[karajorma]

I'm currently in the market for a sub-$450 dollar notebook. Cheaper than that would be better of course. I need something small I can take with me when I travel so that I won't be completely incommunicado when I travel in the future. Performance doesn't need to be that high but I do need something I can compile code on. If it can run FRED (even slowly) that's a big plus as it means I can code on the go for FS2_Open.

Beyond that as long as I can use it to surf the web, check emails and maybe watch movies when I'm sick of coding I'll be happy with it.

Problem is that I never bother keeping up to date with hardware as it's simply too much effort for knowledge I only use every 2-3 years. So if anyone has any good recommendations, I'm listening.

I'll be buying it here in China so no need for recommendations of where to get it.

[Nuke]

avoid asus. my 2 year old asus laptop decided to stop working out of the blue. one day it worked fine and the next it was dead. hell i didnt even move it. all this a mere month and a half after the warranty ran out.

[Snail]

all this a mere month and a half after the warranty ran out.

Why do things like to do that?

[Nuke]

all this a mere month and a half after the warranty ran out.

Why do things like to do that?

theres no profit in designing computers that last. they figure you will buy a new one every 2 years anyway, so they dont care about longevity beyond the warranty. ive had so many asus products die on me its ridiculous. its sad too because the laptop is in pristine physical condition. it just one day said nope, no workie for you. it wouldn't surprise me if there was a doomsday timer in the bios to self destruct the machine after the warranty ran out.

[Grizzly]

My asus has survived for three years, with several falls and accidents, including an event where the teacher, who was vigeriously explaining why our work ethic was horrible, knocked it straight off my table (by accident) slinging it three tables further.

It's still in optimal condition.

[Nuke]

sometimes you just get lucky. my 5th gen ipod is still running good. ipods arent exactly known for being immortal either, but mine seems to be. but it seems that every asus product i have ever bought has met an untimely death. my laptop had never been dropped to the best of my knowledge. and after two broke mobos and a wifi card that doesnt want to work anymore.  it would be kinda stupid to rate every product a company makes by one failed product, but four?!? everyone makes asus out to be totally awesome, but ive come to realize its the same mediocre crap you could get from other manufacturers for a hell of a lot less. and its not like i abuse my hardware, i got 10 year old machines that still run like new.

[Kolgena]

Are you thinking laptop or netbook?

[karajorma]

Netbook. I want to travel with this thing. It's not for desktop replacement in any way. Playing games on it would be a bonus though. As would being able to run FS2_open (even if at 10 fps with no media VPs)

[iamzack]

I'm currently in the market for a sub-$450 dollar notebook. Cheaper than that would be better of course. I need something small I can take with me when I travel so that I won't be completely incommunicado when I travel in the future. Performance doesn't need to be that high but I do need something I can compile code on. If it can run FRED (even slowly) that's a big plus as it means I can code on the go for FS2_Open.

Beyond that as long as I can use it to surf the web, check emails and maybe watch movies when I'm sick of coding I'll be happy with it.

Problem is that I never bother keeping up to date with hardware as it's simply too much effort for knowledge I only use every 2-3 years. So if anyone has any good recommendations, I'm listening.

me too, since my acer aspire one just died for no apparent reason

[Hades]

Isn't that one the one you washed with a sink?

[iamzack]

no, that one lasted a whole two years before the power supply bits gave out, even after being washed and having the screen smashed.

the acer was well taken care of and then after about a year, it just died a lot

[Admiral LSD]

If it's a netbook you're after then I still recommend the HP Mini 510x family. The Mini 5102 offered build quality that was better than a lot of full-size notebooks, an 11.6" 1366x768 LED backlit screen, a six cell battery, a 7200rpm HDD and an almost full size keyboard for the same price as other vendors were offering 10" 1024x600, 4 cell and 5400rpm machines. It's replacement, the 5103, is starting at the bottom and working it's way up again, but if you see one with the 1366 screen and 6 cell battery for around your budget, grab it.

The other machine I'd keep a look out for - and brace yourself, because I almost never recommend either of these separately these days so to recommend them both at the same time is surely a sign of the apocalypse - is the ThinkPad X120e with the AMD E350 processor. The E350 Zacate APU is supposed to compete in the $400-500 full size segment, but doesn't quite make it. It does, however, perform amazingly against Atom in the sub-$400 netbook market.

[Kosh]

I'm currently in the market for a sub-$450 dollar notebook. Cheaper than that would be better of course. I need something small I can take with me when I travel so that I won't be completely incommunicado when I travel in the future. Performance doesn't need to be that high but I do need something I can compile code on. If it can run FRED (even slowly) that's a big plus as it means I can code on the go for FS2_Open.

Beyond that as long as I can use it to surf the web, check emails and maybe watch movies when I'm sick of coding I'll be happy with it.

Problem is that I never bother keeping up to date with hardware as it's simply too much effort for knowledge I only use every 2-3 years. So if anyone has any good recommendations, I'm listening.

I'll be buying it here in China so no need for recommendations of where to get it.

Hasee makes pretty cheap stuff. A little quirky at times, but a years after buying mine is still running.

[Grizzly]

It's a bit weird reading these stories, because Netbooks were originally designed to be reliable as hell, with SSD's and all (mine still has one).
I d still say to go for Asus, but Samsung is getting suprisingly good reviews in my area.

[karajorma]

Anything cheaper worth getting?

[Mikes]

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m11x/pd?refid=alienware-m11x

:prepares to get crucified for several reasons:

But hey... it s 11" and plays recent games! /ducks

[Topgun]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220857

I might get this one here.

[IceFire]

Although I've only had it for about 8 months I have a Asus laptop that is fantastic. A UL30Jc. Not what you're looking for but it's been a really good laptop for me. Asus apparently has a good reliability rating statistically... not to say that you won't have ones that die. That happens with everyone.

I'm not up on Netbooks but I'd have a look for ones with a real video capability so that you can run FRED well, watch HD video, etc. Many of the new netbooks have this capability.