Low cost, powerful laptop...

[thelonegunmen]

Any suggestions? I plan on buy a new laptop and I' just wondering if there's anything decent I can get for $200 - $500. I plan on making this laptop my security penetration training laptop, I'm guessing a good processor, bluetooth and wifi capabilities should be my main priorities when looking for a laptop right? Any good ones ya'll suggest?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

I'm happy with my Dell Vostro V13. Is uses a SU7300 cpu, 2gb ram and has wireless B/G/N and bluetooth.

I got it on sale for $350. The linux models are the lowest spec, so I bought a windows model on special and installed Kubuntu. Everything works great (haven't tried the sd card reader yet).

13.3 inch screen, aluminum case, no cd/dvd (could be a downside, but there's always usb)

Dell has replaced this model with a new series called V130. They start at $400 but you might catch a sale.

[woodsmoke]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Sony Vaio if you don't want to get into it to replace hard drives, access is through the keybaord and you don't even want to do that.

Toshiba, access to everything is from the bottom.

I have both.

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Acer Aspire One AOD150
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AOD150-19...514399&sr=1-27

A 2GB RAM chip for it costs $21 (it's listed at the bottom of the page).
A USB CDROM/DVD R/W costs $40

I bought the AO521 as an XMAS present for my wife. It's been a wonderful netbook. IF you can find it then it is the one you want. The 225 model doesn't have an RAM access panel on the back. To change the RAM on it you have to pull the keyboard, remove seven screws, pull out the mobo, turn it over, remove 4 screws from the metal shield covering the RAM, .... THEN you can replace the 1GB RAM chip with the 2GB RAM chip.

IOW, the Acer One Aspire is a GREAT netbook IF you get one with a RAM panel accessable from the bottom which allows YOU to change the RAM yourself. The 225 model does not and, I suspect, on purpose by Acer..

[thelonegunmen]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Acer Aspire One AOD150
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AOD150-19...514399&sr=1-27

A 2GB RAM chip for it costs $21 (it's listed at the bottom of the page).
A USB CDROM/DVD R/W costs $40

I bought the AO521 as an XMAS present for my wife. It's been a wonderful netbook. IF you can find it then it is the one you want. The 225 model doesn't have an RAM access panel on the pack. To change the RAM on it you have to pull the keyboard, remove seven screws, pull out the mobo, turn it over, remove 4 screws from the metal shield covering the RAM, .... THEN you can replace the 1GB RAM chip with the 2GB RAM chip.

IOW, the Acer One Aspire is a GREAT netbook IF you get one with a RAM panel accessable from the bottom which allows YOU to change the RAM yourself. The 225 model does not and, I suspect, on purpose by Acer..

I have an Aspire One right now, it's one reason why I'm wanting to get a new laptop. I think my USB ports pooped out on me, I got it for around $200, I got it from Wal-Mart, which may be the reason why the USB ports are screwed up. I'm guessing it's the USB ports because I've been trying to make live USB's of different pen sec OS's and it keeps giving me these errors that sound like it can't read the USB, I've tried all three ports, none of them pick up for some reason, in the BIOS it says they're there and I'm able to select to boot from them, but Natty does'nt detect them when I plug a USB drive in and when I try to boot from USB I get errors, no matter what the OS is I'm trying to boot from a USB. The Only sec pen OS's I've tried booting on there are BackBox and BlackBuntu, I have'nt tried any of the BackTracks yet.

[thelonegunmen]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Do you think maybe since I got it from Wal-Mart it's a stripped down version and maybe for some reason that's what's wrong with the USB ports?

[woodsmoke]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

probably depends on the manufacturer. They used to do that kind of stuff with lappys, I got a "return" that had PCLOS on it! lol. the purchaser couldn't get it to install, it had a BLANK hard drive!

but as to lappys, no I think that a lappy is probably harder to 'fake" with some kind of off brand stuff.

woodsmoke

[ardvark71]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Hi...

Some additional choices are models from System 76 and ZaReason. These two vendors use Linux exclusively on their systems, although I'm sure there are other companies out there that do the same.

Regards...

[GreyGeek]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

Do you think maybe since I got it from Wal-Mart it's a stripped down version and maybe for some reason that's what's wrong with the USB ports?

You gave a price range that topped out at $500. The AOD521 is a $389 netbook which Amazon had on sale for $298, IIRC. My reviews on Amazon for the products is here.

It turned out that while my wife's 521 had a panel on the back allowing direct access to the RAM slots, the 255 did not. Also, the cheaper Aspire One's (walmart, etc...) do not have an HDMI port, some do not have a webcam, etc... My friend's 255 did NOT have a RAM port on the back. To upgrade her RAM would have required removing the keyboard (requires special tool), removing 7 screws holding mobo, remove 4 screws holding metal RF shield over RAM, replacing RAM, reversing steps. Obviously, Acer decided that they would convert an easy RAM upgrade capability into a billable event for the revenue stream of their service centers. The $90 the RAM upgrade would cost adds to the cost of the Acer One and gives pause for one to consider moving to a slightly higher end computer.

[sithlord48]

Re: Low cost, powerful laptop...

j/w does your aspire have the bluetooth button , i've been looking everwhere since i added the BT modlue to mine for this button. if yours has it can u maybe send me a picutre of the keyboard area (from above ) so i can see the button to varify its the one i need and also provide me w/ the full model (again if you have that button). this should make it way easier to find a button i can buy from acer (or from a junk machine)

and for the record i have the "junk" version its called the Emachine EM250 (its got a kav60 mobo same as teh aspire one aod255) mine came w/ no BT, win 7 starter. was cheeper (almost $50 cheeper) then the acer one and a larger 250GB hd (the acer equlivent comes w/ a 160GB drive). they all use the same motherboard. (KAV60). i have no reason to suspect the USB being any cheeper because of it being sold at walmart. since the cheeper verion (only sold at walmart) is the em250 more on the this here http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3109773.0