Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 10:50:10 -0500 From: Martin Cracauer <cracauer@cons.org> To: Chris BeHanna <cbehanna@panasas.com> Cc: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Experiences with HP, Compaq? Message-ID: <20031224105010.A79893@cons.org> In-Reply-To: <200312231650.30382.cbehanna@panasas.com>; from cbehanna@panasas.com on Tue, Dec 23, 2003 at 04:50:30PM -0500 References: <87zndjidfr.fsf@lomond.aae.uiuc.edu> <200312231650.30382.cbehanna@panasas.com>
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Chris BeHanna wrote on Tue, Dec 23, 2003 at 04:50:30PM -0500: > On Tuesday 23 December 2003 13:42, D. Michael McFarland wrote: > > Hello All, > > > > Occasionally I drool over the laptops in places like Best Buy, > > thinking, "If I had just one more computer, I wouldn't have to wrestle > > VMware...," etc., etc. Lately, the prices and specs have improved to > > where I may finally be willing to put my money where my mouth is. It > > looks like about US$1150 (less rebates if I'm quick about it) would > > get me either a Compaq Presario 2195US or an HP ze4560us, so I'm here > > to ask if anyone can support my pipe dream by affirming FreeBSD runs > > reasonably well on either of these machines. I looked at some rebated HP/Compaq models at BestBuy yesterday. The cheap celeron models I was looking at had no firewire and only USB 1.1. You want to make sure those you are looking at have 2.0. > > The specs for the two notebooks are nearly identical: AMD Athlon XP-M > > 2500+, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HD, ATI Mobility graphics, USB, FireWire, > > CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. I don't expect the built-in wireless (11g) will > > ever work, but I'd like to know 100Base-T does. "16-bit Sound > > Blaster Pro-compatible audio" could be anything, I suppose. > > For about that same price, Best Buy has an eMachines laptop w/17" > widescreen (1280x768) LCD, the same Athlon-M, and the same ATI video > chip. I looked at that part yesterday. For $800 (if you manage to get the mail-in-rebates) you can get that thing with a Celeron 2.4 GHz and the Intel 852 GM graphics, or as you say a more expensive model with an Athlon and ATI graphics. I think I would have bought the Celeron version if they had it in-store which they didn't and I cannot mailorder it because it will not arrive in time to use the mail-in-rebate (one of the most awful aspects of current U.S. corporate practice from a German standpoint, BTW). Anyway, I had a closer look and the whole thing feels so flimsy and cheap mechanically-wise that I am pretty much put off it. I might have a second look these days but I really wouldn't like to buy a notebook with a keyboard that breaks. But hey, it's widescreen and a 2.4 GHz Celeron for $800. Mumble. > I have no idea if FreeBSD will run on it. Should be fine, at least on the Intel part, including graphics. I don't know what chipset the AMD version uses. Martin -- %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Martin Cracauer <cracauer@cons.org> http://www.cons.org/cracauer/ No warranty. This email is probably produced by one of my cats stepping on the keys. No, I don't have an infinite number of cats.
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