Question:
Computer for a high school student
Hey, my school is now requiring me to get a laptop for a programming course. Obviously I do not have that much money and I filled out the faq below.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
Less than $800
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Thin and Light to Mainstream
a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
VB, Word, Photoshop, Illustrator
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Taking it places
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
The occasional helicopter game
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Like Dell and Gateway, hate HP/Compaq
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
No preference
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) What country are you buying this in?
United States
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
d.
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
glossy would be nice, but if price increase it does not matter
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
No
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
maybe 2-3 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
60GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes, CD-RW/DVD
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
The Dell Inspiron E1405 would be your best bet. Make sure you use the coupons though.
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
between the E1405 and E1505 which is better in performance wise, because if the weight difference is only a 1lb then it doesn't really effect me as I walk about 10 minutes away from school
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
There is a possibility of getting a better GPU with teh E1505. Use the coupon code "6N4J2?S?DSH1T5" at checkout (make sure you configure it with X1400 before you add to cart) and it should come down to $755. It defenitely performs better than teh E1405.
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
last question is that i just found out about the Dell latitude D620 is that better than the E1505 or about equal?
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
It's like $400 more than your budget :p
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
really i thought that it was like 600 isn't it
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
not according to the Dell's website....
click on the Latitude D620 link in your post(or mine,for that matter) and look at the prices. It was automatically created by NBR's vBulletin setup.
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
oops...i meant D520 my mistake
Answer:
Re: Computer for a high school student
lol. build quality wise,Latitudes are teh best in teh dell lines. performance wise, E1505 will outdo teh latitude. But then agian since you aren't doing anything serious,you won't see much of a difference. I'd go with teh Latitude if I want a notebook that lasts.