by sdmike1 on Jan-15-03 at 11:44
You can do a bang-up job with $3,000. Lots of questions there. I'd budget $1,000 for the computer, $1,200 for the lappy, and $800 for a 19" LCD monitor. Right now HP seems to have good deals on laptops with rebates bringing the price of good celeron-based systems with 256MB of RAM and CDRW/DVD drives under $1,000. They're also good performing notebooks. If I were buying a new one that's where I'd start. For LCD monitors try sticking with NEC, Samsung, SOny or Viewsonic. If you want spend twice that amount you can get one with a built-in TV tuner so it can serve as a stand-alone TV if you want. Personally I think a better investment is a $100 TV Tuner card. Then get yourself a wireless router (linksys, d-link, etc.) and a wireless network card for the laptop so you can cruise around with it. If the router sits by the desktop it can be wired, but you can also buy a wireless PCI card for it if you want. Hang on a bit and I'll give you some good product links.
A good place to look at pricing for the monitors (and other stuff) is www.pricewatch.com. However, I've had a lot of luck (pricing and service) with Newegg.com. If you go there and click on products and LCD monitors you can search for 19" and get a list of them. Prices start at $699 for a CTX. The Viewsonic is around $775. If you have the budget and want to get a KILLER monitor try the Samsung 240T. It'll run you upwards of $2,800.
Good sites to cruise are places like outpost.com, newegg.com, and pricewatch.com among others. Once you find a model you like do a google search of "model number $" and you'll find a bunch of on-line retailers selling the stuff. You can price and site compare.
tremix 12:52pm January 14, 02 If I were given that budget and those parameters, here's how I would do it:
* A laptop with at least a P4 running at 1.8Ghz or higher and:
- 512 MB DDR Ram
- ATI Mobility Radeon 9600
- 80G HD
- 24x (or better) CDRW/DVD combo drive
- Integrated wireless card
(All of the above can be obtained for less than $3,000 - including a wireless router to accompany the wireless card)
* Docking station (port replicator) with monitor stand and VGA out
* Haupage WinTV external USB TV tuner and video capture
* 17" LCD display (personally, I'd go for a CRT monitor because it'd be bit better for DVD/TV/Gaming, and is less expensive)
* External speakers
* Mouse and Keyboard
With this setup, I have a dekstop PC when the laptop is docked (powerful enough to compete with regular desktop PCs). Undock it, and I have all my files with me wherever I want. If the wireless router is connected to a cable or DSL modem, I even have Internet access wherever I take the latop (inside the residence). Watch TV with the accompanied USB TV Tuner, even when the laptop is undocked.
All this can be done within the budget specified if you shop/bid carefully enough.