Laptop Recommendation

[Dirk Koopman]

On 24/01/12 09:10, Smylers wrote:
> I'm looking to part with over £1000, one of the most expensive things
> I've ever bought (topped only by a home and a wedding). Surely when a
> company's wishing to take that sum of money from a customer it's worth
> them putting a little effort into it? Right now shopping on laptop
> websites can't possibly be more painful than going into PC World and
> trying to engage their staff in meaningful technical conversation.
>
> At least in PC World I could physically pick up a laptop and get a feel
> for how much it weighs. I could even take the kitchen scales with me ...
 >
> (While finding the Acer UK website though, going via the Acer Group site
> I did learn that Gateway (moo!) and Packard Bell (shudder) still exist.)

It may be that visiting PC World with your Ubuntu on a memory stick may 
be the only sane way of doing this. Although you may find John Lewis a 
more cooperative test subject.

Please bear in mind that there essentially only three "Chinese" (include 
Taiwan) laptop manufacturers, one of which is Lenovo. Looking at the 
label is unlikely to tell you who made the machine (the keyboard is a 
reasonable, but not infallible, giveaway). Just because it says 
Acer/Asus/Gateway/Packard Bell doesn't mean it isn't a Clevo.

One reason the touchpad spec may not be spelled out is that I have found 
(once) that I ended up with a non-multitouch Synaptics touchpad when my 
previous model had one.

Also have a look on http://www.reghardware.co.uk.

Dirk