I need to buy a new laptop and I need your opinions on this

[Tek_Freek]

Tell us the brand model number and we can look it up for you. Installing RAM upgrades, even in a laptop isn't that difficult...

Both our laptops are HP. Mine is 4 years old and runs great. I just upgraded the RAM.

My wife's was bought last December and is the most powerful computer in the house. We now play our games on it connected to our 46" LCD TV. It handles the latest Tomb Raider without a hitch.

We have 4 desktops as well. We used to use hers for games (mine are for my PC consulting business), but the lappy is better.

[f_m]

Get Vista Home Premium or higher, otherwise you lose multimedia functions. On that kind of machine, 17", you probably want to try some of those features.

You will want 2gig ram minimum, many are shipping 3 or 4 for a mid/upper end machine.

[Naptowner]

You want minimum 2 gigs to run Vista and more if you can get it. Depending on the model, you probably just have to unscrew an access plate on the bottom to install the new ram. Unfortunately, many laptops only have two slots for ram, both of which are probably filled with 512 megs apiece. You pop those out and pop in two 1 gig or 2 gig ram cards to take their place. The store you're buying it from might cut you a deal on an upgrade, but usually they charge out the wazoo for any extra services like that because their profit margin on the moderately priced laptops isn't all that high to begin with.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Tell us the brand model number and we can look it up for you. Installing RAM upgrades, even in a laptop isn't that difficult...

Even easier than desktops in my experience. Unscrew one tiny screw and pop the SODIMMs in vs. pulling the dusty computer out from its cubby hole, get enough slack on the cables to lay it over, get the side panel off, curse the OEM for buying the memory under an unmovable drive cage, etc.

I always get laptop memory at Crucial.com. Enter the make and model and they'll sell you the exact right memory.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Even easier than desktops in my experience. Unscrew one tiny screw and pop the SODIMMs in vs. pulling the dusty computer out from its cubby hole, get enough slack on the cables to lay it over, get the side panel off, curse the OEM for buying the memory under an unmovable drive cage, etc.

I always get laptop memory at Crucial.com. Enter the make and model and they'll sell you the exact right memory.

Good RAM. I like Corsair, too. Look at this!

Amazon.com: Corsair XMS2 4 GB (2 X 2 GB) PC2-6400 800 MHz 240-PIN DDR2 Dual-Channel Memory Kit - TWIN2X4096-6400C5: Electronics