I am planning on buying a Laptop for the first time for home use. I have been looking specifically at the following: http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/au/e... and: http://www.isd.toshiba.com.au/71/li... one person told me that Toshiba laptops are the best because that's all they do. Does anyone agree or disagree? I must have a 17 inch screen, and I want this to last me a few years, so I want pretty near the top of the range. Please comment on the all differences between the two above, such as different processor, different screen resolution, etc. I do want 1Gb of Ram, I believe the above Toshiba has only 512, But still compare. Thanks.

Your toshiba link:Session Completed. Consider the below item for any portable computer. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...

I love the way everyone seems to assume that we are all in the US of A & all have access to NewEgg (incidentally, if you buy a decent laptop, as you propose to, you won't need a cooler). Toshiba do make other things as well - TVs for example, but there is not much to compare between them & HP (which is the same company as Compaq these days). You're really better off looking at the spec. & deals on individual laptops & they will differ from country to country (I'm in the UK & I'm guess you're in Oz?). As far as memory is concerned, adding it is easy on a laptop & prices are fairly low at the moment so you should be able to get a deal on that when you buy. "I know that I'm mad, I've always been mad"

The Pavilion you pointed to has 2 512mb ram modules - it probably has 2 ram slots. That is more than enough ram for most people, Kingston says even power uses don't need more than that, but if you add more to the max of 2gb? you would have to remove both of the existing modules, and they would be sitting around, useless, unless you knew someone you could sell them to. Sometimes you can find a model with one 1gb (1024mb) module, or you can optionally swap out the two modules for the one before you buy it, for a bit more money. That laptop display having two backlights is a plus. Backlights are actually flourescent lamps (CCFL's), and they can and do burn out eventually. You would still have a display, but not perfect one, and be able to see your screen if one burned out. That laptop is expensive enough that the video probably has lots of higher than 60Hz vertical refresh rates available. Higher vertical refresh rates will make recent games and video and DVD playback look much smoother, especially on an LCD screen. Of the ones I looked at, cheaper laptops often have video that can only do 60Hz, with the exception of Acer models with SiS video. You don't often see the vertical refresh rates listed in the specs for the laptop - I found that out by going to where a model I was interested was on display and working, and looking at Display properties - Settings - Advanced - Adapter. Most laptop screens these days have a smoother surface that is easier to clean than the older standard matte surface. On some brand name web sites you can have a laptop custom built to have whatever you want in it, of available options - e.g. the US HP Parts Store on the HP site. The disadvantage is you have to wait a bit until it is ready to be shipped to you. Toshiba used to have a reputation for building laptops that would survive more abuse or accidental damage, but I don't think they have any exclusive claim to that now. Panasonic makes models advertised as being tougher these days, but most laptops seem to be built better these days and will take more abuse than older models. If it is important to you for the laptop to be able to run on the battery only for more than 4 hours or so, some laptops can accept higher capacity batteries, but they usually come with a standard capacity one. Or you could get any laptop, most of which come with main batteries that last about 4 hours, and add a USB connected external battery pack, but that's more to carry around. In research I did recently, I know some HP models (Pavilion's specifically) and some Compaq models will accept higher capacity batteries. Of the Toshiba's and other makes I looked at in the lower price range (around $1000), none of them had that ability. HP web site listings aren't good about listing the main battery capacity, but when you look up the same model on the web, some vendors list that. You can look up the HP or Compaq model you were considering buying to see if it has higher capacity batteries available using the HP parts surfer, and if they are available for that model, you can look up the HP price and availability in your area. You can also see the optional parts available. E.g. Go here http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/sp... If that doesn't work directly, go here and select Aus as the country: http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/sp... You will end up in the same place if you search by product. Notebook PC's HP Pavilion Notebook PC's HP Pavilion dv8000 series HP Pavilion dv8300 series I was wondering what the main battery capacity is. In this case, your exact model is new enough that it not listed, but models in the same series use the same main battery and/or optional main battery, and many of the same parts. dv8310CA lists a 4.4Ahr main battery, no optional battery. That's a typical capacity, and will last about 4 hours before it needs to be recharged. If you can't get the higher capacity batteries from the Aus HP Parts store, you can often get them from the USA HP parts store or other HP sites, but the shipping will be more of course. Or alternately there are places you can but them or clones of them online, once you know the HP or Cpmpaq part number to search with. e.g. part numbers 367456-001, or 405389-001, or EJ092AA are used in many Compaq Notebook models. part number PB995A is used in some HP Pavilion models. e.g. Pavilion dv5100 series. If you search the HP Parts surfer with the battery part number, it lists all the laptop models it is used in, more or less. these are some that can use 12 cell high capacity batteries: HP Pavilion zv5xxx HP Pavilion zv6xxx HP Pavilion zd8xxx Compaq Presario x6xxx Compaq Presario r3xxx Compaq Presario r4xxx HP Pavilion ZD7000 series

If you want the option of models with an AMD mboard and cpu, some name brands don't offer them. Toshiba doesn't. Dell didn't, but I have heard strong rumors they were planning to add some - I don't know if they are available yet. You usually get more bang for the same bucks when you get AMD.

If you can afford to customize an XPS from Dell, add it to your shortlist.

"I love the way everyone seems to assume that we are all in the US of A & all have access to NewEgg (incidentally, if you buy a decent laptop, as you propose to, you won't need a cooler)." I'll use my crystal ball from now on. Sorry,I offended you johnr. Robert