replacement laptop, this one any good???

[Alan_T]

hey guys, wondering if you could give me your opinion,

i'm having my toshiba satellite 300D replaced by my insurance company, (the wife dropped it)

and they have offered me a samsung 30o e7a - a04uk as a replacement.

Product Description - Samsung 300E7A A04 - Core i3 2330M 2.2 GHz - 17.3" TFT
Manufacturer Warranty - 1 year warranty
Dimensions (WxDxH) - 40.7 cm x 26.6 cm x 3.5 cm
Weight - 2.65 kg
Processor - Intel Core i3 2330M / 2.2 GHz ( Dual-Core )
Hard Drive - 750 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm
Networking - Network adapter - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0
RAM - 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM - 1333 MHz ( 1 x 4 GB + 1 x 2 GB )
Graphics Controller - Intel HD Graphics 3000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology
Audio Output - Sound card
Localisation - United Kingdom
Cache Memory - 3 MB - L3 Cache
Optical Storage - DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM - integrated
Display - 17.3" LED backlight TFT 1600 x 900 ( WXGA++ )
Input Device - Keyboard, touchpad
Battery - 6-cell
Operating System - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition
Built-in Devices - Stereo speakers, wireless LAN aerial, Bluetooth aerial
System Type - Notebook
Card Reader - 4 in 1
Wireless NIC - Intel Centrino Wireless-N 130
Run Time (Up To) - 5 hour(s)
Notebook Camera - Integrated - 1.3 Megapixel

i don't really know alot about pc's etc so does anyone know if this is a descent speck?

the link below has some more details in it.

click for more details

thanks

Alan

 

[neil_g]

no direct experience of that laptop but the spec is pretty good..

2nd gen i3, decent amount of memory, large hard drive.. 17" laptops are normally quite bulky and battery life can be worse than the 15" equiv. its a bit of an odd resolution too, quite widescreen.

 

[PhotoMonty]

The spec looks good, but the 17" screen would concern me.

If the larger screens do fail they cost considerably more to repair or replace than 15" screens, often to the extent that the laptop becomes uneconomical to repair.

If you travel with the laptop then a 17" screen adds to the size and weight.

The Samsungs I have come across (which isn't many) have seemed to do the job very well. I haven't met any disgruntled Samsung users (but again, I haven't come across many.)

 

[Alan_T]

Thanks guys, I've accepted this one now so it should arrive in the next couple of days.

 

[boliston]

The spec looks good, but the 17" screen would concern me.

If the larger screens do fail they cost considerably more to repair or replace than 15" screens, often to the extent that the laptop becomes uneconomical to repair.

If you travel with the laptop then a 17" screen adds to the size and weight.

The Samsungs I have come across (which isn't many) have seemed to do the job very well. I haven't met any disgruntled Samsung users (but again, I haven't come across many.)

I've always wondered what is the advantage of a 17" screen as the main point of a laptop is portability and once you are into 17" territory it's probably better to get a desktop for home use and a smaller laptop for use "on the road"

 

[Alan_T]

I got it as I wanted the bigger screen, but don't want a computer/desk/chair around the house.

I don't like clutter, the laptop sits on my lap then slips under the couch nicely hidden away.

 

[boliston]

I got it as I wanted the bigger screen, but don't want a computer/desk/chair around the house.

I don't like clutter, the laptop sits on my lap then slips under the couch nicely hidden away.

Another option if you don't like clutter is an imac - my partner has the small 21.5" version and she has it on a small wooden table (it's the "middle" sized one from a nest of 3 - this is the one). This means she can easily use it whilst sat on a comfortable armchair with her feet up. When she is finished she puts it on another small table at the edge of the room as it's so compact and the only wire is the mains lead.

 

[arad85]

Another option if you don't like clutter is an imac

Not quite as clutter free as an under the sofa option tho...

Back to the original question: yes, that looks like a good swap. The processor appears to be ~50% quicker, so you get a free upgrade (assuming everything else is equal spec.)