Laptop recommendation

Greets.  I haven't travelled stateside with a laptop since 1996, but I'll probably take one along next time I go. 

Recommendation?  It needs to recharge on both US and UK mains.

Greets.  I haven't travelled stateside with a laptop since 1996, but I'll probably take one along next time I go. 

Recommendation?  It needs to recharge on both US and UK mains.

Hi Garry
I bought a new widescreen Compaq Presario F700 at Best Buy or Circuit City and I LOVE it..I have my USA plug and also a adapter that I plug it into and plug it in the the UK mains.

It has lightscrib on it..for cd's and dvd's..

Thanks for this.

How do you be sure that it works for both UK and US mains?

Check the rating sticker on the power brick. It will say what input it will accept (100-250V AC or some such.)  American power is 120V.

TBH unless your lappy is ancient or really odd it should work, but it's always worht checking.

Good.  Good.  Now I've got a tip on how to check the label.  This is good.  120v or 250v.  I am not a techie, so these sorts of tips are exactly what's needed. 

And how best to know that there's a US mains for it if it doesn't say so on the box? 

I bought my laptop from Dell UK last summer and I have had no problems using it here in the states (and I have it on almost constantly) - the power adapter has a voltage range of 100-240v and frequency of 50-60Hz, so all I had to do once I got to the US was attach an adapter to it and plug it into the wall .

Almost all laptops are built for 110-250 or whatever.  The writing will be on the 'brick'--the black box on the power cord and I really don't think you'll have much of a problem with that.

The macbook air is pretty light--you can fit it in a manila envelope.  The only downside is no cd/dvd, so watching movies on the plane is a bit rough.  But the size is such that it really doesn't add much weight to your carry ons and you don't need a monsterous carrying case.

Hi Garry,

Pretty much all that's been said so far as regards to Power supplies is correct. Any new laptop on the market nowadays will have a power supply capable of between 110-250V so can be used in many different countries - after all, a laptop is portable! You'll just need plug adaptors to fit into the sockets of whichever countries you visit - look on ebay or places liek Dabs.com or Ebuyer where you can buy individual items or travel kits for not too much outlay.

As for which machine to go for, I know you have your own business, I'd suggest looking at a good business laptop. The MacBook air is a 'nice looking machine' but pretty inadequate as a serious machine (lack of an ethernet port, hello Apple this is the 21st century! single stingy USB port, enclosed battery and battery life isn't so good either)

Have a look through this group test. The Dell 630 winning machine is excellent, and you'd have change in your pocket compared to the MacBook air or Macbook pro if you went for one of those.

I can't find it right now online on that website, but this months magazine, they tested a Macbook air Vs a Lenovo ultraportable laptop - the Lenovo trounced it in all aspects.

Have a look at other review sites as well, it'll help you make a well informed choice. Of course, if you are an Apple fan, I'd say go for the MacBook Pro simply for it's better power under the hood.

Hope this helps
Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

This is really good.  I'm going to go and do it right now.

Mostly I'm worried about arriving stateside without the wobbly bits that can recharge the laptop battery from US mains.

I have a Fujitsu Siemens that I got with my employee discount before they took it away from (and companies wonder why employees don't have brand loyalty) us at PC World.  I'd just make sure if you're getting Windows Vista on your laptop that its at least Vista Home Premium.     Dell're pretty good and their keyboard layouts are more like a normal keyboard (with number pad to the right) instead of condensed on 17-19" and higher.  I think there was a laptop thread a few months back where you can go to certain sites to get discounts and that Dell used to build with XP, however I'm not too sure on that anymore.   

Hi Garry,

Forgetting to stick the link in isn't good of me !

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/163/business-laptops/products.html

Cheers,  DtM! West London & Slough UK!

As for the bits and bobs that make it plug in stateside... I wouldn't worry. Most areas have at least a couple Best Buys, Radio Shacks, or Circuit Citys. All you need to do is take the uk power cord to one of those stores and find the cord with the matching end bits to go into the block.