Hmmm...Laptop Question (CD Drive Needed?)

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:39 pm

Well, I've been looking at laptops lots. In the next half a year or so, I'm going to NEED one.

I found the x60s and x61s Thinkpads quite amazing. Two things are stopping me: Price, and lack of a CD Drive.

Price: $1000, plus shipping and (possibly) cross-border taxes. Those will add another $250ish to the cost. Damn expensive if you ask me, but it'll also be, like, 10" x 10" x 1". Smaller is usually more costly.

Lack of CD Drive: For games I'll most likely use ISOs and a virtual drive. Installing OS's? Maybe via ISO + USB Drive?

Opinions? I want a smaller laptop, portable and light, but still at least Core 2 Duo (I'm worried about future compatibility with programs). Help me compromise.

Bass Creator · Post by **Bass Creator** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:01 pm

get a macbook
NOT the air

but get it at a apple store and find your elmentry, middle, high or collge and get a discount with no tax. at the apple store

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:02 pm

A CD drive is a must. It makes everything data related so much easier. You could use isos and stuff, but you'd still need to leach off of somebody who has a CD drive to get them.

This is what I got and it's been great.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:21 pm

No macs for me, not because I don't want to try, them, but because I'd like to invest in something that I know I'm going to like, like an Asus (If someone hands me $2000) or a Lenovo.

As for that one specific Toshiba, I'd like to go Core 2 Duo instead of AMD X2, simply because of power draw. The x61s gets 10+ hours on a single charge, and like I said, I'd like to keep it small. If I have to go mainstream0sized, I'd want no larger than a 14" screen.

Oh, and for data transfer: My Home LAN.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:12 pm

there are external drives, if the lack of a drive is hindering your decision.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:25 pm

I have had my EEE PC since January and as long as you have a external drive somewhere (i keep it in my room) you will be fine. I hardly use the external drive anyways. Trust me you don't need a CD-rom drive. With flash drives and SD-cards being as cheap as they are its kinda of a pain to use CDs now.

In college most of the computer terminals for projection screens and the like don't have CD-roms anymore. Just USB ports.

Post by **Triton** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:34 pm

my lifebook doesnt have one and the only time i missed it was when i was installin the OS on it, other than that i wouldnt probably use it anyway!

Post by **bicostp** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:00 pm

Rekarp wrote:I have had my EEE PC since January and as long as you have a external drive somewhere (i keep it in my room) you will be fine.

But he could just as easily get an external drive for the Thinkpad, with which you get a lot more for your money. (It's not 1998 tech.)

I've looked at the X60 before. I'd definitely go with it if you don't mind either not always having an optical drive with you or hauling around an external drive. (Honestly I hardly ever use it on my Pavillion dv5000, so most of the time it's a dead weight power leech.)

Go with either that, a Toshiba Portege, or a 13" MacBook. (Someone in one of my classes has a 13" MacBook; it's a solid little machine.)

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Post by **lifeisbetterwithketchup** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:34 pm

Triton wrote:my lifebook doesnt have one and the only time i missed it was when i was installin the OS on it, other than that i wouldnt probably use it anyway!

+1

Optical drive would be nice, but not a necessity. (This is where the P7230 excels: modular drive. It can take either an optical drive, an extra battery (you can get 9 hours with both batteries), or a spacer. Would be amazing, but it costs money and has a slow 1.8" HDD with no SSD option.)

typamc95 · Post by **typamc95** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:08 pm

only advice is DON'T Get the Compaq Presario C300.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T! You could crap in a composition notebook for better results..

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:29 pm

bicostp wrote:Toshiba Portege

My dad has a Toshiba laptop for work. I don't know what model it is and he isn't home right now, but it easily owns all the other computers in my house put together (and I'm not kidding). It has a 14" screen, not too bad for portability, but also easy to see. Its even pretty durable. It got dropped from about 5 feet while open and on while he was working once, the hard drive was toast (still had enough life for the IT at his work to get his documents), but other than the scuffs and screen bezel being kinda separated, it works fine.

HazmatB · Post by **HazmatB** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:41 am

If you want a portable machine, I would get an Asus. You can't beat $400. But don't get one if you don't already have a desktop, just because that isn't what they are for.

theelk · Post by **theelk** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:36 pm

My dad uses Thinkpads exclusively. He's on his third one, in fact. All you have to do is get yourself a docking station with a drive built. Once you don't have an optical drive with you constantly, though, you'll realize how useless it was.