I am going to buy a laptop....what should I get?

[Tchay]

First off, lets try to avoid any of the "mac vs pc" wars. I KNOW THEY ARE FUN but......I actually need some advice so lets just avoid that road.


Here's what I want:
- internet speed (I will be using it for school so this is a must)
- RAM
- durability (I would want it to last for at least 2 years)


That's it really. I don't need graphix stuff, movie stuff, or any entertainment junk. I just need a reliable laptop that I can have quick internet on and won't have to worry about.

Oh, and it needs to have pc capabilities on it. Since I want to major in computer science and engineering (subject to change), most of my work will be through Windows. So, I am cool with Macs, but I would have to boot the PC on it....so I am kinda thinking I should just go with a PC. Plus they are cheaper.

Another thing, should I get one of those REALLLY small PC laptops? The ones you see at Bestbuy that are freakin tiny and not very wide? Or should I go with a more standard size? Tell me what you think! Thanks guys!

 

[XCVG]

Netbooks aren't very powerful and kinda awkward, but very portable. Thinbooks, or slimbooks, or whatever you are supposed to call the 12" kind, are not so gutless, but lack optical drives. The tradeoff is functionality vs. portability. Which is more important to you? Also, make sure it has decent graphics. I know you say it's not important, but it's better to spend the same amount or maybe $50 more and have it and not use it than not have it and later want it.

 

[βeta]

Get a full size. Especially for school, portability is moot, since you have to carry other stuff. No point in spending more to get a less useful product.




GET A MAC.

 

[snowpenguin]

ONLY BUY MACS USED LOL

THEY'RE TOO EXPENSIVE NEW

LOLCAPS

GET AN IPAD

BEST PORTABLE COMPUTER EVAR

 

[pLover]

If you have a lot of money, go with a 13" MacBook Pro.

But you should order it online and customize it, that way you can save money on upgrades when you need them later.

Plus, if you get Windows 7, you can run Boot Camp on the Mac and run Windows 7 on it when you feel like it or need to.

You also said you don't want any entertainment flax, but come on. You know that no matter what computer you get you're going to download movies and make YouTube videos and flax.

HOWEVER, if you don't have enough money for a Mac, then yeah, get a Dell or something. (Because Macs ARE PCs.)

 

[Tchay]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-MacBook-Pro-M ... 3a575856fd

I want this, BUT I like the idea of building it for cheaper. How can I go about that? Functionality is important to me, but I am going to keep my laptop as clean and junk free as possible (I've grown up with junky computers so I refuse to be a cyberspace packrabbit).

Ideally, I would want to pay anywhere from 400-900 on my "decent" laptop. thx guys!

- Snow, I am going to buy an Ipad, go to your house, and hit you over the head with it

 

[AfroLH]

HP Mini 311.
Best netbook ever.
And with the extra money upgrade to 3GB of RAM.

 

[epicelite]

Get a small Thinkpad!

 

[samjc3]

thinkpad's are nice. get a t61 or higher. great laptop. not too huge, pretty fast (runs xp great, vista, Heck no).
also, lenovo's stuff is great.
here ya go. this ones pretty much perfect.

or, if you are looking for something more, which you arent, but still, get this. its a beast
seriously though, the first one is perfect.

 

[Tchay]

I'm liking the feedback guys! Still shopping around though.

Here are the specs of my current comp. Anything equal to or better than these will do just fine:

- AMD Sempron(tm) processor
- LE - 1300
- 2.29GHz
- 1.75GB RAM
- 74.5GB hard drive space (well, I can be more lenient on this spec. Anything around 30-40GB would be nice, but I am not sure what laptops can handle)

EDIT: these are the specs of an actual computer and monitor that I have - NOT a laptop. But still, it would be pretty nice to get a small laptop with 2.3GHz and some decent memory and RAM. I'm thinking 600 might be my max price but we'll see...

 

[Mako321]

don't trust lenovo, their keyboards break down, the screens mess up, and they just suck for their price.(my sister's is dying)

 

[snowpenguin]

Sam's first one had a 1.3 ghz pentium. Lol.

Why not find a good condition used macbook pro 15" (the last generation) for around $600?

People have loved those for quite a while.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/sys/1581773189.html

There's a 17". Real solidly built.

Also, someone around me has a 13" macbook pro for $600.

I want it.

Badly. But I'm broke.

 

[J.D]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavili ... 8129861217

This is what I have. Built like a rock and powerful. Besides the boasting 8GB of RAM, the screen quality is fantastic, and so are the speakers. The only thing that really sucks about it is the touchpad.

BESHIDES WHY GET A $1200 MACBOOK IF YOU CAN GET TEH SAME HARDWARE FOR HALF TEH PRICE??

 

[Fall_of_man]

BESHIDES WHY GET A $1200 MACBOOK IF YOU CAN GET TEH SAME HARDWARE FOR HALF TEH PRICE??

So you can parade around Starbucks drinking a Mochachinno and blogging about your depressing life as a pregnant teenage vampire on wordpress. You just can't do that with anything else.

 

[XCVG]

BESHIDES WHY GET A $1200 MACBOOK IF YOU CAN GET TEH SAME HARDWARE FOR HALF TEH PRICE??

Because it's Apple, which means it's clearly better, regardless of cost or lack of any real advantages.

Also, how big of a laptop do you want?

 

[pLover]

I want this, BUT I like the idea of building it for cheaper. How can I go about that? Functionality is important to me, but I am going to keep my laptop as clean and junk free as possible (I've grown up with junky computers so I refuse to be a cyberspace packrabbit).

Ideally, I would want to pay anywhere from 400-900 on my "decent" laptop. thx guys!

Well you can buy an uncustomized MacBook for $100 more, but that's not much of an upgrade from a Windows computer.

So it sounds like you want a customizeable Windows computer. If I'm not mistaken (which I probably am) you can get a Dell like that.

 

[samjc3]

Dell

NO!!!!!!!!!! Dell is the worst computer manufacturer ever! thier stuff sucks! dont get a dell, even if your life depends on it.

 

[J.D]

Dell mouses rock my socks off though, they're awesome.

 

[grossaffe]

Dell

NO!!!!!!!!!! Dell is the worst computer manufacturer ever! thier stuff sucks! dont get a dell, even if your life depends on it.

My Dell's been running strong for two and a half years so far. No complaints.

 

[samjc3]

Dell

NO!!!!!!!!!! Dell is the worst computer manufacturer ever! thier stuff sucks! dont get a dell, even if your life depends on it.

My Dell's been running strong for two and a half years so far. No complaints.

wow. thats the first ive heard of one being successful. all i have heard, and experienced, are horror stories and failures. they are low quality junk.