help buying a laptop?

Question

i need help finding a good laptop that wont DIE on me, or cost an arm and a leg.
i'll be taking it to school so ill be using it for homework, internet, etc.
i know dell is very popular. but i dont know what im looking for?
lets not get too technical. i dont want a gamers pc or something for a wall streeter.
thanks so much.

Answer 1

I'll try not to be technical, but all the things I list are the things you'll find on a price tag at your local Best Buy.

14 inch screen

200-250 GB hard drive (trust me, it's very easy to fill a hard drive, especially if you like taking pictures and videos)

2-3 GB of RAM (any lower and the computer will run like a dead horse, any higher and you'll end up paying "an arm and a leg")

1.83 GHz processor or better (I prefer Intel over AMD, but AMD is cheaper...if you're on a tight budget...well...)

Integrated graphics - since you're not gaming, a dedicated graphics card is not needed

Windows Vista Home Premium (Ultimate is expensive, Home Basic is junk, Business is...for business)



If you want a Mac...try to get it used - new ones are quite expensive.



In my opinion, you should go bargain hunting for a Toshiba Satellite or HP Pavilion.



Careful with Dells - all my experiences with them have been bad. I have a 10-year-old IBM and it runs better than my 5-year-old Dell (not that I use either for anything practical).



Is it just me or did everybody here get at least one thumbs-down?

Answer 2

I like the dells too. They are attractive and powerful. Your question is very common. But first I'd like to ask is how badly do you need a laptop? Would a desktop be ok instead? Desktops are less prone to a whole host of problems that laptops are prone to. The parts are less expensive and you can get yourself an incredibly powerful desktop and huge monitor for less than $1000.



With that being said, any new mainstream laptop you purchase right now will do more than enough for the average user. Go to best buy or somewhere like that, find one you like, ask questions of the people on the floor and buy one there or online where you'll probably get a better deal. Make sure to check out to see if your school has an EPP or the equivalent (employee purchase program discount that also applies to schools/students) that will save you some money.



As far as reliability goes, you're going to get a different answer from every person you ask, here's why:



"As it turns out, they’re all about the same as far as reliability goes and so it doesn’t really matter which computer brand you buy because there will still be a 20-23 percent chance that you’ll have to send it in for repairs. What’s important then is how each of these companies handles repairs and which offers the best tech support."



Sad that 1/5 - 1/4 of laptops will break somehow someway. Make sure they have a good tech support program and don't hesitate too much on going after that extended warranty if you plan on keeping the laptop a long time.



Good luck, hope this helped

Answer 3

so first if u want a GOOD laptop, ur not going to get it cheap. u can get a laptop for about 400-500 dollars, but they are usually bottom of the barrel. dell has many laptops like that but if u want a good computer might i suggest an hp computer. mine costed about 700 dollars. they are really good and mine came with a mic and camera built in. and their tech service is top notch so if u dont know something about ur brand new computer u can just call them and they are really helpful. the only thing u should know is that hp computers usually come with windows vista. so u are going to have alot to learn if u buy an hp computer. but the tech service is good just call them and they will teach u how to use it.its not as bad as everyone says it is. vista runs smoothly on my hp computer. people hate on it because its new.

Answer 4

If you want to thank me for next few years , go for Dell XPS M1530. It has everything you might be looking for. This comes with the best after sales service, technical support. In case you have any issues or need help, no one can beat Dell support.



In short, its packed with performance, is trendy so you will love carrying it around.

The best you can get.



http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1530?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs



I have it and simply love it. If you need a laptop in a some lower price range , inspiron is a good choice too, but take a look at studio laptops also.

Answer 5

My model of choice is a HP dv5z. I've recommended them quite a few times and several friends own them- all saying that its a great machine. I run a dv6700z. These can be had for sub-$800, and if you're really looking to not break the bank, the Acer Extensa 5620 is a great machine for the price.

Answer 6

None of those answers are correct. You want a macbook or macbook pro. First of all Apple has a deal where for students like yourself if you get a mac they will give you an ipod touch. Second the macs have plenty of storage and are actually really easy to use. I had used windwos forever and thought the switch to mac would be hard but it turned out it was really easy. Go with the white 2.4ghz white or black macbook, the 2.1 probably wont be the greatest.



http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook





I'm not an expert but that's my answer,



Yak