Wanting to Purchase a laptop

[evergreen100]

I am saving to buy a laptop for scrapbooking when I am away from home. Please give me some idea of what the minimum requirements might be regarding memory, speed and anything else pertinent. Maybe some brand names? I could then go to the shops armed with a bit of knowledge to start with. thanks.

[LindaBelle]

I sure hope you get lots of replies and advice here, because this is on my wish list too.....right after PSCS2.

My main question is what's important to consider when buying a laptop for scrapping vs buying one for regular use.

( Mine would be almost entirely for scrapping and internet use related to scrapping.)

[evergreen100]

That would be my main use too Linda. I can spend time away from home and not worry about other stuff on the computer but I would love to have access to this site and also have a graphics programme installed for when I go away ( or when I want to curl up by the heater in the winter) Last year, I had to miss the third round of NKOTB because we were called away to help out family at that time. I sure hope we get lots of replies too :)

[Kristen]

Here are some thoughts to get started. I don't have specifics (amount of ram, etc) because the laptops I've used in the last couple of years aren't mine and aren't here right now to check.

You want a decent-sized hard drive and LOTS of ram. You want a screen that's easy to look at and feels big enough. You want to remember to pick up an extra USB mouse because you do *not* want to be using the trackpad for scrapping!

If you're using this along with a desktop, consider how you'll get your layouts/kits etc moved back and forth. A wireless network is great if you can get it to work (I couldn't) or a wired network or a keychain drive. You don't want to have to burn a CD for every little thing you want to move.

[Easily confused]

Oooooooooh I have a laptop and I absolutely love it. While my hubby watches TV late into the night I can sit next to him and do my scrapping thing on the computer. It is great. I drag the thing everywhere. Make sure you get enough RAM. My computer is only a year old and I just discovered that I don't have enough memory to run my new PSE4 program. If I recall correctly you need 512 mg RAM for it to be really happy to run. You can get away with 256 Mg but why skimp right from the get-go. So check the program requirements that you are going to be using and get that baby coming. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed. One drawback though... Since you can take it everywhere, you will have a hard time getting away from it. If you thought you were addicted to scrapping on a PC....well imagine being able to take it from room to room and also when you travel. Its a whole new ballgame!! Penny

[ScrapMel]

I just purchased a new laptop - Dell Inspiron 6000 for my digital scrapping ( so I can do it at work...shhhh, don't tell anyone!) If you have a Sam's Club membership, it is cheaper than going through Dell (believe it or not!). Also, don't mess with anything less than 1 GB of RAM - I wish I had upgraded to 2 already! Invest in an external harddrive - 250 GB through Sam's again - $100. Well worth the money, believe me! Then you are set. Well, unless you go for PS C2 - who wouldn't want THAT????? I drool thinking about it....

[Jo Dee]

I got my new Dell Inspiron 6000 for Christmas. I did order from Dell because I wanted to upgrade the hard drive, screen, the processor, extra USB ports, and get the 2 gig ram, ordered a wireless mouse and keyboard at the same time. Yes, I did have to pay for all my extra wishes, but I haven’t been a bit sorry.

Now my wish list is down to a Wacom tablet and PS CS2.
Dee

[kapua75]

I am saving to buy a laptop for scrapbooking when I am away from home. Please give me some idea of what the minimum requirements might be regarding memory, speed and anything else pertinent. Maybe some brand names? I could then go to the shops armed with a bit of knowledge to start with. thanks.

I've been procrastinating for a long time and feel the same as you do. To be armed with the right specs suitable to handle digiscrapping on a laptop.

:D I look foward to hearing from everyone too.

Jos <><<

[Sandersmr]

I have an older Toshiba laptop with a 17" screen. I love the screen size but it is heavy to lug through airports. I use my touchpad for everything, but I could see where a mouse might be easier - I'm just used to the touchpad. And I upgraded the RAM recently to 512 MB which is the max my motherboard will support. And I only have a 30 GB hard drive (that seemed huge when I bought the laptop 3-4 years ago). So now I have a 120 GB external drive that is truly portable - about the size of 2 decks of cards side by side.

Dells are great laptops. My BIL uses them exclusively in his software business along with the desktops - I have a Dell desktop that I never use because I'm always on the laptop. DBF thinks it's his now.

[mommysmemories]

I use one I have "borrowed" from school - no one else is computer literate enough to know any better!

Anyway, it is a Dell Latitude, running Windows 2000 (so slightly older), with 256 M RAM. It does fine, but would be nice to have 512 M and be a little faster. We have a wireless network at home, so I can sit anywhere I want and check DSP. I agree with Easily Confused in that I take it everywhere! Last week, I went with my church group to the Women of Faith Conference. Well, the ladies like to go early and shop at a local mall. I'm not much of a shopper, so I took my laptop and sat and scrapped in the food court!

Oh, and Kristen's right, I hate the track pad mouse! DH got my a Wacom for Christmas, and the two are a perfect match! A mini-mouse would work, too.

I have a 27 G hard drive, which is fine for my purposes. But then, every few layouts I transfer via wireless network to my desktop and burn to CD (because desktop has XP, with cd-burning built-in). An external hard-drive would be great, but is not on my priority list right now, since my way works for me!

Good luck, and let us know what you get!

[anita.kennedy]

I have two laptops and a desktop and I have to say that my dell latitude D610 is a lot faster than all of the others so its hard to get on as my son is always pinching it to play games on they all have a good memory on them and I have also got a 200GB hard drive. But speed seems to be more important when opening different folders to find elements in scrapbooking.
I would definetley look into dell laptops.

[jtaubman]

Just bought an Acer with a Amd64 chip, plus 1Gb Ram and 100Gb of disk and a 17" wide screen. Cost £600 inc delivery here in the UK. Build quality is good and the trackpad works well. I do have a mini mouse and a Port lapdesk as I tend to use it on my lap in the lounge while watching TV.

Seems to run very well and works fine with PSE3. I don't use it much for pse work though as I have a 2Gb twin screen desktop which I use for that as it has a graphic tablet, but I should be able to plug that into the laptop, but I would need two laps ( :) )

[Lauren]

I also just got a Dell Inspiron 6400 - it came with 1 gig of ram and an 80 gig hd and dual core processors - it was much better value than i could get from a store here in New Zealand - I can run photoshop on it but it is a tad on the slow side to render graphics - opening programmes is super fast though- I dont use it for designing as Im not super fussed with the monitor in that it has fewer colour controls than i am used to - but for putting layouts together and for all the other work its wonderful - I can sit on the couch and do all my gallery comments with the family around instead of upstairs on my desktop

[evergreen100]

That is exactly the main reason for my desire to have a laptop Lauren, to be able to sit with my husband while he watches TV and I do my scrapbooking. he will be citing the computer as a co-respondent in a divorce suit soon :D Just kidding, he is very supportive. thanks to everyone for their opinions. I will copy out this information and take it with me when I go searching.

[jenaRN]

Add me to the list of Dell Inspiron 6000 owners! DH got it for me last August and I LOVE it! He set me up a hub in my office so I can plug in and use it there but I mostly use it while sitting on the couch in the living room so I can spend time with my family but even more I use it late at night propped up in bed-that way I can scrap, watch tv AND chat in the chat room! I've even taken it to some of Amanda's laptop crops-I can't imagine scrappin' without it! I do also have a Wacom tablet-but only use it when I'm in my office-I've actually gotten very used to my track pad and can scrap just fine with it!
Good luck finding the laptop you want!

[maddis]

Oooooooooh I have a laptop and I absolutely love it. While my hubby watches TV late into the night I can sit next to him and do my scrapping thing on the computer. It is great. I drag the thing everywhere. Make sure you get enough RAM. My computer is only a year old and I just discovered that I don't have enough memory to run my new PSE4 program. If I recall correctly you need 512 mg RAM for it to be really happy to run. You can get away with 256 Mg but why skimp right from the get-go. So check the program requirements that you are going to be using and get that baby coming. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed. One drawback though... Since you can take it everywhere, you will have a hard time getting away from it. If you thought you were addicted to scrapping on a PC....well imagine being able to take it from room to room and also when you travel. Its a whole new ballgame!! Penny

hi I would love to know what size you are having on your computer
is it 17 or 15.4
I am deciding between these 2
hugs maddie

[Leslie]

Hi Maddie and welcome to DSP. :)

15.4 is the minimum you will want to do digital scrapbooking on a laptop. That's what I have. When I upgrade I will go up to a 17" one though. If you have the option, you might like to think about the extra 2 inches - I know it adds significantly to the cost but my word - imagine not having to zoom in constantly to check all the edges of your work. :)

[maddis]

Hi Maddie and welcome to DSP. :)

15.4 is the minimum you will want to do digital scrapbooking on a laptop. That's what I have. When I upgrade I will go up to a 17" one though. If you have the option, you might like to think about the extra 2 inches - I know it adds significantly to the cost but my word - imagine not having to zoom in constantly to check all the edges of your work. :)

hi and thankyou for the quick respond. I have been thinking the whole morningn here in sweden there I live, my concern is this also when you think of having the 17"
do you think you will be able to move it around like the 15.4 like going out for coffeshops in front of the tv or in bed or do you get a bigger better screen but will not carry it around what you think its plus and minus
hugs maddie

[Leslie]

Hi Maddie - I am a teacher and take my 15.4 inch laptop to work every day - I went for that size 13 months ago - as it was a month before I started digital scrapbooking.

It has limitations - as I am constantly zooming in and out to see things on my screen.

I will get a 17 inch one next time, probably in a year.

I will make sure I get a good case, and they just get lighter and lighter in weight. My first 15.4" laptop, from 3 years ago was a lot heavier than my newer Sony Vaio.