[KLUG Members] Laptop Purchase Opinions Please

[Mike Williams]

Peter Bart wrote:
> Hi Guys,
>         I think I've found the one I'm going to get but of course I have
> a few questions. The link is here
> <http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=348735#ts>.
> The Toshiba P200/205 series appears to have the fingerprint reader
> across the board, is this true? It has a Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 w/128MB
> onboard memory, this is better than an ATI card? I remember a discusion
> unrelated a while back where the merits of Nvidia vs ATI was discussed.
> That series of laptops also appears to have bluetooth across the board
> as well, as close as I can tell anyway.
> The next closest one is here
> <http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetupdate.to?seg=&poid=387322&cartAction=Add&coid=-33575&selcmpcodpipcrt=&qtycrt=0&lincrt=0&hasXSells=true&parentPage=cdet&selxslpoidtab1pip=&selxslpoidtab2pip=&fromTab=tabcfg&COMP_CPU=CPU-0216&COMP_Operating+System=OS-0078&COMP_Office+Software=APP-0025&COMP_Memory=MEM-0066&COMP_LCD=LCD-0059&COMP_Graphics+Controller=GFX-0043&COMP_HDD=HDD-0037&COMP_2nd+HDD=HDD2-0004&COMP_Optical+Media=SBAY-0027&COMP_Mini-PCI%2FWiFi=COM1-0026&COMP_Bluetooth=COM2-0013&COMP_Speaker=SPKR-0004&COMP_Battery=BAT-0001>.
> But that one has smaller HD, less memory, plain video card(could be good
> except I'm trying to get as much video memory as possible for gaming).
>         I have looked at specs and searched until my head is spinning. I
> think the first one has bluetooth even though it's not listed but has
> the bluetooth stack software included so then is the one of the software
> utilities listed toshiba speak for fingerprint reader???
> 	This is going to be an xmas present and is going to be used primarily
> for email, surfing, and some games as a home computer. Specifically SIMS
> which I hope to install on XP using VMWare. The host os will be either
> opensuse or Ubuntu. Anyone have any comments before I blow a wad? Yes, I
> know that is a really big box for what it will be used for. Primarily
> I'm after the large display, somewhat portable (the current box hasn't
> left the property but she doesn't want a desktop), ability to play her
> favorite SIMS games, and be able to hand this down in years to come. 
>
> Best Regards,
>   
Gaming in vmware is going to be tricky at best.  The virtual video
adapter that vmware creates for the guest operating system is pretty
basic.  It won't support the advanced functions that a lot of games
assume are present.  I don't know about the SIMS, but for more than
basic gaming you really need to dual-boot.  Cedega (commercial WINE)
makes a valiant effort at running Windows games in Linux, but it's a lot
more trouble and generally lower performance than playing them in Windows.

I don't know where they are now, but ATI's Linux drivers used to be
pretty bad.  Nvidia drivers are almost as good on Linux as they are on
Windows, so I would go with an nvidia chip over an ATI.  I don't know
much about the Intel graphics chips except that they're not very high
performance.

Try to get details on how many memory DIMMs are being used to give you
your total memory.  About a year ago, I got my wife a laptop and wrongly
assumed that 1 Gig of memory meant a single 1 Gig stick.  It was 2 512
Meg sticks, so after an upgrade it has 1.5 Gig rather than 2, and I have
a spare 512 Meg stick that isn't being used.