FB: Liberty League

[The Truth 00]

JU - if you want instant results, Truth says go with the green bottle of goldbond. he used that in his playing days. it gives a goooooood tingle.

also, truth wants to know who the girl in the pics for knightstalker is?  OH MY GOD!

[icgrad87]

RedTackle,

Since you are an IT guru, please help a father in need. My 11 year old son wants a laptop as his 3 siblings take over the other 2 computers in the house. Without spending an arm and a leg; any ideas for an inexpensive laptop that will play various computer games but doesn't come with all the bells and whistles? Your help is much appreciated.

RT has a few questions to help frame this exercise:

3) does it have to be a laptop? If it's just for your son to game and provide some computing relief in a crowded house, you may want to consider a desktop for these reasons: they're much cheaper (relative to equivalent options), and more modular, meaning, you can buy a box w/ the high end processor then base components you need then basically buy the upgraded components yourself and slap them in later if the base parts aren't performing enough. Hard to do in a laptop..simple on a pc.

Grad would have to agree...especially how quickly things change..the pc is defintely the better/easier route to upgrade..only thing you can really upgrade on the laptop is going to be the memory and you might as well get as much as you can now cause when they start playing games you don't want it to lag..

['gro]

Oh dear Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit...



...if loving you is wrong, I don't wanna be right!!

[Senor RedTackle]

..only thing you can really upgrade on the laptop is going to be the memory and you might as well get as much as you can now cause when they start playing games you don't want it to lag..

...and this, my friends, will make the laptop a not-so-cheap option. Laptops, in general, are not great gaming devices because all the componentry you need for real gaming make laptops just too expensive. Plus, to make it enjoyable, you'd have to attach an exteral monitor and keyboard. Laptop monitors and keyboards suck for any real gaming

['gro]

does the kid really need to play games on the PC? that's going to drive up the costs (like RT said for graphics and RAM and ish). If the youngin already has a PS2 or xbox i'd tell him tough titties. If the computer is needed for school, then go for the el cheapo model, he'll get at least 4 years out of it.

[Dr. xGSC]

RT has a few questions to help frame this exercise:

1) how much is "an arm and  leg"? Don't be misled by these $400-500 laptop "deals". At that price, you're not getting a laptop that has any real functionality beyond getting online from a portable platform. Wouldn't be a good gaming device and would be a brick of a machine
2) is the primary function gaming? If so, the items you can't skimp on are graphichs cards, memory, and processor. The top sound cards are nice but they are an easy trade off...the base sound cards should be fine for an 11 year old but with the demands of today's games plus what's coming down the pike, you need the other stuff to be robust.
3) does it have to be a laptop? If it's just for your son to game and provide some computing relief in a crowded house, you may want to consider a desktop for these reasons: they're much cheaper (relative to equivalent options), and more modular, meaning, you can buy a box w/ the high end processor then base components you need then basically buy the upgraded components yourself and slap them in later if the base parts aren't performing enough. Hard to do in a laptop..simple on a pc.
[/quote]

He wants the flexibility of having his own computer (read -> does not want to share!). A PC would be much easier and less expensive, but since he wants it for Christmas, we are trying to make it happen. Just hard to justify $500+ for a laptop. We use Comcast for Internet service. Do laptops have wireless router capability for internet use?

Appreciate the help and +k for your reply.

[Dr. xGSC]

does the kid really need to play games on the PC? that's going to drive up the costs (like RT said for graphics and RAM and ish). If the youngin already has a PS2 or xbox i'd tell him tough titties. If the computer is needed for school, then go for the el cheapo model, he'll get at least 4 years out of it.

We have XBox, PS2 and just bought XBox 360 for my 15 year old. PS3, no way at 6 Ben Franklin's. It was much easier when the youngin's were young and much cheaper as well, but for those that have teenagers and almost teenagers, well, nothing comes cheap. Games, Gadgets, Clothes, Sports Equipment........

Appreciate everyone's imput, so we'll see what the Doc can find as a result. Happy Holidays to the LLPP.

['gro]

you have come to the right room for this conversation Dr.

1. the cheapest laptops cost only slightly more than the cheapest PC (at places like bestbuy). Most kids are probably going to want a laptop for the portability. IMO, even the cheapo laptops are going to satisfy internet, MS office (school work), and music/photos... what else is a computer for?

2. Just about every laptop these days is wireless. You'd have to by a wireless router for your comcast cable modem ($60-$80)  and you'd be all set.

[Senor RedTackle]

He wants the flexibility of having his own computer (read -> does not want to share!). A PC would be much easier and less expensive, but since he wants it for Christmas, we are trying to make it happen. Just hard to justify $500+ for a laptop. We use Comcast for Internet service. Do laptops have wireless router capability for internet use?

Appreciate the help and +k for your reply.

Let RT be blunt with you.....you are looking at closer to $1000 for a decent laptop that can do what you ask for and last you a few years. You'll want the extended warranty option of any manufacturer...laptops are more fragile and odds are, you're going to need a service call in year 2 or 3 and those aren't cheap. Plus, since it's for a kid, if he dropps it or spills Yoohoo on it, you're SOL if you don't have a maintenance plan. They're not cheap either but cheaper than replacing the laptop.

Any laptop that someone offers at $500 is a dog....it's like throwing money away. It'll be obsolete in a year, maybe less, at the rate of technology refreshes. Plus, it won't have the setup you need for gaming or extended warranty.

Yes...most 'good' laptops have wireless (b and g) cards built in nowadays but el cheapo laptop probably won't but you can add a wireless card easily in the slot.

Again, RT suggests you go to best buy and get your hands on the different PC's and go that route. Or call up Dell and go that direction. RT is an IBM guy and will tell you flat out that Dell or HP are the way to go for a home PC in terms of support and bundling they do to give a good deal. If you're adamant on a laptop and are willing to spend $1000-1300, send RT an email and he'll work with you...

[boobyhasgameyo]

What's up LL guys? Just checking in because I honestly miss the humor...




Big Gulps eh?

Well see ya later....

[Senor RedTackle]

We have XBox, PS2 and just bought XBox 360 for my 15 year old. PS3, no way at 6 Ben Franklin's.

Did RT hear the Doctor correctly? You have basically every consol? Holy crap. RT was lucky he got an Atari back in the day. If RT had gone to Mama and Popa RT and asked for a Coleco when he had the Atari, they would've just stared at him like RT was speaking Greek (after hitting him upside the head).

Perhaps this could be the right time for Dr. to make a statement and reclaim the edge and ask the kid to make a sacrifice and only do with 3 consols??

['gro]

maybe it's the ammaretto flavored coffee creamer talking here, but gro has had no problems with the cheapo PC, sans it's recent death after 4 years. Never had a cheapo laptop though.

Where's Frank Rossi with the technological breakdown?? He's already covered TV's (that one blew my mind). Gro was in the market for a new LCD TV until his computer died yesterday...


Re: Consoles
Gro and fam had the atari... but then mom and pop put the foot down and denied the nintendo for years, had to go across the street to play duck hunt!! They eventually gave in on the NES.

[Dr. xGSC]

Keep in mind that this is for the youngest in the family, who has 2 older brothers and an older sister. Through the years he has had many hand-me-downs given to him and I think he wants something of his own. He is a smart kid, great student, great athlete and is well-behaved. Plus he knows how to pull at his Mom's heartstrings, who is happy to spend Doc's money like it grows on the trees in the backyard. Thanks for the suggestions, and if we go the route of $1k, I'll send an email to you for assistance.

[superman57]

I have 4 consoles NES, sega genasis, N64 and I finally got a ps2 a couple years ago

[Dr. xGSC]

Wife just called, she just bought the Nintendo Wii after waiting in line for 3 hours at Target. Unbelieveable! Time to cut the money tree down.