My desktop is ancient and I have decided to replace it. I just started my DL Masters program and thought it would be nice to have a laptop so that I can do schoolwork anywhere, not just at my desk in the corner of the living room.
I can get a discount on a Dell through work but I have no idea what to get as I’ve never owned a laptop before. What is the standard screen size, processor speed, etc for a laptop? I really can’t afford to spend a ton of money–my limit is probably $800. Any suggestions?
If it’s going to be your main machine go for a comfortable size, for the sake of a goodly sized keyboard and screen. There are some good contenders these days in the sub-1000 range. This one seems to have fab bang-for-buck.
There’s no one right answer, but I like the Studio series notebook systems. You can get a Studio 15 or a Studio 17 system for around $700, depending on how you configure it.
I just bought an Acer w/ 17.3" screen 3GB memory, 320GB HD and a very similar processor for $499.
So I paid less but I got a smaller hard drive, less memory, and the biggest loss for me, no seperate graphics card.
If I had it to do over I’d really consider the Samsung, although I admit I know nothing of thier build quality.
I didn’t think laptops had separate graphics cards.
OP - don’t forget to check out your school’s computer store for student deals. They’re usually excellent. And you’ll get software near free, versus hundreds for an OS and/or Microsoft Office.
My personal advice- and I sell laptops to people for work- is to get a Toshiba or an Asus, something with a decent processor (dual core or i-series; over 2.0Ghz), 4GB RAM, Windows 7, and a decent sized hard-drive.
Check the battery life- most laptops give you about two hours. Also, you’ll want a “full-size” keyboard and numpad if possible, too.
Around here, you’re looking at approximately $725 for something like that.
If you do get a Dell, do yourself a favor and get one through the small business side of the Dell site. I bought a basic Vostro 1500 (about $600 at the time) a couple of years ago and it’s been a pretty solid machine, but what I really liked about it was 1) it didn’t come with the crapware Dell is famous for installing on their consumer machines; and 2) it came with a CD copy of the OS (XP home).
A word of warning as someone who has owned multiple Dell laptops, and currently owns an Alienware (a subsidiary) laptop. While the computer is healthy, all is great. If you need to contact technical support, however - they are INFAMOUSLY bad.
My only advice is, don’t get a fast processor. I’m assuming you’re not going to school for intensive video editing, that super-hi-res gaming isn’t a must-have for you, and that you don’t feel the need to impress your classmates with the size, I mean, speed, of what’s in your lap.
In which case, even a four year old, low-power processor will more than keep up with your web surfing, paper writing, MP3 organizing, and e-mailing. A quad- (or even dual-) core will only run down the battery faster. Look for something with a processor specifically designed for low-power laptop use.
I’ve had good experiences with Dell, Having had a XPSM1210 for over 3 years and Others in my family have a couple of Inspirons 15’s and a Studio 14.
As Such I’ll suggest going for the Studio / Studio XPS series which while a little pricier then the Inspirons / Vostras has better specs and a little better Hardware quality. Size wise If your planning to carry it around with you, I’ll strongly suggest Going for a smaller, lighter machine with say a 13" or 14" screen as opposed to bigger machines as they can be much heavier and require more space to setup and normally offer much poorer battery life. On the other hand if its mainly going to be in you room, and you want / need performance or larger screen size for work or gamng the the bigger sizes tend to be better deal for price / performance.
Having Said that I’ll strongly recommend if needed skimping a little on the specs to get the** Next Business Day at Home Warranty** as opposed to the general warranty. Not only do you get technical support at home (And Worldwide) you also get access to a dedicated Service centre that is separate from the more general Dell one, which usually has much better trained technicians.
Also, no matter which laptop you get, if you use it even reasonably well, chances are you are going to need to repair or replace something within 2 to 3 years. I tend to be hard on my computers and usually buy more expensive models ($1500+) as I require both portability and performance so the 3-4 Years Warranty’s are a worthwhile investment and have save me a lot more in the future.