called Aspire One. They're only 8.9" compared to the MSI Wind's 10", but they're a good bit cheaper than the Wind. There are a few different variations out or coming out, and all versions are supposed to drop in price eventually to between $329 and $399.
2008-09-02, 4:25 PM #19
Originally posted by Dormouse:
The 1000s at least have a nearly full-size keyboard, not sure about the 900s.

I believe the 900s are 8.9" and not 10", so I don't think that they do.

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